A Spot of Naval Gazing

 The last 2 club nights saw us indulging in a spot of naval gaming; always fun and something we should do more often.

First off was a fleet action using ancient galleys. During last year's lockdown I painted up a couple of fleets using Outpost Miniatures 1/3600th ships. I've never been happy with most naval rules that have a dozen or so models per side masquerading as a fleet of hundreds of ships; this way I get to deploy them in numbers that give a better impression of a fleet. I have 200 ships in my collection; still not quite a 1 to 1 representation but a respectable number nonetheless. Of course, using this many ships would require a different approach to normal and the rules need to be designed specifically for fleet actions.

When I started this project, the only suitable rules I was aware of were David Manley's 'Greek Fire and Roman Fury' which appeared in Wargames Illustrated in 2003. This uses stands of multiple based ships and a game engine based on Fire and Fury. I ran a test game and, although not totally convinced, reckoned it was a good starting point to work with. Fortuitously, an expanded version was released, last year, under the horrible title of 'He Hemetera Thalassa, Mare Nostrum'. The mixing of Greek and Latin notwithstanding, they're just a horrible mouthful; we've decided to just refer to them as Mare Nostrum.

I was initially quite excited by Mare Nostrum but unfortunately they don't really add much to the original Greek Fire and Roman Fury rules - the base rules have exactly the same wording. Granted the new version has fleet lists (including a truly horrendous points system) and scenarios but I'm beginning to doubt whether these were even tested. Some of the mechanisms are also unnecessarily clunky. That said we did have fun and the base idea is sound. I've already thought of ways to streamline them and we will definitely be giving them another go.

I didn't take many photos, as I reckoned tiny, tiny ships on blue bases, deployed on a blue mat, were never going to be photogenic. 

The fleets deploy. Romans in the foreground, Carthaginians in the distance.

Roman left attempts a flanking move whilst Carthaginians advance in echelon.

Roman centre in double line

Romans in trouble

The second game was much more successful and great fun. This was a 17th century game, using Firelock Games' 'Oak and Iron'. Yet another lockdown project and, at the moment, my favourite age of sail rules.

We pitted an English squadron, under Colonel Whitemoore, against a Spanish squadron commanded by Don Felipe. The English fielded a 5th rate frigate, a petite fregate and a sloop. The Spanish a light Galleon, a fluyt and a corvette.

We drew the escort scenario, with the objective token situated on the English sloop. The Spanish had 10 turns to capture the objective.

This size game is designed for a 3ft square table but I find that the table can be too cluttered, if terrain is used, and we always run out of sea room. Hence, I decided to try a 6 by 4 play area - the club tables and sea mats are this size, so it seemed easier. In retrospect, the standard scenarios begin with both sides almost in action and the game length takes this into account. In our game the sides deployed too far apart and the Spanish were never going to attain their objective in 10 turns. On the other hand, the extra sea room did feel good. Perhaps I will just increase the game length in future - we finished 10 turns easily in the usual time allotted for a club night.

The English attempt to hide behind the island

The Spanish deploy on the edge of the world

English skirt the island

English advance to shield the sloop

The Spanish Corvette attempts the passage between the island and the shoals but is covered by the English Petite Fregate

A late burst of speed from the Corvette doesn't quite reach the sloop in the final turn. In the distance the 5th rate and the galleon slog it out in a boarding action.