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Wag
 
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Last Login: 2 days ago @ 2:37 PM
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| Does anyone play DBA (De Bellis Antiquitatis) V2.0? I need some basic rules questions answered as we are struggling with the geek-text of the rule book. Thanks.
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Knight
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Last Login: Thursday, July 31, 2008 2:43 PM
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I have played in the past.
Bung up some questions, and I can have a look at the rulebook when I get home tonight.
Answers may come tomorrow depending on reliability of home internet connection, and may not come at all if the questions are too hard.
Hope I can be of some help
James
The Jackal Faction - http://www.jackalfaction.com
Treasure-Trap in Cambridge - http://www.srcf.ucam.org/tt
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Wag
Group: Basic Members
Last Login: 2 days ago @ 2:37 PM
Posts: 1,111,
Visits: 953
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| Okay! 1. Most campaigns and tactic reviews from societys seem to suggest that spear gain a +1 rank bonus against all troops. Thus double ranked Spear are thus equal to blades. However the rules as we read them (bearing in mind the strange use of commas and refusal of standard punctuation) seem to suggest this rank bonus only applies against mounted. Which is correct. 2. Psiloi can be given another pip for a double move in the first bound. However it does not suggest whether this option is available or not in subsequent bounds? 3. Bows can gain up to two support bonuses when shooting on an enemy. Do the supporting units need to be beside the main firing unit or can support be provided from behind? (assuming the rear unit is in range) 4. Commanders are worth 2 units in terms of victory, however no guidance is given for what happens when the command unit is lost. Can the player still dice for pips or is his army effectively static and without command until his opponent finishes him? Thanks for any help you can offer!
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Knight
Group: Basic Members
Last Login: Thursday, July 31, 2008 2:43 PM
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First off, I'm not claiming these to be authoritative answers, it's been a while since I played. I'm looking at the Feb 2001 printing of the version 2.0 rules.
1. Most campaigns and tactic reviews from societys seem to suggest that spear gain a +1 rank bonus against all troops. Thus double ranked Spear are thus equal to blades. However the rules as we read them (bearing in mind the strange use of commas and refusal of standard punctuation) seem to suggest this rank bonus only applies against mounted. Which is correct.
It appears to me that the relevant section is "Spears add +1 if in frontal close combat against Knights or Spears", assuming they are supported by another Spears element.
There is different +1 bonus for Spears against Cavalry if they are supported by Psiloi.
2. Psiloi can be given another pip for a double move in the first bound. However it does not suggest whether this option is available or not in subsequent bounds?
It's not available in subsequent bounds, as the option explicitly states "in their side's first bound."
3. Bows can gain up to two support bonuses when shooting on an enemy. Do the supporting units need to be beside the main firing unit or can support be provided from behind? (assuming the rear unit is in range)
They need to be beside. Bows can support from behind in DBM, the larger game version of DBA.
4. Commanders are worth 2 units in terms of victory, however no guidance is given for what happens when the command unit is lost. Can the player still dice for pips or is his army effectively static and without command until his opponent finishes him?
I don't see where the commander being worth two units is. The rule I have gives the end game condition to be "The first side that at the end of any bound has lost either its general or 4 elements ... and has also lost more such elements than the enemy, loses the battle".
Given that, and assuming the game continues, I think that you would dice for Pips, and would assume that all tactical moves take place more than 1,200 paces from the General, and so take an extra Pip.
Thanks for any help you can offer!
You're welcome, hope that it's useful. You should have a look at http://www.dbaol.com if you've not already seen it, playing some games with this should help sort out any rules niggles you have remaining (but it's on DBA1.2 or so, hence things may have changed, so be careful).
I'm going to try and look up some online FAQs or something similarly helpful, http://www.fanaticus.org may be of use to you.
If it gets bad, just remember that DBA stands for Damn Barker Again, and play with whatever rules make sense to you, so long as you are consistent in applying them, it won't matter if it's a bit wrong.
James
The Jackal Faction - http://www.jackalfaction.com
Treasure-Trap in Cambridge - http://www.srcf.ucam.org/tt
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Wag
Group: Basic Members
Last Login: 2 days ago @ 2:37 PM
Posts: 1,111,
Visits: 953
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| Ta for that! Makes sense.... Spears wording in my version is different... says 'against any mounted and spears' can't see why theyd get a rank bonus against other spears and not against other foot though. Bow question was the main niggle and you've sorted that out thanks!
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