Battle of Asculum on 2'x2' with own rules on blog

[Shaun Travers]

Hello all

I am back after nearly a year of playing nothing.  I am continuing to chronologically play through ancient battles from the Peter Side scenario books.  This time it is the battle of Asculum.  i am using a newer version of my own rules am am working through the changes so not published yet.  The full report is on this blog post:

https://shaun-wargaming-minis.blogspot.com/2019/08/battle-of-asculum-279bc-using-ancient.html

If interested, I also recently posted of where I have been with gaming for the last year and why I am back into it:

https://shaun-wargaming-minis.blogspot.com/2019/08/my-gaming-for-last-12-months-ramble.html

Here is a shot of the centre lines clashing:

 

 

[kyoteblue]

Good to see you posting again!!!

[vtsaogames]

Yes, good to see you back.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[Shaun Travers]

Thank you both, it is glad to be back and pushing figures.

[Just Jack]

Pretty cool, Shaun. Despite not knowing much in terms of the period and nomenclature, very much still an enjoyable read, thanks for posting.  I sure wouldn’t want to be a member of the ‘anti-elephant light infantry’ 😉

V/R,

Jack

[vtsaogames]

In DBA, elephants fight foot with a factor of 5 (plus die roll). The skirmishing foot fight with a factor of 2 (+D6). If the elephants get beat they are toast. If the skirmishers get beat they recoil. Can’t be killed by elephants in a straight-up fight with elephants. Other things can slay them and getting flanked is always a problem. The premise is that the loose order, fleet-footed skirmishers can dodge the pachyderms in ways other troops can’t. Just thought I’d insert that for comparison, Jack.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[Shaun Travers]

Hello Jack, Yes, DBA is very good at the highlighting the nuances with the different unit interactions.  I have a love hate relationship with DBA where I can admire how well crafted it is but not suspend my disbelief enough to believe I am playing an ancients battle.

My rules are sort of like a very fast Armati game with some unit reactions to make it a little more solo friendly.  It is designed so each game does not last more than 20 minutes, while DBA is 45 minutes to an hour.  In my rules, Skirmishers are destroyed by other units, except Elephants, Scythed Chariots and other Skirmishers.  They have a chance to destroy Elephants in melee but if they don’t they are destroyed.  It makes for  fast game!

[Just Jack]

Sounds cool.  I’ve actually got ‘Hail Caesar,” but no troops.

If you’re knocking these out in 20 minutes, we should be seeing hundreds of these things! 😉

V/R,

Jack

[Shaun Travers]

Maybe not hundreds, maybe not even 10s!  I do think there will be more coming in the next few months though as they are short to play and only a few hours to write up.

[kyoteblue]

Sounds good Shaun, I always liked DBA and still have my 15 mm armies for it and DBM.

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