DBM3.1 Turgesh vs T'ang Chinese

Another DBM3.1 vs SB using my Turgesh (Central Asian Turk circa 737AD) with Ummayadd Arab Allies vs Stephens T'ang Chinese with Turkish Allies. I had 4 Cmds one of Arab allies which consisted of Sp(I) with Ps(O) backed by Cv(O) and Cv(S). The Turks comprised of Lh(S) and a mix of Cv(O) and Cv(S) with several Ps(O) and some Hd(O) Levy. The T'ang turned out to be mainly Cv(S) Lh(F) and lots of Ps(O) and a large collection of Bw(O) and Bw(X). I invaded but SBs terrain selection was very favourable to him with a BUA on one flank a steep rocky hill on the other and a very significant patch of rough ground right slap bang in middle all on his setup areas............this narrowed very much the useable area of the board and with my having no suitable troops to attack any of these features it was going to be tough nut to crack.

As it turned out both flank Cmds cancelled out their oppossition to no real effect throughout the game as neither side had any real advantage (both mixes of Lh & Cv). However in centre I advanced the Arab foot supported by Turk nobles and their own Cav. Once in bow range (even with rain starting) the Arabs lost all of front rank in 2 turns and when I threw in the Cv(S) they too took losses. I managed to get a match-up with overlaps on the end of the large Bw(X) group but poor combat roll saw my Cv recoil. Next turn the Arabs were broken (all thru bowfire) and Cics Cmd was close. Inevitably the bow after several failures shot down my Cv and with Arab losses the army broke..................................roll on DBMM I say :-)

Another 3.1Dbm

Another Dbm 3.1 game today my Mauikian Byzantines vs Stephens Carolingian Franks @400pts.

I put a bit of thought into this game as regards terrain setup and as defender I plumbed for a Bua to secure my left flank. I had 2 Reg Cmds and a Sassanid Ally Cmd. Stephen advanced his Kn(F) against my Cavalry and Lt Horse and I had initial success with Lh killing a couple of Kn. I then managed to use the Lh to pull the ends of his line of Kn out of formation but sadly really poor Pip dice on following turn saw the Lh replused/killed for no real gain. Then I threw my Cav in a large mass (ie 6 Dbe units) into his Kn. What followed was pitiful as my Cav were annihilated in 2 turns (the number of 1 and 2s was awful even by my standards!!) breaking my largest Cmd. This coupled with loss of Lh and a coule of Sassanid Cav (shot down by bows again due to awful Pip dice) saw my Army demoralized and beaten. The Cav in a DBE is just too costly when ko'd as 2 EE lost and in Reg army these are losses ill afforded (mind you with such poor die rolls no army would have fared too well). Back to the drawing board for the 'Rolls Royce' Of Byzantine armies.......................................

PK Field Of Battle playtest

Piquet Field Of Battle arrived in my hot little paws and I set up a quick 10mm Malburian bash (16 Austrian units vs 21 French) to try them out after an initial read through.

Rather impressed with fastplay nature of rules and the new Initiative & Sequence Decks are good. Plays faster than PK Cartouche but does lack some of its tactical nuances, although in the end the result is very similar and arrived at much quicker. Movement is fluid with all units able to interpenetrate one another even in contact(this took a bit of getting used too). Combat is standard PK die-type scale but results are much quicker as morale built into combat outcomes. Nice system of winning Even throws having beneficial outcomes very slick. Overall I realy liked these rules (despite being tad pricey) only downside is rather 'cheap & tacky' nature of the Card decks and the QRS. Cant wait to try these out with SYW stuff at some point.

DBM 3.1 Eastern Frankish vs Fanatic Berber

Another (!!) Dbm 3.1 game today with SB (Fanatic Berber). I used Eastern Frankish with Kn(F) and Fn(I) (dismounted as Bd(o)) with Sp(o), Bw(I), Ps(O) some Cv(O) (Saxons) and an Allied Cmd of Slavs (Cv(O) Ax(O) Ps(O)) 400 pts worth with 63 elements split across 4 Irr Cmds. The Berbers were mostly Sp(O/I) backed by Ps , some Ax(I) and numerous LH(O) and a couple of Spainish Knights (El Cid).

I got to invade but Berber terrain selection landed two big Dune areas in my central section causing me some deployment problems.

Essentially my Knights on turn 3 charged as a line of some 13 elements with a couple of Saxons into advancing Berber spearmen (a massed block of 2 cmds). First melees saw 2 vblocks of Sp(O) ko'd and couple of Kns repulsed but when the Sp(I) were attacked they ko'd 6 Kn in short order breaking a whole Cmd !!!!

Next turn the other Kn Cmd was also broken so I had lost 2 Cmds by turn 4 (but rest of army ok as only 20 EEs) and my whole strike force virtually gone................ this flank then degenerated into SB throwing poor Pip dice and have problems moving against the demoralised remanents and lots of his stuff going Impetuous with all the problems inherent in that ! Slavs in Dunes fought some Berber Aux (and came of worst) but my large Inf cmd was hampered by being on flank faced by Lh and poor Pip throws.

In the end Franks conceeded and I faced another inglorious defeat with my Knight army...............................

Fri 2nd March 2007

Another DBM3.1 game today (vs usual 'enemy' S.Brittain) used 400pt Western Frankish (888-923AD) comprising mainly of Kn(F) backed up by Sp(O), Bw(I) and a few Ps(O) and LH(O) in 3 Cmds with 4th Ally Cmd of Vikings (Bd(O) and Bd(I). Stephen used an Arab force (I forget which particular variant) with mix of Reg and Irr, Sp/Cv/Lh/Ax/Bw also in 4 Cmds.

Terrain as laid by SB was not too god for me as his 3 steep wooded hills appeared on my table half ! this was then followed by mt Viking starting of unreliable (and holding up a Kn Cmd to its rear.

My other Kn cmd was forced to charge and was annilihated in 2 short turns (the number of 1's I rolled was amazing as ever). Thankfully my Foot Cmd held my left flank manfully and I was able to move my remaing Kn to open centre and even better the Vikings came back to the fold (ie 6 rolled) and were able to trundle forward to threaten Arab left. A series of Kn charges (Arab bows not too damaging) got me in amongst the Arab centre and thankfully it was Stephens turn to roll low and his centre was close to collapse. However I could not keep up the sucess and at same time my foot Cmd was under pressure and duly collapsed as my Bow was decimated in melee. Being my largest cmd (also had control of baggage) its demise along with earlier Kn losses gave Arabs the victory. Another close contest down to just a couple of combats to seperate the victors from the vanquished. A couple of unusual situations encountered in the game gave rise to more head scratching as we tried to discpher DBM 'code' and as usual the situation debated had no bearing on outcome anyhow ! we must learn to roll the dice first then debate any issues if needs be :-)