A Bad Day for Dates - Gangs of Rome AAR

Recently, I travelled back up to Pennsylvania for a game day with my old group. Gary, Carl and I met up at 7th Dimension Games for a multiplayer game of Gangs of Rome. 

Carl's a huge fan of the period and the rules, so he's been busily working away at creating terrain to play on, as well as amassing and painting mobs and fighters for multiple people to use.

We were playing the "Careless Is As Careless Dies" scenario. My Dominus, Senator Lucius Salvius Rufus, was out in the city on his way to the market, accompanied by the (in)famous Tisiphone and her gang of Palatine wolves. 

Lucius wasn't without his enemies, however, and it was on this day that they decided to strike against him. Gary and Carl would have two smaller gangs that needed to remove Lucius from Rome for some time.

However, the opposing fighters weren't exactly allied. While both wanted Lucius gone, whoever struck the final blow would be declared the ultimate victor.

Carl's fighters were less able than Gary's, but that allowed him to take some equipment, while Gary had none.

The game began with Tisiphone summoning a Gladiator Ally, who was used to escort Lucius across the city. While slower than any other fighter in the gang, it freed up Tisiphone and the other gang members to fight off the approaching enemies.

Three of my fighters skirmished with Gary's gang at range, while Tisiphone led Lucius away from the fighting.

Carl's fighters sprinted from their starting positions to head off the fleeing group.

Bloodied by spears, arrows, and a panicking mob of civilians, Gary's fighters continued to rush to try and reach the Senator.

For a brief moment, it seemed like victory was mine, to be savored like an urn of Falernum wine. My fighters were holding off both Gary's and Carl's gangs, and I just needed one more activation to walk Lucius and his gladiator escort off the table.

And then everything fell apart. Tisiphone was retired from the table, cut down by one of Carl's fighters. Seeing his employer - and source of income - was no longer around, the gladiator quickly made himself scarce, leaving Lucius alone and unguarded.

One by one, my fighters were picked off, previously suffered wounds coming back to haunt them and Orcus cursed their defense rolls. Eventually, I was left with only two fighters.

What little strength I could muster wasn't enough, however, and Lucius fell from multiple bludgeon and stab wounds. While Gary's gang had been critical in diverting half my numbers - and the MVP of the match was the zombie who wouldn't die, as Gary kept rolling the 5+ save to keep him at 1 Flesh - Carl's fighters were the ones to strike the final blow, and so he was the winner of the scenario.

Carl's work on the terrain really brought this game to life, and it was a lot of fun. Gangs of Rome continues to be a fantastic ruleset that's not too rules heavy, but has a lot of interesting aspects. We still like the variety and flavor of the randomly generated fighters, and it sort of creates a feeling of ownership comparing your gang fighters to those of other players.

I'm looking forward to seeing more from Warbanner, like named Gangs, new equipment, and campaign rules.