TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................... 1
[1.0] INTRODUCTION ......................................... 2 [1.1] DESIGNERS NOTES 2 [1.2] PLAYING A GAME 2 [1.3] NOTES 2 [1.4] IMPORTANT 2 [1.5] DEDICATION 2
[2.0] PLAYING EQUIPMENT AND
REPRESENTATIONAL SCALES ....................... 2 [2.1] CHOICE OF FIGURE AND MODEL SCALE 2 [2.2] PLAYING AREA 3 [2.3] ARMY SIZE AND TROOP REPRESENTATION 3 [2.4] GROUND SCALE AND DISTANCE MEASUREMENT 3 [2.5] TIME SCALE 3 [2.6] DICE 3 [2.7] DESIGN PHILOSOPHY 3 [2.8] GAME EQUIPMENT 4
[3.0] TROOP DEFINITIONS ............................... 4 [3.1] TROOP TYPES 4 [3.2] MOUNTED TROOPS 4 [3.3] FOOT TROOPS 5 [3.4] OTHER TROOPS 6
[4.0] BASING ......................................................... 6 [4.1] BASE WIDTH 6
[4.2] BASE DEPTH 6 [4.3] BASING YOUR FIGURES & MODELS 7 Cases; 7
[5.0] BATTLEFIELD & TERRAIN ..................... 7 [5.1] BATTLEFIELD 7 [5.2] CHOOSING AND PLACING FEATURES 7 [5.3] AREA TERRAIN FEATURES 8 [5.4] AREA TERRAIN EFFECTS 8 [5.5] LINEAR TERRAIN FEATURES 8 [5.6] LINEAR TERRAIN EFFECTS 9 [5.7] CHOOSING AND PLACING FEATURES 9 [5.8] TERRAIN EFFECTS SUMMARY 10
[6.0] BUA .............................................................. 10 [6.1] BUA DEPLOYMENT 10 [6.2] CITY 10 [6.3] FORT 10 [6.4] HAMLET 10 [6.5] EDIFACE 10 [6.6] BUA GARRISON 10
[7.0] CAMP .......................................................... 11 [7.1] CAMP DEPLOYMENT 11 [7.2] CAMP GARRISON 11
[8.0] FIGHTING THE BATTLE ........................ 11 [8.1] DEPLOYMENT 11 [8.2] SEQUENCE OF PLAY 11 [8.3] PLAYER INITIATIVE POINT DICING 12 [8.4] PLAYER INITIATIVE POINT & MOVEMENT 12 [8.5] COMMAND DISTANCE & TERRAIN 12
[9.0] TACTICAL MOVES .................................. 13 [9.1] OVERVIEW 13 [9.2] SINGLE ELEMENT MOVES 13 [9.3] GROUP ELIGIBILITY 13 [9.4] GROUP MOVEMENT 13 [9.5] COLUMN MOVEMENT 14 [9.6] LITTORAL LANDINGS 14 [9.7] TACTICAL MOVE DISTANCES 14 [9.8] SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT TACTICAL MOVES
DURING THE SAME BOUND 15 [9.9] DISMOUNTING 15
[10.0] MOVEMENT RESTRICTIONS ............. 16 [10.1] CROSSING A RIVER 16 [10.2] INTERPENETRATING FRIENDLY TROOPS 16 [10.3] CUTTING CORNERS 16 [10.4] THREAT ZONE (TZ) 17 [10.5] TERRAIN EFFECTS ON MOVEMENT 18
[11.0] MOVING INTO CONTACT WITH
ENEMY ................................................................ 18 [11.1] MOVING INTO CONTACT WITH ENEMY
SEQUENCE OF PLAY 18 [11.2] CONTACT 18
[11.3] CONFORMING & ADJUSTMENTS 20 [11.4] FLANK & REAR CONTACT 20 [11.5] SPECIAL CONTACT CASES 21
[12.0] MOVEMENT IN CLOSE COMBAT ..... 21 [12.1] BREAKING-OFF FROM CLOSE COMBAT 21 [12.2] TURNING TO FACE A FLANK OR REAR CONTACT 21
[13.0] DISTANT SHOOTING ............................ 22 [13.1] DISTANT SHOOTING ELIGIBILITY 22 [13.2] DISTANT SHOOTING RESTRICTIONS 23 [13.3] DISTANT SHOOTING TARGET 23 [13.4] SHOOTING SUPPORT 23 [13.5] SHOOTING ON A REAR EDGE 24 [13.6] DISTANT SHOOTING & TERRAIN 24
[14.0] CLOSE COMBAT .................................... 24 [14.1] CLOSE COMBAT ELIGIBILITY 24 [14.2] COMBAT WHEN OVERLAPPED OR
OVERLAPPING. 25 [14.3] MUTUAL SIDE EDGE CONTACT 25 [14.4] CLOSE COMBAT AGAINST A CITY, FORT OR
CAMP 25 [14.5] CLOSE COMBAT & TERRAIN 25 [14.6] CLOSE COMBAT REAR & FLANK SUPPORT 26
[15.0] COMBAT RESULTS ............................... 26 [15.1] RESOLVING SHOOTING OR CLOSE COMBAT 26 [15.2] COMBAT OUTCOME 27 [15.3] DESTROYED ELEMENTS 29 [15.4] RECOILING 29 [15.5] FLEEING 29 [15.6] PURSUING 29 [15.7] LOST ELEMENTS 30
[16.0] WINNING AND LOSING THE BATTLE30 [16.1] ENDING THE GAME 30 [16.2] CALCULTING ELEMENTS LOST 30
[17.0] EXTENDED OR MULTIPLE GAMES .. 30 [17.1] MULTI-GAME TOURNAMENTS 30 [17.2] BIG BATTLE D.B.A 30 [17.3] GIANT D.B.A 31 [17.4] HISTORICAL REFIGHTS 31 [17.5] CAMPAIGNS 31
[18.0] ARMY LISTS ........................................... 31
[19.0] RELATED PUBLICATIONS .................. 32
[20.0] CONTACT ADDRESSES AND
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................ 32 [20.9] LINKS 33
Antike Krieg Spielregeln
DE BELLIS
ANTIQUITATIS
DBA v3 Warfare in the Good Old Days
REFORMATED Version 1 Copyright © 1990, Version 3 Copyright © Phil Barker & Sue Laflin-Barker 2012.
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior
permission in writing from the copyright holder.
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 2 6 March, 2013
[1.0] INTRODUCTION
[1.1] DESIGNERS NOTES
DBA is an ancient period war-game on a small
board, using a minimal number of model figures and the simplest set of rules that can produce a
historically and visually realistic and exciting
game.
Its genesis was an experimental set for battles
between Romans and Celts demonstrated by Phil at
the 1988 Society of Ancients conference. This led to a more general two-page rule set called “De
Bellis Societatis Antiquorum” used for a knock-out
competition to be played in the small gaps between events at the 1989 conference. Its popularity
produced pressure for a commercial version “De
Bellis Antiquitatis” which extended the combat system, added a few extra troop types, and included
fuller explanation of procedures and philosophy
than had been possible in two pages; and incorporated set-up information and army lists for
more than 300 ancient and medieval armies. It has
proved the most influential war-games rule set of recent times and is still the most played ancient set
worldwide.
Like all our other rule sets, the order of the sections
is that in which they are used. It starts with
definitions, then army preparation, then terrain preparation, then the battle rules.
Our original intent was to provide the simplest
possible set of war-games rules that retain the feel and generalship requirements of ancient or
medieval battle. The rule mechanisms were then
entirely new. They started from the assumptions that the results of command decisions could be
shown rather than the minutia of how orders were
communicated and interpreted, that the proportions of different troops fielded were decided by
availability within their culture and not cost-
effectiveness against the current opponent, that differences between troops of the same class and
era were relatively unimportant, and that most
shooting regardless of theoretical weapon range was at very short distances.
The resulting system is more subtle than may be
immediately apparent, and is the fruit of much detailed development work.
The average player has memorised sufficient of the
battle rules part way through his or her first game, but tactical skill, especially in the use of light
troops, takes longer to develop. A game usually
lasts less than an hour, so that a 6 round convention competition can be completed in one day and still
leave plenty of time for visiting the trade stands.
Since all battles end in outright victory, the organiser's work is minimised.
This version 3 of DBA is the result of a thorough
revision process by a large panel that included
DBA competition organisers and umpires on three
continents and been available for open testing on
line. Some changes are only to improve clarity.
Others eliminate geometrical ploys beloved of some gamesmen that have no historical basis. In
particular, troops that would contact or shoot at
each other in real life must now also do so in the game. Yet others improve historical balance by
giving troops of the same type already depicted
differing by basing or bow type, but now shown to sometimes behave differently, slightly different
capability. War-games rules often favour methodical safety-first generals, while in real war
commanders with flair often out-perform them. A
new method of measuring distances helps simulate this by increasing mounted moves relative to foot,
which makes the use of a reserve to exploit
opportunities easier, makes it harder to hide vulnerable troops out of reach at the rear; and is
also more convenient. The period covered has been
extended up to 1515 to take in the early part of the Great Italian Wars and the fully revised army lists
include extra description to inspire beginners.
The DBA 3.0 rules and lists are also included in Sue’s forthcoming hardback “Start Ancient
Wargaming”, which has extra explanation and
background, including a photographically illustrated example battle; and another forthcoming
book will have a new campaign system replacing
that in earlier editions of DBA and include a number of example campaigns.
A more complex large army derivative “De Bellis
Multitudinis” (DBM) produced in 1993 has been superseded since 2007 by “De Bellis Magistrorum
Militum” (DBMM). There is a large overlap
between players of DBMM and players of DBA; so DBA can serve as a simpler introduction to DBMM
(or to ancient war gaming in general) as well as a
stand-alone game.
[1.2] PLAYING A GAME
General Rule;
Before you can start playing, you need to Select Armies, Roll for Invader, Set Up Terrain, Roll for
Board Orientation, Place Camps & Deploy Armies
Cases;
[1.21] STARTING A GAME SEQUENCE OF PLAY
Stage Description
Select Armies Stage
Each Player selects their Army. See Army Lists I to IV.
Defender Determination Stage
Each player rolls a die to determine who the invader is and who the defender is. See Case (8.11). The battlefield terrain is the defenders home terrain. See Case (5.21).
Terrain Selection Stage
The defender selects the battlefield terrain pieces. See Case (5.23).
Terrain Deployment Stage
Roll for the deployment of each terrain piece. In some circumstances the invader may need to deploy a terrain piece. See Case (5.7)
Board Orientation Stage
The invaders selects his edge. See Case (8.12)
Camp Placement Stage
The defender deploy his camp, after which the invader does the same. See Case (8.14).
Deploy Army Stage
The defender deploys his army, followed by the invader. See Case (8.15)
1st Player Turn. The defender executes the first
player turn. See Case (8.21)
[1.3] NOTES
These rules are a reformed version of the beta DBA V3 rules as available on the internet, dated 28th of
November 2011. As this is a beta set of rules,
addition changes to the rules may occur before the final version is printed. Players should always
purchase an official version of the rules to act as
the final source of truth.
The source text is in RED and is henceforth
referred to as the Holy Text. Concept is similar to
the Luther Bible or King James Bible, where text attributed to the Lord is in RED.
The only changes to the Holy Text are designed to
make it easier to learn the rules and to use the rules as a reference document. To achieve this the Holy
text is reformed by breaking up the paragraphs and
providing a CASE number for each reformed paragraph. The only changes to the Holy Text are
to make the broken up paragraphs read clearly. If a
paragraph refers to Cavalry, each split off sentence has this reference repeated. The rule order is
retained; however some rules are repeated for reference purposes. The original rule is always
referenced in these cases.
Other text is additional comments not found in the DBA v3 rule book. These are not formal rules, only
an interpretation based on the reading of the rules
text. Always verify any interpretation against the Holy text.
If there is any dispute always use the original rules.
[1.4] IMPORTANT
No attempt at modifying the rules is being attempted, all interpretations are based on the
source BDA v3.betaNov2012 rules.
Text not designated Holy Text, charts and tables may be in error, although all effort has been made
in ensuring they are correct as per the “official”
rules.
The purpose of this is a learning document, not an
actual set of rules. Once proficient in the rules the
large number of diagrams will be of minimal value.
[1.5] DEDICATION
Dieses Dokument ist Charles I, dem letzten Kaiser
des österreichisch-ungarischen Reiches, gewidmet. Möge er in Frieden ruhen.
[2.0] PLAYING EQUIPMENT AND REPRESENTATIONAL SCALES
[2.1] CHOICE OF FIGURE AND MODEL SCALE
General Rule;
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 3 6 March, 2013
DBA is played in two basic scales. The first is
intended for 15mm figures and the second is
intended for 25mm figures. The two differ in
element sizes and the ground scale, but the rules are
the same.
Cases;
[2.11] These rules can be used with any scale of
figure or model, but two scales are usual.
[2.12] The larger uses a base width (BW) of 60mm with nominally 25mm (actually 20-28mm) figures.
[2.13] The smaller uses a 40mm base width with
nominally 15mm (actually 15-20mm) figures.
[2.14] 15mm has been the most usual scale since it
combined cheapness with convenience.
[2.15] The larger scale offers easier visibility for
spectators and opportunity for more detailed
painting; and is gaining in popularity with the availability of cheaper plastic figures.
[2.16] Greater numbers of 10mm, 6mm or 2mm
figures can be substituted for either scale.
[2.2] PLAYING AREA
General Rule;
The playing area is a square surface, typically made
of cloth, felt, or wood. All action takes place on the game board. The playing area, known as the
battlefield, is of a fixed size. The standard
Battlefield is 15 x 15 BW’s (Base Width), with a larger option of 20 x 20 BW. The larger size is not
recommended.
Cases;
[2.21] The standard playing area, “the battlefield”,
is square; with sides 600mm/24” to 800mm/32” for
the smaller scale and 900mm/36” to
1,200mm/48”square for the larger scale.
[2.22] Be warned that areas larger than the
minimum are unnecessary and may encourage overly defensive play or result in longer or even
unfinished games.
[2.23] It is usually assembled from separate terrain
features placed on a flat base, but a single integral
terrain block or grouped quarter-size blocks, may be provided instead by a competition organiser. If
so, he must avoid making the terrain too
symmetrical or average.
[2.25] BATTLEFIELD SIZE CHART
Scale BW Battlefield Size
Smaller Scale (2mm - 15mm)
15 600mm x 600mm
20 800mm x 800mm
Larger Scale (20mm - 28mm)
15 900mm x 900mm
20 1200mm x 1200mm
[2.3] ARMY SIZE AND TROOP REPRESENTATION
General Rule;
Each army consists of twelve troop elements, an
optional camp, and an optional camp follower
element. One of the twelve troop elements must be designated as the army’s general.
An element is the basic building block of your
army. It represents a group of soldiers (or camp followers) that move and fight as a single unit.
Physically, an element consists of a rectangular
base with one or more figures or models attached.
Cases;
[2.31] An army consists of 12 elements as specified
in their army list, 1 of which includes its only
general. Others can sometimes be replaced by elements of another army listed as allied. See Case
(18.0)
[2.32] The army must also have either a camp or a city and can have both. See Case (6.0) and (7.0).
These can be occupied by 1 of the 12 elements of
its own list, or by camp followers or BUA denizens additional to the 12. See Case (6.0) and (7.0).
[2.33] An element consists of a thin rectangular base of card or similar material, to which is fixed
figures (or the equivalent 6mm or 2mm blocks)
usually representing 6 to 10 ranks of close-formed foot, 4 or 5 ranks of most mounted troops or of
skirmishers, or a single rank of elephants, scythed
chariots, artillery or wagons. It nearly always has
the same size and number of figures as
corresponding DBMM (and the obsolete DBM and
WRG 7th) elements, but represents more men.
[2.34] The number of men represented by a single
element varies according to the size of army
simulated, but is always at least twice that in DBMM.
[2.35] In the standard game, each element
represents 1/12 of the army, whatever its size; but larger numbers of elements are used in the Big
Battle and Giant Battle rule variants, which you
will find on pages 13-14.
[2.36] Although each element is depicted as a rigid
rectangular block, this does not imply that the
troops it represents are necessarily in such a block or do not vary their position.
Element Example
This is an example of an element. In this case a 4Pk element, which consists of 4 pike figures places on
a 40mm by 15mm base (if using 15mm).
Each element has a front, rear and two flank edges,
as well as 2 front corners and two rear corners.
These are important concepts in the game and affect play.
This set of rules will use the above representation
for elements in its example diagrams. The direction of the element can be determined by the arrow,
which represents its normal forward movement
direction.
[2.4] GROUND SCALE AND DISTANCE MEASUREMENT
General Rule;
All distances are specified in base widths (BW). For 15mm a Base Width is 40mm, for 25mm a
Base Width is 60mm.
NOTE: A Base Width was previously 100 paces, but in this version of DBA this has been reduced to
80 paces. It should also be noted the use of paces
has been removed from this version of the rules; all
distances are in Base Widths (BWs)
Cases;
[2.41] The unit of measurement is the width of an
element base (a BW). For movement or maximum
shooting range, this is roughly equivalent to 80
paces in real life.
[2.42] Distances are specified in the rules as multiples or halves of a base width.
[2.43] They can be measured on the table either
with a selection of rods cut to length, or a with a strip of card or similar material 5 BW long marked
at 1 BW intervals, which can also have other
information on its reverse to serve as the equivalent of a reminder sheet.
[2.44] You will find that distances can often be estimated visually without measurement.
[2.45] A rectangle 1 BW x ½ BW with a vertical
handle is also very useful for measuring gaps. “Within” means “at or closer than”.
[2.46] Move Stick: A small stick marked in 1 Base
Width increments is helpful for measuring movement.
[2.47] ZOC Marker: A square piece of wood or
metal, one base width on a side, is used to determine if an element is within the ZOC of
another element. A handle simplifies moving it
around on a crowded battlefield.
[2.48] GROUND SCALE CHART
Scale BW Metric
15mm 1 40mm
25mm 1 60mm
[2.5] TIME SCALE
General Rule;
Nominally, each Game-Turn in DBA simulates
approximately 15 minutes of time on the battlefield.
Cases;
[2.51] Play is in alternate bounds, providing action and response. The real life time represented varies,
since sometimes response was immediate, but
sometimes both armies paused for reorganisation or rest.
[2.52] Averaged over the battle each bound
represents about 15 minutes. Move distances were those needed rather than the maximum theoretically
possible in the time.
[2.6] DICE
General Rule;
DBA uses normal six-sided dice. Each player has 1
dice; each should be a different colour.
Cases;
[2.61] Each player uses a single ordinary 1 to 6
dice, which should be used for the whole game for all purposes, unless changed at the request of the
opponent.
[2.62] Dice with spots are more easily read across the table by an opponent than those with numbers.
[2.7] DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
Commentary;
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 4 6 March, 2013
The DBA command system is arbitrary, but gives
results very similar to those of more elaborate
systems using written orders, transmission by
messenger or signal and testing of interpretation on
receipt. It also substitutes for the testing of troops’
reaction to events and effectively simulates loss of cohesion in battle.
War gamers pay more attention to weaponry than
did real commanders. Surviving ancient manuals lump all foot skirmishers as psiloi whether armed
with javelins, sling or bow, defining them by
function rather than armament. We have applied the same principle throughout with no apparent loss
of overall realism. Morale and training distinctions have also been discarded as linked with function.
Thus, most knights are rash, all warbands are fierce
but brittle, all skirmishers are timid.
Similarly, a real general did not know a unit’s
losses until next day, if then. However, he would be
able to see if a body was advancing cheering, standing its ground, edging back looking over its
shoulders or had broken in rout. We provide
players with that information and that only. Victory as well as realism under these rules is most likely to
be achieved by thinking of elements as bodies of
real troops rather than playing pieces, and using them historically.
[2.8] GAME EQUIPMENT
General Rule;
The basics required to play the games are Two players, playing area, an army for each player, a
six-sided die for each player, a measuring device
and a number of terrain pieces.
Procedure;
Playing Area, See Case (2.2)
Armies, See Case (2.3).
Dice, See Case (2.6)
Measuring Devices : You’ll need some way to
measure distances on the game board. You can make do with a tape measure or use
specialized playing aids. A couple of these (a
move stick and TZ (ZOC) marker) are described in Case (2.4).
The Terrain Pieces, See Case (5.0)
[3.0] TROOP DEFINITIONS
General Rule;
Troops are defined by battlefield behaviour instead
of the usual formation, armour, weapons and
morale classes. We distinguish only between troops
whose fighting style differs sufficiently to need to
be treated differently by either their general or their
foe. Apparent anomalies caused by grouping together disparate troops can be rationalised as the
disparity being compensated by other factors, such
as ferocity or skill, are unobtrusive if the army fights opponents of its own era, and are minimised
by further defining foot (mostly identified by
number of figures per base) as either “Fast” or “Solid”.
Cases;
[3.1] TROOP TYPES
General Rule;
Each element can be one of three basic troop types,
foot, mounted and other. Foot troops represents troops which moved and fought on foot, mounted
are troops which moved and fought while on, or
pulled by, an animal and others represents special troop’s types which do not clearly fall into these
two categories.
Cases;
[3.11] Mounted troop types are: Elephants,
Knights, Cavalry, Light Horse, Scythed Chariots or
Camelry.
[3.12] Foot troop types are: Spears, Pikes, Blades,
Auxilia, Bows, Psiloi, Warband, Hordes, Artillery
or War Wagons.
[3.13] Camp followers and denizens of a city are
not included in the allowed total of 12 troop
elements, but are extra elements of armed civilians and count as foot.
[3.14] A few army lists permit some of their
mounted elements to “dismount” i.e. be exchanged for a related foot element during the game by using
a complete single element tactical move to dismount, but cannot remount.
[3.15] More armies have mounted elements that
can be deployed either mounted or dismounted at the start of a game.
[3.16] A very few have mounted infantry (prefixed
by “Mtd”). These are on larger bases with their mounts and fight as their foot type, but can move
more than once during a bound.
[3.2] MOUNTED TROOPS
General Rule;
Mounted troop’s represents men mounted on
animals, such as horses, camels or elephants, or in
wheeled vehicles pulled by animals designed to engage in combat, such as chariots.
Cases;
[3.21] ELEPHANTS (El), of any breed or crew complement. These were used to charge solid foot,
or to block mounted troops, whose frightened
horses would often not close with them. Pikes fought them on nearly level terms, and they could
be killed by artillery or showers of lighter missiles,
or be distracted by psiloi. Maddened by combat, they would always pursue.
[3.22] KNIGHTS, representing all those horsemen
that charged at first instance without shooting, with
the intention of breaking through and destroying
enemy as much by weight and impetus as by their
weapons; such as Macedonian companions,
Sarmatians, Gothic horse, Norman or medieval knights (3Kn), Parthian and similar cataphracts in
full armour on fully armoured horses trotting in
tight formation (4Kn), and also un-scythed heavy chariots (HCh) with more than 2 animals or wheels
or crew greater than 2 or armed with a lance.
Massed bows could shoot them down as at Crecy, or steady spears or pikes stop them with a dense
array of shields or weapon points, or sword or axemen kill horses in a standing melee. Other foot
were likely to be ridden down. Knights could be
confident of defeating ordinary heavy cavalry, but light skirmishing horsemen were a greater danger.
These must sooner or later be charged rather than
accept a constant drain of casualties.
However, an over-rash pursuit risked being
surrounded and shot down in detail. Knights were
not well suited to dodging elephants or scythed chariots. A few armies such as Later Byzantines
and the Teutonic Order used knights in deep
wedges with the most heavily armoured in front and on the sides and lesser troops inside, which are
depicted as double elements (6Kn).
[3.23] CAVALRY, representing the majority of ancient horsemen, primarily armed with javelins,
bows or other missile weapons but combining these
with sword or lance (Cv), and also light chariots (LCh) with 2 animals and 1-2 crew. They usually
started combat with close range shooting, using
rapid archery or circulating formations to concentrate a mass of missiles, but charged when
that would serve better or to follow up an
advantage. They could destroy or drive away psiloi or auxilia, ride down foot bows caught at a
disadvantage, and force other foot to retire or even
destroy them. Not as committed to the charge as knights, they could retire out of range of archery or
to breathe their horses between missile attacks on
pikes or spears. They were outmatched in hand-to-hand combat by knights, but, being more agile and
having missile weapons, were in less danger from
light horse, elephants or scythed chariots. A few armies such as the Byzantines used deep formations
with lance-armed cavalry in front and bow-armed
behind, depicted as double-elements with lancers in the front row (6Cv).
[3.24] LIGHT HORSE, including all light
horsemen (LH) or camel riders (LCm) who skirmished in dispersed swarms with javelin, bow
or crossbow and would not charge unshaken
enemy; such as Numidians, Huns, Parthian horse archers, Late Roman “Illyrians” or Equites
Sagittarii, genitors or border staves. They typically
fought by sending a constant stream of small parties to gallop past shooting several times at close
range, then return to rest or change ponies while
others took their turn.
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 5 6 March, 2013
The boldness engendered by their near
invulnerability, the point-blank range and their
continuous rapid shooting made them as effective
against most foot as much larger numbers of foot
archers and more so than cavalry in formation and
lacking their large numbers of spare mounts. They did not charge until fatigue, casualties or disorder
made the enemy incapable of resisting. If charged,
they evaded shooting behind them, ready to turn on an over-confident pursuer. They detested foot
archers, who outshot and outranged them, and
artillery, who made their rally position unsafe. They were unlikely to destroy solid foot with good
shields and/or armour unless these had an open flank, but could greatly hamper their movements.
They were often used for wide flanking movements
behind the enemy, operating semi-autonomously rather than under close control, so are permitted
extra movement out of contact and are rarely
affected by distance from the general.
[3.25] SCYTHED CHARIOTS (SCh), with four
horses and usually a single crewman, so with a high
power/weight ratio, which, with no need to conserve the horses’ energy, enabled them to
charge straight ahead at a mad gallop into enemy
formations early in a battle to disrupt or destroy them. Since they usually wrecked in the process,
the drivers often jumped out at the last moment,
offering some hope to the target that the horses might swerve away from contact. They were
mainly dangerous to those troops who offered a
solid target and could not dodge easily, so were often countered by psiloi.
Since they usually wrecked in the process, the
drivers often jumped out at the last moment, offering some hope to the target that the horses
might swerve away from contact. They were
mainly dangerous to those troops who offered a solid target and could not dodge easily, so were
often countered by psiloi.
[3.26] CAMELRY (Cm), including those camel-mounted warriors who charged to close quarters or
used mass archery, but not those that only
skirmished or infantry transported by camel. Their chief value was to disorder those mounted troops
that depended on a charge into contact. They were
vulnerable to missiles and to troops closing on foot.
[3.17] MOUNTED TROOP TYPE CHART
Type Description Code
Elephants All El
Knights Macedonian companions, Sarmatians, Gothic horse, Norman or medieval knights
3Kn
Parthian and similar cataphracts in full armour on fully armoured horses trotting in tight formation
4Kn
un-scythed heavy chariots HCh
knights in deep wedges with the most heavily armoured in front and on the sides and lesser troops inside
6Kn
Cavalry primarily armed with javelins, bows or other missile weapons but combining these with sword or lance
Cv
light chariots light chariots with 2 animals and 1-2 crew
LCh
Light Horse
light horsemen LH
camel riders LCm
Scythed Chariots
SCYTHED CHARIOTS with four horses and usually a single crewman
SCh
Camelry camel-mounted warriors who charged to close quarters or used mass archery
Cm
[3.3] FOOT TROOPS
General Rule;
Foot troops represent men who move and fight on
foot.
Cases;
[3.31] SPEARS (Sp), representing all close
formation infantry fighting with spears in a rigid
shield wall; such as hoplites, Punic African foot,
Byzantine skutatoi or Saxon fyrd. The mutual
protection provided by their big shields, tight formation and row of spear points gave them great
resisting power, so that two opposed bodies of
spears might fence and shove for some time before one broke. Theban hoplites that formed very deep
are depicted by double elements (8Sp). Steady
spears could usually hold off horsemen, but psiloi or light skirmishing horse could force them to halt
and present shields, and might surround and destroy an outflanked body. They are all classed as
“Solid”.
[3.32] PIKES (Pk), including all close formation infantry who fought collectively with pikes or long
spears wielded in both hands; such as
Macedonians, Scots, Flemings or Swiss. Their longer weapons made pikemen even better than
spearmen at holding off charging mounted troops.
When fighting against foot, the combination of longer weapons and deep formations enabled them
to roll over most foot if forward momentum could
be maintained, though the long shafts also made formation keeping more difficult, so that gaps
resulting from movement or the stress of combat
could be exploited by blades or warband. Less effective shields made them more vulnerable than
spears to bows and psiloi. They are all classed as
“Solid”, except for hillmen with long spears used in both hands and mostly lacking shields (3Pk), such
as Hittites, Koreans or North Welsh which are
classed as “Fast”.
[3.33] BLADES (Bd), including all those close
fighting infantry primarily skilled in fencing
individually with swords or heavier cutting or cut and thrust weapons; such as Roman legionaries,
huscarles, galloglaich, dismounted knights,
halberdiers, billmen, clubmen or later samurai. They often had better armour or shields than other
foot, weapons that could more readily defeat
armour, and often added supplementary missile weapons or closed quickly to avoid missiles. They
were less safe than spears or pikes against charging
mounted troops, but were superior in hand-to-hand combat to any foot except pikes in deep formations.
Generals in litters (Lit) surrounded by bodyguards
and standard-bearing wagons with guards (CWg) of the Khazars and Italian city states are also classed
as Blades. Blades are classed as “Solid”, except for
those more lightly equipped but faster moving (3Bd), such as Dacian falx-men, Roman lanciarii or
medieval Indian swordsmen, who are classed as
“Fast”, as are also Swiss halberdiers acting offensively in columns (6Bd), but not dismounted
knights mounted 3 to a base to match mounted
numbers.
[3.34] AUXILIA (Ax), representing javelin-armed
foot able to fight hand-to-hand but emphasising
agility and flexibility rather than cohesion.
Irregulars (often mountain peoples) such as
Thracians, Spanish scutarii, Armenians and Irish
kerns (3Ax) are classed as “Fast”. These were outclassed in open country by other close fighting
foot and more vulnerable to cavalry than Spears,
but useful to chase off or support psiloi, to take or hold difficult terrain, as a link between heavier foot
and mounted troops and occasionally as a mobile
reserve. Those that acquired regular discipline (4Ax) such as Hellenistic thureophoroi and
Imperial Roman auxilia were an ideal counter to Warband and are classed as “Solid”.
[3.35] PSILOI (Ps), including all dispersed
skirmishers on foot with javelin, sling, staff sling, bow, crossbow or hand gun. These fought in a
loose swarm hanging around enemy foot, pestering
it with a constant dribble of aimed missiles at close range and running out of reach if charged. They
rarely caused serious casualties, but were very
useful to slow and hamper enemy movements, to protect the flanks of other troops, to seize, hold or
dispute difficult terrain, to co-operate with cavalry,
and to counter elephants or scythed chariots. Unsupported psiloi in the open were vulnerable to
cavalry. Archer’s integral to units of close fighting
foot are not classed as psiloi, but assumed to be included in their elements. Psiloi are all classed as
“Fast”.
[3.36] BOWS, representing foot formed in bodies who shot at longer range than psiloi, often in
volleys at command. Weapons that often penetrated
armour at very short range, such as longbows (Lb) or crossbows (Cb), are differentiated by effect.
Troops unhappy to stay and fight hand-to-hand
(3Bw, 3Lb, 3Cb) are classed as “Fast”, those that defended themselves with light spears, heavy
swords or clubs and sometimes behind stakes or
pavises (4Bw, 4Lb, 4Cb) are classed as “Solid”; as also are mixed units with several ranks of close-
fighters (rather than a single rank of pavisiers) in
front of the shooters and depicted as double elements (8Bw, 8Lb, 8Cb) with close fighter
figures in front and bowmen behind..
[3.37] WARBAND (Wb), including all wild irregular foot that relied more on a ferocious
impetuous charge than on mutual cohesion,
individual skills or missiles; such as most Celts and Germans. Enemy foot that failed to withstand their
impact were swept away, but they were sensitive to
harassment by psiloi and to mounted attack. Those that charged most impetuously, moved most
swiftly, were used to woods, but were brittle in
defeat (3Wb), such as Britons or Galwegians are classed as “Fast”. Those that kept a shield wall in
adversity and fought it out toe-to-toe (4Wb) are
classed as “Solid”.
[3.38] HORDES (Hd), representing unskilled and
unenthusiastic foot levied from peasantry to bulk
out numbers and perform the menial work of sieges and camps and typically huddling in dense masses
whose inertia provides a kind of staying power allowing them to be classed as “Solid”, if only by
comparison (7Hd). Others (5Hd) such as rioters,
street gangs, revolutionary mobs, religious fanatics and Aztec militia were more enthusiastic, so “Fast”
but equally incompetent.
[3.39] FOOT TROOP TYPE CHART
Type Description Code
Spears close formation infantry fighting with spears in a rigid shield wall
Sp
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 6 6 March, 2013
Pikes close formation infantry who fought collectively with pikes or long spears wielded in both hands
4Pk
hillmen with long spears used in both hands and mostly lacking shields
3Pk
Blades All close fighting infantry primarily skilled in fencing individually with swords or heavier cutting or cut and thrust weapons
4Bd
lightly equipped but faster moving
3Bd
Swiss halberdiers acting offensively in columns
6Bd
Generals in litters surrounded by bodyguards
Lit
standard-bearing wagons with guards
CWg
Auxilia All javelin-armed foot able to fight hand-to-hand
3Ax
regular discipline 4Ax
Psiloi dispersed skirmishers on foot with javelin, sling, staff sling, bow, crossbow or hand gun
Ps
Bows with bow Bw
With Long Bow Lb
With Cross Bow Cb
Warband wild irregular foot 3Wb
kept a shield wall in adversity and fought it out toe-to-toe
4Wb
Horde unskilled and unenthusiastic foot
7Hd
rioters, street gangs, revolutionary mobs, religious fanatics and Aztec militia
5Hd
[3.4] OTHER TROOPS
General Rule;
Other troops represent men who man war
machines, such as artillery, or manned mobile
fortifications, such as war wagons.
Cases;
[3.41] ARTILLERY (Art), whether tension,
torsion, counterweight or gunpowder. This could
annoy the enemy at long range, destroy war wagons
or elephants and counter enemy artillery, but was
relatively immobile once deployed, so is “Solid” foot.
[3.42] WAR WAGONS (WWg), including
Hussite mantleted wagons, mobile towers, and other wagons that fought mainly by shooting and
could move during battle, but not laagered transport
wagons. They are “Solid” because, except for mobile towers which can assault a city, fort or
camp, they had great resisting power to blunt
attack, but could not themselves charge. They were vulnerable to artillery. Since they could fight all-
round, they count the first edge in contact as their
front edge when in close combat and can choose any one edge each bound to shoot from. They could
not shoot effectively on the move. In DBA they are
usually depicted without draft animals, simulating the removal of these before combat, and so can be
on square bases.
[3.43] Other Troop Type Table
[3.43] OTHER TROOP TYPE CHART
Type Description Code
War Wagons
All WWg
Others Camp Followers -
denizens of Built-Up Areas -
[4.0] BASING
General Rules;
All figures must be “based” onto elements. The size of elements is fixed and affects game mechanics.
Examples;
The diagram shows examples for the 4 basic element sizes used for 15mm. Shown are an
element of Blades, Cavalry, Auxilia and Elephants.
Cases;
[4.1] BASE WIDTH
[4.11] All figures must be combined into elements
of several figures, or an elephant, vehicle or
artillery model, fixed to a thin rectangular base. Base width is critical and must not be changed.
[4.12] Base Width: It is 60mm for the larger scale
and 40mm for the smaller. See Case (2.1)
[4.2] BASE DEPTH
[4.21] Players should keep as closely as possible to
the minimum depths recommended below. Larger alternatives are to accommodate figures based for
DBR or over-large figures by manufacturers unable
to conform to established practise.
[4.22] MOUNTED TROOP BASE DEPTH CHART
Type DBA DBMM 25 15 Fig
Elephant El El (S, O, I, X)
80 40 1m
Knights 3Kn Kn (S, O, F, I)
40 - 45 / *60
30 / *40
3
4Kn Kn (X) 40 - 45
30 4
6Kn Kn (S) + (I) DB
80 60 6
HCh Any Kn 80 40 1m
Cavalry Cv Cv (S, O, I) 40 - 45
30 3
6Cv Cv (S, O, I) DB
80 60 6
LCh Cv (S, O, I) 80 40 1m
Light Horse
LH LH (S, O, F, I)
40 - 45
30 2
LCm LH (I) 40 - 45
30 2
Scythed Chariots
SCh Exp 80 40 1m
Camelry Cm Cm (S, O) 40 - 45
30 3
Mounted Infantry
Mtd-X Mtd-X 60 or 80
40 or 60
3-4+ mod
*Macedonian companions and some Skythian.
[4.23] FOOT TROOP TYPE DEPTH CHART
Type DBA DBMM 25 15 Fig
Spears S - Sp Sp (S, O, I)
20 15 – 20
4
S - 8Sp 2 element of above
40 30 8
Pikes
S - 4Pk Pk (S, O, I, X)
20 - 30
15 - 20
4
F - 3Pk Pk (F) 30 20 3
Blades S - 4Bd Bd (S, O, I)
20 - 30
15 - 20
4**
F - 3Bd Bd (F, X) 30 20 3
F - 6Bd - 60 40 6
Auxilia S - 4Ax Ax (S) 30 20 3
F - 3Ax Ax (O, I) 30 20 3
Bows S - 4Bw, Cb, Lb
Bw (S, O, I)
30 20 4
F – 3Bw, Cb, Lb
Bw (S, O, I)
30 20 3
8Bw Bw (X) DB
60 40 8
Psiloi F - Ps Ps (S, O, I, X)
30 20 2
Warband S - 4Wb
Wb (S, O)
20 15 - 20
4
F - 3Wb
Wb (F) 30 20 3
Hordes S - 7Hd
Hd (O) 40 - 60
30 – 40
7-8
F – 5Hd
Hd (S, F) 40 - 60
30 - 40
5-6
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 7 6 March, 2013
**Dismounted men-at-arms can instead be based with 3 figures as when mounted.
[4.23] Other Troop Base Depth.
[4.23] OTHER TROOP BASE DEPTH CHART
Type DBA DBMM
25 15 Fig
Artillery Art Art (S, O, F, I)
80 40 1m
War Wagons
WWg WWg (S, O, I)
60 or 120
40 or 80
1m
General *** Bd (Lit or CWg)
Bge (S) 60 or 120
40 or 80
5-6
Sallying denizens or camp followers
30 20 2-4
*** being in a litter or command wagon
Type = Troop Type, BDA = DBA list code, DBMM =
DBMM list code, DB is double base, 25 = Base depth if figure scale is 25mm or larger. All values in mm, 15 = Base depth if figure scale is 15mm or smaller. All values in mm, S / F = Solid or Fast. Fig = Figures or
models per base. 1m is 1 model, otherwise represents number of figures.
[4.3] BASING YOUR FIGURES & MODELS
General Rule;
All figures are mounted on a base, the size of which
is defined in Case (4.0). There are some exceptions
and special cases, which are detailed below.
Cases;
[4.31] Where more than one basing option exists,
this originated because a DBA troop type represents more than one DBMM type or grade, but
now also differentiates troops of the same type but
that fought slightly differently, such as those classed as Fast or Solid and/or that used unusually
deep formations. It also helps distinguish troops of
different origins, which can be further distinguished by basing figures representing regular troops
evenly in a single level row, and irregulars by using
figures of differing type, pose and/or colour scheme placed more randomly.
[4.32] *Macedonian companions and some
Skythian nobles can be on a deeper base with the
centre figure further forward.
[4.33] **Dismounted men-at-arms can instead be
based with 3 figures as when mounted. Mounted Infantry are based as 3-4 figures plus a vehicle, led
mount or mounted figure.
[4.34] Double elements required by army lists are based in two rows. 6Kn can have a row of 2
followed by a row of 4, or 3 interleaved ranks of 1,
2 and 3, with the centre 2 of the back row being the lighter type. 6Cv and 6Bd have two rows of 3. 8Sp
have 2 ranks of 4. 8Bw have a row of 4 with pavise or shield plus spear followed by 4 with bow or
crossbow.
[4.35] A double element is 1 element of the army’s 12, but may count as 2 elements when lost. In
partial compensation, it fights in close combat
against most foot as if the rear element was
providing rear support.
[4.36] If your army is of individual 10mm or 6mm
figures, use twice as many figures and models as
specified above. Basing of 6mm or 2mm blocks is
complicated by them being cast with varying
frontages. They must be cut and combined to look
realistic, with irregulars and skirmishers often in small random groups. Use open formation blocks
for light horse or psiloi, loose for most knights,
cavalry, auxilia, bowmen or warband, and close for cataphracts, spears, pikes and most blades.
[4.37] Depict camp followers and city denizens that
sally outside their defences as armed civilians.
[4.38] The general's element must be recognisable
by his figure, standard or conventional white charger, or rarely by *** being in a litter or
command wagon.
[5.0] BATTLEFIELD & TERRAIN
General Rule;
The Playing Area is called the Battlefield. See Case
(2.2). Terrain feature may be present on the battlefield, See Case (5.3). This is placed on the
battlefield as per Deployment Rules, see Case (8.1)
Cases;
[5.1] BATTLEFIELD
General Rule;
The Playing Area, or Battlefield, size is defied in Case (2.2). The Battlefield is divided into 4
quarters, which will affect terrain placement. See
Case (5.7). The defender supplies the Battlefield.
Cases;
[5.11] Players must be able to provide a battlefield
in case they become the defender. As generalship is definable as the skill with which generals adapt
their troops’ movements to those of the enemy and
to the battlefield, varied and realistic terrain is essential for interesting battles. Since so little time
is needed to paint DBA armies and the playing area
is so small, players should invest time and ingenuity in making their terrain as visually
attractive as their troops.
[5.12] Unless a competition organiser provides pre-
set terrain, the battlefield is produced by the
defending player placing separate terrain features
on a flat board or cloth representing flat good going such as pasture, open fields, steppe grassland or
smooth desert.
[5.13] The defender bisects the battlefield twice at right angles to its edge to produce 4 equal quarters
and numbers these 1-4 clockwise from the left.
Battlefield Example
This shows the 4 quarters in a Battlefield. Note that
the defender/invader edges can be changed after
terrain has been placed, as per Case (8.12).
[5.2] CHOOSING AND PLACING FEATURES
General Rule;
The Battlefield Terrain location is determined by the defending army, as defined in the army lists.
Examples
Army 1 has a terrain of Forest and Army 2 has a terrain of Steppe. After determining which army is
the defender and which is the invader, See Case (8.1), Army 1 is determined to be the defender. As
a result the battle is determined to be fought in the
terrain type of Army 1, which is Forest. The defending players needs to select 1-2 woods and 2-
3 optional features (River, Marsh, Gentle Hills,
extra Woods, BUA.)
Cases;
[5.21] The types of feature that can be used depend
on those of the terrain in which the defending army historically normally fought at home.
[5.22] The defending player chooses and places 1-2
compulsory and 2-3 optional features from those permitted:
[5.23] TERRAIN REQUIREMENT CHART
If Terrain is;
Compulsory features are
Optional features are;
Arable 1 BUA or 2 Plough
River, Difficult Hills, Gentle Hills, Woods, extra Plough, Enclosures, Road, Waterway, Scrub, Boggy.
Forest 1-2 Woods River, Marsh, Gentle Hills, extra Woods, BUA.
Hilly 1-2 Difficult Hills
River, Woods, BUA, Road, extra Difficult Hills.
Steppe 1-2 Gentle Hills
River, Rocky, Scrub, 1 only Gully, BUA.
Dry 1-2 Rocky or Scrub
Dunes, Difficult Hills, Oasis, BUA.
Tropical 1-2 Woods River, Marsh, 1 only Gully, BUA, Enclosures, Road,
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 8 6 March, 2013
extra Woods.
Littoral 1 Waterway Either Difficult Hills or Marsh, either Woods or Dunes, BUA, Road, River.
[5.3] AREA TERRAIN FEATURES
General Rule;
Area Terrain Features occupies an area within each
Battlefield quarter. These include Hills, Wood,
Marsh, Gully, Dunes, Oasis, Rocky, Scrubby, Boggy, Enclosures, Gentle Hills, Difficult Hills,
Plough and BUA.
Cases;
[5.31] AREA TERRAIN FEATURES includes
those listed below as Bad, Rough or Good going
and also BUA. See Case (6.0)
[5.32] Each must fit into a rectangle of which the
length plus the width totals no more than 9 BW.
[5.33] Every feature must be at least 1 BW wide at its centre and only 1 feature can be less than 3 BW
wide at its centre.
[5.34] A Gully’s length must be at least 3 times its width.
[5.35] The length of other features must not exceed
twice their width.
[5.36] BUA and Plough can have straight edges;
otherwise all features must be a natural shape with curved edges.
[5.37] A city or fort can be combined with a larger
hill also permitted, as 1 feature.
[5.38] AREA TERRAIN SIZE CHART
Terrain Dimension Rule
All Length + Width must not exceed 9 BW.
Width must be 3 BW or more in the middle.
1 Terrain Width can be 1 BW, or more, in the middle. This is normally a Gully.
Gully Length must be at least 3 times its width.
Others Length must not be more than 2 times their width.
Special 1 Terrain Piece Allowed
Gully (3 to 8 x 1) or (6 to 7 x 2)
Other (1 to 2 x 1) or (2 to 4 x 2)
All Other Terrain Pieces
Gully Not Allowed
Others (3 to 6 x 3) or (4 to 5 x 4)
Terrain Examples
This Marsh is 7 Base Widths by 2 Base Widths.
This total 9 so is allowed. Because the middle is
less than 3 BW’s wide, this can be deployed only if
all other Area Terrain features are a minimum of 3
BW’s wide. If this was a gully, it would be
allowed.
This Woods is 4 Base Widths by 4 Base Widths. This total 8 so is allowed. The centre is more than 3
Base Widths wide, so it does not restrict the
deployment of an Area Terrain feature of under 3
Base Widths. This size is not allowed to a Gully.
An example of a Gully, its length is more than 3 times its width.
This Hill is 4 BW x 4 BW, it is valid. In this case the crest line is a small area at the top. Crest lines
affects close combat and line of sight. See Case
(15.1), (8.4) and (13.2).
[5.4] AREA TERRAIN EFFECTS
General Rule;
Terrain is either Bad going, Rough Going or Good going, which affect Movement (9.7), Combat
(15.1), Combat Results (15.2) and Pursuing (15.6).
Cases;
[5.41] Difficult (steep and/or rocky, thickly
scrubbed or wooded) Hills, Woods, Marsh and
Gully are BAD GOING, which slows the movement of, and is an adverse close combat
tactical factor for, some foot and all mounted and
may hinder shooting. See Case (9.7), (15.1), (15.2) & (15.6).
[5.42] Dunes and Oasis are bad going except to
camels (both Cm and LCm).
[5.43] Rocky, Scrubby or Boggy flat ground,
Enclosures (fields subdivided by stone walls,
hedges, ditches or in Asia by paddy bunds), are ROUGH GOING, which slows move distances as
if bad going, but is not a tactical factor and does not
affect shooting.
[5.44] Gentle Hills and playing surface other than
terrain features are GOOD GOING.
[5.45] Plough is GOOD going but changes to
ROUGH if the game’s 1st PIP score is 1, due to
heavy rain or crops.
[5.46] An element in more than 1 kind of going is
treated as in the worst.
[5.47] All hills slope up to a centre line crest and give a close combat advantage if part of an
element’s front edge is upslope of all of its
opponent.
[5.48] An element which is partly in Rough going
is treated for movement, close combat and
command distance as if entirely in Rough going, unless it’s partially in Bad going, in which case it’s
treated as being in Bad going for movement, close combat and command distance.
[5.49] AREA TERRAIN “GOING” CHART
Terrain Going Notes
Difficult Hills Bad Centre line crest
Woods Bad
Marsh Bad
Gully Bad
Dunes Bad Except Cm & LCm
Oasis Bad Except Cm & LCm
Rocky Rough
Scrubby Rough
Boggy Rough
Enclosures Rough
Hedges Rough
Ditches Rough
Paddy Bunds Rough Only in Asia
Gentle Hills Good Centre line crest
Clear Good
Plough Good / Rough
If Heavy Rain, 1st
PIP score is 1
Area Terrain Effects Examples
The arrows are pointing to this hills crest line. Crest
lines can block line of sight (8.4) & (13.2) and
troops above the crest line have an advantage against troops below in close combat. They are
uphill. (15.1)
[5.5] LINEAR TERRAIN FEATURES
General Rule;
LINEAR TERRAIN FEATURES include
Waterways, Rivers and Roads.
Cases;
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 9 6 March, 2013
[5.51] A Waterway represents the sea, a lake edge
or a river too wide and deep to be fordable and is
impassable. It extends 1-4 BW inwards from an
entire battlefield edge and half its length must
extend no more than 3 BW in from that edge.
[5.52] A Waterway can be bordered by a beach or flood plain extending up to 2 BW further, which is
good going.
[5.53] A River must run from 1 battlefield edge to a different battlefield edge or join a waterway. It
cannot be more than 1 BW across or longer than
1½ times the distance between its ends.
[5.54] A River can cross any feature except a Hill,
Dunes, Oasis or BUA. It cannot start or go within 4 BW of any battlefield edge except the 2 edges it
flows from and towards.
[5.57] Roads can be paved or be earth tracks (best depicted as pale brown) created by frequent civilian
traffic. They are depicted as less than a BW wide,
elements moving astride centred on them rather
than confined between the road edges. A road must
run from 1 battlefield edge towards the opposite
battlefield edge, bending only minimally if desired to avoid terrain features.
[5.58] A Road cannot begin or end at a waterway
edge, but crosses rivers by ford or bridge. It can end at a BUA on a waterway edge. It cannot cross a
BUA except from city gate to city gate. A 2nd road
must cross or join the 1st.
[5.59] LINEAR TERRAIN SIZE CHART
Terrain Dimension Rule
Waterway Extends 1-4 BW inwards from an entire battlefield edge and half its length must extend no more than 3 BW in from that edge
can be bordered by a beach or flood plain extending up to 2 BW further, which is good going.
River must run from 1 battlefield edge to a different battlefield edge or join a waterway.
cannot be more than 1 BW across or longer than 1½ times the distance between its ends
can cross any feature except a Hill, Dunes, Oasis or BUA
cannot start or go within 4 BW of any battlefield edge except the 2 edges it flows from and towards
Road must run from 1 battlefield edge towards the opposite battlefield edge, bending only minimally if desired to avoid terrain features
depicted as less than a BW wide.
Linear Terrain Examples
This waterway extends no more than 3 BW from
the battlefield edge for half its length and 4 BW
from the edge for the remaining half. The minimum and maximum allowed lines are shown in white. In
this case the waterway is its maximum size. No
beach or flood plain is included, but could be added for a further 2BW. See Case (5.51)
Both rivers are valid, being from one edge to
another, being no wider than 1 element and having a total length no greater than 1 ½ times its on-
battlefield length. See Case (5.53)
[5.6] LINEAR TERRAIN EFFECTS
General Rule;
A Waterway is impassable and allows for littorial
landings, See Case (9.6). Rivers can impede
movement and affect close combat. See Case
(10.1). Roads can assist in movement when
element travel along it in column. See Case (9.72).
Cases;
[5.61] A Waterway represents the sea, a lake edge
or a river too wide and deep to be fordable and is impassable. See Case (5.51)
[5.62] A River is neither good nor bad going, but
elements crossing it are often penalised in other ways.
[5.63] Its (River) nature is constant along its whole
length for the whole game and will not become known until the first attempt by either player to
cross it off-road. See Case (10.1)
[5.64] An element is defending the bank of a River
if it is entirely on land and its close combat
opponent at least partly in the water.
[5.65] A Road cannot begin or end at a waterway
edge, but crosses rivers by ford or bridge. See Case
(5.58)
[5.66] Movement along a road is in good going and
counts as straight ahead even when the road curves.
Combat on it is in the going it is passing through.
[5.67] Linear Terrain Chart
[5.67] LINEAR TERRAIN “GOING” CHART
Category Going Notes
Waterway Impassable Littorial Landing
River Special
Road Good In Column.
[5.7] CHOOSING AND PLACING FEATURES
General Rule;
The defending player chooses terrain from those
allowed and then deploys them using the Terrain
Placement table, exception; if a 6 is dices the invader places the terrain.
Cases;
[5.71] The defending player chooses features from those allowed and places them.
[5.72] Those chosen must include BAD or ROUGH
GOING or a River or Waterway, and cannot include more than 1 each of Waterway, River,
Oasis, Gully or BUA, or 2 roads, or 3 each of any
other feature type.
[5.73] Compulsory features must be placed first.
[5.74] Each feature is diced for. A score of 1 to 4
directs that it must be placed within that quarter. A score of 5 directs that the quarter is chosen by the
defender. A score of 6 directs that the quarter is
chosen by the invader.
[5.75] Area features other than Plough or Gentle
Hills must be placed entirely within that quarter.
[5.76] A lesser part of any Gentle Hill may, and all Plough and linear features must, extend into 1 only
adjacent quarter.
[5.77] A feature that cannot be placed is discarded. There must be a gap of at least 1 BW between area
features and between an area feature other than a
BUA and any battlefield edge.
[5.78] BUA’s placed like other area features,
except that all of a City or Fort must be within
6BW of each of 2 battlefield edges and can be on a hill. See Case (6.12)
[5.79] Terrain Placement Table
[5.79] TERRAIN PLACEMENT TABLE
Die Placement
1 - 4 the feature must be placed within that quarter, as indicated by the die.
5 the quarter is chosen by the defender
6 quarter is chosen by the invader
Terrain Placement Example;
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 10 6 March, 2013
The defending player has selected terrain from the
Woods grouping. He has selected 2 woods as his
mandatory and a woods, river, marsh and gentle hill from his optional terrain feature list. The results
of the die rolls resulted in the terrain being
deployed as this example.
[5.8] TERRAIN EFFECTS SUMMARY
General Rule;
Terrain can affect tactical movement, adjustment moves, confirming moves, combat, recoils, flee and
pursuit.
Cases;
[5.81] Distant Shooting effects are detailed in case
(13.6)
[5.82] Close Combat Effects are detailed in case
(1.5)
[5.83] Command Distance effects are detailed in Case (8.5)
[5.84] Tactical Movement effects are detailed in
Case (9.7), Case (10.1), and Case (10.5)
[6.0] BUA
General Rule;
A built-up area (a.k.a. BUA) is a terrain piece that
represents a fortified urban area, such as a walled city.
All BUA types are considered an Area Terrain
Feature and follows all the normal dimension rules, See Case (5.3)
Cases;
[6.1] BUA DEPLOYMENT
[6.11] If a BUA (Built-Up Area) is chosen, it must
be a City, Fort, Hamlet or Edifice.
[6.12] These are placed like other area features,
except that all of a City or Fort must be within
6BW of each of 2 battlefield edges and can be on a
hill.
[6.2] CITY
[6.21] CITY has defensive walls, high economic and prestige value and a large population of
denizens who will defend it if it has no garrison.
[6.22] It must be modelled with 1 or 2 gates, through which all elements entering or leaving
must pass unless enemy assaulting it.
[6.23] It can be passed through along a road by a single friendly group or element even if garrisoned;
these using 1 PIP (see P.8) per element to get from
just outside the 1st gate to having the last moving just outside the far gate.
[6.24] Denizens of a City are armed civilians
initially loyal to the defender. If a garrison vacates the denizens continue to defend the City. If it is
destroyed, they do not. When a garrison or
denizens are destroyed in close combat, any 1 of the assaulting enemy elements occupies the City
and remains inside it sacking it until its player has a
PIP score of 5 or 6. It can then garrison the City or vacate it. Prior to that, it does not get the garrison
tactical factor and cannot shoot or be shot at.
[6.25] Denizens sometimes sallied out to assist a relieving army, so this is allowed if the City does
not contain a troop element and there are both
enemy and friendly troop elements within 2 BW of the City. They cannot themselves go more than 3
BW from it. Their fighting value in the open is
minimal; and the City is undefended in their absence. If the denizens of a City sally out or are
destroyed and it is left unoccupied by the enemy or
vacated, either side can move into or through it without combat.
[6.26] If denizens defending inside a City are destroyed by artillery, the City surrenders and is
not sacked. An appropriate enemy element
immediately becomes a garrison on moving into it. If it is not occupied by the enemy or it is vacated; a
puppet administration has been put in power and its
denizens will defend the City for the enemy. Denizens of a surrendered City cannot sally, as the
puppet administration is fully occupied holding
down a doubtful populace.
[6.27] If a City surrendered or was captured earlier
in a campaign and there is no enemy troop garrison
or this has been destroyed by shooting, the player that originally owned the City can pay 5 PIPS at the
start of any of his side’s bounds for its denizens to
revolt against and overthrow the puppet administration, resume their original loyalty and
defend the City (treachery by an internal faction
was the most common reason for a city’s fall).
Examples
This shows a typical maximum sized city, its 6 BW
long by 3 BW wide.
While it’s possible to have a city with a width less
than 3 BW, this is normally reserved for other
specific terrain features so a narrow city will not be
allowed. The other typical option is 5 BW by 4
BW; other cities will be smaller, such as 4 BW by 4
BW.
This city has two gates, from which roads can
connect to.
[6.3] FORT
[6.31] FORT (or castle) has permanent defences
and a gate and must start the game garrisoned by a
foot element.
[6.32] It (FORT) has no economic value or
denizens.
[6.33] It (FORT) is left undefended if its garrison vacates it or is destroyed; and can then be occupied
and garrisoned by any troop element.
[6.4] HAMLET
[6.41] HAMLET (or Township) - either a small
inhabited area of scattered or grouped houses
among small enclosed fields, or a larger village or town with denser housing, but no perimeter
defences except fences to keep out animals.
[6.42] It has insignificant economic or defensive value and its inhabitants fled when troops
approached.
[6.43] It functions only as rough going.
[6.5] EDIFACE
[6.51] EDIFICE - an isolated large building, such
as an Amerindian or other pyramid, a pharos, a
monastery, a temple or ruins.
[6.52] It has no economic value, denizens or
defensive value.
[6.53] It is treated only as bad going, except when it is used as a CAMP.
[6.6] BUA GARRISON
[6.61] A City can and a Fort must be garrisoned by A 1 (non-allied) foot element, placed near its centre
but representing defenders manning its perimeter,
or if a City B in the absence or loss of such a garrison, defended by denizens not represented by
an element.
[6.62] If the garrison is Artillery, its shooting effect is reduced because the artillery is distributed
around the perimeter.
[6.63] Any single troop element [except of Elephants, Scythed Chariots or War Wagons] can
occupy an undefended City and then garrison it.
[6.64] A garrison or other occupying element can vacate its BUA voluntarily by a tactical move, but
does not pursue defeated attackers.
[6.65] Occupiers of a BUA beside any but a paltry river count as defending the bank against enemy
elements assaulting it and still partly in that river.
[6.66] Occupiers of a city or fort cannot count as uphill of attackers or assaulters as fighting in bad
going, since a hill it is on counts as part of its
defences.
[6.67] A city on a hill must incorporate an extra
road (not counting as a separate terrain feature)
from each gate to the nearest hill edge.
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 11 6 March, 2013
[7.0] CAMP
General Rule;
Every army must have a camp unless the army is
the defender and places a BUA and/or the army has
more than one war wagon element.
Cases;
[7.1] CAMP DEPLOYMENT
[7.11] The camp is the logistical element of the
army. It is optional if the army has a City or more than 2 War Wagons, compulsory if it does not.
[7.12] It must be in good going (except Plough) on
the rear edge of its side’s deployment area or on a waterway or beach, and should have only
temporary structures, except that an EDIFICE so positioned can be declared and act as a camp.
[7.13] A camp must be at least 1 BW long and fit
into a rectangle the length plus width of which totals no more than 4 BW.
[7.14] Unless based on an edifice, it is depicted by
an outer perimeter consisting of a simple earthwork and/or palisade, laagered wagons, a brush boma, a
group of medieval tents with interlaced guy ropes,
yurts with tethered ponies, kneeling camels or anything else appropriate to the army.
[7.15] It can be hollow with an interior space that
can be occupied by a single removable defending troop or camp follower element or permanently
occupied by fixed camp followers with tents, fires
and similar.
Camp Examples
This shows a large camp, 2 BW by 2 BW on the left, and a more typical small camp, 1 BW by 1 BW
on the right.
[7.2] CAMP GARRISON
[7.21] Your camp can be occupied either A by 1
only non-allied troop element [except Elephants or
Scythed chariots], which can vacate it or be replaced by another such element, or B by camp
followers (represented either by a Camp Follower
element that can move out of it but without being able to return, or by un-based or fixed figures that
cannot move out of it), but not both. If neither has
been provided, it has been left undefended.
[7.22] There are rare historical examples of camp
followers voluntarily leaving the camp to
potentially fight in the open but more realistically as a decoy or false reinforcement. This is therefore
permitted to a few specific armies, but will be of
minimal combat value and leaves the camp undefended.
[8.0] FIGHTING THE BATTLE
General Rule;
Before you can start playing, you need to Select
Armies, Roll For Invader, Set Up Terrain, Roll For Board Orientation, Place Camps & Deploy Armies
Cases;
[8.1] DEPLOYMENT
[8.11] Each side dices and adds the aggression
factor of its army list to the score. The side with the
lower total is the defender. It chooses and places terrain allowed to its army to create the battlefield.
[8.12] The high scorer is the invader. If the
defender has used a road, the invader’s base edge must be one of the edges the road joins. If not, the
invader can choose any edge as his base edge
except that opposite a waterway.
[8.13] The defender’s base edge is that opposite the
invader’s.
[8.14] Both sides now place their camps, the defender first.
[8.15] The defender now deploys its troop
elements, then the invader deploys its elements.
[8.16] 1 element of foot may be deployed as the
garrison of a friendly city or fort. All other troops
must deploy at least 3 BW from the battlefield centre line and from any enemy city or fort.
[8.17] Cavalry, Light Horse, Auxilia or Psiloi must
deploy at least 2 BW away from battlefield side edges and others at least 4 BW away.
[8.18] If a waterway has been placed, either side
can reserve 2-3 elements whose army’s home terrain is LITTORAL and which do not include
Elephants, War Wagons or Artillery; then place
them in its 1st bound as a single group with at least 1 element touching the waterway. See Case (9.61)
Deployment Examples
This diagram shows the basic deployment zones of
each side. For 15mm, troops may not be deployed
outside a box 120mm from the centre line, 80mm
from each flank if cavalry, light horse or psiloi and
160mm if other troops. Exception see Case (8.16).
[8.2] SEQUENCE OF PLAY
General Rule;
The Game is played in bounds, i.e., player turns.
Alternate Player turns can be considered to constitute a Game Turn. The 1st Player Turn of the
1st Game Turn, and subsequent Game-Turns, is
executed by the invading player, See Case (8.1). The 2nd player-Turn of the 1st game-Turn, and
subsequent game-Turns, is executed by the
defending player, See case (8.1).
During each Bound (Player-Turn), the phasing
players follows the Sequence of Play defined in this
Case. This can be summarised as PIP Phase, Tactical Movement Phase, Distance Shooting
Phase and Close Combat Phase. See Case (8.3),
Case (9.0), (13.1) and (13.2)
Commentary;
A Bound and Player-Turn are identical. Both terms
are freely used through-out these rules. A Game-Turn is a pair of Player-Turns, or Bounds. This
term is identical to “A Pair of Bounds”.
Cases;
[8.21] The defender takes first bound, then the two
sides alternate bounds.
[8.22] During each player's bound:
(1) The player dices for Player Initiative Points
(PIPs) [each representing a share of the general’s
attention and ability to communicate]. See case (8.3)
(2) The player uses these PIPs to make tactical
moves. See Case (9.0)
(3) Any Artillery, War Wagons or Bows elements
of both sides that are eligible to do so, must shoot once each (in case of dispute in the order the
moving player decides) and make or inflict
outcome moves. See case (13.1)
(4) Any elements of both sides whose front edges
are in suitable contact with enemy fight in close
combat in the order the moving player decides and make or inflict outcome moves. See Case (13.2)
[8.23] SEQUENCE OF PLAY
Phase Sub Phase
Description
Defenders Player Turn
PIP Phase Player dices for PIPs. See Case (8.3)
Tactical Movement Phase
Operational Movement Sub-Phase
The Phasing player can activate 1 element or group in column for 0 PIPs. See Case (8.41) & (8.48)
Tactical Movement Sub-Phase
The Phasing player can expend PIPs to activate any other elements or groups to conduct movement or to move to enemy contact. See Case (8.4)
Distance Shooting
Both Players conducts distant shooting. See Case
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 12 6 March, 2013
Phase (13.0)
Close Combat Phase
Both Players conducts close combat. See Case (14.0)
Invaders Player Turn (Repeat Above)
[8.24] During each Movement Sub-Phase, if a player is moving elements or groups into contact
with an enemy, follow the Moving into Contact
with Enemy Sequence of Play. See Case (11.21)
[8.3] PLAYER INITIATIVE POINT DICING
General Rule;
During the PIP Phase, the phasing player spins a dice. The result is the number of PIP, Player
Initiative Points available for the Phasing player
during its player-turn.
PIPs are required for a unit to move. Each player is
allowed 1 free move if the element(s) is travelling
by road. See Case (8.41) For other element(s) you need to expend 1 or more PIPs. See Case (8.4)
Commentary;
Player Initiative Point (PIP) and Command Points (CP) are identical. Both terms are freely used
through-out these rules.
Cases;
[8.31] The side starts its bound by dicing. The
score is the number of Player Initiative Points (PIPs) that can be used for tactical moves this
bound.
[8.32] Any unused PIPs are lost, not kept for future bounds.
[8.4] PLAYER INITIATIVE POINT & MOVEMENT
General Rule;
A player can move units in a column on road with
no expenditure of PIP’s. See Case (8.41) In other
cases troops can only conduct Tactical Movement with the expenditure of PIP’s. In most cases 1 PIP
is expended to activate 1 element or 1 group. This
can be increased by 2 in some circumstances. See Case (8.48)
Procedure;
At the beginning of each phasing tactical movement Phase the phasing player can activate a
single element or single group in column to
conduct an operational move. See Case (8.41)
All other element and/or group require the
expenditure of PIPs to conduct Tactical Movement.
Cases;
[8.41] The first move each bound of each single
element or column uses 0 PIPs if it is the full
distance possible, it is entirely by road and it does not reverse direction. See Case (9.5)
[8.42] Each other tactical move uses up 1 PIP. See
Case (8.18)
[8.43] Except in the side’s 1st bound, a move that
uses a PIP uses up an extra PIP for each of the 2
cases following that apply:
(a) If the element or group to be moved includes
any Scythed Chariots, Elephants, Hordes, War
Wagons, Artillery, denizens or camp followers, or
is an element currently garrisoning a city, fort or
camp.
(b) If its general’s element has been lost or is
entirely in a BUA, camp, Wood, Oasis, Marsh or
Gully; or if the element or group to be moved starts
more than command distance from its general.
Command distance is 20 BW if entirely Light
Horse. Otherwise, it is 8 BW, except that this is reduced to 4 BW if entirely either beyond the crest
of a Hill, beyond a BUA or a camp, on or beyond a
Difficult Hill, or in or beyond a Wood, Oasis or Dunes.
[8.44] A group move by road, or across bad (not
rough) going must be in or into a column unless entirely by Psiloi. See Case (9.51)
[8.45] A Littorial landing costs 1 PIP, as per Case (8.18). As this occurring in the first player turn, no
modifiers are applied.
[8.46] Line of sight to a General is Blocked if the General is entirely in a BUA, camp, Wood, Oasis,
Marsh or Gully.
[8.47] Line of Sight to a General is blocked if
entirely either beyond the crest of a Hill, beyond a
BUA or a camp, on or beyond a Difficult Hill, or in
or beyond a Wood, Oasis or Dunes.
[8.48] An Operational Move, as described in case
(8.41), requires the element or group in column to
expend its entire movement allowance, while retaining valid group column formation. A
Columns movement allowance is the movement
allowance of the slowest element. See Case (9.7), Case (9.31) and case (9.32).
[8.49] PIP COSTS TABLE
PIP Case
0 The first tactical move of each bound by a single element or by a column the leading element of which moves the full distance possible and entirely by road without reversing direction.
1 Normal Tactical Move
+1 If the element or group to be moved includes any Scythed Chariots, Elephants, Hordes, War Wagons, Artillery, denizens or camp followers, or is an element currently garrisoning a city, fort or camp.
+1 If its general’s element has been lost or is entirely in a BUA, camp, Wood, Oasis, Marsh or Gully;
or if the element or group to be moved starts more than command distance from its general.
Command distance is 20 BW if entirely Light Horse. Otherwise, it is 8 BW, except that this is reduced to 4 BW if entirely either beyond the crest of a Hill, beyond a BUA or a camp, on or beyond a Difficult Hill, or in or beyond a Wood, Oasis or Dunes.
Line-of-Sight Examples
The General in Element A has a clear line of sight
to element B and F and the group made up of
element F & E. It can activate those elements or
group if within 8 BW. It does not have a clear line
of sight to Element C, D or E. To activate those
elements the General in Element 1 needs to be within 4 BW.
In this case the General has no line of sight to any
element as it’s in a wood.
[8.5] COMMAND DISTANCE & TERRAIN
General Rule;
Terrain can affect the PIP cost to active an element
or group for tactical Movement, by affecting the
distance an element or Group can be from a General to avoid the +1 PIP cost to be activated.
Cases;
[8.51] Except in the side’s 1st bound, a move that uses a PIP uses up an extra PIP if its general’s
element is entirely in a BUA, camp, Wood, Oasis,
Marsh or Gully. See Case (8.42)
[8.52] Except in the side’s 1st bound, a move that
uses a PIP uses up an extra PIP if the element or
group to be moved starts more than command distance from its general. Command distance is 20
BW if entirely Light Horse. Otherwise, it is 8 BW,
except that this is reduced to 4 BW if entirely either beyond the crest of a Hill, beyond a BUA or a
camp, on or beyond a Difficult Hill, or in or beyond
a Wood, Oasis or Dunes. See Case (8.42)
[8.53] An element is within its generals Command
distance if a line drawn between the closest point
on the elements base to the closest point on a Generals Base does not exceed the Command
Distance as stated in Case (8.42).
[8.54] A Group is within its Generals Command distance if a line drawn between the closest point
on the Generals Elements Base, to the closest point
of any elements base in the Group, does not exceed the Command Distance as stated in Case (8.42).
[8.53] COMMAND DISTANCE CHART
Maximum Distance
Situation
none If generals element is in BUA, camp, Wood, Oasis, Marsh or Gully.
4 BW (160mm)
If not light horse and with no Line of Sight to its general.
Entirely either beyond the crest of a Hill, beyond a BUA or a camp, on or beyond a Difficult Hill, or in or beyond a Wood, Oasis or Dunes.
8 BW (240mm)
If not light horse and with a line of sight to its general.
20 BW (800mm)
If entirely Light Horse in all cases.
Elements not within command radius require +1
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 13 6 March, 2013
additional PIP to be activated for movement.
[9.0] TACTICAL MOVES
General Rule;
Units which are activated using PIPS can conduct a
Tactical move. See Case (8.4). Tactical Movement
includes movement into contact with an enemy, there is no separate charge moves. Elements may
only make one Tactical Move per player-turn, with
some exceptions listed in Case (9.8). There are four types of Tactical Moves, Single Element Move,
Group Move, Column Move and Littoral Landing.
Cases;
[9.1] OVERVIEW
[9.11] A tactical move is a voluntary move that
normally uses up PIPs and happens before shooting and close combat.
[9.12] It can be by a single element or a group of
elements, but cannot include any element currently in close combat.
[9.13] It must not be confused with outcome moves
(recoils, flees and pursuits), which are compulsory, do not use up PIPs and usually follow distant
shooting or close combat.
[9.14] A legal tactical move cannot be taken back once the element has been placed unless the initial
position was marked and the opponent consents.
Such a marker must be removed before starting to move another element.
[9.2] SINGLE ELEMENT MOVES
General Rule;
When moving a single element you only move 1
element up to the limit of its movement allowance,
wheeling and manoeuvring around the battlefield freely to achieve its final location. To avoid any
terrain movement penalties you must move around
any terrain which would affect movement allowance, otherwise your movement allowance is
modified for moving through the terrain. When
tracking a complex move, ensure no corner of the
element ever exceeds its movement allowance.
Cases;
[9.21] A tactical move by a single element can be in any direction, even diagonal or oblique, can pass
through any gap it can fit through and can end
facing in any direction.
[9.22] An element that uses its move to dismount is
exchanged (with its front edge in the same place)
for the foot type, then moves in later bounds as that foot.
[9.23] It cannot dismount in an enemy Threat Zone
(TZ).
Tactical Movement Example;
Spear Element A has made a simple forward Tactical Move. Spear Element B has made an
oblique forward Tactical Move. In both cases the
corner which moved the furthest cannot exceed the elements movement allowance, which is 2 BW.
(80mm if using 15mm)
Fast Blade Element A has moved around the wood, avoiding it. This was to avoid any movement
penalties caused by the wood. Element A would
have moved through woods if it made a single move to its final position, this would have reduced
its movement allowance. Spear Element B has not avoided the wood; this has reduced its movement
allowance to 1 BW.
[9.3] GROUP ELIGIBILITY
General Rule;
Elements can be combined into groups and moved
together, for the PIP (Command Point) cost of
moving 1 element. Only elements which are both in a contact at a corner and along an edge are eligible
to move as a group.
Cases;
[9.31] A group is a contiguous set of elements all
facing in the same direction with each in both edge
and corner-to-corner contact with another; or leading, or following another element in, a
wheeling column.
[9.32] A column is a group only 1 element wide.
Group Eligibility Examples;
All these elements can form a group. In each case
an element has an edge in contact and at least one
corner in contact. Note the light Cavalry only have one corner in contact with the Pike element to its
left; this is valid because at least one corner is
adjacent.
In this example no elements are eligible to form
any groups. There are no edges and corners adjacent. The cavalry elements and the Pike
element on the left have no corners adjacent to any
other elements corner. The light cavalry element E has a corner adjacent to the Pike element C, but no
adjacent edge. Pike element C and E are facing in
opposite directions and the Archer Element F has a gap.
[9.4] GROUP MOVEMENT
General Rule;
Elements can form groups and move together. This
allows a player to move a larger number of
elements for a given number of PIPs, than moving each element individually.
Moves available to groups are restricted. No
element of a group may exceed its movement allowance. The elements must begin and end in
valid group contact. No element in the group may
change position relative to any other element in the group. The group can move directly forward,
wheel, or perform some combination of these,
including multiple wheels. The group may move up to one-half base width directly left or right to line
up opposite an enemy element, but only if the
enemy element is within one base width of at least one element in the group. No element of the group
may start in bad going or enter bad going at any
point in the move.
Cases;
[9.41] To move as a group, each element must
move parallel to or follow the first to move, move the same distance or wheel through the same angles
with the group’s entire front edge pivoting around a
front corner.
[9.42] No other changes in frontage, direction or
facing can be made except to slide sideways to line
up when in an enemy Threat Zone (TZ).
[9.43] Groups are temporary: if the whole of a
group cannot move, some of its elements will
probably be able to move as a smaller group or as separate single elements.
[9.44] Conversely, a group or single element can
move to join other elements and make its next move as a group including these.
[9.45] Allied elements can only make a group move
with elements of their contingent.
[9.46] A group move can include reducing frontage
to form such a column for this or any other
purpose. The leading element moves forward, then others successively join behind it, moving as if by
single element moves. See Case (9.52)
[9.47] No element can end with its front edge
further to its original rear. See Case (9.53)
[9.48] Elements that do not join the tail of the column that bound are no longer part of the same
group. See Case (9.54)
Group Move Examples
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 14 6 March, 2013
This shows a simple group wheel. The element
arrangement after the wheel is identical to the
starting element arrangement. The Pike element C moved its maximum allowance. The Light Cavalry
element D has a greater movement allowance and
was able to conduct this wheel without exceeding its movement allowance. If the 4th element was a
pike, this wheel would not have been allowed as
the end pike element would have exceeded its
movement. In this case a reduced wheel can be
conducted.
This shows how a group can contract its frontage to avoid bad going. The group has woods to its right.
To avoid moving through the wood the Pike element C and the Light horse element D formed
up behind the first element which is not required to
contract frontage, Pike element B. The two pike elements to the left are unaffected and move
forward normally. The movement allowance of the
contracting elements must not be exceeded in this move, as measured from corner to corner.
Elements A, B, C & D are part of a valid group, however Element A is in contact with an enemy
element. In this case only the elements which are
not part of the close combat can move as a group. The phasing player is leaving Element A & B in
place and is moving Element C & D. The phasing
player could include Element B as part of the group, but has decided to keep it in place to assist
in the close combat.
[9.5] COLUMN MOVEMENT
General Rule;
A Column Move is a special type of Group Move.
It follows all the normal Group Movement rules as
per Case (9.4).
To take advantage of the 0 PIP (Command Point)
movement, as per Case (8.41), elements must start
its movement eligible for column movement and
can conduct column movement for its entire
Tactical Movement Phase along a road.
To move across Bad Going or across a non-paltry river as a group, elements must conduct column
movement for the entire period they are in bad
going. See case (9.45) and Case (9.7)
Elements can form a column during its Tactical
movement phase as per Case (9.47).
Cases;
[9.51] A group move by road, or across bad (not
rough) going must be in or into a column unless entirely by Psiloi.
[9.52] A group move can include reducing frontage
to form such a column for this or any other purpose. The leading element moves forward, then
others successively join behind it, moving as if by
single element moves. See Case (9.46)
[9.53] No element can end with its front edge
further to its original rear. See Case (9.47)
[9.54] Elements that do not join the tail of the column that bound are no longer part of the same
group. See Case (9.48)
[9.55] Once in the column, each element follows the leading element and wheels in succession at the
same places through the same angles.
[9.56] A group is a contiguous set of elements all facing in the same direction with each in both edge
and corner-to-corner contact with another; or
leading, or following another element in, a wheeling column. See Case (9.31)
Column Movement Examples
The three Cavalry elements form a group. While
moving it wheels and contracts its frontage. Element A moves forward, wheels and then
continues its move. Element B follows up behind
and finally Element C follows up at the rear. All element movement is within their movement
allowance.
Once a column is formed the group can conduct column movement, enjoying all the benefits. As
this group did not start in column it cannot be
activated for movement at a cost of 1 PIP. It can only move as a group in bad going from the
moment the column was formed, not before. If it
started in Bad going it would need to conduct individual element movement to form a column,
resulting in 3 or more PIPs being used.
In this example a column move and wheel has
resulted in a kink in the column. It is permissible to
end a column move with a kink. See Case (9.31). This must be clearly indicated so that element can
be moves as part of the group the following Player-
Turn. To avoid this the last element can we swung
around, as per element H, to ensure it remains in
the column for the next phasing player turn. A kink
is only allowed when the group is a column.
[9.6] LITTORAL LANDINGS
General Rule;
A Liitoral Landing is a special forma of movement allowed to certain armies. See Case (8.18).
Procedure;
A player who has reserved elements for a littoral landing may, in his first turn, place any or all of the
reserved elements onto the battlefield. The
elements must be placed in group contact, See Case (9.3). If only one element is placed, that element
must be in contact with an edge of the waterway. If
more than one element is placed, at least one of
those elements must be in contact with the edge of
the waterway.
The player may choose not to place any or all of the reserved elements in his first turn, in which case the
elements may not be used at all during the game.
The elements that are not placed on the board do not count as destroyed.
Placing a littorial landing costs one PIP. As this
movement is occurring in the first player turn, no modifiers are applied.
Cases;
[9.61] If a waterway has been placed, either side can reserve 2-3 elements whose army’s home
terrain is LITTORAL and which do not include
Elephants, War Wagons or Artillery; then place them in its 1st bound as a single group with at least
1 element touching the waterway. See Case (8.18)
Littoral Landing Examples
Three elements of blades have made a Littoral
Landing. All elements must be deployed as part of
a group and at least 2 elements must touch the waterway.
[9.7] TACTICAL MOVE DISTANCES
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 15 6 March, 2013
General Rule;
Each type of element has a maximum movement
distance in good going, bad going, and while
making a road move. An element is considered to
be making a road move if the entire move is along a
road. An element is considered to be making a bad going move if it is not a road move and at any point
during the move any part of the element enters bad
going. Otherwise, it is considered a good going move. See Case (5.5).
Procedure;
Distance is measured using the element’s corner that moves the farthest.
Cases;
[9.71] The maximum distance between the starting
point of the furthest moving front corner of any
element and that corner’s final position or between either of these and any intermediate position is:
4 BW If Light Horse, Cavalry or Scythed Chariots
and only in good going.
3 BW If Knights, Elephants, Camelry or mounted
infantry and only in good going, or if “Fast” foot in
any going.
2 BW If “Solid” Auxilia or “Solid” Warband in any
going, or any foot other than “Fast” foot and only
in good going
1 BW If any troops other than “Fast” foot, Auxilia
or Warband and in bad or rough going for any part
of the move (except that Artillery and War Wagons cannot deploy or move at all off-road in bad going).
1 BW If the front edge of any single element or
group is in a non-paltry river for part of the move.
[9.72] All movement by an element or group that is
entirely along a road is treated as in good going.
[9.73] Movement Allowance Table (Original)
Move Case
4 BW
160mm
If Light Horse, Cavalry or Scythed Chariots and only in good going.
3 BW
100mm
If Knights, Elephants, Camelry or mounted infantry and only in good going, or if “Fast” foot in any going.
2 BW
80mm
If “Solid” Auxilia or “Solid” Warband in any going, or any foot other than “Fast” foot and only in good going
1 BW
40mm
If any troops other than “Fast” foot, Auxilia or Warband and in bad or rough going for any part of the move (except that Artillery and War Wagons cannot deploy or move at all off-road in bad going).
If the front edge of any single element or group is in a non-paltry river for part of the move.
[9.74] MOVEMENT ALLOWANCE
Element Type Good Going
Bad Going
Light Horse (LH), Camel Riders (LCm), Cavalry (Cv), Light Chariots (LCh), Scythed Chariots (SCh)
4 BW (160mm)
1 BW (40mm)
Elephants (El), Knights (Kn), Heavy Chariots (HCh), Camelry (Cm), Mounted Infantry (Mtd)
3 BW (120mm)
1 BW (40mm)
Fast Pike (3Pk), Fast 3 BW 3 BW
Blade (3Bd), Fast Auxilia (3Ax), Fast Bow (3Bw), Fast Psiloi (Ps), Fast Warband (3Wb), Fast Hordes (5Hd)
(120 mm) (120 mm)
Solid Auxilia (4Ax), Solid Warband (4Wb)
2 BW (80mm)
2 BW (80mm)
Solid Spear (Sp), Solid Pike (4Pk), Solid Blade (4Bd), Solid Bow (4Bw), (Lb), (Cb), Solid Horde (7Hd), Litter (Lit)
2 BW (80mm)
1 BW (40mm)
Artillery (Art), War Wagon (WWg)
2 BW (80mm)
None
Camp Follower None None
If the front edge of any single element or group is in a non-paltry river for part of the move.
1 BW (40mm)
Value in mm are for 15mm
[9.8] SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT TACTICAL MOVES DURING THE SAME BOUND
General Rule;
Elements and/or groups may only make a single
tactical move each phasing player turn, except as noted in this Case Section. Eligible elements may
make second and subsequent tactical moves as
either single elements or as part of a group or column. Eligible elements may even make second
or subsequent tactical moves after a littoral landing.
Each second or subsequent move costs PIPs (Command Points) as per case (8.4).
Cases;
[9.81] Elements or groups that have already moved this bound can make a 2nd or subsequent tactical
move, but only if this does not start or go within 1
BW of enemy unless while moving along a road and is entirely by:
(a) Light Horse or mounted foot and making a 2nd or 3rd move.
(b) Psiloi making a 2nd move if either in their
side’s 1st bound of the game, or if every element starts entirely in good going but ends at least
partially in bad going.
(c) Troops moving along a road if making a 2nd or subsequent move.
[9.82] 2nd
& SUBSEQUENT MOVE ALLOWED
Type Move Conditions
Psiloi +1 Psiloi making a 2nd move if either in their side’s 1st bound of the game, or if
every element starts entirely in good going but ends at least partially in
bad going. (cannot start or go within 1 BW of enemy)
Light Horse, Light Camelry, Mounted Foot
+2 Light Horse or mounted foot and making a 2nd or 3rd move. (cannot start or go within 1 BW of enemy)
All U Troops moving along a road if making a 2nd or
subsequent move.
+1 = 1 Additional Tactical Move, +2 = 2 Additional
Tactical Move
[9.9] DISMOUNTING
General Rule;
Some elements are allowed to dismount. This
represents replacing the mounted troop element with a Foot element. This represents soldiers
getting off their mount and fighting on foot.
All elements which can dismount started the game as mounted troops.
An element can dismount as part of a normal
tactical move, including a single element move, a group move, a column move, or a littoral landing.
Any number of elements may dismount as part of a
move.
Dismounted consists of replacing the mounted
elements with their foot type and perform the rest
of the move normally.
Once an element has dismounted, it may not
change back to its mounted type during the game.
Cases;
[9.91] A few army lists permit some of their
mounted elements to “dismount” i.e. be exchanged
for a related foot element during the game by using a complete single element tactical move to
dismount, but cannot remount. See Case (3.14)
[9.92] More armies have mounted elements that can be deployed either mounted or dismounted at
the start of a game. See Case (3.15)
[9.93] A very few have mounted infantry (prefixed by “Mtd”). These are on larger bases with their
mounts and fight as their foot type, but can move
more than once during a bound. See Case (3.16)
[9.94] An element that uses its move to dismount is
exchanged (with its front edge in the same place)
for the foot type, then moves in later bounds as that foot. See Case (9.22)
[9.95] It cannot dismount in an enemy Threat Zone
(TZ). See Case (9.23)
Dismounting Example
This is an example of 2 elements dismounting
during a phasing player turn and then during the
next phasing player turn moving forward. In Fig (9.9a) Elements A and B are Knights who spend a
Tactical Movement Phase dismounting. In Fig
(9.9b) the dismounted knights, along with a Cavalry Element, moves towards the enemy Bow.
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 16 6 March, 2013
[10.0] MOVEMENT RESTRICTIONS
[10.1] CROSSING A RIVER
General Rule;
When an element crosses a River for the first time
the River Type must be determined. See Case
(10.15)
When crossing a River unopposed, elements must
move in a straight line until it clears the River. It
cannot wheel while crossing.
When crossing a River opposed, the element can
wheel to line up with the end element.
Cases;
[10.11] Troops that enter a river must continue
crossing at the same angle to its course as they enter, or divert by the minimum necessary to line
up in close combat with an enemy element.
[10.12] The first element to try to cross a river off-road during the game must dice for its state, which
then applies along its entire length for both sides
for the whole game.
[10.13] A score of 1 or 2 indicates that the river is
paltry, too shallow and easy banked to aid defence
and can be passed through as if good going, 3 or 4
that it slows crossing and its banks aid defence, 5
or 6 that it slows crossing, its banks aid defence
and that only single elements or elements in or forming column can cross it during the game, wider
groups stopping at the near bank.
[10.14] A River is neither good nor bad going, but elements crossing it are often penalised in other
ways. Its nature is constant along its whole length
for the whole game and will not become known until the first attempt by either player to cross it
off-road. See Case (5.63)
[10.15] An element is defending the bank of a River if it is entirely on land and its close combat
opponent at least partly in the water. See Case
(5.64)
[10.16] A Road cannot begin or end at a waterway
edge, but crosses rivers by ford or bridge. See Case
(5.65)
[10.17] Movement along a road is in good going
and counts as straight ahead even when the road
curves. Combat on it is in the going it is passing through. See Case (5.66)
[10.18] A group move by road, or across bad (not
rough) going must be in or into a column unless entirely by Psiloi. See Case (9.51)
[10.19] Fleeing elements cannot avoid a river,
entering which destroys it unless the river is paltry. See Case (15.55)
[10.14] River Type Table
[10.14] RIVER TYPE TABLE
Die Result
1, 2 Paltry - too shallow and easy banked to
aid defence and can be passed through as if good going.
3, 4 Ordinary - slows crossing and its banks aid defence.
5, 6 Difficult - Slows crossing, its banks aid defence and that only single elements or elements in or forming column can cross it during the game, wider groups stopping at the near bank
Crossing a River Examples
As soon as Blade Element A enters the river, it
must move straight forward with no wheeling or sideward movement, once it fully exited it can
wheel. See Case (10.11)
In this case the Blade element A is permitted to
adjust itself to line up with the enemy element B
defending the river bank.
[10.2] INTERPENETRATING FRIENDLY TROOPS
General Rule;
Elements conducting Tactical Movement may pass
through friendly elements if Psiloi or if moving
through Psiloi, if moving through it front to rear, or read to front, and if there is sufficient space to end
the move.
Elements may recoil through friendly elements in certain circumstances, as defined in this Case
Section.
Cases;
[10.21] If making a tactical move, or fleeing,
mounted troops can always pass through Psiloi and
Psiloi pass through any friends, but in both cases only if there is sufficient clear space beyond and
enough move to occupy it, and either A it starts at
least partly directly in front and ends the move lined-up behind or B starts directly behind and ends
the move lined-up in front.
[10.22] Recoilers can pass through friends facing in exactly the same direction to a clear space
immediately behind the first element met, but only if either A mounted troops recoiling into any
friends except Pikes, Hordes or Elephants, B
Blades recoiling into Blades or Spears, C Pikes or Bows recoiling into Blades, or D Psiloi recoiling
into any friends except Psiloi.
[10.23] If the recoiling element is not Elephants,
friends facing in the same direction are
interpenetrated if allowed. If not so allowed they
are pushed back far enough to make room for the
recoil unless they are Elephants or War-Wagons.
See Case (15.49)
[10.24] A recoiling or pushed back element whose
rear edge or rear corner meets friends it cannot pass
through or push back, ends its move there. See Case (15.57)
Interpenetrating Examples
Pisoli Element A conducts a Tactical Move through
Blade Elements B and C. The Pisoli was moving from the rear to the front of the Blades, had
sufficient Movement Allowance and there was
room for it to deploy beyond the Blades. If it was moving through the side of an element, exiting the
other side, it would not be allowed.
Cavalry Element D conducts a Tactical Move through the Psiloi Element E. Its moving rear to
front has the movement allowance and there is
room for it to end its move.
Due to close combat all three elements facing
enemy bows must recoil. Fig (10.2b) shows the
elements before the recoil. In Fig (10.2c) we see the
result of the recoil. Cavalry Element A can recoil through Blade Element B, however Cavalry
Element C and cannot recoil through the friendly
Pike Element D. In this case that element pushed back the Blade to its rear. See Case (15.47). Blade
Element E can recoil through Blade element F.
[10.3] CUTTING CORNERS
General Rule;
An element can move through any friendly element
if it is “cutting the corner”. If you were to draw a
line between the starting and ending positions of each corner of the moving element and only one of
those lines goes through a friendly element, then the move is allowed. Unlike interpenetration, this
kind of move is open to all element types.
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 17 6 March, 2013
This move type is common when an element moves
from the rear of a friendly element to its flank.
Cases;
[10.31] A tactical move by a single element can be
in any direction, even diagonal or oblique, can pass
through any gap it can fit through and can end facing in any direction. See Case (9.21)
[10.31] Examples of Cutting Corners
Cavalry Element B is moving from a position
directly behind Cavalry Element A to its flank. The
two while lines represents the course of movement of each front corner, as you can see only 1 line
crosses through the cavalry element to its front,
thus its allowed. If Cavalry Element B was off-set to the left by any distance, both lines would pass
through the cavalry element to its front and thus the
movement would not be permitted.
[10.4] THREAT ZONE (TZ)
General Rule;
Elements have a Threat Zone, which restricts the movement of enemy elements. An elements zone of
control extends 1 BW, or 40mm if using 15mm, in
from of it.
An enemy zone of control can be blocked by
another friendly element.
An Element which moves into an enemy zone of
control has its movement restricted. It can either
move directly towards, away, into contact or aligns
itself with the enemy element.
Procedure; Starting a Tactical Move within
Enemy Elements TZ (ZOC).
An element which starts a tactical move within an enemy TZ (ZOC) is restricted in how it may move.
(a) It may retire by moving directly to its rear, no
change of direction is allowed and no facing changes are allowed.
(b) It may advance to front contact with any one of
the enemy elements which is projecting a TZ (ZOC) into the moving element.
(c) It may move to square itself with any one of the
enemy elements which is projecting a TZ (ZOC)
into the moving element.. During this move at no
point in the move may the front corners of the
element move further away from the corresponding front corners of the enemy element. At no point in
the move may the front corners of the element
move away from an imaginary line extending directly out of the corresponding front corners of
the enemy element. At no point in the move may
the angle between the front edge of the element and the front edge of the enemy element increase.
The controlling enemy elements are those enemy
elements who’s TZ (ZOC) the element started in. They do not include enemy elements who’s TZ
(ZOC) may have been entered during the move. An
element starting within the TZ (ZOC) of two or more enemy elements has a choice of which
element to contact or square itself to.
Procedure; Entering an Enemies Element’s TZ
(ZOC) during a Tactical Move.
An element that does not start its tactical move
within the TZ (ZOC) of an enemy element, but that
enters the TZ (ZOC) of an enemy element while
moving is also restricted in how it may move.
The element may move normally until it first
touches the TZ (ZOC) of an enemy element. Once it touches the TZ (ZOC);
(a) It may advance to front contact with any one of
the enemy elements which is projecting a TZ (ZOC) into the moving element.
(b) It may move to square itself with any one of the
enemy elements which is projecting a TZ (ZOC) into the moving element.. During this move at no
point in the move may the front corners of the element move further away from the corresponding
front corners of the enemy element. At no point in
the move may the front corners of the element move away from an imaginary line extending
directly out of the corresponding front corners of
the enemy element. At no point in the move may
the angle between the front edge of the element and
the front edge of the enemy element increase.
The controlling enemy elements are those enemy elements who’s TZ (ZOC) the element first enters.
They do not include enemy elements who’s TZ
(ZOC) may be entered subsequently. An element entering the TZ (ZOC) of two or more enemy
elements simultaneously has a choice of which
element to contact or square itself with.
Commentary;
Threat Zones (TZ) and Zones of Control (ZOC) are
identical in these rules and both terms are used freely throughtout these rules..
Cases;
[10.41] The area 1 BW deep in front of an element not in close combat or the area within 1 BW of any
point of a camp, city or fort containing enemy is its
Threat Zone (TZ).
[10.42] An element or group at the far edge of, in
or entering an enemy TZ (ZOC) can move only:
(a) to contact the front edge of or only towards such a TZ-ing element (or contact that camp, city or
fort), or
(b) directly to its own rear, or
(c) as an outcome move after combat.
[10.43] Zones of Control Examples
Cavalry Element A Zone of Control (Threat Zone)
is shown. Its 1 BW paces deep and 1 BW wide, its base with. Next it is the TZ (ZOC) of 2 pike
elements B & C are shown. Each element has its
own zone of control forming a continuous zone 1 BW deep by 2 BW wide.
Blade Element A is in the enemy Zone of Control
of the Cataphract Element C. It is not in the Zone
of control of enemy Cataphract element B or (D).
Blade Element B is blocking the enemy zone of
control, resulting in Pike Element A and C not being in an enemy Zone of Control, even though
both would be in the enemy zone of control if it
was not blocked.
Blade Element A is in the enemy TZ (ZOC) of the
enemy cataphract Element D. Blade Element A is blocking the enemy TZ (ZOC), resulting in Blade
Element B and C not being in an enemy TZ (ZOC), even though both would be in the enemy
TZ (ZOC) if it was not blocked.
The Blade Element A finds itself in an enemy TZ
(ZOC). It have three choices, it can retire as per the
movement on the right.
Blade Element A could advance to contact, as per the left elements, or it may square off as per the
elements on the right. All are valid moves if an
element starts the tactical movement phase in an enemy TZ (ZOC). If an element moves into an
enemy TZ (ZOC) it cannot retire, otherwise can
advance to contact or square off.
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 18 6 March, 2013
[10.5] TERRAIN EFFECTS ON MOVEMENT
General Rule;
Terrain effects movement in some cases. Bad Going will reduce an element movement allowance
in some cases.
Cases;
[10.51] Bad Terrain will reduce the movement
allowance of all troop types, except Fast Pike, Fast
Blade, Fast Auxilia, Fast Bow, Fast Psiloi, Fast Warband, Fast Hordes, Solid Auxilia, and Solid
Warband. See Case (9.7)
[10.52] Bad Terrain is impassable to Artillery and
War wagon, unless moving in column through on a
road. See Case (9.71)
[10.53] Psiloi making a 2nd move if either in their
side’s 1st bound of the game, or if every element
starts entirely in good going but ends at least
partially in bad going. See Case (9.81)
[10.54] River affect movement of elements
attempting to cross, See Case (10.1)
[11.0] MOVING INTO CONTACT WITH ENEMY
General Rule;
In order to engage in Combat opposing elements
must move into contact with each other. This is
called “Moving into Contact with Enemy”.
Procedure;
The phasing player utilises tactical movement to
move a friendly element into contact with enemy elements.
As much as possible the movement allowance of
each element must be utilised to ensure the contact is valid. If still not valid an adjustment and
conforming move can be conducted by either
player to ensure a valid contact, depending on the
circumstance.
Once complete the phasing player moves another element, repeating this process, unless all eligible
elements have moved. Element in groups move
together, element by element, until the entire Group has moved..
Once the phasing player has completed its tactical
movement phase the opposing player conducts ‘conforming” movement, if required, as per case
(11.3).
Cases;
[11.1] MOVING INTO CONTACT WITH ENEMY SEQUENCE OF PLAY
[11.21] MOVING INTO CONTACT WITH ENEMY SEQUENCE OF PLAY
Sub-Phase Result
Phasing Player selects an element, or a group, which will conduct a move into contact with enemy, following the sub-phases below. Once complete additional elements or groups can be selected, repeating these sub-phases.
Move into Contact Sub-Phase
Element moves during the tactical Movement phase until it’s in Valid Initial Contact.
Group moves during the tactical Movement Phase until at least 1 element is in Valid Contact.
Adjustment Sub-Phase
Element conducts an adjustment move of up to ½ BW sideward in order to make a valid final contact. If unable to the contact cannot occur.
Enemy Element contacted by a Group conducts an adjustment move of up ½ BW sideward in order to ensure it’s in a valid final contact with the element, which is part of a group, in initial contact.
Conform Sub-Phase
Group, which has an element in valid contact with an enemy element, which is a part of an enemy group, conforms to the enemy group.
At the end of the enemies Movement Phase, the non-phasing player selects an element which has been contacted in the flank or rear and conducts the following sub-phase. Once completed another eligible element can be selected, repeating this sub-phase.
Turing to face a flank and/or rear sub-phase
Non-phasing element contacted in the rear or flank, and with no enemies in contact with its front, can conduct a turn to face a flank and/or rear move. See case (11.35) and case (11.2)
[11.2] CONTACT
General Rule;
Elements can only contact enemy elements if it
makes a valid initial contact. This consists of the front edge making parallel contact with any enemy
edge, as long as an adjustment sideward move does
not exceed ½ BW. It must conduct normal tactical movement without exceeding its movement
allowance in order to achieve valid initial contact.
Once contacted elements can made an adjustment move, which is a sideward move of no more than ½
BW. See Case (12.2)
Groups which wish to make a valid contact must have at least one element make a valid initial
contact at the end of the group’s movement. An
element can make initial corner contact, or an element may end the move in corner contact, but
one element must be in valid initial contact at the
ends of the groups movement.
Once groups have completed their tactical
movement, if at least 1 element is in contact with
an enemy element, an adjustment and/or conform move is conducted to ensure all elements in the
group end the move in valid contact. See Case (12.2)
The key rule is Case (11.21), players cannot use
unusual and tricky element positioning to avoid an
enemy contact.
Commentary;
Elements may move into contact with an enemy
element or an enemy occupied camp or BUA if at least one of the following applies. Exception See
Case (11.5):
(i) The moving element ends its move in front, flank, or rear contact with an enemy element or
enemy occupied camp.
(ii) The moving element ends the tactical movement phase eligible to provide an overlap in
close combat.
Unless the contacted element is forced to conform
See Case (11.3), the moving element or group of
elements must manoeuvre to reach a legal contact position.
A group may move up to one-half base width
directly left or right to line up opposite an enemy element, See Case (11.35). This makes it easier for
groups to make contact correctly.
Contacting a war wagon or litter is a special case. See Case (11.5) and Case (12.2)
Cases;
[11.21] The general principle is that troops that would contact in real life do so in the game and that
moving a front edge into contact with enemy must
result in combat.
[11.22] At the end of the bound’s movement phase
the contacting element or at least one element of a
contacting group must be lined-up with the enemy element; in A both front edge and front corner-to-
front corner contact, B full front edge to rear edge
contact, or C front edge to side edge contact with
front corners in contact, or D with no enemy in
contact to its front, but in overlap. See Case (11.3)
[11.23] One party moves the minimum distance to so conform.
[11.24] A group moving into contact with enemy
must have at least 1 element in valid contact with an enemy element, or elements at the end of its
Tactical Move. See Case (11.23) “a single
contacting element or at least one element of a contacting group”.
[11.25] An element can end the “Moving into
Contact Move” with the entire front edge in contact with an enemy front edge with both front corners in
contact with the enemy front corners. See Case
(11.23) (“one element of a contacting group must be lined-up with the enemy element; in A both
front edge and front corner-to-front corner
contact”)
[11.26] An element can end the “Moving into
Contact Move” with the entire front edge in contact
with an enemy rear edge with both front corners in contact with the enemy rear corners. See Case
(11.23) (“one element of a contacting group must
be lined-up with the enemy element; in B full front edge to rear edge contact.”)
[11.27] An element can end the “Moving into
Contact Move” with its full front edge in contact with the entire enemies flank edge. The flank edge,
running from the enemy’s front edge to its rear edge must be contacted. See Case (11.23). “one
element of a contacting group must be lined-up
with the enemy element; in C front edge to side edge contact with front corners in contact,”.
Elements with a depth greater than 100 paces
(40mm) are the only exception, see Case (11.5)
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 19 6 March, 2013
[11.28] An element can end the “Moving into
Contact Move” overlapping an enemy element. See
Case (11.23) and Case (14.2). (“one element of a
contacting group must be lined-up with the enemy
element; D with no enemy in contact to its front,
but in overlap. “) In order to do so the enemy element must have a friendly element in normal
contact.
[11.29] Moving into Contact with Enemy Chart
Case Allowed
At the end of the bound’s movement phase the contacting element or at least one element of a contacting group must be lined-up with the enemy element; in ;
(a) both front edge and front corner-to-front corner contact
(b) full front edge to rear edge contact.
(c) front edge to side edge contact with front corners in contact
(d) with no enemy in contact to its front, but in overlap.
Moving into Contact with Enemy Examples
This shows the 4 edges and 4 corners of an
element. In this diagram the element is facing north, aligned with the text and numbers.
Examples of Front Contact
“one element of a contacting group must be lined-up with the enemy element; in A both front edge
and front corner-to-front corner contact” means the
front edge of the element must be touching the edge of an enemy element, and each front corner are
touching the enemy corners. See Case (11.25)
Both of these Moves and enemy Front edge
Contacts are Valid : In both cases the moving
element used its normal tactical movement to contact the enemy element to its front, aligning
both edge and corners. If the moving element
lacked the movement allowance to move into contact, it could move closer and complete its move
to contact the enemy during its next phasing player
turn. If it cannot move into contact with both edge and corners touching, it cannot complete the move
to contact. See Case (11.22)
Both of these moves and enemy front edge contacts
are not valid. In both cases the contact does not
follow the rules of Contact. See Case (11.22). As
the edges are aligned, some free sideward
movement is allowed, which would make this a
valid contact. See case (11.35)
Example of Rear Contact
“one element of a contacting group must be lined-
up with the enemy element; in B full front edge to rear edge contact.”) means the element’s front edge
must fully contact the enemies flank edge, defined
from the enemy’s front edge to its rear edge.
These moves and enemy rear contacts are valid :
Blade Element A was behind the enemy Pike Element B. It has moved into contacted with the
Blade unit, this is a Rear Contact. Blade Element C
has done the same with the enemy Pike Element D. This is also a Rear Contract. See Case (11.26)
Both of these moves and enemy rear edge contacts are not valid. In both cases the contact does not
follow the rules of Contact, See Case (11.22). As
the edges are aligned, some free sideward movement is allowed, which would make this a
valid contact. See case (11.35)
Example of Flank Contact
Both of these Moves and enemy flank edge
Contacts are Valid. In both cases the moving
element has covered the entire enemy flank (from
its front edge to its rear edge) with its front edge.
Both of these Moves and enemy flank edge
Contacts are not Valid. The enemy flank is not
fully covered by either of the friendly elements.
Either the moving elements move sideward to
ensure a valid contact, or if they lack movement
allowance they need to move closer to complete their move to enemy contact their next phasing
player turn. As the edges are aligned, some free
sideward movement is allowed, which would make this a valid contact. See case (11.35)
Examples of Overlap & Corner Contact
If element B was moving as part of a group, or if it
was moving as an individual element this is a valid
overlap, thus the move to enemy contact is valid.
This is a valid move to contact enemy move,
however no combat can result in this case. See Case (14.21).
Neither of these moves is allowed for a single
element. The element must have sufficient movement allowance to move and wheel until it
can contact the entire edge, with corners touching.
If it is unable to this will be due to a lack of movement allowance, in which case it can
complete its move to contact the following phasing
player turn. See Case (11.21)
Examples of Group Contact
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 20 6 March, 2013
To make legal contact the Group consisting of 3
Blade elements must first wheel so it’s aligned with
the enemy elements and then moves into forward
contact. If the Blade Element A lacked the
movement allowance to reach the enemy, it must be
either left behind or the group, as a whole, cannot contact the enemy. It can set itself up for a contact
in the following phasing player turn. Some
sideward movement is allowed, see Case (11.3)
The group of 3 Blade elements advance into
contact with the enemy Pike element D and E. In
the case of enemy Pike E the corner of an element in the group is contacting the enemy edge. This is
permitted in a group because 2 elements have
conducted a valid contact with enemy Pike element D. For the remaining 2 elements, this situation
results in a “Conforming to a Group” move where
the enemy Pike element at an angle confirms to the attacking group. See Case (11.3).
[11.3] CONFORMING & ADJUSTMENTS
General Rule;
After an element has made contact with an enemy
element adjustment may be immediately conducted
to ensure a valid contact. See Case (11.35)
After a group has made contact with an enemy with
at least 1 element, it can conduct an adjustment move and/or conform movement to ensure valid
contact. In some circumstances the opposing player
can conduct adjust and conform movement. See Case (11.32) and case (11.33).
At the end of the phasing players movement phase
elements contacted by enemy elements can conduct a confirm move, if required, to ensure
valid front-to-front contact. See Case (11.35).
Procedure;
Normally an element may not move into contact
with an enemy element unless it meets the criteria
described above. However, the contact criteria are waived under the following conditions:
(i) The element making non-standard contact is
moving as part of a group move.
(ii) One or more elements of the moving group
make normal contact with an enemy element as
described above.
(iii) There is a gap between the enemy elements of
less than one base width.
This exception deters a player from spacing his elements in an odd way simply to make contact
difficult.
When groups are involved in a Move to Contact
there will normally be a Conforming to a group
move conducted by the non-phasing elements.
An element of light horse, light camelry, or psiloi
contacted by an enemy element must conform to
that element if all of the following apply:
The enemy element is moving as part of a group or
column move, or is part of a littoral landing which
has two or more elements.
The contacted element is not in group contact with
one or more friendly elements.
There is sufficient clear space for the contacted element to conform.
If any part of a psiloi element is in bad going, then it doesn’t conform.
To conform, the element immediately turns to face
the contacting element, ending in front contact. If two or more elements make contact at the same
time, the contacted element chooses the element to
face.
The elements in the moving group, column, or
littoral landing may ignore the ZOC of an element
that must conform to them. This is because the conforming element ends the move in front contact
with one of the moving elements, satisfying the
ZOC requirements.
Cases;
[11.31] A single element contacting a single
element conforms to it.
[11.32] A single element or group contacting a
group conforms to that group.
[11.33] A single element contacted by a group conforms to that group unless itself entirely in bad
or rough going in which case the group conforms.
[11.34] If conforming by contactors is prevented by part-element spacing between enemy or physically
blocked by other enemy or a terrain feature;
contacted elements must conform or fight as if in full contact and overlapped.
[11.35] Contacting elements conform immediately.
Contacted elements automatically conform at contact, except that turning to face a flank or rear
contact, See Case (12.2) is at the end of the
contactor’s movement phase.
[11.35] Extra sliding sideways movement of less
than 1 BW that is the minimum necessary for a
contacting group or single element now in front edge contact with an enemy front edge, but that did
not have enough move to line up with this, is free.
Adjustment Examples
Blade Element A expends its entire movement
allowance to contact the enemy Pike Element. After its move is completed and before any other
movement, it immediately conforms to the enemy
Pike element by executing an adjustment move sideward, up to a maximum of ½ BW. See Case
(11.31) and case (11.35)
The group, consisting of 3 blade elements, moves into contact with an enemy group, consisting of 2
pike and 1 Cavalry element. The moving group
conforms to the target group, as per case (11.32)
The 3 Blade elements form a group which moves
into contact with the three enemy Pike elements.
Blade element A and B aligns with the enemy Pike elements D and E. Blade element C moves into
contact with the enemy Pike element F. See Fig
(11.3d). After the phasing player has completed the Move to Contact, the non-phasing player conducts
and Adjustment Move, with the result shown in Fig
(11.3f).
In this example 3 Blade elements make individual moves to contact. Because the enemy Pike element
E is off-set it does not make valid contact. In this
case the enemy must make an adjustment move to line up with its attacker. See Case (11.33).
[11.4] FLANK & REAR CONTACT
General Rule;
Front Contact. An element is in front contact with
an enemy element if the elements are in mutual
front edge to front edge and front corner to front corner contact. An element is in front contact with
an enemy occupied camp or BUA if its front edge
is in contact with the edge of the camp or BUA.
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 21 6 March, 2013
Contacting a war wagon or litter is a special case.
See Case (11.5) and Case (12.2)
Flank Contact. An element is in flank contact with
an enemy element if its front edge is in contact with
the enemy element's side edge AND the elements
are in mutual left-to-left or right-to-right front corner contact. An element cannot be in flank
contact with a camp or BUA.
Rear Contact. An element is in rear contact with an enemy element if its front edge is in contact with
the enemy element's rear edge AND the elements
are in front corner-to-rear corner contact. An element cannot be in rear contact with a camp or
BUA.
Cases;
[11.41] An element can move into edge contact
with an enemy flank edge only if it starts entirely on the opposite side of a line prolonging that edge
or if partly on the opposite sides of lines prolonging
both flank and rear edges.
[11.42] It can move into contact with an enemy rear
edge only if it starts entirely on the far side of a line
prolonging that edge..
[11.43] All other contacts are considered to be front
edge contacts.
[11.44] Element Front, Flanks and Rear..
This shows the 4 edges and 4 corners and the flank edge lines and rear edge lines of an element. In this
diagram the element is facing north, aligned with
the text and numbers.
Flank Contact Example
“An element can move into edge contact with an
enemy flank edge only if it starts entirely on the opposite side of a line prolonging that edge or if
partly on the opposite sides of lines prolonging
both flank and rear edges.” This means the attacking element must be entirely left of the left
flank line, or right of the right flank line to be able to contact the enemy flank. If the element is
partially in the rear zone, it can still contact the
enemy flank. If any part of the element is in the front zone, no flank contact is possible.
These two moves to flank contact are valid. The
element did not start in the front zone and can as a result contact the enemy in the flank, if it has
sufficient movement allowance.
These moves are also valid
In this example none of the 3 Blade elements could
contact an enemy flank. Blade Element A and B
both started in or partially in the enemy Pikes element D’s front zone. Blade element C started
partially in the front zone of enemy Pike element E.
If the enemy Pike element E did not exists, Blade element C could attempt to contact the enemy Pike
element D in the flank, but that option is not
available here.
Rear Contact Examples
“It can move into contact with an enemy rear edge
only if it starts entirely on the far side of a line prolonging that edge”. This means the element
must be entirely in the rear zone, including the rear
left and right flank zones, to contact the enemy element in the rear.
These are both valid contact with enemy rear
moves.
Blade Element A can contact the enemy Pike element C in the rear, because it started fully
behind the enemy rear’s edge (Left/Rear, Rear,
Right/Rear Zone). Blade element B is unable to contact the enemy Blade element because it was
not entirely behind the enemy elements rear edge
(Left/Rear, Rear, Right/Rear Zone), but it can contact that element in the flank.
[11.5] SPECIAL CONTACT CASES
General Rule;
Artillery, war wagon, and litter elements may not
move into contact with an enemy element or enemy
occupied camp or BUA. This restriction includes
all contact, including corner-to-corner. Therefore
these element types may not move into an overlap
position.
Cases;
[11.51] Artillery or War Wagons cannot move into
any contact with enemy, except that a WWg mobile tower can contact an enemy held city, fort or camp.
[11.52] Other elements except Scythed Chariots
can contact a city, fort or camp with their front edge.
[11.53] A War Wagon counts the edge first contacted that bound as its front edge, so does not
turn to face. A 2nd element contacting that edge is
treated as if overlapping the nearest flank Combat to both front and to flank and/or rear. See Case
(12.2)
[11.54] Flanks of elements deeper than 100 paces (40mm) can be contacted in the flank if the entire
enemy front edge is in contact with its flank edge.
This applies to War Wagons and Generals in litter.
[11.55] Elements based in double depth, such as
Knights (6Kn) and Cavalry (6Cv) are counted as 2
elements for the purposes of the flank contact rule.
[11.56] A double fights in close combat against
most foot as if the rear element was providing rear
support. See Case (4.35)
[12.0] MOVEMENT IN CLOSE COMBAT
General Rule;
Elements in Contact, either in contact across an
edge or as an overlapping element, have a limited
number of movement options available. These are covered in this Section.
Cases;
[12.1] BREAKING-OFF FROM CLOSE COMBAT
General Rule
Breaking off from close combat is not allowed.
Cases;
[11.31] An element still in close combat against an
enemy front edge can move away only by recoil or flee outcome moves.
[12.2] TURNING TO FACE A FLANK OR REAR CONTACT
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 22 6 March, 2013
[12.21] At the end of the movement phase,
elements not in mutual front edge contact with an
enemy element but contacted to flank or rear by an
enemy front edge turn to face the first enemy
element to so contact, other existing legal contacts
being adjusted by moving the elements forward, back or the minimum sideways to maintain them.
[12.22] If an element so contacts the flanks of 2
enemy elements, both these turn to face it, the 2nd moving to behind the 1st.
[12.23] On the rare occasions that a 3rd element is
contacted, it moves straight back to make room for the others to turn.
Examples of Turning to face a flank
The Blade Element was contacted in the flank
during the previous non-phasing player turn. At the
end of that non-phasing movement phase the Blade element can turn to face the enemy element. If
more than one enemy element was in contact with
the rear or flanks, turn to face the first enemy element which contacted it. If the element is in
mutual front contact, no turning to face the flank or
rear is allowed.
[13.0] DISTANT SHOOTING
General Rule;
Combat represents Distant Shooting and Close
Combat. Combat resolution follows the same
procedure for both distant shooting and close combat.
Cases;
[13.1] DISTANT SHOOTING ELIGIBILITY
General Rule;
In DBA, distant shooting represents the long range
shooting of massed bowmen, war wagons, and artillery. All short range shooting is included
implicitly in close combat.
Procedure;
Distant shooting is limited to bow, war wagon, and
artillery elements:
- Bow and war wagon elements shoot in both their
own turn and their opponent's turn. See Case (8.22)
- Normally, artillery elements only shoot in their
own turn and only if they did not make a tactical
move. See Case (13.23) and Case (13.24)
- However, if artillery are shot at in their opponents turn, they may also shoot (return fire). (Check)
The phasing player chooses the order in which
shooting takes place, selecting from the eligible elements that have not yet shot. Each combat is
resolved and all resulting outcome moves
completed before moving to the next combat.
If an element is eligible to shoot at the beginning of
the distant shooting phase but becomes ineligible before it takes its turn, then the element does not
shoot in that turn. Conversely, if an element is not
eligible to shoot at the beginning of the distant shooting phase but becomes eligible as a result of
other shooting, then that element may be selected to
shoot.
An element may not shoot more than once in a
turn.
An element may not be shot at more than once in a turn. However, up to three shooters may combine
their shooting against an element, the extra shooters
aiding the main shooter.
If two or more elements are shooting at the same
target, the shooter closest to the target must be
selected as the main shooter. As the main shooter, that element’s combat factor will be used to resolve
the combat.
Elements that are eligible to shoot must do so during the distant shooting phase (an element
cannot decline to shoot). Elements that are eligible
to shoot at one another must do so.
An element is eligible to shoot if all of the
following apply:
• At least part of the target edge is in the arc of fire of the shooting element.
• The distance from any part of the shooting edge to
any part of the target edge is less than or equal to the maximum range for the shooting element.
• The path from the shooting edge to the target edge
is not blocked.
• Neither the shooting element nor the target
element is in front, flank, or rear contact with an
enemy element.
• Neither the shooting element nor the target
element is in a position to provide an overlap
against an enemy element.
• The target element is not in position to provide
rear support to a friendly element.
Cases;
[13.11] Only Bows, Artillery and War Wagons can
shoot. Maximum range is 5 BW if Artillery and 3
BW if Bows or War Wagons.
[13.12] Measure range between the closest points
of the shooting edge and the target edge.
[13.13] The Shooting Edge is either A the front edge of a Bows or Artillery element, or B any 1
BW portion of the perimeter of a city, fort or camp
or of any edge of War Wagons.
[13.14] The Target Edge is either A all of, or any
single ½ BW portion of, an element edge or B any ½ BW portion of the perimeter of a city, fort or
camp.
[13.15] It must be entirely within 1 BW of directly
in front of part of the shooting edge.
[13.16] Artillery can shoot only A in their own
bound if they did not move, or B to shoot back at
enemy artillery shooting at them. See Case (13.24).
Bows can shoot in both their own bound and the enemy bound as long as they did not move more
than 1 BW. See case (13.25).
[13.17] DISTANT SHOOTING RANGE CHART
Type Range (BW)
Range (15mm)
Bow 3 BW 120 mm
War Wagon 3 BW 120 mm
Artillery 5 BW 200 mm
[13.18] Shooting Edge Definition Chart
Edge Definition
Shooting Edge
(a) the front edge of a Bows or Artillery element
(b) any 1 BW portion of the perimeter of a city, fort or camp or of any edge of War Wagons
Target Edge
(a) all of, or any single ½ BW portion of, an element edge
(b) any ½ BW portion of the perimeter of a city, fort or camp.
[13.19] To conduct distant shooting the target must
be within the arch of fire of the shooter. For bow
and artillery elements, the arc of fire is a
rectangular area extending from the front edge of the element forward and extending out 1 base width
to either side. For bow or artillery elements
occupying a camp or BUA, the arc of fire is a full 360° circle around the camp or BUA. See Case
(13.13) and case (13.15)
Distant Shooting & Target Edge Examples
Bow element A and C entire front edge is available
to shoot, as a result it’s a valid shooting edge. Bow element B only has half its front edge exposed,
which could mean it’s not a valid shooting edge. In
summary you cannot arranging your missile elements in such a manner to achieve an
unreasonably high density. (Need to Verify)
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 23 6 March, 2013
All three enemy elements present a valid target
edge. If enemy element C obscured more than 50%
of element (B), then element (2) would not present
a valid target edge. You cannot arrange your
elements to provide an unreasonable level of
protection against enemy missile fire.
The full arc of fire of this bow element is displayed.
It can conduct distance shooting against any enemy element, or part of an element, in the zone indicated
above. A BUA or Camp has an arc of fire which is
a full 360° circle.
[13.2] DISTANT SHOOTING RESTRICTIONS
General Rule;
Distant shooting is not permitted if a line of fire is blocked or if target is in close combat.
Cases;
[13.21] Shooting is blocked if uncrossed lines joining the ends of the shooting and target edges
have part of any element between them.
[13.22] Shooting is not possible if either shooters or target are in close combat or providing rear
support, but is possible to or from elements that are
overlapping and not in close combat.
[13.23] Targets exposed by outcome moves can be
shot at.
[13.24] Artillery can shoot only A in their own
bound if they did not move, or B to shoot back at
enemy artillery shooting at them.
[13.25] Bows and War Wagons that move more
than 1 BW cannot shoot.
[13.26] A hill’s crest, a city or fort, or a ½ BW depth of difficult hills, woods, oasis, dunes, hamlet
or edifice blocks shooting from and at an element
base edge entirely beyond it.
[13.27] An element that is at least partly in a river
or a marsh cannot shoot.
[13.28] An element entirely in a gully cannot shoot or be shot at.
[13.29] The path is also blocked if any of the
following situations exist:
(i) The target element is entirely in a woods or
oasis terrain piece.
(ii) The shooting element is entirely in a woods or oasis terrain piece.
(iii) The entire width of the shooting path is
blocked by the crest of a gentle or steep hill.
(iv) The entire width of the shooting path is
blocked by a woods or oasis.
Distant Shooting Restrictions Examples
Bow element A can conduct distant shooting against enemy Element C. Bow element B can
conduct distant shooting against enemy element D,
because there is a valid target edge, of ½ BW or larger, available to be shot at with no obstructions.
This is confirmed by drawing a line from each
shooting corner to the points on the target edge which measure ½ BW, or more. The lines cannot
be crossed.
The enemy Pike elements in close combat and its
rear supporting element cannot be a valid distant
shooting target. The Pike element overlapping the Blade element is a valid target. Bow element A and
B can conduct distant shooting against it, but Bow
element C does not have a target edge of ½ BW or more and cannot. Bow element D also has no
distant shooting target.
Bow element A has a gap which is ½ BW wide,
this is wide enough for it to conduct distant
shooting against enemy element E. Bow element B only has a gap of ¼ BW, this is not wide enough
and that Bow element cannot conduct distant
shooting.
In this case no bow elements can shoot, as the line
of fire is blocked by more than ½ BW of woods.
The Bow element A line of fire to the enemy Bow
element C is blocked by the crest. Bow element B
is not blocked and can shoot enemy Bow element C and it can shoot back.
[13.3] DISTANT SHOOTING TARGET
General Rule;
Bows and War Wagons must shoot at the highest
priority target available. Shooting Priority is A
Targets in their TZ (ZOC). B Targets shooting at them. C Any eligible target.
Cases;
[13.31] Bows and WWg must shoot at a target in
their TZ (ZOC). If there is none, they must shoot
at a target that is shooting at them. If neither, they can choose any eligible target.
[13.32] Artillery always chooses its target and can
shoot through or over enemy Psiloi.
Distant Shooting Target Examples
Bow element A must target the enemy Pike
element D because it’s in its TZ (ZOC). This is the case even if the enemy Bow element B was
shooting at your bow element. If the enemy Blade
element was not in its TZ (ZOC), the target would need to be the enemy Bow element, because it was
shooting at you. If it was not shooting then the
owning player can select any of the three elements as a valid target.
[13.4] SHOOTING SUPPORT
General Rule
If 2 or 3 elements are shooting at the same target,
instead of conducting distant shooting separately all
three elements can combine their firepower. In this case only 1 element is shooting, the other two are
providing a die roll modifier. This is called
shooting Support.
Cases;
[13.41] A 2nd or 3rd element shooting at the same
target aids the shooting of the nearest shooter by providing it with a tactical factor instead of being
resolved separately.
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 24 6 March, 2013
[13.42] Any more elements shooting at that target
this bound have no effect.
[13.43] If a shooter whose target does not shoot
back is shot at by a third party, this is resolved first,
then it shoots using the same dice score.
Distant Shooting Support Examples
Three elements of English longbow (classed as
Bows Bw) shoot at a Scotish schiltron (classed as Pike, Pk).
Bows element B shoots at Pike element D, assisted
by Bows element A and C. Both dice.
Bows element B scores 2 and adds +2 for its
combat factor against foot.
Pike element D scores 5 and adds +3 for its combat factor. It receives no support from Pike element E,
and must deduct -1 for each of the two elements
supporting its opponent.
Bows element B has scored less than its opponent,
so does not destroy it or force it to recoil, but
escapes penalty itself because it is not shot back at. Had the scores been reversed, pike element D
would have been destroyed. Pike element E would
not be destroyed with it, since it does not count as supporting against shooting.
[13.5] SHOOTING ON A REAR EDGE
General Rule;
Shooting at an element’s rear edge has a special
effect, if that element is recoiling. An element shot
exclusively on its rear edge which then suffers a recoil result, turns to face the rear before recoiling
An element is eligible to shoot exclusively on a rear
edge if the shooting edge is entirely behind an imaginary line running along the rear edge of the
target element.
If the main shooting element is being aided by one or more additional shooting elements, then all
shooting elements must be eligible to shoot exclusively on the rear edge. If they’re not all
eligible, then it’s just a regular shot.
Cases;
[13.51] An element with a recoil outcome to
shooting entirely from behind a line extending its
rear edge turns to face its rear before recoiling. See Case (15.5)
Shooting on a Rear Edge Examples
Bow Element C is shooting on the rear edge of Pike
Element A. Pike Element A has to recoil, which
means it turns to face its rear and makes a recoil move, ending in position A2.
[13.6] DISTANT SHOOTING & TERRAIN
General Rule;
Terrain features can affect distant shooting combat
by providing factors, which will modify a player’s
combat die roll. Elements defending a City, Fort, or Camp receive combat factors which provide a
benefit when a target of distant shooting.
Cases;
[13.61] +4 If defending a city or fort; and either in
close combat or being shot at. See Case (15.15)
[13.62] +2 If camp followers or other foot
occupying their own camp; and either in close
combat or being shot at. See Case (15.15)
[13.63] DISTANT SHOOTING TERRAIN EFFECTS CHART
Terrain Mod Notes
City or Fort
+4 If defending a city or fort; and being shot at. See Case (15.15)
Camp +2 If camp followers or other foot occupying their own camp and being shot at. See Case (15.15)
[14.0] CLOSE COMBAT
General Rule;
In DBA, close combat represents all of the fighting
that occurred at close quarters. Skirmishers
throwing or firing missiles at close range; horse
archers galloping up, firing, and riding back; foot
troops throwing their pila or francisca as a prelude
to their charge; and of course, hand-to-hand combat itself.
Cases;
[14.1] CLOSE COMBAT ELIGIBILITY
General Rule;
Close Combat consists of two opposing elements in front-to-front contact engaged in combat.
Irrespective of the edge contacted, after the
required adjustments and conforming moves, the element will start the Combat phase in front-to-
front contact.
Other elements, either overlapping or in contact
with an enemy’s rear and/or flank edge, do not
conduct a close combat but can support a friendly
element in front-to-front contact with the enemy. These elements, while not initiating close combat,
are involved in the close combat.
Procedure;
All pairs of elements in mutual front contact at the
beginning of the close combat phase participate in
close combat during that phase The active player chooses the order in which combat takes place.
Each combat is resolved and all resulting outcome
moves completed before moving to the next combat.
If an element that is eligible for combat at the
beginning of the close combat phase is destroyed as a result of another combat before it participates in
close combat, then that element does not participate
in close combat in that turn.
If a pair of elements are not in mutual front contact
at the beginning of the close combat phase, but
become so during the phase (due to an outcome move), they do not participate in close combat
during that turn.
Cases;
[14.11] In addition to hand-to-hand fighting, close
combat includes all use of missiles by mounted
troops or foot skirmishers or during a charge or melee.
[14.12] It (Close Combat) occurs when an element
moves into, or remains in, both front edge and front corner-to-corner contact with an enemy element or
at least partial front edge contact with a city, fort or
camp.
[14.13] War Wagons count the edge first contacted
that bound as its front edge, so do not turn to face.
A 2nd element contacting that edge is treated as if overlapping the nearest flank. It ceases to be treated
as the front edge when the contact ceases.
[14.14] When an element is in close combat both to front and to flank or rear or in close combat to its
front and overlapped, only it and the enemy
element in front fight each other.
[14.15] Others only provide Tactical Factors.
Close Combat Eligibility Examples
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 25 6 March, 2013
This shows two elements which are in valid contact
for close combat.
Combat to front and to Flank, and/or Rear
Examples
Element B and C cannot engage in close combat
but can provide support to Element A and C.
Element A, C, D & E are all in contact with the enemy Element B. All four elements are part of the
close combat, however the 3 elements in rear and
flank do not execute close combat, instead they support and provide tactical factors to the friendly
element A in the front. In this case a maximum of
+3.
This example is identical to the previous example. All 4 elements are involved in the close combat,
Element A conducting the close combat, with
support factors from Element C, D, & E.
[14.2] COMBAT WHEN OVERLAPPED OR OVERLAPPING.
General Rule;
If elements overlap an enemy element, which is in close combat to its front, they can provide a close
combat factor benefit to the close combat.
Overlap represents an element fighting an enemy flank and/or rear edge, while that enemy is engaged
in combat to its front. The elements can physically
be overlapping the element, or can be in valid front to flank edge contact, in each case the combat
effect is identical.
In summary, unusual movement to achieve flank attacks have no additional value compared with a
simple overlap. Only a contact against an enemy
rear edge, which is in combat to its front, has an additional benefit.
Procedure;
An element cannot overlap a camp or BUA. A camp or BUA cannot overlap an element.
An element may receive at most one -1 for overlap or flank contact on the left, one -1 for overlap or
flank contact on the right, and one -1 for rear
contact.
Cases;
[14.21] An element not in frontal close combat but
in mutual right-to-right or left-to-left front or rear
corner contact with any enemy element except
Psiloi overlaps it; even when the enemy element is
exposed by its frontal opponent having recoiled,
fled or been destroyed that bound.
[14.22] Any enemies in any mutual flank edge
contact overlap each other whether in close combat
or not.
[14.23] An element can overlap 2 enemy elements
on opposite flanks.
[14.24] An element that did not move this bound and has its nearest front corner less than 1 BW
from a battlefield edge counts as overlapped on that corner.
[14.25] Only 1 overlap or flank contact is counted
per flank.
[14.26] For each enemy element either overlapping
or in front edge and front corner-to-front corner
contact with flank or in full front edge contact with rear, or for each 2nd or 3rd enemy element aiding
opposing element’s shooting, or for each of up to 2
additional enemy elements also still assaulting a city, fort or camp. See Case (15.15)
Combat when Overlapped or Overlapping
Example
This example shows an enemy pike element
overlapped on each of its flanks. In this case the
attacking Blade element B receives modifiers for 2 overlaps. In this case a +2. See Case (14.1)
Examples.
[14.3] MUTUAL SIDE EDGE CONTACT
General Rule;
Spear and Sold Bow elements can gain a combat
benefit if there is a friendly solid Spear or Blade element in mutual side edge contact.
Cases;
[14.31] An element of Spears or “Solid” Bows adds +1 when in frontal close combat in good going
against enemy foot if at least 1 flank edge is in
mutual side edge and mutual front corner contact with a friendly element: of A Spears or “Solid”
Blades if the supported element is Spears, or B of
“Solid” Blades if the supported element is Bows. “Fast” elements neither give nor receive flank
support. See Case (15.14)
[14.32] Elements in mutual side edge contact can provide both an overlap and a mutual side edge
contact close combat modifier.
[14.4] CLOSE COMBAT AGAINST A CITY, FORT OR CAMP
General Rule;
An element in front contact with an enemy
occupied camp is eligible to participate in close combat. If the element defending the camp is
destroyed, the attacking element immediately
occupies the camp. An element providing rear support to the attacking element does not move in
this case.
Cases;
[14.41] Troops assaulting or defending these (City,
Fort or Camp) use their combat factor against foot
and do not count overlaps or flank or rear support.
[14.42] A city, fort or camp can be in contact with
the front edges of up to 3 assaulting elements.
[14.43] The defender fights each assaulting element separately in succession, in each combat counting
others still in contact as a tactical factor.
[14.44] Combats cease when the defender is destroyed or all assaulting elements have fought.
[14.45] Elephants can assault a city or fort only at a
gate.
Examples;
This city is in contact with 4 elements, but only 3 are counted. There is a single defender which
engages in combat with any 3 attackers, one at a
time. The defender is assumed to be spread around the entire perimeter so it’s in contact with all 3
eligible attacking enemy elements.
[14.5] CLOSE COMBAT & TERRAIN
General Rule;
Terrain features can affect combat by providing
factors, which will modify a player’s combat die
roll. Elements defending a City, Fort, Camp, Bad
Going or if Up Hill receives combat factors which
provide a benefit in any close combat.
In some cases a close combat modifier is only
allowed if an element is in good going.
Cases;
[14.51] +4 If defending a city or fort; and either in
close combat or being shot at. See Case (15.15)
[14.52] +2 If camp followers or other foot occupying their own camp; and either in close
combat or being shot at. See Case (15.15)
[14.53] +1 If in close combat; and either uphill or defending any but a paltry river’s bank off-road.
See Case (15.15)
[14.54] -2 If any troops but Auxilia, Bows,
Warband or Psiloi and in close combat in bad (not
rough) going. See Case (15.15)
[14.55] Pikes add +3 and Warband +1 when in frontal close combat against enemy foot other than
Psiloi, or Pikes +1 when in frontal close combat
against Knights, Elephants or Scythed Chariots; if in either case they have another friendly element of
the same type lined-up directly behind facing the
same direction, and both are in good going. See Case (15.13)
[14.56] Double elements (6Kn, 6Cv, 8Sp, 6Bd,
8Bw) not in a city, fort or camp add +1 when in frontal close combat against enemy foot and the
double element is entirely in good going. See Case
(15.13)
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 26 6 March, 2013
[14.57] An element of Spears or “Solid” Bows adds
+1 when in frontal close combat in good going
against enemy foot if at least 1 flank edge is in
mutual side edge and mutual front corner contact
with a friendly element: of A Spears or “Solid”
Blades if the supported element is Spears, or B of “Solid” Blades if the supported element is Bows.
“Fast” elements neither give nor receive flank
support. See Case (15.14)
[14.58] CLOSE COMBAT TERRAIN EFFECTS CHART
Terrain Mod Notes
City or Fort
+4 If defending a city or fort and in close combat. See Case (15.15)
Camp +2 If camp followers or other foot occupying their own camp and in close combat. See Case (15.15)
Uphill +1 If in close combat and uphill. See Case (15.15)
River +1 If in close combat and defending any but a paltry river’s bank off-road. See Case (15.15)
Bad Going -2 If any troops but Auxilia, Bows, Warband or Psiloi and in close combat in bad (not rough) going. See Case (15.15)
- Pike and Warband cannot gain +3 for rear support. See Case (15.13)
- Double elements cannot gain +1 for rear support. See Case (15.13)
- Spears or Solid Bow cannot gain +1 if for mutual flank edge. See Case (15.14)
[14.6] CLOSE COMBAT REAR & FLANK SUPPORT
General Rule;
In some cases friendly elements directly behind an
element in close combat can provide support in the
form of Rear Support factors. (Combat Die roll modifiers.)
In some cases friendly elements can provide flank
support in the form of Flank Support factors. (Combat Die Roll Modifiers.)
Procedure;
Pike and warband can obtain rear support if they have an element of the same type directly behind
and facing the same direction as the supported
element in in Good Going.
In all cases, the subtype and depths of the elements
are not important, as long as the elements are of the
appropriate type. For example, a 5Wb may support a 3Wb and vice-versa.
If an element is destroyed and it received rear
support from an element directly to its rear, the supporting element is also destroyed. There is one
exception: A supporting element of pike is not
destroyed.
An element that can provide rear support must
provide rear support.
Spear and in some cases Steady Bow can obtain
flank support, if a friendly Spear or Blade element
is aligned on its flank, facing the same direction as
the supported element and in Good Going.
Cases;
[14.61] Pikes add +3 and Warband +1 when in frontal close combat against enemy foot other than
Psiloi, or Pikes +1 when in frontal close combat
against Knights, Elephants or Scythed Chariots; if in either case they have another friendly element of
the same type lined-up directly behind facing the
same direction, and both are in good going. See Case (15.13)
[14.62] Double elements (6Kn, 6Cv, 8Sp, 6Bd, 8Bw) not in a city, fort or camp add +1 when in
frontal close combat against enemy foot and the
double element is entirely in good going. See Case (15.13).
[14.63] An element of Spears or “Solid” Bows adds
+1 when in frontal close combat in good going
against enemy foot if at least 1 flank edge is in
mutual side edge and mutual front corner contact
with a friendly element: of A Spears or “Solid” Blades if the supported element is Spears, or B of
“Solid” Blades if the supported element is Bows.
“Fast” elements neither give nor receive flank support. See Case (15.14)
Rear support Examples;
In both these examples the elements in close
combat receive support, and a tactical factor, from
the elements to their rear.
Flank Support Examples
In these three examples the element in combat with
the enemy Pike element received +1 flank Support. In these examples you also receive a +1 for
overlap. The friendly element on the flank could be
in close combat as well, in which case both friendly spear elements can provide flank support for each
other, but they do not provide a +1 overlap modifier. If there was an element on each flank,
you still only receive a maximum of +1 for flank
support.
[15.0] COMBAT RESULTS
General Rule;
Combat resolution follows the same procedure for
both distant shooting and close combat.
Procedure;
Each player spins a die for their respective element
involved in close combat or distant shooting.
The result is added to the Elements Combat factor.
This aggregate result is modified by the Combat
factors to arrive at a final modified combat value for each of the two opposing elements.
The results are compared and this result compared with the Combat Outcome table, which will detail
the result of the combat. The element type will
affect the result.
The results are immediately executed, after which
the process is repeated for any other combats.
When all combats are completed the current combat phase has ended.
Cases;
[15.1] RESOLVING SHOOTING OR CLOSE COMBAT
General Rule;
Combat resolution follows the same procedure for
both distant shooting and close combat.
Procedure;
Close Combat : Each player spins a dice for their
respective element in front-to-front edge contact, adding the result to their respective Combat factor.
See case (15.12). Modify the die roll using the
Combat Factor Table. See Case (15.16) and case (15.17). The two results are compared to provide a
combat outcome. See case (15.2).
Other elements providing rear support and/or enemy flank/rear contact, and/or overlap, will
provide tactical factors for the combat die roll as
per the Combat Factor tables.
Distant Shooting : Each player spins a dice for their
shooting and target element, adding the result to
their respective Combat Factor. See case (15.12). Modify the die roll using the Combat Factor Table.
See Case (15.16) and case (15.17). The two results
are compared to provide a combat outcome. See case (15.2).
Other elements providing distant shooting support
will provide tactical factors for the combat die roll as per the Combat Factor tables.
Cases;
[15.11] Whether in contact, shooting or only shot at, each player dices for their element, and adds its
combat factor below and any rear support, flank
support and tactical factors to the score:
[15.12] COMBAT FACTOR TABLE
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 27 6 March, 2013
Situation Foot Mntd
Elephants +5 +4
Blades in close combat +5 +3
Spears, Blades if shot at, or Artillery unless in a city or fort.
+4 +4
Knights, Scythed Chariots, Pikes or War-Wagons.
+3 +4
Cavalry, Camelry or Auxilia +3 +3
Warband or Hordes +3 +2
Bows +2 +4
Light Horse or Psiloi. Artillery in a city or fort
+2 +2
Camp followers or city denizens
+0 +0
Ft = If against foot. Mntd = If against mounted.
[15.13] Rear support factors:
Pikes add +3 and Warband +1 when in frontal close
combat against enemy foot other than Psiloi, or
Pikes +1 when in frontal close combat against Knights, Elephants or Scythed Chariots; if in either
case they have another friendly element of the same
type lined-up directly behind facing the same direction, and both are in good going.
Double elements (6Kn, 6Cv, 8Sp, 6Bd, 8Bw) not in
a city, fort or camp add +1 when in frontal close combat against enemy foot and the double element
is entirely in good going.
[15.14] Flank support factors:
An element of Spears or “Solid” Bows adds +1
when in frontal close combat in good going against
enemy foot if at least 1 flank edge is in mutual side
edge and mutual front corner contact with a
friendly element: of A Spears or “Solid” Blades if
the supported element is Spears, or B of “Solid” Blades if the supported element is Bows. “Fast”
elements neither give nor receive flank support.
[15.15] Tactical Factors:
Add to or subtract from scores for each of the
following tactical factors that applies:
+4 If defending a city or fort; and either in close
combat or being shot at.
+2 If camp followers or other foot occupying their own camp; and either in close combat or being shot
at.
+1 If the general's element; and either in close combat or being shot at.
+1 If in close combat; and either uphill or
defending any but a paltry river’s bank off-road.
-1 For each enemy element either overlapping or in
front edge and front corner-to-front corner contact
with flank or in full front edge contact with rear, or for each 2nd or 3rd enemy element aiding opposing
element’s shooting, or for each of up to 2 additional
enemy elements also still assaulting a city, fort or camp.
-2 If any troops but Auxilia, Bows, Warband or
Psiloi and in close combat in bad (not rough) going.
[15.16] Special Combat Factors Table (Original)
Mod Situation
Rear Support Factors (Pikes & Warband)
+3 Pikes when in frontal close combat against enemy foot other than Psiloi if
they have another friendly Pike element lined-up directly behind facing the same direction, and both are in good going.
+1 Warband when in frontal close combat against enemy foot other than Psiloi if they have another friendly Warband element lined-up directly behind facing the same direction, and both are in good going.
+1 Pikes +1 when in frontal close combat against Knights, Elephants or Scythed Chariots; if they have another friendly Pike element lined-up directly behind facing the same direction, and both are in good going
+1 Double elements (6Kn, 6Cv, 8Sp, 6Bd, 8Bw) not in a city, fort or camp when in frontal close combat against enemy foot and the double element is entirely in good going.
Flank Support Factors (Spears & S Bows)
+1 An element of Spears or “Solid” Bows when in frontal close combat in good going against enemy foot if at least 1 flank edge is in mutual side edge and mutual front corner contact with a friendly element: of A Spears or “Solid” Blades if the supported element is Spears, or B of “Solid” Blades if the supported element is Bows. “Fast” elements neither give nor receive flank support.
[15.17] Standard Tactical Factor Table
(Original)
Add to or subtract from scores for each of the
following tactical factors that applies:
Mod Situation
+4 If defending a city or fort; and either in close combat or being shot at.
+2 If camp followers or other foot occupying their own camp; and either in close combat or being shot at
+1 If the general's element; and either in close combat or being shot at.
+1 If in close combat; and either uphill or defending any but a paltry river’s bank off-road.
-1 For each enemy element either overlapping or in front edge and front corner-to-front corner contact with flank or in full front edge contact with rear, or for each 2nd or 3rd enemy element aiding opposing element’s shooting, or for each of up to 2 additional enemy elements also still assaulting a city, fort or camp.
-2 If any troops but Auxilia, Bows, Warband or Psiloi and in close combat in bad (not rough) going.
[15.18] CLOSE COMBAT TACTICAL FACTOR TABLE
Mod Situation
Rear Support Factors (Pikes & Warband)
+3 Pikes (3Pk, 4Pk) when in frontal close combat against enemy foot other than Psiloi if they have another friendly Pike element lined-up directly behind facing the same direction, and both are in good going.
+1 Warband (3Wb, 4Wb) when in frontal close combat against enemy foot other than Psiloi if they have another friendly Warband element lined-up directly behind
facing the same direction, and both are in good going.
+1 Pikes (3Pk, 4Pk) when in frontal close
combat against Knights, Elephants or Scythed Chariots; if they have another friendly Pike element lined-up directly behind facing the same direction, and both are in good going
+1 Double elements (6Kn, 6Cv, 8Sp, 6Bd, 8Bw) not in a city, fort or camp when in
frontal close combat against enemy foot and the double element is entirely in good going.
Flank Support Factors (Spears & Bows)
+1 Spears (4Sp, 8Sp) when in frontal close combat in good going against enemy foot if at least 1 flank edge is in mutual side edge and mutual front corner contact with a friendly element of Spears or “Solid” Blade. “Fast” elements neither give nor receive flank support.
+1 An element of “Solid” Bows (4Bw) when
in frontal close combat in good going against enemy foot if at least 1 flank edge is in mutual side edge and mutual front corner contact with a friendly element of “Solid” Blade.
Standard Tactical Factor Table
+4 If defending a city or fort in close combat
+2 If camp followers or other foot occupying their own camp in close combat
+1 If the general's element in close combat
+1 If in close combat; and either uphill or defending any but a paltry river’s bank off-road.
-1 For each enemy element either overlapping or in front edge and front corner-to-front corner contact with flank or in full front edge contact with rear, or for each of up to 2 additional enemy elements also still assaulting a city, fort or camp.
-2 If any troops but Auxilia, Bows, Warband or Psiloi and in close combat in bad (not rough) going.
[15.19] DISTANT SHOOTING TACTICAL FACTOR TABLE
Mod Situation
+4 If defending a city or fort being shot at.
+2 If camp followers or other foot occupying their own camp being shot at
+1 If the general's element being shot at.
-1 For each 2nd or 3rd enemy element aiding opposing element’s shooting.
[15.2] COMBAT OUTCOME
General Rule;
Combat outcome is determined by comparing the
difference between Final modified combat Values of each side’s element. The player with the highest
value suffers no effect, the other side may suffer a
combat effects. If equal, both players may suffer a combat result.
Elements conducting distant shooting, but not
themselves being the target of enemy distant shooting, never suffer a combat result.
Cases;
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 28 6 March, 2013
[15.21] An element whose total is equal to or less
than that of its opponent may need to make an
immediate outcome move, which depends on its
own type and that of the opponent in close combat
with its front edge or shooting at it.
[15.22] Elements shooting without being shot at disregard an unfavourable outcome.
[15.23] Elements in close combat against an enemy
element’s flank or rear recoil if a friendly element in combat with its front recoils, flees or is
destroyed.
[15.24] If its total is equal to that of its opponent
[15.24] COMBAT RESULTS TABLE (1-1)
Mod Situation
If its total is equal to that of its opponent
All If attacking or defending a city,
fort or camp no effect. If neither see below.
Scythed Chariots
Destroyed.
Knights or Camelry
Destroyed in close combat by Blades or Bows if these are Lb or Cb, recoiled in close combat by other “Solid” foot. 4Kn recoiled in close combat by 3Kn. Otherwise no effect.
Other mounted
Recoiled by “Solid” foot in close combat, otherwise no effect.
Fast foot Recoiled by “Solid” foot in close combat with it or shooting at it, otherwise no effect.
Solid foot No effect.
No effect if attacking or defending a city, fort or
camp. If not:
Scythed Chariots. Destroyed.
Knights or Camelry. Destroyed in close combat by Blades or Bows if these are Lb or Cb, recoiled in
close combat by other “Solid” foot. 4Kn recoiled in
close combat by 3Kn. Otherwise no effect.
Other mounted. Recoiled by “Solid” foot in close
combat, otherwise no effect.
Fast foot. Recoiled by “Solid” foot in close combat with it or shooting at it, otherwise no effect.
Solid foot. No effect.
[15.25] If its total is less than that of its opponent
but more than half
[15.25] COMBAT RESULTS TABLE (1.5-1)
Mod Situation
If its total is less than that of its opponent but more than half.
All Destroyed if defenders of a city, fort or camp or denizens or camp followers that have sallied, or if not War Wagons and enemy are in front edge combat with flank or rear. Recoil if in close combat against defenders of a city, fort or camp. If neither see below.
Elephants Destroyed by Psiloi, Auxilia, Light Horse or by Artillery shooting. If not, recoil.
Scythed Chariots
Flee if shot at unless at least partly on their rear edge. If not,
destroyed.
Knights Destroyed by Elephants, Scythed Chariots, Camelry or Light Horse. If not, recoil.
Camelry Destroyed by Scythed Chariots or if themselves in bad going. Flee from Elephants, If not, recoil.
Cavalry Flee from Scythed Chariots, or if in bad going. If not, recoil.
Light Horse Flee from Scythed Chariots, from Artillery shooting, or if in bad going. If not, recoil.
Spears, Pikes or Blades
Destroyed by Knights or Scythed Chariots if in good going or by Warband. If not, recoil.
Auxilia Destroyed by Knights if in good going. If not, recoil.
Bows Destroyed by any mounted. If not, recoil.
Psiloi Destroyed by Knights, Cavalry or Camelry in going which to the opponent is good. If not, recoil.
Warband Destroyed by Knights or Scythed Chariots if in good going. If not, recoil.
Hordes Destroyed by Knights or Elephants in good going, or by Warband. Recoil if shot at. If neither, no effect.
Artillery Destroyed.
War Wagons Destroyed by Artillery shooting or by Elephants. If not, no effect.
Destroyed if defenders of a city, fort or camp or
denizens or camp followers that have sallied, or if not War Wagons and enemy are in front edge
combat with flank or rear. Recoil if in close combat
against defenders of a city, fort or camp. If neither:
Elephants. Destroyed by Psiloi, Auxilia, Light
Horse or by Artillery shooting. If not, recoil.
Scythed Chariots. Flee if shot at unless at least partly on their rear edge. If not, destroyed.
Knights. Destroyed by Elephants, Scythed
Chariots, Camelry or Light Horse. If not, recoil.
Camelry. Destroyed by Scythed Chariots or if
themselves in bad going. Flee from Elephants, If
not, recoil.
Cavalry. Flee from Scythed Chariots, or if in bad
going. If not, recoil.
Light Horse. Flee from Scythed Chariots, from Artillery shooting, or if in bad going. If not, recoil.
Spears, Pikes or Blades. Destroyed by Knights or
Scythed Chariots if in good going or by Warband. If not, recoil.
Auxilia. Destroyed by Knights if in good going. If
not, recoil.
Bows. Destroyed by any mounted. If not, recoil.
Psiloi. Destroyed by Knights, Cavalry or Camelry
in going which to the opponent is good. If not, recoil.
Warband. Destroyed by Knights or Scythed
Chariots if in good going. If not, recoil.
Hordes. Destroyed by Knights or Elephants in good
going, or by Warband. Recoil if shot at. If neither,
no effect.
War Wagons. Destroyed by Artillery shooting or
by Elephants. If not, no effect.
Artillery. Destroyed.
[15.26] If its total is half or less than half that of
its opponent:
[15.26] COMBAT RESULTS TABLE (2-1)
Mod Situation
If its total is half or less than half that of its opponent
All Destroyed if defenders of a city, fort or camp. If not see below;
Cavalry Flee from Pikes, Spears or Hordes if in good going, or Artillery in close combat. If not, destroyed.
Light Horse Destroyed by any mounted, Artillery shooting, Bows or Psiloi, or if in bad going. If not, flee.
Psiloi Destroyed by Knights, Cavalry, Camelry or Light Horse if in going these count as good or if in close combat against Auxilia, Bows or Psiloi. Recoil from Elephants or Scythed Chariots. If not, flee.
All others Destroyed.
Destroyed if defenders of a city, fort or camp. If
not:
Cavalry. Flee from Pikes, Spears or Hordes if in good going, or Artillery in close combat. If not,
destroyed.
Light Horse. Destroyed by any mounted, Artillery
shooting, Bows or Psiloi, or if in bad going. If not,
flee.
Psiloi. Destroyed by Knights, Cavalry, Camelry or
Light Horse if in going these count as good or if in
close combat against Auxilia, Bows or Psiloi. Recoil from Elephants or Scythed Chariots. If not,
flee.
All others. Destroyed.
Close Combat Example
A line of four element so if Roman legionaries
(classed as Blades, Bd) are moved into contact with four elements, two deep, of Macedonian pikemen
(classed as Pikes, Pk). Each element must be lined
up exactly with its opponent with no part-elements overlaps. Blade Element C includes the Roman
general.
Since it is the Roman player’s turn, he can choose
which of his two elements in contact fight first. He
decides Blades Element C will fight first. Blade elements A and D will not fight, but can count as
overlaps. Both sides dice. Blade Element C scores
4, add its combat factor against foot of +5 and a further +1 for the general. Pike Element G scores 4,
adds its combat factor against foot of +3 and a
further +3 because its supported to its rear by Pike Element D. However, it must deduce -1 for being
overlapped by Blade Element H.
Pike Element G has scored less than Blade Element C, but more than half as many, so immediately
recoils its own base depth, pushing back Pike
Element H.
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 29 6 March, 2013
Blades Element B and Pike element E now dice. Blade element B scores 6 and adds its combat
factor of +5. Pike element E scores 1, adds its
combat factor of +3 and a further +3 for support by pike element F, but must deduct -2, since it is now
overlapped by both Blade element A and Blade
element C. Pike element E’s score is half or less than its opponent, so it is destroyed. Pike element F
is also destroyed.
It is now the Macedonian player’s bound, and he
can move pike element G and H back into contact
if he wishes to, and if he does not first use up his move die score with other moves.
[15.3] DESTROYED ELEMENTS
General Rule;
A destroyed element is removed, when 4 elements
have been lost the game ends. See Case (16.1)
Cases;
[15.31] A destroyed element is removed. This
represents an unacceptable number of its men being
killed, disabled or made prisoner and the remaining survivors dispersing and quitting the battlefield
individually, wagons and artillery having been
smashed and abandoned by crews, elephant’s dead, fleeing in panic or captured, or denizens defending
a city abandoning the walls.
[15.32] An element destroyed by an equal result was brought to a disorganised halt in a critically
dangerous position.
[15.4] RECOILING
General Rule;
Recoiling elements are moved back, facing the
enemy, with no other effect. Exception, See Case (15.5)
Cases;
[15.41] This represents troops falling back a short distance under enemy pressure while continuing to
maintain formation and fight. A recoiling element
moves straight back without turning:
[15.42] A foot element always moves its own base
depth or ½ BW if this is less than its base depth.
[15.43] A mounted element can choose to either to move 1 BW or to move its own base depth if this is
less than 1 BW.
[15.44] If the recoiling element is Elephants, all friends or enemy met that are not in a BUA or
camp is destroyed. Elephants recoiling from close
combat against the defenders of a city or fort are destroyed. If 2 elephants meet, both are destroyed.
Surviving elephants finish their recoil.
[15.45] If the recoiling element is not Elephants,
friends facing in the same direction are
interpenetrated if allowed. If not so allowed they
are pushed back far enough to make room for the
recoil unless they are Elephants or War-Wagons.
[15.46] An element with a recoil outcome to shooting at least partially on its rear edge, turns to
face its rear before recoiling.
[15.47] A recoiling or pushed back element whose rear edge or rear corner meets terrain it cannot
enter, a battlefield edge, friends it cannot pass
through or push back, enemy or a city, fort or camp ends its move there.
[15.48] A recoiling or pushed back element that is already in such contact with any of these or that
starts with enemy in front edge contact with its
flank, rear or rear corner cannot recoil and is destroyed instead.
[15.49] RECOILING EFFECTS
Meeting which Recoil Effect
If Elephants
Recoiling into all friends or enemy met that are not in a BUA or camp.
Troops met Destroyed
Recoiling from close combat against the defenders of a city or fort
Recoilers Destroyed
Recoiling into elephants. Both Destroyed
If not Elephants
friends facing in the same direction. If allowed to interpenetrate. (unless they are Elephants or War-Wagons)
interpenetrate
friends facing in the same direction. If not allowed to interpenetrate. (unless they are Elephants or War-Wagons)
Troops met are pushed back far enough to make room for the recoil
All Other Recoilers
Rear edge Meeting terrain it cannot enter, a battlefield edge, friends it cannot pass through or push back, enemy or a city, fort or camp
Recoilers end move.
Rear edge in contact with terrain it cannot enter, a battlefield edge, friends it cannot pass through or push back, enemy or a city, fort or camp.
Recoilers Destroyed
Starts with enemy in front edge contact with its flank, rear or rear corner.
Recoilers Destroyed
[15.5] FLEEING
General Rule;
Fleeing elements move their maximum movement
allowance away from the enemy and then expend
an entire tactical move to reform.
Cases;
[15.51] This represents a panic individual rush to
the rear, ending as a confused mass until reformed by making a tactical move.
[15.52] A fleeing element turns 180 degrees in
place; and then moves straight forward without turning its full tactical move distance for the going
it starts in, plus 1 BW.
[15.53] It stops if its front edge (or front corner
only) contacts enemy that it does not destroy,
friends it cannot pass through, a city, fort or camp,
a waterway, or (unless it is Psiloi or Light Horse),
any bad going it is not already at least partly in
except marsh.
[15.54] It is destroyed if it starts with an enemy
front edge in contact with its flank, or if after
turning it cannot move at all, or if it enters any river.
[15.55] If any part of it crosses any battlefield edge,
it is removed as lost.
[15.56] If a friendly or enemy element prevents
further movement by fleeing Elephants or Scythed Chariots, both elements are destroyed.
[15.57] FLEEING EFFECTS
Situation Effect
If its front edge (or front corner only) contacts enemy that it does not destroy
Stops.
If its front edge (or front corner only) contacts friends it cannot pass through
Stops
If its front edge (or front corner only) contacts a city, fort or camp, a waterway
Stops
Unless it is Psiloi or Light Horse, If its front edge (or front corner only) contacts any bad going it is not already at least partly in except marsh.
Stops
If it starts with an enemy front edge in contact with its flank, or if after turning it cannot move at all,
Destroyed
If it enters any river. Destroyed
If a friendly or enemy element prevents further movement by fleeing Elephants or Scythed Chariots.
Both elements are destroyed.
If any part of it crosses any battlefield edge.
Removed as lost.
[15.6] PURSUING
General Rule;
Elements can pursue retiring or fleeing enemy
elements, with the objective of continuing the close
combat until those elements are eliminated.
Procedure;
An element is in a city, fort or camp does not
pursue.
Cases;
[15.61] This represents following up a retiring
close combat opponent or panicked survivors of a destroyed element with the intention of continuing
to kill them.
[15.62] Unless it is in a city, fort or camp, or would cross a battlefield edge, or is in or a pursuit move
would enter bad going other than Marsh or Gully,
an element whose close combat opponents recoil, flee or are destroyed (and all elements in column
behind a pursuing element of any of these) must
immediately pursue, but only if:
(a) Any element that destroys the defenders of a
city, fort or camp in close combat. It immediately
moves into that feature.
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 30 6 March, 2013
(b) An element of Knights (other than 4Kn),
Scythed Chariots, Elephants or Hordes pursues 1
BW straight ahead.
(c) An element that is of Pikes, Blades (but not Lit
or CWg) or Warband and that fought against foot
(other than Psiloi) pursues ½ BW straight ahead.
[15.63] If a pursuing element’s front edge contacts
enemy or its front corner contacts an enemy front
edge, it or they line up immediately as if contact was by a tactical move, but the resulting combat is
resolved next bound.
[15.64] PURSUIT EFFECTS
Mod Situation
All - If in a city, fort or camp, or would cross a battlefield edge, or is in or a pursuit move would enter bad going other than Marsh or Gully
Does not Pursue.
3Kn, Hch, 6Kn, SCh, El, 7Hd or 5Hd.
Pursues 1 BW straight ahead.
Pikes, Blades (excluding Lit and CWg) or Warband - If fought against foot (other than Psiloi)
Pursues ½ BW straight ahead
All - If have destroyed the defenders of a city, fort or camp in close combat.
It immediately moves into that feature.
Other Cases Does not pursue.
[15.7] LOST ELEMENTS
General Rule;
When 4 elements have been lost the game ends. See Case (16.1)
Cases;
[15.71] An element has been lost if it has been destroyed, or has recoiled, fled or been pushed back
across a battlefield edge.
[15.72] Those that crossed a battlefield edge and destroyed camp followers or denizens are only lost
for this battle and will reappear in the next turn of a campaign.
[16.0] WINNING AND LOSING THE BATTLE
[16.1] ENDING THE GAME
[16.11] The first side that at the end of any bound
has lost 4 elements not including Scythed Chariots, Hordes, camp followers or denizens loses the battle
if it has also lost more such elements than the
enemy has lost.
[16.2] CALCULTING ELEMENTS LOST
[16.21] The first double element lost counts as 2
elements lost. A general lost during the battle
counts as 1 extra element lost.
[16.22] A camp that has been sacked by enemy
counts as 1 element lost.
[16.23] A City occupied by enemy during the battle and still under enemy control counts as 2 elements
lost if it was used without a camp or 1 if used with
a camp.
[16.24] Scythed Chariots do not count towards the
lost total because while expensive to provide their
loss is expected and discounted.
[16.25] Hordes do not count because other troops
do not regard them as equals or of much importance.
[16.26] Camp followers and denizens do not count
because they are self-replacing (there are usually plenty of hopeful new prospective inhabitants for a
once prosperous city and of hungry peasants
willing to adopt soldiers who will feed them).
[17.0] EXTENDED OR MULTIPLE GAMES
[17.1] MULTI-GAME TOURNAMENTS
Tournaments consist of several rounds of games, each usually played to a time limit, commonly of
60 minutes.
Army composition and allies must be declared by the start of the first game and cannot be changed
between games.
Organisers of established tournaments usually have their own tried and tested scoring systems. If you
are designing your own system, it needs to ensure
that a single massive victory does not outweigh a more consistent string of successes, that wins are
always more valuable than draws/unfinished games
and players are not encouraged to get ahead in a game by a small margin then stall. A Swiss chess
competition format enables players potentially
travelling long distances to play in every round.
Anachronistic pairings should be minimised by
organisers giving priority to pairings between those armies with equal cumulative scores whose army
lists specify each other as historical enemies. This
principle can be taken further by each player bringing a historically opposed pair of armies and
dicing for which player’s pair is used, the other
player then choosing which he commands; but at the cost of reducing variety. If it is important to
eliminate draws (as in knock-out competitions) and
neither side has achieved victory when the time limit is reached, one possible solution available to
the organiser is to eliminate both players.
[17.2] BIG BATTLE D.B.A
General Rule;
This is a variant enabling a single player on each
side to use a larger army divided into commands
and a larger playing area, but without the increased
historical detail of DBMM. This differs from the
standard version only as described below.
Each army consists of 36 elements. If it is from a single list, multiply the number of elements of each
type allowed by the army list by 3. Each of the 3
generals controls a command of at least 6 elements chosen from those available.
The army can instead include allied commands of
the same year from lists with a different number or with the same number but a different letter, which
are always full 12-element independent armies from those lists.
Allied elements can only be in an allied command.
If there is only 1 allied command, the remainder of the army is then restricted to its list multiplied by 2
instead of 3. If there are 2 allied commands, they
must be from different lists and the remaining
command is also a normal 12-element army from
its own list. One non-allied general must be
designated as Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C). The C-in-C and all ally-generals must be of a troop type
specified by their list as general.
Other generals can be any element of their list except Lit, CWg, Hordes, Scythed Chariots or
Artillery, but cannot ride an elephant unless the C-
in-C rides an elephant. The width of the battlefield is doubled, but the depth remains the same. The
number of compulsory features is changed to 1-3
and the number of optional features is changed to 2-4. There still cannot be more than 1 each of
Waterway, River, Oasis, Gully or BUA; or more
than 2 Roads, or more than 3 features of the same type.
An allied command must be provided with its own
camp; otherwise the whole army has 1 normal-size
camp unless it has a City and chooses to use this
instead. A camp can only be defended by an
element of its own command or camp followers.
The defender places terrain as in standard DBA,
except that a Waterway cannot be placed on a long
side. The invader chooses a long side as his base edge, the defender takes that opposite.
Either the defender deploys all commands, then the
invader deploys all his (the quickest method; and note that the defender has first move); or the
defender deploys 1 or more commands, then each
in turn places a command. Each element not in a city, fort or camp must be deployed within 8 BW of
its command’s general. A littoral landing must be
by a full command provided by an army whose own home topography is LITTORAL; and all that
command’s elements must deploy within 1 BW of
the Water Way.
One PIP dice is needed for each command. All a
side’s dice must be the same colour except that an
allied command’s dice must be a different colour and is always used for that command. The player
must write down after terrain has been placed and
base edges chosen which non-allied command will always be given the highest scoring dice, which the
next highest scoring dice, and which the lowest scoring dice. He discloses this when he first dices
for PIPs. Plough is rough if 1st bound PIPs total
less than 8. A command’s PIPs cease to be diced for when all its elements have been lost or left the
battlefield.
Once in each game, the C-in-C’s element can add +1 to its combat score after this has been
calculated.
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 31 6 March, 2013
An element is lost if it is destroyed or crosses a
battlefield edge, but not if only demoralised. The
first double element lost by each command counts
as 2 elements lost, and the loss of its general as an
extra element lost. An allied command whose camp
is destroyed counts this as extra losses only to that command. Any other camp destroyed or city
currently controlled by the enemy counts as extra
losses to each non-allied command.
A command that at the start of any of its bounds
whose lost elements other than Scythed Chariots,
Hordes, camp followers or denizens total a third of its original troop elements or that has lost half of all
its original troop elements is permanently demoralised. During the remainder of the game it
cannot make tactical moves, but it can use PIPs to
turn and hold in place individual elements or to hold in place groups. Other elements not in close
combat immediately flee directly towards the
nearest point on the army’s base edge, but making an initial turn if necessary. This is repeated at the
start of each subsequent friendly bound, each
element not held that bound or in close combat fleeing whether or not it fled before.
Elements not in a city, fort or camp suffer a -2
tactical factor in close combat.
An army whose cumulative total of lost elements at
the end of any bound other than Scythed Chariots,
camp followers or denizens is at least half its original troop elements or whose C-in-C’s
command is demoralised; and that has also lost
more such elements in that bound than the enemy has lost the battle.
[17.3] GIANT D.B.A
Giant DBA is an extension of Big Battle DBA for
games with several players on each side and/or re-fighting large historical battles. It differs only as
described below.
A separate player controls each general (or more
than 1 general). Each side’s C-in-C must specify
either that all generals dice independently for PIPs, or specify the order in which PIP dice are to be
allocated among them according to their scores.
Army size is increased to 12 elements x number of generals. The width of the battlefield is increased to
3 times that of standard DBA and the depth can
optionally be increased by up to half. The number of compulsory features becomes 1-4 and the
number of optional features becomes 3-6, not more
than 4 of which can be the same type.
[17.4] HISTORICAL REFIGHTS
As Big DBA or Giant DBA, except that the armies
and terrain are based on those of a large historical
battle.
The battlefield area must be scaled to the size of the
area historically fought over. Terrain features are
not chosen by the usual selection rules, but are chosen and placed by agreement to duplicate the
terrain of the real battle.
Research the number of commands and troops actually used, then calculate the number of
elements to be used according to the following
ratios, representing the number that would occupy the same space as an element at the ground scale
used. An element of mounted or foot warriors represents 500-600 foot other than horde, 1,000+
horde, or 250-300 horse or camel riders. Other
elements each represent up to 25 elephants or 50 chariots, war wagons or artillery pieces.
[17.5] CAMPAIGNS
Campaigns are considered by many to be the
highest form of war gaming. At the very top end,
they can have a very large number of postal or
internet players moderated by an umpire through
general and personalised news reports, (usually
supported by a news sheet such as the “Shadizar Herald”, “News of the Known World” or “Grape
Vine” containing a potent mix of truth,
exaggeration, rumour and player propaganda) to which each player responds with written orders;
and include diplomacy, politics and economics
which sometimes overwhelm the military aspects. Such campaigns place a great load on the umpire
and the really good ones may continue for many years.
At the bottom end, they can be simple affairs at
club level to provide an excuse for a series of battles at the same meeting in which each is
partially dependent on the results of those before
and so are not always between armies of identical strength.
This section is mainly included for potential
organisers of such. The first requirement is a stylised map, ideally depicting an area historically
involved. Each player controls a nation of several
sub-territories. Movement is between provinces or (my preference) between nodes (usually major
cities) of a transport network.
Hex maps should never be used, because in real life there are few places from which it is possible to
move a significant military force in 6 directions.
You can nearly always move in 2 directions (forward or back), often in 3.
A network node from which an army can move in
more than 3 directions is strategically important. Moves differed in difficulty. In real life, a move
across mountains was the most difficult. Opposed
movement across a major river was less so, because of the problem in blocking all crossing points.
Some terrain affected some armies more than
others. For example, desert would not greatly affect an army from a Dry area, but would be very
difficult for an Arable area army.
Movement by sea was impossible in Winter; and risky in Spring and Autumn unless moving along a
coast line. Moving an army took far more time than
today and battles rarely followed in close succession. Even a month may be too short for a
playing period, and I use a full 3 month season.
In a one-day club campaign, a modified PIP system is ideal. Each player dices at the start of each
season and can move any combination of armies
and stages (of varying PIP cost) up to his total of PIPs. With several players, it is necessary to decide
the order in which they move. I recommend that
using a modified PIP system, with each player
dicing at the start of each campaign year. The
player with the highest PIP in the first season of
each year moves first, then play continues clockwise for the rest of the year. To avoid fence
sitting, we recommend that a player scoring 6 must
either invade a neighbour or attack another player occupying the same territory.
A player that loses a battle immediately retires 1 move if it can. A drawn battle counts as a win to
the defender, since he loses no territory.
At the end of a campaign year, armies go into winter quarters and start recruiting. Ideally, this
should only partly replace losses and be tied to how
much territory the defender has left or how many move stages the invader is from home.
[18.0] ARMY LISTS
The armies listed represent typical or especially
important (rather than all possible) historical armies
of the nation covered.
Each list provides sufficient flexibility to allow for
some historic variation or differences of
interpretation, but not to allow armies to be tailored for specific opponents. Such foreign mercenaries or
subject races as were habitually used are included,
but allied troops serving under their own generals are usually not, since provision is made for them as
allied contingents in standard DBA or as a
complete allied command in Big Battle DBA. The lists are a simplified version of the four list books
of DBMM and have the same numbers and titles.
As well as defining the troops available to the army, each list also defines its home terrain,
aggression factor, historical enemies and possible
allies; and (a feature not in DBMM lists) suggests especially good books for research or inspiration.
TROOP DEFINITIONS
Each troop entry has the number of elements of that
sort that can be used, the name, and the type code as defined on page 5.
A single slash between 2 codes or prefix numbers
directs that either can be used by all (not some of)
those elements. Psiloi and foot that are listed as 3,5
or 6 to a base are classed as “Fast”, others as “Solid”. A double slash between 2 codes means
that the mounted element can be exchanged for the
dismounted element during the game.
HOME TERRAIN
This is usually that of the army’s heartland, but
sometimes that of a border area where the entry of
invaders will be opposed.
AGGRESSION FACTOR
This is a number from 0 to 4, based on how likely
the army was historically to fight at home or to invade another nation.
Opposing armies each add their aggression factor to
the score of a dice, then compare totals to decide which army fights in home terrain.
HISTORICAL ENEMIES
This lists all the other armies it sometimes fought
against. This enables competition organisers to pair historical opponents in an initial round or if
accumulated scores are equal. Since a DBA army
needs less than 50 figures, we hope that players will produce armies in opposing pairs or sets rather
than mostly fight unhistorical opponents.
ALLIED CONTINGENTS
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 32 6 March, 2013
An army is allowed ally contingents from another
listed army specified at the bottom of its own army
list. The allies listed include only armies that
fought on the same side in a historical battle and
usually only if the allied army is of substantially
different troop types or has a completely separate command structure.
The advantage of using an allied contingent apart
from it being necessary to represent an important historical battle is that it may provide specialist
troops not otherwise available. The compensating
disadvantage is that its elements cannot be moved as a group with elements of the main army or of
another allied contingent so will probably be a serious PIP drain.
A single allied contingent consists of exactly 3
elements from its own army list. In the rare instances when more than 1 allied army provided
allied contingents at the same battle, two allied
contingents from different armies are allowed, each of exactly 2 elements.
An allied contingent must include the general’s
element of its army (which does not function as a general) and at least 1 element from the entry with
the largest number of elements. If the army has 2
troop types with that number allowed, the player chooses which to use. Any 3rd element is the
player’s choice of those elements remaining
unused.
Allied elements are exchanged for the same number
of elements from the main army’s list, which
cannot include its general.
SOURCES
The sources mentioned at the foot of the list notes
are those that have in the past inspired the choice of
an army or provide extra information on its composition or history. Original sources are usually
very useful if allowance is made for bad translation or not being exactly contemporary. Eyewitness
accounts are best.
The Osprey series are often useful, but are sometimes now very outdated since they are never
revised, while the authors sometimes have pet
theories they wish to foist on you, and the illustrators neglect the humdrum parts of the army
and often invent uniform colours.
Modern academic works also have to be used with caution, since no academic got promoted by saying
his predecessor was right (unless of course he is
their faculty head) and they rarely credit non-academic authors. However, one good new insight
is often worth buying a book for. Historical novels
can also be useful. The authors can bring an era to life and are often knowledgeable.
For example, Alfred Duggan fought in Norway,
rode horses cross-country, was widely travelled in the near east, studied Crusader castles and taught
history and classics before he wrote his first novel
“Knight with Armour” (the story of a putupon rookie knight on the 1st Crusade); and Harry
Sidebottom, the author of the “Ballista” series
(based on 3rd century Roman wars with the Sassanids) lectures in classical history at the
University of Oxford.
Two especially useful publications for geographical
relationships and the history of the rise and fall of
states are “The New Penguin Atlas of Ancient
History” and “The New Penguin Atlas of Medieval
History” by Colin McEvedy and David Woodroffe.
Another is “The Geographic Background of Greek & Roman History” by M. Cary. Googled websites
such as Wikipedia are often useful for dates,
persons and geography. Lastly, “Slingshot”, the journal of the Society of Ancients, often includes
articles on obscure armies; and past issues are
available to Society members on disc from www.soa.org.uk.
[19.0] RELATED PUBLICATIONS
Since its publication, DBA has been joined by other rule sets using very similar mechanisms, such
as for fantasy battles HOTT “Hordes of the
Things”, for larger ancient armies DBM “De Bellis Multitudinis” (since replaced by DBMM “De Bellis
Magistorum Militum”), and for the Renaissance
period “De Bellis Renationis”.
These are being followed imminently by HFG
“Horse, Foot and Guns” which has been tested
online for several years and enables the very largest 18th, 19th and early 20th century battles to be
played in a normal evening. Also related to the DB
rules, under test for several years and hopefully to be published in due course, are an ancient skirmish
set DBV “De Bellis Velitum”, a modern naval set
“Subs & Sams”, a modern infantry set for counterinsurgency warfare “Sharp End”, 3 more
period specific and lower scale derivatives of HFG,
revised versions of our old WRG armour rules, and a higher level combined arms “Arrows & Goose
Eggs”.
Sue’s “Start Ancient Wargaming” is an illustrated hardback guide for beginners, including the DBA
3.0 rules with sample games, the expanded 3.0
army lists, and hints and tips on painting and terrain
making.
[20.0] CONTACT ADDRESSES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
QUERIES AND SUGGESTIONS
If you have queries or suggestions, you are
welcome to email Phil at [email protected] or [email protected]. There are also 2
DBA internet fan groups which will also welcome
your input and provide help. These are:
www.fanaticus.org
http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/DBA/
OTHER W.R.G PUBLICATIONS
www.wargamesresearchgroup.net is the website of
WRG Ltd and has details of WRG publications.
www.wrg.me.uk is Sue’s website and has links to
all related web sites.
THE SOCIETY OF ANCIENTS
THE SOCIETY OF ANCIENTS is a long
established worldwide society for all interested in ancient and medieval warfare.
Its bi-monthly journal SLINGSHOT balances
research of a very high standard with more specifically wargaming content.
Contact: www.soa.org.uk
WARGAMES DEVELOPMENTS
WARGAMES DEVELOPMENTS is an
association of war-games innovators centring
around an annual “try it on the dog” conference, not to be missed. Contact:
www.wargamedevelopments.org
HISTORY OF WARGAMES PROJECT
John Curry’s “The History of War-games” project
reprints an increasing number of normally
inaccessible early war-games rules and books, including (with permission) several out-of-print
WRG titles, including Tony Bath’s seminal
“Setting up a War-games Campaign” and later this year earlier versions of DBA.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We owe special thanks to the stalwarts, spread over 3 continents, of our DBA revising committee and
their local helpers. In alphabetical order, they are
Attilio Andreazza, Bob Beattie, Ray Briggs, John Brown, Joe Collins, Pete Duckworth, Peter Feinler,
John Garvey, John Gillson, Paul Glover, Lawrence
Greaves, Chris Hanley, Andreas Johansson, David Lawrence, Bill MacGillivray, Keith McNelly,
Doug Melville, Paul Melville, John Mumby, Keith
Parkes, Doug Rockwell, Jo Russell, Scott Russell, Terry Shockey, Brian Sowman, Martyn Simpson,
Ian Tanner, Tom Thomas, Adrian Webb, and far
from least, Norman Whapshott. Andreas Johansson, Peter Feinler and Bill MacGillivray
have also contributed greatly to DBA list revision
with extensive comments on all four sections of army lists. Comments have also been received from
many other members of the DBA Yahoo group. It
should also be mentioned that the new lists owe a great deal to the DBMM army list books, which
themselves are the work of hundreds of often very
erudite contributors.
Rev 3.Beta 28th of December 2011 (DBA v3bNov11) REFORMATED RULES v1, PAGE 33 6 March, 2013
[20.9] LINKS
DBA 1.0
http://www.wrg.me.uk/WRG.net/History/OLDWR
G/DBA001.pdf
ARMY LISTS Section One
ARMY LISTS Section Two
http://www.wrg.me.uk/SuesWebPages/LISTS%202
Tactical Movement in DBA 2.0 –Jan 2002
http://www.fanaticus.org/DBA/guides/DBAmove2.
The Unofficial Guide to DBA – Feb 2006
http://www.wadbag.com/DBAGuide/default.asp