So, after my first session with Tetrarchia, the plan was to try more difficult set-ups. Having in mind that game is easily transportable we managed to have two nice games while bicycling in the neighborhood.  Let us see how it went.

Just one reminder (this is described in details in first post) – the factors which impact game difficulty:

  • Number of control tokens (like garrisons or armies) each of the 4 emperors can place (more tokens makes it easier for you).  Value: 3, 4 or 5
  • Number of fleets allowing emperors move across water (more fleets makes it easier for you). Value: 1, 2 or 3
  • Number of extra rebellions placed during setup (fewer rebellions makes it easier for you). Value:  0, 1 or 2
  •  Number of barbarian invading armies during setup (fewer makes it easier for you). Value: 0, 1 or 2

So 4-2-1-1 is normal, middle level of difficulty.

GAME 1, difficulty 4-2-1-1

After beating game on easy level, this we played on standard level, with additional revolt and enemy army at the beginning. It was surprisingly quick and rather easy game – maybe we had luck. First barbarian army was quickly cut from it supply and crushed in Rome. Whenever we had opportunity, we secured borders – 5 neighbors were quickly pacified. Yes, well, five and you need 6 to win. And at this moment we were struck by enormously unlucky rolls – two consecutive uprisings, resulting in two armies entering exactly where they could. They of course were helping each other…

That actually put all our 4 emperors on their toes, and large force was dispatched do Egypt. After 3-4 turns of preparations and fight we finally won.

 

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GAME 2, difficulty 4-2-2-2

We managed on medium difficulty, so why not increase a bit? A bit was second external army and second rebellion at the set-up:

 

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That was very quick game. After first round we had 16 rebellions on the map, 3 enemy armies converging on the Rome plus zero borders secured. Then – despite fighting off two armies – it was only worse and ended in total calamity.

There is still a lot of play in front of us and summer travels encourage to play that small, quick but neat game!