FP3x3PW - A New Battlefield

The idea for making a new 3x3 battlefield converged from 3 sources: Mark Cordon'e addition of 'flank' areas to his own invention; the vast amounts of sea in my Byzantiad map; and David Crook's idea of naval battles on a 3x3 battle board. Rather pleased with my box-lid board, I was rather reluctant to add in the flank areas, but other considerations prevailed upon me to give the thing further consideration. Finally I found a piece of something upon which to inscribe my 'map'.

Given the area available, I made the squares rather larger than they are on my box-lid - 8cm instead of 7. The whole board is 40cm square. 

OK, what about the sea, then? That came from the idea of long sea shore-lines, and the occasional large water way like the Dniepr and the Ister (Danube). It so happens, I have a Byzantine dromon that I scratchbuilt about 30 years ago. All I needed then was something.... aquatic looking.  

Here it is, a piece of ... vinyl? - cut to size, with a bit of grey paint drabbled on for the shore line. Here, a dromon ghosts along, just offshore, where it might disgorge a unit of marines (my peltastoi stands will do nicely for that sort of thing) or perhaps discharge javelins, arrows and fire syphons at any enemy that comes within range, on land or water...

The waterway might equally well be placed in one's 'reserve' area, signifying a combined operation beach landing.  This would be quite appropriate for actions involving islands such as Cyprus, Crete or Sicily, or for Norman landings around Dyrrhachium, say.  And let's not forget the Rus... It might mean making some long ships, though...  At any rate, this could be a rather high risk undertaking by the invaders!