Ram Speed: Naval Warfare in the Bronze Age (1980)

MicroHistory #2 in the Metagaming MicroHistory series.

Naval combat in the Bronze Age.

From back of the box:

"The Bodies of the men that died
The breakers buffet, the billows beat.
Washed with blue of sea-salt tide,
Rolled in wreackage of shattered fleet."

- Aeschylus

The galley's bronze beak surges forward, curling up two salty sprays. Sweating muscles strain to lash, pulling heavy oars to rams-speed's gasping beat. With rending crash and splintered timbers snapping, the metalled beak staves in hull, smashing rowing banks. Sheaves of arrows flashing out seek soldier flesh to pierce. Boarding warriors spring to dying deck with ready plunging swords. One galley lives victorious in heroic glory. The other is vanquished to Poseidon's grasping waves.

RAMSPEED is a two-player game recreating the excitement of navel warfare int he Bronze Age. Each player constructs galleys for his fleet as he chooses, utilizing a point system. Hulls, rowing banks, missile weapons and boarding parties are all included. Combat covers ramming, shearing, grappling, boarding and missile attacks. RAMSPEED is a fast playing game from the age of mythical heroes, a time when gods roamed the earth and mystery veiled the oceans.