Three areas of play marked the consistent winners in my clubs local CAESAR:ALESIA tourny. They are detailed below for the readers benefit:

a. The four corner defense

There are many variations to where to set up the 23 immobile forts in the game. This decision. by itself, can often be a game winner. One devastating tactic has four of the forts set up as shown below to "box in" Alesia. The positions selected allows Roman cav units to react quickly to any sortie from Alesia by allowing their movement over the outerworks hexes and across river hexes. The forts at either end of the trench blocks the easy escape routes. All in all, the placement of these four forts appears a solid move.

b. Gaul counting

The Roman team which wins consistently spends time Gaul counting. This means a knowledge of the Gaul OOB for both the inner garrison (a smaller force with the stronger units) and the relieving force (a larger force but with slightly weaker units). A careful count of onboard Gallic counters often can reveal if the current assault is a feint or the real thing.

This is vital for the common mid to late game Roman decision on when and where to commit their reserves. The Gaul OOB is as follows:

Inner-garrison forces:
Vercingetorix
four 9-6
five 8-6
ten 7-6
six 6-6
twenty 5-6

Relieving forces:

twenty two 8-6
sixty 7-6
thirty eight 6-6
eighteen 5-6
twenty cav

C. MT Rea cave in

A lot of debate can occur over the merits of defending the MT Rea area of the mat). It lacks, however, a complete set of ramparts and outerworks. It is easily within reach of a massive single turn Gaul assault making it difficult for any serious Roman defense. The best Roman play involved a small force which delayed the attack in this sector. A quick cave in and retreat followed after a turn or two delay. A serious Roman defense was not attempted until the Gallic forces reached the reverse slope of MT Rea with its outerworks and ramparts.

CAESAR:ALESIA TOURNAMENT RULES

One of the more memorable tournaments held by my wargame club was a two-man team. single elimination competition using AH's CAESAR:ALESIA game. Alesia is a simple and fun game using basic wargame mechanics of move and attack. The Roman team finds itself outnumbered and defending in a donut. The Gallic player has forces in the town of Alesia (inside the Roman donut) and a large relieving force which arrives from off man. The victory conditions simply require that the Gallic leader, Vercingetorix. entrapped in Alesia exit off the maD in one of two 12 turn assault periods. The game play is fast with a high counter loss rate, especially for the Gallic players.

The tournament rules are given below for any future club to use or perhaps an adventurous person might wish to organize a game during a regional convention. Of note, AH has discontinued publishing this fine game. Most veteran gamers should still have a copy or two lying around though.

Alesia Tournament

A. Tournament will be using two-man teams for each side, single elimination.

B. Multi-player rules (section 17) are in plav for all games.

C. The following optional rules will be used:

8.4 Gallic players may fill trenches.
17.6 Leader counter elimination.
17.7 15 minute time limit for each sides turns.
17.8 Sphere of commands is kept secret.

D. Following bid procedure will be used to determine sides in each game:

step 1. Each team picks (in secret) the side desired and what they will "sacrifice" in order to obtain their choice. For choosing Romans list number of forts you will sacrifice (omit) from your COB (0, 1. 2. 3, ...). If choosing the Gauls list the number of turns sacrificed (lost) from each assault period (0, 1 . 2. 3.)

step 2. Each side then reveals their pick and compares them as follows:

Opposite Sides Chosen. Each team has their side as picked in stem I with their sacrifice in effect for both assault periods of the game. For example, one side chose Roman with one fort omitted from play and the other team choose the Gauls with no loss in turns. Each side has their pick in play with no change in sacrifices.

Same Side Chosen, one with a higher number sacrifice. Side with highest sacrifice has prevailed and gets their chosen side. Low bid takes opposite side with NO sacrifice in effect. High bid's sacrifice is still in play for both assault periods. For example, one side chose the Gauls with 1 turn less in each assault period while the other team chose the Gauls with 2 less turns per assault period. The second team is the Gauls with assault periods being ten turns long while the first team is the Romans with the original number of forts in its OOB at set up.

Same Sides Chosen, equal sacrifice selected. Each side rolls one side. High die has prevailed. Low roll has opposite side chosen with NO sacrifice in effect. High die roll has original side chosen but its sacrifice is now increased by one. For example, both teams chose the Romans with 1 less fort at set Up. After a die roll the first team had high die. It is now the Roman turn with TWO less forts in is OOB at set up. The other side is now the Gaul team with no change to the number of turns in the assault period.

E. The above bid procedure will be used in each round, including the championship game.

Errata

1. Archer/slinger table: primary and secondary column headings are reversed.

2. The ten Gallic units required to free the inner garrison need only traverse the outerworks on the same turn. Whether thay survive or not is not important.

3. To advance more than one hex after a successful across river attack the attacking units must have started the turn on a hex containing the river or started the turn on the same side of the river as the unit being attacked.

4. A Ronan fort is only destroyed by physical occupation or movement through by a Gallic unit. An empty fort in a Gallic ZOC is not destroyed.

5. Missile engine table: A primary range attack an a stack a Gallic units results in a roll of three (one unit disrupted) or four (one unit eliminated). The Roman player picks which unit is to be eliminated/disrupted.

6. Units advancing or retreat as a result of combat may be fired an by missile units which have not yet attacked during that turn.

7. A leader counter must end the retreat stacked with a friendly combat unit if possible (19.6 and 15.3).

8. The Gallic leader Vercingetorix may not enter within the missile range of a fort (19.2). However, a Gallic unit starts the turn adjacent or one hex away from the fort the missile range is adjusted and the leader counter may than move safely past in these "pulled out" areas (24.5).

9. A fort counter placed in an outerworks hex negates the effects of the outerworks and allows Roman Cav units to pass through at the road movement rate.