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Post by Brian Ború on Aug 4, 2022 17:03:10 GMT
The idea of this thread
It is very simple: feel free to describe your favourite battle scenarios here!
Each post in this thread should feature one special (historical) battle, like in the next example, and should contain some, most or all of these sections: title, historical background, armies, battlefield, deployment, special or historical features, winning conditions.
The title is normally the name of the battle or its main feature (e.g. the crossing of a river).
The historical background should give an idea of the main features or meaning of the battle.
The section armies defines the respective armies according to the DBA 3.0 or X army lists or some special features or adjustments.
The quadrant numbers I, II, III, IV (like in the common DBA terrain placement rules) may be used to describe the battlefield and its terain or you may use the terms north and south, etc.
I think the sections deployment, special or historical features and winning conditions explain themselves.
Certainly we may discuss the posted scenarios, but all in all, when you edit your scenario here, it should be complete and you should have played or tested it at least once or twice. I'm quite curious who'll be next and the first one to continue this idea.
(I had the idea of creating this thread while discussing the battle of Stamford Bridge with timurilank. Most details of the first DBA scenario here I owe to him, thank you for that!)
And now: "Prepare for battle!"
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Post by Brian Ború on Aug 4, 2022 17:03:54 GMT
The Battle of Stamford Bridge
Background: In this battle Harold Godwinson's army of Anglo-Danes defeated Harald Hardrada's viking army disastrously by taking them by surprise. The vikings were not fully prepared for battle and had even left parts of their armament behind. Legends tell that the start of the battle was delayed by one sole berserk who defended Stamford Bridge heroically against the Anglo-Danes. Thus Hardrada gained precious time to put his army into shape. One part of the viking army (led by Eystein Orre) reached the battlefield much later. The battle marks the end of the viking era but could not secure the english throne to Harold Godwinson.
Armies: III/72, III/40c
Battlefield: One corner to the north etc. Viking camp in the middle of the south eastern edge, anglo-danish camp on the north western edge. A river 1 to 2 BW parallel to the north western edge. It is not fordable and must be crossed by the bridge over its middle. A road crosses the bridge and leads to the center of the battlefield, but splits about 4 BW after the bridge and leads directly to the south and the east. A wood in the east and another to the south. A gentle hill in in the north.
Deployment: The anglo-danes deploy as a single group next to their camp northwest of the river. Hardrada's viking elements start as 7 single elements next to the viking camp in the southeast, 1 single warband (the berserk) blocks the bridge.
Special features: Eystein Orre's 4 viking elements enter the battlefield by road from the south in one group automatically in the fifth bound or when the viking player spends 6 PIPs to do this. Orre's units are exhausted from their march and thus require always an extra PIP for activation.
Winning conditions: as usual.
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Post by Brian Ború on Aug 24, 2022 16:18:56 GMT
Some more details of the Stamford Bridge Scenario: The player of Hardrada's viking army is the defender and places ALL terrain pieces as described above. And he my certainly do this as far as possible in his favour. In the picture we see his army at the bottom. The viking player placed a very small wood to his left, so that Orre's men are not too much hampered on their arrival. And he could have chosen a far smaller hill in sector III. Remarks and a small riddle: The tree at the fork of the road is just for show. But something else is completely wrong. What?
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Post by stevie on Aug 24, 2022 19:11:04 GMT
I think I can answer that. Page 6, bottom paragraph, “Roads”, quote:- “A road must run from one battlefield edge towards the opposite battlefield edge, bending only minimally if desired to avoid terrain features.”
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Post by Brian Ború on Aug 24, 2022 20:24:13 GMT
I think I can answer that. Page 6, bottom paragraph, “Roads”, quote:- “A road must run from one battlefield edge towards the opposite battlefield edge, bending only minimally if desired to avoid terrain features.” Hah! Yes, and no. Yes, the roads are not conforming to usual rules. No, because it is a scenario that reflects the historical and geographical reality. In fact I mean something else... But I admit it is very hard to see.
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Post by aelbert on Aug 25, 2022 7:05:27 GMT
Saxons are not a single group?
Cheers B1
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Post by aelbert on Aug 25, 2022 7:06:29 GMT
And are 14 strong?
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Post by stevie on Aug 25, 2022 7:11:59 GMT
Very well then, how about the following? * Page 6, second paragraph from the bottom, “Rivers”, quote:- “ (Rivers) cannot start or go within 4 BW of any battlefield edge except the 2 edges it flows into and towards.” (But being an historical scenario, this doesn’t matter) * Page 2, sixth paragraph, “Army Size”, quote:- “An army consists of 12 elements as specified in their army list, one of which includes its only general.” (But being an historical scenario, this doesn’t matter) * Page 8, second paragraph, “Deployment”, quote:- “All non-garrison troops must deploy at least 3 BW from the battlefield centre line.” (But being an historical scenario, you have the Viking Berserkers already on the bridge)To paraphrase Monty Python’s Life of Brian ( )… …”ok, apart from the roads, the river, the number of elements, and deployment, what else is completely wrong…” (By the way, I too like to make historical scenarios. See fanaticus.boards.net/post/10770/ )
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Post by sheffmark on Aug 25, 2022 8:43:21 GMT
The Saxon camp is illegally deployed? The hill doesn't have it's crest line or central point marked which could cause a disagreement about 'uphill'?
But I suspect it's that the stream that rises at the spring in the wood disappears into the ground rather than runs to the river??
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Post by Simon on Aug 25, 2022 10:19:32 GMT
I think that if you are designing a historical scenario, you can do whatever you want if it gives you a good game with credible historical "feel!"!
Simon
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Post by Brian Ború on Aug 25, 2022 11:26:47 GMT
The Saxon camp is illegally deployed? The hill doesn't have it's crest line or central point marked which could cause a disagreement about 'uphill'? But I suspect it's that the stream that rises at the spring in the wood disappears into the ground rather than runs to the river?? O.k., the solution is (if you want to know at once, read the next paragraph backwards, if not, then take a closer look at the elements first ): !b04/III ymra gnikiV gnorw eht neve dna hsirI esroN 64/III ym deyolped I .snoxaS-olgnA neve ton era yeht ,stnemele ynam oot evah snoxaS-olgnA eht taht ylno toN .gnorw yletelpmoc era seimra gnidnetnoc ehT
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Post by lkmjbc on Aug 27, 2022 14:06:05 GMT
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Post by Brian Ború on Sept 26, 2022 13:28:31 GMT
Another one:
The Battle of Fulford
Background: The king of Norway Harald III (called Hardrada, hard ruler) claims to be successor to the English crown and sets sail with his viking army. He meets his ally Tostig Godwinson, the new king's exiled brother, and sails down into the mouth of the Humber. His first aim is York. There an Anglo-Saxon army is raised hastily by the Northern Earls Edwin and Morcar to defend the city. The armies meet east of the river Ouse in a swampy area.
Armies: III/40c (an allied contingent of Tostig's men III/72 is optional), III/72
Battlefield & terrain: One edge to the north etc. Viking camp at the southern edge, Anglo-Saxon camp at the northern edge. Terrain setup: A band of marshland crosses the middle of the board right from east to west. Its width is about 2 to 3 BW. 2 or more optional terrain pieces of gentle hills and woods are placed as usual.
Deployment: as usual, but the players' deployment zones remain fixed. The Anglo-Saxon player is the defender.
Special features: The battle starts late in the day and ends at nightfall after the 7th aggressor's phase. When using the Time Of Day Display the game starts at noon. Because of the respective armies' leaders the battle can be played best as BBDBA with 4 players/generals representing Harald, Tostig, Edwin and Morcar.
Winning conditions: as usual.
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Post by lkmjbc on Sept 26, 2022 16:22:29 GMT
Some suggestions: Require 2 Allies for the Vikings. Tostig would be one, an additional Viking contingent, the other.
This will produce command problems for the Vikings (which they most certainly suffered) and a better game.
Farther afield would be to use the early Viking list (40a) as this army was an invading littoral army. I would suggest... 1x 4Bd General, 6x 3Bd Vikings, 1x 3Wb- Ally 1: 1x 4Bd, 1x 4Sp- Ally 2: 1x 4Bd, 1x 3Bd For a Standard game.
This will be a fun game. I assure you. The command issues for the Vikings will need careful management. The 3Bd vs 4Sp matchup is also tense, but the Vikings will have the upper hand...
For Big battle, I disagree with 3 commands on each side. 2 is better. Here the Vikings should have a 3 element allied contingent in each command.
Have fun with this!
Joe Collins
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Post by lkmjbc on Sept 26, 2022 16:24:43 GMT
Oh,
Don't forget to use the 7x Hd for the Fyrd on the English side!
Joe Collins
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