Epipolae: The Athenian Expedition in Sicily, 415-413 BCE

Made the Cut

Levy & Campaign Ancients, Volume I

Sicily, 415 BCE. The Athenian expedition to Sicily was one of the great campaigns of antiquity: a grand adventure to remote shores, featuring a massive fleet and army, that was heavily financed, and benefited from the complete commitment of its citizenry. The goal was the subjugation of all Sicily in order to secure another source of grain. It was simultaneously bold and foolish, and it ended in disaster. But it nearly succeeded.

For the first time, Epipolae brings Volko Ruhnke’s Levy & Campaign series to the Ancient World, portraying 5th-century BCE Greek military operations with a focus on logistics and maneuver. Players will raise and equip their armies and navies, build alliances through diplomacy, and ravage, siege, and battle their way to victory.

Historically, the Athenians were initially led by three leaders: Nicias, Alcibiades, and Lamachus. Nicias planned to circumnavigate around Sicily, settling a dispute on behalf of an ally, then parading the majestic and renowned Athenian fleet in a show of strength on the return voyage home to Greece. Alcibiades aimed to travel around Sicily conducting diplomacy, building a coalition of city-states, bringing the entire island into Athen’s imperial alliance known as the Delian League. Lamachus was inclined to immediately besiege and capture Syracuse, the strongest city in Sicily, before they could react and adequately prepare.

The Syracusans had factious leadership, over a dozen generals, and citizens divided about the threat of Athens. On the eve of the expedition’s arrival, Hermocrates managed to consolidate power, take command, and prepare a defense.

In the end, the Athenian actions were a sub-optimal mixture of the three Athenian plans that were tantalizingly close to achieving their aims but ultimately led to the complete annihilation of the expeditionary force—hundreds of ships destroyed or captured and tens of thousands of Athenian soldiers killed or enslaved.

As the commander of the Athenian expeditionary force, what strategy will you employ? Diplomacy, conquering, or destruction? As the commander of the outnumbered Syracusan defenders, how will you defend your island and your city? Can you survive long enough until Sparta and Corinth intervene and come to your aid?

Athens arrives with a numerical advantage in commanders and a powerful fleet of Triremes. They have capabilities in naval operations, diplomacy, and have the financial backing of the Delian League. The Athenians only have a handful of local allies and supply sources in Segesta and Leontinoi but no ports to harbor their fleet.

Syracuse has a fleet of its own, ample food and supply, and superiority in cavalry but is lacking in allies until they either make their own alliances or the Peloponnesian League intervenes and comes to their aid. They have a variety of capabilities geared toward defending, supplying, upgrading their fleet, and utilizing their cavalry in a variety of roles.

Some variations from the base Levy & Campaign mechanisms include Triremes (naval forces), Siege walls and Counter walls, and Diplomacy.

Components:

• One 11" x 17" Mounted Map
• 97-100 Wooden Pieces
• 63-66 Playing Cards
• Two Full-color Countersheets
• 8-9 Cardboard Lord and Battle Mats
• One Lords Sticker Sheet
• Four Player Aid Sheets
• Two Screens
• One Rules Booklet
• One Background Booklet
• Six 6-sided dice

Time Scale: Seasonal turns (approximately 90 days)

Map Scale: Point-to-point, ~10 thousand square miles, ~130 miles across

Units: 250-500 horse, 500-1500 foot, 10-15 Triremes

Gameplay: 60-90 minutes for a scenario, 3-4 hours for the entire campaign

Age: 14+

Players: 1-2