DE BELLIS NAVALIBUS

DBA V.1.1 Naval Extension 3000BC - 1485AD

Latest revision: 13th January 1998

Size of elements: 30mm x 30mm (45mm for bigger ships like Dekares) with one 1/1200 model (two if Boats).

De Bellis Navalibus Counters: a set of printable counters which can be stuck onto card and used in place of models for playing the game.

HEAVY GALLEYS (Hg)

Big oared ships, with ram, "corvus" or similar engines, assault troops, bolt-shooters and incendiary devices; like Roman or Carthaginian quadriremes or quinquiremes, Hellenistic heptares or dekares, Byzantine dromons. They are superior to other Galleys but may be destroyed by Ships.

LIGHT GALLEYS (Lg)

Medium-sized oared ships, like Greek and Persian triremes, Arab dromons, Viking drakkars and mediaeval galliots. More versatile than Heavy Galleys, they are in great danger against Ships.

FAST GALLEYS (Fg)

Light and quick oared ships, like Roman biremes or liburniae. They are perfectly made to kill boats, but can be easily sunk by Ships and bigger Galleys.

SHIPS (S)

Sail vessels like Egyptian, Gallic or Saxon ships; merchant ships transformed into troop transports; mediaeval cogs. Influenced by the wind, they suffer from their little manoeuvrability, but they can carry a great number of warriors, often supported by archers. They are in danger while crossing sand banks and against Boats.

BOATS (B)

Little oared boats, like Illyrian pentekonteres or lembus. They can easily cross sand banks, impede the movements of Heavy and Light Galleys, fight Ships with success, but they are in great danger against Fast Galleys.

MOVES & FACTORS

A Fleet is made up of 12 elements plus 1 Admiral, accordingly to the following Fleet Lists.

TERRAIN AND DEPLOYMENT

The playing surface (60cm x 60cm) must have at least two and no more than four of the following terrain features: coast (compulsory), sand banks, rocks, isles. The "1" side is the North. Deploy the two fleets as in DBA, but before deploying roll for wind direction: 1 = North, 2 = East, 3 = South, 4 = West, 5-6 = calm.

MOVE SEQUENCE

Just as in DBA.

MOVEMENT

• The PIP system is the same as in DBA.
• Ships can add 200p to their movement if in the same direction of the wind; they must subtract 100p if in the opposite direction.
• Groups can change direction, wheeling for a maximum of 45° at the half of their movement: i.e. a group of Light Galleys can move forward 200p, then wheel 45° towards left or right.
• Boats interpenetrate every element, and every element interpenetrates Boats, if there is enough room and the two elements are "looking" in the same or opposite direction.
• Movement ends when in contact with enemy or coast, islands or rocks.
• Elements in contact with rocks are destroyed. Elements in contact with coast or islands are stuck. Sand banks are crossable, moving 200p without changing formation or direction; before moving, roll for every element; it is stuck if 1 = Fast Galleys; 1,2 = Light Galleys; 1,2,3 = Heavy Galleys; 1,2,3,4 = Ships.

SHOOTING

Only Heavy Galleys can shoot, and only in the enemy's bound. Distance: 200p. Roll for the shooting element (-1 if shooting at Boats): 5-6 = a fire is set up on the target. Now roll for the target (+1 if Admiral's element): 5-6 the fire is extinguished, otherwise the element is burnt.

A burnt element moves only 100p and subtracts -2 to its dice for the rest of the game.

COMBAT FACTORS

COMBAT RESULTS

All Galleys whose enemy is destroyed, recoils or flees, must immediately pursue for the deepness of their base. All elements except Ships can recoil from a contact, if their basic move distance is more than the enemy's. No element can turn to face enemies in contact with rear or flank, nor push back other elements, except Boats facing in the same direction and at open sea.

Victory conditions: as in DBA, except that there are no camps!

FLEET LISTS

The following Fleet Lists are of course pure suggestions. They depict the main types of ships used at their times, in a proportion made to give interesting games. Some lists are provided with historical enemies; for friendly encounters or campaigns, you can use the enemies given in DBA Army Lists for the same nations.