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During my stay on the AoS forums, if nothing else, I learned about DBA. I found a game guide published by WADBAG and apparently based on the 2.2 version of the rules. There is a new v3.0 edition and I'm eyeing the book at the moment. Considering that I have glanced over the WADBAG guide and have some knowledge of the game, could someone highlight the differences between it (being based on 2.2) and 3.0? It seems that there are a lot army lists in the 3.0 book and I've read some vague comments concerning simplification of the rules and accenting more on "play" than on historical accuracy ( I get that DBA is considered on the light side of historic games anyway), but nothing more concrete on which to base an entry into the game. Any help would be welcome.

I have got v3.0 and v2.2 (and an earlier version.) Without looking in detail I can't tell you the precise details of any changes, however the army lists have changed again. Is there any specific you want to know about?

DBA is a deliberately designed as a relatively light game but very popular, fun and subtle even so. If you want a more accurate game, DBM and DBMM are both more complex developments of the basic DBA concept. DBMM is currently in v2.0 I think, and DBM is basically obsolete, being a precursor to DBMM.

If you have't got any of these games yet, I don't think you can go very far wrong by getting the free download of an early DBA and using the WADBAG guide to help make sense of the rules, especially as they are free. It's likely the armies will change slightly per edition but if you have particular armies in mind I can give you the details of their lists for each of the three editions I possess.

Thanks for dropping in. I was beginning to think that no one would answer. Ok, to organize things up:

1. Are you aware if DBA online's (http://www.dbaol.com/) army lists are 3.0 or 2.2? (P.S. Ok, no need to answer this - I found they're based on 1.22)
2. Can you give me the armies for an early imperial Roman army and three enemies - Germanic, Gallic and another Roman if there is a second one for the period (for 3.0. and 2.2).
3. I read that movement is dependent on base width and is not a fixed number of paces. Here is the citation: "You will find that the slow grind that had become commonplace in 2.2 games is gone. Due to movement in "Base Widths" rather than arbitrary distances the infantry move is greatly increased compared to mounted." What does this mean?
4. More citations: "Spear support is largely a thing of the past " and "Added complexity is compensated by a reduction of Rear Support factors." Is rear support's role trimmed or is it just that the options of supported/supporting/opponent modifiers are less?
5. "Blocked recoiling no longer kills units except in a few cases " Is this true? Does this mean that in 3.0 a pincered unit that is beaten up into recoiling won't be destroyed even if there is a frontal facing unit in its rear?

Thanks.

Let me check out those queries and get back with some answers tomorrow. I need to dig out both rulebooks and compare the relevant sections.

Here is a partial answer. Unfortunately I seem to have mislaid my v2.2 rulebook, I rememeber seeing it around a few weeks ago when I was reviewing my Inca army so I think it is somewhere in the cellar or the attic. Unfortunately that means I will not be able to dig it up until the weekend. However here are answers from the v3.0 rulebook.

EIR Army v3.0
Imperial Roman 25BC--197AD, II/56
1x General on horse (Cv) or on foot (4Bd), 1x equites (Cv), 4x legionaries (4Bd), 3x auxiliary pedites (4Ax), 1x equites (Cv) or pedites (4Ax) or archers (4Bw or Ps), 1 x Numidians or Moors (LH) or symmachiarii (3Wb) or slingers (Ps) or gladiators (3Bd), 1x lancers (3Kn) or horse archers (LH) or bolt-shooters (Art) or dromedarii (LCm)
Terrain Type: Arable. Aggresssion: 3. Enemies: very numerous.

Early Germanic Army 115BC--250AD, II/47g (other German armies)
1x General on horse (CV) or on foot (4Wb), 1x cavalry (Cv), 8x warriors (4Wb), 1x cavalry (Cv) or skirmishers (Ps), 1x skirmishers (Ps)
Terrain Type: Forest. Aggression: 2.

Dacian 60BC--106AD, II/52
1x General on foot (4Wb) or on horse (Cv), 1x horsemen (LH or Cv), 6x warriors (3Wb), 1x Bastarnae or Dacian falxmen (3Bd), 2x javelinmen (Ps), 1x falxmen (3Bd) or Sarmatians (3Kn) or javelinmen (Ps)
Terrain Type: Hilly. Aggression: 1.

Ancient British 55BC--75AD, II/53 (This is instead of the Gallic army since Gaul had been conquered by the time of the EIR list.)
1x General in chariot (LCh) or on foot (3Wb), 2x light horse (LH), 3x chariots (LCh) or slingers (Ps) or warband (3Wb), 3x warband (3Wb), 1x warband (3Wb) or slingers (Ps) or sacrificing druids and screaming women (7Hd)
Terrain Type: Arable. Aggression: 0

Q.3. Movement rates and measurements
All measurements are now done in Base Widths which are a standard 40mm for 15mm scale figures and 60mm for 28mm scale.
The zone of control (Threat Zone) of an element is one BW deep.
Movement rates:
4BW. If LH, Cv or Scythed Chariots and only in good going.
3BW. If Kn, El, Cm, any mounted infantry and only in good going, or if "Fast" foot in any going.
2BW. If "Solid" Ax or "Solid" Wb in any going , or if other "Solid" foot and only in good going.
1BW. If any troops other than "Fast" foot, Ax or Wb and in bad or rough going for any part of the move. Art and War Wagons cannot deploy or move at all off-road in bad going.)
1BW. If the front edge of any single element or group is in a non-paltry river for part of the move.

Q.4. Rear support factors (working from fallible memory there are fewer of these now. I think Spears used to get +1.)
These apply when elements have another friendly element of the same type lined-up directly behind them and facing the same direction, and both are in good going.
Pikes add +3 and Warband +1 when in frontal close combat against enemy foot other than Psiloi.
Pikes add +1 when in frontal close combat against Knights, Elephants or Scythed Chariots.
Light Horse add +1 when in frontal close combat against any troops.
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 if the double element is entirely in good going.

Flank support factors
Some "Solid" elements add +1 when in frontal close combat in good going against enemy foot if at least one flank edge is in mutual side edge and mutual front corner contact with a friendly element.
Spears add +1 if supported by Spears or "Solid" Blades. "Solid" Bows add +1 if supported by "Solid" Blades. "Fast" elements neither give nor receive flank support.

Q.5. Destruction of recoiling elements
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. An element alrady in such contact with any of these cannot recoil and is destroyed instead.
An element that has an enemy front edge in contact with its side or rear edge is destroyed by recoiling, being pushed back, fleeing or being in a column whose front element is destroyed.

(I think it used to be that elements got destroyed if pushed into the zone of control of an enemy unit.)


Hope this helps!

Thanks! This is all very helpful. I'll be trying the game some printed blocks soon.