MARE NOSTRUM

by Richard Affinati (http://it.geocities.com/accademiawargame/)

translated by Robert Morris (http://backtothekeep.blogspot.com)
INTRODUCTION
These rules relate to naal warfare in the ancient period! when the oar was the main source of propulsion of a boat. These
rules reproduce the wars across the sea to the Renaissance age. They are simple! but historically accurate and fun. "e
suggest you use #:#$%% scale ship models on bases &cm by 'cm. The bases should be painted blue with white highlights! to
simulate the waes of the sea. (ach base should hae one model! e)cept for boats or small brigantines! which should be
based two or four to a base. *ou can easily use any scale and apply the kind of basing it prefers! proided it is uniform for
all elements inoled in naal battles.
FLEET CONSTRUCTION
(ach player can be assigned a ariable number of points with which to build his fleet.
TYPES OF MARINE ELEMENTS
Combat Structure Maximum Weapon
S!ip T"pe Cot #a$ue Point Mo%ement Turn Fire
Transport +hip! ,aracca! #% # $ #-.cm (against the wind) &cm /one
0norarie! etc. or $-.cm (downwind)
+mall boats! 1rigantine! etc. 2 # # $%cm 'cm! may change /one
facing on the spot
3aleotta! 4usta! +mall $% $ $ #.cm .cm #2cm radius
3alley! 1ireme! -rakkar! etc.
3alera! Ancient Triremes! etc. 5% 5 $ #$cm .cm $&cm radius
3reat 3alley! &% & 5 'cm &cm 5%cm radius
6uin7/7uadriremes! etc.
8oliremi! ,ommand 3alley! 2% & & .cm &cm 5%cm radius
4lagship! etc.
3alea99a! 3alleon! etc. .% & 2 .cm &cm 5%cm radius
Cre& T"pe
:eteran ,rew $%
Trained ,rew #2
,onscripted ,rew #%
8oor ,rew 2
SE'UENCE OF PLAY
1) Shooting
;n this phase! the models that are e7uipped with weapons! may take shots against targets that are directly in front of their
bow! for at this time the missile weapons were put forward. 0nly 3alea99o! 3alleons! or historically documented essels
that could fire a shot at 5.%<! can fire from their sides and stern. The shots in this phase are simultaneous.
=ine of +ight. 1efore the shot! both players confirm that there is nothing that blocks the iew between the shooter and the
target. =ine of sight is blocked by islands! headlands! bays! and ships of all kind.
To hit! roll #-.. A successful hit is scored on a 2 or .. ;f the target is farther than half the range of the weapons on the firing
ship! a successful hit is scored only on a .. ;f the target is hit! subtract # +tructure 8oint. 0nce a essel has lost all of its
+tructure 8oints! roll immediately for the ship on the ,apture Table.
2) INITIATIVE.
The two opposing players each roll #-.. The result is added to their Aggression score (Ag). The player with the higher roll
can decide whether to moe first or second in that round. ;n the case of e7ual rolls! the player with the lowest number of
elements decides to moe first or second.
3) MOVEMENT.
A moement can be performed by a single element or by a group of elements ad>acent to each other. To find out how many
elements or groups of elements a player can moe in a turn! roll #-.. The result indicates the number of points in its
+trategy proision.
+ub?admirals and flagships. 1efore the battle! each player must appoint a single flagship element. ;n larger historical battles
inoling two or three naal diisions! each player may appoint up to two +ub?flagships. (ach element or group of elements
more than 5%cm from its 4lagship or +ub? 4lagship! must spend $ +trategy points to moe. An element or group of elements
within 5%cm spends one +trategy point to moe.
All units may back with oars 2cm. A group of ships can hae two types of formations! in line (side by side with the same
front) or column (placed one behind the other). A group of ships always moes with the speed of the slowest ship in the
element. ;t is possible to break into sub?groups of elements at any time! but broken elements cannot recombine.
To change direction! the unit must turn before moing in a straight line. (lements will be slower! while small boats will turn
faster. +hips can turn right or left. +hips in a column will carry out the rotation (turn) in the same spot as the lead ship in the
element.
+ailing +hips Moement. +ailing ships! or ships that decide to use sails instead the oars! throw #-. (against the wind) or
$-. (downwind) eery turn. The result is the centimeters aailable for moement. The direction of the wind is determined
for both players at the start of the battle and again eery ten rounds. (ach player rolls #-.. 0n #! $! 5 or & the wind is
unfaorable. 0n 2 or . the wind is faorable.
4) COMBAT.
(lements that touch an enemy element at any point with the front (bow) or are ad>acent to an enemy with the sides of both
ships touching (only after the inention of the Raen! $.% 1,) may initiate combat. The player that moed first rolls a die
for one ship in his element that is in combat. The second player then rolls for one of their ships. 8layers alternate until they
hae both rolled for all of the combats.
Roll a dice for the element that is ad>acent to an opponent during the combat stage. ;f the result is e7ual to or less than its
,ombat :alue! subtract a +tructure 8oint from the engaged enemy ship. ;f the opposing crew is better trained! add # to the
die roll. ,rews may be! in descending order of ability: :eterans (superior)! Trained (ordinary)! ,onscripted ,rew (leees)!
or 8oor (inferior). A ship may leae combat! if it rammed an enemy ship! by moing backwards during the ne)t moement.
A ship that loses all of its +tructure 8oints must consult the ,apture! +hipwreck! and +inking Table.
CAPTURE( S)IPWREC*( an+ SIN*IN, TA-LE
;f an element loses all of its +tructure 8oints! roll a die.
0n a # or $! the element can be boarded by ad>acent naal elements. ;f it is not boarded! it will sink oer the ne)t fie
rounds. A boarded element regains one +tructure 8oint and can moe! rotate and row at half speed. A ship may be captured
multiple times.
0n a 5 or &! the ship can be towed by an element of e7ual or greater tonnage ad>acent to it. ;f it is not captured and towed! it
will sink oer the ne)t fie rounds. A towed element regains one +tructure 8oint but cannot moe if it is not drien forward
by the towing element. 1oth the towed and towing elements moe at half speed and turn and shoot at half range.
0n a 2 or .! the ship sinks immediately.
COASTS AND STRANDIN,S
/aal elements (e)cept for boats and small boats) within 2cm of a coast (e)cluding 8orts and ,hannels) roll a die (#-.). 0n
a roll of 2 or .! the element enters the naal arena. ;f the ship does not e)it the coastal area! roll a die in each subse7uent
round. ;f you get a # or $! the naal element can not moe. ;f the wind is unfaorable for #% rounds in a row! and the ship is
not released! you will hae to make a throw on the ,apture! +hipwreck and +inking Table.