In recent weeks a number of my wargame Club’s Ancients players have been trying out a new set of rules. This is Field of Glory (FoG) by Osprey Publishing and Slitherine Software. The rules are due for release in February 2008 and several of us have been provided with an advanced set to “play-test” the rules for the publisher.

The following comments are my initial views after reading the rules several times and playing three incomplete games. While this article is not intended as a comparison between FoG and DBM I will make some observations that relate the two systems. Be warned – they are very different games.

The rules cover the ancient and medieval period from the rise of the earliest known armies through to the introduction of effective gunpowder weapons. The game scale is similar to current systems, such as DBM so there is no requirement to re-base any figures. However, due to the system of units and Battlegroups (more on this later) there may be a need for players to acquire a few more stands of figures to flesh-out specific units.

For those familiar with the DBA / DBM system these rules are a major change. For those who played WRG 7th Edition (now Warrior) or other unit-based rule-sets many of the ideas and methods used in FoG will be recognizable.

FoG is designed to play a battle with 10 – 15 units (called Battlegroups) in a 3 – 4 hour game. Each Battlegroup is made up of a variable number of stands (DBA/DBM elements) usually between 4 – 8 elements and the Battlegroups are manoeuvred by commanders as independent units which remain as a single cohesive block for the game. These Battlegroups move as a unit but the combat system allows the shooting and melee combats to be fought by those stands exposed or in contact. Battlegroups are rated by type (cavalry, heavy foot etc) training, protection level, weapons and morale ... all of which add a level of complexity which can daunt new-comers but is actually quite logical and digestible after a little experience. One aspect I particularly like is the ability for good quality troops to re-roll poor dice rolls ... very useful when you roll like I normally do!!

The command and control system rates commanders by levels of competence and applies the simple mechanic of distance from the commander to model the efficiency of the army command and control. Commanders can assist Battlegroups to manoeuvre, fight and rally. Under some circumstances a commander can provide benefit to a “group” of Battlegroups which is called a Battleline. This simple technique seems to model the efficiencies of a traditional ancient battle-line quite well.

The move system is reasonably simple and intuitive. Move distances, formations and manoeuvres (such as wheels and formation changes) are logical and well explained. One clever touch is the Complex Manoeuvre Test (CMT) which forces Battlegroups in close proximity to the enemy and who are performing a complex move to roll dice to complete the move. This makes you think twice about performing formation changes within charge range of the enemy! There is some complexity in the move sequence, fighting in two directions and the ability to feed parts of a Battlegroup into an existing melee but the rules do cover these circumstances in sufficient detail to allow an understanding by the second or third game.

The combat system appears complicated but is actually quite straight forward and is well supported by a set of good charts and tables. However, DBM it is not! Frequent players of the WRG sets will need to get a new view of how battles are resolved. One of the key differences is in the use of Cohesion Tests and the gradual loss (and re-gaining) of Battlegroup morale levels. There are more units able to shoot and skirmishers now take on the important function of forcing the heavy units to take Cohesion Tests from a trickle of shooting casualties inflicted over a long period of time. Melees now take many turns and the disintegration of Battlegroups is gradual and the effects are more subtle than one would normally observe in a game like DBM. For example the initial clash between an elite Roman Legion and a Gallic warrior band might see the legionaries “disrupted” and even lose some elements but often their better armour, better morale and close quarter training will allow them to (over 4 or 5 turns) whittle down the Gauls and cause them to break and run.

Morale rules are also important in determining the outcome of a battle. Supporting units, location of Generals, routing units, rallying units, “bolstering” (improving a unit’s morale) and the “Cohesion Test” are some of the techniques the game applies to model the impact of morale on an ancient battle.

The game is supported by a detailed set of annexes and a comprehensive glossary which is very useful when grappling with the new approach. The Army Lists provided with our test rules was quite limited but was sufficient to illustrate how armies can be assembled for both friendly games, set scenarios and competition events.

In summary, I think these rules will become the new standard for ancient and medieval wargaming. The hobby is long overdue for a breath of life and many players are becoming jaded with the peculiarities of DBM and its latest offspring DBMM. The rules have been assembled by a group of long-standing wargamers and several of the contributors are classical or history scholars in their own right. There is much to like about the new FoG ruleset:
• A well written and well explained system with lots of clear and colourful diagrams will ease the pain of learning a new set of rules.
• A return to the formed-unit approach may be considered more “traditional” or even a backward step but it certainly models many of the aspects of ancient warefare with simple ease.
• The re-introduction of skirmishers shooting has removed some of the abstraction that was employed in the DBM/DBA system but the FoG shooting system is simple and efficient to apply.
• The designers have been careful to remove the need to rebase or re-build existing wargame armies.
• The morale rules add a significant element to the game that many of us thought was seriously lacking in the current competition sets. The FoG morale rules are simple to understand and straightforward to apply. Woe to the Archon who fails to take the opportunity to bolster his flagging spear line or who leaves vulnerable Battlegroups close to a unit that breaks and routs.

While there are many positives to look forward too there are also some concerns:
• At this stage there is no introductory FoG system like DBA is for DBM or Fast Warrior for Warrior. The game system is not easily accessible to new or young players.
• While we have only had “learning” games the duration of these was quite long. I think players will have to work hard and be quite disciplined to finish games in 3 hours.
• The mechanics of FoG don’t (in the three I’ve played) return a quick result for combats between Battlegroups. Some players will need to adjust to the application of quite different methods of calculating battlefield outcomes.
• Placement of markers. Some players will be reluctant to play a system where there is a need to show losses or troop state using markers (DBM/DBA being happily free of this encumbrance). Fortunately the level of book-keeping is low and we have made some simple markers to reduce the burden.
• Unfortunately many players have had over a decade of DBx and there will some with a mind-set that will require Gauls to “quick-kill” Romans and elephants to kill everything. DBA / DBM players in particular will need to be open-minded about what is a quite different view of ancient warfare.

As long time players of DBx (and 7th Edition) my Club is "relieved" to have a sensible alternative to the WRG sets. We have now had three games of Field of Glory and we are getting over our DBx bias to see the many positive aspects of Field of Glory. I predict that Field of Glory will quickly replace the WRG sets as the casual and competition set of choice.

I heard yesterday that the Australian DBM Championships (held annually in Canberra in Jan) have been cancelled ... only 5 paid entries! This is probably due to the new interest in DBMM (which I think will quickly pass) and a parallel DBA Big Battles Competition. WRG now have too many competing sets and I think Field of Glory will fill the space for many frustrated and jaded ancients wargamers.