D B M
	De Bellis Multitudinis

This page last modified: 3 May, 2002

DBM is the set of rules I have used to play most of my ancients wargames. It is a very popular set, with a fair balance between complexity and simplicity so that games can be played in a reasonable amount of time (typically four hours including setting up time) and still feel something like a a real battle. Richard Bodley Scott, one of the authors, maintains an official site which contains a good introductory account to DBM gaming there for those gamers who know little of the system and want to find out more.

Although DBM is far from perfect, it is in my opinion the best set of commercial rules going at the moment, which is why I play it so much. In my opinion one of the biggest reasons it is so successful is that it has by far the best set army lists (ie. possible orders of battle and description of troop types) to back it up. I am constantly researching new army lists for DBM in an effort to make them even better.

My DBM section is divided up as follows:

Battle reports. Descriptions of various battles I have played using DBM.

Historical Battle Scenarios - including maps, terrain, orders of battle, historical notes and sources, etc.

Figure galleries - pictures of some of my DBM troops can be found here.

Alternative Army lists. Unsatisfied with the historical accuracy of some of the official lists? Here are some of my creations...

Warband - an essay (diatribe?!) on why they just aren't right in DBM, and what I think should be done about the situation...

Other DBM troop type proposals - more ideas on troop type revisions.

Middle-Earth Army Lists: 18 lists including full notes and grading justifications, etc. The equivalent DBA and HotT list classifications are given as well as the main DBM lists.

Middle-Earth Battle Scenarios: including battlefield maps, forces grouped by commands, etc.

Rule Modification Proposals - some of the things I would like to see in the next edition of DBM.

15mm DBM armies I possess for those who want to prepare an opponent against me.

1480 A.D., an Italian DBM campaign I ran over late1998 and early 1999. Contained here is the full information given to the participants, plus 13 battle reports and the victory league tables.

The Sun in Splendour is a Wars of the Roses campaign I tried to get off the ground in 2001, but it stalled for lack of time to organise it properly. I will however get my act togther on it sometime.... It will come to include victory point tables, battle reports, etc. when I eventually get it underway. Just don't cross your fingers yet!

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Not exactly DBM, but a related set of rules for wargaming fantasy battles using a limited number of figures is Hordes of the Things, or HotT for short. Here are a number of army lists, etc. I have written for these rules.

• Ed Allen's DBM homepage - this is the original DBM web-site, and although now somewhat dated, still has masses of relevant links and things.
• Brandan Moyle's DBM Crusades site is an excellent period-specific site focused on the the Levant and surrounding areas from ca. 1050 to 1300 AD.
• Peter Dunn's DBM site - a Wellington gamer, and NZ NatCon 2000 winner, Peter's site has a good mix of reports, pictures and advice, all very well presented.
• Jeff Zorn's DBM hobby page - a nicely presented site specialising in bronze age armies.
• Firefall's DBM section - yet another DBM-er from the Wellington area, Phil has loads of battle reports at his site.
• The Evil Brucenkhamen's DBM section - another Wellingtonian, Bruce's site has pictures, battle reports and a campaign.
• Arnstien Orten's 6mm DBM site - the ultimate site for massed bases in 6mm scale.
• Mark Wilmot's Cyberboard DBM site - how to play DBM via e-mail using a virtual gaming table.
• Mark Ottley's Wargaming site. Mark hails from Christchurch, and has some very nicely painted DBM armies.
• Tim Porter's Wargaming site. A British gamer with a site highlighting the humurous side of wargaming.

Return to my web-site index.