"Yeah, I'm thinking I'm back!"

OK, so I'm not exactly John Wick, but after a two-and-a-half-year-long absence from this blog I thought my return required a little drama. No promises going forward; we'll just see how regularly I am motivated to post.

Since my last post referenced Phil Barker, the author of the DBX rules system, it seemed appropriate to focus this post on the most recently published addition to the DBX family: De Bellis Fantasiae. 

De Bellis Fantasiae (DBF) is the result of the continued development work of the authors of D3H2, which was itself the attempt, with Phil Barker's approval, to bring the Hordes of the Things 2.0 (HOTT) fantasy elements into line with the then-new DBA 3.0 revised mechanics. You may see my previous posts on D3H2 for a fuller explanation, but the big changes to HOTT included measurement in base-widths instead of "paces," the ability to apply "Fast" and "Solid" characteristics to HOTT's fantasy elements and an amended points system to determine element (unit) cost. DBF has furthered this evolution. After "publishing" D3H2, the authors continued to make "improvements" to the DBX system in regards to ease of play, plausibility of historical results and even presentation.

Presentation has been overhauled. Since the book is a Lulu print page-count is less of an issue, so full-color has been used throughout, type is bigger and diagrams have been placed alongside the relevant text. Extra words were used to help better explain rules in an attempt to reduce the "Barkerese" that some people have complained about over the years. FYI, I never had a problem with the writing style.

The element point system has been completely revamped, ranging from the expensive Aerial Hero at 17 points down to Skirmishers, Hordes and Light Mounted at 3 points. Making an element a General costs an additional 10 points. Mages (Magicians) are purchased at Levels from 1 to 5, and a new Magic system allows for some varied spells at escalating PIP costs.

The new point system lets you play small DBA-style games at around 75 to 100 points as well as larger "Big Battle-style" games with multiple commands/generals in the 200-300 point range.

Combat resolution is basically unchanged, but there are some new tactical factors and some "Special Rules" (traits related to training or specific weapon use) that change some interactions. Some of these are tied to specific fantasy army lists - 60 different lists from literature and mythology are included in the book - but all could be applied to other fantasy, or even historical armies as the user sees fit. Indeed, using DBA and/or DBMM army lists as reference these rules can be used to build and play with historical armies as well as fantasy. I consider DBF a great new "toolbox," and really like all the changes.

Oh, and there are new campaign rules, too. If you like the DBX system (I do!), you should check out DBF.

 
 

Happy 90th Birthday, Phil Barker!

 

90 years! Congratulations. Thank you for DBA. . . and HotT!

Lord Kha-Ris battles The Army From Heck

Two Undead armies clashed at Castle FusterCluck this past weekend in a Big Battle of D3H2 (DBA 3.0 with HOTT additions). We tried to play the rules as straight up as we could, since Bruce and I were coaching Aaron and Steve in their very first game.

Each army totaled 72 points divided into 3 commands. Lord Kha-Ris (MY Undead) fielded a large command of mainly Replaceable Hordes and Behemoths. Aaron led a mounted right wing command of Knights, Beasts and Heroes. I also led a third smaller command of Aerials, an Aerial Hero (Cruella, of course) supported by 4 Flyers.

 

Bruce's Army of Heck was more balanced, Heroes supported by Spears, Shooters, Cavalry and Behemoths, with two small groups of Aerials integrated into the two wing commands. Steve commanded the left wing, so the New Guys faced each other.

The Army of Heck Defended, so chose terrain - Ploughed Felds, Gentle Hills and one patch of Scrub, so terrain played little part in the game - and took first bound. . . a general advance.

Kha-Ris responded in similar fashion. . . two masses of Undead trundling forward toward potential mutual destruction . .

When Bruce advanced his right wing Aerial Hero and Flyers, Cruella pounced, killing a Flyer and drawing first blood (presumably "true death" AND some kind of blood was involved). Cruella was then promptly set upon by the Heckish Aerial Hero and destroyed! 

Another Heckish Flyer was eliminated as the melee continued. . . until the Aerial Hero noticed another more enticing target . . . Kha-Ris, all by himself, on his zombie dragon mount.

Meanwhile the center commands embraced, and on the opposite flank, Kha-Ris' Beasts and the Heckish Flyers were at a stand-off.

 
Then the Heckish Aerial Hero pounced on Kha-Ris and the battle took a dramatic turn! The dice were rolled, and Kha-Ris lost by a single point! Death had come to Kha-Ris, the C-in-C of his army.

But wait! I remembered a rule in DBA Big Battle which entitles the C-in-C of each army to re-roll one die-roll per game after the results have been calculated. Only a re-roll of 6 would save Kha-Ris by causing a tie-score! 

"What?!" exclaimed Bruce, suspiciously. "Let's look that up." It is not unusual for us to check the rules several times a game, always in the spirit of fair play, so in we went. Turns out I was wrong. The rule actually states that the C-in-C can add +1 to his die-roll after the results have been calculated. . . so Kha-Ris gets an automatic draw instead of chancing a re-roll, as I wrongly "remembered" it. Thanks, Bruce! Kha-Ris survives another bound.

On my next bound, I got enough command PIPs to surround the Heckish Aerial Hero and send it back to Heck! Just in the nick of time, as Heckish archery sent another of my Flyers to its doom, breaking and demoralizing the Aerial command.

In the center, the relentless combination of Hordes, Behemoths and Knights, though sustaining its own losses, inflicted even more on the Heckish troops. On the right flank, the Beasts swept past the PIP-starved Heckish Flyers to fall on the flanks of the Heckish center.

While the Heckish right flank troops bore down on Kha-Ris, their center finally broke. A couple bounds later, the Heckish army reached its breakpoint (half its total element points) and fled the field. 

 Victory to Kha-Ris and his Undead. . . and to good sports, including the New Guys who said they'd be willing to play again.

If One Magician Is Good, Two Should Be Twice As Good!

We played a double-size game of D3H2 (DBA 3.0 with HOTT elements and rules added) this weekend at Village Games - Undead vs Gauls. It was a story of quantity - the Undead - vs quality - the Gauls. Bruce changed up his army construct; 2 Magicians and 4 Heroes with Warbands, Cavalry and Light Chariots in support. The Undead's larger command was led by a Magician with Hordes, Behemoths and Knights. The second command was all aerial, led by an Aerial Hero (Cruella, of course). I decided to field DBA-style Hordes - the kind that don't regenerate a la HOTT - as they cost less in points and are actually pretty tough on their own. As it turned out, the Hordes were not among the casualties. . .

The Gauls defended and laid out lots of terrain, which forced the fight to the open center of the field. The Undead Behemoths formed the center of their line, to face the Gallic Heroes.

The Undead had good PIPs early in the game; enough for Cruella and her Flyers to separate and assist in several combats, leading to the deaths of 3 of the 4 Gallic Heroes. Then Cruella made a fatal mistake, regrouping her command while in the bespelling range of the two Gallic Magicians. And just like that, The Magicians encsorceled her (hence the "little bat" marker in the photos), which demoralized the command!

Of course, that's when my Pips dried up, so I couldn't keep the Flyers from fleeing the field. Though the front Gallic command broke soon after, the Undead reached their army break point level first, just ahead of the Gauls. Victory: Gauls!

As the sun sets on the field, the Undead quit the battle. . .

Next to us, George and friends were playing Cold War-era micro armor. . . Challenger 2000, I think. 

See ya!

D3H2: Germans, Successors and Gauls, Oh My!

Bruce brought out a couple of 25mm Ancient armies, Successors and Gauls, since I don't have anything painted in this scale save my Undead. George brought Germans, and not having a lot of DBA experience, we decided to provide an opportunity for some by playing a one-on-one barbarian slug-fest, Bruce taking his Gauls against George's Germans. I observed. . . and coached a little.

George divided his Warbands into two groups, so one could take advantage of the patch of rough terrain, and waited for the Gallic onslaught. The wait was short; the Gallic Warbands, Cavalry and Light Chariots advanced.

While the rough did protect half the German army, the other half was overwhelmed and killed, the General the last to fall, totally surrounded by howling Gauls!

For Game Two - in the same afternoon - we decided to play a double size game, Gauls against Successors. Bruce took the Gauls and I played the Successors. I organized a larger, main command of Pike, Auxilia, a pair of Scythed Chariots and Psiloi, supported by a smaller mounted command of Knights and a pair of Auxilia to hold the rough ground on my left flank. I was facing mostly Warbands, Cavalry and Light Chariots. I wanted to get my Knights into his Warbands while using my Psiloi in front of my PIkes to blunt the attack of the rest of his Warbands to give the Pikes a bit more advantage.

The battle is tense for several turns after first contact. The Scythed Chariots cause a couple casualties, then are destroyed in turn. The Psiloi do blunt the Warband assault, but several elements of Pike fall prey to Gallic quick-kills, until the Pikes find the Gallic flank. On the Successor left flank, the Knights are more "successful" against their opposing Warbands. When the Gallic General and his Cavalry guard enter the fray in their support of the Warbands, he is killed in a general scrum from which he can't recoil. In the same turn, the Gallic horde reaches its break point. The Gauls are broken; the Successors win the day.

See ya!