(The following question and answer is reprinted with minor editing from an Oct 19, 1997 posting to the rec.games.miniatures.historical newsgroup.)
Question: After watching a demo for DBA at a local game store, I purchased the rules along with 83A Medieval Hindus. I was amazed at how reasonably priced the army and rules were. I figured I could learn the rules as well as get a feel for the system using this as a practice army.
Can anyone give any insight to the color schemes used by this army? I am very anxious to dive right in but don't want to commit a faux paus in my army paint scheme. Any hints on using the Hindus would be appreciated as well.
Answer: (by Bob Beattie):
Glad to learn of another DBA convert. It's so much fun to play. True, other rules are more complex but there is a nice feel to the small set piece games of DBA.
Medieval Hindus are quite an esoteric army. Most beginners buy historical pairs for which there is much reference material: Romans and Carthage, Normans and Saxons, Medieveal French and 100 Years War English, Greeks and Persians. They are a long lived army, 545ad to 1565ad. The Tamerlane campaign of 1380 (page 13) looks very colorful.
One place to look for info is the Osprey series see http://www.reedbooks.co.uk/docs/osprey/books.htm.
Age of Tamerlane, Armies of Muslim Conquests, Moghuls (Moslem but there was not a lot of difference, one buttoned tunics on left, the other on the right, and they killed each other in the millions over the years for this?). See the note below that was posted by Kevin Donovan on the DBM listserve. If you do not like the info for your army, you will need it for the enemies (most DBA players do get at least two armies inorder to have games at home)
"Has anyone seen Islamic Arms and Armor of Muslim India by Dr. Syed Zafar Haider (Lahore 1990). This has some very nice color illustrations of weapons, armor, uniforms, flags, troops and battles, including artifacts, antique paintings and modern paintings. It is quite pro-Muslim when dealing with histiocal events and peronsalities. If you are painting an Arab-Indian, Ghaznavid, Muslim Indian, Moghul or related armis it is worth looking at to get an idea of colors, armor, etc."
Tactics wise, you have a great cavalry killer with the 3 Elephants and four Bows (the rest is 2 Cavalry, 1 Blade, and 2 Psiloi skirmishers). The elephants need to be kept in a group because you need 2 pips (numbers on the dice that represent command points) to move an elephant or a group with elephants. So you can move 1 or all 3 for 2 pips if they are together.
The cavalry makes a good strike force while the elephants hold the center. Get your bows on the enemy mounted (bow are +4 vs mounted) Remember the key to winning DBA is to pick out 4 enemy elements you think you can eliminate and attack those. Protect the elephant flanks; they are vulnerable to front and side attacks. Even though they are a +4 vs foot and +5 vs mounted (1 more if general is on one), they are destroyed if beaten by Psiloi, Auxilia, Light Horse and Artillery. Be careful who is in front of them too. Elements recoiling into Elephants are destroyed.
This army makes a good Renassance army too, I have one that fights the Moghuls and the Portugese.
Bob Beattie
Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Last Updated: Nov. 16, 1997