Wargaming | DBx
DBx - DBA, HOTT, DBM, DBR

Posted 21 Feb 2001

Bits and bobs on the DBx family, i.e. DBA, DBM, DBR, HOTT, etc.

I was keen on DBM for years but have been unkeen on it for nearly as long now. I realised it was actually a rather poor simulation of two of the periods I'm particularly interested: the Punic Wars and 100 Years War.

I'm still rather fond of DBA and HOTT.  Not that they are good simulations but they are quick and fun. And with some tweaks I've managed to make DBA work for the New World.  And one day campaigns are brilliant, e.g. Britannia 600 AD.

DBR was always rather disappointing ... but I don't know any rules for this period that appeal, so perhaps Renaissance is just hard to simulate.

I've never even looked at DBMM because my DBM experience really put me off.  All the new breed of rules would really have to disappoint me before I'd take a look.

References

Fanaticus: De Bellis Antiquitatis (DBA) Resource Page by Chris Brantley

The essential resource all things DBA.

The Stronghold: An unofficial site for 'Hordes of the Things' by Alan Saunders

Ditto but for HOTT.

Wargames Research Group Ltd: History

Phil Barker has reincorporated WRG and made many of the rules available free for download. Including DBA1 and HOTT2.