Stalemate lines in Ancient Mediterranean

[jaelis]

The purpose of this thread is to compile stalemate lines on the Ancient Mediterranean map. As usual, only positions protecting 17 centers or less are worth noting. If you find a new line, post and I'll include it. Also post if you find an error!

Eastern Lines

I. Chersonesus-Thebes:
13 units, 14 centers
Black Sea SUPPORT Chersonesus
Galatia and Miletus SUPPORT Byzantium
Minoan Sea and Egyptian Sea SUPPORT Crete
Sinai and Gulf of Pelusium SUPPORT Alexandria
Reed Sea SUPPORT Thebes


Variation: If the enemy does not have a fleet in Dacia, then F Black Sea can be replaced with Sinope or Armenia SUPPORT Chersonesus.

Variation (Omit Chersonesus): Requires that the enemy has no fleets in or around the Black Sea
13 units, 13 centers
Armenia HOLD
Sinope HOLD
Galatia and Miletus SUPPORT Byzantium
Minoan Sea and Egyptian Sea SUPPORT Crete
Sinai and Gulf of Pelusium SUPPORT Alexandria
Reed Sea SUPPORT Thebes


II. Sarmatia-Thebes
16 units, 16 centers
Cheronesus SUPPORT Sarmatia
Dacia SUPPORT Illyria
Macedonia, Athens SUPPORT Epirus
Aegean SUPPORT Sparta
Minoan Sea SUPPORT Crete
Gulf of Pelusium SUPPORT Egyptian Sea
Sinia, Reed Sea SUPPORT Thebes


Variation (add Alexandria):
16 units, 17 centers
Cheronesus SUPPORT Sarmatia
Dacia SUPPORT Illyria
Macedonia, Athens SUPPORT Epirus
Aegean SUPPORT Sparta
Egyptian Sea SUPPORT Crete
Gulf of Pelusium, Sinai SUPPORT Alexandria
Reed Sea SUPPORT Thebes


III. Vindobona-Reed Sea:
15 units, 16 centers
Sarmatia, Illyria SUPPORT Vindobona
Athens, Macedonia SUPPORT Epirus
Aegean Sea SUPPORT Sparta
Minoan Sea SUPPORT Crete
Syrian Sea SUPPORT Egyptian Sea
Sinai SUPPORT Gulf of Pelusium
Reed Sea SUPPORT Sinai


Variation (add Thebes):
15 units, 17 centers
Sarmatia SUPPORT Vindobona
Illyria SUPPORT Dalmatia
Athens SUPPORT Epirus
Aegean Sea SUPPORT Sparta
Minoan Sea SUPPORT Crete
Gulf of Pelusium SUPPORT Egyptian Sea
Reed Sea, Sinai SUPPORT Thebes


Variation (add Dalmatia):
15 units, 17 centers
Sarmatia SUPPORT Vindobona
Illyria SUPPORT Dalmatia
Athens SUPPORT Epirus
Aegean Sea SUPPORT Sparta
Minoan Sea SUPPORT Crete
Syrian Sea SUPPORT Egyptian Sea
Sinai SUPPORT Gulf of Pelusium
Reed Sea SUPPORT Sinai


Variation (add Dalmatia, omit Crete):
16 units, 16 centers
Sarmatia SUPPORT Vindobona
Illyria SUPPORT Dalmatia
Macedonia SUPPORT Epirus
Athens SUPPORT Sparta
Minoan Sea SUPPORT Aegean Sea
Syrian Sea, Cyprus SUPPORT Egyptian Sea
Sinai SUPPORT Gulf of Pelusium
Reed Sea SUPPORT Sinai


Variation: (add Dalmatia and Thebes, omit Crete):
16 units, 17 centers
Sarmatia SUPPORT Vindobona
Illyria SUPPORT Dalmatia
Macedonia SUPPORT Epirus
Athens SUPPORT Sparta
Minoan Sea SUPPORT Aegean Sea
Syrian Sea, Gulf of Pelusium SUPPORT Egyptian Sea
Reed Sea, Sinai SUPPORT Thebes

[jaelis]

Western Lines

I. Rhaetia-Bayuda
14 units, 17 centers
Rhaetia SUPPORT Vindobona
Venetia SUPPORT Dalmatia
Apulia, Neapolis, Adriatic Sea SUPPORT Ionian Sea
Ausonian Sea MUTUAL SUPPORT Gulf of Tecape
Gulf of Syrtis SUPPORT Cyrene
Bayuda SUPPORT Memphis


Variation (omit Ionian Sea):
15 units, 17 centers
Rhaetia SUPPORT Vindobona
Venetia SUPPORT Dalmatia
Apulia SUPPORT Adriatic Sea
Neapolis, Sicilia SUPPORT Ausonian Sea
Numidia SUPPORT Gulf of Tecape
Gulf of Syrtis SUPPORT Cyrene
Bayuda SUPPORT Memphis


Variation (omit Cyrene):
15 units, 16 centers
Rhaetia SUPPORT Vindobona
Venetia SUPPORT Dalmatia
Apulia, Neapolis, Adriatic Sea SUPPORT Ionian Sea
Ausonian Sea MUTUAL SUPPORT Gulf of Tecape
Leptis SUPPORT Gulf of Syrtis
Marmarica, Bayuda SUPPORT Memphis


Variation (omit Memphis):
15 units, 16 centers
Rhaetia SUPPORT Vindobona
Venetia SUPPORT Dalmatia
Apulia, Neapolis, Adriatic Sea SUPPORT Ionian Sea
Ausonian Sea MUTUAL SUPPORT Gulf of Tecape
Gulf of Syrtis, Marmarica SUPPORT Cyrene
Sahara SUPPORT Bayuda


Variations: By using 16 units and 16 centers, it is possible to omit both Ionian Sea and Cyrene, or both Ionian Sea and Memphis.

[jaelis]

Northern Lines

I. Saguntum-Armeina
17 units, 17 centers
Lusitania, Baleares SUPPORT Saguntum
Ligurian Sea SUPPORT Sardinia
Tyrrhenean Sea MUTUAL SUPPORT Sicilia
Neapolis SUPPORT Ionian Sea
Sparta, Byzantium SUPPORT Aegean Sea
Galatia SUPPORT Meletus
Isuria, Armenia SUPPORT Cappadocia


II. Iberian Sea-Armenia
16 units, 17 centers
Iberian Sea SUPPORT Berber Sea
Sardinia, Silicia SUPPORT Punic Sea
Neapolis SUPPORT Ausonian Sea
Ausonian Sea, Sparta SUPPORT Messenian Sea
Byzantium SUPPORT Aegean Sea
Galatia SUPPORT Miletus
Isuria, Armenia SUPPORT Cappadocia

[jaelis]

- reserved for southern lines -

[Pedros]

I notice that all the Eastern lines require a defensive fleet in Reed Sea. That strikes me as really interesting. I don't think any Egyptian etc I've seen has wanted to place a fleet there in the middle game stage, and if they are retreating before an onrushing force I wonder whether many would have the time/space/units to put one there. Has anybody ever seen one of these lines in real play?

[jaelis]

I agree, it is interesting, and would be curious to hear about a stalemated game.

The fact that so many lines are anchored in Egypt was also surprising to me. It seems that if Egypt can make it to the end game, they are pretty likely to be critically important. And I guess that Egypt's defensive position is better than it appears, if they play it right.

Of course, I've probably missed some. Maybe the Reed Sea thing is my own bias

[Pedros]

I'm not sure it is (your bias). I've played a lot of games which have come down to that kind of position in the East, and I've looked for Eastern stalemates and never found any. I'd completely missed the Reed Sea possibility. I've wondered whether Persia has a small one with all of those SCs near home, but so far as I can see wherever you pitch the front line, it's always one SC and unit short!