DBA Deep-Dive; 2. Troop Definitions

Troop Definitions

Troops are defined by battlefield behaviour instead of the usual formation, armour, weapons and morale class.

Mounted troop types are: Elephants, Knights, Cavalry, Light Horse, Scythed Chariots, or Camelry.

Foot troop types are: Spears, Pikes, Blades, Auxilia, Bows, Psiloi, Warbands, Hordes, Artillery, or War Wagons.

Camp Followers and Denizens of a city are not included in the allowed total of 12 troop elements, but are extra elements of armed civilians of no specific troop type, but which, if they sally, count as “Solid” foot for movement and “Fast” foot for combat.

A few army lists permit some elements defined to “dismount” i.e. be exchanged for a foot element, but these cannot later remount. These listed as / or // can be deployed as either the mounted type or already dismounted as the foot type; those listed as // can also dismount during the game as a compete ingle element tactical move. A very few armies have mounted infantry (prefixed by “Mtd”). These are on larger bases with their mounts, but remain foot and differ that in GOOD GOING they have the same tactical move as knights and can move more than once per bound.

ELEPHANTS (El). Used to charge massed foot and block horses. Vulnerable to artillery and skirmishers.

KNIGHTS (Kn or 6Kn), and heavy chariots (HCh).  Rode down most foot and good against cavalry. Vulnerable to massed bow fire, massed spear, pike and blades, and skirmishers, elephants and scythed chariots.

 CAVALRY (Cv or 6Cv), light chariots (LCh). Good all-round type against most enemies.

LIGHT HORSE (LH) or camel riders (Lcm). Good to hamper movement of most solid formations. Disliked other light troops, foot bow, and artillery.

SCYTHED CHARIOTS (SCh). Used early in a battle to disrupt solid formations.

CAMELRY (Cm). Main purpose is to disrupt other mounted troops. Vulnerable to massed fire and foot in close combat.

SPEARS (Sp or 8Sp). Good at blocking other foot. Can hold their own against mounted. Classed as “solid”.

PIKES (3Pk or 4Pk). Excellent against most foot if double ranked. Vulnerable to bow fire and skirmishers.  3Kn are classed as “fast”, 4Pk are “solid”.

BLADES (3Bd, 4Bd, or 6Bd). Less safe than spears against mounted, but superior to all other foot in close combat except double-ranked pike. 3Bd are classed as “fast”, 4Bd are “solid”. Also includes Command Post (CP) represents stationary generals with their bodyguard, or in a litter (Lit), or Command Wagon (CWg). The latter are treated as Blades, but cannot move into contact with enemy.

AUXILIA (3Ax or 4Ax). Over-matched in the open by other close formed foot and cavalry. Good in difficult terrain or as a link between heavy foot and mounted, and a melee reserve. 3Ax are “fast”, 4Ax are “solid”.

PSILOI (Ps). Used to slow the enemy down, support flanks, capture difficult terrain. Vulnerable to mounted in open terrain. Classified as “fast”.

BOWS (3, 4, or 8. Bw, Lb, or Cb). Effective at recoiling foot and mounted. Very effective against knights. 3-figure bases are “fast”, all others are “solid”.

WARBAND (3Wb or 4Wb). If not resisted they swept their enemy away. Susceptible to Psiloi and mounted. 3Wb are “fast”, 4Wb are “solid”.

HORDE (5Hd or 7Hd). A good holding element. 5Hd are classed as “fast”, 7Hd as “solid”.

Artillery (Art). Long ranged, but slower to fire. Good against war wagons, elephants and other artillery. Classed as “solid” foot.

WAR WAGONS (WWg). Used to blunt enemy attacks or provide slow pressure. Vulnerable to artillery. Can fight all-round. Shoot from one edger only per bound. Classed as “solid”. Can be depicted without draft animals, so mounted on a square base.

BASING.

Figures are based on rectangular or square thin bases with the number of figures mentioned above.

There is a table in the rules which gathers all this information together in one place.

The general’s base should be easily identified.