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Unofficial DBA Errata

As with almost any rule set, there are certainly errors and omissions in DBA (edition 1.1). Some are simple type-setting problems. Others are more substantive, such as historical oversights in the official "enemies" of a particular DBA army. The following is a collection of unofficial DBA 1.1 errata. It is dubbed "unofficial" because the contents have neither been published nor formally endorsed by the authors of DBA except where indicated. Explanatory or supporting information is provided where needed. If you are aware of any error or omission in the DBA 1.1 rules or army lists, drop a note with explanation to us; either David Kuijt at kuijt@umiacs.umd.edu or Chris Brantley at brant@erols.com. The hope is that list will be used as a resource in the development of DBA 1.2.

| Rules Errata | Campaigns Errata | Army Lists Errata | What's New |

Rules Errata

(i.e., corrections to errors in the basic rules.)

Clarifications: Dennis Frank has collected a number of clarifications to the DBA rules; these clarifications have been reviewed by Phil Barker. The clarifications are here.

Hot News!: Phil Barker has issued a new DBA 1.2 edition as "Official Amendments". Coupled with release of the official amendments is news that Barker plans to release DBA 2.0 sometime after Christmas.

Commentary: Some commentary on the "Official Amendments" is here. The intent is to spot problems in advance, and avoid their inclusion in DBA 2.0.

Campaigns Errata

(i.e., corrections to errors in the campaign rules including listings of opponents in suggested historical campaigns.)

Note that some of these errors are easily corrected, and some are not. Where an easy correction can be made we have suggested it, but where the intent of the authors was obscure we merely point out the inconsistency.

  • Hyksos 1720 BC:
      • Three chronological errors. Army #1 (Sumerian & Akkadian) runs from 3000 BC to 2004 BC; Army #4b (Early Syrian) runs from 3000 BC to 2200 BC; and Army #8a (Hyksos) runs from 1650 BC to 1546 BC. All three armies fail to intersect the date of the campaign (1720 BC), and indeed don't intersect each other.
  • Hittite Empire 1280 BC:
      • One chronological error. Army #18b (Neo-Elamite) runs from 800 BC to 639 BC, and could not participate in a campaign in 1280 BC.
  • Sea Peoples 1231 BC:
      • Minor inconsistency: Army #14a (Sea Peoples) begins in 1230 BC. 1231 BC is the year before, not the year after. Change the date of the campaign to 1230 or 1229 BC.
  • New Assyrian Conquest 745 BC:
      • One chronological error. Army #15b (Later Canaanite, Ugaritic or Syrian) runs from 1340 BC to 1100 BC, and could not participate in a campaign in 745 BC.
  • Rise of the Hellenes 670 AD:
      • Typo. This should be 670 BC, not AD.
  • Great Persian War 480 BC:
      • One chronological error. Army #34 (Syracusan) runs from 410 BC to 210 BC, and could not participate in a campaign in 480 BC.
  • Rise of Rome 358 BC:
      • One chronological error. Army #30a (Early Roman) runs from 650 BC to 400 BC, and is replaced by Camillan Roman (#46a) several generations before the campaign starts in 358 BC.
  • Diadachoi 321 BC:
      • An odd error. Every participating army starts its range in 320 BC; how does the campaign start the year before, when none of the armies exist? Start the campaign in 320 BC instead.
  • Chinese Warring States 318 BC:
      • One chronological error. Army #7 (Early Northern Barbarian) runs from 2000 BC to 450 BC, and so can't participate in a campaign set in 318 BC.
  • Galatian Invasion 279 BC:
      • Several chronological errors. Army #51 (Parthians) doesn't begin until 250 BC; #47 (Hellenistic Greek) until 275 BC; and #41a (Early Seleucid) ends the year before (280 BC). Substitute #41b (Later Seleucid) for #41a; I'm unsure how to resolve the other problems.
  • First Punic War 264 BC:
      • Two chronological errors. Army #53 (Numidian) doesn't begin until 215 BC; #52 (Ancient Spanish) until 240 BC.
  • Rise of the Sassanians 227 AD:
      • One chronological error. Army #51 (Parthian) stops at 225 AD.
  • Carausian Britain 296 AD:
      • Chronological error. The two Roman armies are both #77a (Late Roman West). But #77a doesn't begin until 307 AD, under Constantine. In this case the year is accurate (the revolts of the british legions under Carausius and his successors occur in the last decade of the third century AD) so substitute Middle Imperial Roman (#69) for both instances of #77a.
  • Justinian Revival 533 AD:
      • There is a chronological error; Army #90 (Avar) does not begin until 553 AD, 20 years after this campaign.
  • Rise of the Seljuks 1037 AD:
      • Army #83a (Medieval Hindu) is an error; the northern and western parts of India entirely isolated the Hindu south and east from contact with the Ghaznavids and Arabs. Substitute #83b (Moslem Indian) instead.
  • Mongol Invasion 1236 AD:
      • Army #149 (Later Polish) is an error (a century off); use #122 (Early Polish) instead.
  • Northern Crusade 1260 AD:
      • Two chronological errors. The Early Medieval Scandinavian list (#131a) does not begin until 1280, so is too late; and the Early Russian list (#129) stops at 1246, and so is too early.
  • Catalan Company 1316 AD:
      • The date is in error. The Catalan Company totally destroyed the Romanian Franks in 1311, after which their army list ends. The date for this campaign should be some time between 1305 and 1311, when the Catalan Company was in Thessaly; perhaps 1306.
  • Tamerlane 1380 AD:
      • Army #160a (Early Ottoman) is an error; the Early Ottoman list ends in 1362 AD. Substitute #160b (Later Ottoman) instead. In addition, army #154 (Mongols) ends in 1368 AD. The Golden Horde (Mongols) existed for more than a century after 1368, so the typo here is in the army list end date, not the campaign.
  • Christendom Endangered 1420 AD:
      • Army #167 (Later Imperialist) is an error; that list does not start until 1450. Use #136 (Early Imperialist) instead.

    Army Lists Errata

    (i.e., corrections to errors in army list description and addition of non-speculative historical opponents.)

    Supporting commentary is included where helpful, both to support a given change and to allow others to make their own evaluation for inaccuracy of any claim. Commentary is credited to the submittor. "DK" is used to mark commentary by David Kuijt; "CB" that by Chris Brantley. Other names are unabbreviated.

  • 1 Sumerian & Akkadian:
      • Enemy #8a (Hyksos) doesn't overlap chronologically.
  • 4a Early Libyan:
      • Add #11 (New Kingdom Egyptian) to the enemies list. This is a clear omission, and #11 already includes #4a in its enemies list.
  • 4b Early Syrian:
      • Typo in forces list. Replace "1x 3HCh" with "1x HCh".
      Listed by Army #8a (Hyksos) as an enemy, but #8a doesn't appear in the enemies list here. More complication: #8a (Hyksos) doesn't overlap chronologically.
      Similar situations with armies #11 and #12.
  • 8a Hyksos:
      • #4b is listed as an enemy, but #8a doesn't appear in the enemies list for #4b.
      Doesn't overlap chronologically with two of its enemies (#1 and #4b).
  • 9 Hittite:
      • (Tom Ryan): I am surprised not to see the Later Canaanite, Ugaritic or Syrian (15b) listed as an enemy. It covers the time period 1340 - 1100 BC and I would presume that the rulers of those states within Hittite sphere of influence would continue to require reminders of where their loyalty lay or would request aid from their overlord in times of internecine wars. Also missing is New Assyrian (23) who were a major contributor to the fall of the Neo-Hittite states.
  • 11 New Kingdom Egyptian:
      • #4b is listed as an enemy, but #11 doesn't appear in the enemies list for #4b. As an additional complication, there is no chronological overlap between the two armies.
  • 12 Early Assyrian:
      • #4b is listed as an enemy, but #12 doesn't appear in the enemies list for #4b. As an additional complication, there is no chronological overlap between the two armies.
  • 13 Early Hebrew:
      • #15b is listed as an enemy, but #13 doesn't appear in the enemies list for #15b.
  • 15b Later Canaanite, Ugaritic or Syrian:
      • #13 is not listed as an enemy here, but #13 lists this army as an enemy.
      No chronological overlap with three enemies: #19, #20, and #23.
      Add Hittites (#9) to enemies list. See Tom Ryan on Hittites for support.
  • 16c Warring States Chinese:
      • Add #16c (Warring States Chinese) to the enemies list for obvious reasons (as is clear from the Warring States campaign in the campaign lists).
      There is exactly one year's chronological overlap with enemy army #16b; something is rather dubious about that situation.
      The enemy listing for #82 (Sub-Roman British) is clearly an error; probably a mistype for #62 (Chinese Border Nomad), given that army #62 lists this army in its enemies.
  • 17 Dark Age and Geometric Greek:
      • There is exactly one year's chronological overlap with enemy army #24a; something is rather dubious about that situation.
  • 19 Later Hebrew:
      • No chronological overlap with enemy #15b.
  • 20 Libyan Egyptian:
      • No chronological overlap with enemy #15b.
  • 21a Early Indian:
      • Army #6 (Early Shang Chinese) is listed as an enemy, but this army does not appear in the enemies list for #6. Further, there is no chronological overlap between this army and #6.
      (Tom Ryan): Two historical enemies overlooked are the Parthians (#51) (the Suren family conquered and ruled much of the Northwest from 95BC to AD75) and the Huns (#79) who conquered the Gupta Empire From 480 - 550.
      (DK): see commentary in the Hunnic list, #79.
  • 21b Kushans:
      • Typo: this army runs from 135 BC to 410 AD, not 410 BC.
      (Tom Ryan): Add Bactrian & Indo-Greeks (#50) to the enemies list. See Tom Ryan on Bactrian & Indo-Greeks for support.
  • 23 New Assyrian:
      • No chronological overlap with enemy #15b
      (Tom Ryan): Add Hittites (#9) to the enemies list. See Tom Ryan on Hittites for support.
  • 24a Early Hoplite Greek:
      • There is exactly one year's chronological overlap with enemy army #17; something is rather dubious about that situation.
  • 25 Kimmerian or Skythian:
      • (Tom Ryan): Add Alexandrian Macedonian (#36) to the enemies list to reflect Phillip of Macedon's campaigns against the Skythians during Alexander's youth.
      (Tony Stapells): add Lysimachid (#39) to the enemies list. The Skythians fought a pitched battle with Lysimachos around 313 BC.
  • 32 Later Hoplite Greek:
      • (Tony Stapells): Add Antigonid (#38a) to the enemies list. See the Antigonid list for justification. Also add Lysimachid (#39) to the enemies list; see the Lysimachid list for justification.
  • 34 Syracusan:
      • Enemy #46 is listed; it isn't clear whether either or both #46a and #46b is intended. Chronological overlap could support both; army #46b has this army in its enemies list and #46a does not.
  • 36 Alexandrian Macedonian:
      • (Tom Ryan): Add Kimmerian or Skythian (#25) to the enemies list to reflect Phillip of Macedon's campaigns against the Skythians during Alexander's youth.
  • 38a Antigonid:
      • (Tony Stapells): The DBA list of possible enemies seems to oddly be missing Pyrrhus (#43), Macedonian Early Successor (#40) and Later Hoplite Greek (#32).   Cassander, as represented by the Macedonian Early Successor list, fought Antigonid generals in Greece in 313 BC and later faced Antigonos' son Demetrios in Europe for about three years. After Ipsus in 301 BC, Demetrios attempted to retake Greece, and after Cassander's death, Macedonia. The Boeotians, Athens and Sparta (all best described by the Later Hoplite Greeks #32) as well as Pyrrhus (#43) opposed his attempts to found a new kingdom.

      It seems that the enemy list has been limited to foes that only Antigonos himself faced in person, but the ending date of 285 BC clearly indicates that this army list extends to the end of Demetrios.   I would definitely amend the list of Antigonid enemies to include these three foes.

      Also, remove Early Armenian (#44) from the enemies list. Antigonos died before the start of the Early Armenian list, and I can find no references indicating that Demetrios ever fought, or even set foot in, Early Armenia. Perhaps my sources are wrong or incomplete, or perhaps the Early Armenian army is intended to represent another historical opponent, although I cannot think what opponent that might be. I have a much lengthier and detailed argument here.

  • 39 Lysimachid:
      • (Tony Stapells): add Skythian (#25) and Later Hoplite Greek (#32) to the enemies list. The Scythians (DBA #25) should be included as an opponent of Lysimachos, since they fought a pitched battle with Lysimachos around 313 BC.   Later Hoplite Greek (#32) is possibly another foe, although the Greek cities of Thrace and Asia Minor seemed to prefer more passive opposition and seiges, rather than pitched battles.   In 313 BC a coalition (instigated by Antigonid diplomacy and probably gold) of Scythians, local Greek cities and Thracians confronted Lysimachos, although he was able to convince the Thracians to leave the coalition and join him.
  • 40 Macedonian Early Successor:
      • (Tony Stapells): Add Antigonid (#38a) to the enemies list. See the Antigonid list for justification.
  • 41a Early Seleucid:
      • Two chronological errors. There is no chronological overlap with enemy #45 (Galatian), that begins the same year that Early Seleucid ends (280 BC). More extreme, enemy #50 (Bactrian and Indo-Greek) does not begin until 30 years after Early Seleucid ends.
  • 41b Later Seleucid:
      • Error: army list has 13 elements. The correct list (per Phil Barker) is:
    • 1x3Kn
    • 2x4Kn
    • 1x2Lh
    • 4x4Pk
    • 1x4Aux (Thureophoroi)
    • 1xEl
    • 1x2Ps or 4Wb (Galatian)
    • 1xSCh or 3Aux or 4Bd (Imitation Legionaries)
  • 42b Later Ptolemaic:
      • (Kevin Barwise): The Later Ptolemaic list runs to 40 BC. Can't find anything significant that happened in 40 BC. Anthony and Cleopatra joined forces in 41 BC and got married in 37 BC. The defeat at Actium was 31 BC. It seems that the list should end in 30 BC with the deaths of Cleopatra and her son Caesarion, the last Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt.
  • 43 Pyrrhic:
      • (Tony Stapells): Add Antigonid (#38a) to the enemies list. See the Antigonid list for justification.
  • 44 Early Armenian:
      • (Tony Stapells): Remove Antigonid (#38a) from the enemies list. Antigonos died before the start of the Early Armenian list, and I can find no references indicating that his successor Demetrios ever fought, or even set foot in, Early Armenia. Perhaps my sources are wrong or incomplete, or perhaps the Early Armenian army is intended to represent another historical opponent, although I cannot think what opponent that might be. I have a much lengthier and detailed argument here.
  • 45 Galatian:
      • One possible chronological error. There is (exactly) no chronological overlap with enemy #41a, that ends the same year that Galatian begins (280 BC).
  • 46a Camillan Roman:
      • Unclear whether #34 (Syracusan) should be listed here or not; see #34 for details.
  • 46b Polybian Roman:
      • Unclear whether #34 (Syracusan) should be listed here or not; see #34 for details.
  • 50 Bactrian & Indo-Greek:
      • One chronological error: no overlap with enemy #41a (Early Seleucid).
      (Tom Ryan): An enemy overlooked by the authors are the Kushans (#21b).
  • 51 Parthian:
      • Middle Imperial Roman (#69) is listed as an enemy, but the Parthians do not appear in their enemies list.
      (Tom Ryan): A historical enemy overlooked is Early Indian (21a). From 95 BC to AD 75 the Suren family conquered and ruled areas of northwestern India.
  • 55b Bosphoran:
      • There is no chronological overlap between this list and its listed enemy Early Gothic or Vandal (#70); in fact there is a century separating the two. There is also no chronological overlap between this list and the Hunnic (#79) list, where there is 274 years separating the two.
  • 55d Alan:
      • Late Byzantine (#153) is listed as an enemy, but the Alans do not appear in their enemies list.
      (DK) Many other conquerors of the caucasus would seem to be missing from the enemies list for the Alans; between the fall of the Huns c. 466 AD and the end of this list in 1500 AD the only battles listed are with Later Byzantines (c. 1204-1460) and Catalan Company (representing two battles around 1305 AD). At a minimum, the enemies list for the Alans should probably include the Mongols (#154), Early Ottoman (#160a), Khwarizmian (#146), Ghuzz (#94), and Khazars (#93). The Early Ottomans fought battles against a large force of Alan mercenaries in Byzantine employ around 1302-1305; the same reason (and the same force of Alans) that the Catalan Company is included in the Alan enemies list. The other armies each in turn conquered the trans-Caucasus region north of Georgia where the Alans lived; it is unlikely that all these invasions were without bloodshed. Other possibilities include the Ilkhanid (#159a), Timurids (#159b), Later Ottoman (#160b), Cuman (#130), Pecheneg (#109), and maybe Georgian (#121); possibly also all the other Byzantine armies before 1204 AD.
  • 62 Chinese Border Nomad:
      • (DK) Surprisingly, the Mongols (#154) are not listed as an enemy. My understanding is that the Mongols were originally some of these many tribes, and under Temujin's leadership conquered and amalgamated them into a single whole. Since the Chinese Border Nomad list runs until 1218 AD, and the Mongol list starts in 1206 AD, it seems that they should be listed as enemies in each other's lists.
  • 67 Caledonian or Pictish:
      • (Daniel Mersey): add #67 (themselves) to their enemies list to correct the error that a Pictish/Caledonian army may not fight itself, despite the fact that a good deal of inter-tribal conflict could have occurred.
  • 70 Early Gothic or Vandal:
      • There is no chronological overlap between this list and its listed enemy Bosphoran (#55b); in fact there is a century separating the two.
  • 71 Annamese:
      • Army #116 (Sung Chinese) lists this army as an enemy, but doesn't appear in this enemies list.
  • 75a Early Saxon, Frisian, Suevi, Bavarian, or Thuringian:
      • Army #92 (Welsh) lists this army as an enemy, but doesn't appear in this enemies list in return.
  • 79 Hunnic:
      • There is no chronological overlap between this list and its listed enemy Bosphoran (#55b); in fact there 274 years separating the two.
      (Tom Ryan): an overlooked historical enemy is Early Indians (#21a). The Huns conquered the Gupta Empire From 480 - 550 AD.
      (DK): the Ephthalite Huns survive past 466 AD and destroy the Gupta Empire. According to the DBM Army Book II, they have a significant number of Elephants (1 or 2 mandatory elements in a DBA conversion) which do not appear in the current Hun list. It seems that the Ephthalite Huns are a good target for an alternative army list, rather than adding the Early Indians (#21a) to the current (Elephant-less) Hun list.
  • 83b Moslem Indian:
      • (DK) The enemies list for the Moslem Indians should also include the Mongols (#154) and Ilkhanid (#159a). The Mongols (army #154) fought several battles in Northern India in 1241 and 1245. The Mongol Ilkhans (Ilkhanid, #159a) controlling Persia attacked into northern India a number of times from 1292 to 1305, and later in 1322 and 1329.
  • 85 Gepid or Lombard:
      • (Tony Stapells):  The list of enemies for the Lombards should be expanded to include the Magyars (#107) and Arab Imperial (#100).  The Lombards fought the Magyars on at least one occasion at the battle of Brenta in 899.  In addition, the Arab Emirate of Bari existed from 847 - 871 in southern Italy, during which time numerous battles and raids were conducted against the Lombards.  Click here to read more extensive notes.
  • 92 Welsh:
      • Army #75a (Early Saxon) is listed as an enemy, but doesn't reciprocate.
      Enemies list typo: there is no army "92b". Strike the "b" and make it just army 92.
      (DK): Add Hundred Years War English (#168) to the enemies list, representing Owen Glendower's rebellions that ended in 1420.
  • 94 Ghuzz:
      • (DK): Possible error: should not #154 (Mongols) be listed as an historical enemy? The Mongols fought and conquered the whole steppe from Korea to Crimea, fought from Siberia to Serbia, Persia, India. Where do the Ghuzz, Turkish steppe nomads, hide that they are not conquered or contacted by the Mongols? In fact, the Ghuzz appear to have no enemies at all after the fall of the Ghaznavids in 1186 -- where do they exist for 150 years more without any conflicts?
  • 95 T'ang & Five Dynasties Chinese:
      • (Michael Ng): The enemies list should include themselves (#95). This represents the rebellion of An Lushan (a foreigner turned Chinese general) and his frontier troops against the Imperial Army in 755 AD.
  • 100 Arab Imperial:
      • (Tony Stapells):  The list of enemies should be expanded to include the Lombards (#85) to cover raids and battles between them and the Arab Emirate of Bari which existed in southern Italy from 847 - 871.  Click here to read more extensive notes.
  • 105 Mexican:
      • (DK): The Mexica had no contact or conflict with the Inca, so #150 should be removed from the Enemies list.
  • 106a Viking:
      • (DK): Add enemy #106b (Leidang). Army #106b (Leidang) lists this army as an enemy, but it doesn't appear here.
      (DK): add Prussian or Estonian (#148a) to the enemies list to represent the crusades by Danes and Swedes across the Baltic. The first Danish attacks against the Pomeranians and Prussians began around 1200 AD, and the Danes and Swedes began attacking the Estonians starting in 1220 AD. By 1238 the Danes had conquered a large part of northern Estonia.
  • 107 Magyar:
      • (Tony Stapells):  The list of enemies should be expanded to include the Lombards (#85) to cover the Battle of Brenta in 899, where 15,000 Lombards were annhilated by a force of only 5,000 Magyars.  Click here to read more extensive notes.
  • 108 Russ:
      • (CB): The Russ regularly raided the Caspian Sea Arabs of the Abbasid Caliphate and Alid Emirate, who can be represented somewhat questionably by addition of the Arab Imperials (#100) to the Russ enemies list.
  • 116 Sung Chinese:
      • Army #71 (Annamese) is listed as an enemy, but this army doesn't appear in the enemies list for the Annamese.
      Substitute "#127a" and #127b" for the single entry of #127 that is in the enemies list.
  • 121 Georgian:
      • (DK): Add Timurid (#159b) to the enemies list. The armies of Timur devastated Georgia repeatedly over a decade or more in the late 14th century.
  • 122 Early Polish:
      • (DK): Add Lithuanians (#148b) to the enemies list. See (DK) on Lithuanians for support.
  • 127a Early Samurai:
      • Chronological error: remove #174 from enemies list.
  • 127b Later Samurai:
      • Chronological error: remove #116 from enemies list.
  • 128 Scots Isles & Highlands:
      • Army 131a (Early Medieval Scandinavian) is listed as an enemy, but doesn't list this army as an enemy in return.
  • 129 Early Russian:
      • (DK): add #148b (Lithuanian) to the enemies list. Mstislav of Kiev invaded Lithuania in 1132. Further, the Russian Principality of Polotsk bordered Lithuania until its destruction by the Mongols in 1240; raiding and warfare between Lithuania and the Russian Principalities did not begin after their subjugation by the Mongols and reformation as Mongol client-states in 1246.

      Also add the Teutonic Order (#151) to the enemies list to cover the Battle of Lake Peipus in 1242, when Alexander Nevsky, Prince of Novgorod, defeated a Teutonic Order invasion force.

  • 130 Cuman:
      • Revise the Cuman army list option "1x2Ps or 2LC or Art" to read "1x2Ps or 2Lh or Art." There are no chariots in the Cuman army. This appears to be a misprint of LC for Lh.
      (Keith Venables): To the "official" enemies could be added Ghuzz (#94), Romanian Frankish (#152), Later Byzantine (#153), Timurid (#159b), and Later Hungarian (#166), all of whom had contact with the Cumans at some stage.
  • 131a Early Medieval Scandinavian:
      • Army 128 (Scots Isles and Highlands) lists this army as an enemy, but doesn't appear on this enemies list in return.
      (DK): add Prussian/Estonian (#148a) to the enemies list. See the Prussian/Estonian entry for support.
  • 135 Sicilian:
      • (DK): Charles of Anjou invaded Sicily with a French army in 1260, eventually culminating in his victory at the battle of Benevento (1266). Army #137 (Feudal French) should be added to the enemies list of the Sicilians, and vice versa.
  • 136 Early Imperialist:
      • (Konstantine Trtiambelas): the Early Imperialists should also fight themselves; there were extended periods of civil strife in Germany during this period and there's no other army in DBA to account for this.
      (DK): I think that the Later Hungarians (#166) should be added to the enemies list. Although I can't think of any battles off-hand, they were adjoining states for two hundred years of typical late-medieval upheaval and succession-disputes.
      (DK): add #176 (Hussites) to the enemies list. The whole initial Hussite revolt was within the Empire, and against German Imperial control of Bohemia, and falls within the period of this army.
      (DK): I suspect that #169 (Italian Condotta) should also be added to the enemies list, representing warfare between the Northern Italian city-states and their Austrian and German neighbours before this list ends in 1450 AD. Can anyone cite any battles as evidence?
      (DK): Add Early Swiss (#161a) and Later Swiss (#161b) to the enemies list. The Austrians were the feudal overlords against which the Swiss originally rebelled, and one of the major enemies of the Swiss Confederation throughout their history.
      (DK): Did the Early Burgundians (#173) and Medieval French (#170) never come into armed conflict with any German powers before the end of this list in 1450? Note that both of them are listed enemies for the Later Imperialists, even though the Medieval French have no chronological overlap with the Laters (only with the Earlys). I suggest adding both #170 and #173 to the enemies list.
  • 137 Feudal French:
      • (DK): Charles of Anjou invaded Sicily with a French army in 1260, eventually culminating in his victory at the battle of Benevento (1266). Army #135 (Sicilian) should be added to the enemies list of the Feudal French, and vice versa.
  • 142b Later Serbian:
      • (DK): Drop #159b (Timurid) from the enemies list. The only interaction between these forces was in 1402, where a force of Serbian knights played an important part in the Battle of Ankara as part of an enormous army under Bayezid that was defeated by Timur. The Serbian forces in this battle are best represented by the single element of Serbian knights allowed in the Later Ottoman list.
      (DK):Add #160b (Later Ottoman). The battle of Kossovo in 1387 is between the Serbs and the Later Ottoman army, not the Early Ottoman. Although the Ottomans did not have a common border with Serbia until the Later Ottoman army list, the Byzantine civil war of the middle 14th century involved large Ottoman armies fighting on the side of John Kantakouzenos against large Serbian and Bulgarian forces fighting on the side of John V Palaiologos. Some of these battles were essentially without Byzantine participation. (Thanks to Tony Stapells for pointing this out).
  • 146 Khwarizmian:
      • Enemy #159a (Ilkhanid) has no chronological overlap with this army.
  • 147 Later Bulgar:
      • (DK): add Later Ottoman (#160b). The Ottoman conquest of the Bulgars, like the Serbs, was after the change to Later Ottoman.

      If this list is intended to represent the Volga Bulgars as well as the "Second Bulgarian Empire" on the Black Sea, army #154 (Mongol) should be added to the enemies list, as they invaded and conquered the Volga Bulgars in 1237 AD.

  • 148a Prussian or Estonian:
      • (DK): add Viking (#106a) to the enemies list to represent the crusades by Danes and Swedes across the Baltic. The first Danish attacks against the Pomeranians and Prussians began around 1200 AD, and the Danes and Swedes began attacking the Estonians starting in 1220 AD. By 1238 the Danes had conquered a large part of northern Estonia.

      Note that the Later Medieval Scandinavian (#131b) is in the enemies list, but Early Medieval Scandinavian (#131a) is not. It seems reasonable to support adding Early Medieval Scandinavian (#131a) to the enemies list as well, representing continuing Danish aggression in Estonia, and revolt against their rule in conquered territories. Revolts against the Teutonic Order were commonplace in 1280-1350 (the period covered by the Early Medieval Scandinavian army list).

  • 148b Lithuanian:
      • (DK): The enemies list for the Lithuanians should also include the Mongols (#154), Early Polish (#122) and Early Russian (#129).

      The Lithuanians fought (and lost) a major battle with the Golden Horde in the Crimea in 1399, in addition to other earlier conflicts. The Golden Horde is best represented by the Mongol list (#154).

      The Poles bordered Lithuania from its rise as a powerful region after 1240 until the two states merged in 1386. Although I have not found any concrete examples of warfare between the two, it is very unlikely that none existed until 1335 (the beginning of the Later Polish list).

      Finally, Mstislav of Kiev (Early Russian, #129) invaded Lithuania in 1132, marking the first appearance of the Lithuanian army list. Further, the Russian Principality of Polotsk bordered Lithuania until its destruction by the Mongols in 1240; raiding and warfare between Lithuania and the Russian Principalities did not begin after their subjugation by the Mongols and reformation as Mongol client-states in 1246.

  • 149 Later Polish:
      • No chronological overlap between this army and listed enemy #129, Early Russian.
  • 150 Inca:
      • (DK): Remove army list #105 (Mexican) from the enemies list. There was no conflict between the two nations; they did not share a border, trade, or any contact whatsoever. In fact, they seem to have been largely ignorant of each other's existence.
  • 151 Teutonic Order:
      • (DK): Add the Early Russian (#129) to the enemies list to cover the Battle of Lake Peipus in 1242, when Alexander Nevsky, Prince of Novgorod, defeated a Teutonic Order invasion force.

      The enemies list should probably include Early Polish (#122). It didn't take long for the Polish princes to regret inviting the Teutonic Order into their area, and there was friction between the Teutonic Order and the Polish long before 1335 (the beginning of the Later Polish list).

      Similarly, conflict between the Teutonic Order and the Danes very likely occurred before the end of the Early Medieval Scandinavian list in 1350. I don't know of any specific battles, so this must be regarded as speculation, but the Early Medieval Scandinavian army (#131a) is a reasonable foe given the conflicting goals in the Baltic. It might even be reasonable (if a little more speculative) to propose adding the Viking (#106a) army list to the Enemies list, representing the Danes in the 60 years between their conquest of Estonia in the 1220s and the beginning of the Early Medieval Scandinavian list in 1280.

  • 153 Late Byzantine:
      • Add the Alans (#55d) to the Byzantine enemies list; the Alans already have this army in their enemies list, but it isn't returned.
  • 154 Mongols:
      • replace "127" in enemies list with "127a, 127b".
      (DK): add Early Polish (#122), Lithuanian (#148b), Alan (#55d), Moslem Indian (#83b), Chinese Border Nomad (#62), and maybe also Later Bulgar (#147) to the enemies list.

      The Early Polish (#122) fought beside the Teutonic Knights at the battle of Leignitz; since that battle is the reason for the inclusion of the Teutonic Knights in the Mongol enemies list, it should suffice to justify the inclusion of the Early Polish as well.

      Lithuania fought (and lost) a major battle against the Golden Horde in the Crimea in 1399; its omission from the enemies list for army #154 is an error.

      The Alans (#55d) were conquered by the Mongols, and later gained independence again (from the Golden Horde). Unless this conquest was entirely bloodless, they should be added to the Mongol enemies list.

      The enemies list should also include the Moslem Indians. The Mongols fought several battles in Northern India in 1241 and 1245; this warfare was later continued by the the Mongol Ilkhans (represented by a different list).

      It seems that the Chinese Border Nomad (#62) should also be added. My understanding is that the Mongols were originally some of these many tribes, and under Temujin's leadership conquered and amalgamated them into a single whole. Since the Chinese Border Nomad list runs until 1218 AD, and the Mongol list starts in 1206 AD, it seems that they should be listed as enemies in each other's lists.

      Finally, it may be that #147 (Later Bulgar) should be added to the Mongol enemies list also. After they conquered the Kipchak Turks, the Mongols extinguished the Volga Bulgars in the winter of 1236-1237. It is not clear if the Volga Bulgar army is properly represented by army list #147, the "Later Bulgars", as that list is clearly being used by the Bulgar Empire (that thorn in the side of the Byzantines); if not, there is no DBA army list for the Volga Bulgars.

  • 156 Navarrese:
      • (DK): add the Catalan Company (#165) to the enemy's list. In 1379 the Navarrese Company moved on from its efforts to conquer Albania and attacked the Catalan Duchy of Athens in concert with a Florentine force. After several years of war the Catalans were eventually defeated, and in 1388 ousted by the Florentines. The Navarrese Company is represented in DBM army book IV by the same army list as that for the Kingdom of Navarre, so the DBA Navarrese army list is clearly appropriate for the Navarrese Company in DBA.

      The ending date of the Navarrese army list should also be modified to cover the Navarrese Company, which extends it a decade or so.

  • 158 Mamluk Egyptian:
      • (DK): drop Early Ottomans (160a) from the enemies list. The Early Ottomans and Mamluk Egyptians did not share a border at any time, nor even come close to it.
  • 159a Ilkhanid:
      • (DK): Add Moslem Indians (#83b) to enemies list. The Mongol Ilkhans controlling Persia attacked into northern India a number of times from 1292 to 1305, and later in 1322 and 1329. (After 1330 they were embroiled in a number of civil wars, and didn't raid into India again; the Il-Khanate collapsed in 1355).
      Enemy #146 (Khwarizmian) has no chronological overlap with this army.
  • 159b Timurid:
      • (DK): Add Georgian (#121) to the enemies list. The armies of Timur devastated Georgia repeatedly over a decade or more in the late 14th century.
      (DK): Add Later Ottoman (#160b) to the enemies list. The battle of Ankara between Bayezid and Timur in 1402 broke Ottoman expansion for nearly fifty years, and involved several hundred thousand combatants.
      (DK): Drop #142b (Later Serbian) from the enemies list. The only interaction between these forces was in 1402, where a force of Serbian knights played an important part in the Battle of Ankara as part of an enormous army under Bayezid that was defeated by Timur. The Serbian forces in this battle are best represented by the single element of Serbian knights allowed in the Later Ottoman list.
  • 160a Early Ottoman:
      • Typo: insert the missing "x" in 4 2Ps in the army list.
      (DK): before the end of this list and the beginning of the Later Ottoman in 1362, the Ottomans had no border or conflict with the Mamluk Egyptians (#158), Knights of Saint John on Cyprus (#162a), or Later Hungarian (#166). All these armies should be removed from the enemies list; they are all enemies of the Later Ottomans.

      (note due to Tony Stapells: although the Bulgars (#147) and Serbs (#142b) also did not have a border with the Early Ottomans, during the Byzantine civil war in 1348-1352 the Turks fought with large armies against similar sized forces of Serbs and Bulgars, justifying their inclusion as historical enemies of the Early Ottoman).

      The major issue regarding historical matchups is what to do about the other Anatolian Turkish Emirates. The Ottomans were originally a small Turkish Emirate bordering Byzantium. These Emirates held power in the wake of total collapse of the Seljuqs after their defeat by the Ilkhan Mongols. The Ottomans were only one of many such Emirates.

      I see two possibilities. Either the Authors intended the Early Ottoman DBA list to represent the other Anatolian Turkish Emirates as well, or there is no DBA list to represent them. If the Early Ottoman list is considered to represent all Anatolian Turkish Emirates, then the DBA Enemies of the Early Ottoman/Anatolian Turkish list (#160a) should be the following: Late Byzantine (#153), Mamluk Egyptian (#158), Ilkhanid (#159a), Early Ottoman/Anatolian Turkish (#160a), Knights of Saint John on Cyprus (#162a), Knights of Saint John on Rhodes (#162b), Catalan Company (#165), and #169 Italian Condotta. If, on the other hand, the Authors intended that the Early Ottoman list represent only the growing Ottoman state, then there is no DBA army listed that represents the other Anatolian Turkish Emirates. I suggest using the #159 Ilkhanid army as a fair approximation of what a DBA Anatolian Turkish army would look like (translated from DBM Book IV, army #49). The Ilkhanids defeated the Seljuq Turks and held (largely theoretical) dominion over all Anatolia, although their actual influence was more that of a bordering kingdom rather than an overlord. If this interpretation is chosen, the enemies list for the Early Ottomans should be as follows: Late Byzantine (#153), Ilkhanid/Anatolian Turkish (#159a), and possibly Italian Condotta.

      Note that #169 Italian Condotta is included as a possible enemy. The Genoese conquered the isle of Lesbos, right off the coast of the Ottomans, in 1354. Venetian-led naval crusading leagues fought with the Anatolian Turkish emirates of Aydin and captured the port of Smyrna in 1344. The Genoese conquered Chios and Phocaea in 1346, and the isle of Lesbos in 1354. If DBA army list 160a is considered to include the Turkish Emirates of Aydin, Karasi, Saruhan, and Mentese, then the Italian Condotta army list is an historical enemy. If the coastal Emirates are not represented by the Early Ottoman army then #169 is still a reasonable enemy -- Lesbos was right off the coast of the Ottoman-controlled territory while occupied by the Genoese, and naval victories were won by Italian-controlled forces over the Turks in 1334 and 1359.

  • 160b Later Ottoman:
      • (DK) add Later Bulgar (#147) and Later Serbian (#142b). Both were defeated and became subjects of the Ottomans in the last quarter of the 14th century.
  • 161a Early Swiss:
      • (DK): replace Later Imperialist (#167) with Early Imperialist (#136) in the enemies list. There is no chronological overlap with the Later Imperialists; the Austrian overlords of the Swiss Cantons are represented by the Early Imperialist army list.
  • 161b Later Swiss:
      • (DK): add Early Imperialist (#136) to the enemies list.
  • 162a Knights of Saint John on Cyprus:
      • (DK): drop Early Ottomans (160a) from the enemies list, as examined in the commentary on Early Ottoman.
  • 162b Knights of Saint John on Rhodes:
      • (DK): drop Early Ottomans (160a) from the enemies list, as examined in the commentary on Early Ottoman.
  • 165 Catalan Company:
      • (DK): add the Navarrese (#156) to the enemies list. In 1379 the Navarrese Company moved on from its efforts to conquer Albania and attacked the Catalan Duchy of Athens in concert with a Florentine force. After several years of war the Catalans were eventually defeated, and in 1388 ousted by the Florentines. The Navarrese Company is represented in DBM army book IV by the same army list as that for the Kingdom of Navarre, so the DBA Navarrese army list is clearly appropriate for the Navarrese Company in DBA.
  • 166 Later Hungarian:
      • (DK): Add the Early Imperialist (#136) to the enemies list. Remove Early Ottoman from the enemies list -- the first Hungarian contact with the Ottomans was after 1362.
      (Steven Goode): The enemies list should also include Italian Condotta (#169). Hungary fought Venice repeatedly for control of Dalmatia, and army #169 includes this army as an enemy.
  • 167 Later Imperialist:
      • Remove Early Swiss (#161a) and Medieval French (#170) from the enemies list; there is no chronological overlap between those armies and this one.
  • 168 Hundred Years War English:
      • (DK): Add the Welsh (#92) to the enemies list, to cover the early 15th century Rebellion of Owen Glendower and the final conquest of the Welsh by 1420. The young Henry V of England (later to be victor at Agincourt against the French) earned his spurs in warfare against the Welsh.
  • 169 Italian Condotta:
      • Note that Later Hungarian (#166) is listed as an enemy, but doesn't reciprocate.
      (DK): the Medieval French (#170) should be added to the list of historical enemies of the Italian Condotta. The French threatened invasion a variety of times in the period before they became the French Ordonnance around 1445 AD; in particular the forces of Milan fought and obliterated out a major French invasion force in 1394 at Alessandria.

      The Early Imperialist (#136) should probably also be added to the enemies list to reflect conflicts between the Northern Italian city-states and their Austrian and German neighbours before 1450 AD (the starting date of the Later Imperialist army).

      See the commentary on Early Ottoman (#160a), with the possible addition of that enemy link.

      (Steven Goode): The Enemies list should include #177, Scanderbeg Albanian Condotta. In the 1440's, when Scanderbeg was attempting to consolidate his authority over all of Albania, he demanded that the Venetians restore some Albanian towns to him. In 1448, the two armies clashed on the Drin, near Danj, and Scanderbeg thoroughly defeated the Italians.
  • 170 Medieval French:
      • Remove Later Imperialist (#167) from the enemies list; there is no chronological overlap between those two armies. It is likely that Early Imperialist (#136) should be substituted instead.
  • 171 Medieval Spanish:
      • Remove Inca (#150) from the enemies list. Spanish contact with America didn't start until after 1492, which is past the date for the Medieval Spanish army list.
  • 173 Early Burgundian:
      • (DK): it seems likely that the Early Imperialist (#136) should be added to the enemies list to represent conflict between Burgundy and various German powers before 1450 (the start of the Later Imperialist army list).
  • 174 Ming Chinese:
      • (DK): change "127" to "127b" in the armies list.
  • 176 Hussite:
      • (DK): the Hussite rebellions had two phases. The dates given in the army list for the Hussites is appropriate for the first phase; the enemies are appropriate to the second phase (in 1464-1471 AD). To fix this error is easy enough; change the dates for this army from "1420-1434" to "1420-1434 & 1464-1471" as is done elsewhere for Jewish Revolt (army #66) and other armies, and also add Early Imperialist (#136) to the enemies list to represent the Imperial attempts to crush the first Hussite rebellion.
  • 177 Scanderbeg Albanian:
      • (Steven Goode): Scanderbeg did not die until 1468, and Albania was independant for another 20 years after his death. Thus, the end date should be 1488.
      (Steven Goode): The Enemies list should include #169, Italian Condotta. In the 1440's, when Scanderbeg was attempting to consolidate his authority over all of Albania, he demanded that the Venetians restore some Albanian towns to him. In 1448, the two armies clashed on the Drin, near Danj, and Scanderbeg thoroughly defeated the Italians.

    | Top of Page | DBA Resource Page | Medieval Armies DBA Page |

    July 12, 1999.

  • Changes to the Lysimachid, Skythian, and Later Hoplite Greek enemies list, pointed out by Tony Stapells.

    • July 9, 1999.

  • Changes to the Early Ottoman enemies list, pointed out by Tony Stapells.

    • July 2, 1999.

  • Link added to Dennis Frank's rules clarifications
  • Kevin Barwise's commentary on army list 41b (Later Ptolemaic)

    • Last modified: July 1, 1999. Canada Day!

  • Tony Stapell's commentary on army list 85 (Lombards)
  • Tony Stapell's commentary on army list 100 (Arab Imperial)
  • Tony Stapell's commentary on army list 107 (Magyar)

    • Last modified: June 29, 1999.

  • CB spotted a typo in "Rise of the Hellenes" campaign
  • addition of a "commentary on v2.0 changes" section
  • Michael Ng's commentary on army list 95 (T'ang & Five Dynasties Chinese)
  • Tony Stapell's commentary on army list 44 (Early Armenian)

    • File created: June 28, 1999

    Comments, suggested additions, and/or critiques welcome. Direct them to David Kuijt at kuijt@umiacs.umd.edu or Chris Brantley at brant@erols.com.