"WAB using DBM 15mm based figures any tips?" Topic

I fancy giving WAB a go, but using my DBM based figures.
I presume others have done this.
Any hints and tips on how this can be enjoyed would be helpful.
Table size, points costs, 1 stand - 1 figure ?, that sort of thing .
(and please lets avoid comments that are likely to offend :))

Some friends and I play WAB with DBM based figures fairly often. I think the table size is 4ft x 6ft usualy about 2000 pts. For larger games we play with 2 tables.
Some of the scirmishing troops have been based on single bases.The rest are standed DBM.
1 figure = 1 warrior/soldier etc.
Movment etc is done in inches the same as 25mm as this makes the game alot quiker.

I play this way quite often. Also with 20mm plastics based as per DBA 25mm. I base a few as single to make it easire to place figures in teh proper formations and frontages etc.

I use a few loose figures also when needed to make "change" when less than a full element worth of figures are casualties.

I use a smaller table (generally 3x4 feet) and half all WAB distances and ranges. It seems to work fine.

I like the look of figures based for DBA/DBM better. I like a longer frontage than depth for this time period. The way the rank bonus work for WAB seems to force you to use the "French Column attack" regardless of what army you have. It has the right look for Greeks and Alexander but odd looking for everything else. With DBx basing you can have a twelve figure front with a couple of extra ranks for Romans. Your barbarian types would only be a nine figure front occupying the same space. Works well to distiguish tighter formations for trained troops.

If you want to keep the measurement consistent with the way the rules were designed, just treat each stand as two figures. The units wouldn't be as deep, but it will only be a difference of 20-25 mm on average. Keep measurements the same. The only downside to this is keeping track of odd number wounded. This is easily fixed by using those cool casualty pieces to mark the unit as having one less figure/wound. You'ld only need one for each unit type.

Do as they did for Tactica- keep most of your figures as they are, but have one stands' worth based individually so you can 'make change' removing casualties.

Or you could play Big Battle DBA- it lets you play DBM size battles, but without all the added complexity of DBM! ;)

A good system is considering the standard DBM base as two WAB bases (or single figures) and add, where required, a 2cm front half base as a single figure.
You occupy the same space than a 25mm WAB army. The difference is that you don't count figures, just double bases or single bases.

Or do what ACW gamers do to keep track of casulties - strips of pipe cleaners. Whenever you take a casualty, move the pipecleaner over one figure, when a stand is gone remove it.

I've been experimenting with this myself but don't want to paint up lots of extra individually based figures for each army. I have been using very small dice bought from www.em4miniatures.com next to units to indicate casualties. I was thinking of getting casualty figures (Donnington does a good range in 15mm) but have decided to try my own system. I have bought a number of cheap (£0.03 each), small square wooden beads in a selection of colours. I'm going to produce some little poles on textured, painted bases to sit beside units, which the beads can be threaded onto. I'm planning to make these suitable for use with a number of rulesets, so the colour and number of beads could show casualties, unit status etc. For rules that use record sheets for units the markers can be used off-table.