DBA III/25 Arab Conquest

The Army that exploded out of the Saudi desert in the 7th Century.
This rag tag bunch went on to conquer many foes including the Sassanid Persians!
The DBA list fizzles out at 660AD to be replaced by the Umayyad Arabs. With a few extra
Bow elements we could morph this army into Umayads as well.

We have enough elements to cover both the A & B Lists

(a) 622AD-638AD
1x3Cv or 4wb(Gen), 2x2Lh, 7x4Wb, 2x3Bw or 2Ps




The WarBands!


Light Horse


Psiloi


Bows


The General - Cavalry or WarBand


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(b) 639AD-660AD
1x3Cv(Gen), 4x3Cv, 1x2Lh, 4x4Wb, 2x3Bw or 2Ps

The Army now has a greater mounted element giving it great mobility.






The Cavalry


The rest of the army

DBA III/69 Tuareg

Ah..smell those Tuareg campfires!
An enemy for the Fanatic Berbers, but a real tough nut to crack.
The Tuaregs are very heavy on the Camels. In the Desert
environment they treat Dunes & Oasis rough terrain as good going.

1000AD - 1075AD
1x3Cm(Gen), 8x3Cm, 1x2/3Cm, 2x3Wb or 3Cm or 2Ps or 3Ax






Psiloi elements & the Warband double as Auxiliary

DBA III/74 Fanatic Berber

A few 'Desert Dweller' Armies that we have collected. Firstly the brilliantly
named FANATIC Berbers. These fellas fought everyone from Egypt, to North
Africa & onto El Cids Spanish Armies.

1039AD - 1529AD
1x3Cv or 2LH (Gen), 3x2Lh, 3x4Sp, 3x2Ps, 2cx2Lh or 3Cm or (1x3Kn + 1x3Cb)

The army arrayed with all options (we subbed a Bow for the Xbows)

The Light Horse

The General, Cav or Lh option

Black Guard in the form of Spears

The Camel riders

The Knight & Bow option

Desert rabble, the Psiloi

DBA Indians vs Achaemenid Persian

Ancient Double Sized DBA Battle between Indians &
Achaemenid Persians. The Indian Army is heavy with Elephants,
Chariots, Bows & Blades. The Persians have Spears, Cavalry &
deadly Scythed Chariots. General Jack would take the Persians &
yours truly the Indians. My army combined a Mountain Indian &
a Classical Indian selection. The tabletop was a TerrainMat.
Scenery from commercial companies.

II/2 Mountain Indian
El(Gen), 2X2Lh, 1x4Bd, 4x3Ax, 4x2Ps

II/3 Classical Indian
El(Gen), 2xEl, 2xHCh, 2x3Cv, 1x4Bd, 4x4Bw
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II/7 Late Achaemenid Persian
2xLCh(Gen), 4X3Cv, 4x2Lh, 8x4Sp, 4x2Ps, 2xSCh

The Indian Line up, Jumbos/Heavy Chariots in Middle.
Mountain Indians would take the left & the rough terrain.


Persian set up, Spears in the Middle, Light Horse & Cavalry
on each flank.


Overview of the set up.


General Jack with final adjustments to his Army.


Jacks view of the table


Nice views of the Indians. Note the shields on the Mountain
Indians to the right. 'Tiger' shields for Auxillary, 'Leopards'
for the Psiloi & 'Mountain Lion' for the Blades.



The Indian Heavies prepare to stomp the opposition.


They're off, nice Pips lead to a mass charge.


Jacks responds with just advancing his centre.


Persian General leading the Cavalry.


Funky Indian Camp guarded by a Bow element.


Jacks Scythed Chariots go straight for the Jumbos.


The Cavalry manoeuvre, advantage to the Persians with
greater numbers.


Persian Spears advance, there's some Mercenary Greek
Hoplites in there.


Nice view of the Persian Cavalry


The Jumbos make short work of the Scythed Chariots.


Now Jack throws in his Spears


The left flank is a battle of the Light troops


Crash! Bang! Wallop! The centre clashes, it was a big scrap.


High ground to the Persian Cavalry


Will Jacks General survive?


No.. he's mincemeat!!!! But a Jumbo goes down as well, this one
is close. With the loss of a General he needs to roll Pips
just to keep that command fighting. If he doesn't then they'll
be legging back to Persia!


The right flank fizzles out into a stalemate.


With Losses mounting, Jack's morale goes & he begs for mercy!
The Indians take the day.....


Nice battle, we loved the mixture of troops. I must admit there is
something about Chariots flashing across the table. Jacks mistake was
to put his General in the front line - I'm teaching him bad habits!

Double IV/83 Wars of the Roses English

To fight each other or the French & Scottish.
I don't think they look as impressive as other European
Late Medieval Armies though. The flags are a mixture of
commercially available sticky backed ones & the free Medieval
Flags download from Foundry Miniatures.

The Army lined up, not many Knights....


Front view of the English

DBA IV/83 Wars of the Roses English

Very similar to the 100 Years English, heavy with Longbows.
This army is the (a) 1455 - 1464 option.

1x3Kn or 4Bd(Gen), 1x3Kn or 3Cv or 4Bd, 3 x 4Bd, 6x3/4Lb,
1xArt or 3Sp

The massed ranks




The English Longbowmen


Blades & Spear


English Knights & dismounted Blades


The English Knight General


The Artillery element

DBA IV/62 100 Yrs War English

Good ole Henry V's mob. Lots of Archers to take on the
flower of French chivalry. There's a few Knights in there
to give some offensive punch.

1x3Kn//4Bd(Gen), 2X3Kn//4Bd, 6X4Lb, 1x3SP or 2Ps,
1x4Lb or 4Bd, 1x3Xb or Art.

The English Army



English firepower, Longbows & a Crossbow


Foot Troops - Bows, Blades, Spear & Psiloi



The English King
Banner from the fantatic Dansk Figurspilsforenings site
http://www.krigsspil.dk/


The English Knights led by the King



Mounted English King

Double II/49 Marian Romans

To face the hordes of Gallic Barbarians or just to fight
each other in a Pompey vs Julius, Roman Civil War.
All the shield decals are Veni Vidi Vici transfers.




The second Army has Spanish Allied Cavalry, Auxillary,
Light Horse & Psiloi

DBA II/49 Marian Romans

Julius Caesars Army, Marian Romans.
Mega Blade Heavy with slice & dice action, featuring 8 Blade
elements.

1x3Cv or 4Bd(Gen), 1x3Cv or 2Lh, 8x4Bd, 1x3Ax or2Ps, 2Ps

The complete Army, Julius in the middle.


Another view of the meat grinder.....


The mighty 8 Blades close up.



The Gallic Cavalry, Nubian Light Horse & General Julius



Allied Auxillary & Nubian Psiloi


Roman Camp, available from Magnetic Media

DBA Camps

One aspect of DBA is to have a Camp. It's a chance to
be very creative & come up with some nice dioramas.
Here's a selection of ours from commercial stuff
to some scratch built kit.


Gigantic Gothic - it's from the Pet Shop, an Aquarium ornament.
Looks cool with the Late Swiss troops marching out.


Generic camp for Horse & Musket armies.


Roman Marching Camp, tent from Baueda.


Teutonics, the brotherhood burning 2 pagans, the
tent is resin.


Arab camp, tents from Essex Minis.


Baueda Log Stockade, very nice.


Baueda Late Roman Fort.


Ruined Castle - another Pet Shop acquisition!!


Classical Indian Deity- one of my favourites.
A small Indian statue in a sea of Games Workshop
Jungle plants.

DBA Medieval German vs Italian Condotta

The Germans are in action again, this time a later army list.
The list covers quite a long period in time 1106 - 1519, so
we've collected extra 'later' looking Knights & War Wagons
for the Germans.

IV/13 Medieval German selected
1X4Pk(Gen), 3x3Kn, 1X3Cv, 3x4Pk, 1x2Ps, 2xWWg, 1xArt.

IV/64 Italian Condotta
5X4K(Gen), 1x2Lh, 2x4Cb, 2X4Pk, 1X4Bd, 1X2Ps

Jack was the Condotta General.

The battle Lines are drawn, the Germans at the bottom of the pic.
I placed 2 elements to the right which aren't shown.
Jack put his Light Horse to counter these.


Condotta Line up


German Line, The War Wagons would anchor the flanks of the Pike.


German Knights flood across a field.
(The fields were made from drinks coasters covered in textured paint
& hedge material glued round the edges.)
On my left my lone Psiloi (out of shot) advance rapidly.


The Lines about to clash


Advantage to the Italian Knights with extra numbers.


Nice overview of the Battle


Jacks Knights make short work of mine & they pour through.
I roll poor Pips & the Cavalry on the left can't even get into the shot!
Though I manage to take out some Crossbowman.


My Psiloi emerge from the orchard to try & take out Jacks Artillery.
His Light Horse are lurking though!


They succeed but it may have been a suicide mission.
I even manage to lose a War Wagon :o(


AAaarggh! Jacks Light horse attack... My die roll says it all!


It's over & Jacks gets a close victory...


A good plan but as usual my combat dice let me down.
Jack strolls away 'whooping' loudly, I'll be putting away the kit again.

DBA Medieval German vs Early Polish

A clash between IV/13 Medieval German & III/62 Early Polish
This turned out to a very quick battle, it was over in a few rounds.
Jack played the Germans & I was the Polish.

The Poles consisted of 3X3Kn, 1x2 Lh, 3X4Sp, 1x4Bd, 3x3Bw, 1x2Ps
Germans 5X3Kn, 1X4Cb, 2X4Sp, 2x4Pk, 2X2Ps .

Germans on the left, the Poles on the Right


Jack wastes no time & charges in his Knights


Pips desert him & only part of his Knights get into combat


The German Knights push back the Poles




Polish Foot hold the high ground


Jack is put off by the lone Polish Bow element


The dice are good & some German Knights fall.


The Poles overcome the last German Pike & the battle is over


Final positions


Jacks Spears didn't do enough



I was suprised with the Early Poles, they performed really well.
It looked like a German Knight Steamroller, but Pips eluded Jack
& the lone Polish Bow put Jack off charging in all his Knights.

DBA Early Imperial Rome vs Dacia

A DBA battle representing Imperial Romes invasion of Dacia. We took inspiration for this from a Discovery Channel show on Emperor Trajans Column. I took the part of the Dacians & Jack was the evil Emperor of Rome.

Initial Setup – Rome border & the Danube on the left. Dacia & a local town on the right.

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Roman Setup, but what’s this…. Jacks separated his Legionnaires from his Auxilia. Not good when fighting Dacians whose army comprise mainly of Warband. I warn Jack but he’s adamant on his plan & gives me a ‘scowl’.

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Dacian Setup – Warband in the middle & Dacian cavalry with Sarmation Knights to the left.

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Dacian closeup – The king & his Sarmation Allies. The Sarmations are Old Glory figures which painted up really well. My favourite paint job.

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Dacian Warband – Six Elements & 1 Blade Element of Falxmen

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Da Plan – Charge in the Warband & take out the Roman cavalry. Warband have an ability to ‘Quick Kill’ Blades in DBA. If they win a combat they don’t have to Double the score of the opponent to destroy them.

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The lines close – Jacks Roman Auxilia go for the easy option of my Psiloi, instead of ploughing into my Warbands. The cavalry line up on the right, I manage to get the Dacian Falxmen to support the Dacian Cavalry.

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The Cavalry Battle is quick & brutal, all that’s left is Jacks General.

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Roman Auxilia make short work of the Psiloi, but is it enough?

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Death of the Roman General – Nice view of the Sarmations charging into the Roman General, but his escape is covered by the Falxmen.

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Warband vs Blade, it’s messy for the Dacians but they manage to kill one Roman element. Jacks Roman artillery is still crossing the River!!!

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It’s over Dacian forces win through.

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Casualties

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He’s not happy, Jacks left putting away the troops & terrain for once! The penalty for losing a game, I’ll go & put the kettle on. A good game & for once my plan works.

Hello Everybody !!!

Jack gloating again.....

Ok... well this Blog is dedicated to our dabble into the world

of De Bellis Antiquitatis (DBA) & all it's add ons. We'll show

our Armies that we have collected & the many Battles that

have took place in our humble abode.

Why DBA? Well for us it's perfect, time in our household is a premium. We can have a quick game, small amount of troops, small board with a simple set of rules, then pack it all away quickly for another day. We play as often as we can but we ALWAYS have fun...which in my book is what it's all about.

Who are we? Well we're a Father & Son (plus sometimes Amy) outfit from Middlesbrough in the North East of England. While I've had the gaming 'disease' for many years, my son Jack has developed it recently. We travel to many Wargames Shows when we can (& money allows!) in the North of England collecting bits n bobs to build our collection. Sometimes other peoples work, sometimes plain lead which we enjoy painting.

We're not out to change the world but if you get enjoyment or even inspiration from our collection then good stuff!

As a family we're keen members of English Heritage & visit sites all over the North of England. I thoroughly recommend joining, paying the yearly membership allows free entry to the sites. You do save quite a bit of cash. The kids love going to the Castles & a good day is had by all. I've put a few pics of the sites we've been to. There's also some from a holiday to Western Scotland.