Big Battle DBA, Yuan Chinese vs. Persians, Part I

Played a game of Big Battle DBA Monday night. There were 4 of us with 3 armies, and after much discussion, crying, swearing and gnashing of teeth, it was decided Jim and Rich would general Yuan Chinese and take on Alan and I with Alan's Persians. It was a pleasure to see so many nicely painted elements on the table. Alan's Persians are simply beautiful. Here Rich (l) and Jim prepare to take us like Turkish merchant marines on their maiden voyage!

Jim's beautiful Chinese. Their evil plan was to contact us, then roll dice! Bastards!

My pussyfoots enter the woods on our far left. Their objective was to disrupt Rich's attack as much as possible and help save our center. With only 9 elements and 6 of them Ps, we had our work cut out for us. The guy with the red ring is the famous Persian general, Leadsfrombehind.

Big Battle DBA, Yuan Chinese vs. Persians, Part II

The lines close. The bad guys had a few aux in the center woods who wreaked havoc on Alan on both sides of the wood. I believe it was here that we realized we were Fucked, with a capital 'F'. No, I lie, we knew long before this.

My light troops are somehow doing their job; that is, they are breaking up the Chinese attack as they peel off element after element to deal with the Persian Pains in the Asses. I have gotten so bold as to move my auxilia into the open. I was also about here that our PIP dice dried up like George Hamilton's face. At the same time Jim rolled 6-6-4, 6-5-4, 6-6-4, in consecutive bounds for PIPs.

This was a shot I took to demonstrate the SuperMacro on my camera to Alan and ended being a cool shot of his camp and camp followers. Nice pants dude.

There's a whole bunch of Chinese, but isn't there always? Alan has kinked his line in an effort to be as big a prick as possible. (Alright, I told him to do so; the very first time anyone has ever used 'big' and 'prick' in the same sentence about me.)

Big Battle DBA, Yuan Chinese vs. Persians, Part III

The best shot of the night: Alan's chariots and cavalry look just as good, if not better in person.


The Chinese cavalry ready themselves to join the fray. Meanwhile my auxilia are about to make holes in the Bw and send them to the sidelines. Alan has kinked the end of his spear line to meet up with my idiots...err, brave light troops.

The Yuan charge home. Believe it or not, those Ps whacked those Cav! I am pretty sure that is the first time I have ever done that! I know the odds are not that high, especially with the overlap, but you actually have to roll higher than your opponent! What an odd feeling to do so.

The final positions, except Jim started cleaning up a bit. At least this was how it ended on my end. You can see the 4 dead elements in front of Rich and how our forces are winning this end of the battle. While we knew there was no way to beat the dynamic duo of Rich and Jim, one thought kept us going: at least we didn't have to play Larry.

DBR Papal Condotta vs. Imperial Spanish, the beginning.

I met the inestimable Jim Naughton at Legions Hobby and Games for a 500 point game of DBR, March 1. 2010. Jim is a great opponent who beats my ass like I owe him money, but always does so with a smile and keeps me coming back for more. Tonight's battle pitted Jim's Imperial Spanish vs. my Papal Italian Condotta circa the first quarter of the 16th century. Here's a shot of Jim before his impressive forces. His armies are always meticulously researched and nicely painted and always a pleasure to see on the tabletop. (Even when they are crushing me.)

A look down the Spanish line.

A look down the Papist line.

The initial set-up, or most of it, an aerial view. Jim has his forces anchored on a gentle hill with his shot and pike extending to his center and his one artillery piece anchoring the line. His mobile command is in column to the top left. He has another smaller mobile command with mostly light horse in the center and some skirmishers and peasant rabble on the right. I suspect there is an ambush in the olive groves to the left and set up a little toward the center and place a few bow and blade to counter it. My heavy cavalry (lancers) make up the bulk of my attack wing and intend to hit his foot and blow through them, my own foot, in the center, will hit what is left while they themselves are still fresh. My right will give ground, but essentially stay alive and not initiate combat. I should have started my lancers closer to the center as this set-up proved to be badly flawed as the inevitable ambush materialized and his mobile command threatened to take me in the flank. I had to wheel away and then back to get into postion to launch the charge.

DBR Papal Condotta vs. Imperial Spanish, the middle.

A shot of Jim's Spanish foot, pike and shot.




I try to wheel away from the ambush that Jim springs from the olive groves on my left. I knew he would probably do so but the troops I sent to deal with it were far too few and they were quickly dispatched. My lancers' charge is delayed, but no fear because when they charge home, the Spanish will turn tail like the cur they are! My light horse in the center are positioned to go either way and to hold some of Jim's troops in place, especially his other cavalry in his center rear. My foot in the center is intended to mop up what the lancers leave behind.

A view over the shoulder of my strike force at the Spanish.

The right side of my line. Here is where I made yet another large mistake. As this was the most fragile command, they were initially meant to only delay Jim's left and avoid combat if possible. However it became clear to me too late that a) Jim didn't want a fight on this flank either, and b) I had the advantage in numbers and quality of troops. I wasted blades and pike and bow here. I started them moving forward but they never got there...

I finally hold off the ambush (albeit temporarily) and line up for the kill! Look out, this game is all but over. Charge!!!!!

DBR Papal Condotta vs. Imperial Spanish, the end

Finally, the lancers crash into the Spanish lines! You can see the Papal foot forces slogging towards the Spanish to support the charge.


Another view of the melee as the Papists crash into the heretics. Soon there will be nothing left of the Spanish as God himself gives us the strength to hew them down where they stand.
Uh... maybe not. I forgot that this game requires rolling dice. Here is a shot of the lone lancer that won combat. The Spanish stood strong and the Pope's troops melted away.

The result of the big charge I played the whole game to set up and execute. 9 dead stands of lancers. Hoo boy.

The final positions of the end of the board that mattered. If you look closely, you may be able to pick out one or two stands of Papal troops. As usual, it was a pleasure to be beaten like a rented mule by Jim, who does so with a friendly smile and plenty of good advice on how to counter what he is doing. Never let it be said he isn't a great sport! Seriously, Jim is an old grognard who can beat your ass in any strategy you choose to use. He's seen and beat them all. Kudo's to him once again. A fun game that was close until we actually started.