Recent posts

#11

Army Research / Re: Jim Webster & The Aegates ...

Last post by Jim Webster - Jun 24, 2026, 12:56 PM

Jim, so you don't die wondering but Polybius's 200 Roman ships at the Aegates Island has been rounded from 198 ships, with the consul commanding 132 and the praetor 66 ships.

Diodorus numbers the Roman fleet that sailed to Sicily at 1,000 ships, consisting of 300 quinqueremes and 700 transports and carriers. (3) Diodorus, Eutropius, Orosius and Sextus Aurelius number the Roman fleet at 300 ships. This is a rounded number but is close to the mark. After deducting the revictual fleet that protected the anchorage, this leaves 198 ships to face the Carthaginians. Diodorus also claims the 300 Roman ships also had 700 transports. As 2 consular fleets amount to 350 ships, Diodorus or his source has mistakenly allocated each consul 350 ships, which strangely, have been converted to transports. Not the first time either.

Good article by the way.

I confess that must admit that I was more interested in the type of ships than the number. I also wonder at times what proportion of legionaries travelled by transport and what proportion were told off to serve as marines. Some of this would depend on whether there was any plan to do anything with the fleet, separately to the army. Certainly there are times where the fleet seems to have been pulled out of the water once the army 'disembarked' and other times where the fleet actually did something.
It's one of those things that I keep feeling I ought to look into   

#12

Players Seeking Players / Ancient wargaming in Hastings?

Last post by simmo - Jun 24, 2026, 11:34 AM

Any ancient wargamers in this area? Would prefer 15mm DBMM or DBA but will use any rools. The 1066 club while a nice bunch are mostly SciFi Fantasy and board gamers

Martyn Simpson

#13

Army Research / Jim Webster & The Aegates Isla...

Last post by Monad - Jun 24, 2026, 11:01 AM

Jim, so you don't die wondering but Polybius's 200 Roman ships at the Aegates Island has been rounded from 198 ships, with the consul commanding 132 and the praetor 66 ships.

Diodorus numbers the Roman fleet that sailed to Sicily at 1,000 ships, consisting of 300 quinqueremes and 700 transports and carriers. (3) Diodorus, Eutropius, Orosius and Sextus Aurelius number the Roman fleet at 300 ships. This is a rounded number but is close to the mark. After deducting the revictual fleet that protected the anchorage, this leaves 198 ships to face the Carthaginians. Diodorus also claims the 300 Roman ships also had 700 transports. As 2 consular fleets amount to 350 ships, Diodorus or his source has mistakenly allocated each consul 350 ships, which strangely, have been converted to transports. Not the first time either.

Good article by the way.

#14

Society Convention / Re: 2026 Convention - 16th-18t...

Last post by Ian61 - Jun 23, 2026, 08:01 PM

Just giving this a bump. I signed up for the 'event of the year' yesterday, I had missed it going live. So in case you missed it too make sure you sign up pronto so as not to miss out.

"Bee there orr bee a rectangular thyng!"  - Terry Pratchett, Soul Music

[Optio game]

#15

Battle Reports / Re: Pulling a fast one

Last post by Justin Swanton - Jun 23, 2026, 03:09 PM

My last Optio game with Peter. One of the longest games I can remember, i.e. a little over 3 hours. I tried a stunt that almost didn't work - but worked. Enjoy!

Good game report Justin. A cunning plan that came off (just!). Well described and pictorialised. Did the shooting add any extra drama?

It did. Shooting is continuous - each shooting unit gets to fire twice a turn, in its and its opponent's move, at any moment in either move (there's no separate shooting phase). Shooting hits accumulate - 4 hits knock off a morale interval - which can tip the scales against a unit when it engages in hand-to-hand combat.

I wouldn't say it's all that dramatic - more like something to worry about and not ignore. Armoured targets like legionaries can pretty much shrug it off, but vulnerable targets like cavalry need to be careful.

Shooting however is crucial when it comes to elephants. Elephants crush anything in charge and melee combat (except pikemen who can hold them off) but they have limited morale and are especially vulnerable to missile hits. So you have to shoot them down to shaken before they engage your melee troops. There are ways of pulling it off, and ways for your opponent to negate those ways of pulling it off. Ellies are problematic but not a wonder weapon.

#16

Selling / Re: 28mm metal Early Saxon arm...

Last post by Imperial Dave - Jun 23, 2026, 07:45 AM

Of course i have to forget the amount I paid for them originally....

#17

Selling / Re: 28mm metal Early Saxon arm...

Last post by stevenneate - Jun 23, 2026, 06:55 AM

You can now retire on the procedes!

#18

Ancient and Medieval History / Re: Earliest plague outbreak i...

Last post by Imperial Dave - Jun 22, 2026, 07:15 AM

True...

[Optio game]

#19

Battle Reports / Re: Pulling a fast one

Last post by stevenneate - Jun 22, 2026, 06:09 AM

My last Optio game with Peter. One of the longest games I can remember, i.e. a little over 3 hours. I tried a stunt that almost didn't work - but worked. Enjoy!

Good game report Justin. A cunning plan that came off (just!). Well described and pictorialised. Did the shooting add any extra drama?

#20

Ancient and Medieval History / Re: Earliest plague outbreak i...

Last post by Andreas Johansson - Jun 22, 2026, 05:57 AM

How about small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri?

Well known as vectors for Arcturan Mega-Plague.