"Trireme, Roman Seas, Naumachiae, other?" Topic

I'm sure it's been asked, but I didn't see it on the first page (which spans back to 2012) so it's probably valid to ask.

I don't know much about the period, but I'd like to learn. I like to learn through games and then support my enthusiasm with books/documentaries. Thus I'm looking for a good game that's chock full of period flavor.

Game difficulty is not really a problem (I play very complicated games like Star Fleet Battles and Birds of Prey: Air Combat in the Jet Age). That said, I already play those behemoth games. :) All things being equal, I'd err on the side of detail, but I still want a game that can be finished in an evening. I definitely prefer too complex over too simplistic. If it's too simple I'll never play it more than once.

The games I have researched a bit are (per the subject): Trireme, Roman Seas, Naumachiae, and Corvus. Does anyone have any suggestions to sway me one way or another? I don't have that many people to play these types of games with and I won't get 4-5 chances to find the "right" ruleset.

Oh. I'm familiar with GMT's War Galley too. I have a bad track record with GMT. I just don't seem to enjoy most of their games. If that's your favorite though, I'd still like to hear about.

Thanks all!

I have never played Trireme, Naumachiae or Corvus – only Roman Seas. We enjoy it, and when we do play a game of this period those are the rules we use. The downside is there are unclear rules and between his full-time job, his personal life, and producing some of his products for purchasers, Eric Hotz doesn't have much time to work on clarifying them or coming out with a v.2. As a result, the game has stagnated some, although there are still often convention games and most people have come up with logical house rules to cover any issues with the printed rules. On the positive side, it is a fun game, not particularly fast playing, but fast enough. You can build the 1/300 ships and use 1/300 figures to represent the crews and military units on the ships, but you don't have to. The game comes with flat counters (you have to print them and cut them out yourself) and a board you can have printed to go with the counters. I just like the feel of the game. We've played a couple of freebie fast-play rules and while one of them was ok, they don't have the feel I like.

I have a nice freebie set I could send as a PDF

davidmanley1966

at

btinternet

dot com

Corvus is a good game…cheap too!

Thanks, David. Email sent.

Mandy, what in particular appeals to you about the Corvus rules? My only knowledge of the game comes from the BGG game description which puts a lot of emphasis on ease of play and challenged die rolls. These don't jump out to me as interesting mechanisms. I'd like to hear how they work in practice and why you enjoy them so?

Thanks all.

Corvus is nice and simple and easy to understand.
Most of the interest (as in all galley games) comes form the manouevering to get into good ramming positions.
Corvus used to come with a very nice set of printed 1:600 Galleys (overhead views which you can stick to MDF).
The game works well with a dozen of so ships a side, and can handle more.
It's a good set of rules; simple enough to pick up and play when you've not used it for a while, but plenty of decision making.

Naumachiae is much more complicated; probably a better simulation, but it uses plotted movement. I'd imagine you;d have trouble playing with more than 3 or 4 ships per player.

Thanks for the info, Dexter. Maneuver is very important to me. The only war games I play with any regularity are those of air, sea, and space. The only constant is that the focus is very much on how you maneuver your craft.

I particularly like the idea of ramming. :)

Small actions interest me in specific. At only 5 pounds, I can afford to pick up a copy of Corvus to check it out. What I can't afford is to burn out my friends asking them to try a different ruleset every week. :) That's why I was asking. I'll order a copy of Corvus and I have the rules that David sent me. I'll decide which game to play from those two I think.

Thanks all.