Sons of Mars: Rules for Gladiatorial Combat in the Arena

Sons of Mars is a tactical, miniatures-agnostic tabletop skirmish game that allows players to recreate the brutal, high-stakes gladiatorial spectacles of ancient Rome. Because it is scale-agnostic, players can use any existing gladiator miniatures they own on a compact playing area, such as a 2×2 foot table.

The core framework focuses on tactical choices rather than pure dice luck, offering deep mechanical depth across multiple styles of play.

Core Gameplay Mechanics

D10 Action System: Battles rely on an initiative-based D10 system where turn order is determined by adding a figure’s agility to the roll.
Tactical Control: Combat gives players control through 13 distinct tactical actions and over 30 unique character abilities.
Turn Sequence: Each match consists of eight high-intensity rounds where gladiators take two actions per turn until vitality depletes or a death blow lands.
Modular Scaling: A flexible 80+ page rulebook allows players to run simple, light games or “bolt on” advanced rules for highly detailed simulation.

Content and Varieties

Gladiator Classes: Rules feature 17 distinct gladiator classes, mirroring historical fighting styles and armor restrictions.
Beasts & NPCs: Arena matches include 10 different vicious beasts and over 40 distinct non-player characters.
Arsenal & Gear: Players can outfit fighters with more than 40 pieces of historically inspired weapons and defensive armor.
Match Profiles: The system profiles over 20 unique match types and 4 custom-themed Roman festivals.

Campaign and Management Systems

Ludus Management: Players take on the role of a Lanista, building and expanding their own gladiator training school from the ground up.
Fighter Progression: A deep campaign system tracks individual gladiator experience, injuries, and skill progression over multiple events.
Flexible Player Counts: The rulebook features dedicated adaptations that accommodate solo play, head-to-head matches, or large gaming groups.

Genre: Ancients (up to 500 AD)

Scale: 25 mm, 28 mm, 32 mm

Average Models per Side: Less than 10

Number of Players: 2, 2+

Miniatures: Agnostic

Rules: Purchased PDF or Rulebook

Availability: In Print

Publisher: God’s Eye Games

Designers: Joe Veltre

Year Released: 2018

Website: Sons of Mars

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Sons of Mars Essential Card Deck – The Sons of Mars Essentials deck consists of 90 cards that include all the skills and weapons along with one sheet of blank cards for gladiator recording.

Sons of Mars NPC Card Deck – The Sons of Mars NPC deck consists of 54 cards that include all new NPCs to complement the rulebook including local, regional, champion gladiators, and more!