
- BGG rank
- BGG #508
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage
- 2 players
- 150 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 1996

Rules assistance for Hannibal & Hamilcar: Sun of Macedon
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Hannibal & Hamilcar: Sun of Macedon is an expansion for Hannibal & Hamilcar released in 2018 for 2 players, 60–240 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Mark Simonitch and Jaro Andruszkiewicz and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Point to Point Movement, and Area Majority / Influence.
Philip V of Macedon* - new Carthage leader miniature & leader’s card, for HANNIBAL, plus new strategy cards: Desert March, Hidden Cove - all expanding the HANNIBAL & HAMILCAR Rome vs Carthage game (*based on the Roberto Ullfig’s Philip V scenario). Macedonia joined the Second Punic War as an ally of Carthage. Philip V of Macedon built a fleet of 200 lemboi ships, and was ready to sail to Italy, following in the footsteps of Pyrrhus. This didn’t happen, as Rome reacted quickly with a sea blockade and inciting war in Greece, binding Philip’s hands. But this provided an opportunity for serious reinforcements for Hannibal in Italy. We had to have this as a variant! Sun of Macedon brings you a new general for the Carthaginian player and two new strategy cards, which focus on stealth movement. Desert March: Move an army of up to 5CU between Zuccabar or Icosium and Gades. Roll for Attrition prior to arrival. Hannibal’s father Hamilcar has reached Gades overland from Carthage. Such a successful journey across hostile territory might have actually been an inspiration for Hannibal for his march over the Alps. The card allows a small army to follow Hamilcar’s footsteps. Hidden Cove: Move an army of up to 5CU to or from Genua as if it was a port. This move is successful unless countered by a card. As we know, not every existing harbour is shown as a port in the game. And there is a good reason for that: some of them were not capable of receiving large armies. Some of them were not shown as a game design decision. Genua, however, was used twice in very specific circumstances. Mago arrived there with reinforcements and then, after few years of fighting, most probably evacuated through the same port when things become too hot to handle.
Hannibal & Hamilcar: Sun of Macedon 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 Hannibal & Hamilcar: Sun of Macedon is 60–240 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 Hannibal & Hamilcar: Sun of Macedon for ages 14 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.
Hannibal & Hamilcar: Sun of Macedon 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.
Hannibal & Hamilcar: Sun of Macedon belongs to these categories: Wargame, Miniatures, and Political. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Point to Point Movement, and Area Majority / Influence. 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 Hannibal & Hamilcar: Sun of Macedon are: Mark Simonitch and Jaro Andruszkiewicz. 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 Hannibal & Hamilcar: Sun of Macedon as an expansion for Hannibal & Hamilcar. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Hannibal & Hamilcar to use it. Check that your edition of Hannibal & Hamilcar is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.