I don't know how many of you have read and enjoyed the Conan novels by Robert Howard, but they were a favorite of mine. I even enjoyed the movies. Years ago Fantasy Games Unlimited came out with a set of rules and army guides for the Hyborean Age. It was and is an interesting period. The armies were a mix of ancient and medieval, and in the original rules, some magic was thrown in for a couple of the nations. My gaming group played them off and on for two or three years and we eventually had about six of the armies represented. I don't remember that any of them were sure winners or losers. I have tried to update them to DBA style armies in the remainder of the article. In line with the original rules, armies tended to fight to the last man. Therefore, the game continues till both 4 units and the commander are eliminated. And remember, the Mediterranean doesn't exist, so England, Europe and Africa run together. The troops types should be mail clad at best, no plate armored knights. Aquilonia, is the kingdom Conan eventually ruled. Its flag is black with a gold lion. Western medieval in nature about where France is. 1 Kn, royal (guard); 3 Kn; 1 dismounted knight/swordsmen (royal foot guard); 1 longbow or pike; 2 pike or longbow; 4 HI. Argos was a trading country, on the coast and about where South France, North Italy are. A purple flag with 3 gold circles. The whole army is mercenary so let yourself go. 6 HI/spears. Mercenary, use anything you want. One is the Royal Guard. 3 Shemite archers Long Bows. ( Assyrian/Hittite looking) 3 HC, mercenaries again. Black Amazons. No flag. What can I say, they are black and amazons. 1 bow; 4 PS; 7 Ax. Brythunia. Red flag with black bar. Loose confederation at best, and about where Hungry is. I get the impression they might resemble Macedonians. 4 HC; 2Kn or HC; 2 HC or pike; 2 Ax; 2Ax or Ps. Corinthia. Greek City States, with city banners. 9 pike; 1 pike or Ps; 1 pike or HC; 1 HC. Desert Nomads. On the south east borders, about where the middle east is. To the east of them is Kozaki and farther SE Vendhya. No flag, and fight in tribal clan. All cavalry. 4 HC or LC (may split this up and choose one by one); 8 LC. Hill tribes, south of desert nomads. 12 LC. Hyrkania. The far north west, and can be thought of as tribal units of Mongols or Huns. No flag, and favor bright colors. Some infantry if on defense. 3 HC; 3 LC; 1 HC or LC; 3 LC or AX, 2 LC or PS. Khauran and Khoraja. Arabian Nights city states on the western borders of the desert. Green or Pink flag. 1 KN; 3 HC; 3 LC; 2 HI/spears; 2HI or AX; 1 AX or PS. Koth, east of K&K, south of Ophir, Corithia and Zamora. I guess in the middle of the Med. Koth used Chariots, Knights and mixed infantry. A yellow flag with a black triangle in the center. I would think mail shirts and steel caps at the heaviest, possibly Mede or Persian cav. Chariots would be heavy Assyrian type, the infantry again Byzantine or Persian. Defiantly not western types. 5 Shernite Archers-Long bows; 1 long bow or HI/spear. 2 HI/spear; 1 heavy chariot (KN); 1 HC; 1 HC, HI or longbow. Kozakia. In the east, and a confederation of tribal units. No flag and no infantry. Bright colors are favored. Hun, Turks, or Arabs, mostly leather armor and sabers. 1 KN; 9 HC; 1 HC or LC; 1 LC. Nemedia, Western, on Aquilonia's east border, north of Ophir and Corithia. Western, Tutonic Knights perhaps. Red flag with gold dragon. The Royal Foot resemble Romans. 1 KN, Royal guard in red; 3 KN; 1 HC; 1 HC or HI; 3 HI; 1 Royal Guard, Swords or 1 HI; 2 bow or PS. Northern Barbarians. No flag, and made up of three groups, Vanaheim (where Norway is), Asguard (where Sweden is), and Cimmeria (where Denmark and north Germany are). No cavalry. 2 Longbow; 1 longbow or PS; 1 PS; 4 Swords or HI or WB; 4 HI or WB. Ophir, basically western, but with Shernite archers hired. Flag is blue with scarlet disk in the center. Units would favor blue and red. located on Aquilonia's and Nemidias south border. 1 Kn, royal guard; 2 KN; 3 Long bow ( Shemite's); 5 HI/spear; 1 HI or 1 Sword (Royal foot guard). Pictland. The far western land, where the British Isles are. Tribal confederation, wild men like American Indians without feathers. 1 AX, WB or Sword; 8 WB, 1 WB or PS, 2 PS. Shem. A group of City States, in the tradition of the Cannanite or Philistines. Kn would be Cataphact in type, the HI Assyrian/ Hittite, as would be the archers. All would favor white and off white with red trim. 3 Kn; 6 HI; 3 Longbow. Turan, the classic Saracen or Sassinad Persian looking army. A green flag with silver cursive script on it. Green clothing or trim is favored. Turan is to the east of Zamora and K&K, with the desert nomads in between. 3 KN; 1 HC or LC; 2 Bows; 4 HI; 1 HI or PS; 1 PS. Vendhya, Proto India, with Woolly Mammoths in place of Elephants. Use Indian troops of course. Vendhya is far to the south east. The flag is various colors, depending on the commander, but a gold Mammoths head. Shields designs should run to flowers, stars and birds. The uniforms were yellow with different colored sashes and shields grounds. 1 Woolly Mammoth (Elephant); 1 HI; 2 Longbow; 2 PS or HI; 6 HI. Zamora, is an eastern nation, Arabic in nature. The flag is red with a white crescent moon. They favor white shades with colored trims and stripes. Zamora is East of Corinthia, north of Koth, and west of Turan. 3 KN; 2 HC; 2 Bows; 1 Bow or PS; 1 HI; 1 HI or AX; 2 AX. Zingara, a western nation, about where Spain is and resembling a Medieval Spain. Flag is divided into 4, diagonally orange and white, a black 3 pointed star in the middle. Orange, white, and purple are favored colors. Many units are royal and are in orange uniform. 3 Kn; 2 HC; 1 KN or Sword (dismounted Knights); 4 HI; 2 HI, AX, or PS. Stygia, ancient Egypt with Evil Magic, which I am leaving out. The Flag is green with a black snake. Uniforms were light green shades, with various trims. The light chariots used Zebra and the crew wore white. 2 Light Chariot (HC); 2 Bows; 2 Bows or PS; 4 HI or AX; 2 AX or PS. Western armies can use crossbows in place of bows. In a campaign use, some of the nations would be able to field multiples of their basic army. The small nations will be crossing grounds, sniping at the invaders supply lines, and probably non player controlled. Approximate maximums are as follows Aquilona--6 Argos=3 Black Amazons= 1 Brythunia--3 Corinthia- 2 Desert Nomads= 1 Hill tribes=l Hyrkania-2 Koth=3 Kozari=l Nemedia=5 Northern Barbarians= 1 Ophir--2 Pictland=3 Shem=3 Stygia=4 Turan=6 Vendhya=5 Zamora--2 Zingarz=Khauran and Khorja--1 Back to MWAN #98 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1999 Hal Thinglum This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. 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