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.
Type | Move | Combat Factor |
Heavy Galleys (Hg) | 300p | +4 |
Light Galleys (Lg) | 400p | +3 |
Fast Galleys (Fg) | 500p | +2 |
Ships (S) | 200p | +2 |
Boats (B) | 500p | +2 |
A Fleet is made up of 12 elements plus 1 Admiral, accordingly to the following Fleet Lists.
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.
Just as in DBA.
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.
+1 | If the Admiral's element |
+1 | Boats supported by Boats, only at open sea |
-1 | For every overlapping element |
-1 | If contacted from the rear |
-1 | If contacted on the flank by Ships o Boats |
-1 | If stuck element |
-2 | If contacted on the flank by Galleys |
-2 | Burnt element |
If Total Is Less Than That Of The Enemy But More Than Half: | |
Galleys | destroyed by Ships at open sea, or by all others if stuck, if not recoil |
Ships | destroyed on sand banks or if stuck |
Boats | destroyed by Fast Galleys or Boats at open sea, if not recoil |
If Total Is Half Or Less | |
Boats | destroyed by Fast Galleys or Boats, or if burnt, if not flee 600p |
Others | destroyed |
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!
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.
Number | Nation | Enemies | Fleet Elements |
10 | MYCENAEAN & MINOAN (1600BC-1150BC) | 8 x Lg, 4 x B | |
11 | NEW KINGDOM EGYPTIAN (1550BC-1070BC) | 14a | 6 x S, 6 x B |
14a | SEA PEOPLES (1230BC-1165BC) | 11 | 4 x S, 8 x B |
18d | LYDIAN (687BC-546BC) | 6 x Lg, 6 x B | |
22 | KUSHITE EGYPTIAN (712BC-664BC) | 6 x S, 2 x S or Lg, 4 x B | |
23 | NEW ASSYRIAN (745BC - 605BC) | 4 x S, 3 x Lg or B, 5 x B | |
24a | EARLY HOPLITE GREEK (700BC- 450BC) | 24a, 28a, 30b | 10 x Lg, 2 x Lg or B |
24b | EARLY SPARTAN (700BC-450BC) | 12 x Lg | |
24c | EARLY NORTH GREEK (700BC - 450BC) | 6 x Lg, 2 x Lg or B, 4 x B | |
26 | ILLYRIAN (700BC-46AD) | 46b | 12 x B |
28a | EARLY ACHEMENID PERSIAN (550BC-420BC) | 24a | 12 x Lg |
29 | SAITIC EGYPTIAN (660BC-525BC & 405BC-335BC) | 4 x S, 4 x Lg, 2 x Lg or B, 2 x B | |
30b | ETRUSCAN (650BC-280BC) | 24a | 8 x Lg, 4 x B |
31a | EARLY CARTHAGINIAN (550BC - 275BC) | 24a, 34 | 10 x Lg, 2 x B |
31b | LATER CARTHAGINIAN ( 275BC - 146BC) | 46b | 4 x Hg, 6 x Lg, 2 x Lg or B |
32 | LATER HOPLITE GREEK (450BC-275BC) | 32, 34 | 1 x Hg or Lg, 9 x Lg, 2 x Lg or B |
33 | LATER ACHAEMENID PERSIAN (420BC-330BC) | 1 x Hg or Lg, 9 x Lg, 2 x Lg or B | |
34 | SYRACUSAN (410BC - 210BC) | 31a | 1 x Hg or Lg, 7 x Lg, 4 x B |
35 | GALLIC (400BC-50BC) | 59 | 6 x S, 4 x S or B, 2 x B |
36 | ALEXANDRIAN MACEDONIAN (355BC-330BC) | 1 x Hg or Lg, 10 x Lg, 1 x Lg or B | |
38a | ANTIGONID (320BC - 285BC) | 42a | 1 x Hg (dekares), 3 x Hg, 4 x Lg, 2 x Lg or B, 2 x B |
38b | EUMENID (320BC-316BC) | 8 x Lg, 4 x B | |
39 | LYSIMACHID (320BC-281BC) | 8 x Lg, 2 x Lg or B, 2 x B | |
40 | MACEDONIAN EARLY SUCCESSOR (320BC-260BC) | 1 x Hg (dekares), 1 x Hg (dekares) or Lg, 8 x Lg, 2 x B | |
41a | EARLY SELEUCID (320BC-280BC) | 1 x Hg (dekares), 1 x Hg (dekares) or Lg, 6 x Lg, 4 x B | |
41b | LATER SELEUCID (280BC-83BC) | 2 x Hg (dekares), 2 x Hg, 6 x Lg, 2 x B | |
42a | EARLY PTOLEMAIC (320BC - 275BC) | 38a | 2 x Hg (dekares), 4 x Hg, 2 x Lg, 2 x S or B, 2 x B |
42b | LATER PTOLEMAIC (275BC-40BC) | 2 x Hg (dekares), 2 x Hg, 2 x Lg, 2 x S or B, 4 x B | |
43 | PYRRHIC (300BC-272BC) | 3 x Hg , 3 x Lg, 3 x S or B, 3 x B | |
46b | POLYBIAN ROMAN (275BC - 146BC) | 31b, 26 | 6 x Hg, 3 x Hg or Lg, 3 x Lg |
47 | HELLENISTIC GREEK (275BC-146BC) | 1 x Hg (dekares) or Hg, 1 x Hg or Lg, 8 x Lg, 2 x Lg or B | |
48 | PERGAMENE (263BC-129BC) | 12 x B | |
49 | LATER MACEDONIAN (260BC-148BC) | 3 x Hg (dekares), 3 x Hg, 3 x Lg, 3 x B | |
57 | EARLY GERMAN (115BC-250AD) | 6 x S, 6 x B | |
58 | PONTIC (110BC-47BC) | 2 x Hg, 3 x Lg, 7 x B | |
59 | MARIAN ROMAN (105BC - 25BC) | 35, 59 | 1 x Hg (dekares) or Hg(qunquiremes) , 5 x Hg, 2 x Hg or S, 3 x Fg or B, 1 x B or S |
60 | ANCIENT BRITISH (55BC-75AD) | 12 x B | |
61 | SCOTS-IRISH (55BC-846AD) | 12 x B | |
64 | EARLY IMPERIAL ROMAN (25BC-193AD) | 2 x Hg, 2 x Hg or Lg, 2 x Lg or S, 4 x Fg, 2 x B | |
67 | CALEDONIAN or PICTISH (75AD-846AD) | 12 x B | |
69 | MIDDLE IMPERIAL ROMAN (193AD - 324AD) | 1 x Hg or Fg, 5 x Fg, 2 x S or B, 4 x B | |
75b | MIDDLE ANGLO-SAXON (617AD-1014AD) | 106a | 4 x S, 8 x B |
77a | LATE IMPERIAL ROMAN - WEST (307AD - 425AD) | 4 x Fg, 8 x B | |
77b | LATE IMPERIAL ROMAN - EAST (307AD - 425AD) | 6 x Fg, 2 x Fg or B, 4 x B | |
84 | AFRICAN VANDAL (442AD-535AD) | 6 x Fg, 6 x B | |
86 | EARLY BYZANTINE (493AD-578AD) | 12 x Fg | |
88 | ITALIAN OSTROGOTHIC (493AD-561AD) | 2 x S, 6 x Fg, 4 x B | |
89 | SLAV (476AD - 1218AD) | 12 x B | |
91 | MAURIKIAN BYZANTINE (578AD-650AD) | 8 x Fg, 4 x B | |
99 | THEMATIC BYZANTINE (650AD-963AD) | 100 | 6 x Hg, 6 x B |
100 | ARAB IMPERIAL (660AD-1090AD) | 99 | 6 x Lg, 3 x Fg, 3 x B |
102a | LATER FRANKISH (639AD-1072AD) | 3 x S, 3 x S or B, 6 x B | |
102c | NORMAN (923AD-1072AD) | 6 x S, 6 x Lg | |
105 | MEXICAN (600AD-1521AD) | 12 x B | |
106a | VIKING (790AD-1280AD) | 75b | 12 x Lg |
106b | LEIDANG (790AD-1280AD) | 12 x Lg | |
111 | PRE-FEUDAL SCOTS (846AD-1124 AD) | 12 x B | |
112 | NORSE IRISH (846AD-1260AD) | 12 x B | |
113 | ANGLO-DANISH (1014AD-1075AD) | 4 x S, 2 x S or B, 6 x B | |
117 | NIKEPHORIAN BYZANTINE (963AD-1071AD) | 2 x Hg, 4 x Lg, 2 x Fg, 4 x B | |
118 | FATIMID EGYPTIAN (969AD-1171AD) | 1 x Hg or Fg, 2 x Fg, 3 x Lg, 6 x B | |
123 | COMMUNAL ITALIAN (1029AD - 1320AD) | 123 | 2 x Hg, 2 x Hg or S, 4 x Lg, 2 x Lg or B, 2 x B |
128 | SCOTS ISLES & HIGLANDS 1050AD-1493AD) | 4 x S or B, 8 x B | |
131a | EARLY MEDIEVAL SCANDINAVIAN (1280AD-1350AD) | 6 x S, 2 x S or B, 4 x B | |
131b | LATER MEDIEVAL SCANDINAVIAN (1350AD-1523AD) | 8 x S, 1 x S or B, 3 x B | |
133 | COMNENAN BYZANTINE (1071 AD-1204AD) | 4 x Hg, 4 x Fg, 2 x Lg or B, 2 x B | |
134 | ANGLO-NORMAN (1072AD - 1181AD) | 7 x S, 4 x Lg or B, 1 x B | |
135 | SICILIAN (1072AD - 1442AD) | 4 x S or Lg, 2 x Fg or Lg or S, 4 x Fg or Lg, 2 x B | |
137 | FEUDAL FRENCH (1072AD - 1330AD) | 3 x S, 3 x Lg, 3 x Lg or S, 3 x B | |
138 | EARLY CRUSADER (1096AD - 1128AD) | 6 x S, 6 x S or Lg | |
139 | MEDIEVAL SYRIAN (1100AD - 1286AD) | 6 x Fg, 3 x Lg or B, 3 x B | |
140 | SCOTS COMMON (1124AD - 1512AD) | 2 x S or B, 2 x S or B, 2 x Lg or B, 6 x B | |
141 | LATER CRUSADER (1128AD-1303AD) | 4 x S, 2 x S or Fg or Lg, 2 x Lg, 4 x Lg or B | |
143 | AYYUBID EGYPTIAN ( 1171AD - 1250AD) | 1 x Hg or Fg, 7 x Fg, 4 x B | |
144 | ANGLO-IRISH (1172AD-1489AD) | 4 x S, 2 x S or Lg, 6 x B | |
145 | FEUDAL ENGLISH (1181AD-1322AD) | 3 x S, 1 x S or Lg, 4 x Lg, 2 x Lg or B, 2 x B | |
148a | PRUSSIAN or ESTONIAN (1200AD-1386AD) | 12 x B | |
150 | INCA (1438AD-1534AD) | 12 x B | |
151 | TEUTONIC ORDER (1201AD-1522AD) | 10 x S, 2 x B | |
153 | LATE BYZANTINE (1204AD - 1460AD) | 3 x Fg, 3 x Lg, 3 x Lg or B, 3 x B | |
158 | MAMLUK EGYPTIAN (1250AD-1517AD) | 1 x Hg, 6 x Lg, 2 x Fg or B, 3 x B | |
160b | LATER OTTOMAN (1362 AD-1512 AD) | 2 x Hg, 4 x Fg, 6 x B | |
161a | EARLY SWISS (1291AD-1400AD) | - OK, it's a joke! | |
162a | KNIGHTS OF ST.JOHN ON CYPRUS (1291AD - 1310AD) | 6 x Lg, 2 x S or Lg, 4 x B | |
162b | KNIGHTS OF ST.JOHN ON RHODES (1310AD - 1522AD) | 1 x Hg, 5 x Lg, 2 x Lg or S, 4 x B | |
164 | MEDIEVAL IRISH (1300AD - 1487AD) | 2 x S or B, 8 x B | |
168 | 100 YEARS WAR ENGLISH (1322AD - 1455AD) | 170, 171 | 4 x S, 2 x S or Lg, 6 x B |
169 | ITALIAN CONDOTTA (1320 AD -1494 AD) | 4 x Hg, 2 x Hg or S, 4 x Lg, 2 x Fg or B | |
170 | MEDIEVAL FRENCH (1330AD - 1445AD) | 168 | 3 x S, 3 x S or Lg, 3 x Lg, 3 x B |
171 | MEDIEVAL SPANISH (1350AD - 1485AD) | 168 | 2 x Hg, 4 x S, 2 x S or Lg, 2 x Lg, 2 x B |