Cliff and I met up for a (delayed) game. After some conversation about what to play, and two long lists, Cliff noted I had ancient galleys, so, galleys it was...
For the first time since 2018, I broke out Poseidon's Warriors. All my figures are Tumbling Dice, and the rules are from Osprey.
The two fleets:
Rome (Me)
Admiral in a Sextus
3 x 3 Slow Quinquirmarines
1 x 3 Slow Quinquirmarine with Corvus
5 x Slow Triremes
Carthage (Cliff)
Admiral in a Sextus
1 x 3 Slow Quadquirmariness with elite rowers (extra 1" move)
3 x 3 Fast Quinquirmariness
5 x Slow Triremes with elite Marines
We went for straight up scraps, as it was Cliff's first time with the rules and my first time out with them in 8 years!
Game 1:
Carthage tries to go wide t envelop Rome. Rome tries to punch through the centre (Corvus armed Quins in the middle move extra slowly, so speed is not my ally). Roman Tris swing right to try and counter the out flanking.
Carthage keeps going wide, while fleets close to ramming positions in the middle. At this point .it was down to initiative order to get the hammer blows in.
Thing about these rules, is that they are fast and brutal! Most ships get a save, but only on a 6, so getting more than one ship into an attack is usually fatal. Head on rams see both ships trying to avoid damage too. Here Cliff's trireme squadron is torn asunder by a squadron of Quins, but his Quins are about to get behind Rome's triremes, who have already lost a ship.
Two squadrons of Quins smash into each other, losing a ship each, and forcing them to have to think about how to reform in the next turn. Gems denote hull points lost (Quins have 2 points of hull each). The Carthaginian Admiral watches on in the distance.
The Roman left flank squadron fails to grapple any Carthaginian ships, and is it about to be turned to matchwood by flank strikes?
In the centre, the Roman Corus armed ships do nothing except get flanked by faster Carthaginian rams. An expensive waste However, Roman Triremes have seen off their opponents, and joined by the Roman Admirals and a victorious squadron of Quins, having the Garthaginain Admiral seperated and pinned.
Despite the Carthaginian's best efforts to swing inwards, the Romans look like they will catch and crack the hull of the flagship, their Admiral looks for his waterwings! By this point Carthage had lost 25% of it's fleet and was taking morale tests.
On the right, Roman Triremes 180 to face up against the potential rear strike from Carthaginian Quads and to buy time in case the flagship attack fails. They are hit and two are sunk. On the left, inconclusive sparring results in even losses. But in the centre, the Carthaginian Admiral goes swimming, and with no one to pick him up, is declared lost. At over 50% lost, and missing their Admiral, the Carthaginian's morale fails and they high-tail it home (to be fair, the Romans almost broke this turn too). 
The whole game had lasted just under an hour, soo we reset and went again!
Game 2:
Oh my gods, it almost looks like an illustration of an ancient naval battle! Guess Carthage did not want the left of the channel then.
With great care and dedcation, I swing my entire force into a right eschelon, hoping to pin the Carthagians so their superior numbers can be contained. Cliff used his superior mobility to pick his targets.
On the left, Cliff clashed his fast Quins into my slow Quins head on, and comes off worst, losing his who;e squadron to two of mine. My Triremes back pedal to avoid the same fate vs Cliff's Quins. A squadron of Roman Quins tears through the Carthaginian Triremes. In the centre a glancing hit on my quins leaves my Admiral exposed. While on the right, Cliff's super fast Quads eye up my Quins, as my Corvus armed Quins are about to be flanked in the centre right. Black pebble denotes the loss of a marine in the centre. Lose all your marines and your ship is captured/sunk/out the game. Rome has an advantage here as slow quins have two marines to Carthage's one per ship. 
Lots of furballs fights as we both try to get in on each other. The Corvus armed quins fail to do anything worthwhile (again), and are sent to see Davius Jonesicus. On the right I take on and break through a squadron of Quins, as the Carthage Quads rush to their aid. In the centre,I swing through the timber of broken Carthaginian gallies, to try and aid the Admiral but it is too late. A head on suicide charge by a Carthaginian Quin mutually destroys my Admiral's boat. Despite putting on his swimmers and a rubber ring, none of my forces are close enough to rescue him, and Rome decides they did not like him anyway, and turned to go home (too many drowned chickens). 
Two cracking games, absolutely hilarious and utterly enjoyable. 1:1 is a good result for any night Moments of tension as you realise ships are in trouble, many turns that turned on who got initiative, two drowned admirals. A pretty perfect night's gaming to be honest.
Comments
Post a Comment