Gladiator Manager Wargame, Ludus: A game of gladiators and lanistas

I purchased the fresh (released March 10^th) new wargame Ludus: A game of gladiators and lanistas by Michael Bergen Henegouwen on Wargamevault. I’ve read through it, and I like what it has to offer. Ludus takes skirmish games to the extreme. You are usually fighting one vs one, with your choice of a gladiator from one of 7 classes. Each gladiator class has a different roster of 10 cards they can choose from in a match, and you reveal one card as your opponent does, per turn. This card determines your move score, your combat action and your AFTER combat move score.  With the exception of a special action card that defines your class, you can choose the same action card turn after turn as long as you have fatigue to pay for it.

The gladiator classes consist of the following: Arbelas who wields a fixed blade in their main hand and a gladius in their off hand; Dimachaerus who dual wields a pair of gladii; Hoplomachus who represents a Greek Hoplite by wielding a spear, a small shield and a dagger; Murmillo, probably the most famous type of gladiator, who holds a large shield (the scutum) a gladius and a helmet; Retiarius the lightly armored trident wielder and net thrower; Thraex, inspired by the Thracians, who wielded the curved sword the sica and a medium shield the parmula; and the Veles, based on the light skirmish troops of the Roman army, wielding a long spear called a veruta and a gladius.

Combat usually involves a 2d10 contested roll unless your gladiator is wounded. Movement is carried out on a hex map where relative facing and position give bonuses and penalties. Gladiators also gain levels from arena experience and accrue traits and can choose individual skills to help them in combat.

Beyond the combat engine, there are nine types of arena scenarios to combine with six types of arena terrain. Arena scenarios consist of traditional variations of one vs one and two vs two, but also include more exotic scenarios. For instance, a Sagittarius match consists of two gladiators pitted against each other, but with the added wrinkle of an archer (the Sagittarius) on a pillar in the middle of the arena shooting each turn at the gladiator that is furthest away from him.  Additional arena scenarios include matches against beasts, and one where the gladiators are chained to a condemned man and have to protect him from the other gladiator.  To complicate these matches there is a table to roll for different arena terrain, including a circle of fire, a swampy arena and the hazard of chained animals.

Finally in chapter four we get to the lanista campaign section of Ludus. The rules are clear and even just reading them gives me a sense of excitement at the prospect of growing and managing one’s own gladiator school.  Lanista compete with each other using gladiators to gain glory points, and the winner is the lanista who has accumulated the most after a set number of campaign turns.  Each lanista chooses four gladiators with which to compete from the 7 classes and can have no more than two gladiators of a given class.

There are additional rules to add to gladiatorial combat to spice up encounters.  Gladiators can now gain Favour, which allows a combat action reroll, through lanista action or by playing to the crowd.  In addition, assuming they are of a sufficient level, gladiators gain the option to intimidate their opponent which reduces their opponent’s vital statistics and thus combat capability. 

Lanista also get the opportunity to carry out an action once per turn in between the gladiatorial combats. This action can range from upgrading one’s ludus which strengthens one’s gladiators, to hiring specialist for an additional roll on certain challenges like rolling on the injury table or rerolling initiative.     

Overall, the book is filled to the brim with clear rules, combat examples, interesting tables, summary sheets and several pages of action cards. I can’t wait to engage in gladiatorial competition with a game group or even attempt some of the scenarios solo.  The designer mentions that he chose to not include gambling, and I think the lack of a money and prices system actually enhances the flow of the game, particularly the lanista campaign.  All you have to be concerned with is what action a lanista will take per turn, not how much such an action would cost.  So lanista actions are more easily balanced with each other. Having said that I also can see that there is room for expansion with Ludus.  More classes, perhaps actions gladiators could take outside the arena, and maybe a limited betting system where glory is wagered over gladiatorial results, would be welcome additions. For $8, the pdf is 62 pages with 81 action cards to print out in the back.

Ave Imperator, morituri te salutant!