A Tale of Four Gamers - the Sequel

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Romans and Arabs just need tufts now.

[Steve J]

As my mdf bases arrived from Pendraken today, I spent the evening starting to base up a load of Commission Figurines mdf figures. Just using wood glue and figures on strips made the whole process incredibly quick . More of the same tomorrow.

[Steve J]

Cavalry and commands based today. The tricky artillery maybe assembled tonight :-.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

6mm paras and 4 10mm vehicles undercoated.

[Steve J]

MDF artillery assembled, which was easier than I imagined it would be, but still took time to do. All I have left to do is base the gunners and then add some poles for the standard bearers and I'm ready to start basing.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Base coat and ink on.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Bases painted and highlighted, figures painted to the end. Bases sealed. Beasting these. 

[FierceKitty]

The Spanish squadron should be ready to join the Venetians and Maltese today (we're just expecting the Inquisition, but don't tell them that); the it's the Genoese and Papal forces, and I can get going on the Turks. Does anyone have any idea if the diekplus manouevre was still extant in the early modern era?

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Flock and clumps added, just tufts to do.

[Techno II]

Big box of masters packed and sent to sir. 

Those will keep the casting elves busy for a good while.

Cheers - Phil

[Steve J]

Oh do tell Phil .

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Owt intrestin Phil ?

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Spill Phil!

Tufts done, now to label them up.

[hammurabi70]

The Spanish squadron should be ready to join the Venetians and Maltese today (we're just expecting the Inquisition, but don't tell them that); the it's the Genoese and Papal forces, and I can get going on the Turks. Does anyone have any idea if the diekplus manouevre was still extant in the early modern era?

I doubt it.  The cannon would get in the way.  No mention of it by Guilmartin.

[Techno II]

Only 'fantasy', Ian/Steve/Will

I'm pleased with them (which makes a change.. ).....'cos I've started  them all completely from 'scratch'......Ratties and Amazons. 

Cheers - Phil

[Steve J]

Thanks for the 'info' Phil .

[FierceKitty]

I doubt it.  The cannon would get in the way.  No mention of it by Guilmartin.

My impression too. I've never been altogether sure why it was considered so deadly in antiquity, honestly. After the leading ships had done their bit, the following units can't have much work.

[Ithoriel]

It was easier for ships to keep station in line abreast. So less well trained fleets preferred this formation.

A fleet with lighter, more agile ships and better trained crews would aim to break the line. The flagship, leading, would use it's advantages to sheer off the oars of one of the ships it is passing between. Inevitably, losing one side's oars causes the ship to turn because the oars on the other side are slill moving, for a moment at least. Thus presenting it's beam to the ram of the second or third ship in the diekplus. If other ships in the less agile and well trained fleet attempts to intervene it opens it's beam in turn to further attack.

Rinse and repeat.

Of course if the enemy turn out to have better trained crews or nimbler ships than you expected, or a trick up their sleeves, things could go south in short order.

Also, it doesn't matter if you've lost your oars if you can use a corvus, harpax or similar to simply bind the enemy to you and prove that no amount of seamanship helps you if you have a century of Roman Marines roaming your deck!

Ram vs. board is as much a seesaw as any other arms race. Leading to oddities like the Ptolemies catamaran "Forty" and the Roman corvus and the hemiola and trihemiola.

[FierceKitty]

Mmm, I remember John Warry's clear illustrations of the workings of the diekplus. But after you shear the vessels to left and right of the column (they wouldn't be the Bismark and Tirpitz; not enough to cripple an enemy force), what next? Fight it out in a disorderly on the assumption that your ships are better? Dull gaming if tactics are just about how to make a grand slam when you have thirteen spades in your hand....

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Thanks Phil