Roland Davis has been painting for me again – some Swedes for the Thirty Years War. So I’ve been mulling over how to base them. Part of the answer is obvious – on big bases. The potential dilemma is what figures to put on each base given these are mixed pike and shot units. Here’s a few options I considered and a bit of a journey to get there.
DBR
De Bellis Renationis (DBR) is one of the DBxfamily of rules. It never really took off because, I believe, it isn’t a particular good simulation of its target period – the Renaissance. Mind you I don’t know any rules for this period that appeal, so perhaps Renaissance is just hard to simulate.
Steven’s Spanish Army of the Eighty Years War
My Renaissance Spanish army. These chaps can do service in the latter part of the Eighty Years’ War or in the Thirty Years’ War.
Steven’s Dutch Army
My Dutch Revolt army was the first army that Roland Davis painted for me. In fact it was the second Dutch Revolt army Roland had painted in a row. He had previously painted this army for John Mclennan. I saw John’s army at a Wargames Tournament in New Zealand, fell in love with it, and asked Roland to paint one for me. Which he did. He was, I understand, a little tired with the Dutch by the end of it. These chaps can do service in the latter part of the Eighty Years’ War or in the Thirty Years’ War.
Mapless Campaigns
The premise of the Mapless Campaign system is that complicated campaigns involving maps with detailed map movement, and where losing a couple of battles seriously impairs a player’s chance of success, are doomed to peter out. There are no maps in this campaign but players get to collect territories. And collecting territories makes the player more powerful. It is based on the campaign system in the Warmaster Ancient Armies book by Rick Priestley.
Firearms of the Thirty Years War
The Spanish were still using the Arquebus in the 30 Years War. DBR annoyed me for several reasons but the fixed ratios of musket to arquebus and the relatively ineffectiveness of the arquebus were two of them, particularly because the Spanish came out badly in this formula. As a result I wanted to find out what the difference was and why the Spanish may have retained the arquebus longer than others (if, in fact, they did).
What Wargaming Rules to use for the Italian Wars?
Wargaming rules for the Italian Wars. There are a few choices out there. The ones I’ve poked a stick at are:
Battle of Ravenna – A DBR Scenario
An Italian Wars scenario for DBR based on the Battle of Ravenna.
Battle of Pavia – A DBR Scenario
An Italian Wars scenario for DBR based on the Battle of Pavia.
Nombre de Dios – A DBR Scenario
An New World scenario for DBR based on the Battle of Nombre de Dios. See also my more complete New World DBA Scenario for the same battle.
Battle of Fornovo – A DBR Scenario
An Italian Wars scenario for DBR based on the Battle of Fornovo.
DBR Scenarios
A bit patchy still ’cause I got distracted …