Post by dpd on Jul 8, 2023 20:25:22 GMT
This proposal utilizes rectangular bocks having dimensions of 1 x 1 x 2 (or 3 or 4 - it really doesn't matter provided that the blocks have 2 square ends and 4 rectangular faces).
The length of the rectangular faces would be equivalent to 1 base width (again the actual length doesn't matter provided things are kept consistent) or the dimension of a square if DBA is being played on a grid.
Each rectangular block would be colored for army designation and each of the 4 rectangular faces would be stamped with a symbol for shock, melee, irregular and missile.
Foot units that almost always fight in linear formation (spear, blade, auxilia and psiloi) would be represented by 1 block.
Foot units that almost always fight in deep formation (pike, warband. horde, bow) would be represented by 2 blocks and count as twice as many men as those in linear formation.
Mounted units (knights, cavalry, camels, light horse) would be represented by 3 blocks and count as the same number of men as a linear formation (but cavalry is about 3x as expensive to raise and maintain than an equivalent number of foot men).
Special, very expensive, units (elephants, scythed, war wagons and artillery) would be represented by 4 blocks.
The following table summarizes the above:
Now here is where things get a little different.
Each army is represented by 48 blocks allowing for armies ranging in size from 48 line foot units to 12 special units.
This also allows for random army generation.
At the start of the game, all the blocks are rolled like dice (in this case, 4-sided dice assuming they don't land on a square end face).
The player then arranges the similar type blocks together and organizes them according to whether he wants line, deep, mounted or special units.
He then deploys them on the map/grid as usual.
For example, rolling the 48 blocks gives a player 16 shock, 15 melee, 9 irregular and 8 missile.
He arranges them into:
2 knights (6) + 1 elephant (4) + 3 pike (6) = 16 shock deployed as 6 units
3 cavalry (9) + 6 blade (6) = 15 melee deployed as 9 units
9 auxilia (9) = 9 irregular deployed as 9 units
3 bow (6) + 2 psiloi (2) = 8 missile deployed as 5 units
The above army would consist of 29 units.
So a typical random army would be more like BBDBA.
The standard 12 unit armies from the historical lists can also be represented by using the above scheme (ignoring unit numbers and expense).
Thoughts or comments?
The length of the rectangular faces would be equivalent to 1 base width (again the actual length doesn't matter provided things are kept consistent) or the dimension of a square if DBA is being played on a grid.
Each rectangular block would be colored for army designation and each of the 4 rectangular faces would be stamped with a symbol for shock, melee, irregular and missile.
Foot units that almost always fight in linear formation (spear, blade, auxilia and psiloi) would be represented by 1 block.
Foot units that almost always fight in deep formation (pike, warband. horde, bow) would be represented by 2 blocks and count as twice as many men as those in linear formation.
Mounted units (knights, cavalry, camels, light horse) would be represented by 3 blocks and count as the same number of men as a linear formation (but cavalry is about 3x as expensive to raise and maintain than an equivalent number of foot men).
Special, very expensive, units (elephants, scythed, war wagons and artillery) would be represented by 4 blocks.
The following table summarizes the above:
| No. of Blocks | Shock | Melee | Irregular | Missile |
| 1 - Linear | Spear | Blade | Auxilia | Psiloi |
| 2 - Deep | Pike | Warband | Horde | Bow |
| 3 - Mounted | Knight | Cavalry | Camel | Light Horse |
| 4 - Special | Elephant | Scythed | War Wagon | Artillery |
Now here is where things get a little different.
Each army is represented by 48 blocks allowing for armies ranging in size from 48 line foot units to 12 special units.
This also allows for random army generation.
At the start of the game, all the blocks are rolled like dice (in this case, 4-sided dice assuming they don't land on a square end face).
The player then arranges the similar type blocks together and organizes them according to whether he wants line, deep, mounted or special units.
He then deploys them on the map/grid as usual.
For example, rolling the 48 blocks gives a player 16 shock, 15 melee, 9 irregular and 8 missile.
He arranges them into:
2 knights (6) + 1 elephant (4) + 3 pike (6) = 16 shock deployed as 6 units
3 cavalry (9) + 6 blade (6) = 15 melee deployed as 9 units
9 auxilia (9) = 9 irregular deployed as 9 units
3 bow (6) + 2 psiloi (2) = 8 missile deployed as 5 units
The above army would consist of 29 units.
So a typical random army would be more like BBDBA.
The standard 12 unit armies from the historical lists can also be represented by using the above scheme (ignoring unit numbers and expense).
Thoughts or comments?
