De Bellis Antiquitatis (DBA)
Aeons ago, when hope was not so dim for myself, I promised you guys pictures of this ancients battle game called De Bellis Antiquitatis (”Of ancient battles”, in my poor latin). I also will impart you with my thoughts on it.
DBA, is an ancient-era wargame, which includes from the very beginning of organized warfare (in the fertile crescent) up to near-modern warfare (ye olde pike and shotte). This means that there is one ruleset for different periods, which, if you’re feeling brave and all, could include a battle of pre-caesarian romans versus Dutch pikemen of the dutch golden age (17th century).
The mechanics are simple, all you need is a pair of D6′s. Best of all, you don’t need any measuring tape at all! Everything is measured in base lenghts.
In matters of combat, everything in in 15mm scale, so don’t expect to be removing singular models, it’s basically roll-offs with a table next to it in order to see what your score is. If the scores don’t differ enough, well then, one or the other belligerents will have to back off, with the option of pursuit for the other faction. At some point you wipe the unit and remove the hole base.
There are some drawbacks, sadly. For one, and I might be spoiled by games like Warhammer and thers like it, you can’t compose your army freely by selecting your preferred units. You fight with what the generals or warlords of that time had. This also means that your army has a fixed size, and in matters of alternation (a handful brave romans taking on a horde of bloodthirsty saxons)...well there is litte alternation. There is the option of terrain of course, which is the only thing perhaps changing in theory.
And finally, the fact that you have to pick a historical army means that, ruleswise, you have to play against a select amount of armies. If any player around you doesn’t have any out of that list, well, one o’you’s gunna have to buy a new one, aintcha?
My unprofessional verdict? Carthago delendam est (too fucking salty about it)
Apart from that, I did buy an army (almost two, as it’s one with the most options-ish) : The Gauls. I’m too cheap to buy decals for shields that are approximatively 3x2mm, so I freehanded most of the shields until I ended cross-eyed and in need of a drink.
One of the grainiest pictures features the picture of a boar on a shield, can you see it?
And compulsory Asterix and Obelix, because Gauls.
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