
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,857
- BGG rating
- 6.2
Four Battles of the Ancient World
- 1–2 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 1992

1992
Rules assistance for Zama: Hannibal versus Scipio
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Zama: Hannibal versus Scipio is a board game released in 1992 for 2 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Wayland Grace and Larry Baggett and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Hexagon Grid.
Zama (202 BC) was the final, decisive battle of the Second Punic War (219-201). It was the culmination of seventeen years of continuous warfare between the two great western Mediterranean powers, Rome and Carthage. It not only settled the war, but put Rome firmly on the road to world domination. The Battles of the Ancient World game system is a tactical simulation of ancient battles. Each game in the system represents one of the great battles of the ancient world. The playing pieces represent the actual units which participated in the battles; the map represents the terrain over which those units fought. This game series has been designed to ensure maximum playability and reasonable reality (in that order). In order to achieve these goals, the physical components and rules have been designed to make the game easy to understand and play. The components for each game in the series include an individual playing map, one hundred combat units, and a rule book containing standardized and battle-specific rules. Published in Strategy & Tactics magazine #153, Aug 1992. Errata was published in S&T #157. NB: This issue that also included Operation Felix. Other games in Series: Four Battles of the Ancient World Battles of the Ancient World Volume II Battles of the Ancient World Volume III Battles of the Ancient World: Marathon and Granicus (Published in Strategy & Tactics magazine #214)
Zama: Hannibal versus Scipio 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 Zama: Hannibal versus Scipio is 90 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 Zama: Hannibal versus Scipio for ages 10 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.
Zama: Hannibal versus Scipio has a complexity rating of 2.1 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.
Zama: Hannibal versus Scipio belongs to these categories: Wargame and Ancient. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and 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 Zama: Hannibal versus Scipio are: Wayland Grace and Larry Baggett. 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 Zama: Hannibal versus Scipio 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.