DBA and Stuff

Played a DBA 2.0 game to try out some of the new orbats and figures (Byzantine 6Kn and 8Bw). The Seljuk Turks beat the Nikephorian Byzantines (slightly ahistorical, but so what) by executing a rather neat flank attack with their 2 Cv elements (modest with it!). Bow elements are fairly deadly against mounted troops (+4) which makes Byzantine armies much better than they used to be.

Next battle will be from Aristia. I have decided that the "Later Franks" from DBA 1.1 will become "Carolingian Franks". They are a bit early in period, but are a better fit with the previous orbat. Since Aristia is ahistorical anyway it doesn't really matter.

I am making several DBA camps. So far I have completed two - a Viking longship moored on a river bank and two nomad tents (for the Seljuks or Syrians). A tented encampment is under construction.

Experimenting with the best way to paint the river sections. Is it possible to achieve the "reflecting the sky" look?

Spent most of the May Bank Holiday weekend building a motte and bailey castle model as a BUA for DBA. This applies the principle of "down one scale" for buildings, so 6mm buildings for 15mm troops. This fits well with the requirements for BUAs in DBA. The model is about 5" by 7". The earthworks were built up from layers of some thin expanded polystyrene sheet that came as packing in David's new wardrobe. Filler was used to cover the sides of the motte and the ditch. A bit of experimentation proved that Colour Party paints work much better when stirred well(!) and I used the green to paint the earthworks. Palisades were added from card, painted natural wood and a black gel pen to add the lines. The buildings themselves gave me a bit of thought, but I eventually made them using layers of 5mm foamcore and thin card from old business cards. The whole effect is very pleasing and looks very nice with sanded sheet roads (you know, the things you put in the bottom of the budgie's cage!). There is room for a defending element in the bailey. Its weird, but the size difference doesn't look that odd.