For my small DBA I have a box with everything I need for a game, including all the terrain (but excluding figures). Now I want the equivalent for Big Base DBA. I figured I should sort out the box for DBA 3.0 rather than 2.2 so I’ve had a look at what I need.
DBA
De Bellis Antiquitatis (DBA) was the first of the DBx family of rules. Like HOTT it is light on simulation but quick and fun. The one day campaigns included in the book are brilliant, e.g. Britannia 600 AD. In fact I’ve got a bunch of DBA campaigns. With some tweaks I’ve managed to make DBA work for the New World – my variant is called New World DBA. I have revised a few of the army lists I care about and also specified Troop Identities in DBA Army Lists to facilitate building an army.
Who Were the Gardingi in Visigothic Spain? And were they armoured?
DBx and FOG are wrong. The gardingi were personal military retainers of the Visigothic king. They were wealthy and led their own retainers into battle. Given they were wealthy, and a military elite, they probably fought mounted. And in an army where even some slaves wore armour, it is beyond belief that these palatine officials were unarmoured.
Revised DBA Army List for a Western German Horde
It bugs me when rules writers introduce arbitrary distinctions between troop types and armies. From what I’ve read there was little difference between the Germanic tribes operating in western europe during the migration period leading to the Fall of Rome. I’m interested in the Early Visigothic, Early Vandal and Suevi because they operated in Spain and Portugal, either passing through or settling permanently. The DBA army lists for these armies, II/65, II/66 and II/72c respectively, highlight the issue for me as they differ in ways that are inexplicable to me. DBA is not alone as other rule systems also distinguish these armies in various ways. It is all too much for me. Too made up by the list writers. So here is my blended army list for a generic Western Germanic horde, whether Visigothic, Vandal or Suevi.
DBA II/72c Suevi 250AD-584AD
The Suevi are covered by DBA army list II/72c Suevi 250AD-584AD, an option within II/72 Early Frankish, Alamannic, Quadi, Suevi, Rugian or Turcilingi. They were part of the general chaos during the Fall of the Western Roman Empire and ended up in Iberia. This post is part of my series on Troop Identities in DBA Army Lists.
DBA II/66 Early Vandal 200AD-442AD
The Vandals were a Germanic tribe that crossed the Rhine into Roman Gaul, helped with the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, settled in Iberia (Spain and Portugal) before crossing to Africa. They hung out with the Alans. DBA army list II/66 Early Vandal 200AD-442AD is the army before forming the African Kingdom. This post is part of my series on Troop Identities in DBA Army Lists.
DBA II/65 Early Visigothic 200 AD-419AD
The Visigoths had a bit of a love-hate relationship with the Roman Empire. At times fighting against them, notably the Battle of Adrianople where they thrashed the Eastern Roman army, and sometimes operating in conjunction with the Romans as Feoderati. They ended up in Spain. In DBA they are list II/65 Early Visigothic 200 AD-419AD. This post is part of my series on Troop Identities in DBA Army Lists.
Egyptian versus Sea Peoples – A Big Base DBA Battle Report
Chris Harrod and I took my new Biblical armies for a spin using Big Base DBA. Chris was New Kingdom Egyptian and I took the Sea Peoples.
What DBA Troop Type are New Kingdom Egyptian and Hittite Close Fighters?
What DBA Troop Type are New Kingdom Egyptian Close Fighters and Hittite Empire Spearmen? Not what DBA v2.2 says. This seems another example, like Viking versus Saxon, where two armies had the same types of troops and DBA classifies them differently.
Steven’s Sea Peoples for Big Base DBA
DBA I/28 Sea Peoples is the first army I’ve completed as part of my Sea Peoples Project for Big Base DBA.
DBA Armies for the Sea Peoples, New Kingdom Egyptians and Hittite Empire
I picked up three biblical period armies from Silurian Wargames Limited: Sea Peoples, Hittite Empire and New Kingdom Egyptian. Here are few shots that Martin from Silurian sent me.
DBA I/24 Hittite Empire 1380BC-1180BC
The Hittite Empire covered central Anatolia and extended into the Levant. The Empire is covered by the DBA army list I/24 Hittite Empire 1380BC-1180BC. This post is part of my series on Troop Identities in DBA Army Lists.
DBA I/22 New Kingdom Egyptian 1543BC-1069BC
The New Kingdom of Egypt spanned the 18th, 19th and 20th dynasties. The army is covered by the DBA army list I/22 New Kingdom Egyptian 1543BC-1069BC. This post is part of my series on Troop Identities in DBA Army Lists.
DBA I/28 Sea Peoples 1208BC-1176BC
The Sea Peoples Confederation burst upon the eastern Mediterranean in the late 13th century BC. For 50 years they had a major impact, contributing to the collapse of both the Hittite Empire and the Mycenaean culture. They also had a good go at Egypt – several goes actually. The confederation’s armies are represented by the DBA army list I/28 Sea Peoples 1208BC-1176BC. This post is part of my series on Troop Identities in DBA Army Lists.
Sea Peoples Wargaming Project
I’ve been thinking about a chariot period project for a while and have been toying with the idea of something about the Sea Peoples. Then I saw three armies painted by Silurian Wargames Limited: Sea Peoples, Hittite Empire and New Kingdom Egyptian. I couldn’t resist. So yet another project starts.
Romans versus Iberian – Two Big Base DBA Battle Reports
Chris Harrod and I played two games of Big Base DBA set in the Roman conquest of Iberia. So Polybian Roman with Spanish allies against an Iberian army with Celtiberian mercenaries. In the first game, as the Spanish defender, I fielded my newly painted Built-up-Area (BUA). Quite pretty it is too – but it does pose quite a lot of challenges for both sides. We liked the first game so much we played the game a second time but swapped sides.