A Strategy Game for 2 ~ 3 players
The Mediterranean Sea in ancient times. Images of magnificent coasts to be explored and legendary civilizations that rose to power come to mind.
Now in 2nd edition printing!
History of the Ancient Seas II
~ Dies Irae ~
Designer: Karl Hauser
Artist(s): Marc von Martial
Developer: Uwe Walentin
Hist. period: Ancients
Game length: 180 minutes
Players: 2 – 3 players
Age: 14+ years
Complexity: 5 / 10
Solitaire: yes
Now in 2nd Edition printing. Featuring recessed double layer player boards and printed rules in English, German and French.
The game series “History of the Ancient Seas” is the ultimate journey through these exciting times. Build new fleets in your city to explore unknown lands, conquer islands and build a great empire.
In DIES IRAE, the second installment in the “History of the Ancient Seas” game series, you will lead one of the great Empires like: The Greek City States, Egypt or Persia and fight for dominancy in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. The people from all of these empires see the Gods as their allies and trust them as supporters for their cause!
DIES IRAE is originally a three player game, but the “Archimedes” Solitaire bot and the “The King is dead” static empires feature allow you to reduce the player count if needed.
The challenge in a three player game is that gamers face a constant two versus one constellation. All three players have to fight eventually on two fronts at the same time and have to keep a close eye on both opponents. The worst case is that two of them are in an armistice which means they could both focus on you. Each player should avoid this situation at all costs.
Which god will help their people the most in the struggle of dominance in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea?
Game Components
- 1 large 84 x 60 cm mounted Map board
- 312 wooden Playing Pieces
- 38 Playing Cards
- 74 printed Talent Coins
- 3 recessed double layer Player Sheets for tracking Troops & Income
- 2 Play Tracks for Development & Ressource tracking
- 3 Play Aids with Ressource Icons, Cost Table and Stability Status
- “Archimedes” solo mode Rules and Cards
- 1 Game Rulebook
- second edition includes a printed german & french Rulebook!
Links:
The “Sound of Drums” Facebook Group
Support files & errata:
Support files & documentation errata
Shop & Ordering
Q1: Can I apply more than one discount code to the same order?
A: We’re sorry, but only one discount code can be applied per order. If you have multiple codes, you’re welcome to use a different one on your next purchase.
Q2: I’ve already placed an order. How can I combine a new order with the previous one?
A: Unfortunately, orders cannot be merged automatically once they’ve been placed. However, if you add the new item to your shopping cart before checkout, our system will recognise it and won’t charge you additional shipping.
Please note: We cannot guarantee that orders can be merged once they are being processed. Unless we have specifically asked you to do so, there is a risk that your orders may not be combined. In that case, the outstanding order may either need to be refunded or shipped separately, and any shipping fees will be handled accordingly.
Q3: What happens if my order contains both a pre-order item and an item that’s already available, and I qualify for free shipping?
A: We’ll ship all the items together once the pre-order item becomes available
Q4: Can I reserve a game without purchasing it?
A: We’re sorry, but we’re unable to hold or reserve games without a purchase.
Q5: What is available right now?
A: All items listed as “in stock” — except pre-orders — are available for immediate purchase. In the rare case that an item is out of stock due to an error, we’ll contact you directly to resolve the issue.
Q6: How can I order something that isn’t currently in stock?
A: You can sign up for a back-in-stock notification (this option appears in place of the “Add to Cart” button). If the item becomes available again, we’ll notify you immediately by email so you can place your order.
Q7: Will pre-order items be shipped to me automatically?
A: Yes. If your order contains pre-order items, we’ll automatically ship it once all pre-ordered items have arrived — provided that shipping has been paid for or the order qualifies for free shipping.
Spare parts
Q1: Can I order spare parts?
A: If you have missing/broken components* in any of our products, please contact us. We highly encourage you to remove all components from the box and open all inner packaging to look for components that appear to be missing before reporting that they’re actually missing.
Q2: My box is broken.
A: We can’t replace boxes, and for environmental reasons we generally prefer not to replace inserts and plastic trays. However, if your game box and/or insert was damaged during shipping from our web shop, please open a ticket in our helpdesk and submit your order number. Photos of the packaging and damage help us share feedback with our fulfillment centers.
Q3: Is a replacement necessary?
It’s important to us that you get the full and best version of your game, and we will respond to any requests for replacement parts. That said, we ask for your compassion and understanding if certain types of tokens are missing or broken. One missing or badly printed / trimmed unit counter will impact the game. On the other hand if you miss one admin marker that is available multiple times in that same game we kindly ask not to demand a replacement for environmental reasons. It will not make the game unplayable.
Game related
Q1: Can I read the manuals before I purchase?
A: For some of our products, full manuals are available online. For others, we provide abbreviated or introductory manuals. Please check the “Infos & Files” tab on the respective product page.
Q2: Where can I find support files or errata?
A: You can find support files and errata on the “Infos & Files” tab of the respective product page.
Fulfillment Times
Unless otherwise stated on the webstore header, all “Sound of Drums” orders placed through our webstore will be shipped within 1 week, with preorders and holiday shipping taking longer due to our fulfillment centers receiving a flood of orders all at the same time. You will receive a shipment notification e-mail with a tracking number – this information won’t show up on your “Sound of Drums” webstore customer account.
Shipping Costs
We charge a flat rate of EUR 16 for shipping, with free shipping on orders over EUR 150. Some exceptions for particularly large products might apply.
Shipping Times
We ship orders from different fulfillment centers around the world to expedite shipping, maintain low shipping fees, and reduce customs/taxes, so the courier will depend on your location. See the list below to find out from which center your order will be shipped.
Europe – Meeples.NL (this fulfillment partner is also covering every other country not mentioned below).
UK – Zatu Games LTD
US – Bridge Distribution Covering the US and Mexico.
Canada – Boardgamebliss
Australia – Aetherworks
Need help?
Contact us for any questions related to shipping.
~ Available Expansions ~

New Armies
New Armies, new battles, Fog of War! Take History of the Ancient Seas to a new level!

Pirates & Barbarians
“Sail in sight!” calls the sentry on the tower. To whom do these sails on the horizon belong?

New Markets
New Markets for the Mediterranean! Explore new coasts and lands! Will your new conquests add to your empire?
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