DBA 3.0 Review

The Fencibles consider complex rules the darkside (we've been there in the distant past). Not saying folks who play them should have their citizenship revoked or their cars towed, mind you. Folks who play complex games can and sometimes do accuse those who prefer simple rules of being simplistic or such. Just don't tow our cars.

I've been accused of being a fascist for designing Junta. Perhaps my minor beef with Barker is a hangover from many years of doing complex morale tests in the old WRG Ancient rules back in the day, with the long, long lists of modifiers and special conditions. Rules lawyers had fertile fields to exploit. Every now and then a game would be a bonanza for aspirin purveyors.

I find using an ancient Greek term for a troop type easily described as skirmishers annoying, just as I found the use of an Arabic term for elephants in "Broken Lances" annoying. It strikes me as a tad pretentious. The rules are written in English. Or else follow the lead of the Perfect Captain in their Hoplite game and name all troop types with period terms. New players usually give me quizzical looks when they encounter "psiloi".

These are minor irritants. I still play the game and hope to introduce 2 new players to it this coming Thursday. The design is ingenious, the prose less so.