Note: This page was written before the publication of HOTT 2.0, which contains a far more extensive section on the Discworld. More to the point, the lists and notes in HOTT 2.0 were actually approved by Terry Pratchett. However, I will keep this page here for the interest of those who like to look at alternative possibilities. And for the addition of Post v2.0 Discworld ideas of course.

This page grew out of discussion on the DBM Mailing list on representing the armies of the Discworld (such as they are) in 'Hordes of the Things'. Although Terry Pratchett's Discworld series has a section of its own in the HOTT rule-book it suffers from two major failings. Firstly, it only offers guidelines for army creation, apart from rules for representing Rincewind and The Luggage. Secondly, since HOTT was published in 1991 more books have been published in the series, offering new troops and ideas.

This page is an attempt to list specific ideas for classifying the inhabitants and armies of the Discworld in terms of HOTT. If, after reading this you wish to contribute thoughts of your own, then mail me and I will include them here.

In the following you will find a mixture of complete lists, partial lists and individual troop classifications. The biggest problem with the Discworld books is that there are few battles and very little detail on military matters. This may be refreshing from most points of view, but from that of a wargamer it is frustrating. There are also a lot of individuals running around who refuse to be organised into nice neat 24AP armies, whilst begging to be included in any game - Rincewind and The Luggage for example. Pulling together the various disparate components of the Discworld into neat little lists is not an easy task.

A Reasonably Complete List For Unseen University

This list covers the forces available to the premier school of wizardry on the Disc, Unseen University. All wizards should be depicted as overweight, bearded smokers in flashy robes and pointed hats and carrying staffs. It is well known that a wizard's staff has a knob on the end. The more senior wizards should be identified by being fatter and more outlandishly dressed than their lesser brethren. If the Archchancellor is Ridcully Mustrum, then he can be armed with a crossbow and fishing rod. This does not affect his grading. All wizards are men (but not all men are wizards..). Grading the Librarian as a Beast may be unfair; Hero would be more suitable, but there is not room in the list for another 4AP element. The Lesser Wizards are depicted as Shooters because this gives them a ranged spell casting capability whilst keeping them less puissant than the senior wizards. Magical books are essentially alive, and can move by flying. Most are dangerous, which is why they are chained to the shelves, but it is assumed that some of the more tractable ones could be let out for a frolic from time to time.

Random Jottings On Armies Of The Disc

Some thoughts on nations and groups on the Disc and how the armies may be structured or represented.

Djelibebi - This is Ancient Egypt. Spears, some Blades and perhaps Knights (chariots). Gods may intervene. Teppic could be included as a Sneaker (he was a trained assassin). Unlike the real Ancient Egypt, camels were available (Riders?). Crocodiles could be included as Water Lurkers. The Semi-Historical Egyptian list in the rules may offer a starting point. The stronghold would have to be a Pyramid - no doubt about it.
Ephebe - A facsimilie of Ancient Greece. We can expect armoured spearmen (Hoplites, classed as Spears). Wooden Horses are popular (Sneakers). Is Tsort the same ?
Omnia - Lots of religious fanatics. However their God is a small tortoise so is unlikely to rate as a HOTT God, and the priests are not sufficiently holy enough to rate as Clerics. So ironically this army will probably be extraordinarily secular in nature.
Ankh-Morpork - The wizards are covered above, and they are pretty much independent of the city they live in anyway. Actually, an army for the city itself is pretty pointless, as it seems to make a point of allowing itself to be invaded, then ripping off the invaders. There is a city watch - these could be Spears (again). Captain Vimes's Night Watch is undisciplined enough to rate as a Warband, but Vimes and or Carrot could rate as Heroes. Corporal Nobbs might merit inclusion as a Sneaker. On the subject of Sneakers, Ankh-Morpork has a thriving Assassins Guild. Other guild may merit inclusion - the Alchemists could be particularly explosive - Artillery or Shooters perhaps. The inventions of Leonard of Quirm could be included (if they work) - possible Flyer or Behemoth here, on the lines of the semi-historical Renaissance Italian list in the rules. Indeed, Renaissance Italy is probably the best starting point for this list. Ankh-Morpork is pretty cosmopolitan, so a list could included Troll (Behemoths), Dwarves (Blades) and even Swamp Dragons (Flyers). The inhabitants of the Shades are Lurkers.
Dwarves - Pratchett's Dwarves are short bearded miners in the stereotypical Dwarf mould. All twelve elements should be Blades. What a simple list.
Trolls - Big stone creatures. Behemoths. However, only half of the army points can be spent on 4AP Behemoths, so the other half must be spent on less expensive things. Smaller trolls could be Warband, or even Lurkers
The Agatean Empire - China. And Japan.

Some Individual Things That Defy Grouping With Other Things

The section on The Discworld in the HOTT rules covers how Rincewind and The Luggage should be classified. I see no reason to dispute these classifications. Other things appear in the books that do not seem to be part of any organised scheme of things, and so are included here. Goodness knows how they can be included in a game. Ideas welcome.

Druid Hardware Engineer on a Flying Stone - Airboat @ 3AP
The Four Horsemen of the Apocralypse - God (or Gods) @ 4AP. Death justifies an element by himself really; again, a God I think.

Steve Price has contributed this list for The Forces of Mighty Lancre

King Verence and Shaun	1 Blade General - he'd like to think
Granny	1 Magician - the real General
Nanny Ogg and Magrat (and Agnes)	1 Magician
Greebo	1 Beast
Nanny's extended family	1 Warband
Pixies	1 Lurker
Casanunda the Dwarf	1 Sneaker
Verence's Falcons	1 Flyer
Incensed locals	4 Hordes

Brian Pierpoint suggests this list for The Silver Horde

1 Hero General (Cohen the barbarian)

2 Heroes (Boy Willie, Mad Hamish, Truckle the Uncivil on the first, Caleb the Ripper, Old Vincent and Teach on the second.)

4 Blades (The Red Army - Golem soldiers)

4 Lurkers (Red Army - Incredibly polite revolutionaries)

Alternatives: Artillery (Barking Dog), Sneaker (Pretty Butterfly, Lotus Blossom).

Paul Grace has two suggestions for lists from 'The Fifth Elephant':

Uberwald Werewolf

1 Hero General (Wolfgang Von Uberwald)

6 Beasts (Werewolves in wolf form)

2 Warband (Werewolves in human form).

1 Lurker

1 Sneaker

Stronghold: Gothic Tower

Uberwald Vampires

1 Hero General (Count Magpyr)

2 Flyer (Bats)

8 Hordes (Undead)

1 Lurker (Igor)

1 Sneaker

1 Behemoth - Hearse (coach with coffin of Lady Margolotta and retinue).

Stronghold: Gothic Tower

Jeff Herbert writes:
I built an Army based on the Thought Dragons from his second book.

This has 2 Aerial Heroes and 6 Flyers. The reason for Flyers and Aerial Heroes is that the Thought Dragons are only Thoughts, kill the rider and they disappear ! A nice thing about them is that they are one of the few armies that get to fight albiet against themselves. I made mine from the Man O War Elf Flying Dragons, cut off the elf and mounted a Midianite Arab on each one.

I use Rincewind and the luggage as suggested, the luggage I made from a small lead chest and lots of 20mm plastic feet from Esci Zulus. I have considered using the luggage as a Lurker. The advantage is that the luggage is indestructable and Behemoths do die. As a lurker it appears/reappears without more than a scratch or two a move after Rincewind comes under fire or attack, or any where along the path he has taken. . ! Rincewind could equally be a Sneaker, or possibly a Cleric/Sneaker hybrid.

Malcolm writes

I also thought that the Ankh Morpork watch could be expanded a bit:

Commander Vimes - Hero general
Captain Carrot - Hero
Sgt Angua - Beast
Various trolls (especially Detritus), Constable Dorfl (golem) - Behemoths
Sgt Detritus and his siege bow - Artillery
Constable Squires on the back of a bird - Flier
Other watchmen can be Blades, Spears or Shooters as according to the Discworld Companion they have mail, breastplate, helmet, emergency pike or halberd, and even a bow or crossbow. In DBM terms they'd probably be Bd, Sp, Pk, Ax or Bw, all (I). Alternatively, you could have Dwarfs who'd definitely be Bd.

Alternatives: Sgt Colon and Constable Nobbs as lurkers, a magician from the Unseen University or a Cleric.

Brian Pierpoint writes:

I've been reading the latest Discworld offering, Night Watch, and I think there are three armies in it. Admittedly two overlap and fundamentally serve the same side.

The Legitimate Government

Lord Winder - The Patrician	1 x Blade general @ 2AP	2
Sergeant Carcer and Particulars	1 x Hero @ 4AP	4
Palace Guard	1 x Blades @ 2AP	2
Lord Venturi's Medium Dragoons	2 x Knights @ 2AP	4
Stelachi's Light Infantry	3 x Shooters @ 2AP	6
Big Mary	1 x Behemoth @ 4AP	4
Cable Street Particulars	2 x Lurkers @ 1AP	2

Stronghold – The Patrician's palace

Lord Winder is paranoid (or maybe not) and is always surrounded by armed bodyguards. The cavalry are present due to the fact that everyone knows cavalry are highly trained at civilian crowd control. :) Big Mary is a mobile siege tower mounted on a heavy 4 wheeled cart and pushed by 2 oxen. Metal sheathed walls to cover men with big hooks on the end of long chains, and protect the archers on top.

And the opposition depending on your viewpoint can be either:

The Forces of 'Lord Snapcase For Patrician' Campaign

Lady Meserole aided by Rosie Palm and Miss Battye	1 x Cleric General @ 3AP	3
Havelock Vetinari	1 x Sneaker @ 3AP	3
The Hon. John Bleedwell	1 x Lurker @ 1AP	1
Dotsie and Sadie the Agony Aunts	1 x Lurker @ 1AP	1
Sergeant Keel and Samuel Vimes	1 x Hero @ 4AP	4
The Watch	1 x Shooters @ 2AP	2
Pick of "The Army"	2 x Blades @ 2AP	4
Rest of "The Army"	6 x Hordes @ 1AP	6

Stronghold – Black Coach or Town Mansion

I must admit that I am a bit uncertain as to the classification of Lady Meserole as in the book she acted more like a Sneaker than anything else. However by adding Rosie Palm and Miss Battye, both of whom were involved in organising the rebellion and acted as protectors (sort of) I opted for Cleric.

The People's Republic of Treacle Mine Road

Sergeant at Arms Keel and Samuel Vimes	1 x Hero General @ 4AP	4
The Watch	1 x Shooters @ 2AP	2
Lu-Tze the Sweeper	1 x Cleric @ 3AP	3
Reg-Shoe	1 x Horde @ 1AP	1
Grannies brigade	1 x Shooters @ 2AP	2
Pick of "The Army"	2 x Blades @ 2AP	4
Rest of "The Army"	4 x Hordes @ 1AP	4
Havelock Vetinari	1 x Sneaker @ 3AP	3
Dotsie and Sadie the Agony Aunts	1 x Lurker @ 1AP	1

Stronghold – Treacle Mine Road Watch House

Notes:
Dotsie and Sadie the Agony Aunts - Dark figures both wearing old fashioned black straw hoods. Dotsie's
handbag and Sadie's parrot-handled umbrella.
Havelock Vetinari  - The unconventional assassin.
The Hon. John Bleedwell  - Conventional assassin, thus deceased.
Sergeant at arms John Keel (Who is in fact Samuel Vimes "Future") and Samuel Vimes (present) are armed with a crossbows.
The watch are armed with crossbows.
Lu-Tze the Sweeper -  An orange robed history monk with broom, ably "assisted" by Qu.
Reg Shoe -  Man and zombie waving the flag of Ankh-Morpork.
The Army  - A motley mob, a quarter of which are white haired. Armed with meatcleavers tied to poles, long spikes, meathooks, halberds and swords.
Grannies with megaphones and dirty fighting habits when on barricade duty.

Back to The Stronghold