Optio completely re-invents Ancients tabletop wargaming from the ground up, and that's not an exaggeration (though perhaps less than modest, but heck, I have to punt my own game). About the only thing Optio does have in common with other Ancients rules is its movement system. Bases/elements are combined into Command Groups, each composed of one to eight elements/bases, that move on a square gridded battlefield. But even here Optio departs from other systems on several important points. Non-skirmisher infantry, for example, cannot change direction unless to face adjacent enemy, and even then they become disordered when doing so. They could form a column, but columns are highly vulnerable if charged by enemy. As a concomitant to movement Optio has an array of battle formations many of which are unique to the system: extended lines, Roman line relief, close and open phalanxes, cavalry wedges, Theban columns and many more, all of which have been carefully modelled to correspond as closely as possible to their historical counterparts. Optio's command system relies on a simplified and unique orders system that sends Commanders to specific squares on the battlefield whilst their Command Groups move freely under the player's control - provided they remain within the command distance of their Commander. Players actually have more control over their Command Groups than they do over elements/battlelines in other systems since a Command Group can always do something. There is no such thing as large sections of the army sitting motionless because of a poor pip throw. Optio's combat system is also entirely unique. Each Command Group has a Combat Scale which records morale and missile hits. Combat is resolved without dice and with very few modifiers, and it is very fast: an entire round of melee can be completed in a few seconds. When a Command Group's morale drops to zero on its Combat Scale it routs. Optio's victory conditions do resemble that of some other systems, but only superficially. Routed Command Groups apply a simplified morale test on nearby friendly Command Groups. Each base/element of a routed Command Group inflicts Panic Hits on the nearby friendlies. These Panic Hits are added to Panic Hits of Command Groups routed in previous turns. If the total is high enough, all friendlies within 2 battlefield squares of the routed Command Group themselves rout. They then apply panic hits to other nearby friendlies. As the battle progresses and one side loses more and more Command Groups, a tipping point is reached where a single crucial rout can send the entire army packing in a chain reaction rout. It's very dramatic when it happens. Since it is almost entirely chance-free, Optio rewards subtle tactical gains. A slight advantage is not lost because of poor dice throws. Charge an enemy Command Group in the flank and you will get the flank bonus's benefit, every time. If you win a game you will have deserved to win it, and even you lose you will have had a lot of fun. I guarantee it! |
Optio is currently available for beta playtesting. Anyone interested please click on the links at the top and bottom of the page. You will be given a free pdf of the ruleset, a generic reference sheet pdf for use with DBA armies adapted to Optio, and print-and-play player aids.
A complete print-and-play Optio introductory boardgame Brazen Shields is also available to break you into the system. One you've played the system enough to decide you love or despise it, please feel free to post critiques, suggestions and comments in the forum. My own experience is that one can never playtest a game enough: there's always one more gremlin that comes out the woodwork between the hammer and anvil of the gaming table. And most important of all, have fun! |
Optio Battle Report
To whet your appetite here is a battle report from a game played in October 2017 between my better half and myself at the Historical Gaming Group in Durban, South Africa. A hypothetical Late Seleucid vs Late Seleucid civil war engagement with two identical armies.
This game gives an idea of the main mechanisms of Optio though I have not laboured these in the text. It also shows how timing in Optio is crucial: small gains do not go away through bad dice throws and can turn into decisive advantages later in the game. You have to think on your feet!
Click on the '1' square at the bottom of the slideshow to go to the beginning. You can let the show run automatically (8 seconds per slide) or pause the show and manually click on the numbers to navigate between the slides. On a cellphone the slides will probably be too small to make out the detail but then you can't please everybody.
This game gives an idea of the main mechanisms of Optio though I have not laboured these in the text. It also shows how timing in Optio is crucial: small gains do not go away through bad dice throws and can turn into decisive advantages later in the game. You have to think on your feet!
Click on the '1' square at the bottom of the slideshow to go to the beginning. You can let the show run automatically (8 seconds per slide) or pause the show and manually click on the numbers to navigate between the slides. On a cellphone the slides will probably be too small to make out the detail but then you can't please everybody.
Ruleset
The ruleset consists of about 40 A4 pages including the Contents page. There are about 90 pretty full-colour diagrams. The ruleset is currently available as a free pdf for playtesting purposes and does not yet represent Optio in its final form. If you take the ruleset and try to hawk it as your own game I will invoke bad juju on you.
Click on the ruleset button at the top or bottom of the page to download the ruleset (25MB). |
Reference Sheet
The Reference sheet is a single A4 sheet printed on one side. Each sheet is customised for the two armies involved in the battle, i.e. there is a sheet for Republican Roman vs Gallic, or Greek vs Macedonian. Reference sheets are available on request. See the Forum page for more details.
A generic reference sheet for DBA army lists adapted to Optio is available as a free pdf download. The pdf describes how DBA armies can be used to play Optio (but you still have to buy the DBA lists - I don't want to get into trouble). Click on the ref sheet button at the top or bottom of the page for the pdf. |
Player Aids
Besides dice (yep, SoA forum members, Optio does have dice), you will need a turn scale with a 2-sided turn marker, combat scales with morale and missile hits markers, Generals and Commanders underbases (or printed figures if you don't have single miniatures figures to represent them), Orders counters, Orders slips and Commander blocks that go on top of the Order slips.
These are all available as a free pdf download. Instructions on how to assemble them are included in the pdf. Click on the player aids button at the top or bottom of the page. You will also need to make up a battlefield divided into squares measuring 110mm x 110mm, at least 8 squares deep by 8 squares wide (it's more fun at 8 squares deep by 16 squares wide). Tiles or dots on cloth or whatever. Simon Miller's 100x100mm grid mats would also do the job. |
Boardgame
A free download of the Optio boardgame Brazen Shields is available to introduce you to the mechanisms of Optio. The game includes:
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