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Avalon Hill Gladiator is my favorite gladiator game.
Basics - you have a pool of points to allocate between attack and defense. There are 5 locations to attack and defend (head, chest, arms, legs and everyone's favorite the groin.) As you take damage your pool gets smaller. Do you nickel and dime to quickly lower your opponent's combat pool or go all out on an unarmored/unprotected area and hope for the kill (very tough to get.) Three styles of gladiators (light, medium and heavy) and two weapon configurations (sword/shield or the Retiarius with trident and net.)
Maneuver is a big part of the game, especially for those light vs heavy fights. The heavy's armor will protect him from a lot of damage but has fewer actions during the turn. The light needs to get the flank bonuses to survive. His small shield will not take the beating the large shield of the heavy will.
Shield bashing, bull rushes, trips, kicking away weapons or shields that have been dropped (from resulting arm damage or really powerful attacks that were almost parried), and even a campaign system are all included in this great game.
I remember my first game. After 3 or four turns of hacking at my opponent's limbs I finally got to drive my Gladius deep into his chest, killing him. Unfortunately he managed to puncture my femoral artery with his strike and I bled out after the match was over (mortal wounds are a big deal in campaign games.)
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