HORDES OF THE THINGS

Proposed Revisions

(As at 13.02.02, 1st posting)

Copyright Phil Barker, Sue Laflin Barker & Richard Bodley Scott 1991 & 2001

The authors permit this document to be freely copied but not altered in any way.

We would be grateful for considered comments.

Send them to Richard@byzant.demon.co.uk, or join the revision group on http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hottrevision.

Please note - we do not at present intend to make any major alterations to the troop types, points values, move distances, combat factors, tactical factors or combat outcomes. As far as we can see, these items are already remarkably well balanced - we wish we could achieve such balance in DBA/DBM!

The main purpose of the revision is therefore to clarify the rules and to bring HOTT up to date with current DBA/DBM mechanisms with regard to movement, contacts, effect of flank contacts etc. where these are an improvement.

Battle and Campaign Rules

Diagrams

ALTERATIONS TO OTHER SECTIONS

The following alterations are proposed.

OVERVIEW

In this game two players (or teams of players) select armies of miniature figures from the lists in this book or make up their own using a points system. For ease of handling, multiple figures are glued to rectangular bases called elements. One player sets up pieces of terrain representing woods, hills, marshes, rivers, towns, etc. on a square board. The other player picks which board edges are to be each player's home edge. Then the players place their figures on the board. They then take turns moving their figures and resolving shooting and close combat. At the start of each player’s bound (turn), that player rolls a single 6-sided die and the number that comes up (PIPs) is the number of elements or groups of them that can be moved. The player can then move any of the elements of his/her army up to that limit, according to the distances allowed for each troop type. The players then resolve bespelling, shooting and close combat according to the methods given in the rules. It is then the other player’s bound. They alternate until one player achieves the victory conditions, then shake hands and play another game.

GLOSSARY

Board	The area representing the battlefield.
Close combat contact	An element’s front edge is in close combat contact if (with the exception of aerials and ground troops not deemed to be in contact) it is: · in full contact with an enemy element’s front edge. · in at least partial contact with an enemy element’s flank edge and its corner is in contact with that enemy element’s front corner. · in full contact with an enemy element’s rear edge. · in at least partial front edge contact with an enemy stronghold.
Controller	An element’s controller is the player commanding the army to which the element belongs.
Edge contact	Each element has at least part of an edge in contact with at least a part of an edge of the other. Elements in contact only corner-to-corner are not in edge contact. If a stronghold has a curved perimeter, an element is in edge contact with it if any part of an edge (other than the corner only) is in contact with that perimeter.
Flat good going	Level terrain without slopes, bad going or water features. The “flat” tops of plateau type hills do not count as flat good going.
Maximum move	The move distance listed for the type and terrain in the tactical move distance section.
Partially separated	A moving element is partially separated from an enemy element’s front by another element if any part of the latter is between (uncrossed) straight lines joining the front corners of the enemy element to the corners of the nearest edge of the moving element. A moving element is partially separated from an enemy stronghold by another element if any part of the latter is between (uncrossed) straight lines drawn perpendicularly to the stronghold from the corners of the nearest edge of the moving element.
Rear support	Spears or warband in close combat gain a +1 tactical factor for rear support if they have a friendly element of the same type in full front edge contact with their rear edge, and neither element is in bad going.
Shooting edge	The shooting element’s front edge.
Straight back	Perpendicular to the element’s rear edge.
Straight forward	Perpendicular to the element’s front edge.
Terrain feature	Any item of natural, cultivated or constructed terrain that is not flat good going. (Exception: A stronghold does not count as a terrain feature.)
Unoccupied space	Space completely unoccupied by troop elements of either side.
Within 1 base width	At or closer than 1 base width.
Within x paces	At or closer than x paces.

PLAYING EQUIPMENT AND REPRESENTATIONAL SCALES

CHOICE OF FIGURE AND MODEL SCALE

These rules can be used with any scale of figure or model. 25mm offers the greatest choice of fantasy figures, and is ideal for public demonstration games at conventions, where its easier visibility for spectators is an advantage. 15mm combines cheapness and convenience. 10mm & 6mm provide mass armies at some cost in convenience.

ARMY SIZE AND TROOP REPRESENTATION

The basic game is played between two armies, each consisting of elements totaling up to 24 army points (AP) (see P.9) and controlled by a single general representing a player.

Each element consists of a rectangular base, to which is fixed either one or several figures according to the element type.

The number of individuals represented by an element is not specified. It can be assumed, however, that where there is a perceived difference in quality between different troops of the same element type, the difference is balanced out by the lower quality troop element representing a much larger number of individuals.

Each general is part of one of the army's elements. This must not be a god, dragon, paladin, lurkers or sneakers element.

Each army must also have a stronghold used only if defending, the loss of which is fatal.

Both players must write down the composition of their armies (specifying generals’ elements). They then, before dicing for attacker and defender, show their opponent all elements except lurkers, specifying their type and identifying the general’s element.

PLAYING AREA AND GROUND SCALE

The optimum playing area is 600mm or 24” square for the basic two-player or campaign battle if using 15mm or smaller figures, or 900mm or 36” square if 25mm.

The ground scale varies with the size of army represented, but for convenience 25mm or 1” on the table can be taken as equivalent to 100 paces in real life if using 15mm or smaller figures, or 10mm as equivalent to 25 paces if using 25mm figures.

TIME SCALE

Play is in alternate bounds, each of which simulates about 15 minutes in fictional life.

DICE

In the basic game each side needs one ordinary 1 to 6 dice, which is used for all dice throws during the game.

TROOP DEFINITIONS

BEASTS, including all packs of carnivores with no armament other than tooth and claw, such as hunting dogs, wolves, hellhounds or unmagical lions, with or without other beings accompanying them as huntsmen, riders or handlers. They can be used effectively to clear bad going or attack foot. Whimsical players have suggested that they disconcert skeleton armies by stealing and burying their bones.

BASING

All figures must be combined into elements of one or more figures permanently mounted on a rectangular base of card or similar material. Base size is not critical provided that all bases have the same frontage and both armies use the same conventions. However, we recommend the basing conventions of DBA & DBM, for the sake of commonality and to enable those who normally play with historical armies to make use of existing troops.

Recommended Basing Conventions
Figure Scale:	25-28mm		15mm		10mm		6mm
Element frontage:	60mm		40mm		40mm		40mm
	Depth	Figures	Depth	Figures	Depth	Figures	Depth	Figures
Dragon	80mm	1	60mm	1	60mm	1	30mm	1
Airboat	80mm	1	60mm	1	60mm	1	30mm	1
Behemoth	60mm	1-4	40mm	1-4	40mm	1-6	30mm	1-6
Artillery	60mm	1	40mm	1	40mm	1-2	30mm	1-2
Beasts	60mm	2-4	40mm	2-4	40mm	3-8	30mm	5-8
Magicians	60mm	1-3	40mm	1-3	40mm	1-3	30mm	1-3
God	60mm	1	30mm	1	30mm	1	20mm	1
Hordes	40mm	5-8	30mm	5-8	30mm	9-16	20mm	15-20
Flyers	40mm	1-3	30mm	1-3	30mm	1-3	20mm	1-3
Hero	40mm	1-3	30mm	1-3	30mm	1-3	20mm	1-3
Paladin	40mm	1-3	30mm	1-3	30mm	1-3	20mm	1-3
Clerics	40mm	1-3	30mm	1-3	30mm	1-3	20mm	1-3
Knights	40mm	2-4	30mm	2-4	30mm	3-6	20mm	5-8
Riders	40mm	2-3	30mm	2-3	30mm	3-5	20mm	4-5
Lurkers	40mm	1-3	30mm	1-3	30mm	1-3	20mm	1-3
Shooters	30mm	3-4	20mm	3-4	20mm	4-8	15mm	6-8
Warband	30mm	3	20mm	3	20mm	4-6	15mm	6
Sneakers	30mm	1-3	20mm	1-3	20mm	1-3	15mm	1-3
Blades	20mm	3-4	15mm	3-4	15mm	4-8	10mm	6-8
Spears	20mm	4	15mm	4	15mm	5-8	10mm	8

Since figure designers are if anything a little less predictable than the Lords of Chaos, the base depths specified are recommended minima. Deeper bases may be required for large figures, especially for aerials, heroes on aerial mounts and behemoths.

Figure numbers are those that we feel give the right visual effect, but are only recommendations. It may be necessary to reduce the numbers per base to accommodate large figures.

The conventional troop types that also appear in DBA or DBM can also have any of the other combinations of base depth and figure number allowed there. In particular, psiloi can be used as shooters.

The optional extra figures mounted with heroes, clerics or magicians will normally be henchmen, accolytes or familiars. Witches often come in threes. A paladin can be accompanied by a squire or a slightly irked rescued princess. Gods can be of the next largest scale. The general's element must be easily recognisable.

It is usual to enhance visual effect by disguising bases with scenic flock or similar, not merely painting them ground colour. Figures representing regular troops should be evenly distributed along the base in a single level row, and others distinguished by using figures of differing type, pose and/or colour scheme placed more randomly. This is especially so for hordes, who by their very nature lack co‑ordination. Be warned. Planning and painting such hordes is addictive!

ELEMENT COST

Elements vary in cost:

Type	AP Cost per element
Aerial hero.	6
God, dragon, paladin, behemoth, magician, other hero.	4
Airboat, artillery, sneakers, cleric.	3
Flyers, knights, riders, beasts, blades, spears, shooters, warband.	2
Horde, lurker.	1

An army's collective total of 6 AP, 4 AP and 3 AP elements must not exceed half its total AP.

ARMY LISTS

3. One of its elements must include its only general. This cannot be a god, dragon, paladin, lurkers or sneakers element.

EGYPTIAN SEMI-HISTORICAL

Replace spears by blades.

(This is in the light both of historical research and the recent “Mummy” films).

GENERIC PIRATE

Based on a whole genre of novels and films. Stronghold: Stockade or anchored pirate ship.

Blade General (pirate captain) @ 2AP	1
Shooters (pirates with muskets) @ 2AP	2
Warband (pirates with mixed weapons) @ 2AP	6
Artillery (cannons landed from ship) @ 3AP	2

Alternatives: Hero General (dashing pirate captain) @ 4AP, Airboat (flying pirate ship) @ 3AP, Hordes (pirates with improvised weapons, womenfolk) @ 1AP, Water Lurkers (sharks or crocodiles) @ 1AP.

GENERIC RATMEN

The concept of a race of ratmen was probably originally inspired by the novel “The Swords of Lankhmar” by Fritz Leiber, in which a race of intelligent rats attempt to take over the city of Lankhmar. In this case the rats are of normal size and acquire their human characteristics from the interbreeding of normal rats and humans reduced to rat size by the use of a magical potion. In more recent developments of the theme, however, ratmen are a race of human-sized mutated rats, the result of magical pollution of the sewers of a great and ancient city over many generations. Having achieved human intelligence, size and weaponry, these ratmen and their partially mutated cousins burst out of the sewers and attempt to conquer the human world for themselves. Stronghold: Sewer entrance.

Hero General (high rat or were-rat lord) @ 4AP	1
Magician (high rat or were-rat magician) @ 4AP	1
Warbands (great rats) @ 2AP	2
Shooters (great rats with bows or firearms) @ 2AP	2
Beasts (lesser rats) @ 2AP	2
Hordes (unmutated rats) @ 1AP	4

Alternatives: Sneakers (unmutated rats) @ 3AP, Lurkers (unmutated rats) @ 1AP, Artillery (great rats with flame-throwers, gas bombs or other alchemical weaponry) @ 3AP.

ARTHURIAN SEMI-HISTORICAL

Based on the many novels and works of speculative history that treat Arthur as a 5^th/6^th century Romano-British war leader in a more or less authentic historical setting, and avoid the wilder fancies of later medieval writers. Historical 5^th/6^th century figures should be used.

ARTHUR

Much of Arthur’s success as a war leader is usually attributed to his elite war band of lance (contus) armed cavalry. Stronghold: Hill Fort.

Hero General (Arthur, equipped as a Late Roman cavalryman with contus) @ 4AP	1
Knights (Arthur’s contus armed cavalry) @ 2AP	1
Riders (javelin armed Romano-British cavalry) @ 2AP	2
Spears (Roman-British spearmen) @ 2AP	6
Shooters (Romano-British archers) @ 2AP	1

Alternatives: Knight General @ 2AP, Magician (Merlin, Morgana or Nimue) @ 4AP, Cleric (Romano-British bishop or saint) @ 3AP, Dragon (red dragon) @ 4AP.

SAXONS

Arthur’s enemies. Stronghold: Stockade.

Warband General @ 2AP	1
Warband (Saxon warriors) @ 2AP	10
Shooters (Saxon archers) @ 2AP	1

Alternatives: Magician @ 4AP, Beasts (war dogs) @ 2AP, Dragon (white dragon) @ 4AP.

AZTEC SEMI-HISTORICAL

Stronghold: Teocalli.

Hero General @ 4 AP.	1
Magicians (sacrificing priests of Huitzlipochtli) @ 4 AP.	1
Blades (jaguar or eagle knights wielding obsidian edged swords) @ 2 AP.	3
Shooters (arrow knights with bow) @ 2 AP.	1
Hordes (lesser warriors) @ 1 AP.	8

Alternatives: Warband (Cuachic shock troops or Otomi) @ 2AP, Flyers (winged serpents) @ 2 AP, Sneakers (Pochtecas – merchant spies) @ 3AP.

INCA SEMI-HISTORICAL

Stronghold: Inca hill fort.

Hero General (Sapa Inca) @ 4AP.	1
Cleric (Huaca - a sacred mummy or relic - on litter) @ 3AP	1
Blades (Cuzco regiments) @ 2AP.	4
Hordes (highland levy) @ 1AP.	7
Shooters (Slingers or Amazonian Indian guards with poison arrows) @ 2AP.	1

Alternatives: Behemoth General (Sapa Inca carried on litter) @ 4AP, Magician (priest of Inti) @ 4AP, Warband (coastal tribesmen) @ 2AP, Lurkers (Colla tribesmen with bola or Amazonian Indians with blow pipe) @ 1AP, Spears (Chanca tribesmen) @ 2 AP, Heroes (Aucakpussak) @ 4AP.

MAYAN SEMI-HISTORICAL

The fantastic aspects of this list are based on Mayan accounts of the Battle of Xelahuh where Tekum Uman of the K’iche’ Maya fought the Spanish and Tlaxcalan army of Alvarado. Stronghold: Step pyramid.

Aerial Hero General (Tekum Uman, winged and feathered hero) @ 6AP	1
Magician (chieftain with the power of transforming into lightning) @ 4AP	1
Flyers (chieftains transformed into eagles) @ 2AP	1
Warband (warriors) @ 2AP.	4
Shooters (archers and slingers) @ 2AP.	2

Alternatives: Warband General @ 2AP, Sneakers (“road weasel” scouts) @ 3AP, Lurkers (hornet-nest throwers) @ 1AP.

CONQUISTADOR SEMI-HISTORICAL

Included mainly as an opponent for Aztecs, Incas and Mayas. The more fantastic elements are based on the Mayan accounts alluded to above. Stronghold: Stockade.

Hero General (Conquistador and bodyguard) @ 4AP.	1
Blades (sword and buckler men) @ 2AP.	3
Shooters (arquebusiers and crossbowmen) @ 2AP.	3
Knights (horsemen) @ 2AP.	1
Cleric (missionary) @ 3AP.	1
Hordes (native allies) @ 1AP.	3

Alternatives: Knight General @ 2AP, Paladin (Santiago, patron saint of Spain, or other heavenly manifestation) @ 4 AP, Flyers (angels) @ 2AP, Artillery (cannon) @ 3AP, Beasts (war dogs) @ 2AP, Behemoth (mobile tower) @ 4AP, Spears (men with half pikes) @ 2AP.

INDIAN MYTH

The Ramayana is an ancient Indian epic which covers the life of Rama, a human incarnation of the god Vishnu. The central plot of the tale concerns the kidnapping of Rama's wife, Sita, by the demon king Ravana and Rama's attempts to rescue her, culminating in an epic battle before Ravana's city of Lanka.

RAMA

Rama should be depicted as a blue-skinned human wielding a bow on foot, and wearing simple garments under his war gear. Lakshmana was his brother and should be dressed and equipped similarly, though of normal skin tone. Sugriva was the king of the monkeys, and should be represented as a human sized monkey. Hanuman was also a monkey and was the faithful servant of Rama. Vibhisana was a brother of Ravana who changed sides with some of his followers. He is depicted as human, although his followers look more demonic, and he may ride in a chariot. Jambavan was the leader of the bears. The monkeys are described as fighting with rocks and tree-trunks. Stronghold: Ashram (hermitage) in a forest.

Hero General (Rama) @ 4AP.	1
Hero (Lakshmana) @ 4AP.	1
Hero (Sugriva and Hanuman) @ 4AP.	1
Knight (Vibhisana and followers) @ 2AP.	1
Beasts (Jambavan and other bears) @ 2AP.	1
Warbands (monkeys) @ 2AP.	4

LANKA

Ravana was the king of Lanka and ideally should be depicted as man with ten heads and twenty arms riding in a splendid chariot and equipped with a wide variety of weapons. Since he is described as being able to change shape, however, the number of heads and limbs could be reduced to make the figure conversion less of a challenge. Indrajit was the most powerful of Ravana's sons, and is shown riding in a chariot drawn by tigers and armed with a bow. Kumbhakarna was one of Ravana's brothers, a being so massive and with such an insatiable appetite for flesh that he was cursed to sleep, only waking for one day every six months. Other Rakshasa nobles can include other brothers and sons of Ravana, such as Atikaya, or lesser demons on a variety of mounts including chariots, elephants, horses, donkeys, scorpions, tigers, serpents and crows. The lesser demons are classified as Hordes because their vast numbers do not seem to have prevented them from being slain in droves once they got into action. All demons are armed with swords, bows, axes, maces or pikes, and should be depicted as hideous humanoids. Stronghold: Fortified city gateway.

Hero General (Ravana) @ 4 AP.	1
Hero (Indrajit) @ 4 AP.	1
Behemoth (Kumbhakarna) @ 4 AP.	1
Knights (other Rakshasa nobles) @ 2AP.	4
Hordes (lesser demons) @ 1AP.	4

CYROPAEDIA

Based on historical sources and Xenophon’s Cyropaedia.

PERSIANS

Stronghold: Fire temple.

Rider General (King Cyrus) @ 2 AP.	1
Shooters (Immortals/Sparabara) @ 2 AP.	4
Riders (Persian cavalry) @ 2 AP.	2
Paladin (Abradatas in scythed chariot) @ 4 AP.	1
Knight (camelry) @ 2 AP.	1
Artillery (mobile tower) @ 3 AP.	1
Hordes (levy foot) @ 1 AP.	1

Alternatives: Hero General (Cyrus) @ 4AP, Riders (Sagartian lasso-men or other subject cavalry).

LYDIANS

Stronghold: City gate.

Knight General (King Croesus) @ 2 AP.	1
Knights (long spear cavalry) @ 2 AP.	2
Riders (chariots) @ 2AP	1
Spears (hoplite style foot) @ 2 AP.	2
Spears (Egyptian allies) @ 2 AP.	2
Beasts (war dogs) @ 2 AP.	1
Hordes (other spearmen or archers) @ 1 AP.	6

Alternatives: Spears (dismounted long spear cavalry) @ 2AP, Riders (light horse) @ 2AP, Warband (Thracian “swordsmen”) @ 2AP.

JAPANESE MYTH

Based on Japanese legends of the rise of Japan.

IMPERIAL DESCENT:

Stronghold: T'ang-Chinese style walled city.

Hero General (the crown prince) @ 4 AP.	1
Hero (a loyal sidekick, but also of incredible valour, possibly a brother) @ 4 AP.	1
Cleric (ancient seer dispensing magical artefacts to heroes in need) @ 3 AP.	1
Riders (Imperial troops) @ 2 AP.	2
Spears (trained militia regiments on Chinese pattern) @ 2 AP.	2
Shooters (trained militia regiments on Chinese pattern) @ 2 AP.	2
Horde (untrained militia) @ 1 AP.	1

Alternatives: Artillery (Oyumi - stand-mounted Chinese-style large crossbow) @ 3AP.

KUMASO:

Stronghold: Palisaded hill-fort

Magician General (animistic shaman with great powers over the land) @ 4 AP.	1
Dragon (wingless version, fated to be slain by imperial prince) @ 4 AP.	1
Behemoth (Oni {giant}, with demonic powers) @ 4 AP.	1
Water lurkers (Kappa - mischievous water goblins) @ 1 AP.	1
Lurkers (Kumo, and other such creatures of entrapment) @ 1 AP.	1
Lurkers (Tengu - very long-nosed goblins, fight with swords) @ 1 AP.	1
Lurkers (ambushing tribal archers in furs with concealed arrows) @ 1 AP.	1
Shooters (tribal warriors with bows) @ 2 AP.	4

GENERIC KUNG FU

Based on the Kung Fu genre of films.

GOOD

Stronghold: Chinese village, city house or temple.

Hero General (skilled Kung Fu fighter) @ 4 AP.	1
Hero (skilled Kung Fu fighter) @ 4 AP.	1
Paladin (Shaolin monk) @ 4 AP.	1
Blades (lesser fighters with swords, halberds etc.) @ 2 AP.	3
Hordes (villagers) @ 1 AP.	6

Alternatives: Cleric (Taoist or Buddhist monk) @ 3 AP, Magician (hermit skilled in white magic) @ 4 AP.

EVIL

Stronghold: Bandit camp or Chinese palace.

Blade General (evil warlord or bandit) @ 2 AP.	1
Hero (evil Kung Fu master) @ 4 AP.	1
Magician (master of the black arts) @ 4 AP.	1
Warband (lesser warriors who always recklessly charge) @ 2 AP.	3
Sneaker (were-fox, ghost or ninja-like thief) @ 3 AP.	1
Hordes (sword-fodder henchmen) @ 1 AP.	5

Alternatives: Magician General (evil minister, eunuch or foreign agent) @ 4 AP, Riders (mounted fighters) @ 2 AP, Flyer (mage with flying skills) @ 2 AP.

AMAZON

Based on ancient Greek literary and pictorial sources, especially vase paintings. Stronghold: Stockade.

Rider General (Amazon queen ) @ 2 AP.	1
Riders (Amazon warriors) @ 2 AP.	7
Shooters (Amazons with bow and axe) @ 2 AP.	2
Spears (Amazons with spear and hoplite shield) @ 2 AP.	2

Alternatives: Hero General (Amazon queen) @ 4 AP, Warband (Amazons with spear and crescent shield) @ 2 AP, Beasts (Amazons riding lions) @ 2 AP.

BOXER REBELLION

These lists are based on Chinese and European accounts of the rebellion. Both sides claim supernatural abilities for both themselves and the opposition. However, it appears that those of the Foreign Devils were almost entirely defensive in nature, or used to neutralise the abilities of the Boxers.

BOXER

According to the sources: When the Boxers went into battle, men and horses were more than ten feet tall and the swords of the former were so numerous that it was impossible to resist them. Moreover, when bullets struck their clothing, they rolled off like rain drops, not injuring them in the slightest. The top Boxer commanders were able to make themselves invisible and to disappear into the earth. The female auxiliaries of the Boxers, the Red Lanterns, were able to protect the Boxers during combat. They could send swords flying through the air and from a distance lop off enemy heads. They were also able to hurl bolts of fire and, using their magic, make off with the screws holding together the foreigners' artillery. Some of the Red Lanterns could fly, by waving their fans. They soared through the sky to other lands where they set fire to foreign buildings and homes. Stronghold: Palace or temple.

Warband General (local commander and bodyguard) @ 2 AP.	1
Warband (fanatical Boxers or Tigermen) @ 2 AP.	2
Behemoth (10 foot high Boxers in an irresistible phalanx) @ 4 AP.	1
Magician (Red Lanterns) @ 4 AP.	1
Flyers (Red Lanterns with fans) @ 2 AP.	2
Hordes (other Boxer foot) @ 1 AP.	6

Alternatives: Magician General (local commander with magical powers) @ 4 AP, Shooters (Imperial foot with modern weapons) @ 2 AP, Riders (Imperial cavalry) @ 2 AP, God (Guandi the War God in golden armour) @ 4 AP.

FOREIGN DEVILS

According to the sources: Bishop Favier, defending the Northern Cathedral in Beijing, was transformed into a 200 year old "devil prince" who practiced sorcery. Boxer efforts to overpower churches were thwarted by the apparition of a white-clad woman (The Virgin Mary), whose presence deprived them of their powers. There was an organization of Christian women called White Lanterns, who had magic powerful enough to overcome that of the Boxers and Red Lanterns. The foreigners often placed a naked woman in the midst or in front of their forces, or straddling each of their cannon, to break the power of the Boxers' magic. Stronghold: Church or legation building.

Blade General (Commander with British infantry) @ 2 AP.	1
Blades (British, Japanese or Russian infantry with fixed bayonets) @ 2 AP.	1
Shooters (other European or US infantry) @ 2 AP.	4
Warband (armed sailors) @ 2 AP.	1
Paladin (“Devil Prince”, “White Lady” or White Lanterns) @ 4 AP.	1
Cleric (missionaries or naked women) @ 3 AP.	1
Artillery (field artillery) @ 3 AP.	1

Alternatives: Riders (Bengal lancers) @ 2 AP.

MUENCHHAUSEN 18^th CENTURY

Inspired by “The Wonderful Travels of Freiherr Hieronymus von Muenchhausen zu Bodenwerder”, and the films thereof. Muenchhausen (the real man and teller of tall tales) served in the 18th century Russian army as a captain of cuirassiers. In the tales he explicitly says he was not a general. If Muenchhausen on a cannonball is used, the artillery should be fielded.

RUSSIANS

Stronghold: Walled city.

Rider General (Czarina or fiery-headed Russian general) @ 2 AP.	1
Aerial hero (Muenchhausen riding on cannonball) @ 6 AP.	1
Artillery (Russian cannon) @ 3 AP.	1
Airboat (balloon) @ 3 AP.	1
Knights (Russian cuirassiers) @ 2 AP.	1
Riders (Russian hussars) @ 2 AP.	1
Shooters (Russian infantry) @ 2 AP.	3

Alternatives: Flyer (Muenchhausen on cannonball) @ 2 AP, Sneaker (Muenchhausen in disguise) @ 3 AP, Hero (Muenchhausen on his fine Lithuanian horse) @ 4AP, Water Lurker (Muenchhausen pulling himself out of a bog or riding underwater), Beasts (greyhounds) @ 2 AP, Behemoth (the very strong lumberjack) @ 4 AP, Magician (the wind maker) @ 4 AP, Shooter (the sharpshooter) @ 2 AP, Sneaker (the runner) @ 3 AP, Riders (Cossacks) @ 2 AP.

OTTOMAN TURKS

Opponents for von Muenchhausen. Stronghold: Camp.

Blade General (Sultan and bodyguard) @ 2 AP.	1
Shooters (Janissaries) @ 2 AP.	4
Riders (Turkish cavalry) @ 2 AP.	4
Artillery (Turkish cannon) @ 3 AP.	2

Alternatives: Behemoth (Elephant or mobile siege tower) @ 4 AP.

VICTORIAN SCIENCE FICTION

Based on works of contemporary and more modern authors, in which the Victorian era sees technological advances beyond that which it had historically. Conventional Victorian armies are augmented by technological marvels, and warfare may take place on Earth or beyond. Stronghold: Military camp or utopian industrial city.

Shooter General (army commander) @ 2 AP.	1
Shooters (rifle armed infantry) @ 2 AP.	3
Knights (cavalry mounted on mechanical steeds) @ 2 AP.	2
Behemoth (land leviathan) @ 4 AP.	1
Airboat (airship) @ 3 AP.	1
Artillery (dynamite gun) @ 3 AP.	1
Flyers (one-man aerial conveyances) @ 2 AP.	1

Alternatives: Magician (eminent or mad scientist) @ 4 AP, Water Lurker (submersible boat) @ 1 AP, Warband (native allies, human or otherwise) @ 2 AP, Hordes (less effective allies) @ 1 AP, Sneaker (tunnelling machine, time traveller, or great detective and loyal companion) @ 3 AP.

CHRISTMAS WARS

Representing the cruel struggle between good and evil each Christmas...

Have you been naughty or nice? Ho, Ho, Ho.

SANTA CLAUS

Stronghold: Candy striped north pole amid cloyingly cute gingerbread style houses and Christmas tree.

Hero General (Santa Claus) @ 4 AP.	1
Magican (gnome on magic mushroom) @ 4 AP.	1
Beast (polar bear) @ 2 AP.	1
Flyers (gnomes on reindeer) @ 2 AP.	1
Spears (gnomes with magic candy canes) @ 2 AP.	2
Shooters (gnomes with snowballs) @ 2 AP.	3
Blades (gnome king and friends) @ 2 AP.	1

Alternatives: Aerial Hero General (Santa Claus in sled).

THE ANTI-CLAUS

Though evil, the Anti-Claus is classed as a cleric because he destroys the magic of Christmas. Snow goblins are blue. Evil snowmen have real skeletons inside. Stronghold: Dark spruce forest.

Cleric General (evil Anti-Claus with bag of coal) @ 3 AP.	1
Behemoth (abominable snowman) @ 4 AP.	1
Sneaker (Jack Frost) @ 3 AP.	1
Spears (evil snowmen with brooms) @ 2 AP.	2
Warband (fanatic snow goblins) @ 2 AP.	2
Hordes (snow goblin minions) @ 1 AP.	4
Lurkers (decorated killer Christmas trees) @ 1 AP	2

Alternatives: Airboat (balloon with snow goblins throwing lumps of coal) @ 3 AP, Beasts (wild killer Christmas trees – tannenbeasts) @ 2 AP.

GARDEN WARS

Representing the struggle between the garden gnomes and the more aggressive insect species. Peter Pig make figures for the garden gnomes.

GARDEN GNOMES (Stronghold: Garden pond.)

Spear General (gnome king) @ 2 AP.	1
Spears (gnomes with fishing rods) @ 2 AP.	2
Shooters (gnomes throwing stones) @ 2 AP.	3
Behemoths (gnomes on giant snails) @ 4 AP.	2
Magician (gnome illusionist on toadstool) @ 4 AP.	1

ANTS (Stronghold: Ants’ nest.)

Hero General (chief soldier ant) @ 4 AP.	1
Warband (soldier ants) @ 2 AP.	6
Hordes (worker ants) @ 1 AP.	8

WASPS (Stronghold: Wasps’ nest.)

Aerial Hero General (chief wasp warrior) @ 6 AP.	1
Flyers (wasp warriors) @ 2 AP.	9

ATLANTIS

This list is derived from 19^th century esoteric sources rather than directly from ancient myths. The majority of Atlantean soldiers are armed with gunpowder projectile weapons. Early Atlanteans have lower technology weapons mixed in; increase the proportion of blades, spears and bows the further back you go. Airships range from small personal transports to war vessels carrying up to 100 soldiers. Riding animals are not mentioned. Stronghold: The City of the Golden Gates.

Magician General (psychic or sorcerer emperor) @ 4 AP.	1
Airboats (white metal or wooden flying ships) @ 3 AP.	2
Shooters (Atlanteans with “explosive” weapons) @ 2 AP.	7

Alternatives: Artillery (lever projecting poison gas bombs) @ 3 AP, Blades or Spears (early Atlanteans with sword and/or spear) @ 2 AP, Shooters (early Atlanteans with bow) @ 2 AP, Flyers (small flying vessels) @ 2 AP, Magician (Initiates) @ 4 AP.

ALIEN INVASION

Inspired by H.G. Wells and large numbers of 1950’s B-pictures, in which aliens invade the earth, opposed by the army.

ALIENS

Stronghold: Weirdly glowing alien mother ship or mysterious force field.

Airboat General (in large flying saucer) @ 3 AP.	1
Artillery (death ray projector) @ 3 AP.	1
Flyers (small rocket scooters or saucers) @ 2 AP.	2
Behemoth (giant crawling alien tank or tripod walker) @ 4 AP.	1
Shooters (space suited aliens with ray guns) @ 2 AP.	5

Alternatives: Dragon (undersea creature raised by alien technology) @ 4 AP, Beasts (alien animals or aliens without suits) @ 2 AP, Magician (alien scientist with or without scantily dressed human female captive) @ 4 AP, Hordes (mind-controlled human puppets) @ 1 AP.

HUMANS

Stronghold: Manhattan, ruined earth city or large bunker fortification.

Rider General (general in jeep) @ 2 AP.	1
Hero (movie star) @ 4 AP.	1
Knights (tanks) @ 2 AP.	2
Riders (jeeps) @ 2 AP.	2
Flyers (fighter aircraft) @ 2 AP.	1
Hordes (infantry whose “bullets just bounce off ’em, sir”) @ 1 AP	8

Alternatives: Aerial Hero (movie star in fighter aircraft) @ 6 AP, Magician (mad boffin in white coat with Bakelite equipment, Van der Graaf generator and beautiful daughter) @ 4 AP, Sneakers (movie star with scientist’s beautiful daughter) @ 3 AP, Shooters (infantry with bazookas) @ 2 AP, Artillery (field artillery) @ 3 AP, Airboats (bomber aircraft) @ 3 AP, Lurkers (guerrilla fighters) @ 1 AP.

DRACULA

Based on Bram Stoker’s original novel, with a few borrowings from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to make up the opposition numbers.

DRACULA

In the novel, Dracula is able to transform himself into a giant bat, control the elements, control madmen, wolves, bats, foxes, rats, owls and moths. Although he clearly qualifies as a magician, and fears the symbols of Christianity, the dread in which he is held and his sudden comings and goings are best represented by classifying him as an aerial hero. He is served by the Slovak Szgany (Gypsies), who are armed with guns. Stronghold: Transylvanian castle.

Aerial Hero General (Dracula) @ 6 AP.	1
Sneakers (female vampires) @ 3 AP.	1
Riders (Slovak Szgany horsemen) @ 2 AP.	2
Shooters (Slovak Szgany on foot) @ 2 AP.	2
Beasts (wolves) @ 2 AP.	2
Flyers (bats, owls and moths) @ 2 AP.	1
Hordes (foxes and rats) @ 1 AP.	1

Alternatives: Magician General (Dracula) @ 4 AP.

DRACULA’S FOES

The heroes are armed with pistols or Winchester rifles. The local police and mob are taken from Frankenstein to make the army up to strength. Stronghold: London town or peasant village.

Cleric General (Prof Abraham Van Helsing with cross and stake) @ 3 AP.	1
Hero (Jonathon Harker) @ 4 AP.	1
Hero (Dr Seward, Arthur Holmwood and Quincey Morris) @ 4 AP.	1
Shooters (armed local police) @ 2 AP.	2
Hordes (enraged mob with flaming torches) @ 1 AP.	9

DISCWORLD

Despite our remarks in the 1st edition, Terry Pratchett's Discworld has since seen several attempts at wars, despite the risk of rival armies being arrested on the battlefield by the Ankh-Morpork city watch and talked into playing football by Captain Carrot. An excellent map is available.

ANKH-MORPORK

Ankh-Morpork has a vestigial military structure of temporarily-raised regiments of patriotic if sketchily trained volunteers generalled and officered by dull aristocrats who have not read General Tacticus' classic on the art of war. The wizards of Unseen University are unlikely to get involved since this would make war far too dangerous and interfere with the 6 square meals a day necessary for balanced nutrition. Clerical support may be available under the leadership of the High Priest of Blind Io. However, the Patrician believes war is an inefficient substitute for politics and the city's traditional way of dealing with invaders is to leave the gates open and fleece them financially. Stronghold: Open city gate with C.M.O.T Dibbler waiting inside with tray.

Knight General (dull traditionalist aristocrat) @ 2 AP.	1
Blades (colourfully-uniformed volunteer regiment halberdiers) @ 2 AP.	6
Shooters (colourfully-uniformed volunteer regiment crossbows)@ 2 AP.	5

Alternatives: Cleric (High Priest of Blind Io) @ 3 AP, or Sneakers (City Watch) @ 3 AP, or Magicians (Faculty of UU) @ 4 AP.

SERIPHATE OF KLATCH

"Not so much an empire as an argument", it can put a large efficient army into the field because its peoples get so much practice and enjoyment fighting each other. Stronghold: Arab city gate tower with gate firmly shut.

Rider General (Prince) @ 2 AP.	1
Riders (small men on ponies) @ 2 AP.	2
Blades (professional swordsmen) @ 2 AP.	2
Shooters (professional bowmen) @ 2 AP.	2
Hordes (Conscript foot) @ 1 AP.	10

Alternatives: Artillery (cart-mounted giant crossbow) @ 3 AP, Flyers (on carpets) @ 2 AP, Sneakers (assassins) @ 3 AP.

D'REGS

"To pacify a D'reg, hit him repeatedly with an axe and bury him under a rock. And even then, choose a large rock". The Tuareg-like D'regs are inveterate enemies of the Klatchian state and indeed all their neighbours. Not only do the camel-mounted warriors charge at the first opportunity, but also so do the women, children, flocks and poultry. Stronghold: Arab tent.

Hero General (charging on camel) @ 4 AP.	1
Knights (other madly charging camel riders) @ 2 AP.	5
Warband (fierce women and hyperactive children) @ 2 AP.	2
Beasts (berserk sheep/goats) @ 2 AP.	2
Flyers (eye-pecking domestic chickens) @ 2 AP.	1

AGATEAN EMPIRE

This resembles an amalgam of ancient China and Japan. It is incredibly large, bureaucratic and rich, gold being considered a base metal useful only for plumbing, and is ruled by an emperor and cultured but treacherous courtiers. Stronghold: Chinese city gate tower.

Blade General (Lord Hong, Sung, Tang, McSweeney or Fang) @ 2 AP.	1
Blades (Samurai) @ 2 AP.	1
Shooters (archers) @ 2 AP.	1
Artillery (Barking Dog cannon) @ 3 AP.	1
Horde (conscripts) @ 1 AP.	11
Riders (little round men galloping around on little round ponies) @ 2 AP.	2

Alternatives: Sneakers (Ninja assassins) @ 3 AP.

AGATEAN INSURGENTS

A fortuitous combination of external invasion by a group of elderly barbarian heroes, inept internal subversion and unintended wizardly intervention. Stronghold: Rocky and partly overgrown entrance to hidden valley.

Hero General (Genghiz Cohen the Barbarian, accompanied by Mad Hamish in his scythed wheelchair and Teach) @ 4 AP.	1
Heroes (Boy Willie, Truckle the Uncivil, Caleb the Ripper and Old Vincent) @ 4 AP.	1
Blades (Red Army of terracotta warriors) @ 2 AP.	8

Alternatives: Cleric (Rincewind, due to the way magic malfunctions around him) @ 3 AP, or Sneakers (very polite teenage revolutionaries) @ 3 AP. Note that the Luggage was not present, being absent without leave.

LANCRE

A minor mountain kingdom with a standing army of one man, but which has successfully resisted invasion by Elves and a coup d'etat by New Vampirism. Stronghold: Spiky castle on a peak.

Hero General (Queen Magrat) @ 4 AP.	1
Hero (King Verence) @ 4 AP.	1
Magicians (Witches Weatherwax, Ogg and Nitt) @ 4 AP.	1
Blades (Lancre Morris men with sticks and bucket) @ 2 AP.	1
Horde (concerned citizens with torches and pitchforks) @ 1 AP.	10

Alternatives: Lurkers (Pictsies) @ 1 AP, or Cleric (Omnian missionary) @ 3 AP.

OTHER ARMY POSSIBILITIES:

The Tezuman Empire is similar to the Maya of our world and consists of jungle cities with pyramidal temples. Rich in gold but rendered savage by the appalling climate, they are cruel and given to human sacrifice. They make much use of llama-pulled chariots, but a failure to invent the wheel means that the axles have to be supported by running men. A disturbing recent innovation is worship of the Luggage as a God.

Howondaland is populated by black-skinned tribal peoples and is the Disc's source of elephants.

Uberwald is occupied by an uneasy federation of vampires, werewolves and dwarves and currently prefers subversion to soldiering.

No Thingfiord is inhabited by Viking pillagers.

Hubland barbarians are tall, fur-clad and ride ponies. They include many heroes, which are widely exported.

The dwarves and trolls of the Trollsbane Mountains have in the past fought bitterly and the battle of Koom Valley is a cause of dispute among immigrant communities in Ankh-Morpork, both sides accusing the other of having cheated and claiming to have won. One side had a mercenary barbarian hero. All dwarves, male and female, wear beards, helmets and mail and own axes. Trolls are large and thick of skin and wit.

Llamedos is rainy, mountainous and specialises in harpists, druids who export computers made from monolithic silicon chips by air, and a murderous team game played with a ball that isn't even properly round.

The Wyrmberg is an inverted mountain populated by male and female warriors riding imaginary dragons, belief in which can only be maintained in its vicinity.

Tsort and Ephebe are Trojan Wars analogues. Their military authorities distrust original thinking as apt to spoil war for proper soldiers and rely heavily on precedent - so much so that they deploy large numbers of wooden horses in the hope of fooling each other.

Djelibeybi is an ancient Egyptian analogue. The monumental task of paying for excessive pyramid construction until recently left them too poor to defend themselves.

Omnia is a large theocratic state that until recently spread conversion by fire and sword but has now progressed to pamphlet campaigns.

SUMERIAN MYTH

HEROIC SUMERIAN

Stronghold: Walled city and temple.

God (patron divinities) @ 4 AP.	1
Hero General (King/ensi/Lugal in battle-car) @ 4 AP.	1
Cleric (high priest/priestess) @ 3 AP.	1
Blades (guardsmen) @ 2 AP.	1
Shooters (archers) @ 2 AP.	1
Spears (city militia) @ 2 AP.	4
Hordes (nomad levies) @ 1 AP.	1

EVIL DEMONIC

Stronghold: The open desert.

Magician General (Mimma lemnu) @ 4 AP.	1
Sneaker (Mukil-resh-lemutti) @ 3 AP.	1
Lurker (Lilu/Lilitu) @ 1 AP.	1
Lurker (Ardat-lilu) @ 1 AP.	1
Beast (Lamashtu) @ 2 AP.	1
Hordes (Gidim) @ 1 AP.	13

An assemblage of nasties led by Mimma lemnu, "All that is evil" - too horrible ever to be described. Mukil-resh-lemutti, "Evil attendant" of the washroom, was a lion-demon who lay in wait for unsuspecting victims down the latrine! Lilu and Lilitu were male and female, desert-living, scorpion-tailed wolf demons, personifications of the desert wind. Ardat-lilu were evil, demonic, frigid brides who preyed on innocent young men. The disgusting Lamashtu, "She who erases", was a bringer of disease, with lion’s head, donkey’s teeth, hairy body, blood-stained long-fingered long-nailed hands (usually grasping a pair of snakes) and bird-taloned feet. Gidim were angry spirits of the dead (usually raised from a dismal afterlife of dust for breakfast for tedious questioning by unimaginative necromancers) who sought to possess the bodies of the living.

GOOD DEMONIC

Stronghold: Twin-peaked Mount Mashu - where the sun rises at the edge of the world.

Hero General (Lahmu, "Hairy") @ 4 AP.	1
Dragon (snake-dragon or lion-dragon) @ 4 AP.	1
Behemoths (winged bull-men) @ 4 AP.	1
Flyers (winged scorpion-men) @ 2 AP.	1
Beasts (bull-men, lion-men, dogs, or flightless scorpion-people) @ 2 AP.	5

Alternatives: Sneakers (Anzu/Imdugud birds) @ 3 AP.

"Hairies" were generally benevolent minor protective deities, attendants of the god of wisdom, magic and civilisation, Enki/Ea and Aššur/Marduk. Always depicted with long flowing locks, usually naked, and mistreating some demon or other, both they and bull-men were the eternal enemies of evil. In different myths, the lion-headed Anzu or Imdugud bird was variously a friend of man, or a thief who stole the Tablet of Destinies. Its wing-beats caused sandstorms, and its beak was like a saw. The bird was killed/tamed by Ninurta/Ningirsu, and thereafter became one of his attendants.

HOSTS OF THE DEAD

Stronghold: Grim pair of gates at the bottom of a flight of steps.

God (Ereshkigal, "Mistress of Earth", or Gugal-ana/Nergal) @ 4 AP.	1
Cleric General (Namtar) @ 3 AP.	1
Beasts (gate-keepers of the Underworld) @ 2 AP.	2
Sneakers (Galla) @ 3 AP.	1
Hordes (Gidim, ghosts) @ 1 AP.	10

Ereshkigal was Inanna's gloomy, and somewhat jealous older sister. Her husband, Gugal-ana/Nergal, lord of the dead, was sometimes known as "Ukur the Merciless". Namtar, "Fate", was the wily first minister of the underworld. Scorpion-people, among others, acted as gate-keepers. The Galla were seven particularly nasty and demonic policemen, whose job was to seize and carry-off unsuspecting mortals (often the wrong ones) to the underworld. Gidim are described under the Evil Demonic list.

ASAG AND THE STONE ALLIES

Stronghold: Mountain.

Aerial Hero General (Asag the lion-dragon) @ 6 AP.	1
Behemoth (large monolith) @ 4 AP.	1
Beasts (medium sized boulders) @ 2 AP.	3
Hordes (smaller boulders and aggressive pebbles) @ 1 AP.	8

Asag, eventually defeated by the warrior god Ningirsu/Ninurta, was unusually repulsive even for a Sumerian demon. He was so ugly, in fact, that his mere presence caused rivers to boil, and sadly he was reduced to mating with mountains. This had the happy result (for Asag) of producing a loyal army of animated stones.

HYBORIA

PICTS

Small dark haired tattooed savages with feathers in their hair. Stronghold: Wood containing pallisaded village.

Magician General: Shaman @ 4 AP.	1
Shooters (Picts with bow and tomahawk) @ 2 AP.	10

Alternatives: Sneaker (swamp devil) @ 3 AP, or Beasts (sabretooths, panthers or giant snake) 2 AP.