Ancient Naval Wargaming 1/600 1/650

During my first, childhood, incarnation as a wargamer, Ancients were a fundamental feature, at least once Airfix had released the Ancient Romans and Ancient Britons sets. In my second incarnation as a wargamer, it was Phil Barker's Airfix Guide to Ancient Wargaming that got me reinvolved and ancient land warfare became my main game. In my third, current, incarnation, I have yet to blow the dust off my ancient and mediaeval armies, but I did launch these fleets of ancient galleys for playing Corvus II. I suppose this is what comes of having had a Classical education.

My ships are mainly Warrior Miniatures 1/650 quinqueremes with some Skytrex Triton 1/600 models to fill in the gaps.

Corvus II comes with squadron lists and I have just enough ships to meet the requirements of the Rome vs Carthage and Octavian vs Anthony ones. The labels show the type, and the alternative Rome-Carthage and Octavian-Anthony affiliations depending on which conflict is being played. The rules are comprehensive enough but easy-to-follow and strike just the sort of balance I like between being historical and being playable to a conclusion.

The fleet at a glance. Masts and sails can look very impressive but these would have been beached before a battle so they are not represented. I left the holes. It also means that the ships are less fragile and take up less room vertically.

Another view of the whole fleet

An Eight and four Sixes

Roman Quinqueremes with corvi

Carthaginian Quinqueremes (without corvi)

Back: Quadremes, Triremes
Front: Liburnae (Biremes) and Lembi