Tips on Playing a Tibetan Army Requested

The recent talk about playing Sarmatians has made me ponder dusting off my old Tibetans (radically changed under 2.0) and giving them a go.

They can field the same 9Kn 3LH combo as Sarmatians (even have the same Aggression), but I think 9Kn 2Cv 1LH might be more useful. I don't see much value in taking infantry, as a max of 2 elements doesn't fill me with hope.

Any thoughts?

Cheers
Paul

I have a Tibetan army myself and i always take the infantry. There is always some BGO and mounted is utterly useless in BGO.

But that's only going to give you 1 effective BGO element (Bw or Ps). The Sp won't be much use. Is 1 BGO element really worth it? I mean if the enemy has some effectiveness at all in BGO, it's likely going to be more than 1 element isn't it?

Take the infantry. Even if they can't beat the enemy infantry, they can help screen off part of the enemy infantry, giving your mounted more space in which to work.

Then you would be recommending the 1Sp and 1Bw? Or leave the Bw and take the Ps?

Alright, I'll try them with the Sp & Bw.
Goodbye LH.
Thanks.

Remember while that Sp may not be able to go into the BG (generally), it can stay just outside it and screen your mounted troops from enemy bad-going troops that are in or beyond the bad going. This is something mounted can do also, but they require more space.

As for the Bw or Ps, either can be useful. Ps for that rear rank support, screening of HI, or first bound ambush/terrain claim move, Bw just to help hold/control that refused flank with their ranged attack. That enemy Lh flank manuever becomes much more problematic.

The bottom line is a couple of infantry are not going to become your main attack elements, but they are going to add tactical flexibility to your army and complicate your opponent's plans. 2 more Cv or Lh simply are not going to add anything to your army or for your opponent to think about.

Paul,

what not to do is to chase the Polybian Roman Bd up a steep hill with the Kn. It never works.

The full story of this event is quite amusing. One of my friends introduced his fiance to DBA and the pair of them competed in the first Landwaster tournanent (November 2002). They borrowed armies from my stock, he took Sung Chinese and she took Tibetan (I think she went with the Sp, Bw and LH options + 8 Kn).

She did extremely well in rounds 1 - 3 and was leading the field. (her intended on the other hand played cautiously and finished up a cellar dweller). Another of the high performers took Polybian Roman (and opted for the high agression option). When these two had to face off he won the terrain roll and put a steep hill on the board that he was able to place the entire roman army. The Tibetans did their best to dislodge this block and the rest is history. The Roman player went on to win the competition.

It is interesting to speculate on what would have happened if the terrain roll had gone the other way. This lady had only played 2 games of DBA before the tournament. This matchup with the Romans was one of the few where the odds of being defender were pretty much even - out in the open a clutch of Blades may have had trouble against that many Kn.

So Paul - where abouts in Australia are you based?

Will you be playing DBA at Cancon (Sunday 29th Jan)?

Cheers

Hi

No, not playing at Cancon. I'm still a beginner really.

I live in Geelong, Victoria.

Interesting report. That lady might have had a bit of "talent" by the sounds. I haven't used my Tibetans yet (though I've had them for ages, and am now forced to repaint them) as the DBA 2 list seemed to rob them of more credible troop proportions. I've tried to concoct a DBM list for them, but you get crippled by the Reg generals and the cost of 10 Reg cataphracts. Still live in hope though!


(I probably should be concentrating on my Post-Mongol Russians anyway - so many figures, so little time...)

Where are you based? Somewhere many miles away no doubt...

Cheers
Paul

Snowcat,

I run DBA from Canberra in the ACT.

Some years ago I took up space in one of the Canberra Wargaming clubs and started running ongoing DBA Campaigns. We keep the campaign going each session (taking notes at the end of the day) and wrap it up before we break for Christmas. The second major campaign was an Asia 990AD theme, and the Tibetans did very well in that one.

Over the last 4 years I have started to run one day DBA tournaments in May and November. I'll email you the details of the upcoming events for 2006 and see if we can't tempt you up here for one of those.

Cheers