Quick thoughts on DBA+1/2

[Ecdicius]

Just wanted a few top-of-head responses. I'm thinking of setting up an 18-unit type game (call it "DBA and a half" if you will) where one normal 12-element side is the main host and a 6-element ally joins them. Probably in about 14 hours time.
1. Win and loss: would the ally take 2 casualties then run?
2. Distributing PIPs: since I may want the ally to actually be a player can he roll for PIPs using a d3?
4. I have a feeling this whole topic got discussed before, can someone with a perfect memory and patience link me to it?
Thank you in advance, saintly DBA community.

[Dale Hurtt]

Don't know about the past, but that all makes sense to me.

Does the loss of the Ally have any impact on the main army, or vice versa?

[Ecdicius]

Does the loss of the Ally have any impact on the main army, or vice versa?
Not on the main army, which otherwise probably works same as BBDBA. Though it might be worth allowing a C-i-C to spend his own command PIPs shoring up a demoralized ally, i.e. preventing elements from fleeing by actively spending PIPs.

If a main army is defeated... tempting to think an ally would kick ass on his own but in the interests of discouraging an ally player from hanging back, I think the game is lost if the main army is lost.

[John Loy]

Depending on the Ally, D3 might be an issue. I'm thinking of 2 Pip elements like Hd or El.

Not sure how the ally actually affects the game if they can't "save" the main army:???

John

[JamesLDIII]

In the DBA campaign rules the ally rolls its own pip die, so you should be happy to let your 1/2 size DBA ally army get its own d6. With a break point of 2, they'll need to maneuver well to avoid an early exit.

[Ecdicius]

Well, we decided the idea was worth a shot. I set up a Littoral board so that Early Vikings + Viking ally could invade from there. Pre-feudal Scots + ally Post-Roman Britons (d) defended. The board was intersected by a river which gave us a natural border between allies.

The d3 worked pretty well, though indeed a d4 would probably be better if tried again.

Separate camps were used. I'm not convinced this was fair on the ally.

I thought there was a fair chance for allies and main host to support each other, but as it happened the Brits tried too hard to make an impact and lost 2 elements including the general.

Then as the Viking ally attempted to hit the main Prefeudal Scot flank, he got nailed by one of those legendary Ps with Sp shutting the door. Exit Viking ally.

As a whole the game was great for the extra player who could only make it for a short time, and would be pretty useful another time to reintroduce a rusty player to DBA.

[Dale Hurtt]

Did you have the ally play their bound at the same time as the main army, or did you have each ally have their own bound, immediately following the main army's bound?

[Ecdicius]

At the same time.

[Filippo S.]

Ciao,
during last years we tried some scenarios "12+6", and used them for official games, have a look here:
Northern crusade: http://www.dba-italia.org/modellismo/varianti/crociata-del-nord.php, we did also another one for "classic" crusade few pics: here (http://www.dba-italia.org/galleria/show.php?dir=2008-4-agliana&tot=29&img=12&page=1) and here (http://www.dba-italia.org/galleria/show.php?dir=2008-4-agliana&tot=29&img=10&page=1)

Other variants could be found here :http://www.dba-italia.org/modellismo/varianti-dba-italia.php

Those pages were translated, with army list and historical background.
All player liked them, at least this is what I heard.
I hope this could help.
Filippo


PS: the original army list/special rules for crusades 12+6 is here: http://www.dba-italia.org/tornei/2007/hellanna-2007.pdf it's in italian but I can translate it if you're interested.

[Ecdicius]

Ciao Filippo, that is an excellent link

[Filippo S.]

Ciao Filippo, that is an excellent link
Thank you :up