I'll put a hex on you

The other night Peter J. and I played out a few hours of the Actium scenario. Peter was playing Antony's lot and I was playing the part of Octavian. Peter decided that the surest way to win was to break out with as many ships as possible and fight only as the situation warranted. It was a sound plan, and at the end of the first evening's play it was obvious that Peter would break out successfully with his centre, in all likelihood with Cleopatra and the treasure ship. I conceded defeat. Here are a few of shots of the action.

 On my right, Lurius' engages with Publicola. The battle is pretty even.

 I decide to egg my pudding with some support from my centre under Aruntius as some of Publicola's ships break through the first line.

Win the flanks, then attack the centre.

 I also send some support towards my left as Sosius nimbly by passes my blocking squadron.

In the centre Insteius', Acco's and Cleopatra's vessels join together a devastatingly large squadron. I have depleted my centre to gain the flanks but I will not be able to get them to turn inwards in time to prevent the bulk of Antony's fleet escaping.

I quite like this battle, and having recently read the War Galley (GMT Games) rules I thought it might be nice to give them a go, with miniatures, for this battle. Problem, I don't have a hexed table to play on.

You know how you sometimes have a moment of madness.......

What the bloody hell was I thinking when I knocked up a hex template on a sheet of transparent plastic, putting holes I could mark through at the line intersections. 

Why did I think it was a good idea to I start marking out the hexes on the table.

It began to dawn on me..........

The hexes are two and three quarter inches across flats (the lines are 4 cm long to accommodate the bases of my ships). My table, if you include the drop leaf extension is fifteen foot by six foot. 

.............this is going to take me ages.