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Unofficial Rules Variants

DBA With Multiple D6

By Jason Ehlers

You can get a bell-shaped curve in the DBA Combat Results Table by adjusting the system to use more than one d6. What are the advantages?

• You can fine-tune terrain modifiers when using the multi-dice CRT.

• You can fine-tune the effect of generals with different abilities, in effect making a +0.5 or +1.5 general, for example.

• The results are made more normal because of the broader distribution (i.e. bell-shaped curve), making a series of bad rolls far less likely.

• Extremely weak units now have a chance to hold their own, where they had no chance before. Estonians now have a chance to eliminate elements in a Teutonic army! This effect is stronger with the 3d6 option than the 2d6 option.

Here's options for 2d6 or 3d6.

DBA with 2d6

Substitute the d6 modifiers with the following 2d6 modifiers:

+2 = +6 (LH, Ps)
+3 = +7 (Cav, etc)
+4 = +8 (Sp, etc)
+5 = +9 (Bd, etc)

The other modifiers are simply doubled from the d6 CRT, for example:

Pike support +6
Sp, Wb support +2
Ps support v mtd or camp +2
CF or foot occupying camp +4
General's element +2
Uphill or far bank of river +2
@ overlap, flanked, reared, or additional shooter -2
Non-Aux/Ps or mtd bad going -4

DBA with 3d6 CRT

Substitute the d6 modifiers with the following modifiers when using 3d6:

+2 = +10 (LH, Ps)
+3 = +11 (Cav, etc)
+4 = +12 (Sp, etc)
+5 = +13 (Bd, etc)

The other modifiers are simply tripled from the d6 CRT, for example:

Pike support +9
Sp or Wb support +3
Ps support v, mtd or camp +3
CFs or foot occupying camp +6
General's element +3
CC uphill or far bank of river +3
@ overlap, flanked, reared, additional shooters -3
Non-Aux/Ps, mtd, bad going -6

Concluding Note

Best of luck, and may you roll sixes...wait a minute...may you roll a couple of fives.

Gamer Feedback

John Rickman: I tried the multiple D-6 idea in a number of games I GM'ed at the South Bay Gaming Club in Cupertino California (2/19/2K) and it met with universal disapproval. The chief complaints I was getting was that it made units harder to kill and that it slowed down the games. The time elapse of our usual game is a half hour to forty-five minuets but our games were running to an hour and a half to two hours! The complaints did not come from one or two purists but from everyone playing -- 100 per cent!

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Last Updated: Feb. 20, 2000