
- BGG rating
- 7.4
DBM Army Lists Book 2: 500 BC to 476 AD
- 2 players
- Complexity 3.8/5
- 1998

1993
Rules assistance for De Bellis Multitudinis: Wargames Rules for Ancient and Medieval Battles – 3000 BC to 1500 AD
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
De Bellis Multitudinis: Wargames Rules for Ancient and Medieval Battles – 3000 BC to 1500 AD is a board game released in 1993 for 2 players, 180 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Philip C. Barker and Richard Bodley Scott and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, and Simulation.
A moderately abstract set of Ancient and Medieval miniatures rules. This ruleset is the bigger brother of De Bellis Antiquitatis: Quick Play Wargame Rules with Army Lists for Ancient and Medieval Battles. It covers the same time period (3000 BC - 1500 AD) through four volumes of army list books. Armies are typically built to 300-500 points, and can encompass anywhere between 150 and 400 figures grouped onto individual elements.
De Bellis Multitudinis: Wargames Rules for Ancient and Medieval Battles – 3000 BC to 1500 AD supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for De Bellis Multitudinis: Wargames Rules for Ancient and Medieval Battles – 3000 BC to 1500 AD is 180 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists De Bellis Multitudinis: Wargames Rules for Ancient and Medieval Battles – 3000 BC to 1500 AD for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
De Bellis Multitudinis: Wargames Rules for Ancient and Medieval Battles – 3000 BC to 1500 AD has a complexity rating of 3.9 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
De Bellis Multitudinis: Wargames Rules for Ancient and Medieval Battles – 3000 BC to 1500 AD belongs to these categories: Wargame, Miniatures, and Medieval. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Variable Set-up, and Simulation. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of De Bellis Multitudinis: Wargames Rules for Ancient and Medieval Battles – 3000 BC to 1500 AD are: Philip C. Barker and Richard Bodley Scott. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists De Bellis Multitudinis: Wargames Rules for Ancient and Medieval Battles – 3000 BC to 1500 AD as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.