ANCIENTS NAVAL BATTLE SCENARIOS

A N C I E N T S

TACTICAL BATTLES IN THE AGE BEFORE GUNPOWDER

SCENARIO LISTING
Diekplus .........................
Salamis .........................
Arginusae ......................
Mylae ............................
Actium ..........................
Cyzicus .........................
Svalde ...........................
Sluys ............................

DIEKPLUS
Introductory ........................
480 BC ................................
406 BC ................................
260 BC ................................
31 BC ..................................
672 AD ................................
1000 AD ..............................
1340 AD ..............................

1
1
2
2
2
3
3
3

MAP D

This is an introductory naval scenario to aid layers in learning

the game, and also i p to demonstrate actual tactics used. Even
with superior crew quality it will be tricky to win this scenario
as Player 1. It is advised you crash through on Turn 1, spend
Turns 2 and 3 running to gain distance, and circle back on Turn
4. If anything goes wrong in your initial attack (it usually will)
turn your column 90 degrees against either one of the enemy
flanks.

Player 1

INTRODUCTION
Each scenario specifies the map to be used. Set up of units uses
the following system:
The map is overlaid with a grid of hexagons (hex or hexes) used
to regulate movement. Each of these hexes is assigned a grid
coordinate made up of a letter and number. The initial direction
and hexes in which units begin the game are listed in each
scenario, e.g.: Direction 1: Al would be a ship facing the top
of the map, set up in its top left-hand corner.
Each scenario is a game in itself that can be replayed any
number of times, and each provides the following information:
Scenario Name:

Introductory

The name of this historical situation being

simulated and the year in which the battle
took place. The map used for the scenario is
listed to the right.

Units at Start
Ships:
Direction 1:
Crew Quality:

3 Triremes, 1 marine each.

I10, I11, I12.
4.

Player 2
Units at Start
Ships:
Direction 4:
Crew Quality:
Special Rules:
*
*

5 Triremes, 1 marine each.

E8, G8,I8, K8, M8.
3.

First turn movement roll for each side is

automatically a 3.
To win, you must sink, cripple or capture all
enemy ships and destroy all enemy marines.

Historical Note

Combatants:

Which side each player represents.

Setup:

Tells what units each side has available, and

when and where they enter play.

Special Rules:

If special rules or victory conditions are in

effect, they will be listed here.

Scale:

This has no bearing on play. It is included

for those who wish to compare armies of
different scenarios.

The first side listed in each scenario is the side to move first,
and the game length is twenty turns, unless otherwise stated.

Given the nature of ram tactics, the side that could make the
longer line had the advantage of coming in on the enemy flanks
with broadside ram attacks. Deploying in a single line was a
tactic called the periplus. To counter it the diekplus was
developed. The smaller fleets would charge in a single column.
They would then try to pass through the enemy line and turn
around for another pass. The counter to this counter was to
deploy in two lines; this would prevent a breakthrough, but it
meant shortening the battle line against a possible periplus.
Players are encouraged to try different combinations of tactics.

SALAMIS

480 BC

Greeks
Units at Start
Ships:
Direction 1:
Direction 2:
Direction 5:
Direction 6:
Crew Quality:

Page 1

10 Triremes, 1 marine each.

H12, I12 and M 12.
G11.
H3 and I2.
L10, L11, K11, and J12.
4.

MAP H

ANCIENTS NAVAL BATTLE SCENARIOS

Persians
Units at Start
Ships:
Direction 2:
Direction 3:
Crew Quality:
Special Rules:
*
*

Scale:

Historical Note
20 Triremes, 1 marine each.
E3, E4, F3, and F4.
A6, B6, B7, C5, C6, D6, D8, E7, E8, F7, F8,
G6, G7, H6, H7, and I6.
1.

The first turn movement roll for each side is

automatically 4.
Note: The terrible crew quality given the
Persians here is to reflect the fact that the
Greeks were in familiar waters, The currents,
winds and shoals were all on the Greek side.
The Persian ships were actually manned by
competent seamen.
Persians must exit two ships off the north
map edge to win; if they fail to do so, the
Greeks win. (The northern map edge runs
from hex A12 to hex R12).
1/30.

Outnumbered three to one, the Greeks retreated to a narrow

channel. In addition, they used a ruse to draw off the Egyptian
contingent of the Persian fleet. These moves evened up the odds
considerably. The ensuing Greek victory meant that they could
now cut the Persian supply lines across the Dardenelles. As a
result, Xerxes withdrew to Asia and left his Greek allies to fend
for themselves.
406 BC

MYLAE

260 BC

Units at Start
Ships:
Direction 3:
Crew Quality:

Direction 6:
Crew Quality:
Special Rules:
*
*

MAP G

Scale:
10 Triremes, 1 marine each.
C7, D7, E6, F6, G5, H5, I4, J4, K3, and L3.
3.

Athenians
Units at Start
Ships:
Direction 6:
Crew Quality:
Special Rules:
*
*

Scale:

12 Triremes, 1 marine each.

I8, J8, K7, L7, M6, N6, K9, L9, M8, N8, O7,
and P7.
4.

First turn movement roll for each side is '2'.

For victory, Athenians must destroy or
capture all enemy ships and have at least 6
ships not sunk or sinking; any other result
is a Spartan victory.
1/12.

10 Quinquiremes, with ballista and 2

marines each.
A4, B4, C3, D3, E2, F2, G1, H1, J8, and K8.
3.

Rome

Spartans
Units at Start
Ships:
Direction 3:
Crew Quality:

MAP D

Carthage

Units at Start
Ships:

Historical Note

ARGINUSAE

The Athenians won the battle, but suffered heavy losses because
they failed to rescue the crews of their lost ships The
Peloponnesian war dragged on for years. The Spartan army was
supreme on the land, but the Athenians were safe behind their
city walls and could use their mastery of the sea to make
amphibious invasion at will. Finally, a Spartan naval victory at
Aegospotami broke this stalemate. Locked in on land and sea,
the Athenians were starved into submission.

10 Quinquiremes, with corvus, ballista and

2 marines each.
I12, J12, K11, L11, M10, N10, O9, P9, Q8,
R8.
2.

First turn movement roll is '5'.

For victory Romans must destroy or capture
all enemy ships and still have six ships not
sunk of sinking; any other result is a
Carthaginian victory.
1/14.

Historical Note:
This battle introduced a Roman invention called the corvus.
This was a large boarding plank with a spike on the end. When
an enemy ship got close, the corvus was dropped onto its deck.
This grappled the deck, and at the same time helped the Roman
marines rush the enemy ship. When the Carthaginians tried a
diekplus with their lead squadron, they quickly found
themselves boarded and captured. The rest of the fleet engaged,
but was repulsed with the loss of several more ships.

ACTIUM

31 BC

MAP G

Anthony and Cleopatra:

Units at Start
Ships:
Direction 1:
Crew Quality:

Page 2

l0 Quinquiremes, with 'corvus', 'ballista', and

2 marines each.
D10, E10, F10, F12, G10, G12, H10, H12,
I10, and J10.
3.

ANCIENTS NAVAL BATTLE SCENARIOS

Octavian and Aggripa:
Units at Start
Ships:
Direction 4:

Crew Quality:
Special Rules:
*
*

Scale:

Historical Note

20 Liburnians, with 1 marine each.

Setup in hexes C3, C5, D3, D5, E3, E5, F3,
F5, G3, G5, H3, H5, I3, I5, J3, J5, K3, K5,
L3, L5.
3.

SVALDE
First turn movement roll for each fleet is
automatically a 2.
Anthony wins by exiting four ships off the
west map (Al to R1) edge. Octavian wins by
preventing this.
1/20.

Historical Note
Anthony and Cleopatra were trapped in Greece by a large army
and a larger navy. The enemy navy, although twice as
numerous, was made up of smaller ships, so a naval action was
the best bet for escape. This scenario assumes that it was not
Anthony's intention to destroy Octavian's fleet, but to cover
Cleopatra's retreat. That's the way it worked out, but the lovers
then found themselves in Egypt with neither an army nor a
navy.

CYZICUS

(GREEK FIRE) 672 AD

MAP D

Direction 6:
Crew Quality:

1000 AD

Units at Start
Ships:
Direction 1:
Direction 2
Direction 3
Direction 4:
Direction 5:
Direction 6:
Crew Quality:

Units at Start
Ships:
Direction 6:
Crew Quality:

*
10 Pamphylos, with 1 marine each and
Greek Fire tubes).
I12, J12, K11, L11, M10, N10, O9, P9, Q8,
R8.
4.

*
*

Crew Quality:
Special Rules:
*
*

7 Longships, with 2 marines each.

L8.
M8.
L9 and M9.
L10.
K9.
K8.
4.

Danes:

Arabs
Units at Start
Ships:
Direction 3:

MAP D

Norwegians

Special Rules:
*

Byzantines
Units at Start
Ships:

This battle saw the first use of Greek fire, a liquid that ignited
on contact with an enemy ship. Byzantine equipment and
training was the best in the known world at the time. It had to
be: the empire was being held together with limited resources.
Although they will certainly win the battle, they must win with
a minimum of casualties.

7 Longships, with 2 marines each.

L12, M11, N11, O10, P10, Q9, and R9.
4.

Norwegian ships are lashed together. They

may not move.
Rowers double as marines. In this way two
marines may stack on these small ships. But
ships may not move without at least one
marine aboard. Also, marines may move onto
enemy ships that have no marines aboard.
These ships are not fitted with rams.
Neither side may ram.
The last marine unit alive wins.

Historical Note
20 Pamphylos, with 1 marine each.
B9, C8, D8, E7, F7, G6, H6, I5, J5, K4, D10,
E9, F9, G8, H8, I7, J7, K6, L6, M5.
1.

First turn movement roll is a 1.

Greek fire was fired from tubes on the bows
of Byzantine ships. In their ballista phase,
any uncrippled Byzantine ships may attack
an enemy in the hex directly in front of its
bow. Roll on the broadside ram table and
add +2 to the die.
For victory Byzantines must destroy or
capture all enemy ships and have at least
five ships not sunk or sinking; any other
result is an Arab victory.

Vikings fought each other too. Sveyn Forkbeard was king of the
Danes. In this battle he and his Swedish allies defeated the
Norwegian Vikings. As with most battles of the dark ages, there
is no information on strengths or dispositions. Here, the
Norwegians are lashed together to form an artificial island. This
was a common Viking tactic.

SLUYS

1340 AD

MAP G

English
Units at Start
Ships:
Direction 1:
Crew Quality:

Page 3

10 Galleys, with fighting tops and 2 marines

each.
D10, D11, F10, Fll, G10, Gll, H10, Hll, JIO,
and J1 I.
2.

ANCIENTS NAVAL BATTLE SCENARIOS

French

Units at Start
Ships:
Direction 4:
Crew Quality:

15 Galleys, with fighting tops and 2 marines

each.
E4, E5, E6, F4, F5, F6, G4, G5, G6, H4, H5,
H6, I4, I5, I6.
2.

*
Scale:

These ships had high castles on the bows

and sterns. They also had platforms on the
tops of the masts (fighting tops). This gave
an advantage in combat. They get the +1
bonus in boarding attacks.
The last marine alive wins.
1/20.

Historical Note
Special Rules:
*

The French ships were either surprised at

anchor or were lashed together. In either
case, no French ships may move on the first
turn.
The English have longbows. They may make
archery attacks at a range of three hexes,
and add +1 to all their archery attacks.
These ships are not fitted with rams; neither
side may ram.

This naval victory early on in the Hundred Years war ensured

that English ports were free from French raids, and that English
armies could be transported across the Channel.
CREDITS
Scenario Design ...................................... William L. Banks
Editing and Layout .................................. Michael P. Nagel
Image Source ................................................ Corel Gallery

Page 4