De Bellis Fantasiae
The Wars of Fantasy
Wargame Rules for Fantastical Miniature Battles
From WRG
Ready to Battle?
Refight the great battles of myth, legend, film, and literature!
From Lulu.com (the above link)
From On Military Matters US
Our rules offer clear instructions, examples, and diagrams to help you master the game quickly. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned player, DBF will allow you to quickly move to the gaming table and take your gameplay to the next level.
Powerful Magic
Magic is handled by either the casting of normal spells that can destroy or recoil the enemy or by the use of powerful rituals that produce extreme effects on the battlefield. Normal spells are available to all Mages, but rituals are particular to certain armies and defined in the army lists.
Quick Combat Resolution
Stands of troops called "Elements" fight using opposing die rolls with a few added modifiers. Doubling your opponent usually destroys him. A simple victory without doubling the score often just recoils him to the rear. Some troops such as Knights will often destroy their enemy on a simple victory. Combat is fast and furious and learned quickly.
Army Lists Galore
DBF features a large number of army lists drawn from myth, legend, literature and film. Armies are built using a point based system and can be scaled to produce a small game with 1 command per side up to large club games with multiple commands. A standard battle will feature about 36 elements (stands of figures) per side. The point system allows players to design their own lists from their favorite fantasy stories.
Easy to Learn Rules
DBF is based on the award winning ancient battle rules "De Bellis Antiquitatus" by Phil Barker. The game uses simple mechanics measuring movement and ranges in "Base Widths" (the width of the element bases), uses opposing die rolls for combat adjudication, and determines victory by counting the number of enemy elements destroyed. The rules are well supported by ample diagrams showing game concepts and helping players to quickly learn the game.
Interoperability with Other WRG Rules
DBF is based on Phil and Sue Barker's design concepts. This allows great interoperability with their other rules such as...
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DBA- Historical Ancients
DBR- Historical Renaissance
HF&G- Historical Black Powder
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Learn one set and you are well on your way to learning them all!
Campaigns
Two separate campaign systems are included! Challenge your friends and associates by adding a strategic side to your gaming. DBF has a traditional map based campaign that can be modified to fit almost any fantasy story. A complete campaign for Legendary Greece is included with a map.
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Also included is a single day "king of the hill" type campaign well suited as a convention game or perhaps for an evening with your gaming club.
Support for DBF
Stay updated with the latest army lists, rules, campaigns and news for WRG's De Bellis Fantasiae wargame rules
Quick Reference Sheets
Sheets for most players and even one for old grognards that use early versions of WRG rules
Here are several versions of Quick Reference Sheets for easy game play. The first set is the official QRS for the game. The second is a sheet for old Grognards that play "De Bellis Antiquitatus"- the historical rule set!
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Supported Army Lists
View new army lists derived from myth, legend and the great works of fantasy
The army lists for DBF are limited only by human imagination (and well, also perhaps by copyright laws). Here you will find both fan submitted and official game army lists to recreate the battles of your favorite myths, legends, and fantasy stories.
