On the Ancmed historical mailing list there has recently been a vivid discussion of ancient Tibetan armies. Inspired by this, I have developed these HOTT army lists for Tibetan armies. They are derived from the stories and legends surrounding the struggle betwen the native Tibetan Bon religion and the recently introduced Buddhism around the middle of the 1st milleniumn AD.

BON TIBETAN

Stronghold: Tibetan castle

1 Magician @ 4 AP - Bon Shaman-priest - 4 AP
1 Knight General @ 2AP- 2 AP
3 Knights @ 2 AP- Tibetan Nobles - 6 AP total
1 Riders @ 2 AP- Nomad allies - 2 AP
2 Warband - Mountain tribe foot - 4 AP
1 Lurker - Yeti - 1 AP
1 God - Sky deity - 4 AP
1 Hordes - lesser earth spirits - 1 AP

Alternatives:
Replace knights or knight general with spears (dismounted knights)
Classify Yeti as beast
Behemoth - Earth giant
Dragon - Giant black-spotted Tiger
Shooter - Skilled archers
Flyers - lesser sky spirits or shaman with magical flying device
Water Lurker - Lake Spirit

Comments:
A Tibetan castle looks much like a European castle built on a rocky outcrop. It has square towers, whitewashed walls an Chinese-style roofs. The knights should be fully-armoured cataphracts. Tibetan legends abound with all kinds of monsters, of which you can take your pick. The black-spotted tiger can spout flames not only from its mouth, but from its rear end as well. No self-respecting Tibetan fantasy can be without an abominable snowman. Portray the Yeti as either a red-haired ape in its Western image, or, closer to the Tibetans' idea about it, as a were-bear.

BUDDHIST TIBETAN

Stronghold: Buddhist temple or Stupa reliquiary.

1 Hero General @ 4 AP - Gesar Khan - 4 AP
1 Cleric @ 3 AP - Buddhist monk - 3 AP
1 Flyers @ 2 AP - Apsaras - 2 AP
1 Beast @ 2 AP - Snow Lion - 2 AP
1 Artillery @ 3 AP - Man-powered rope-pulled Catapult @ 3 AP
4 Knights @ 2 AP - Tibetan nobles - 8 AP
1 Riders @ 2 AP - Nomad allies - 2 AP

Alternatives: Knight General - lesser Tibetan king
Replace knights with spears (dismounted knights)
Flyer - Levitating monk
Shooter - Skilled archers
Warband

Comments:
Gesar Khan is an epic hero of many Tibetan and Central Asian folk tales. Portray him as a horseman in splendid Mongol-style armour, rather than as a cataphract. Apsaras are the Buddhist equivalent of Angels. Portray as young flying women without wings. Tibetan Snow Lions look like Chinese lion statues, but with white fur and red mane.

GENERAL COMMENTS

If you want to class these lists as good and evil, the Buddhist would be the 'Good' list and the Bon one the 'Evil'. The surviving adherents of the Bon religion may wish to differ, however.

Possible semihistorical enemies would be Chinese, Steppe Nomad, Indian and Arab armies.

Those more interested in the background are invited to search the archives of the ancmed mailing list at www.egroups.com/messages/ancmed for literary references.

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