Trying again

[loki223]

My wife and I, (yes my wife has a Macabean Jewish army) are going to give a first time go to DBMM.

I have tried to walk through the rules before with other friends and didnt get very far.

As we have no one here familiar with the ruleset we are learning from the Manual.

I have some experience with DBM, 2 dozen games or so but that about it.

I were going to start with small forces. DBA army lists to be exact. Her Macabe's verses my Mithridatic with the blades option. She may use the PK option. Just to have a couple small forces on the table.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

should we start out on a blank table or should we go through all the terrain setup for the first run???

[Aloysius the Gaul]

IMO the combat complexities are actually fairly straight forward - you haven't had 15 years of DBM, so hopefully you'll have an easier time og understanding them then those of us who had to unlearn it all!!

I'd recommend using the terrain and setup rules right from the start - with small armies you can use the DBMM100 and 200 supplments in the back of the book.  Stick with simple armies to start with - no (S) troops!!

Good luck

[DaveMather]

I'd recommend using the terrain and setup rules right from the start - with small armies you can use the DBMM100 and 200 supplments in the back of the book.  Stick with simple armies to start with - no (S) troops!!

Good luck

I would certainly echo that - start with 125AP as per the suppliment - and play a few games then move up to 240AP play a few games and slowly introduce strategems (perhaps give each player a free one to start to encourage them) - certainly start using the terrain and set up rules as soon as possible - they are an integral part of the game - the terrain is a sub game in its own right.

This gives you a nice training curve and lets you put more troops on the table as your confidence grows

The my bound/your bound isnt as bad as it first appears - should be getting the hang of it after about 5-6 games

I find thinking of the troops/situation as aggressive or defensive helps

aggressive tends to give a -1 on their own bound (increasing chance of double) and defensive a +1 in enemy bound

So warband are aggressive - thus give a -1 when its their bound hence greater chance of doubling
A second rank of blade is defensive hence gives +1 in enemy bound - reducing the chances of being mown down to a QK

You can then follow that maxim through to (S) gradings

Worked for me eventually 

Good luck and most of all enjoy - I have found 25mm at 240AP to be one heck of a game

Regards

David Mather

[loki223]

Thanks all for the input.

She had to go on maneuvers with the National Guard. So I wont be able to give it a run until next week.

I will work up 125 point lists and see what that gives us.

when we get going I'm sure I'll have more questions then.

[Barritus]

Not just being contrary, but I'd recommend against using terrain and weather rules early on. You're right to start with small armies, but I'd suggest you use them on tables with no terrain.

DaveMather is right that terrain is an integral part of the game. Consequently, not using terrain will make certain troops a lot less useful. But the key with learning this way is to take the rules piece by piece, rather than concentrating on the best ways to use troops. This means fewer rules to learn in one go.

Early on, I'd recommend concentrating on things like the combat system and movement system. Then, once you're reasonably familiar with them, introduce the terrain rules. Then weather and time of day.

The best comparison I can think of is learning to drive a car. Even if you plan to drive a manual, I'd recommend learning to drive an automatic first, so that you can concentrate on the business of interacting with the other traffic. Then, once you're comfortable with that and have your licence, learn how to drive a manual.

Having said that, though, the best way to learn DBMM (as with so many other games) is to watch other people playing it, and maybe take a command. I realise, though, that this isn't always possible.

[loki223]

the borrowing a command worked for starting DBM

but here thats not an option

[Barritus]

the borrowing a command worked for starting DBM

but here thats not an option

Assuming it's not an option because of isolation, then I'd strongly recommend what I said in my previous post - leave out weather, time of day and terrain rules, and concentrate on working out how the movement and combat rules work. Once you're confident with movement and combat, add in the rest.

[loki223]

that sounds like a good idea.

a buddy of mine and i tried to us terrain, we had only 12 stands each (DBA lists) The terrain confused him (he's never played before, i'm trying to set the hook  ) and the whole Grading Your bound my bound confused me... to much at one time i think.

Next run will be on a flat table i think.

Crawl, Walk, Run....

thanks

[stravecchio]

We are playing DBMM100 at 125 AP on a 1800p battlefield.

This is proving easier to handle leaving out many rules (terrain, deployment, stratagems, weather, time of day/night, etc.).

A larger battlefield allow for some manouver but keeps it fairly basic.

Of course such a reduced scale does not allow for deeper deployment and penalise multi troops type armies, anyway keep things easy and enjoyable.

After a dozen games, when basic movment and combat mechanics are learned we will move to full dbmm.