BELLA HORRIDA BELLA Release Date

[Lagartija Mike]

For the three or four wargamers who insist on wargames rules by the pound, my rules Bella Horrida Bella will be released by my Scarlet Fig Press February 8th 2016. In an inversion of normal good sense the army lists will be released earlier, on January 23. The rules themselves will retail for about 25USD, with each of the eight (extremely comprehensive) army list books will run for about 16USD. I’m hoping to have the Scarlet Fig Press website up by late December for complimentary introductory PDFS of the rules and lists.

[Not Connard Sage]

Virgil. How very classic.

Obvious contrarian and passive aggressive old prat, who is taken far too seriously by some and not seriously enough by others.

[Alvin Molethrottler]

Sounds interesting, what timespan do they cover?

[Lagartija Mike]

Alvin, the time span is slightly longer than most “Ancients” rules, from the Year Zed to 1700. The army lists contain some forces that go well into the 19th century but whose technology and tactics make them playable against earlier armies (should you choose the ahistorical option): Zulus, Maori etc..

The army lists not only give you the option of building generic armies of a given nation/period, but, where known, more specific lists for specific campaigns.

[Lagartija Mike]

In the great tradition of wargame rules of yore, Bella Horrida Bella will be printed on matte paper sans photographs, though liberally illustrated by myself. I’m putting the finishing touches on the last of the army lists for the minor Anatolian beyliks (the Eretnids, Germiyan etc..) before and contemporary with Osman and Orhan’s pre-Imperial Ottoman beylik.

[Alvin Molethrottler]

How’s about some spoilers to whet the appetite? For example, what constitutes a unit? Is it a traditional one figure equals twenty men type thing or more like DBx/Impetus where the base is a unit?

[Lagartija Mike]

Alvin:

• to foster “diorama” style designs, a base equals a unit and bases come in several sizes.
• a unit is very much like a character in an RPG, having more traits and qualities than in an average wargame. Also vital is the command figure(s) in any given unit whose discrete and separate traits effect unit performance and command and control.
• fatigue, attrition, ammunition and psychological effects are important factors. War really is horrible and my rules don’t allow you to forget it.

[Alvin Molethrottler]

Mike, I am liking the sound of that, thanks.

[Lagartija Mike]

Thanks, Alvin. One of the things I wanted to deal with was the volatility of effectiveness and potential reaction of a unit in combat beyond Peak Efficiency/Rout/Rally. I tried to make the experience as human as possible, if that term can have any meaning in a nessecarily reductive form.

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