PUN KEE'S HAN HORDE

This is the semi-historical Chinese list right out of the HotT book. I have made a few formatting changes, but it still stands true to the original. Stronghold: Chinese guard tower.

Magician (Confucian Sorceror) @ 4AP...1
Dragons (Eastern variety) @ 4AP...2
Knight General (in chariot with crew) @ 2AP...1
Knights (charioteers) or Riders (mounted archers)@ 2AP...2
Blades (elite halberdiers) @ 2AP...1
Shooters (crossbowmen) @ 2AP...2

Alternatives: Warbands (convict troops) @ 2AP, Hordes (conscript spearmen) @ 1AP, Lurkers (bandits) @ 1AP

DESIGN PHILOSOPHY

This army actually started out as a single Han command chariot I bought several years ago. I never really got around to doing a Han DBA army, but I really liked the chariot (I have this thing for chariots) and wanted the opportunity to do something with it. So I ordered the pieces for the rest of the army. I got the Osprey book. I found out that I now had the oppotunity to paint twelve 15mm horses in tiny red and white checkerboards. And I heard a voice from the sky say to me, "YOU ARE IN HELL." But I tried it anyway. And you know what? 15mm horses look GOOD in tiny white and red checkerboards. Kinda reminds of Bob's Big Boy, though.

Through the years, I have experimented with painting things in red and white, I have always liked the effect but never really pursued the combination for an entire force. So now I really look forward to doing an entire army with these colors! While much of the infantry will simply be done with red coats and pants, other things like the Dragons can be rendered with pearls and metallics of these two primary colors. If nothing else, it will certainly be different than the rest of the figures lining my various display shelves.

The Han figures are from Essex, while the two dragons are Ral Partha 25m Celestial Dragons. They just fit onto a 40mm by 80mm base. But they are HUGE compared to the troops, and they look like they mean business.

And it's Pun Kee's Han Horde because I was asking for information about this army on the HotT list and jokingly mentioned that I would be changing my name to Pun Qra Bit, and it was kindly pointed out nicknames are bestowed not chosen in conjunction with being addressed as Pun Kee. And so I now have my own cheesy Chinese name. Thank you so much Jeff "No Printable Nickname" Bolton and Chow Li!

And after finally painting so much red and white, I have had enoough! Pun Kee's Han Horde will be the LAST intricate paint scheme I will attempt. Yeah, right....

STATUS

The core army is painted, and the stronghold is complete. Optional elemnts are in the process even as this is being written.

BATTLES

1may2002: Finally a game that went right for me! Darkhost faced my Han Horde with his Orcs (version Fas.) The game was going well for him early on (I lost a Knight and my Magician early on,) but somehow I managed to pull my army together for a sustained assault on his General in a tight area. The Dice Gods were finally on my side (even if my Dragons didn't show up until the very end and played no actual part in the game.) Through a series of lucky rolls on my part coupled with more than his fair share of "1's" I managed to eliminate 12AP of his army while I was only down 8AP. Neither Gneral was lost, nor was his Stronghold (actually my "generic" stronghold, which may have in part contributed to his bad dice luck.)

This game was a bit of a switch for us, as he had determined which army he was playing before arriving for the game, and I randomly determined mine. He had a Bad Dice Day, while i had a Good Dice Day. The only thing that looked even vaguely familiar for a game between us was that he was the Defender (as usual) and the Volcano of Doom was placed squarely in the middle of the table.

The most important thing I learned is that Dragons on 40mmx80mm bases have a terrible time finding open spaces on the table big enough to land in when your opponent sets out all sorts of woods, BUAs, and impassable terrain. Pretty much shut down my Dragons, that did.

In all, it was a very different game. If all games could have this much of a uniqueness factor, I would be quite pleased.

And I have been forbidden from ever claiming I have "Bad Dice Days" from this point on.

(Multiple games in 2001 and early 2002): I am the worst Chinese General in the world. Many many games fought with the army, I think I have won like two of them. Maybe only one. I can't remember. I have been so consistently embarrassed by my performance with this army that i don't even post individual results.

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