"Looking for simple galley war rules" Topic

Can anyone recommend an easy to learn set of rules to use for Roman vs Carthaginian galley wars?

I am not looking for complicated rules that require adjustments for the wind, tides and other similar things. Move them, ram them, get close to them for boarding, etc. is what I want – something easy to learn for convention players.

There used to be a rules set called My Galley Sally. Any thoughts about this rules set?

Have you tried Fleet of Battle the rules are free (I could email you a copy if you like) and you can try it out with counters before deciding.

We play My Galley Sally quite often.
Backstory: I bought eight 15mm resin galleys from GEDEMCO back in the previous century. When I returned to gaming after a 10 year hiatus I got in contact with the former company's owner who traded me more for packs of KAR.
Then I whined about never getting around to finishing them. I was beaten up and forced, FORCED! to sell them to two former Marines in the club who finished them and made me play with them. Well, that's my side of the story.

Anyway. In MGS, you move your galleys and crew them with 15mm hoplites, archers, Persians, Romans, Liby-Phoenicians, etc. Row around, avoid shoals, crack the old joke about Caesar wanting to go water skiing, ram and board. Very simple melee, just don't get your powerful Admiral killed.

The rules themselves are 4 pages, max. They fit your requirements exactly.

Oh, and Old Glory Shipyards make very nice 15mm galleys too. Maybe even 25mm too.

Galleys & Galleons by Ganesha Games is simple far enough to get a convention audience to play satisfactorily, and although its rules cover sailing ships (even monsters if you want) these can be perfectly ignored and use only the part needed to the ancients galleys.

Galleys & Galleons is certainly a possibility but you could also try the rules published by the Society of Ancients called Corvus. Somewhat more specific than G&G and what the author once described as Hollywood Historical.

I first came across an early version at a convention and the more complete revised version published by the SoA is equally suitable for conventions.

David Manley's Long Face Games has a simple set based off of DBx mechanics, I think it's called Ad Mare Bellum. It's suitable for smaller ships. If you want something more 15mm/28mm and want crew actions, there's a set I've played at various HMGS conventions. They were written by a gentleman from the NOVAG group. I am playing them at Historicon. They are inexpensive, if you are interested let me know and I will provide my email so you can get a hold of the author.

If you can find a copy the old Diekplus, by Geoff Curran, is surprisingly good. Failing that there was an old boardgame from Avalon Hill, i think called Trireme, which could easily be gamed with figures.

My trusty triremes do not get to see much action these days, but back in the 1990's they were well used.

Corvus
There is a free version online at link
and the Society of Ancients has an updated and expanded version for sale that includes markers, turning aids and some top down ships in 1:600 scale
soa.org.uk/joomla/games

The link is to an AAR of a large Hellenistic naval battle we fought at a club meeting using 1:1200 ships.
link

It doesn't get much simpler than Corvus.

+1 Ad Mare Bellum.