Naval Wargames Rules for Ancient Times
by David Manley
with Andrew Finch and Alan Butler
Description
With these rules you can take command of the fleets of antiquity with oared galleys roaming the Mediterranean, maintaining control of your Empire and keeping the Pirates in check. In those days warfare was up close and personal. The wars between Greece and Persia, Rome and Carthage, The Roman Civil War, all are covered. You can ram, carry out oar rakes, board the enemy, fire archers and ballistae, hurl rocks from stone throwers.
A list of 40+ ship types is provided, which with their variants adds up to a total of 80 data sets. There is also a points value system. We have incorporated a command system which allows for both good and bad commanders, and which has an effect on the flow of the action. The turn is of variable length and certain actions will only be permitted during an Intermediate Phase which happens at random.
A simple campaign system is provided as a basis for those with Imperial ambitions.
Product Support
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Quick Reference Sheets
Quick Reference Sheets for Salamis ad Actium
Rules Support
Turn and Missile fire Templates and Squadron Record Sheets for use with these rules are available in the following PDF:
Salamis ad Actium Rules Support Package
For your convenience we have made the attached PDF which has the campaign maps. These will be useful if you are using the printed version and will be easier to use than photocopying the booklet.
Salamis ad Actium Campaign Maps
Clarifications
There are no Clarifications at the moment.
Errata
There are no formal Errata at the Moment, however there are some remarks concerning how the effects of weather should be interpreted in the expansion shown below.
Rules Updates
We have created an expansion to the rules, thanks to work done by one of our players, Jasper Merendino. This takes account of the fact that the ram was in use from a much earlier date that would appear from the rules as published by us.
Rules for "weak bows" (covering the use of unsupported rams) were part of the original draft of the rules before the 1st edition was published in 2003. The significance of this feature was not appreciated at the time and we shoulder the blame for leaving them out.
Unsupported rams are less effective and can be equally dangerous to both parties when used.
Salamis ad Actium Rules Expansion
Salamis ad Actium Rules Expansion Background Explanation (15 January 2022)
New Data
There is no new data at the moment