Most people who are attracted to the AW/MW wargames rules are also interested in History. What time period you are interested in also determines what armies you more than likely possess. That determined how many of us purchased our first armies. What leads you to continue to acquire other armies can and perhaps should be a totally different story.

The second army is more than likely an avowed enemy of your first army. My second army became the Hungarians, obvious foes to my first army, the dreaded Mongols. Purchasing a second army could be rationalized if potential opponents are a considerable distance away. Local friends may be drafted to help play out various scenarios or battles. If you are lucky they will catch the bug and before long, the seeds of a gaming club have begun.

What about a second or third army? What are the keys to look for in building such an army?

First thing I do is to look for the army's versatility.

How many enemies does it have?
How can it be metamorphasized into a different army?
How many time periods could it effectively function in?

I have some obvious favorites in these categories. The Late Roman Imperial Army of Ancient Warfare easily fits all my requirements. It had numerous enemies; it can be made (with a little tweaking and figure purchasing) into an eastern or western variant. In addition, with some further refinement it can fit into Medieval Warfare as the Late Patrician Romans. That is what I call bang per dollar spent. The caveat here is that in this case, I am not looking to make a "killer army". It does however give me versatility.

My other army that I like is the Sassanid Persian army. It also spans the Ancient and Medieval time frame and does the transition with a maintenance of force not as detrimental as their Roman counterparts.

For an ancient army with an amazing amount of chameleon like metamorphosis, purchase the Alexandrian Imperial army. It has infinite potential to be refreshed - if one ever happens to "master it" and tire of it in its original version. Your original core army can be used in a variety of "successor states" war machines. Your figure expenditure can be made without a loan approval from your local bank.

Many experienced veterans of the gaming hobby also look into other key factors in building their armies. Some crafty veterans look for armies that contain certain elements that will give them a "killer army". These elements are found in the Ancient and Medieval army lists. What are the armor, morale, training and weaponry of the troops within the army of your choice? These factors along with your tactics and some luck probably will play a definite factor in whether you experience the "thrill of victory or the agony of defeat".

Depending on what attracted you to this hobby will determine what factors compelled you to buy your army in the first place. If you like painting, then a combination of history and the challenge of painting the figures more than likely got you interested in the figures for your first army. If you feel the compulsion to win, then the factors in the previous paragraph come in to play. Your first Medieval army might be the Burgundian Ordonnance.

When thinking about building your army, look for its fit for you historically. After that, check it out for its versatility. Does its have a plethora of enemies and can it be transformed? This army will give you enjoyment for many years to come. Check out the Ancient and Medieval army lists and find the army that best fits you!