DBA 3.0 Army Design Tool

Introduction

I haven't played De Bellis Antiquitatis (DBA) for decades, but I do own a copy of the latest version. Who knows I may use it one day. In mid-2023, I saw an almost complete set of army lists for DBA V3 on the Fanaticus forum.

At the time I was looking for a small data project to occupy some dead time. So, I decided to create a simple army building spreadsheet to help players build their armies quicker with the minimum of data entry.

Using the tool

The process is very simple. This shows the creation of a new list just be changing the highlighted cell:

After creating a new army, the spreadsheet automatically populates army details, element counts, and compulsory troop types. Users simply select optional troop types (if needed) from drop down lists on the right, such as Ps or 3Bw.

Data issues

Some lists had to be split into sub-variants (i.e. not in the official lists) so that they worked as true logical records. Here's an example:

Take care when using these lists.

Automation

• The automation of compulsory troop types depends on formulae that must populate reliably for every new army.
• Selecting optional troop types overwrites these formulae, requiring replacement on each new army creation, while the troop types themselves are vulnerable to accidental edits.
• An Apps Script addresses this by automatically restoring the formulae and compulsory troop types whenever a new army starts, eliminating manual re-entry or editing.

Setup

Accessing this Google Sheets tool involves a two-step process with a free Google account that has Sheets enabled. The script is Google-specific and won't function in Excel or offline files.

Copy the provided spreadsheet using the "Create a copy" link below. Then, follow the Script authorisation example for a guided one-time permission prompt.

• Create a copy
• Script authorisation example.

No warranty exists; use at your own risk as with any third-party script. Authorisation is one-time per account and runs under your permissions, not the owner's.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Chris Laudermilk who contributed a couple of neat formulae.

Document history

• First version - Thu, 21 September, 2023.
• Automated version - Mon, 18 March, 2024.
• Rewrite & transfer to static page - Mon, 12 January, 2026.