duncan wrote:It seems complicated for a wargames newbie like me
light foot/medium foot/heavy foot is related to the maximum move distance in a given terrain?
That is the main effect. Heavy foot are also less effective in terrain where medium may gain an advantage on them.
Light foot can evade when charged.
duncan wrote:
does the armor rating mean several dice rolls in a given combat situation (to make impact, to hit and hurt and all this)?
No - armour has two effects - it reduces the effectiveness of troups shooting at the unit, and the unit with better armour, generally, gets an advantage in melee.
duncan wrote:
will it be a fixed number of elements or a variable number of elements with a fixed number of army points?
Fixed number of points - 800 points is the standard for 15mm singles.
Ceaser's best legionaries cost 16 points per base, while "Standard" late republician which are "only" superior cost 14.
Visigoth and similar only cost 7 points a base.
Heavy armoured knights cost about 25 points a base.
duncan wrote:
How does the training affect? a positive/negative combat factor to add to the dice roll outcome?
Training only effects maneuver. Combat consequences are factored into how a unit is equipped - a man a sword only gets to count if it he is trained and prepared to use it effectively.
Training effects manuever in two ways.
Primarily in what counts a a simple maneuver, a complex maneuver, or an impossible.
Example Light foot can turn 180 more 3 MU and turn 180 as a complex maneuver, or turn 180 and move full as a simple maneuver.
Drilled heavy foot can only turn 180 as a simple maneuver - thus can allways turn to face an enemy behind them.
Undirlled heavy foot can only turn 180 as a complex maneuver - thus risk being unable to turn to face an enemy behind them.
The other effect is the chance to perform a complex maneuver - such as stopping knights charging.
duncan wrote:
What's the difference between the "applebearers" and the mercenary hoplite greeks in the persian list? (in game terms, I mean, they obviously look different
) And between bactrian and parthian light cavalry?
The "applebearers" are front rank spear rear rank bow - being elite or superior mean they will be much more likely to remain steady. So long as they remain steady they will hold their own against sword armed troups. This is a unit that stands an shoots.
The mercenaries are melee infantry that WANT to get stuck in and fight.
In a fight between then then the mercenaries would have an advantage for 2 ranks of spear but elite status applebearers would mostly cancel that and make them less effected by loosing a round of combat add in the effect of the shooting before contact and the applebearers should win.
There is almost no difference between bactrian and parthian light cavalry - the light spear might give the Bactrians an advantage when they charge in but the only thing the generaly want to fight is light foot, in which case the light spear is unlikely to count.
duncan wrote:
will the army list be availabe in the rulebook (and not as a separate supplement)?
I think there will be a couple of lists in the rules.
And there will be a LOT of supplements for additional lists - I think there are 4 planed for release with the rules.
duncan wrote:
Too many question for a newbie, considering he's still painting his first DBA/The Art Of War army and he has only read the DBA rules, but not played with them
Thanks a lot for posting the first army lists and keep on working!!