Egadi in the Flesh : Storms War and Shipwrecks

Material from the Egadi researches - rams at least - will be on show in the UK next year.
The Ashmolean at Oxford will have an exhibition of maritime materials found around Sicily.

June 21 to September 25

It sound exciting . something to look forward to next summer.

Details HERE

DEFENCES FOR HEXAPOLIS

A modular wall system for hexapolis.

With 2mm Irregular strips on walls and in streets.

HEXAPOLIS PLANNING APPLICATION APPROVED

Hexapolis project took another step in the weekend.
Basis is 7 tiles : Upmarket housing, Common housing, Citadel, Civic Quarter, Cult Quarter, Merchant Port, Naval Port. Wall sections to follow that will allow the whole to be circumvallated.

First mould and resin tile

Tile painted and Hexapolis

Some 2mm tourists wandering about Hexapolis

Miletus

 Miletus proved to irregular and large to be effectively moulded and cast. Hexapolis allows many different cities to be represented and 2mm figures can be used for some land combat with them.

Outpost Ships Painted

First batches of OWS 1/3600 reinforcements now painted.

Quinquereme

Hexereme

Quinquereme with courvus

One of each

These models are not as detailed as the trieres but more than detailed enough for this scale.

The quinquereme could be used as a trieres for those wanting to use something more manageable in the fingers.. By removing one or both towers one could also produce different polyremes e.g. no towers = 6 , 1 tower = 7,  2 towers = 8. Maybe.

OUTPOST SHIP MODELS

Miletian squadron leaves port

Military harbour of Miletus 1/3000 scale

Expanding the tiny fleet,I bought more of Outpost Wargming Services 1/3600 models.

I undercoated them with grey and here are some views which are rather clearer than those on OWS webpage. The cutting mat grid is 10mm.

Pentekonter with sail raised.

Trireme with sail raised

Pentekonter with sail raised

Pentekonter with sail raised

Merchant sailing ship

Merchant sailing ship

Merchant sailing ship

Hexereme

Hexereme

Hexereme

Hexereme

Quinquereme with corvus

Hexereme to left, Quin with corvus to right

Pentekonter

Pentekonter

Pentekonter

Pentekonter with raised sail

Quinquereme

Quinquereme

Hexapolis

Preview of city project. Idea is to be able to make a variety of city terrains in 1/3000 from a set of seven different tiles.
COMMON HOUSING
WEALTHY HOUSING
CULT PRECINCT
CIVIC PRECINCT
CITADEL
MERCANTILE HARBOUR
MILITARY HARBOUR

Plus sections of wall.

The choice of scale is difficult. There are 1/3600 ships, 1/2400 ships - therefore 1/3000 suits both.
With some careful layout the tiles can be used with Irregular's 2mm figures (HERE described by Tony Hughes) - I dont think they will look too bad. Better than counters anyway.
'Rioting in Alexandria' anyone?

Anyone mentioning Moonbase Alpha will be keel-hauled....

HOME SWEET HOME

My homeless ships have now somewhere to moor and ship sheds to be dragged up into.

 This is based on ancient Miletus and I aim to make Rhodos and Piræus too.

Naval harbour in foreground, mercantile harbour background.

Another perspective. Model is made from high-density styrene cut out with knife.

DREPANUM 2.?

Re. recent posting at TMP of a Drepanum refight.....HERE

I also found this write-up from a game blogged last year of the same battle by George Armold at Lone Warrior HERE.

Arnold's seems a bit pedestrian but he seems to get a result without much pain.
The Ilkley version is more colourful and complex but seems to have been less smooth.

Would be nice to find out more about Arnold's 'Classis' rules - even if hexes are not my cup of tea.
Published in Lone Warrior 182.

BATTLE AGAIN

Pirates now to be admonished by two squadrons of Athenians. 25 pirate triereis stand at bay across a strait between rocks and an island. Two squadrons of 10 Athenians approach.... 

Pirate squadrons in strait

Sea-level view

Something on the horizon

Aaaah..Athenians - 2 squadrons

Athenian rush to diekplous rebuffed and threatened from flank as Pirates take close formation.

Pursuing Pirates find Athenians make anastrophe and attempt diekplous

Pursuers decimated and sent packing

Close-order Pirates back water.... to safety ?

Periplous view

Open formation approaches Pirates.

Pirates backed into a small cove

Athenians take close formation and attack

Takes a few rounds but the pirates suffer in the close melee

Inevitable end..Pirates surrender.

 Lessons:
Underdogs need more chance to damage superior side.
Alternate move working ok in preference to interleaved phases. Less confusing and gives more tension.
Nervos velour makes a fantastic sea !