Instructions De Bellis Antiquitatis

Objective

The objective of De Bellis Antiquitatis (DBA) is to defeat the opponent's army. Victory is achieved by destroying or causing elements of the opponent's army to retreat.

Game Materials

• Board: A 60 cm x 60 cm field, which can have various terrain features like woods, hills, roads, or rivers.
• Armies: Each army consists of 12 "elements" or units, each represented by a base with multiple models symbolizing different types of ancient or medieval troops.
• Dice: A six-sided die is used to determine movement and resolve combat.

Setup

1. Each team selects an army and organizes the 12 elements based on the army lists.
2. Determine who will be the attacker and who will be the defender. The defender sets up the terrain on the board.
3. The defender places their army on the field first, followed by the attacker.

Gameplay Rules

Turn Structure

The game is played in alternating turns. Each turn consists of the following phases: 1. Command Points Phase: Roll a six-sided die to determine the number of "command points" (or PIPs) available for that turn. 2. Movement Phase: Use PIPs to move elements. The cost depends on how far and where units are moved. 3. Combat Phase: Conduct combat when opposing units contact one another. Calculate each unit's combat factor by rolling and adding its modifier, then compare it with the opponent's. 4. Victory Check: Check if the game is won by defeating enough enemy forces.

Movement

• An element can move in various directions, depending on its type and the chosen commands.
• Types like cavalry can move faster than, for example, infantry.
• Movement over terrain may bring additional PIP costs or restrictions.

Combat

• Combat occurs with base-to-base contact of elements.
• A unit's combat factor is calculated from its base modifier plus a die result.
• Superiority in combat may force units to fall back or be destroyed.

End of the Game

The game ends when one army loses a defined number of elements — typically four — including destroying the opponent’s general. The player achieving this goal is the winner.

Strategy Tips

• Use terrain to your advantage: protect weaker units behind tougher terrain.
• Control the opponent's mobility by strategic positioning and clever usage of your command points.
• Consider each unit's combat modifiers to choose suitable targets for your attack strategy.