Battle of Naupactus (CYOAH!3)

At the defeats at Stratus at the hands of the Acarnanians and at the Battle of Rhium at the hands of the Athenian fleet, Sparta and her allies prepared for a full scale assault on the stronghold at Naupactus to end Athens' dominance over the Gulf of Corinth. Seventy-seven ships triremes are assembled from Sparta and her allies to meet in the northwest and lead the attack.

Despite outnumbering the Athenians, their superior naval tactics and commanders manage to narrowly win the day and turn back the Spartans, but not without substantial losses themselves.

This defeat at sea would haunt the Spartan command for the next few years, with Sparta being reluctant to intervene against Athens' navy in the future. The following year Athens puts down the Mytilenean Revolt without Spartan intervention, and also increases its naval raids on Spartan territory.

The island of Sphacteria, near Pylos is captured by the Athenians and turned into an outpost just south of Spartan territory, which may tempt the helots into revolting. The Athenians have also launched two invasions; an assault on Melos and Boeotia, led by Nicias, and an invasion of Aetolia, under the command of Demosthenes. If Demosthenes should succeed the Athenians would have the capabilities to surround Boeotia. Nevertheless the war is not yet lost. The effects of plague in Athens are still evident.


 * We must return to Acarnania and cut off Demosthenes there.
 * We should march to Boeotia and defend against Nicias.
 * Send a fleet to Sphacteria to seize the stronghold.