Annals of Rome

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Annals of Rome
Publisher(s) PSS
Platform(s) ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64,Atari, Amiga, PC
Release date 1986
Genre(s) Strategy game
Mode(s) One player
Media Cassette, floppy drives
Input methods Keyboard,

Annals of Rome is turn based strategy game published and developed by now defunct Personal Software Services. It was first released in 1986.

Contents

[edit] Game

Annals of Rome begins in 273 BC with player in control of Roman state. In difference of all others similar games aim of this is not conquest of known world but to survive longest possible.During first few hundred years player will make wars against Carthago, Greece, Gauls.... If this ancient power are destroyed and annexed they will raise in rebellion until time of historical death of this states (for Macedonia this is 146 BC). They will then be changed with new power which will try to attack Roman state. In that way Carthago will be changed with Numidians, Parthians with Persians ... Player will always fight against 13 states/nations under computer control

[edit] Gameplay

Game is played in two windows. First is troops moviment window which is serving for movement of troops inside Roman state or for attack on computer players. On this window is possible to see number of forces for all players, inflation, popularity and national score of Roman state and human player score. Last player action on this screen is decision about how high there will be taxes (higher taxes higher inflation). In other window player is making decision which of 21 Senate members will receive command of different Roman armies. To help him in decision all Senate members are having numbers which are saying how military competent and loyal to the government they are. Last number is speaking about senator age. If government popularity fall below 2 (loyalty is going between -5 and +5) armies with not loyal commanders can revolt and try to take Rome. If this happen before 50 BC rebel will be declared dictator and if this happen latter he will become emperor which will try to creaty dynasty.

[edit] Popularity and conversions

This game with poor graphics even for 1986 has received 85 % rating from Crash magazine in 1987.[1] Similar has happened earlier when on 27.11.1986 Popular Computing Weekly has declared game "Perfect choice if you take your strategy games seriously". Because of this popularity game has received conversion on all computers of his time. In original Personal Software Services has published this game for C-64, Spectrum, Amstrad CPC and Atari ST (platforms until September 1987[2]) but latter version for PC and Amiga has been created. Today this game has become forgotten classic[3]

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ PSS catalogue
  2. ^ PSS catalogue
  3. ^ Mobby about Annals of Rome