For tips on how to play Thermopyles, see Tips_Thermopyles .

Components

• 20 Spartan cards

• 4 Support cards

• 28 Persian cards

• 1 map card

• 1 battle location marker

• 2 dice

Preparation

Shuffle the Spartan and Persian decks separately and place both decks face down on the table.

The players draw 2 Persian cards and place them next to the map card. Place the Support cards face-up on the game table.

Each player draws a starting hand of 3 Spartan cards. The strongest player starts the game (The players can use any method they prefer in determining this!).

Special rule: with one player, start instead with 4 cards. The player may skip the test of strength.

Note: All players have a hand limit of 5 cards. When a player’s hand is full, the player can either decline to draw a card OR draw a card but then discard back down to 5 cards in hand.

Turn sequence

The players take turns in clockwise order. On each turn, the player in turn chooses one of the following options:

• Retreat – move the marker backwards one step on the map card and draw a card.

• Fight – play a card from your hand and resolve the combat.

After this, it is the next player’s turn. Thus the players take turns until one of the game end conditions is triggered (see the Game End section).

Retreat

If a player chooses to Retreat, the player must move the battle marker 1 step backwards.

In addition, the players as a team may draw a Spartan card. The players together decide on which player will receive the card.

If the Spartan cards are exhausted, no more cards can be drawn.

Note: If a player in turn has no cards in hand, the player must retreat.

Fight

If a player chooses to Fight, the player follows the following sequence:

1. Charge

2. Ask for Support

3. Use location bonus

4. Combat resolution

Charge

The player chooses a Spartan card from the ones available in hand and places it next to the map card.

Each card has a certain Combat Value (10-20) pictured on it, indicating the number of Spartan soldiers in the group represented by the card.

Ask for support

After choosing the card to play, the player in turn may then use any number of support cards in order to reinforce combat strength.

The support cards chosen are discarded and for each discarded card, the player gets to roll one die.

The result of the Support die roll will be added to the Combat Value of the Spartan card that has been played.

Once all the support cards have been used, no more support cards can be played.

Use location bonus

Whenever the battle marker on the map card is at the Hot Gates (3) OR at the Last Stand (6) locations, the player receives one additional bonus die roll for the fight.

The result of the location die roll will be added to the Combat Value of the Spartan card that has been played.

The player must decide on playing any Support cards before rolling the location die.

Combat resolution

After the Spartan card has been chosen, and any bonuses from the die rolls have been added, players compare the Combat Value of the Spartan side to the first Persian card.

Each Persian card has two values on it: Combat Value (white) and Annihilation Value (red).

The Annihilation Value of the card is always at least as great as the Combat Value of the card.

Some Persian cards have a “Λ” bonus card symbol.

The combat is then resolved:

1. If the Persian card has a greater Combat Value than the Spartan side, the Spartan card is discarded and it is the next player's turn. The Persian cards remain in place and the turn ends immediately. The next player will have to face the same challenge.

2. If the Spartan side has an equal or greater Combat Value than the Persian card but the Combat Value is lower than the Annihilation Value, the Persian attack is successfully repelled and the Persian card is placed in the discard pile.

3. If the Spartan side has equal or greater Combat Value than the Annihilation Value of the Persian card, the Persian attack force is eliminated. Place the Persian card in the Graveyard.

If the first Persian card was defeated (outcome Β or Γ), the second Persian card will be fought in a similar fashion as the first one. The Spartan side’s Combat Value remains the same as in the first combat (i.e. the bonuses from the possible die rolls are still counted for the second combat).

If the Spartan side was victorious against the first Persian card, but lost against the second card, the player’s turn ends and the Spartan card is discarded. Slide the second Persian card to the first slot and draw a new Persian card for the second slot.

After this, it is the next player’s turn.

If the Spartan side defeats both of the Persian cards, the turn ends and the player draws new Persian cards for the first and second slot. Discard the Spartan card played.

For every defeated Persian card that had a bonus card “Λ” symbol, the players as a team may draw a Spartan card. The players together decide on which player will receive the card.

End of the Game

The players take turns until one of the game end conditions is met, and win or lose as a team:

1. The players lose if the players are forced to retreat to the 7th location on the map card.

2. The players lose if they run out of cards, meaning none of the players have cards in their hand and the draw pile is exhausted.

3. The players win, if at the end of the battle, there are not enough Persian cards in the Persian draw deck to refill both the first and second slots. In this case the Spartans have been able to repel the full attack of the Persian army.

4. The players win immediately when the 12th Persian card is placed in the Graveyard. In this case, the Persian army has suffered too many casualties and abandons the campaign to head home in disgrace.

List of Persian cards

• 12 / 27
• 13 / 26
• 14 / 25
• 15 / 24
• 15 / 24
• 16 / 23
• 16 / 23
• 17 / 22
• 17 / 22
• 17 / 22
• 17 / 27 with draw bonus
• 18 / 21
• 18 / 21
• 18 / 26 with draw bonus
• 18 / 26 with draw bonus
• 19 / 20
• 19 / 20
• 19 / 25 with draw bonus
• 19 / 25 with draw bonus
• 20 / 24 with draw bonus
• 20 / 24 with draw bonus
• 20 / 24 with draw bonus
• 20 / 24 with draw bonus
• 21 / 23 with draw bonus
• 21 / 23 with draw bonus
• 21 / 23 with draw bonus
• 21 / 23 with draw bonus
• 22 / 22 with draw bonus

list of spartan cards

• 10 11 11 12 12
• 13 13 14 14 15
• 15 16 16 17 17
• 18 18 19 19 20