This was a trial game for the Society of Ancients rule system Corvus (V2). For the sake of the narrative I will be the red fleet and Mark (onesidedminiaturewargamingdiscourse.blogspot.com.au)will be green.
All of the ships used are from the Xyston Miniatures 1:600 range of galleys, painted and based by me. The playing surface is a 1200x900x3mm mdf panel painted blue. I didn't want to put too much effort into the "terrain" as I wasn't sure how well it would play or even if I would enjoy it.
Both fleet were identical: 7 bank flagship, 5 quins, 3 trireme and 3 trihemiolae. This was done to make it easier to work out the factors.
Initial deployment of the green fleet - 5 quinquiremes and a heptereme as the flagship in line abreast, 3 trihemolae on the right wing and 3 triremes on the left
Initial deployment of the red fleet - 2 quins and a trihemiola in line abreast with the 7 flagship in reserve, 3 triremes on the right wing and 3 quins and 2 trihemiolae on the left.
A couple of moves in and the centre lines have clashed. The red trihemiola in the centre has been wrecked by shooting. On the red left 2 quins have rammed 2 trihemiolae while 2 ships have broken through to flank the greens.
The green triremes split up leaving them vulnerable. Here we see a green tri with both sets of oars sheared. He is effectively out of the game - immobilised.
The green quins are resisting being boarded in the centre but look out behind you! The rest of the green centre has wandered off in search of targets. On the far right you can see the 2 flagships going at it.
The red flagship has been rammed midships by the green flagship. Disaster - she sunk on impact!
You can see here that after backing off, the green flagship has been rammed midships in both sides and the stern simultaneously whilst another red trireme has collided with her.
On the red left a quin has been rammed midships and in the stern whilst engaged frontally and having her left oars sheared. A green trihemiola has been rammed and captured by the reds. (Final deployment)
Close up of the green flagship being ganged up on. One of the green quins has tried to come to her aid by ramming one of the red triremes but it was too late.
At this stage the green fleet broke as a result of a morale failure due to attrition. Red captured 3 green ships and lost 1 to ramming and 1 to shooting.
A very simple, fairly quick but really enjoyable to and fro game. There is a bit of ambiguity in the rules concerning combat factors but we have resolved them to both our satisfaction and intend to play this game again.
The supplied counters are sufficient but I want to make more that are less obtrusive and more in keeping with the visual aspect of the game.
