DBA Optional Rules
One, all or none of these rules may be only used with the
prior concurrence of both players. An explanation of the rationale behind the
rule change is provided in italic
text.
Regulars and Irregulars PIP Modifier
Regulars
differed from irregulars in receiving training to operate as formed bodies,
making them more responsive to the Commander’s plans, timings, manoeuvre
intentions and battlefield orders. Although fighting prowess as individual may
be similar, regular training resulted in more consistent collective performance
than the extremes sometimes experienced by irregulars.
To reflect the relatively consistency
performance of regulars compared with the sometimes erratic behaviour of
irregulars, dice modified to show 2, 3, 3, 4, 4 and 5 are used for all throws
by regular elements. The conventional 1 to 6 dice are used for irregulars.
Whether troops are regular or
irregular depends on their organisation, training and the consistency with
which they could be controlled. Warband, Horde, Camelry, Scythed Chariots, Camp
Followers and Denizens can never be regular. All other troop types can be
regular or irregular according to their historical prototypes.
Elephants are always irregular for
combat dice throws. If the elephant model also represents a general who would
otherwise fall within the regular definition, modified dice are used to
generate PIPs.
Troop Quality Combat Modifier
Some
troops acquired a greater degree of efficiency and higher morale through
experience and training than others. This was reflected in their performance
and confidence in their own ability, whether or not it was in fact justified.
Conversely, some were untrained, inexperienced and lacking confidence. These
differences manifested in combat.
In addition to ordinary elements,
troop quality can be further modified as superior or inferior. For every
element in a force upgraded to superior, one element must be downgraded to
inferior. Deciding which element should be upgraded or downgraded, if any, is
more immediately apparent in some lists than others.
Superior troops are those
recognised by their contemporaries as significantly superior in morale and
efficiency. Elephants, Knights (or Cataphracts if the Cataphract option is
used), Cavalry, Light Horse, Spears, Pikes, Blades, Auxilia, Bows, Psiloi or
Warband can be superior.
Inferior elements are brittle
troops historically identifiable as of significantly inferior morale and
efficiency. Elephants, Knights (or Cataphracts if the Cataphract option is
used), Cavalry, Light Horse, Camelry, Spears, Pikes, Blades, Auxilia, Bows,
Psiloi or Horde can be inferior.
Compare elements total score after
combat, rear support and tactical factors are calculated but before applying
combat outcomes:
- Superior troops whose primary opponent is not superior add +1 to any lower distant combat score or equal or lower to any close combat score.
- Inferior troops whose primary opponent is not inferior deduct -1 from any lower distant combat score or equal or lower to any close combat score.
Cataphract Combat Modifier
The
almost complete armour for man and horse used by Cataphracts combined with
extremely close formation made them ponderous in manoeuvre and almost
impervious to archery. Cataphracts also includes cataphract camels.
Cataphracts in combat against or in
close combat against Cavalry, Light Horse, Pikes or Spears add +1 to any equal
or lower to any close combat score. When shot at by Bowmen, they add +1 to any
lower distance combat score.
Cataphracts in close combat against
Scythed Chariots, Elephants, Knights (other than Cataphracts), Blades or Warband
deduct -1 from any equal or lower close combat score.
Spear and Bow Combination Combat Modifier
Some
formations used shielded spearmen or pikemen to protect archers shooting
overhead. The front rank shields of the formation provided an advantage of
protection against other bowmen but shallower formation of close combat troops
in the front ranks was a disadvantage against close combat opponents.
Combinations or pike or spear armed
front ranks with integral support from rear rank bowmen. They count as bowmen
when in distant combat but add +1 to any lower combat score. They count as
spearmen when in close combat but deduct -1 from equal or lower to any combat
score.
Spear and Bow combinations cannot claim
rear support.
Cavalry and Infantry Combination Combat Modifier
Some
nations deployed with light infantry in close support of their cavalry,
sometimes being carried as pillion on the cavalry horse, otherwise running
alongside or behind. The close support lent some stability to the horsemen but
at the cost of reduced mobility trough the horse carrying extra weight or being
slowed to enable to foot soldiers to keep up.
Cavalry of the early Germans (List
II/47), ancient Spanish (List II/39) and early Samurai cavalry (List III/54) can
claim +1 if supported by integral infantry when in close combat against other Cavalry
or Knights (or Cavalry and Cataphracts but not other knights if the Cataphract option
is used). The combined element moves at the slowest speed applicable to its
constituent troop type (cavalry or psiloi/auxilia) for the terrain it occupies.
Wedge Formation PIP and Tactical Factor Modifier
A
wedge formation was used by some mounted units to provide additional shock
effect at contact by focusing the point of attack to rupture the opposing
formation. If impetus was lost however, the narrower formation could be more
easily outflanked, surrounded, and destroyed before the shock advantage could
be exploited.
Other
less formal wedges common amongst some irregular forces where braver
individuals led their less enthusiastic supporters forward, the followers
echeloning back along the flanks, lacked the necessary cohesion to count as
wedge formation.
Alexandrian Companion cavalry (shown
as 3Kn in List II/12 and 15), Hellenistic xystophoroi
(shown as 3Kn in List II/16a, b, c, and d; 17; 18; 19a and b; 20a and b;
27; and 34), Byzantine Clibanophoroi
(shown as 6Kn in List III/64), and later German knights (shown as 6Kn in List IV/13c
and d, and 74) can be deployed in wedge formation.
To reflect their emphasis on
momentum and shock of impact, troops in wedge ignore any overlaps by enemy
elements in side edge to side edge contact or in front corner to front corner
contact, but not those enemy in front edge with the wedge’s side edge, provided:
- In their own bound: the wedge either advanced into contact
- In their opponents bound: the wedge pursued close combat opponents who recoiled, broke-off, fled or were destroyed during their last bound
Morale Equivalents
The loss of some bodies
of troops would have a greater impact on the morale of an army than the loss of
others. For example, the destruction
of levy infantry would have less effect on the cohesion of a force than the
loss of elite heavy troops.
Prior to the start of the game, elements can be modified to
represent morale equivalents for calculating losses. Morale equivalents can be
modified according to the table below provided that the total morale
equivalents equals the total number of elements in the army.
Alternatively, opposing forces may be made up of equal total
morale equivalents, representing large forces of poor troops or smaller forces
of high quality troops. Army lists must still contain at least one element of
the range of alternative troop types.
|
Element Type
|
Morale Equivalent
|
|
Elephants, Knights, Heavy Chariots, Light Chariots,
Cavalry, Pikes, Spears, Spear/Bow, Blades, or Warband
|
1-2
|
|
Light Horse, Psiloi, poor quality Auxilia or Bowmen,
or Hordes
|
½ - 1
|
Scythed chariots, camp followers
and denizens are always worth zero morale equivalents. As a scythed chariot
element still counts as an element for calculating the total number of morale
equivalents, armies with a scythed chariot must always have at least one
element also worth two morale equivalents. Camps and BUA occupied by the enemy
during the battle count as two morale equivalents as long as they remain under
enemy control.
The first side at the end of any
bound that has lost its general or whose lost element’s morale equivalents
total a third of its original morale equivalents and has also lost more morale
equivalents than the enemy loses the battle.
The same calculation methods are
applied to determine the demoralised and winning and losing thresholds for
BBDBA.
Artillery Categories
Artillery
during the ancient period was more rarely used in field operations than during
sieges. Some types lacked manoeuvrability and had to be assembled in place.
Other types attempted to compensate by making the equipment light enough to be
man-portable or mounting equipment on carts or elephants.
Artillery is divided into two
types: static or mobile.
Static artillery is lager or
heavier pieces without the means to be moved during a battle without extreme
difficulty. Its movement is restricted to pivoting in place to alter its arc of
fire. Such a pivot counts as a move for distant combat purposes. Static
artillery with a distant combat total score of less than its opponent but more
than half has a ‘no effect’ outcome.
Mobile artillery can be moved
during the battle but has its maximum range reduced to 350 paces. It can shoot
only in its own side’s bound or if it is shot at by the target and if it did
not move.
Blade Categories
The
majority blade type relied on edged weapons, shields and armour. Some had heavy
edged, pole arm or concussive weapons but lacked defensive shields or adequate
armour. They were more vulnerable to missiles before closing to contact but
equally formidable in close combat. Their lack of armour was offset by heavier
weapons in comparison with other blade types.
Blades are divided into two types: ordinary
and light.
There are no rule modifications for
ordinary blades.
Light blades include Aurelian’s
(doubtful) Palestinian clubmen (List II/64), Indian clubmen (List II/3), Dacian
falxmen (List II/52), Byzantine menevlatoi (List III/64), and early Swiss
halberdiers (List IV/41).
They deduct -1 from distant combat
scores against Bowmen (including Longbow or Crossbow if that option used).
They add +1 to close combat scores
against Knights (or Cataphracts if the Cataphract option is used), Pikes or Spears.
Spear Categories
The
majority spear type relied on the cohesion provided by their close formation
and defensive ‘shield wall’. Some instead operated with light equipment in a
more flexible formation in broken terrain or in deep formations in open terrain
using their spears to keep enemy at bay. They were more vulnerable to missiles
but less susceptible to the effects of broken terrain.
Spears are divided into two types:
ordinary and light.
There are no rule modifications for
ordinary Spears.
Light Spears include those
categories listed at ‘3Sp’.
For movement and for distant combat
against Bowmen (including Longbow or Crossbow if that option used) Light Spears
are treated as Auxilia. In close combat they count as Spears except that they
deduct -1 from close combat scores against ordinary Spears.
Longbow and Crossbow
Longbow
and crossbow technology coupled with improved missiles provided greater
penetrating power than the self bows used my most nations or longbows used
without improved arrowheads by others. This improvement came at reduced
mobility associated with larger and heavier weapons and a significant
additional training debt in the case of longbows or slower rates of fire in the
case of crossbows. The mobility disadvantage was offset to a degree by mounting
archers for transport to combat. Static defence was often be enhanced by the
use of armour, shields, pavaises or fixed stakes.
Longbow or Crossbow armed bow
elements (listed as Lb or Cb in the army lists) can shoot only if it did not
move in its own bound immediately preceding.
Bowmen (not Longbow or Crossbow) deduct
-1 from distant combat scores against Elephants, Knights (or Cataphracts if the
Cataphract option is used), Scythed Chariots, Spears(or ordinary Spears if the
option is used), Pikes, or Blades (or ordinary Blades if the option is used).
There would be no appreciable disadvantage against other troop types as
penetrating power was already adequate.
A close combat advantage for
longbow or crossbows using substantial armour or defensive stakes should be
achieved through classification as superior.
Longbows or crossbows used in the
second rank of Spear and Bow Combinations
count as normal bows to allow for reduced numbers compared with full longbow or
crossbow elements and loss of accuracy due to the elevation required to fire
over the front rank.
Dismounting Troops
Some
troops rode to battle dismounting to fight, sending their mounts away to the
rear. Others dismounted on the battlefield to fight but kept their mounts
nearby to remount if required.
Element combinations separated by
// in the army lists are permitted to dismount or mount during the game as part
of a tactical move. An additional transport element of horse holders or wagon
models, as appropriate, must be positioned immediately behind the dismounted
element. The transport element is lost should the dismounted element make a
tactical move without remounting or be destroyed, flee, break-off, or recoil as
a combat outcome.
In a BBDBA game, an element
eligible to flee as the result of demoralisation automatically remounts to do
so, the 1 PIP and delay to remount being waived. The transport element of a
demoralised element that is not being held is immediately removed.
If the player desires, the
transport element can be permanently removed to save space, it being assumed
that the transport has been sent off the battlefield.
Like dismounting, remounting costs
1 PIP. It takes an entire bound with no other activity to remount and form up,
ending the bound facing in any direction desired.
Heavy Troop Combat Outcomes
It
was the combat between heavy troops that usually decided the outcome of
battles. Some mounted troop types such
as knights could shatter a formed opponent with an impetuous charge. Some infantry
troop types such as blades or warband sought to resolve the engagement thorough
a series of pulses, others like spears and pikes through constant pressure
until one side gave way. The initiative would pass from one side to the other. The
side with the initiative would seek to maximise the tactical advantage afforded
by their style of combat.
The following outcomes are
substituted in the event that the total is less than that of its opponent but
more than half:
Cavalry
If in an enemy bound:
·
destroyed by Knights not in wedge if in good
going,
·
flee from Scythed Chariots or Camelry.
If not, recoil.
Pikes
or Spears If in an enemy bound,
destroyed by:
·
Elephants, Knights, Light Horse or Scythed
Chariots if in good going;
·
Warband.
If not, recoil.
Blades If in an enemy bound,
destroyed by:
·
Knights or Scythed Chariots if in good going,
·
Warband.
If not, recoil.
Warband If in an enemy bound,
destroyed by:
·
Elephants, Knights or Scythed Chariots if in
good going;
·
Blades.
If not, recoil.
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