- BGG rating
- 6.9
Expansion for Sword of Rome: Conquest of Italy, 362-272 BC
The Sword of Rome: 5th Player Expansion
2007
Rules assistance for The Sword of Rome: 5th Player Expansion
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 360 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.4/5
Rules assistant for The Sword of Rome: 5th Player Expansion
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Sword of Rome: 5th Player Expansion is an expansion for Sword of Rome: Conquest of Italy, 362-272 BC released in 2007 for 2–5 players, 360 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Wray Ferrell and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Point to Point Movement.
About the game
This expansion kit for the award-winning Sword of Rome game adds Carthage as a player power and requires ownership of Sword of Rome. Carthage now has their own customized deck of 38 strategy cards plus there are 8 new events that replace cards in the Etruscan, Roman, and Greek decks. Additionally, Carthage has special powers that emphasize its historic strengths. Carthage can hire mercenaries allowing lesser peoples to do the dirty job of fighting for them. Carthage is the pre-eminent naval power of the era and has the ability to interdict any naval movement, blockade enemy cities, and provide supplies to allied cities under siege. Carthage can also provide the use of its ships to allies, allowing them to move great distances to launch unexpected attacks. Perhaps Carthage will ally with the Greeks and sweep north using their combined navies to turn the tide, but what of Sicily? It now provides reinforcements and VPs for conquering it for both the Greeks and Carthage, but at a severe cost to the side that is denied the island. Perhaps the Greek player has allied with you just to encourage you to sail to Rome so he can launch a Sicilian campaign. And what of failure? The Carthaginian general who has the audacity to lose a battle may be crucified for his incompetence. The generals who survive always keep in mind that their mercenaries' loyalty lie not with Carthage, but with silver and gold. Expands: Sword of Rome: Conquest of Italy, 362-272 BC
Questions and answers
The Sword of Rome: 5th Player Expansion supports 2–5 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 The Sword of Rome: 5th Player Expansion is 360 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 The Sword of Rome: 5th Player Expansion 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.
The Sword of Rome: 5th Player Expansion has a complexity rating of 3.4 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
The Sword of Rome: 5th Player Expansion belongs to these categories: Wargame, Territory Building, and Political. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Dice Rolling, and Point to Point Movement. 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 The Sword of Rome: 5th Player Expansion are: Wray Ferrell. 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 The Sword of Rome: 5th Player Expansion as an expansion for Sword of Rome: Conquest of Italy, 362-272 BC. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Sword of Rome: Conquest of Italy, 362-272 BC to use it. Check that your edition of Sword of Rome: Conquest of Italy, 362-272 BC is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.