Is anything rotten in the state of Zingara?

[Etepete]

Back to Zingara, considering a Zingarian plot line how about an invasion by land hungry Aquilonia just over the border there? Zingara is open land politically divided against itself and unable to field a large loyal army. Poitain itself was a serious threat to Zingara by itself. Aquilonia united by a strong king- such as Conan himself- and looking for easier targets than the Pictish Wilderness could overwhelm it. PCs could be on either side or simply caught in the middle while in the midst of their own affairs.

An exellent suggestion in all. Sadly a bit out of the way for my campaign. If it was just a tad more landlocked, I'd go for it. good thinking

I'm not sure whether Zingara's supposed to fall to Aquilonia just yet, according to the chronology. Even if not, the counts and barons of Poitain might very well start a minor conflict along the same lines. Borderland politics is a lot of fun

 

[Bregales]

Back to Zingara, considering a Zingarian plot line how about an invasion by land hungry Aquilonia just over the border there? Zingara is open land politically divided against itself and unable to field a large loyal army. Poitain itself was a serious threat to Zingara by itself. Aquilonia united by a strong king- such as Conan himself- and looking for easier targets than the Pictish Wilderness could overwhelm it. PCs could be on either side or simply caught in the middle while in the midst of their own affairs.

An exellent suggestion in all. Sadly a bit out of the way for my campaign. If it was just a tad more landlocked, I'd go for it. good thinking

I'm not sure whether Zingara's supposed to fall to Aquilonia just yet, according to the chronology. Even if not, the counts and barons of Poitain might very well start a minor conflict along the same lines. Borderland politics is a lot of fun

Well, no, not according to Howard's chronology. If you read the latter half of The Hyborian Age essay (near the back of the core rules book) it says that after Conan's time others sought to expand their rule, which in an offhand way is how the Pictish Chief Gorm got to rise to power and crush all of western Hyboria! But Conan himself saw the empirialistic desires of other kings (like Nemedia) and called them fools, so he would have nothing with it (The Hour of the Dragon, if I recall correctly).

If you decide to have Aquilonia invade Zingara anyway, consider the political ramifications. Nemedia would have an excuse to attack Aquilonia (again, but this time justified); Ophir would play against both empires, Argos certainly wouldn't ally with Aquilonia - even against it's enemy, as it would realize that the victorious empire would be a serious threat to their own survivability, so they would act like Ophir. This is just a quick reaction, written at work while I'm trying to design a new web page (and needed a quick break! :roll: ), but I hope it gives some ideas. Just think that EVERYONE (or every state/nation/principality/etc.) has their own agenda. By the time Conan was king he was acutely aware of this.

 

[The King]

the armed force of nemedia is too small to invade Aquilonia. What I recall is that Aquilonia was mostly the invader in the war between both kingdoms but I suppose the military was too inefficient to achieve any decisive results.
When Nemedia invaded Aquilonia, it had the support of other nations.

Considering an invasion of Zingara, I wouldn't consider it. It is quite hard to control a state that is in permanent civil war. Of course you can invade it quickly because there is no complete army but how would you rule all these baronies? They would still be fighting their war but most likely the invaded would fight a guerilla warfare and make it impossible to control the country excepted the greater cities and the capital city.

 

[Bregales]

the armed force of nemedia is too small to invade Aquilonia. What I recall is that Aquilonia was mostly the invader in the war between both kingdoms but I suppose the military was too inefficient to achieve any decisive results...

Yes it is small, but they still sent in twenty thousand warriors, and with the help of Xaltotun they routed the Aquilonian army.

When Nemedia invaded Aquilonia, it had the support of other nations..

Also true, but Nemedia has been Aquilonia's main thorn in it's side, so to speak.The invasion in this story isn't the only time Nemedia warred against Aquilonia. Also, I mentioned that they had support, that was my main point.

Considering an invasion of Zingara, I wouldn't consider it. It is quite hard to control a state that is in permanent civil war. Of course you can invade it quickly because there is no complete army but how would you rule all these baronies? They would still be fighting their war but most likely the invaded would fight a guerilla warfare and make it impossible to control the country excepted the greater cities and the capital city.

I aree. This is what medieval Spain was like when El Cid (Rodrigo Diaz de Viar (Sp?) united the Christian kingdoms in the 11th(?) Century, so it's possible using Spain as a model for Zingara that the baronies would unite under a common threat (at least until that threat is quelled).

 

[The King]

It seems the Aquilonian army isn't very good because they were also route by the Cimmerians.
I would consider it an army with poor moral and a great spreading corruption among the officers. It changes a bit when Conan became king because he had the charisma to rally his men.
Of course there are the Bossonian, the Gundermen and the cavalry of Poitain but this makes a small elite force compared to the rest.
Nemedia is comparatively small but has a strong independant feeling and they are educated (i.e.: the Nemedian Chronicles and the University). That is also the reason why they could always repulse all the Aquilonian armies and stay free.

 

[Bregales]

It seems the Aquilonian army isn't very good because they were also route by the Cimmerians.
I would consider it an army with poor moral and a great spreading corruption among the officers. It changes a bit when Conan became king because he had the charisma to rally his men.
Of course there are the Bossonian, the Gundermen and the cavalry of Poitain but this makes a small elite force compared to the rest.
Nemedia is comparatively small but has a strong independant feeling and they are educated (i.e.: the Nemedian Chronicles and the University). That is also the reason why they could always repulse all the Aquilonian armies and stay free.

Yeah, sounds fair. Remember, that Aquilonia proper conquered the Gundermen, the Bossonian marches, and Poitain (The Hour of the Dragon goes into this a little, I think it was about a century before Conan's time). The basic idea is that the Aquilonians became like the Roman's during that empire's apogee, they got content and lazy and let barbarians do their dirty work. The counter to that is that: Aquilonia has potential aggressors on all of it's borders, King Conan has no aspirations at empire-building, he believes in freedom and independence, from a feudal perspective, (note how the various counts and duke fall apart when it is believed that he is dead, only Prospero and the more vocal Countess Albiona remain steadfastly loyal to Conan's reign-the others either cower in silence, are killed, or openly adopt the puppet king's reign hoping for the old days to return); and like you wrote Nemedia has a strong independent feeling. I would also say so does Zingara and Argos, to a certain extent.