Hordes Army Lists for a Song of Ice and Fire
Book Two: The North, the Riverlands and the Westerlands
The following lists are part of my continuing effort to create the armies used in George Martin's a Song of Ice and Fire. The first rule for successfully creating these armies in miniature is to totally ignore the mini-series. The costuming is quite bad and ignores the detailed and period correct descriptions provided in the books. Martin's knowledge of medieval dress, society and military dynamics is unsurpassed in a fantasy author. About the kindest thing he has said about the mini-series look is "no comment". On a related note the figures produced by Dark Sword are quite good and have benefited from the author's input and even painting guides (he has sent them to the costume people at HBO as a friendly suggestion). Unfortunately as the figures are at least 35mm in size and are not compatible with other ranges (with a few noted exceptions). They do provide excellent guides as to what the characters should look like.
The second set of lists covers the armies of the North, the Westerlands and the Riverlands. I have included in "[ ]" notes on converting the Lists to DBA or DBM/M. Elements with an "F" notation count as Fast in DBA 3.0. If no notation follows the troop description, assume all troops to be Ordinary Irregulars. Where troops are given as ½ Type A, ½ Type B, the first to be taken must be of Type A and next as Type B and so forth.
The new DBA3.0 rules have an excellent Ally rule which allows you to substitute up to 6 points (3 elements in DBA) from an allied list. Allied elements may only form groups with other allied elements. I've indicated which armies may use allies. Please note that in my prior lists the Night's Watch can use Wildling allies if Jon Snow is the General.
I have included some notes about what figures I used and some painting information. These are meant as suggestions not directives as many fine 28mm figure lines could serve very well including the Perry Brothers, Front Rank, Essex and Foundry. See Ted Naismith's 2010 Ice and Fire calendar for "official" versions of the various castles for inspiration when making Strongholds.
As to mounting I suggest using 45-50mm deep bases for Mounted, Heroes, and Mages etc. This allows the use of modern 28mm figures which are too large for the old DBA system (meant for Airfix 20mm figures). I normally mount one less figure than called for in the "old" system (so Knights have two figures, Bows three etc.)
Thomas J. Thomas
January 1, 2012
House Stark
Device: Grey Dire Wolf on field of White
Words: Winter is Coming
1 Knight [(S)] House Hold Knights
[Dismount as Blade(S)]
Make General as Lord Eddard Stark, Warden of the North
0-1 Hero [Kn(S)] Robb Stark With dire wolf Gray Wind, King of the North
[Dismount as Blade(S)]
Make General (if Eddard Stark not used)
1-3 Knights [F] Stark Retainers [Dismount as Blade]
2-8 Spears Men of the North
2-4 Shooters [Bow(S), Mtd] Men of the North with longbows (only 2 can be Mtd in DBA)
0-1 Blades [S] Greatjon Umber and retainers
0-2 Warband [Aux] Mountain Clans
0-2 Lurkers [Ps] Crannogmen with poisoned arrows
Stronghold: Winterfell Allies: House Tully; House Frey (except at weddings)
I used old Essex Hundred Years War figures for the Stark Knights and Front Rank HYW for the Spears and Shooters. I used the latest Games Workshop Bretonnian plastics Halberd men for the GreatJon. Robb Stark is described as having a visored helm and shield bearing a wolf's head. Put a dire wolf model (I used Primeval) on his base to denote Hero status. The Stark dire wolfs rarely leave the side of their human companions and so should not be depicted as separate Beasts. I used old Irregular Miniatures medieval Irish (true 25s) to represent the diminutive Crannogmen. Extra sprues from Games Workshop's Empire Knights are useful for providing fur cloaks to the Northman.
The Stark's and household troops should be painted white with heraldic wolves. I used the decal sheet from Game's Workshops Space Wolves for most of the wolves. The Stark's had many bannermen with individual heraldry. You can paint up a few individual elements in the colors of the various sworn houses for variety. Major sworn houses: Flint, blue field with white caps, a pair of blue eyes on a yellow chief; Glover, silver fist on red field; Karstark, white sunburst on a black field; Manderly, white Merman on blue green field; Mormont, black bear on green field; Reed (Crannogmen), black lizard-lion on grey green field; Ryswell, black horse on bronze field; Tallhart, three green trees on field of brown; Umber brown giant on field of red; Bolton, red flayed man on a pink de sang.
Any of the major houses can field its own army by using the Stark list but drop Robb Stark (Hero), GreatJon (Blade) and Crannogmen (Lurkers). There are many other minor houses which can be found in the role-playing games by Green Ronin as well as many internet sites.
House Tully
Device: white trout on field of blue and red
Words: Family, Duty, Honor
1 Knight [(S)] House Hold Knights
[Dismount as Blade(S)]
Make General as Edmure Tully or Byrden Tully the Blackfish
2-4 Knights Tully Knights and Men at Arms [Dismount as Blade]
0-4 Blades Men at Arms with Halberds
0-4 Spears River folk
2-4 Shooters [Bow(S)] Men at Arms with longbows
1-3 Riders [Cav] Byrden Tully the Blackfish and Scouts
Stronghold: Riverrun Allies: House Stark
I used Perry Brother War of the Roses plastics and metals for the Tullys as they should look a tad more "modern" than the rough hewn northerners. The Tully's should be depicted in parti-colored Blue and Red with a heraldic white fish. Revo and the Armory have decal sheets with fish. Major houses sworn to the Tullys: Blackwood, Black weirwood with Ravens on a field of red; Bracken, Red Stallion on field of brown; Mallister, silver eagle on indigo; Piper, white maiden on blue; Vance, quartered with green dragon on white and with tower on black OR black dragon on white and two yellow eyes on black; Whent, nine black bats on yellow; Frey, two blue towers on grey.
Any of the major houses can field its own army by using the Tully list but drop Byrden Tully (Riders). There are many other minor houses which can be found in the role-playing games by Green Ronin as well as many internet sites.
House Lannister
Device: yellow (gold) lion on red
Words: Hear Me Roar
1-2 Knight [Reg (S)] House Hold Knights
[Dismount as Reg Blade(S)]
Make General as Tywin Lannister or Jaime Lannister (1 hand)
0-2 Hero [Kn(S)] Jaime Lannister (2 hands) and/or Gregor Clegane, the Mountain
[Dismount as Blade(S)]
Make General (if Jaime (1 hand) and Tywin Lannister not used)
0-1 Paladin [Kn(S)] Sandor Clegane, the Hound
2-4 Knights Sworn Knights and Men at Arms [Dismount as Blade]
Make General as Tyrion Lannister, the Imp (if Tywin and Jaime not used)
1-4 Blades Men at Arms
0-4 Spears [Reg Pike or Spear] Pikemen (household troops), Spears sworn Houses
2-4 Shooters [Bow, Crossbow Reg] ½ Bows, ½ Crossbows (household troops)
0-2 Riders [Cav, Freeriders(I)] Tyrion and the Moon Clans [dismount as Warband]/Freeriders
0-1 Art [S] Trebuchet using green fire (only if Tyrion is Gen)
0-2 Spear [Reg] King's Landing City Watch (only if Tyrion is Gen)
0-2 Hordes Raw recruits
0-2 Sneakers Boltons and Freys
Stronghold: Casterly Rock Allies: House Tyrell, House Bolton, House Frey
I used a mix of Games Workshop Bretonnians and Empire as well as Perry Brothers for the Lannisters, as they can afford the latest equipment. Lord Tywin is described as having red enameled armor with a lion crested great helm and a cloak of gold. Jaime uses golden armor and wears a white cloak as a member of the King's guard. House hold knights may have used metal armored horses (use Empire horses). The older plastic Bretonnians came with lion crested helms perfect for the Lannisters. Revo and the Armory make decal sheets with lions and Games Workshop Bretonnian box sets also come with lion decals. Gregor Clegane is reputedly well over 7 foot so use as large a figure as possible, he seems to use a two handed great sword even on horseback. The Dark Sword version of the Hound is much too large (it might serve for Gregor) but it comes with multiple heads with the distinctive Hound helm which fit perfectly on a Games Workshop figure.
Only House Lannister could afford to maintain Regular Household troops.
Major houses sworn to the Lannisters: Brax, purple unicorn on silver (white); Clegane, three black dogs on field of yellow; Crakehall, white boar on field of brown; Farman, three silver ships on blue; Kenning, quartered four sunbursts on orange and black; Lefford, golden inverted pile on blue yellow sun in first; Lydden, white badge on green and brown; Marbrand, burning tree orange on smoke; Prester, red ox on ermine (white). If Jaime is Gen, some Tully houses can be used.
Any of the major houses can field its own army by using the Lannister list but drop named characters and any marked Reg. There are many other minor houses which can be found in the role-playing games by Green Ronin as well as many internet sites.
