DBM - De Bellis Multitudinis

Glossary of Terms

Copied from - The Vortex
These are some of the terms used in DBM. I've put them in alphabetical order and where possible have put a reference to a page number in the rules. All page numbers refer to version 2.0 of the DBM rules published in October 1997 by Wargames Research Group.

Aggression factor. A number from 0 to 4 specified in each individual army list. [page 12]

Army points. A way of measuring the size or force of an army. For example, a 500 AP army is more powerful than a 300 AP army. Also, AP are used to purchase elements when building an army. For example, Reg Bd (S) cost 9 AP. [page 11]

Area features

Also known as terrain features. See terrain types. [page 7]

Art

Artillery. [page 8]

Auxilia. [page 7]

Base width (frontage)

For 2mm figures base width is 30mm. [page 3]

For 6mm and 15mm figures base width is 40mm. [page 3]

For 25mm figures base width is 60mm. [page 3]

Blades. [page 6]

Baggage. [page 9]

Bk 1

DBM Army Lists Book 1: 3000 BC to 500 BC.

Bk 2

DBM Army Lists Book 2: 500 BC to 476 AD.

Bk 3

DBM Army Lists Book 3: 476 AD to 1071 AD.

Bk 4

DBM Army Lists Book 4: 1071 AD to 1500 AD.

Bounds

A player's turn. Play is in alternate bounds. [page 3]

Bts

Boats. [page 8]

BUA

Built-up areas, such as villages.

Bowmen. [page 7]

Camelry. [page 5]

Command

A group of elements controlled by a general. Each element must be part of one of these commands, and cannot be transferred to a different command. Depending on the number of generals your army has, you may have 2 to 4 commands.

Cavalry. [page 4]

C-in-C

Commander-in-chief.

Non-coastal sand dunes.

Dangerous

A classification of a River ford or the section of a Waterway to or from an island. [page 20]

DBA

De Bellis Antiquitatis. Simple fast play ancient wargame and campaign rules with army lists. Latest version is 1.1 published in March 1995.

DBE

Double-based element. A situation where two separate elements are temporarily based together as a double element for the duration of a game. A term coined by someone on the DBM Mailing List I believe. Also known as a double element when permanent. [page 10]

DBM

De Bellis Multitudinis. Wargames rules for ancient and medieval battles (3000 BC to 1500 AD). Latest version is 2.0 published in October 1997.

Defender

A designation given to a player at the start of a game after each rolls a die and adds their army's aggression factor. The side with the higher adjusted score is the invader, the other is the defender. Used to determine terrain features, time of day or night, weather, and deployment and should have no impact on how each player actually fights the battle. [page 12]

DGo

Difficult going. A classification of an area feature. Steep or wooded, vine-planted or terraced slopes, woods [Wd], olive or other orchards or oasis palm groves [O], small fields enclosed by walls, hedges, irrigation channels or paddy bunds [E], vineyards [V], marsh [M], sand dunes [D], and built-up areas [BUA] unless manning perimeter fortifications. [page 12]

Small fields enclosed by hedges, walls, irrigation channels or paddy bunds.

Easy

A classification of a River ford or the section of a Waterway to or from an island. [page 20]

Elephants. [page 4]

Element

An element represents the smallest sub-unit or body capable of operating independently. Movement and combat is by elements, each consisting of a fixed number of figures. For example, in 15mm play, an element of Pikes would be represented by four (4) 15mm figures on base 40mm x 15mm. [page 2 & 10]

Element frontage

See base width. [page 3]

Exp

Expendables. [page 6]

(F)

Fast. Troops who move faster and further than average but are worse protected. See troop grades. [page 4]

Foot troops

Spears (Sp), Pikes (Pk), Blades (Bd), Warband (Wb), Auxilia (Ax), Bowmen (Bw), Psiloi (Ps), Artillery (Art), War Wagons (WWg), Hordes (Hd) or Baggage (Bg). [page 4]

Gal

Galleys. [page 8]

GGo

Good going. A classification of an area feature. Bare gentle slopes, open fields, or of water features, bog or marsh frozen by cold weather. [page 12]

Grade

See troop grade. [page 4]

Hordes. [page 8]

H(G)

Hill or lesser rise with only gentle and bare slopes.

H(S)

Hill with some or all slopes steep, rough or wooded.

(I)

Inferior. Brittle troops historically identifiable as of significantly inferior morale or efficiency. See troop grades. [page 4]

Invader

Irr

Irregular. [page 4]

Knights. [page 4]

Light Horse. [page 5]

Light Troops

Light Horse (LH), Psiloi (Ps) and Auxilia (Ax). [page 4]

Inland marsh other than on a river.

Mounted troops

Elephants (El), Knights (Kn), Cavalry (Cv), Light Horse (LH), Camelry (Cm) or Expendables (Exp). [page 4]

mtd

Mounted Infantry. [page 9]

Naval troops

Galleys (Gal), Ships (Shp) or Boats (Bts). [page 4]

Orchards or olive or palm groves.

(O)

Ordinary. Representing the great bulk of troops of that type. See troop grades. [page 4]

OOB

Order of battle. Sometimes written as OB.

In DBM p stands for paces. For example, 200p means 200 paces. [page 3]

For 2mm figures: 50 paces in battle = 20mm measured on the table.

For 6mm and 15mm figures: 50 paces in battle = 25mm (or 1 inch) measured on the table.

For 25mm figures: 50 paces in battle = 40mm measured on the table.

Paltry

A classification of a River ford or the section of a Waterway to or from an island. [page 20]

Permanent Fortifications. [page 9]

PIP

Player Initiative Point. [page 16]

PIP die

A six-sided die thrown to find the number of PIPs available for a command at the beginning of each player's bound. [page 16]

Pikes. [page 6]

Point/s

See army points (AP). [page 11]

Psiloi. [page 7]

Roads or frequently used tracks.

Reg

Regular. [page 4]

RGo

Rough going. A classification of an area feature. Moderately boggy, rocky or brushy gentle slopes or lower ground or a sunken gulley. [page 12].

Ordinary rivers.

(S)

Superior. Troops recognized by their contemporaries as of significantly superior morale and/or efficiency. See troop grades. Not to be confused with the (S) in H(S). [page 4]

Shp

Ships. [page 8]

Shoot

The element actually doing the shooting.

Shoot back at

If the element which is the target is eligible to do so, it must return fire at the element that shot at it, i.e. it can't choose to fire at another target if it can shoot back now.

Shooting elements

Artillery, bowmen, war wagons (S) or (O), elephants (X), ships (S), (O) or (X), galleys, and boats (S). [page 21]

Shot at

The element which is the target of the shooting.

Skirmishers

Light Horse (LH) and Psiloi (Ps). [page 4]

Spears. [page 6]

Terrain types

WW, Rv, H(S), H(G), Wd, O, V, E, GGo, RGo, DGo, M, D, Rd, BUA.

Temporary Fortification. [page 9]

Tricky

A classification of a River ford or the section of a Waterway to or from an island. [page 20]

Troop grade

Troops within each type are additionally graded for efficiency relative to the average for that type. The troop grades are Superior (S), Ordinary (O), Inferior (I), Fast (F) and Exception (X). [page 4]

Troop Type

All troops that fought in the same way, had a generally similar ethos and morale and had an equivalent effect on the other classes. For example, Blades (Bd) are a class of troop type. [page 4]

Type

See troop type.

Unreliable ally

An ally general whose first PIP die score is 1 is unreliable. [page 16]

Vines.

Warband. [page 6]

Woods.

Within

"at or less than".

Waterway suitable for ships, such as the sea, lakes or great rivers.

WWg

War Wagons. [page 8]

(X)

Exception. Troops treated as special cases. See troop grades. [page 4]