The Battle of Lepanto
The Battle of Lepanto Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
2.0 GENERAL COURSE OF PLAY
Lepanto is played in 30 sequenced "Game Turns," each comprised of a Phasing Turn for each player; Christian ships move first, followed by Islamic ships. Each Phasing Turn of a game turn is divided into a movement phase, a combat phase, and then a reorientation (tacking) phase, which are completed in sequence. The victor is the side ending with most victory points, which is based on the number of ships remaining after the battle.
3.0 GAME EQUIPMENT
3.1 Game Map
The 22x34" game map depicts the Ionian Sea. A hexagonal grid is superimposed atop the map to regulate ship movement and firing ranges, and is extended over all areas of the sea. Land areas to the north represent the peninsular areas of the Grecian mainland and the island of Oxia to the west. The land areas are out of play.
Note: The map's hex grid is not printed with hex numbers, being that the quantity of ships in play (all of them) is so numerous as to preclude any efficient recording of positions, particularly when multiplied by the six different possible facings for each ship, as well as each ship's condition status.
3.2 Markers
There are 280 die-cut ½"-square game pieces provided. The one marked "Game Turn" is to be placed at the start of the turn track, and then onto successive spaces on the turn track printed on the game map to provide a record of game turns completed. Another marker is used to establish the accompanying wind direction for the current game turn. Most of the markers represent ships of the opposing navies, and are henceforth called "ships," per their various type names. Some of the markers are printed "Immobilized" and "Repulsed," which are to be placed on ships that become Repulsed ("R" on the combat chart) or Immobilized ("I" on the combat chart.) Some markers are printed "Exhausted," which are to be placed on ships that become exhausted after excessive rowing.
Note: Because of the plethora of units included in Lepanto, it is recommended players trim any ragged corners of the game pieces with nail-clippers before setting up the game. This will greatly facilitate movement and maneuvering during play.
3.3 Summary of Ship Types
Galleasses (pronounced Gal-lee'us-is) are large vessels with limited mobility that must be towed into firing position by one other galley. Their broadside guns offer superior firepower, and their high freeboard makes them impossible to board from the opponent's low-slung galleys.
Galleys are relatively swift and maneuverable by oars, sails, or both. Christian galleys were usually square-rigged, moving best with wind astern, less well with wind abeam; they must rely on oar power when wind is forward of abeam. Don Juan's galleys were not outfitted with rams after Commander Gianandrea Doria insisted they were an impediment to the accurate sighting of their forward guns, while Ali Pasha's galleys retained their traditional prow rams and often carried triangular lateen sails.
Galliots are small shallow-draft galleys, usually lateen-rigged, with an enhanced maneuverability that, to some degree, compensates for their limited firepower.
Each of the two opponent's fleets has been organized on the map into their four historic squadrons: left, center, right and reserve.
Christian Left (purple positions): 2 Galleasses 25 Galleys commanded by Agostino Barbarigo.
Christian Center (mustard positions): 2 Galleasses 33 Galleys under Force Commander Don Juan of Austria.
Christian Right (blue positions): 2 Galleasses 25 Galleys commanded by Gianandrea Doria.
Christian Reserve (white positions): 18 Galleys commanded by Santa Cruz.
Islamic Left (burgundy positions): 28 Galleys 9 Galliots commanded by Ochiali.
Islamic Center (green positions): 28 Galleys 14 Galliots under Force Commander Ali Pasha.
Islamic Right (orange positions): 26 Galleys 1 Galliot commanded by Mahomet Scirocco.
Islamic Reserve (yellow positions): 4 Galleys 10 Galliots commanded by Amuret Reis.
Historical Note: The number of ship markers in the game is about half the number of actual ships that participated in the naval battle of Lepanto. Each ship marker, except for the Galleasses, thus actually represents two ships.
3.4 Ship Direction
The color band of each squadron is always printed at the bow of a ship. That facing will determine the direction each ship must move when entering a new hex.
3.5 Combat Resolution Tables
Combat results are determined through the use of the applicable Combat Resolution Tables in conjunction with the roll of a six-sided die. The three separate Combat Odds Charts appear at the bottom of the Game Map: Gunnery, Small-Arms Fire/Boarding Odds, and Ramming.
4.0 INITIAL SETUP
Initial positions for all ships are indicated on the game map by hexes containing ship silhouettes matching ship type, color, and orientation. All ships have two sides, an Alpha (A) side, and an Omega (O) side, which is used to differentiate which ships have moved during a turn. Once all ships have been placed with their Alpha sides face up, the game begins with Christian forces moving first.
5.0 SEQUENCE OF PLAY
5.1 Game Turns
Each game turn begins with the phasing turn of the Christian forces. Each phasing turn comprises of a movement phase, a combat phase, and an optional reorientation phase, completed in that sequence. When the Christian Phasing Turn is complete, the Islamic forces then begin their phasing turn in the same sequence. The completion of the Islamic Phasing Turn signals the completion of a full game turn, and the Game Turn marker is then advanced one space on the map's turn track.
5.2 Movement Phase
The phasing turn begins with a movement phase, during which any or all of a player's ships may be moved within their individual movement limits. Players must exercise care to assure all desired ship moves are made correctly, and that no ship has been moved more than once. Incorrect moves are subject to challenge by the opposing player, and immediate correction before any other ships may be moved. Incorrect moves not so challenged and corrected remain as they were played.
Ship movements may be made in any order during the movement phase, though it is generally best to move the leading ships first so as to minimize the chance they'll block movement of other ships. As each ship completes its movement, it is flipped from its A (Alpha) side to its O (Omega) side (or vice versa, if they began the turn on their Omega sides.) When all desired moves have been completed, that player's remaining ships are also flipped to their O (Omega) side (or vice versa, if they began the turn on their Omega sides) to indicate the end of the entire movement phase.
5.3 Combat Phase
As of the completion of the movement phase, the phasing-turn player begins the combat phase. Each of a player's ships, acting individually or in concert, may attack any enemy ship occupying a hex within range for the combat type to be used, that is, gunnery, small-arms fire/boarding, and/or ramming. Ships that resolve combat against any enemy ship(s) must temporarily be flipped back to their A (Alpha) side (or vice versa, if they began the turn on their Omega sides) to indicate which ships will be participating in combat (they will be flipped back when that combat resolution is complete.)
Each individual attack may employ only one type of combat in a given combat phase (a ship cannot conduct gunnery and small-arms fire during the same combat resolution.) However, the "Attacker" may conduct the same (or another) type of combat during succeeding game turns. Again, the phasing-turn player must exercise care to assure that combat is resolved in accordance with the rules of play, and that no desired combat is overlooked, and that no ship engages in combat more than once during the same game turn. Incorrect engagement or resolution of combat is subject to immediate challenge and correction by the opposing player before any further combat is conducted. Any incorrect engagement or resolution of combat not challenged and corrected remains as played.
Combat may be conducted in any sequence chosen by the attacking player (in other words, one ship may conduct small-arms fire, while another ship then conducts gunnery, etc.) but at the completion of the combat phase, all participating ships are then flipped back to their O (Omega) position (or vice versa, if they began the turn on their Omega sides), indicating the completion of the combat phase.
5.4 Reorientation Phase
During this phase, the phasing turn player may Reorient any or all of his ships after completing the combat phase. Note that any reorientation may only be made in increments of hexsides, not hexspines. A ship's reorientation may be made only during the reorientation phase, and only once, though each ship is permitted a limited reorientation as it moves during the movement phase of the subsequent game turn (and again, normally, during the next reorientation phase).
Any galliot may reorient to face any other hexside, but a galley or galleass may only reorient a maximum of two adjacent hexsides (in other words, a galley or galleass may reorient to face any other hexside, except the hexside directly opposite the direction at which it is pointed at the beginning of the reorientation phase.)
Note: A galleass being towed may not reorient; It must always be pointed at the hexside abutting its towing galley's hex.
Ships that are reoriented must be temporarily flipped back to their A (Alpha) side (or vice versa, if they began the turn on their Omega sides) to indicate which ships are being reoriented. A player must exercise care to ensure all of the reorientations have been completed and no ship has been reoriented more than once. Incorrect reorientations are subject to immediate challenge and correction by the opposing player before beginning the next phasing turn. Any incorrect reorientation not challenged and corrected remains as played. When every desired reorientation has been completed, all ships are flipped back to their O (Omega) side (or vice versa, if they began the turn on their Alpha sides).
6.0 MOVEMENT
6.1 Galleasses
Each galleass and its towing galley move together as a unit, provided the towing galley occupies the hex directly ahead of the galleass' hex. A galleass only moves when towed by a galley positioned directly ahead of it. The forward movement of a galleass and its towing galley is to the hex directly ahead, in the direction of movement. A galleass moves only when towed by a galley (except when drifting), and must always be pointed at the hexside abutting its towing galley's hex.
If a towing galley is reoriented in a hex during the reorientation phase, the towed galleass must also be changed to the same direction when it is moved into that same hex. The front of a towing galley may never be pointed at the galleass it is towing, unless the owning player declares that tow to be severed (in which case the galleass' movement is halted immediately in its current hex, and no longer considered to be towed).
At any point during the movement phase, the galleass may anchor (stop) and allow its towing galley to continue to move away by normal galley movement. Once so anchored, the galleass' orientation must remain unchanged until the reorientation phase, or until another galley occupies the hex directly ahead of that galleass (if not pointed at the galleass), though a galleass may not be towed during the same game turn that it anchored.
A galleass not being towed is subject to drifting caused by wind effects (see 6.4) as of the next movement phase. That has no effect on a galleass' eligibility to reorient.
6.2 Permitted Movement
Galleys and galliots may move by way of rowing, sailing or both. Galleys and galliots may always row one or two hexes in the direction they are pointed (the color band of each ship is the front or bow of that ship.) Ships that row more than one hex (two hexes) become "exhausted" (see rule 6.7).
If the current wind direction is pointed in the same direction as the moving ship's direction, or pointed to a hexside adjacent to the same direction as the moving galley's or galliot's direction, that ship may also move up to two additional hexes, if the owning player prefers. That is known as sailing movement. Any ship (except galleasses, which must be towed) may sail if the wind is astern or abeam, even if that ship is also rowing during that same move.
Note: No ship is ever required to move (except a galleass that is adrift).
A ship may change direction one hexside in either direction during its movement, but in doing so it may then only row one hex. If any ship moved one hex via rowing, and also changed direction (effectively rowing twice), it becomes exhausted, and is marked with an "E" marker. A ship that does not row may change its direction without becoming exhausted.
Note: A ship may never change directions two hexsides during movement (but may do so during the reorientation phase).
If the current wind direction is pointed in the opposite direction as the moving ship's direction (facing), that moving ship may not be sailed in the direction it is pointed (but it may still row in that direction normally, as explained above).
Exception: Islamic ships may always sail one hex, even if the wind direction is pointed directly at the front of this ship.
If however the wind direction is currently pointed to the right-rear or to the left-rear hexside (adjacent to the backmost hexside), that moving ship may sail one hex if the owning player prefers.
A ship may change direction one hexside in either direction during its movement, but if a Christian ship (not an Islamic ship) becomes pointed in the opposite direction as the wind direction, it may not be sailed in the direction it is pointed. If it changes direction such that the wind direction is pointed to the right-rear or to the left-rear hexside (adjacent to the backmost hexside), that moving ship may then sail one hex (unless it already sailed one hex during that same move; in such a case, that ship may not sail any farther after it changes direction).
As noted above, no ship may change direction to more than one adjacent hexside during its movement. A ship may be reoriented up to two adjacent hexes during the reorientation phase (see rule 5.4).
No ship may move off the map or move to any hex obscured by the map's turn track, nor may any ship move from a coastal hex to an adjacent coastal hex that's completely bisected by land.
6.3 Wind Direction
During the first game turn the wind is considered to be blowing directly east. As of every game turn thereafter (at the beginning of each following game turn), the players must roll a die to check for a possible wind direction shift, per the following chart:
Die Roll: Wind Shift: 1 No Change 2 No Change 3 No Change 4 Calm 5 Clockwise 6 Counter-Clockwise
If the die roll is "4" (Calm), roll one more 6-sided die per the wind direction diagram (for example, a die roll of "1" is considered to be the left, westernmost hex).
If the die roll is 5 or 6 (Clockwise or Counter-Clockwise), change the wind direction by one increment (for example, from 6 to 1 if Counter-Clockwise) in the direction indicated.
6.4 Drift
A galleass not being towed, or any ship that is "immobilized," is no longer eligible to move, either by rowing or sailing. During each Movement Phase, however, any such ship must be moved one hex in the direction of the current wind direction. A drifting ship does not change its facing when it drifts, though the owning player may freely change its facing during the reorientation phase normally (see 5.4).
Exception: A drifting ship is never moved into the same hex as any other ship. If the drift hex is already occupied by another ship, the drifting ship is simply halted in its current hex until that hex becomes unoccupied, or until the wind direction changes (toward another unoccupied hex).
If the wind direction changes, so too does the direction of the drift.
Note: Drift movement must always be resolved before normal movement.
Any ship that drifts off of the map, or to any hex obscured by the map's turn track, or across any land that completely bisects its present coastal hex (across the direction of that drift) must be eliminated immediately.
6.5 Occupied Hexes
No ship may pass through or occupy a hex already occupied by another ship, no matter if that ship is friend or foe, even if it is "immobilized" as a result of an unsuccessful attack.
Exception: Ramming (see 7.5).
6.6 Shoreline Hexes
If any part of a hex contains land, it is a shoreline hex and may be occupied only by a galliot, which is a shallow-draft Islamic ship. Other types of ships may not enter any shoreline hex. Galliots are only Islamic ships, identified with light blue numerals (matching the shoreline color).
6.7 Exhaustion
If any ship is rowed two hexes during the same game turn (during the same movement phase), it becomes "exhausted" (regardless of any hexes it also has sailed during that same game turn.) Place an Exhausted marker on that ship.
Note: It is unnecessary to place an Exhausted maker atop a ship that becomes immobilized (see 7.5).
Any ship that becomes exhausted is thus ineligible to be rowed during the following turn. After that following turn (during which an exhausted ship has not been rowed,) the Exhausted marker is removed, and that ship may be rowed again normally (one or two hexes.) If it also rows two hexes during the next turn, it will again become exhausted normally, and thus be ineligible to row during the subsequent turn, and so forth.
Exhaustion does not affect reorientation, gunnery, small-arms fire or movement via sailing. A ship that is exhausted may change direction normally by rowing, but it may not then be rowed into any other hex (although it may sail into another hex normally, nonetheless, per the stipulations of 6.2) until it is no longer exhausted.
7.0 COMBAT
7.1 Gunnery
An attacking ship may fire its guns at any opponent within range, as shown on the Gunnery Rating Chart, per a target hex bearing as indicated by each ship type's Gun Ranges Chart. The attacker's maximum gun factor is printed on its ship marker by a numeral preceded by the letter "G;" actual gun factors vary with distance from the target hex. The attacking player must always apply the lesser number when referencing a ship's gun factor and the Gunnery Range Chart.
Note: There are no line of sight rules; that is to say, a ship does not ever block gunfire traced through its hex.
During its combat phase, each galley or galliot may fire one time at any single opponent's ship among those within range, and only within that ship's gunnery hex arc (see the diagram on the Gunnery Range chart for each type of ship), to be chosen by the attacker.
Exception: Due to the immense number of guns carried, each galleass may fire at up to four different opposing ships among those within range, though only if one target is on one side (port), one target on the other side (starboard), one to the rear (stern), and one ahead (bow), to be chosen by the attacker. Note that the bow arc is defined as the G2, G1, G1 and G1 hexagons ahead of the ship, whereas the stern arc is defined as the G1, G2 and G2 hexagons behind the ship.
Gunnery attacks are resolved by simply rolling a six-sided die and cross-referencing that roll in the die roll column with the calculated gunnery factor on the Gunnery Rating Chart. If the combat result is "S," the targeted ship is sunk and removed from play immediately. If the combat results is "M," it is missed, and no effect.
7.2 Small-Arms Fire
In addition to gunnery, any ship may also fire small-arms (during that combat phase) at any other ships that are one (adjacent) or two hexes (one hex intervening) from the firing ship. A ship's small-arms factor is printed on its marker by a numeral preceded by the letter "F," and is calculated as an odds-ratio (the firing ship's F value compared to each targeted ship's F value, from 1 to a maximum of 4).
Note: There are no line of sight rules; that is to say, a ship does not ever block small-arms fire traced through its hex.
Small-arms fire is different from gunnery insofar as small-arms fire values are halved when targeting any enemy ship at a range of two hexes; however, small-arms fire values are normal (the printed "F" value) when targeting an enemy ship at a range of only one (adjacent) hex.
Developer's Note: A century before rifling had become commonplace, smoothbore muskets were exceedingly inaccurate beyond 100 meters (chances of hitting at 100 meters have been estimated at no more than 3% or so.) However, within 50 meters, the chances of a smoothbore hit increased by an exponent of ~3.1826, or about 33 percent.
A ship is not required to conduct a small-arms fire attack after conducting a gunnery attack, but inasmuch as there's no risk of a "R" or "B" result when conducting a gunnery attack, it is generally advisable for a player to resolve his intended gunnery attack (if any) first, followed by small-arms fire (if any) second.
Note: Two ships may never combine their small-arms fire values as a single value against a single target.
Unlike gunnery, it is permissible for a ship to conduct small-arms fire against multiple enemy targets within range (one or two hexes), but the firing ship must halve its F value for each enemy ship targeted during the same combat phase.
After calculating the odds ratio of the firing ship versus each targeted ship, the attacking (firing) player rolls a six-sided die and references the Small-Arms Fire/Boarding Chart printed on the map. Apply the results as follows:
R = Attacker is repulsed and there is no effect on the opponent's ship. Place a Repulsed marker atop a repulsed firing ship. A ship that is repulsed may not conduct gunnery, small-arms fire, boarding or ramming while it remains repulsed (though it may move normally.) A repulsed ship will remain marked as repulsed while it remains within range of any enemy ship's gunnery or small-arms fire. As of the moment a repulsed ship has moved beyond the range of all enemy ships' Gunnery and Small-Arms Fire, its repulsed marker is removed and it is no longer repulsed (and thus is no longer prohibited from conducting gunnery, small-arms fire, boarding or ramming).
E = Defender is eliminated (removed from play immediately), and there is no other effect on the attacking ship.
B = Both the attacking and the targeted ships are eliminated (immediately removed from play).
7.3 Islamic Small-Arms Fire Penalty
As of the 10th game turn, all Islamic small-arms fire "F" values are halved. Further, as of the 20th game turn, all Islamic small-arms fire die rolls must suffer a +1 die roll penalty, whereas all Christian small-arms fire die rolls are awarded a -1 die roll bonus. This is noted on the turn track by the "G = " (Galley =) notations in the turn 10 and turn 20 boxes.
Developer's Note: The Muslims' small-arms fire began to drop off as the battle wore on because they were pulling their gunpowder, loose and by the handful, out of leather pouches tied to their belts. The Christians, on the other hand, carried pre-measured and stoppered flasks, each holding an individual load on sash-belts hung over their shoulders. Amid the chaos and disarray of battle, the Muslims' fire dwindled appreciably, but the Christians' fire remained effective.
7.4 Boarding
A boarding attack may be attempted when an attacker's ship occupies a hex directly adjacent to any enemy ship, provided the side of the attacker's ship (in either of the two hexes aligned along either side of the boarding ship) is presently adjacent to the enemy ship to be boarded).
A ship's boarding factor is printed on its marker by a numeral preceded by the letter "B," and is calculated as an odds-ratio (the boarding ship's B value compared to the targeted ship's B value, from 1 to a maximum of 4).
Note: galleasses are not printed with a boarding factor, as their very high freeboard and superior small-arms compliment made them impossible to board.
Unlike small-arms fire, boarding may not be conducted against multiple enemy targets, and boarding is never halved. Also unlike small-arms fire, however the attacking player may freely combine the "B" value of multiple boarding ships to board individual enemy targets. All those participating ships must be adjacent, and either side of the boarding ships must be astride the targeted enemy ship (the facing of the targeted enemy ship is irrelevant.) In such a case, however, any result that affects the attacker thus applies to all boarding ships. (For example, if four ships were combined to board a single enemy target, an "R" result would apply to all four boarding ships.)
Note: A boarding attack may not exceed 4:1 odds, regardless of how many boarding ships are attacking the same targeted enemy ship.
After calculating the odds ratio of the boarding ship(s) versus the targeted enemy ship, the boarding player rolls a six-sided die and references the Small-Arms Fire/Boarding Chart on the map. Apply the results as follows:
R = Attacker is repulsed and there is no effect on the opponent's ship. Place a Repulsed marker atop a repulsed boarding ship. A ship that is repulsed may not conduct gunnery, small-arms fire, boarding or ramming while it remains repulsed (though it may move normally.) A repulsed ship will remain marked as repulsed while it remains in range of any enemy ship's gunnery or small-arms fire. As of the moment a repulsed ship has moved beyond the range of all enemy ships' gunnery and small-arms fire, its repulsed marker is removed and it is no longer repulsed (and thus is no longer prohibited from conducting gunnery, small-arms fire, boarding or ramming).
E = Defender is eliminated (removed from play immediately), and there is no effect on the boarding ship(s).
B = Both the attacking and the targeted ships are eliminated (immediately removed from play).
7.5 Ramming
Ramming is limited to the ships of the Islamic fleets. An Islamic ship may enter an enemy ship's hex, and thus is considered to be "ramming" that enemy ship in that hex. This is the only case in which two ships may ever occupy the same hex.
Note: No more than one ship may ever ram into an enemy hex during the same turn. If an Islamic ship is in an enemy ship's hex, no other ship may enter that hex (ram) during that same game turn.
The effectiveness of a ram is directly related to the speed of the ramming ship. When an Islamic ship enters an enemy ship's hex, the players must determine the number of hexes the ramming ship moved during that movement phase* to enter the targeted enemy ship's hex (including the enemy ship's hex), and then roll a six-sided die, cross-referencing that result on the Ramming Table printed on the map with the number of hexes moved to conduct the ram attack.
*It is recommended players use small dice to place in the hexes where ramming ships began their movement. Place the pips of each such die, corresponding to the number of hexes to be moved, face up as a memory aid.
Apply the result of that ramming die roll as follows:
E = Defender is eliminated (removed from play immediately), and there is no other effect on the ramming ship.
I = Attacker Immobilized. The Islamic ship is considered immobilized, and may never move out of that hex for the remainder of the game (except as a result of drift.) Place an Immobilized marker atop that ship to indicate it may not move. An immobilized ship may still engage in gunnery and small-arms fire (and even boarding, if that ship is aligned correctly), per the normal rules. If an immobilized ship conducts any gunnery or small-arms fire, it is calculated as if at a range of "1".
Note: An immobilized ship may not reorient or change its direction.
After a failed ram attempt (immobilizing the ramming Islamic ship), the Christian ship is eligible to move out of that hex normally during the Christian Movement Phase. The Christian ship is not required to do so, but it is ineligible to reorient while it remains in that hex.
Other ships are eligible to conduct gunfire, small-arms fire (and even boarding, if aligned athwart the enemy ship in that hex) into a hex where two opposing ships are present. Fire on an enemy ship never has any effect on the friendly ship in that same hex.
8.0 RESERVE FORCES
The Christian and the Islamic ships positioned in the westernmost and easternmost hex rows (Santa Cruz's and Reis's fleets, respectively) are reserve forces; they must remain motionless during Game Turn 1 through Game Turn 4. As of game turn 5, any or all of the reserve forces ships of both sides may be moved normally during their own movement phase, and engage in combat normally, etc.
9.0 DORIA'S GALLEASSES
At the beginning of the movement phase of each game turn, the Christian player must roll a six-sided die. If that roll is less than (<) the current game turn number, both of Doria's (only) galleasses become immobilized, and therefore are unable to move (by rowing or sailing) for the remainder of the game, and are subject to drift (see 6.4).
Though immobilized, both galleasses may be reoriented normally during the reorientation phase (see 5.4). If either galleass drifts off of the map, or to any hex obscured by the map's turn track, or across any land that completely bisects its present coastal hex (across the direction of that drift,) it must be eliminated immediately.
10.0 THE VICTOR
As of the completion of the 30th game turn, all repulsed and immobilized ships are removed from the map. Each remaining galley of each side is then counted as two victory points, and each remaining galleass and galliot is counted as one victory point. The player with the greater number of total victory points is the winner.
Developer's Notes
The Battle of Lepanto was significant because of its size (involving more than 450 warships) and its enduring impact on the course of history. It was the last major naval battle involving the galley as the principle warship, and the Ottomans' loss of so many ships and veteran crews in a single engagement forever ended their naval supremacy in the Western Mediterranean.
In fact, though, a herculean construction effort by the Ottomans after the battle had replaced all of their ship losses within six months, and thus the Turks reasserted naval parity - though not supremacy - in the Mediterranean within a remarkably short period of time. Nonetheless, the Turks were thereafter always wary of a second such humiliating defeat, and didn't seek another large naval battle with the Europeans after Lepanto. As a result, the Europeans were left to continued to expand their dominance and trade in the Mediterranean, and in the years to follow, Ottoman naval power rotted away, figuratively and literally.
As a design, Lepanto was challenged by need to present a balanced game that simulates a historically one-sided battle. Despite the fact both sides were essentially equal in terms of ships present, the Christian force possessed powerful advantages, not all of which are obvious in the game. (For example, a large proportion of the Ottoman fleet was manned by slaves, who – understandably – didn't perform with enthusiasm, especially when their ships came under assault.)
Insofar as a game design must give both player a fairly even chance of victory, only the most prominent and noteworthy historical advantages were visibly designed into the system; namely, the Christians' galleasses as well as the Christian musketry superiority. The Ottomans are presented with an advantage, too, embodied by their smaller galliots, which are uniquely capable of traveling along coasts' but that advantage is actually only of limited tactical value. Wily Muslim players can, perhaps, attempt to use the coastline as an avenue to slip around and behind the Christian player's lead ships, but his small galliots aren't really powerful enough to exploit such a maneuver (assuming the Christian player doesn't move to intercept them in the first place).
The Christian galleasses appear as large and formidable "infernal machines," but their imposing presence is really only a relatively limited contribution when compared to their side's most notable advantage: musketry. As discussed in the rules, the Ottomans' small-arms fire began to drop off as the battle wore on, which is reflected in the rules by their inevitable musket fire penalty. Beyond the Christians' small arms superiority, it was another consequence of the Turks' high proportion of impressed slaves that limited the number of musketeers aboard the Ottoman ships. (The slaves couldn't be armed and, indeed, had to have loyal manpower assigned to keep watch over them.)
For that reason it would be reasonable to expect the Christian side to have an immediate small arms fire advantage when play begins, rather than starting on the 10th turn of the game, but such a literal representation of the historical reality would've unbalanced the game and influenced Muslim players with undue caution (or, perhaps, reckless headlong charges), while also unfairly providing Christian players with hindsight of a significant Ottoman deficiency. As a point of fact, the game would undoubtedly replicate the historical outcome of the battle more reliably and consistently if the disparity between the Christians' and Muslims' musketry was more pronounced than is portrayed in Lepanto. That, however, wouldn't present players with the perspective of the historical commanders who, of course, had no awareness of their inevitable fortunes.
None of that is to dismiss the galleasses: they're the Christian player's other significant advantage. Their long-range cannon arcs give them a two-fold advantage, namely the opportunity to fire on approaching Muslim ships while still beyond their cannon range, as well as the high probability of a hit. For example, each galleass (which actually represents two such vessels per piece) is likely to achieve a 50 percent hit probability at a range of three hexes (which is still beyond the range of any Muslim galley's armament), and a 100 percent hit probability if directly adjacent to the starboard or port side. (Note, incidentally, a successful gunnery hit is an automatic sinking in Lepanto, further underscoring the potency of the galleasses.)
The galleasses aren't "death stars." They're just as susceptible to being sunk as any galley, and their dependency on tow-ships for maneuverability limits their effectiveness, particularly if their tow-ships are sunk (which Muslim players should consider a viable tactic.) What's more, galleasses are no less susceptible to the effects of small arms fire and ramming, which often prove to be more potent once battle is joined.
The Muslim player's most distinct advantage is his ability to initiate ramming attacks. Historically the Christians had removed the rams from their ships, preferring the decreased drag and superior mobility they gained as a result. The Ottomans, however, hadn't perceived any reason to discard anything that might yet be useful and, considering the limitations of the cannon and muskets of that day, their attitude was understandable. In fact, though, Lepanto marked the end of the galley's prominence, with or without rams, and though the ram would remain a component of warship design for another three centuries, it was the decisive victory of the Christian fleet, sans rams, which inaugurated their obsolescence.
Had the Muslims won at Lepanto, especially if decisively, the ram may have continued to be a feature of sailing ships for years thereafter. Historically the Ottoman fleet was unable to make effective use of ramming tactics. The historic result of the battle clearly demonstrated gunpowder had trumped the ram, but during the game the Muslim player may have more success than the Ottomans achieved. Skilled maneuvering and proper timing will increase the Muslim player's odds considerably (refer to the Ramming Speed Chart, printed on the map).
Players are also provided with a historical set-up. Both sides have their ships arrayed as they were during the battle but, inasmuch as the game presents a somewhat abstracted presentation of the battle (a necessity for playability when considering how many game pieces are in play), the set-up hexes for both sides are approximations intended to conform to the hex field and map scale. players are encouraged to experiment with various other deployments. If both players agree, the following alternate set-up rule is can be used.
Each player, starting with the Muslim player, must set-up his ships, one at a time, alternating in turn after each player has placed one ship on the map. The players may set up their ships in any order they prefer, but the ship of each individual fleet (such as Don Juan's fleet) may only be set up in a hex adjacent to another ship of the same fleet (excluding the very first placed ship of any fleet), and never in the same hex as any other ship. When setting up the fleets there must be at least one unoccupied hex between each fleet. No ship may be set up in any land or coastal hex (not even galliots), or in any hex on the southernmost quarter of the map (where the turn track and charts are printed.) Finally, the Muslim player must set up his ships on the east side of the map, no more than eight hexes from the map edge, and the Christian player must set up his ships on the west side of the map, no more than eight hexes from the map edge. Further, all ships must be pointed directly toward the opposite side of the map; ships may not be pre-positioned as facing any other direction.
The Christian player may set up his galleasses separately and individually from the other fleets, and he may assign one galley to be a tow-ship per each galleass (though that's not a requirement), which must be set up directly ahead of each galleass. No galleass of any fleet may be set up closer to another fleet than a galleass of that other fleet. In other words, galleasses must be set up closer to their own fleets than to other fleets.
Once the optional set-up is complete, the game begins normally, and all normal rules are in effect, including victory conditions.