Following up on some earlier discussion on Armati, the following is my compare and contrast of DBM and Armati and ultimate conclusions. Please send me your corrections and comments. I think an improved version might make an interesting article for those non-net people out there.
All elements are DBM standard.
Optimal and Epic scales make measurement less fiddly than Intro because longer distances are easier to measure, but there is no tactical difference as the number of maneuver elements are the same. This concept has much to recommend it historically, but my reaction is that DBA makes the units too maneuverable and Armati too unmaneuverable except for certain types of battles, such as those between hoplites, which feel right. Skirmishers can also about face, a move crucial to moving in another direction since you can back up and try again. The new wheeling rules and the greater ability of reserve units well behind the line to wheel give greater maneuvering ability, but do not alter the basic feel of the system. Angles games encountered in DBM are entirely avoided, but you can, even more than in DBM, end up in awkward traffic jams where formations don't fit, hampering the ability of adversaries to get at each other.