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DBM 200 is a set of rules modifications for DBM to enable smaller (and shorter) games to be played. The main advantage of this is that it allows a 4-game competition to be held in one day. There is no official set of DBM 200 rules and these ones are based on the original set by Alan Patrick. The reasons for the small changes are to update Alan's rules for DBM version 3.0 and to include some feedback based on postings to the DBM list and our own playtesting. These rules have been found to produce surprisingly good games that capture the majority of the important features of full-sized DBM.
1. All armies are to be 200 AP.
2. Unless specified below all rules are identical to DBM version 3.0 and DBM Army Lists 1-4 version 2.
3. Army Points are according to DBM lists EXCEPT that the command costs for generals are halved & rounded up (ie a Regular general is +10 AP, an irregular general is +5AP). So for eg an Irr Kn(F) ally general will be 9 + (5/2) = 12AP.
4. All maxima and minima in the lists are halved, including allowed generals, and rounded up. So for example, an allowance of Norman LH(O) 0-3 is halved and then rounded up to 0-2. Two elements of baggage are still required per command, and will count as per normal for demoralisation (This means that losing baggage is very serious in DBM200). There are 4 special cases:
i) In the case of Allies with maxima limits, the 2 baggage elements are deducted first and then the maxima are halved (so for eg Norman Aghlabid Allies 0-16 will have 2 baggage elements deducted, and the resulting 14 maxima halved to 7).
ii) In the case of lists with compulsory Double Based Elements (DBE's) (eg Byzantines), the halved minima and maxima are rounded up to the closest number of complete DBE's. So for eg, Byzantine DBE Themata 6-14 becomes 4-8
iii) In the case of lists with a single maxima and minima for a mixture of troop types which must be taken in a fixed proportion (eg Parthian, "Other city dwellers with javelins, bows or slings - Irr Ps half (S) @ 3AP, half (O) @ 2AP *10-30"), the halved maxima and minima up to the closest whole multiple of the number of troop types (eg for the Parthian example above this is the nearest multiple of 2 ie *6-16).
iv) The maximum for temporary fortifications (TF) specified in the list to protect baggage/camp is multiplied by 0.75 and rounded up. The minimum for TF to protect baggage/camp is simply halved and rounded up as per other minima. For example, many armies normally have 0-12 TF to protect their camp, in DBM200 these armies have 0-9 TF.
5. An army must have between 1 and 3 generals. Every army must have a CinC. Normally only one sub-general is allowed. Any other general must be an ally. If either
then:
6. Any list specific restrictions that mention numbers of elements also half (and round up) the number of elements. For example in the list notes to the Georgian list (Book III, List 70) it states "Other nomads, such as Serirs, Lesghs, Suns and Jikils, can substitute for up to 4 elements of Cuman LH." For a DBM200 Georgian army the other nomads can substitute for up to 2 elements of Cuman LH.
7. 15mm Table Size will be 120cm wide by 80cm deep (48" x 32").
8. Numbers of Terrain pieces - all references to allowed numbers of feature equivalents terrain pieces are halved (with no rounding). Thus, for example, an invader may place a road and 0 or 1-2 feature equivalents of entirely steep hills. Remember that any area feature must still fit entirely within one table sector. Any 1.5 feature equivalent area features that could not be placed within one sector (40cm x 40cm) are illegal.
9. Mandatory area terrain features must be 0.5 feature equivalents in size, except that the first mandatory piece selected by the player may be 0.5 or 1 feature equivalents in size.
10. Defenders may only place a maximum of 1 external road with the usual restrictions.
11. Area features which are diced for position within a sector and roll a 5 or 6 cannot have their centre within 350p of the table edge. The maximum number of area features placed by one player of the same feature equivalence and going is reduced from 3 to 2 pieces.
12. Rivers have the same allowed widths as in normal DBM. Invader rivers may be placed between 400p and 800p of one short table edge.
13. Waterways can extend between 200p and 600p from one short table edge with no more than half extending more than 400p inward.
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This page is maintained by Rob Brennan (brennanr@iworg.com).