DBA@Wintercon – The Triumphant Return
After a two-year hiatus due to the plague, on Sunday July 17th Canberra’s midwinter wargames tournament came back with a vengeance, and DBA was part of the triumphant return. A total of 16 players lined up for a 6 round open fixed list DBA3 tournament. Quite a good turnout given that we lost a couple of the usual suspects to other games on offer at Wintercon. The air was thick with excitement and an excellent days wargaming was had by all.
DBA@Wintercon used the ACT/NSW Scoring Standard – a win gives a flat 8 points whilst losses and draws give varied results with 1 point scored per enemy element killed (to a maximum of 3) regardless of the worth of the element, an additional point is scored for killing a general or taking a camp and if the game concludes the loser gets 1 point. Technically this means a game could be lost and the losing player scoring 6 points – but I would love to see the game where a player killed 3 elements including the general and took the camp and still lost.
Round 1 opened with several interesting games, but few upsets. David Lucas carefully deconstructed Brad Del Muns’ Ptolemaics with his Eastern Han. Phil Baldoni’s Parthians proved too strong for Greg Kelleher’s Pre-Islamic Arab Nomads. Austin Kenny and his Kn heavy Ostrogoths rolled over Peter Spitzkowsky’s Zanj revolt, although he went down swinging. Andrew Chicco narrowly defeated newcomer Nick Williams in the East vs West Frankish contest. Gary Moriarty, using Siamese proved too strong for Guy Sheppard and his Ottoman Turks. Relative newcomer Brendon Baker using Early Crusaders was unable to crack open the wall of Hussite War Wagons competently handled by Stephen Hopkins. Brenton Searle with his now famous French Ordonnance, containing an artillery park thanks to Italian Condotta allies, was nearly outfought by Julian O’Sullivan and his Wars of the Roses English despite Julian not having played DBA since the last Wintercon (2019). Adrian Williams bested Mark Baker in the contest of Burgundian Ordonnance.
With the pack split into high and low scores, round 2 began the process of sorting the truly skilled from the lucky. Gary Moriarty’s Siamese unceremoniously rolled over the top of Austin Kenny’s Italian Ostrogoths. Phil Baldoni gave Andrew Chicco’s East Frankish a schooling and Guy Sheppard sought redemption with a convincing win over Mark Baker’s Burgundian Ordonnance. Brad Del Muns smashed through Greg Kelleher’s Arab Nomads with his Ptolemaic powerhouse. Julian O’Sullivan and Nick Williams fought a long hard battle between Wars of the Roses English and West Frankish, but Julian came out in front. Brendon Baker’s Crusaders took on Peter Spitzkowsky and his Zanj Revolt – with the Zanj eventually triumphant by the narrowest of margins. Brenton Searle’s French Ordonnance faced Adrian Williams and the Burgundian Ordonnance, with Brenton scraping through in a very close fought battle. David Lucas tried every trick in the book to knock a hole in the Hussites but when time was called Stephen Hopkins and David had to call it a draw with two kills apiece.
It is possible that one should not go back to DBA after eating until an appropriate amount of time has elapsed. There were several unfinished games in round 3 when we came back from a brief lunch break. Greg Kelleher faced Mark Baker and his Arabs gave the Burgundians a drubbing, they had had several practice games in the days leading up, so it is possible that Greg knew all Mark’s secrets. Brendon Baker faced Nick Williams in a grand battle of Crusaders vs West Frankish and after a false start came out in front. Austin Kenny gave David Lucas’ Eastern Han a schooling with his Ostrogoths. Guy Sheppard had a hard-fought win against Julian O’Sullivan’s Wars of the Roses English continuing his run. Adrian Williams brought Phil Baldoni’s charge to an end with the narrowest of wins, but the biggest upset was the nil all draw between Brenton Searle and Gary Moriarty. Gary saw the French artillery park and tried to re-deploy his elephants. When time was called, he and Brenton had failed to hurt each other. Similarly, Stephen Hopkins and his Hussites were fought to a standstill by Andrew Chicco’s East Frankish with each side losing two elements. Brad Del Muns and his Ptolemaics were on the ropes against the Zanj Revolt but held off until time was called.
So round 4 began with the lead now an open contest, with no player having won every game. Gary Moriarty regained his dignity with a convincing win over Phil Baldoni. Julian O’Sullivan and his Wars of the Roses English rolled over the top of Peter Spitzkowsky’s Zanj Revolt. Likewise, Mark Baker made short work of Nick Williams’ East Frankish. Nick found himself facing a Burgundian valley of death and was ripped apart before he could make contact. Greg Kelleher continued his charge with a convincing victory over Andrew Chicco’s West Frankish. Brenton Searle gave Austin Kenny’s Ostrogoths a schooling which kept him in contention. Adrian Williams fought long and hard against Guy Sheppard and came out in front lifting him up to the lead. Brad Del Muns threw everything he had at Stephen Hopkins’ Hussites with his elephant crashing into the line then rolling up the War Wagons as it rampaged, gaining victory literally at the call for time.
Round 5 still saw the lead in flux. Adrian Williams faced off against Gary Moriarty. Gary’s Siamese proved too strong. Brendon Baker faced Julian O’Sullivan and tried to avoid the wall of English longbows; the battle raged with Brendon generally getting the better of it. When time was called, he was stopped from a cavalry charge that would have certainly cost him the element, and he won the last combat giving him the game. Brenton and his artillery park blew Guy Sheppard’s Ottomans away. Greg Kelleher made short work of Austin Kenny and Stephen Hopkins gave Nick Williams a similar pasting. Brad Del Muns put paid to Phil Baldoni’s ambitions in a hard fought game that saw him win by the narrowest of margins. Andrew Chicco battled hard with David Lucas and just came out in front in a very bloody clash. Mark Baker proved too strong for Peter Spitzkowsky. Relative newcomer Brendon Baker found himself just outside the top 3 at the end of the round off the back of his round 5 win.
The final round had the lead still up for grabs when it started, but Gary Moriarty’s quick win against Greg Kelleher cemented top place long before the other critical games were completed. Brenton Searle had a hard fought win against Brad Del Muns’ Ptolemaic which likewise put him on the podium. Adrian Williams put paid to Brendon Baker’s late charge knocking him out of contention and putting himself back into the top 3. Phil Baldoni had a hard fought win over Julian O’Sullivan, Peter Spitzkowsky proved too strong for Nick Williams and Mark Baker mercilessly dissected David Lucas’ Eastern Han. Austin Kenny ended on a high with his Ostrogoths schooling Andrew Chicco’s West Frankish in a clash of knight heavy armies. Guy Sheppard did his best to break into the Hussites but there was little he could do as the war wagons ran away from his artillery. The game ended in a low scoring draw.
The final scores were:
1) Gary Moriarty – IV/40 Siamese – 40
2) Brenton Searle – IV/82a French Ordonnance (with Condotta Allies) – 40
3) Adrian William – IV/85a Burgundian Ordonnance – 38
4) Phil Baldoni – II/37 Parthian – 33
5) Brendon Baker – IV/7 Early Crusader – 33
6) Brad Del Muns – II/20c Ptolemaic – 31
7) Mark Baker – IV/85a Burgundian Ordonnance – 31
8) Greg Kelleher – II/23a Later Pre Islamic Arab (Nomad) - 30
9) Austin Kenny – III/3 Italian Ostrogoth - 30
10) Julian O’Sullivan – IV/83a Wars of the Roses English – 29
11) Peter Spitzkowsky – III/50 Zanj Revolt – 26
12) Stephen Hopkins – IV/80 Hussite – 26
13) Guy Sheppard – IV/55b Ottoman – 25
14) Andrew Chicco – III/53 East Frankish – 25
15) David Lucas – II/41b Han Chinese – 21
16) Nick Williams – III/52 West Frankish or Norman – 15
The Executioner Award for the most kills in a single game went to Julian O’Sullivan who scored 5 kills against the Zanj Revolt in Round 4, impressive as it included taking a city garrisoned by Bd.
The Magister Militum Prize (aka “The Maurice”) for the highest adjusted score went to Phil Baldoni and his Parthians, moving from 4th in raw scores to 3rd in adjusted scores.
None of this would be possible without the support of a number of sponsors
• Nic Robson of Eureka Miniatures Australia -
www.eurekamin.com.au/ who provided vouchers for first, second and third place
• Brian Hall from Hall of Ancient Warriors - brianhallhaw@bigpond.com who donated the first place trophy
• Mick Sellman of Mick’s Metal Models -
micksmetalmodels.com/ who donated a DBA Armies for the Magister Miliutm Prize
• Carl Taylor of CGT Miniatures -
www.facebook.com/groups/905935596678321/ who donated a pack of his new figures to each competitor and gave vouchers to the Magister Militum and Executioner. Carl’s range is also available through Olympian Games (below).
• Dean Bedlington of Olympian Games -
www.olympiangames.com.au/ who donated a voucher for the Last Place. Dean also engraved the trophy plates.
• Barry Scarlett of Leadbear’s Tufts - Leadbear's Tufts | Facebook who donated a voucher to each of the prize winners. Leadbear’s has a Facebook presence and now sells his tufts on eBay as well so I urge you to search him up and buy tufts.
• A shout out to Laura from Posters and Coasters who gave me a discount on the very classy Bayeux Tapestry coaster which was part of the last place prize
• And of course, Tim Sleigh and the Canberra Games Society committee for organising Wintercon.
Please support these businesses that do so much to support us by ordering lots of product from them, and if you see them at a tournament – why not buy them a coffee or something.
Hopefully time will see more DBA events running by 2022
• MOAB in Sydney in October and then
• Landwaster in Canberra the Vikings Club on 27th November.
• Then we are sailing into 2023 and Cancon.
So get the lead out – paint it and play DBA
Cheers