No Cheese! C'est Impardonnable

DBN is not a totally proprietary system.  You can use your models in other systems quite easily with just a few conventions that both players must keep.

Although DBN is part of the DBX family, it does not use exactly the same basing system where infantry are concerned.  Instead of 4/3/2 figures per base, DBN uses 8/6/3 figures per base for close infantry, open infantry and skirmishers. The frontage is always the same, usually 40mm or 60mm.

This gives a good basis for using your bases in other systems.  It might be more representational with 16 figures per battalion, but that is the price that has to be paid.

Below are a few games I use this basing system for. Note that I have only listed the games I have played and know something about.

For Army Level Games

Army level games like DBN, Et Sans Resultat (ESR) and Blucher are perfect for this basing system. Each base is basically considered a brigade and every model a battalion.

For Brigade Level Games

These type of games are probably the most played and they consist of games like Black Powder, General D’Armee and General de Brigade, and Over The Hills. The latest game I have played is Absolute Emperor and it is a strange one!  It is an army level game that plays much like a brigade level game – it is not everyone’s cup of tea, but can be used with this basing system easily.

In order to use this basing system you must use two bases together (you can use more and if you have the figures more is definitely better). With two bases you can imitate all the basic formations in these games – namely Line, March Column, Attack Column and Square.

In the pictures below I have some examples. Note that the red wooden marker denotes the front and centre of each formation for easier reference.

Please note that there are sets with figures posed for square formations. Instead of using the system above, you can build a square and just replace the two bases with the square, just keep the sides all the same length as the frontage. Unfortunately, I do not have a built-up example of this for the French, but I plan on doing this for the British for sure.

For Large Skirmish Games

The only large skirmish game I currently play is Sharp Practice, and I find that this basing system works just as well for it.

In Sharp Practice every model is a single man. A formation is formed from units of 8 models each for close infantry and cavalry, and 6 models for skirmishes.  All you need to do is keep a wound marker behind each base since you cannot remove models physically – something like a small die is perfect.

This is how we learned to play the game, although I prefer to use 28mm models for Sharp Practice – I must admit.

So that is it! As you can see, building an army for DBN does not exclude you from playing other games.  The basing system is flexible enough to accommodate three levels of combat. The only thing that stops you is your personal preference – something I completely understand and condone.

Next up are the light infantry. Until then stay safe and play on.

NR