While I was back in Australia visiting mother, I thought it would be a good idea to buy some more ships. Not modern warships, not World War II, World War I or Russian Japanese War. Not Napoleonic but rather ancient vessels. OK, I did buy some World War I ships, an American fleet pack, however everything else was ancient.
As you may remember, I reviewed a few books here on ancient naval battles, Rome Seizes the Trident – The Defeat of Carthaginian Seapower and the Forging of the Roman Empire – Review; A Naval History of the Peloponnesian War – Ships, Men and Money in the War at Sea, 431-404 BC – Marc G DeSantis – Review and Great Naval Battles of the Ancient Greek World by Owen Rees – Review in particular. I have always had a love for triremes, quinquiremes and the like so I decided that I should engage in some scenarios from those books.
I already had a Roman and a Carthaginian fleet pack pack in Australia so packed that and brought it back to Manila. Each pack has about 20 vessels in it. An order was sent off to Navwar for more galleys – there are never enough – and I purchased:
- Hellenistic pack (Greek Warships mostly with a couple of large vessels) – about 20 vessels
- Phoenician pack (same but a little different enough to make it a little more interesting on the tabletop – about 20 vessels
- two packs each of:
- Greek Triremes
- Carthaginian Quinquiremes
- Greek Pentekontors
- Quadriremes
- Roman Merchantmen
- Roman Liburnians
- Roman Quinquiremes
- Greek Merchantmen
- Hemiolas
- four packs of Lembus
This should provide a nice basis for some galley on galley action. I like the Navwar galleys for their cost, and painted they look the business. I may add a couple of Langton galleys in the future as flagships and such. Biggest decision prior to painting will be to paint them with sails up (colourful) or sales down (historically more correct).
Right, well that’s another project to get going on with – only about 100 other projects to finish before these little beasties turn up from England.
Thomo's Hole 
I assume 1/1200th, given your mention of Navwar. Mine were purchased many years ago and only a few of them are used these days – as visual interest to DBA games where they cruise along the coast. What rules do you plan to use?
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I was thinking in a payday or two of getting a few Langton’s as well, just because they are so nice looking.
As for rules, Naumachia perhaps, or Salamis, or even War Galley (the board game suitably hacked about). I am open to suggestions. Like all good wargamers, you either start with a set of rules then buy figures to match or … start with a batch of figures, then chase some rules!
As space is somewhat at a premium here in Manila, then ancient naval galleys will work on smaller areas (as does DBA of course). The modern 1/3000 work as well, strangely enough, as that 4″ wide band down the middle of the table is the “logarithmic” area, representing 100km or so. Actual ships and helos at either end.
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I have no suggestions regarding rules, but certainly look forward to seeing how this project progresses.
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I am wondering if I am having too many projects on the go. The Scanian War is calling as well.
Nah, there is never too many.
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I’m in the same boat as you regarding rules (no pun intended) we are also considering having a go with naumachiae. Corvus 2 by the Society of Ancients looks like a decent compromise as well.
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I also liked David Manley’s Salamis ad Actium
Still waiting for the ships – they have apparently been despatched two weeks ago from Philippine Customs to Makati Central Post Office – a trip of some 7kms!
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I know the feeling, here in Italy it’s very similar.
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