Quick update (Updated July 28th!)

[russia almighty]

Question : At least in Hyborian terms what is "modern" about a feudal army vs. The king is king bitch and everyone bows down and the army is paided directly from the coffers or land is lent out but still owned by the crown ?

[Taranaich]

"Modern" as in "a recent development". Not "more advanced" or anything like that. :)

[Gazi Husrev-Beg]

You are doing great work...all sounds great and first images are shaping up nice.

You most probably heared of Age of Conan MMO, check these concept art from upcoming game, might help you a LOT in coming time.

These are Stygian warrior concept art :





Vanir :



Aquilonian :





Diverse Barbarians :







Mage/Priest :



I hope this gives you some inspiration ;)

[Taranaich]

I appreciate the links, they're very good, but to be frank I'm trying to steer myself away from the "Dark Horse" Conan aesthetic, as they make a lot of deviations from Howard's tales in terms of art design. The biggest offender is their Aquilonians, who bear little resemblance to the unambiguously late middle ages/early renaissance vision of Howard. I only gave the Corinthians a classical look because we know so little about them, so anything I do won't contradict Howard too much, and I thought a classical faction would complement the medieval and ancient nations well.

Having said that, their Vanir and some of the Stygian art is spot on.

[Gazi Husrev-Beg]

Well, I digg dark horse comic art :) It fits perfectly for me :) Anyways, if sometimes you need inspiration, check aoc sites.Lot of info, as iterpretaion of books and visula art...keep up :)

[Taranaich]

Back again with a quick update!

I've basically looked back on some of my placeholder textures (ie Ophir. If you haven't already looked in the Ophir thread... don't. Just don't), and redone the worst of them. I've also figured out a nifty way to make Gunderland Pikemen with shields, without fiddling about with the models just yet. I plan on doing them properly when I get Milkshape working, but for now they're pretty good.

So here are the new Gunderland Pikemen:


And some more new units:


Knights of Poitain
“The hosts met with a shock like that of an earthquake, that shook the tottering towers of Shamar. The disorganized squadrons of the invaders could not withstand the solid steel wedge, bristling with spears, that rushed like a thunderbolt against them. The long lances of the attackers ripped their ranks to pieces, and into the heart of their host rode the knights of Poitain, swinging their terrible two-handed swords.” – The Scarlet Citadel
The units formerly called "Knights of Poitain" are now "Lancers of Poitain". These knights are not as devastating in a charge, but much more capable of slugging it out in melee. Usually the Lancers will smash a gap in an enemy line, and the Knights will follow through.


Black Guard
"Conan of Aquilonia, blood from unbandaged wounds caking his huge limbs, faced his captors. On either side of him stood a dozen black giants, grasping their long-shafted axes." - The Scarlet Citadel
Many Hyborian nations like Koth and Ophir suffer from intense dynastic disputes, where every nobleman feels the right to strike for the throne regardless of how far removed their ancestors were from the ruling family line. As such, treachery is frequent and bloody, and a wise ruler would seek to surround himself only in company he trusts. One result of this is the Black Guard, a bodyguard unit formed of giant warriors of the Black Kingdoms armed with halberds. Because they are foreign slaves with no ethnic connection to the nobility, the logic goes that they would be less likely to be bribed by a rival, or even to assassinate their own charge and take over themselves. In addition to their loyalty, they are also steadfast soldiers, well trained and equipped by their lord to defend their holdings, family and person.


Dragon Pikemen
"Like a river of a molten steel the Nemedian host flowed into the valley, the great scarlet dragon rippling over it." - The Hour of the Dragon
In the great frenzy of industry and war-making Tarascus initiated to supplement his plot to take Aquilonia, his generals and strategists studied every facet of Aquilonian warfare. Their attempt to counter the famous Gundermen was a battallion of heavily armoured pikemen. They did not adopt the unique Gunderman pike-and-shield combinations, but attempted to circumvent that by encasing themselves in high quality plate armour vastly superior to their foe's mail and brigandine. The result is an expensive, slow-moving, inflexible but extremely tough formation that can withstand the charge of even the Knights of Poitain, and with their plate armour the devastating hail of Bossonian Arrows would clatter harmlessly from their flanks.


Legion
Though much of Acheron's might lay in it's dark sorceries and demonic pacts, the more practical arm of Acheron was in it's professional military. The Legions of Acheron were a disciplined military force, charged with defending Acheron's expansive borders from barbaric invaders and keeping the long trade routes safe from bandits and outlaws. As the empire grew, so the legions drew from the indigenous populations of new territories more from the homeland, and so the vassal kingdoms Ophir, Corinthia and western Koth had their own legionary traditions. With the fall of Acheron and the rise of the new Hyborian Kingdoms the legions became relics, mere shadows of their old glory, although some of the more culturally inclined areas perpetuate the legions, in addition to other Acheronian traditions.


Sailors
“A distant medley of voices reached their ears, and creeping to the southern edge of the cliffs, they saw a motley horde emerge from the fringe of trees along the western rim of the plateau, and stand there a space in debate. There was much flourishing of arms, brandishing of swords, and loud rough argument. Then the whole band started across the plateau toward the ruins, at a slant that would take them close by the foot of the cliffs.” – Iron Shadows in the Moon
Although sailors are not warriors by profession, a life of hard labour on the open and frequently hostile ocean breeds rugged and hardy men. They may lack the training and cohesion of a true military unit, but if an army needs a few swordsmen to bolster their armies or patrol a settlement, out of work or retired sailors would prove as good a choice as any other militia. Unlike normal militia, however, they are much less likely to rout in the face of overwhelming odds, and their skill with a sword is better than the average militiaman.


Buccaneers
“The buccaneers weaved drunkenly, they swore incoherently; they were addled and bewildered, but they grasped their swords and advanced with a ferocity not dimmed in the slightest by the fact that they did not understand what it was all about… shouting with muddled fury, ran groggily across the court and fell on their gigantic foes with bloodthirsty zeal.” – The Pool of the Black One
Buccaneers are pirates authorized by a government to attack a foreign nation's shipping, be it simple plunder of traders or the sack of a port. Drawn from the Zingaran Freebooters or Barachan Pirates, Buccaneers have all the grace of both, but with a small measure of protection from attack from their client country's own ships. Though they are generally more useful on sea, in times of desperation buccaneers can be hearty fighters on land as much on the waves, skewering their enemies with light swords and filthy language.

[Cadwalader]

Great units! Especially the dragon pikemen!
I'd love to command those.