
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,953
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Flying Colors
- 1–4 players
- 240 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2003

Expansion for Ancient Battles Deluxe: From Guts to Gunpowder
2009
Rules assistance for Ancient Battles Deluxe Expansion Kit 3: Strange Ordnance
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Ancient Battles Deluxe Expansion Kit 3: Strange Ordnance is an expansion for Ancient Battles Deluxe: From Guts to Gunpowder released in 2009 for 2 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Mike Nagel and its main mechanics are Hexagon Grid.
Added to the stench of battle is a foul new reek, the stink of sulfur! Now small formations of light gunners armed with the early Arquebus, and heavier formations of Coronelias and Tercios can lay fire across the field of battle. But they are not alone, for early cannon such as the Culverin, clumsy as they are, have also been introduced. Now as these strange ordnance add a thick smoke to the battlefield and hasten the twilight of ancient battle tactics. This expansion kit the the Ancient Battles Deluxe: From Guts to Gunpowder series of tactical warfare introduces early gunpowder units: Light Hand Gunners, Heavy Hand Gunners, and early Cannons plus the rules for integrating these into the game system. Complexity: 4 on a 9 scale Solitaire Suitability: 6 on a 9 scale Time scale: Each Game Turn equals 45 minutes Unit scale: Dozens to hundreds of men, beasts and equipment Scenarios (41-56): 41. Megiddo (Thutmose III vs the King of Kadesh, 1457 BC) 42. Issus (Alexander vs Darius, 333 BC) 43. Pydna (Perseus vs Paulus, 168 BC) 44. 2nd Adrianople (Valens vs Fritigern, 378 AD) 45. Catalaunian Plains (Aetius vs Attila, 451 AD) 46. Lechfeld (Bulcsu vs Otto I, 955 AD) 47. Dorylaeum (Kilij Arslan vs Bohemond, 1097 AD) 48. Kalka River (Jebe vs Mstislav, 1223 AD) 49. Kutna Hora (Sigismund vs Jan Zizka, 1421 AD) 50. Habry (Jan Zizka vs Pipa, 1422 AD) 51. Malesov (Jan Zizka vs Borok, 1424 AD) 52. Aussig (Prokop vs Boso, 1426 AD) 53. Lipany (Prokop vs Borok, 1434 AD) 54. 2nd Kossovo (Murad II vs John Hunyadi, 1448 AD) 55. Formigny (Thomas Kyriell vs Comte de Clermont, 1450 AD) 56. Cerignola (de Cordoba vs d’Armagnac, 1503 AD)
Ancient Battles Deluxe Expansion Kit 3: Strange Ordnance supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Ancient Battles Deluxe Expansion Kit 3: Strange Ordnance is 60 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Ancient Battles Deluxe Expansion Kit 3: Strange Ordnance for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Ancient Battles Deluxe Expansion Kit 3: Strange Ordnance has a complexity rating of 2.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Ancient Battles Deluxe Expansion Kit 3: Strange Ordnance belongs to these categories: Wargame, Ancient, and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Hexagon Grid. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Ancient Battles Deluxe Expansion Kit 3: Strange Ordnance are: Mike Nagel. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Ancient Battles Deluxe Expansion Kit 3: Strange Ordnance as an expansion for Ancient Battles Deluxe: From Guts to Gunpowder. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Ancient Battles Deluxe: From Guts to Gunpowder to use it. Check that your edition of Ancient Battles Deluxe: From Guts to Gunpowder is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.