Circus Maximus is the classic Roman chariot racing board game, often imitated but never bettered. It was originally released by Battleline Publications in 1979 but is better known in the 1980 Avalon Hill version. I have never owned the board game but picked up a copy of the rules and bought four Steve Barber Models four horse Roman racing chariots (quadrigae) years ago. These figures have been removed from the website but are still available, I believe if you email and ask for them. This is my chariot for the Greens' faction (factio prasina).
I have one each for the Blues (factio venata), the Reds (factio russata) and the Whites (factio albata). The Greens and Blues were the two main stables, the Reds and Whites minor ones and they were others, the Purples (factio purpurea) and the Golds (factio aurata) but these only operated for a short time during the reign of Domitian. I have made a two part four lane racing arena from 3mm mdf and will post pics of it and the other chariots when finished. An excellent book to get if you're interested in this, is Fik Meijer's Chariot Racing in the Roman Empire.
Nice, I have a friend that has a blown up version of Avalon Hill’s version which he uses for our club games. Well not right now of course. I can’t remember the dimensions, but it’s big enough to have ten of us stand comfortably around table. It’s always a glorious night of shouting giv’em the whip, and grind the wheel. We had a game one time where the person won at the finish line being dragged across by his horses!
ReplyDeleteHave fun!
Cheers
Kevin
Thanks Kevin, I borrowed it and made a board with 50mm squares but my chariots are slightly longer that. It is a great game still really popular. That's winning in style!
DeleteNice chariot! Do you have a course over which these chariots race? AH’s Circus Maximus is a great game. Played many exciting campaigns using the system back in the 80s. AH’s Gladiator was another excellent game.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jonathan, I've made a board for it but haven't finished it yet. It has always been very popular, the Gladiator game was originally released with it I think but was a separate game in the AH version?
DeleteYes, Gladiator was a separate AH release.
DeleteGreat looking Chariot!
ReplyDeleteThanks Michal, it is a really fun game.
DeleteVery nice job, lovely chariot, on the way for a frantic race!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Phil, it will be good when I finish the other chariots and the board.
DeleteGreat stuff Mick! Good work on the feathers
ReplyDeleteWould make a good participation game at little wars in Canberra
Cheers
Matt
Thanks Matt, it would be good for a participation game for sure.
DeleteVery cool chariot, Mike. Circus Maximus is a perennial favorite at our annual big con, Enfilade! (this year's being cancelled due to the current health concerns).
ReplyDeleteThanks Dean, it has certainly stood the test of time. I see Noble Knight Games has copies of it and Gladiator so may order them at some stage.
DeleteLovely looking chariot! Excellent finish!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Thanks Iain.
DeleteMy current project of the week is Avalon Hill's Circus Maximus done in 54mm. The race track is 3.5ft x 8ft with 6 lanes, eventually I plan on making a larger track with 8 lanes, 4ft x 12ft. I've scratch built the chariots and used 54mm Airfix horses from their Napoleonic series.
ReplyDeleteSounds like fun, 54mm with scratch built chariots is a lot of work. GMT Games are about to release a Circus Maximus type board game called Charioteer that sounds interesting:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.gmtgames.com/p-937-charioteer.aspx