The 2003 Circus Minimus event had an attendance drop again this year, going from 21 to 14. As such it is unlikely to remain in the Century for 2004, and will have to continue as a Trial event to try to work its way back into the Century. Despite the lower attendance, a good time was had by all.

Heat 1 featured one four-player game. This race was very non-violent, and no charioteers died, which is amazing in Circus Minimus where it is commonplace for only one charioteer to survive the race. The race was won by Don Tatum, who ultimately went on to win the event.

Heat 2 featured two four-player games. However, as this time your humble GM was playing, things were more violent. As one might expect, the GM was the first player killed. This was an interesting race, featuring Paul Bolduc's strategy (which he tried last
year) of circling the track at an easy pace and letting the other players kill each other. Unfortunately for Paul, Jed Shambeda (this year's Doctor Death) killed his charioteer in the last corner of the race, and Jed then raced to victory. In the other race, John Keating prevailed in a hard fought race over a tightly packed field.

Heat 3 also had two four-player games. As in the previous heat, the GM was killed almost right out of the gate, this time by Steve Shambeda (Jon's father). Steve went on to win the race and earn a spot in the Final.

The Final featured five players, and was a race marked by unusual happenings and rules questions. The five chariots remained intact until the last two corners, each of which claimed a chariot. Don Tatum won the final in dramatic fashion. First, Steve Shambeda leaped into his chariot from the median (as Steve's chariot had crashed). Then Don raced across the finish line with Steve in it. As the owner of the chariot, Don took first place. Steve took second as the interloper. John Keating initially had a high enough speed roll to win, but Don used his reroll power to make John reroll. The resulting reroll left John just short, so he took third. James Kendrick came in fourth, and Jed Shambeda took fifth.

I want to thank Steve Shambeda for his excellent work as Assistant GM, and for his sportsmanlike attitude in play. Finally, at this time I am not planning to return as the GM, so any interested party should contact me about a transfer of power. However, I will be working with Steve Shambeda and with the publisher to get the rules questions ironed out, as well as to make additional play aids for this game.