IntroductionHaving been introduced to HotT in 25mm at a wargames convention some years ago our group has played at our local for a number of years with 15mm figures. We have a tendency to play about with the armies, for a variety of reasons as you will see. This is a potted history of the development of my armies and the may hopefully give you a few ideas for alternatives and new armies. Each section gives a short introduction to the army and a list.
The GreeksMy first army, bought from a bring and buy stand at a convention, I had no say in its construction and have had little success with it. With both a magician and a flyer it often fails to move much, or will grind to a halt at the most inappropriate time.
1x Magician General @ 4pts, Beautiful (well blonde) Sorceress
1 Hero @ 4pts, Handsome (well bearded) Hero on foot with minstrel
1x Behemoth @ 4pts, Animated Bronze Statue (25mm Hoplite figure)
1x Flyer @ 2pts, The Legendary Herpes of Greek Mythology
1x Riders @ 2pts, (Female) Centaurs
2x Spears @ 2pts, Greek Hoplites
2x Beasts @ 2pts, Ravening Wolves
Total: 24pts
The OrksMade up from 15mm figures I had painted for D&D I could not make up the army as per the lists given in the rules. However, I had a reasonable range to choose from and not all orks are weedy canon fodder. Therefore my army consists of a third scummy hordes, a third ork elite and a third behemothic allies. It is quite a successful army when I can get an opponent bogged down in the hordes and target the rest of the army at the best targets.
1x Blades General @ 2pts, His Nibbs with standards and Halbadier
1x Blades @ 2pts, Halbadiers, the Generals Bodyguard
1x Spears @ 2pts, Elite infantry (pity there’s only one of them)
1x Knights @ 2pts, Lancers mounted on armoured tyrannosaurs
2x Behemoths @ 4pts, Units of Ogres and Trolls
8x Hordes @ 1pt, Assorted scum
Total: 24pts
The UndeadMy next army was bought as a pre-selected pack of figures at a convention. It consisted of a magician, a couple of wraiths, some skeletal riders and infantry. The infantry carried an assortment of weapons so I decided to have a selection of troop types. This was my first army with more troops than I needed, but I enjoy the variety and ability to field different armies using the same mix of figures. The lurkers arrived later as part of my Egyptians but fitted in with the theme and as my next army shows I am quite happy to have foreign or visiting players in my team - it seems to be part of league football and county cricket, why not HOTT. This army is not spectacularly successful but has won enough to keep my interest. The variety means that it sometimes has just the right element to do the job, though sometimes you think “its a pity that one is still in the box”!
1x Magician General @ 4pts, Evil Necromancer
2x Blades @ 2pts, Skeletons with two handed axe
2x Spears @ 2pts, Skeletons with long spear
2x Shooters @ 2pts, Skeletons with bows
4x Riders @ 2pts, Skeletons on skeletal horses
1x Sneaker @ 3pts, Wraiths
3x Hordes @ 1pt, Skeletons with assorted crappy weapons
3x Lurkers @ 1pt, (ex Egyptians), Mummies
Total: 33pts
ChaosNow having 11 assorted Hordes I wondered about basing up some of the monsters from the D&D stuff I had and producing a Chaos army. Again I had more points than I needed so I could have a bit of variety. This army also introduced me to the concept of using units from different armies to produce variety. However, there has to be a reason in other armies. In chaos of course you don’t, I must look in the box again for new ideas. The Army is a bit hit and miss I tend to use a number of fliers and the Arial Hero so bad movement dice can knacker you.
1x Arial Hero General @ 6pts, A Balrog
1x Dragon @ 4pts, His friend a Golden Dragon
1x Behemoth @ 4pts, A not so friendly Giant
4xFlyers @ 2pts A Harpy, A Chimera, A Winged Gargoyle & the Balrog (if demoted)
11x Hordes @ 1ptAssorted Orks and Skeletons
1 Magician @ 4pts A Certain Evil Necromancer
Total: 35pts
The ElvesThis army came from a silly idea I had that since Heroes on foot counted as mounted Magicians on horseback should count as foot. I bought some nice figures and built a fairly standard elf army. Since the figures were generally wood elf types without armour I decided to have riders instead of knights. This army has been quite successful, however with the three Magicians it can have movement dice problems, and of course the Shooters like a bit of rough terrain. (I am told by our contact in the Slough area, Sid, that the Three-Magician Elf army is know locally as 'Spellbase Alpha'. Gazkhan).
1x Magician General @ 4pts Mounted Elven King (counts as foot)
2x Magicians @ 4pts, Mounted Wise Ones (count as foot)
2x Riders @ 2pt, Mounted Wood Elves
4x Shooters @ 2pts, Wood Elf Archers
Total: 24pts
ArthurianThis was a Christmas present of a Peter Pig boxed army. However I don’t feel that infantry have much of a place in the Legend so wanted an all knightly army. It has one variation: Early Arthurian with Merlin the Magician or Later Arthurian with Sir Galahad the Paladin. As another point of perversity I have given each element of knights a different standard but the Heroes don’t need them as they are instantly recognisable. The army does tend to be spectacular. It either wins quickly or dies quickly, but is always a lot of fun.
1 Hero General @ 4pts, King Arthur
1 Hero @ 4pts, Sir Lancelot
1 Paladin @ 4pts, Sir Galahad
1x Magician @ 4pts, Merlin
6x Knights @ 2pts, The Knights of the Round Table
Total: 28pts
The PiratesNo one was fielding Artillery as it was so crap so Jim Brown suggested costing them at 2pts and allowing them to fire in both players turns if they haven’t moved. Interestingly they are still not that good and can be killed by most armies if they use the right tactics, though they still confuse some people and win their fair share. The concept behind them was an Artillery Battery with marauding bands, or should that be Warbands, of pirates. As an aside their row boat stronghold is my only stronghold to kill a Hero.
1x Warband General @ 2pts, The Pirate Captain
1 Hero @ 4pts, A Brave Fellow (can be General if you want)
9x Warbands @ 2pts, Bands of Marauding Pirates
4x Artillery @ 2pts, Ships Guns brought ashore as a Battery
Total: 32pts
The LizardmenWe didn’t have a spear based army locally so I looked for a few figures and plumped for some marvelous big Lizards. It was an interesting range so I got extra troops for a variety. When they arrived one figure was wrong a club armed lizard had snuck into the spears so I mad him a hero (anyone walking out on the battlefield with a rock on a stick must be a hero). This army has been very successful, a solid block of spears is difficult for most armies to shift and the hero often gets a bit of leeway to choose good targets.
1x Spear General @ 2pts, Spear armed Lizardmen, one has feathers tied to his head.
1 Hero @ 4pts, A Lizardman with a stone club
11 Spears @ 2pts, Spear armed Lizardmen (no feathers)
2x Flyers @ 2pts, Lizardmen mounted on Pteradon type flyers
1x Behemoth @ 4pts, Lizardmen in Houda on back of Dinosaur type creature.
Total: 34pts
The EgyptiansHaving won a Chariot Miniatures Voucher in the Devizes Convention Raffle I couldn’t resist building a Egyptian Army as the figures are wonderful. Also, as the infantry have curved swords I could have a heavy blade army that I was missing. The figures are a delight and provide scope for a lot of variety. They have also been a successful army in almost every way I have fielded them. It must be the curse of the Mummies (even when I don’t field them!)
1x Hero General @ 4pts, Eagle Headed Hero in Chariot (Pulled by Tigers)
1x Magician @ 4pts, Bald Headed Priest/Magicians
2x Knights @ 2pts, Eagle Headed Charioteers (Pulled by Tigers)
2x Shooters @ 2pts, Jackal Headed Bowmen
8x Blades @ 2pts, Crocodile Headed Swordsman
3x Lurkers @ 1pt, Mummies (I feel they lurk, rather than sneak)
1x Horde or Lurker @ 1pt, A Plague of Frogs
Total: 36pts
Future PlansI am thinking of building a Minoan Army. I haven’t worked it all out yet but the marvelous dendritic armour of chariot mounted knights, possibly one as a hero general, bulls for beasts, some spears, some shooters and a Minotaur as a Behemoth or possibly a hero. It would also allow me to use an old joke (Copyright Sid. Gazkhan), i.e. It's a small army but Minoan. Also under consideration is a Conquistador army, hero general, one or two knights, arquebusier shooters, pike armed spears, sword and buckler blades and war dogs for beasts. This would then need an Aztec enemy……….
