Commands & Colors: Ancients

Commands & Colors: Ancients was designed by Richard Borg, the same designer behind the acclaimed Memoir '44 and Battle Cry board games. It was released in 2006 by GMT Games and adapts Borg's signature card-driven command system to battles of the ancient world.

The base game includes scenarios for major battles of the Punic Wars and the Roman Republican era, featuring historical engagements such as Cannae and Zama. Players command armies representing Rome, Carthage, and their respective allies using blocks to represent infantry, cavalry, and ranged units.

Commands & Colors: Ancients has six numbered expansions, each adding new armies, unit types, and battle scenarios from different periods of ancient history. The expansions cover subjects including the Roman Imperial era, the Greek city-states, and various barbarian armies that clashed with Rome.

Players hold a hand of command cards that activate units in specific battlefield sections—left flank, center, or right flank—meaning you cannot order every unit every turn. This creates realistic friction and forces players to make tactical decisions about where to focus their efforts, a hallmark of Borg's Commands & Colors system.