Table elements
DITA topics support two types of tables: complex table and simple table.
The <table> element uses the OASIS
          Exchange Table Model, a simplification of the
            CALS table model. The complex table provides a wide
          variety of controls over the display properties of the data and
          even the table structure itself.
The <simpletable> element is structurally
          less complex than the <table> element and so is an
          easier base for specialization. It reflects a content model that
            is close to the HTML table. The
            <simpletable> element does not provide
          much control over formatting, although it
            permits titles and row and column
          spanning.