A Naval Excursus -

 

Hex grid as pencilled. The white lines is just the overhead 
light reflecting off 2B pencil

Interrupting the Roman Civil War narrative is this little item - what I did today. This was based on a discovery I made a couple of days back that a hex grid with cells 60mm between opposite edges is very convenient and easy to make. The measurements required are 30 and 60mm in one direction (north-south, say) and 17.5, 35 and 70mm in the east-west. The only tricky one is the 17.5, and that is the one least used.

Horrible photo, but you get the idea

Some time ago, a visit to the city Art Emporium yielded a 102cm by 83cm sheet of heavy card stock, coloured on one face. Although I would have preferred a lighter blue, I decided this would be used for naval games. Instead of across the board (a feature of my well used hex-board), the 'grain' on this one goes along the length, which accommodates exactly 17 of my 6cm hexes. The board measures 15 hexes across, with a small 10mm margin.

Looking down on part of the board. All my care doesn't obviate the 
occasional stapid mistuke.

This board accommodates better my 'very tiny' navies, and will, I think be suitable for actions with limited presence of carriers, or none at all. This does not mean my 5cm hex sheets have been superseded - I'll still use those for more ambitious naval operations...

In the murk and mist of the Omez Strait -
A Ra'esharn task force off to deal woe to someone. 

I am now debating how to 'finish' the grid - black, darker blue (the sheet is pretty dark already), light blue or white. I was going to do white, but am now undecided. 

Roman Civil War update...

Meanwhile Curio has landed his army at Thapsus, in North Africa. Varus has shown up and is offering battle, like Afranius, hoping that a stream across his front will aid his defence against the aggressive Curio. The circumstances being what they are, it seemed to me that either side might be the attacker. So this was decided by a die roll, which, after 3 consecutive doubles, came down on the side of the Caesarians under Curio. More on this in due course...