The DBM Royal Rumble

This little set of rules is designed as a participation game, for around 5 to 20 players who need not have had any experience with DBM, or wargames in general. It is good to introduce people to DBM, give them a go at something different, or to play in the afternoon at meetings after games start to finish.

It is based on a game we used to play in the days of 7th edition sometimes on the last day of a Convention.

The objective of the game is to be the last remaining un-demoralised army on the table.

1. One army is provided for, or by, each player. It should have one General (generals are free, there is no distinction between Regular and Irregular Generals). The size of each of the armies should be be set at a a points value between 50 and 100 points, and should consist of compulsory or core troop types.

2. A table is set up, if there aren't many players 2 foot by 2 foot may be enough, if there are a lot of players up to 4 foot by 4 foot will be plenty. A bit of terrain can be placed, but not much, perhaps a BUA in the centre of the table will be all that is needed.

3. A slip of paper for each army showing it's name/army list is placed in a hat*, each player in turn draws one of these slips of paper, the slip he draws is the army that he will use in the game.

4. Slips of paper numbering each of the players is placed in a hat (i.e. if there are six players then 6 slips are placed in a hat numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6), each player in turn draws one of these slips of paper, the slips indicate the order in which players will enter the game.

5. Players who drew the slips with 1 and 2 are the first to start.

6. Each table edge is numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4. Each pair of opposite table corners are numbered 5, and 6. Both of the starting players each roll 1 D6 to determine where his army is to start based on how the table edges/corners were numbered off (if a 5 or 6 is rolled another die roll determines which corner is used).

7. Each player then deploys his army along the table edge/corner that it was determined he would deploy on. The army must be deployed in one group, no more than 4 elements deep with it's rear edge touching the edge/corner.

8. The player who drew the slip with a 1 on it moves first, he rolls 1 D6 and moves his army according to the PIP score as per the DBM rules. The player who drew the 2 does the same after this. Therefore two alternate bounds happen, they happen again and then things get interesting.

9. After two sets of alternate bounds are done the player who drew slip 3 starts, he dices to determine his starting position the same as 1 and 2. This continues after two more sets of alternate bounds are done player 4 starts, and so on...

10. As soon as player 3 starts each player can change sides. Up until now player 1 was nominally on one side, and player 2 was on the other. From now on before a set of alternate bounds begins each player chooses which bound he will move in, he hides a dice under his hand with either the 1 or 2 facing up, these are revealed at the same time and indicate whether a player will do his move in the first bound or in the second.

11. Players that chose 1 are nominally allies, they can't attack each other, they treat each others elements as friends for march/tactical purposes, and support each other in combat. Players that chose 2 are nominally allies also. This in no way implies that they have to co-operate.

12. A player can change sides when choosing which bound he is going to start in only if he has no enemy elements currently in contact with any of his, or no enemy element is currently able to move into contact with his. Nor can he change sides if any of his elements are currently capable of moving into contact with elements belonging to an currently allied player, soon to be enemy. If he can't change sides he can't change sides, he just has to wangle this so that maybe next time he can.

13. This creates a lot of scope for diplomacy and backstabbing, players can make all kinds of deals.

14. Once an army is demoralised it takes the reduction in factors as per the rules, but continues to fight as per normal. If general is killed it fights on, just taking more PIPs to do so.

Disclaimer: The use of sexist language (he/his) throughout this piece no way implies that this game is for boys only, Mareeopatra and I came first equal in our last game.

* Note: If you don't have a hat, any reasonable sized container will do... but you realised that didn't you?