A 1000 years ago, as frightened villagers looked to the sky for signs of the apocalypse, and monks prayed for the return of Christ, a violent clash occurred in the forests of Eastern Europe. A warleader of the newly-emerging Russian kingdoms (said to be a mix of Swedish raiders and Slavic peasantry) invaded the kingdom of Hungary. The Magyars of Hungary were still evolving from steppe nomads into a feudal European kingdom with knights, gentry and serfs.

This hypothetical encounter was played as a "big battle" De Bellis Antiquitatis game. In these types of DBA games, we increase the number of elements on each side (to 36 in this matchup). The board is stretched to four feet wide, retaining the two feet depth, though, so that battlelines don't take an eternity to cross. Orders of battle were produced by simply tripling the army lists in the DBA rulebook.

The Early Russian army was composed of:

• 12 elements of cavalry
• 6 light horse
• 9 spear
• 9 psiloi (skirmishing light infantry)

The Early Hungarian troops were:

• 6 knights
• 6 cavalry
• 12 light horse
• 6 spear
• 6 psiloi

The Russians had more infantry, but the Hungarians more (and heavier) mounted troops.

Some may ask why "big battle" DBA instead of simply a game of De Bellis Multitudinis? This is a group choice, partly because a disenchantment with the constant revisions of DBM by the rules authors (three versions in four years). Mostly, though, we prefer DBA for its simplicity. No constant checking of the rules is necessary, no arguing over obtuse wordings, no needing to remember "whether blades still count as second rank vs. Knight (X)" or not. Simply choose your army, look at the list, and play.

Some adaptions we've made to accommodate larger battles in DBA include: Add +1 to the pip die for each extra 12 elements a general commands - Command range for the general's element is doubled

Elements that have not moved via pip expenditure and are not in combat may advance or retire one base depth to align its front with a friendly element for free.

Battle

In this battle, the defending Hungarians placed the terrain. Two woods loomed over the western flank of the battlefield. Each army had a gentle hill in its center. The Russian side also had two more woods on the eastern flank along their baseline.

As attackers, the Russians deployed half of their elements first. They chose to deploy their infantry on their hill, stretching the spear's frontage by placing 5 psiloi in the rear ranks. Double-depth spear blocks were kept on each of the line, though. Four psiloi were poised to enter the woods on the western (Russian left) flank. The Hungarians deployed their infantry opposite the Russians. They also copied their tactic, including some psiloi as rear ranks to widen the ground they covered. Both players did this because DBA gives spear fighting mounted a +1 for having psiloi in a second rank. The left flank of the spear stood on their hill and was guarded by two blocks of light horse and a column of psiloi. The light horse stretched to the east were (as yet) no Russians were deployed.

Seeing an opportunity for a quick advantage, the Russians placed 8 cavalry in two ranks opposite the light horse. The remainder were deployed to the left of the infantry, between the spear and the western woods. The light horse were split onto each flank to guard against Hungarian outflanking attempts. That was not to be the tactic, though, of the Hungarians. They marshaled their knights behind the threatened light horse on the left, ready to replace them in combat against the Russian cavalry. The Hungarian gentry cavalry was deployed in line guarding the right flank of their infantry. Finally, a column of 5 light horse were poised to race out and circle the right flank.

Spears raised, the Russians spurred into battle with a general advance. The cavalry rushed forward to pin the Hungarian light horse. The infantry center and their cavalry flank guards surged forward as the psiloi began to filter through the western woods. As eager to engage as the Russians, the Hungarians advanced, too. A race on the eastern side began as Russian cavalry and Hungarian light horse expanded their line to gain the flank of the other.

The Russian cavalry, augmented by their reserve light horse, won the race, The Hungarians saw this and charged down off their hill to prevent further outflanking. , Behind the lights, the Russians could see the pennons of the Hungarian knights. One band of Hungarian light horse died beneath the spears of the Russians, others recoiled. The Russians completed their wrapping around the flank and pressed forward, killing two more elements of light horse.

However, this opened the way for the chivalry of Hungary to charge into the fray. Each side suffered losses in the bloody fighting, but the knights began to push their way forward into the midst of the more numerous Russian mounted troops. Their formation soon resembled a wedge. Meanwhile, the Russians began to pour around the unguarded Hungarian left flank.

The two foot battlelines finally collided in the center. The Russian psiloi darted out of the woods onto the flank of the Hungarian cavalry guarding the foot's right. Two bands of Hungarian cavalry were destroyed, opening a hole in the center. At this point, things looked dark for the Hungarians. Both flanks had been turned and the infantry was being pushed back off their hill. Although the knights were winning their battle with the Russian cavalry, they were being swamped on all sides. Losses stood at seven elements for the Hungarians and one for the Russians.

The ominous clouds parted at this point, though. Their light horse on the left were able to cut off and kill some pursuing Russian cavalry. Some Russians fighting the knights broke also. The knights were definitely the true heroes of the hour. Time and again they were outflanked or surrounded, but continued to outfight the Russians, pushing them back. The Hungarian general led some gentry cavalry to close the hole exposing his infantry's flank. His men were inspired, fighting like demons. The Russians crumbled (the Russian player rolled five "l's" In combat this turn!).

Blooded, the Russian advance lost momentum. The reserve troops were too far away to be quickly thrown in to sustain the advance. The Russians had lost the initiative at the point of their greatest success - their right flank where they had beaten the Hungarian light horse. Their opponent's mobility had allowed them to reform a line and send reeling back.

The swords of the Hungarian knights continued to perform miracles, eliminating all Russian cavalry to their front. And now, the infantry shove in the center began, to go the Hungarian way, too, as their general rode down more units of Russian cavalry. His troops still suffered occasional losses, but the Russians were . the first to lose 12 elements, and broke first.

This see-saw slugfest illustrated the advantages of "big battle" DBA. Down 7-1, it itiv':=d :ikr*~Hungarians were defeated. However, the need to suffer a full onethird losses gives all armies staying power. The mobility of their light horse salvaged their left flank and the sheer toughness and aggressiveness of the knights turned the shove of battle in their favor. Judicious use of reserves on the right kept that flank from collapsing.

As for the Russians, they executed their battle plan of a double envelopment. Their main error was not accounting for the possibility of the wild success the Hungarian knights enjoyed -- the reserve troops were simply too far away to be of use. In any game of DBA the die rolls can make a difference. The Russian's dice simply deserted them at the hour of their success.

Thus, the villagers of Hungary were spared the terror of invasion from the East. The monks chanted "Te Deums" to the success of the god-fearing knights of Hungary. The apocalypse was averted for awhile longer, it seemed.