NAUMACHIA : PART IA - HEXAPOLIS

Hexapolis is a project I have to make a modular city at 1/3600 - 1/3000 scale.

It can be used with campaugns and allows tiles to be laid in different configurations to represent different harbour cities.

There is a military harbour, mercantile harbour, upper class urb, lower class urb, administrative buildings, acropolis, agora.

This combines with the modular fortification system shown in Naumachia Part 1.

They can be scratchbuilt or cast in resin.

Lastly, my unfinished model of Naupaktos to go with a game of Phormio's famous campaign.

NAUMACHIA : PART I

And here we have them . All lit up. Its wonderful. Like fairyland. All lit up.......

No, actually, here we have the ancient Carian city of Miletus. In 1/3600 scale.

The ships are Outpost Wargame Services' 1/3600 series.

A normal day at the merchant harbour with traffic coming and going.

Some odd wind patterns but no one notices.

And then ! here comes a Roman fleet. The landlubbers with their towered flagships, and a vanguard of corax-equipped quinqueremes.

Roman quinqueremes and hepteremes in centre with towers

Corax-equipped ships in front

The Milesian's launch their guard flotilla of triereis.

But because this is just a demonstration parade it all ends with a cup of tea.

Finally a peek at the walls of Hexapolis. A modular fortification system for this scale I made to go with the modualr city of Hexapolis.2mm figure strips work ok with it.

Obviously not meant to be placed in the sea!....

DEFENCES FOR HEXAPOLIS

A modular wall system for hexapolis.

With 2mm Irregular strips on walls and in streets.

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

Battle 2

The Peloponesians chose to remain in place and reduce their quality disadvantage.
The central squadron are in LINE but the right is held by two squadrons en echelon which prevents a diekplous from their attackers.
The commander's squadron lurks on the left flank hoping to move across and take some attackers in the flank.

 The centre Peloponesians are charged by their opposite numbers who attempt a diekplous. This works easily due to the quality and speed superiority the Athenians enjoy. A massacre sets the Peloponesians to flight in a single combat round. I should have had them close-up their line, maybe then they would have lasted longer.

Athenians charge the P centre

Athenians have got behind the Ps and sink four in the first contact.

The Ps routed by the As for no loss

 The Peloponesian commander comes out to threaten the Athenian flank but is immediately charged. This time the Athenians opt for a head-on clash and a  hard-fought melee ensues. Despite the Athenian commander getting sunk, the Peloponesians are routed.

A blue acetate slip means sunk. A card slip means crippled. Ships off a base are out of command.


The two Peloponesian squadrons on the right divide. The front one takse up a single line in CLOSE ORDER after the devastation of a potential diekplous is appreciated, and are charged by the Athenians. This melee is a tough one but the outcome results in an inevitable Peloponesian rout.

 The rear one faces left and tries to take the Athenians who had been successful in the centre in the flank as they are now disordered.

 After a successful initial round of combat the Peloponesians lose the disordered melee due to their poorer ratings.

 The Peloponesian commander puts up a spirited fight and even sinks the squadron commander opposing him but his unit's rout completes the Peloponesian debacle.

Lessons

The diekplous works as a deadly tactic if it works. Weaker sides need to really do anything to avoid it if they can. Closing order and deeper formations can extend the combat against more able opponents.

Having tried complex game turns, this scale needs a form of IgoUgo. It seemed to work ok,

Seventy ships fought for 7 rounds to achieve a result. 22 Peloponesians were sunk. 5 Athenians sank. 4 Athenians were cripled and 8 Peloponesians. 17 Peloponesians ran for cover.