Uniforms of the World

 There are a few semi-mythical wargamers reference books, the Funcken uniform guides, Jentzs 'Panzertruppen' Volumes 1 & 2, Chamberlain and Doyle etc. , but one I never thought I'd acquire was "Uniforms of the World" by Knotel, Knotel and Sieg.

Anyway, thanks to a pointer from John A, this thudded onto my doormat recently, all 483 pages of it. A comprehensive uniform guide for 50 countries and as many again of German and Italian states covering over 200 years. Apparently eBay is awash with these at very affordable prices, I really can't think why as it is such a great book.

It does show its age a bit, it was first published in 1896 and this is the 1956 edition, revised in 1967, which goes up to uniforms of 1937 so early/pre WW2. It reminds me very much of some other 1970s/80s uniform guides in that it has line illustrations and endless lists of regimental uniform distinctions. I suppose it isn't exactly packed with eye candy, but it is packed with very useful information, all in one place.

So, if you really want to know about Serbian Army uniforms of the 1890s (who doesn't!) , or the cuff lace colour for Anhalt Jagers in 1848, then this is the book for you.

I imagine it has some errors and omissions, but it is good enough for the sorts of things I am likely to need it for and it is pretty comprehensive (the German States alone cover 120 pages.). Coupled with the various colour plate guides I already have, it is plenty to cover the specific regimental variations.

The Borisovka Pocket

 This is the last battle in the current series covering the battles west of Belgorod between 5th Guards Army, 1st Tank Army and German LII Corps in early August 1943 using my One Hour WW2 rules. 

By 6th August 1943 the Germans had been forced out of Tamarovka and retreated down the Vorshla valley to Borisvoka. The German right flank had completely collapsed by now and contact was lost with Armee Abeitlung Kempf, so the Russians were able to outflank the Germans to the east. Threatened with encirclement and annihilation, 19th Panzer, 255th and 322nd Infantry Divisions tried to break out.

An obvious scenario to base this game on is Neil Thomas's 'raid' (iirc) where a small force has to march from one side of the map to the other while various enemy forces close in on all sides. 

Battlefield from the south. A fairly featureless plain east of the Vorshla with the main road/rail link running north-south. The major features are Hill 106 dimly visible in the northeast, a couple of streams bisecting the landscape, the woods in the southeast and a couple of small villages.

The initial situation, not much on the table at all!

There are columns of German transport fleeing down the road.

But north of the stream, 294 Guards Rifle Regiment from 32nd Guards Rifle Corps has occupied Hill 106 and is interdicting the road. The road is littered with burning and hiding transport but German LOC troops are holding off any further Russian advance west. Historically 294GRR couldn't get to the road but brought it under fire.

Simon commands the 294th.

Meanwhile to the northeast are what is left of 255th Infantry Division and 19th Panzer Division, each Regiment organised into battalion sized kampfgruppen.  19th Panzer has an armoured 'regiment' with the remaining tanks and halftracks, while the other 'regiment' is motorised infantry and engineers.

The 255th also has two 'regiments', each the equivalent of a battalion of leg infantry, although the lead regiment is supported by what is left of 52nd Panzer Abteilung. On 6th August it had an operational strength of 6 Panthers.

Bringing up the rear is a battalion of Wespes and a battalion of towed 105mm guns. The rest of the heavy equipment, including over 70 damaged Panthers, has been abandoned. As supplies are short, the artillery only has three fire missions and there is only one supply column. The Luftwaffe is able to mount a few Fw-190 fighter bomber sorties.

The Germans need to motor across the table and get at least two units off the southern road edge. Easy peasy. Mark commands 19th Panzer and Tim 255th Infantry.

However.... 13th Guards Rifle Division has formed a Forward Detachment under Captain Moschenko, which will arrive on the southern edge fairly soon to complete the encirclement. This is centered around 242nd Guards Tank Brigade and 39th Guards Rifle Regiment mounted in lorries. They are supported by a 120mm mortar regiment.

Pete commands the Forward Detachment.

And charging down the road from the north is the entire 31st Tank Corps! Supported by flights of IL-4 bombers.

This Corps is split between Terry and John. Terry has all the tank brigades while John has the motorised ATR battalion and is overall force commander so manages the logistics etc.

31st Tank Corps was the weakest unit in 1st Tank Army, with three tank brigades (100, 237 and 242) but only a motorised anti-tank rifle battalion instead of a motor rifle brigade. It was reinforced with units from a  Tank Destroyer Brigade assigned to 1st Army. The Corps had been largely destroyed at Kursk and rebuilt with Soviet vehicles. Bringing up the rear are two supply columns, but the Corps doesn't have any significant indirect fire assets.

They will arrive in a few turns so the Germans need to get a move on.

On come the Germans.  The 255th heads due south, while 19th Panzer heads for Hill 106! That is quite a bold move. 

Faced with the motorised onslaught, Simon (294 GRR) calls up the entire Russian airforce who duly pound the Panzers. The disruptive camo on the left hand IL4 works really well, you can hardly see it against the tabletop! 

The Germans respond in kind, while the Panzergrenadiers sidestep the hill and head for the river crossing. 

The 255th (Tim) swings southwest and contacts the stream. 

The pounding continues on Hill 106 and the Germans take enough losses to become disorganised. I'm not sure what Mark is hoping to achieve here. 

The Germans reorganise the Panzer, while the Panzergrenadiers capture the bridge intact. The infantry plod on behind parallel to the stream. 

And the Russians keep pounding the panzers. They might have been better off retiring before trying to reorganise. I'm sure bombing those ambulances constitutes some sort of war crime!

Petes Forward Detachment now arrives from the south. It boldly marches northwards to meet the Germans. Everyone is being very aggressive today, personally I'd have dug in around the exit hex, but pushing forwards allows for a delaying action.

Faced with this new threat, the panzergrenadiers at the bridge turn around and Tims guys have now closed up to the stream. They can all advance to engage Pete in lockstep next turn.

The panzer regiment is still stuck on Hill 106 however, once again being resupplied. Those ambulance crews need a medal. The Russians have now suffered enough losses to become disorganised.

Petes troops shake out into line rather than advancing into range of the Germans. Make the Germans come to them. The tank brigade has a ZOC over the road. The 120mm mortar observer is with the tank brigade and the FAC has relocated to the motorised rifle brigade while the Russian airforce bombs up again. These guys are all Guards, so can take six hits each.

And here come the Germans. The panzergrenadiers nip into the woods at the top of the screen.

They are followed by the battered panzers and the 19th Panzer Div HQ. I was rummaging around in the desert armour box anyway and pulled out my Mammut to use as the HQ.

The Russians concentrate their fire on the infantry regiment with the Panthers, which causes enough damage to disorganise them.

The Germans reorganise the Panthers and shoot up the Russian infantry with air and artillery support. Meanwhile the panzergrenadiers grab the exit hex and the panzer regiment rolls across the stream. It looks like it is the Russians who are surrounded now! 

The Russians pile everything back onto the Panthers, including all their bombers.

And 31st Tank Corps comes barrelling down the road, scattering the fleeing German logistic units. There is nothing to stop them as the Germans have left the bridge undefended and didn't attempt to demolish it. 

Faced with this new threat the Germans accelerate their breakout attempt. They are still trying to save the Panthers but two units close in on the Russian motorised infantry. Fire from the panzergrenadiers and artillery is enough to disorganise them.

The Panthers finally succumb to the Russian fire as 31st Tank Corps continues its headlong advance southwards. The leading brigade is now aware of the panzergrenadiers ahead. Most of the the Russians still don't even know what a 'Panther' is in 1943, they were persistently misidentified as Tigers. So "The Tigers are burning!".

Shot in by the 255th, the panzer regiment overruns the Guards motorised infantry, although they take heavy losses in the process. 

The leading brigade of 31st TC opens fire and the other brigades fan out into the open country behind it.

Most critically, Petes 242nd Guards Tank Brigade manages to assault and destroy the already weakened 19th panzer regiment and it occupies the hex.

The situation at the end of turn 8. Things are looking a bit grim for the Germans as I think they will struggle to get two units off now, but stranger things have happened so we shall see.

Reduced to two manouvre units, the Germans don't have many options. The Germans dump all their artillery and fire from the Panzergrenadiers onto Pete's tank brigade, and the 255th slips into the cornfields. The Russian ZOC precludes any further movement. 

For their part, the Russians stand and shoot with everything in range, while the unengaged units manouvre closer. Mark and Tims units are both reduced to half strength and disorganised. 

The Russians missed the chance to move and simply block Tim's infantry in, so the Germans still have an escape route. 

Mark reorganises while the artillery lands on Terry's tank brigade now. No option really as the Germans have to keep the exit hex open. Tims infantry move along the narrow corridor to freedom. 

This is actually a pretty good move as one Russian tank brigade has been suppressed by artillery fire, and now a lot of the Russians are masked by cornfields. 

The Russians fire at what they can see, and having finally sorted out their airforce again, whistle up the bombers. Even with air support, the fire is relatively ineffective. The Panzergrenadiers are hammered, but Tim gets away with just one extra hit. The Russian mortars are out of ammo and need resupply this turn. 

The Germans have a glimmer of hope. 

Once again the ambulance crews reorganise the battered Panzergrenadiers and the German artillery fires, this time to little effect. However the 255th manages to push one more hex and links up with 19th panzer. 

Perhaps final victory is in sight? 

Well, perhaps not. Eagle eyed readers will note another tank brigade has pushed into cornfields  Even though the Red Airforce is absent, the revived Russian mortars and extra tank fire are enough to break the 255th, and the survivors flee across the fields. 

View from 19th Panzer. Now they only have one unit left, the Germans have lost and the remainder withdraw. A well earned victory to the Russians, who responded very effectively to the various German manouvres and focussed on what they needed to do to win. The Germans changed plans halfway through, which with only four units, isn't a luxury they can afford. Mark reflected that he should blocked the road north, as it allowed the Russians to get their tank Corps into action in two turns. 

That is an interesting scenario and I've actually run it a couple of times before in the guise of a German attack in 1941. For the smaller force they have to decide very early on if they are going to try and destroy the unit on the hill or just go for broke and dash for the exit. If they go for the hill they need to mass everything against it, but in any case they need to leave something to block the enemy reinforcements piling on down the road. Whatever happens they are going to have to fight for the exit when the flanking force arrives, and they need enough strength and time to do that.

That was a good game, great fun to umpire and I hope the players enjoyed it. A fitting end to this linked scenario mini campaign, and although I'll come back to the Eastern Front in 1943 at some point, next we are off to new pastures. 

Merry Christmas and some Heavy Artillery!

Merry Christmas everyone, I hope you all had a great day yesterday. I didn't get any wargaming stuff this year, although I did get a fabulous pair of Dr Martens faux Monkey Boots. 

Back in the the late 1970s it was all very well for The Clash to stomp about in DMs, but us penniless teenagers had to make do with sneakers, old army boots or Monkey Boots, the poor man's Dr Marten, which cost about a tenner. Anyway, these are expensively luxurious, and hopefully will last a long time. 

Anyway, to spread a bit of seasonal high explosive cheer around, I have been on the hunt for some US Heavy Artillery for a very long time, specifically for a 155mm Long Tom. While there are various offerings of the tracked SP version, seemingly no-one makes the towed version in 1/100th scale, although you can get 1/72nd scale models. I've already got 155mm howitzers but I wanted something more suitable fir Corps artillery. 

In the end I resorted to trawling eBay for old Roco guns, as the model is long OOP, and they seem to be as rare as hens teeth (whereas back in the 1970s, they were everywhere).

Eventually I came across one listed as second hand, with no packaging, at a model shop in Germany. Vast sums of cash were transferred abroad, and after a while, a box turned up in the UK.

Here it is, and it isn't even a 155! It is even beefier 175mm, and what a massive great gun it is. At 1/87th it is obviously a bit overscale, but the real thing is so enormous anyway, that I don't think it matters. 

Although all the various folding and rotating parts still worked, and the gun locks back into travel mode, I lightly glued it with UHU to hold it all together, although some enterprising person in future can easily re-articulate it again. I even left the original mould lines on for nostalgias sake.

This is one of the better detailed Roco models, not as good as some, but certainly a step up from e.g. the primitive Panzer IVs and T34s so beloved of Charles Grant. As it is heavy artillery, it warranted four crew figures, all from the Peter Pig standing US gunners pack.

The PP gunners are really nice figures, the older style castings and so much slimmer than their modern 'michelin man' pals and they fit in well with my PSC US figures. The PP Russian gunners are similar, so I'd buy some now before they get remodelled. 

The gun I just painted in my usual variable OD scheme - Vallejo Russian Uniform with a wash of Bronze Green. Variations in the density of the wash produce guns and vehicles in a variety of tones, and the wash also works as a lowlight. It then got a drybrush of VJ Iraqi Sand.

As the gun is so vast, it goes on an  equally vast base, 40mm x 90mm. I deliberately left the trails closer together than they actually would be when deployed to avoid making it even bigger. I'm pleased to have finally got one of these, but I'm still faintly baffled by the apparently unavailablity of the towed 155, even from numerous 3D printers as well as the usual metal suppliers. Now I just need to work it into a game!

900th post! Featuring Hoplite - The Portable Pelepponesian Wars 431BC to 403BC

Well what an amazing milestone, who would have thought I'd hit 900 posts, particularly after having some very fallow blogging periods Being retired helps of course, and in some ways producing content has become something of an employment replacement and it helps me to maintain a balance between modelling, gaming and rules and scenario design. Many thanks to my readers, I do appreciate your comments and thank you for taking the time to looking at my gaming ramblings. 

So for this one, it is time to go back classical Greece once more. 

 I was slightly disappointed with my previous outing of Mark Cordones 'Hoplite' after making a number of mistakes playing it, and was disinclined to try again. I find this time of year difficult with the longer nights etc and it saps my energy levels, however a dose of gardening and a dollop of sunray lamp revived me and I approached it with new enthusiasm. Be warned, this is a rather longer post than usual, perhaps not surprising as it covers an entire war lasting 28 years and includes several battles, but hey, it is my 900th post.

My more streamlined setup, now I know what I'm doing. I've got two sets of initiative dice - one for battles the other for strategic moves, as I kept getting them muddled up before. I've also got combat dice in contrasting colours to avoid accidentally picking up the initiative dice. As before the armies and fleets are grey or brown wooden blocks and I've marked the grid corners on the 'battle board' with stones.

For the battles I'm reverting to the one hit per unit. I've also simplified Marks suggested terrain to just Hill, River (and ford) and Rough Ground, with the entire battlefield clear on a 4+. Borrowing from Strategos, I'm also allowing armies to spend 2 PIPs to have a 'heroic attack' that turn to represent a concentration of effort and leadership. This adds +1 temporarily and is a way of breaking the tactical deadlock as so many battles end up as +5 vs +5. I'm going to use individual figures as heroes. 

Chronicles of the Peleponnesian Wars

431: The Athenians attack Corinth from Delos and are defeated. The Spartans occupy Delos in response.

429: Athens defeats the Spartan Fleet. The Spartans attack Chalkis from Thebes and take the city.

427: Sparta garrisons Corinth. Athens attacks Chalkis and retakes the city.

425: Athens raises a fresh army. The Spartans march from Corinth to Thebes.

423: Athenians try to retake Delos and are repulsed. 

421: Athens raises a fresh army. The Spartans in Thebes attack Chalkis and the city falls (again).

419: Revolt in Ionia! Athens sends and expeditionary force to quell the uprising which fails.

417: Athens controls the seas, the Spartans are denied a crossing.

415: Athens still controls the seas.

413: Persian intervention. The Athenian Fleet defeats the Persians and saves Athens.

411: Athens controls the seas.

409: Athens (finally) raises a new army.

407: Athens attacks Chalkis but is repulsed and the army is lost.

405: Sparta raises a new fleet. Athens raises a new army.

403: The Spartans, escorted by their fleet, attack Athens and the city falls. The war is over.

This is the setup for the Battle of Corinth (431). Athenians at the top and Spartans at the bottom, which is always the case. There is rough ground on the right - forbidden to cavalry, -1 cover from shooting and Hoplites only have a combat value of 2 when in it. Rather then using the suggested pluses and minuses, I gave the units DBA style combat values of 4 (hoplites), 3 (cavalry) and 2 (peltasts). Both sides have hoplites and peltasts for this one. I'll do this one as a blow-by-blow, the later battles will be more sketchy.

All set up, both sides have wisely put their peltasts opposite the rough ground. With six units and only three squares to deploy in, you end up with all the squares fully populated.

And off we go. Sparta occupies the rough ground and advances on the left. The Athenians advance into the gap and flank the main Spartan attack. Each side rolls 1D6 for how many units they can activate to move, which restricts how much stuff moves each turn. I also make units spend a PIP to initiate a combat unless it is a 'continuing battle' from the CRT or they moved into combat. 

The Spartan left wing is duly crushed. Outflanking attacks against two units in a square are fought as two separate battles, and the Athenians had the advantage on both.

The hit marker shows I'm still using the 2-hit option for this. The Athenian centre is crushed - getting outflanked is really bad, so the Athenians opt to attack on their right. The Spartans rol up enough PIPs to move to meet ahem and to counterattack supported by a heroic leader (an extra 2 PIPs).

The Athenians destroy the Spartan peltasts and conduct a general advance. If they can get to the Spartan baseline and stay there, they can still win.

The Peltasts make it and the Athenians rout another Spartan unit with the aid of a heroic leader.

The Spartans have one last chance..... and manage to roll tons of PIPs and finish off the last Athenian units. Sparta wins, just! The invasion of Corinth has ben repulsed and Athens loses an army.

That was good fun, the terrain really added some nuance to the battle (you really don't want hoplites in the rough ground) and the heroic leaders really added something. All too often you just get hoplite + support vs hoplite + support and a boring dice rolling contest. The leader option gives you an opportunity to spend some PIPs and get a slight local advantage, but the wild swings of a 2D6 opposed combat still gives plenty of swings of fortuna. The bad thing was the 2 hit option which meant the battle lasted for way to long to be useable in this campaign format. I'll dump it for the next ones.

With the destruction of the Delosian army, Sparta simply sailed across the Aegean and occupied Delos. Athens rolled enough to strategic PIPs to initiative a naval battle and sank the Spartan fleet. This has no undue effects on naval transport, but protects Athens from attack as the only route is by sea from Thebes. I'm wondering if loss of naval superiority should have some impact on all naval movement? Something to think on. Mark suggested unlimited naval movement for the side with superiority.

Anyway, Sparta attacked Chalkis from Thebes in 429 and both sides lined up for battle. They rolled up mirror armies, each of 2 x peltasts and 4 x hoplites. I deployed them identically as I couldn't think of anything better. The peltasts are useful as they can skirmish with missile weapons, even if they are weak in melee. Hits from skirmishing take out peltasts, cavalry and then hoplites in the target square, so a side with an inferiority in skirmishers will have to attack at some point or be whittled down.

The Spartans went for a right flank attack early on, supported by a hero. Although they managed to kill one hoplite (hoplites fight first in melee, then cavalry, then peltasts), the Athenians responded my moving another one across from their centre. In the ensuing combats the peltasts shot their opposite numbers and the Spartan hoplites died in the melee, leaving the hero out on his own. Ouch! the one hit combat system is brutal, but quick. 

Units then proceeded to die like flies in the back and forth struggle. It finally came down to one last Athenian hoplite reaching the Spartan baseline, opposed by one last Spartan hoplite.

The Spartans managed to prevail, but it was a close run thing. Chalkis fell, and another Athenian army lost.

That went much better, it was a faster more decisive battle but still plenty of meaningful decision making. I'm having to make some stuff on the fly in getting to grips with the grid, but that is always the case.

Athens only had one army left, and was unable to raise replacements as Sparta now occupied all the others! The only course of action left was to attack Chalkis, as if they lost, at least the Athenian fleet would protect them from invasion.

So in 427 the Athenian expedition mounted up and set sail for Chalkis.

The Athenians rolled up four hoplites, one peltast and one cavalry, and once again the Spartans were a mirror. There was some rough ground on the right of the Spartan line, where they put their peltasts.

After several turns of slogging, it was a complete wipeout for the Spartans. The last turn saw their last remaining unit overwhelmed by Athenians. Athens retook Chalkis and Sparta lost an army. 

The Athenians now had room to raise another army, and in 425 attacked Delos from Chalkis. (I haven't finished adjusting the board in the picture above).

The Delosian plain was featureless. Both sides rolled up hoplite armies, the Athenians had one peltast and the Spartans two.

The Spartans got stuck in almost immediately, aided by great PIP rolling which let them deploy a heroic leader almost every turn. First blood to Sparta.

It didn't go all their way as their right wing was shattered by an Athenian counterattack.

But eventually the Spartans prevailed and the Athenians were bottled up on their baseline. The expedition had failed.

The Athenians managed to raise a fresh army in Chaklis to replace the one lost in the expedition, but no sooner had they done that, than in 421 the Spartans attacked the fresh army in Chaklis from Thebes once more.

Once again both sides rolled up similar armies, 4 x hoplite, 1 x peltast and 1 x cavalry each. There was rough ground in the bottom right corner. Sparta got stuck in quickly after their peltasts rapidly despatched their opposite numbers.

The attack failed dismally! One battle was drawn (continuing combat) and they lost the other, despite the presence of a hero.

The following rounds went a bit more their way and both sides suffered heavy losses., but the Spartans were still pressing the Athenian baseline.

Ooer! Just one left on each side now.

But the Spartans (just) win the race to the baseline and win this one. Once again Chalkis fell to the Spartans and Athens loses an army.

Athens still has naval superiority, which saves it from invasion, but now only has one army left. Sadly in 419 there is a revolt in Ionia. Athens has to send an army to quell the rebellion or have its military capacity permanently reduced. The last Athenian army sails to meet its destiny.

A river features in this battle, with a ford in the central section. Athens has 5 x hoplites and 1 x peltast, the rebels have 4 x hoplites and 2 x peltasts (looking suspiciously like Spartans).

Athens starts off with its peltast missing completely and big attack on the ford supported by a hero, which fails dismally.

The Spartans counterattack with a hero of their own and rout the remaining Athenians. Horatio at the bridge and all that.

The Spartans chip off another unit with their peltasts and the Athenians have to straighten their line to fill the gaps.

Nothing to lose and everything to gain, the Athenians charge the ford again, led by their hero.

But it is all in vain and the rebels win. Ionia is in revolt and Athens both loses its last army  and is restricted to a maximum of 2 armies

Things are looking pretty bleak for Athens, however the Spartans need to replace their fleet and until they do, they can;t attack Athens. Meanwhile Athens needs to raise a new army - both actions need one side or the other to roll 5+ on their strategic initiative roll.

So all is quiet as Athens is raising new soldiers and Sparta is busy in its shipyards, However in 413 the Persian Fleet puts in an appearance. The fleets meet in battle off Delos.

After a titanic struggle the Persian fleet is driven off, although not destroyed. The Athenian fleet sails back to port, damaged but still in being.

 

In 407 Athens finally manages to raise its new army and mounts another expedition across the straits to Chalkis. This battle also took place across a river with a central ford.

Athens had 4 x hoplites, 1 x peltast and 1 x cavalry, the Spartan defenders 4 x hoplites and 2 x peltasts.

The peltasts missed completely and the Spartans charged the ford, led by a hero.

The Spartans destroyed one hoplite, but the Athenians moved across reinforcements, counterattacked and returned the favour.

Both sides were light on hoplites anyway and the early melees exposed their cavalry and peltasts to direct attack. Sparta attacked on the left and Athens on the right, as these river sections were held by lighter forces. The ford was strongly held by both sides.

One last big push was a disaster for Athens though, and the assault on Chalkis failed. Athens had lost its army again!

In 405 both sides rolled high on their strategic initiative. Sparta finally rebuilt its fleet and  Athens raised another army in Athens.

In 403, Athens was lined up to attack Chalkis again, but Sparta won the initiative. Escorted by her new navy the Spartan army crossed the straits and attacked Athens.

Athens had 3 x hoplites, 2 x peltasts and 1 x cavalry. Maybe that recruitment drive hadn't gone so well after all.

Sparta had 4 x hoplites and 2 x peltasts. Maybe they'd eaten all the horses after the last battle. This battle was on an open plain.

Sparta won the initiative and a devastating volley knocked out all the Athenian peltasts. The followed up with a charge on each flank, the right accompanied by a hero.

The attack on the right succeeds but the Athenians win on the left. They mass their cavalry and mount a heroic charge.

Sadly it fails to stop the Spartans. Their right wing phalanx makes it onto the Athenian baseline. The Athenians mount a counterattack.

Which fails. The Spartans win the battle and Athens falls. The Peleponnesian Wars end in 403 with the fall of Athens. Bizarrely, almost exactly the same date as in the real campaign.

That was really good fun, very enjoyable. Many thanks to Mark Cordone for the idea. It worked excellently as  solo game, I'm less sure good it would be face-face. It took about three hours to play from end-end including fighting seven battles, so it is quite slick.

 

If I was doing it again, I'd probably make the strategic events slightly more likely, perhaps if either initiative dice rolls a 1 as well as a double. That makes the chance of an event about 25%. I'd also think a bit more about naval superiority. Mark suggested allowing the side with naval superiority unlimited movement to ports, which would certainly prevent Athens getting completely bottled up but might be too flexible? Alternatively it might inhibit some of the existing sea movement. It would also be fun to develop more of a naval battle system rather than just an opposed dice roll. 

I'm (still) working on a 6x6 Ancients game with a view to remote games, a sort of mashup of One Hour Wargames, Phalanx and Strategos with a dollop of Command and Colours, but this gave me some food for thought. There are plenty of decent Ancients rules around, but I can't see a lot of them working remotely for my typical turnout of half a dozen players or more. I quite like using the DBA troop classifications and combat values as a lot of the hard thinking has already been done, but then you need fit it onto a grid in a sensible way.