DBR Part I

I played my first game of DBR (De Bellis Renationis) last week against good friend Jim Naughton. Jim is an old grognard and was teaching me the finer points of the game (and absolutely kicking my ass.) I played English Civil War Royalists and Jim played Neoplitan Spanish. Rich Baier ran my cavalry wings. This is a shot of the inital set-up. We are cramped within the set-up areas and have to spread out with our opening PIPs. I have a solid pike and shot center with 2 cavalry wings. It turns out I should have added some foot sloggers to the wings to bolster their ME equivalant.

Here's a shot of the Spanish center, a massive gun line supported by plenty of pike and shot and even some wild blades and warbands.

A look at the English.

From behind the English lines. There's a lot of Spanish out there.

DBR Part II

The wings extend and advance towards the Spanish. he center moves doggedly forward.

From behind the English center. The Dragoons wait for the PIPS to deploy. (They never got them.)

Prince Rupert leads the Cavaliers towards the Spanish forlorn hope.

An ambush! Spanish skirmishers appear in the woods on the English left.

DBR Part III

Prince Rupert makes contact with the enemy.

The English left and parts of the center. The Spanish have sprung an ambush form the woods.

You can see how the center is in shreds from advancing towards the Spanish gun line.

A close-up of some of the action. The English never did really engage the Spanish infantry as they were consistently recoiled by heavy artillery fire. The game was a massive Spanish win. Jim is a fine opponent and a finer man. Thanks for the 'lesson'.