DBA Deep-Dive: 5. Deployment, Sequence of Play & PIPs

DEPLOYMENT

Each side rolls 1d6 and adds the aggression factor of its army list to the score, dicing again if the scores are equal.

·         The side with the lower total is the defender, the other is the invader.

The defender chooses and places terrain allowed to its army to create the battlefield.

The invader then selects a base edge.

·         If a road crosses the battlefield, one of the intersected sides must be chosen, otherwise, any edge that is not opposite a Waterway.

The defender’s base edge is the one opposite the invader’s base edge.

Next, both sides place their camps, the defender first.

Then the defender deploys his troop elements, one of which (if eligible) may be used to garrison a City or Fort.

Then the invader deploys his troop elements.

All non-garrison troops must deploy at least 3BW from the battlefield centre line and 1BW from any enemy City or Fort.

Cavalry, Light Horse, Camelry, Mounted Infantry, Auxilia and Psiloi must be deployed at least 2BW from battlefield side edges, and others at least 4BW away.

If a Waterway has been placed, either side can reserve 2-3 elements (who’s army lists them as LITTORAL) to be deployed at the start of its first bound (before PIP dicing) as a single group anywhere along the Waterway.

·         At least one element of the group must touch the Waterway.

·         These elements cannot include Elephants, War Wagons or Artillery.

SEQUENCE OF PLAY

The defender takes first bound, then the two sides take alternate bounds.

During each player’s bound:

1)       The player dices for Player Initiative Points (PIPs).

2)       The PIPs are used to make tactical moves.

3)       Any Artillery, War Wagons or Bows elements of both sides that are eligible to do so, must shoot once each (the moving player decides the order) and make or inflict outcome moves.

4)       Any elements of both sides whose front edges are in suitable contact with enemy must fight in close combat in the order the moving player chooses and make or inflict outcome moves.

PIP DICING

The side starts its bound by rolling 1d6.

·         The score is the number of PIPs that can be used for tactical moves this bound.

·         Unused PIPs are lost.

In each bound, the first move of each single element or column uses 0 PIPs if it is entirely by road, providing it moves until it contacts enemy or friends or moves its full tactical distance and does not reverse direction.

Each other tactical move uses 1 PIP.

Except in the side’s first bound, a move that uses a PIP uses up an extra PIP for each of the following cases that apply:

a)       If the moving element or group includes any Scythed Chariots (not moving into contact with enemy), Elephants, Hordes, War Wagons, Artillery, denizens or camp followers, or it is an element currently garrisoning a City.

b)       If an element is not the general’s element and either its general’s element has been lost or is entirely in a BUA, Camp, Wood, Oasis, Marsh, or Gully, or if the element or group to be moved starts outside the command radius of its general.

COMMAND DISTANCE:

·         20BW if entirely Light Horse in line of sight.

·         4BW for troops entirely beyond the crest of any Hill, beyond a BUA or Camp, on a Difficult Hill, or in or beyond a Wood, Oasis, or Dunes.

·         8BW otherwise