"DBA 3.0 at Nashcon!" Topic

Nashcon is held over Memorial Day Weekend ever year…

HMGS-Midsouth Nashcon 2013
May 24, 25, 26
Franklin-Cool Springs Marriott Hotel & Convention Center
700 Cool Springs Boulevard
Franklin TN

DBA 3.0 Tournament-
Saturday Morning Session…
Open 15mm using 2.2 Lists…
Play test copies of the DBA 3.0 rules will be available…
A short 2.2 to 3.0 update class will be taught before the tourney…
Swiss Chess style…
Prizes from Splintered Light…
Come play the new DBA 3.0!

DBA Gaming-
Friday Evening Session
The Death of Kings 1066AD
A DBA Campaign for 6 Players
This campaign in 25mm will feature Normans, Saxons, Welsh, Scots, Vikings, and the most foul French. All armies, terrain, and measuring sticks provided… bring your dice!

Both events are hosted by Joe Collins and the rather misnamed Nashville Track & Hull Club.

Joe Collins

So Joe – do you like 3.0 better than 2.2?

Good to see a positive step made towards DBA 3.0 use.

Yes, I prefer 3.0 over 2.2. I will in fact not play 2.2 anymore as I find it inferior.

3.0 is a more dynamic and I think accurate game (though the latter is of course purely subjective).

By more dynamic I mean faster, more decisive, and more exciting. Phil has upped the tempo by increasing the move distances and the tempo of infantry combat. There is less of the slow pre-battle maneuver and advance than 2.2. Infantry line fight are more decisive. You had better have a second line to plug the holes.

By more accurate I mean most of the bad matchups under 2.2 have been fixed. Dark Age battles work well. The Vikings still are top dog, but not as much. Late Medieval works better as Longbowmen are now better. They will still under perform vs the French, but not nearly as badly. Ancients are better as well with Hoplite fights being much more fun. Elephants are better, but still not good.

A few issues remain. Love or hate it… Phil's writing style remains intact. The new system has created some winners and losers. "Fast" Blade is now the new super troop. The poor lowly Ax is still poor and lowly (though they did get a boost vs mounted). Warband as still an uphill battle vs just about everyone (though the new "Fast" Warband will turn your opponent white with fear. There is nothing like screaming across the battlefield in two turns and concentrating against your opponents flank! Of course being "Fast" Warband you just bounce off and then are slaughtered wholesale… but at least you have the joy of frightening your opponent!).

Joe Collins

Sounds like the light horse that I love – paralyze your enemy with fear until they make contact.

Side support has grown on me. Most of the other stuff works well from the "March" issue of the rules. The one thing that won't grow on me is the "fast" vs "solid" distinction. Adds too many shades of gray. I much prefer the old way where an Ax is an Ax. A Bd is a Bd. And so forth. Fortunately, it is easy enough to take the "fast" out of the game.

Can't wait!

Signed up for both games and ready to go.

I actually like the Fast mechanic as it adds a bit of variety to armies that would otherwise not work well. The Welsh for instance are Fast Pike rather a better representation than just Pike (making them the same as Macednonians and Swiss).

Just finished my Ironborn army for Song of Ice and Fire – who turned out to be mostly Fast Blades…

They don't, by the way, like Knights at all….

TomT

The Welsh for instance are Fast Pike rather a better representation than just Pike (making them the same as Macednonians and Swiss).

DBA was designed to be played within period. The Welsh pikes as just pikes work fine against any enemy army that are listed for the Welsh. If you are playing Welsh against Macedon, you are playing out of period and so the armies won't make sense fighting against one another.

I guess what I am trying to say is that the game really only works well when playing historical opponents. There is no reason to grade the Welsh pikes down just because they look the same as Macedonians.

I would disagree. Fast pike plays very differently than "solid" pike. Scots are a classic example. Pre-feudal Scots are very different now under 3.0. I am still figuring them out.

The same works for early Vikings and Welsh. The tactics of both these armies have changed in 3.0 as well.

Joe Collins

Some troops may be better than others, I find that true only is certain circumstances. Moreover, there are now 600 armies to choose from, and most now have many more than just 12 specific options. Almost all of the armies have 15-20 and some with more different elements to choose from.

I think we shall agree to disagree then Joe.