
- BGG rank
- BGG #257
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Commands & Colors: Ancients
- 2 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2006

1985
Rules assistance for Imperium Romanum II
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Imperium Romanum II is a board game released in 1985 for 1–6 players, 240–6000 minutes per game, and ages 16 and up. It was designed by Albert A. Nofi and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation.
“The story, of Rome is the most splendid romance in all history...” -F. Marion Crawford, Ave Roma Immortalis, II, IS Seven centuries of history are contained in this box. Imperium Romanum II is the game of the Roman Empire -the greatest and most glorious empire the world has ever known. The rules book describes the intricacies of Roman political, economic, and military conflict. The game-map portrays the whole Roman world, from Britannia to Parthia, in exacting detail, and the 800 game counters depict individual legions, fleets, and auxiliary units. The thirty-five scenarios examine every major Roman war, civil and external, through 700 years that shaped the Western World. Many games claim historical accuracy; players will be astonished at the wealth of historical detail in this one. Many games claim to be playable; players will be very pleased at how elegantly Imperium Romanum II joins scholarly historical concern to an eminently playable game system. In short, Imperium Romanum II is the definitive game of the Roman Empire. Imperium Romanum II is based on West End Games classic Imperium Romanum. More accurate, informative and attractive maps, an increase in the number of unit colors and types, rules substantially revised with an eye to readability, clarity, and historical accuracy, and the addition of new scenarios (and the elimination of some older ones) are just some of the improvements players will find in this thorough revision. What You Will Do In Imperium Romanum II Storm the walls of Rome; plunder provinces; reconquer the Empire; strive for the Imperial purple; war against the Parthians; fight great battles at sea; fight barbarian invasions; mass barbarian hordes to plunder the West; conquer Gaul; cross the Rubicon. Fight against aristocratic oppression, or for aristocratic stability. Strive to become Rome's absolute ruler, or to defend the republic. Take the role of Caesar, Pompey, Octavian, Marc Antony, Vespasian, Diocletian, Constantine, Theodosius, Theodoric, Justinian, or Attila the Hun. • Lead legions, cavalry, horse archers, auxiliaries, and r fleets; distribute donatives to your troops; watch your troops defect because of low morale. Conspire with other players, and betray them to their foes. Experience the glory and grandeur that was Rome. Suitable for solitaire play. Some of the 35 scenarios provided can be played to completion in 4 hours or less; others could take as long as 100 hours. Some scenarios permit as many as 6 players; others as few as 2. Imperium Romanum II includes: • Two full-color maps, total area 22" x 51", portraying the entirety of the Roman world at 50 miles per hex. • 800 full-color counters depicting individual legions, auxiliary units, and leaders. • One 28-page rule book. • Two 8-page chart booklets. • One 48-page scenario book including thirty-five scenarios. • Dice and counter-tray with lock-on lid. Design: Albert A. Nofi Development: Nicholas Quane with Greg Costikyan and B.C. Milligan (source: back of the box)
Imperium Romanum II supports 1–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Imperium Romanum II is 240–6000 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 Imperium Romanum II for ages 16 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.
Imperium Romanum II has a complexity rating of 3.8 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy 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.
Imperium Romanum II belongs to these categories: Wargame and Ancient. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation. 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 Imperium Romanum II are: Albert A. Nofi. 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 Imperium Romanum II as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.