Clash of the Gladiators is a dice-and-card game by Reiner Knizia set in the Roman arena. Players form teams of gladiators and send them into combat against each other. Each gladiator type modifies dice rolls differently, and players try to wound and eliminate opponents’ fighters to score points. Wild animals add chaos to the arena. The player with the most points from kills at the end wins.
Components
Gladiator cards in 5 types: Swordsmen, Spearmen, Net-throwers, Shield-Carriers, Trident-Carriers
Wild Animal cards
Combat dice
Score tracking tokens
Arena board/play area
Setup
Shuffle the gladiator and animal cards.
Each player drafts or is dealt a team of gladiators.
Place scoring tokens nearby.
Determine a starting player.
Turn Structure
Each round consists of:
Deploy: Players select gladiators from their hand to send into the arena.
Combat: Gladiators fight using dice rolls modified by their type.
Resolve: Wounds are assigned, defeated gladiators are removed, and points are scored.
Actions
Deploy Gladiators
Choose gladiators from your hand to fight in the current bout.
Each gladiator type has a different combat modifier affecting dice results.
Combat
Roll the combat dice. Each gladiator type interacts with the dice differently:
Swordsmen: Reliable, standard combat ability.
Spearmen: Effective at range, may strike first.
Net-throwers: Can entangle opponents, reducing their effectiveness.
Shield-Carriers: Provide defensive bonuses, absorbing hits.
Trident-Carriers: High damage potential.
Apply modifiers based on gladiator types in the fight.
Score Points
When you eliminate an opponent’s gladiator, you score points based on the type of gladiator defeated.
Wild animals, when they appear, attack gladiators and can disrupt plans.
Scoring / Victory Conditions
The game continues through multiple rounds until gladiator cards are exhausted. Players total their points from defeated opponents’ gladiators. The player with the most points wins.
Special Rules & Edge Cases
Wild Animals: These cards are mixed into the deck and appear during combat, attacking gladiators of any player. Defeating a wild animal may also score points.
Team composition matters: A well-balanced team with different gladiator types is generally stronger than a team focused on one type.
Simultaneous combat: Multiple gladiators may fight at once, and the order of resolution can matter.
Ties: In case of a tie in points, the player with more surviving gladiators wins.
The game combines dice luck with tactical card selection, as knowing when to deploy your strongest fighters is key.