Tarsh War
War-drums are beating along the Bush Range. On the hill-tops blaze the fires of the Tars Gor, summoning the clans to wash their axes in the blood of enemies. The natives are restless, and one thing alone stands between civilisation and scalp-taking savagery. A thin red line, a line glimmering with Silver, Bronze and Steel: the Lunar Army!
Join the serried ranks! Lead the army of the Great Red Queen to the very foothills of Wintertop! Defend the Pax Lunara in a last-ditch struggle, or plant the Red Vexillum in the smoking ruins of a Tarsh encampment! Live or die, the tales of your exploits will stir the Empire!
Tarsh War is an epic Gloranthan scenario about military life. The players are the commanding officers of a Lunar Army operating beyond the Glowline of Lunar Tarsh.
This scenario is unlike any that has been published before. It offers a unique insight into the Lunar Way of War and the trials and tribulations of life in the Red Army. Besides the scenario and its many cameo episodes, Tarsh War also contains a mass of material useful in other Gloranthan games: a map and description of the Bush Range, illustrations of Lunar and Tarshite troops, articles about Lunar warfare, and several prominent personalities who would grace any campaign set in Dragon Pass.
With Tarsh War, Glorantha returns to its roots: the military actions of the Lunar Empire in Dragon Pass, which were the subject of the very first Gloranthan game, White Bear and Red Moon.
Foreword by Greg Stafford
I am pleased and honored to welcome Tarsh War into the Gloranthan procession.
Live-action roleplaying games have been an innovative and consistently fascinating aspect of Glorantha's 'English Contribution.' Thanks to David Hall's Megacorp, we've fought for Sartarite freedom (or Lunar hegemony!) in Home of the Bold and politicked the finer points of Malkioni doctrine in How the West was Won.
The volume in your hands contains the first published in-depth view of the mighty military beast of the Lunar Empire. Chris and his co-authors have seized upon hints, myths, and half-mysteries and marshalled a striking interpretation of the strategic military conflicts of the Hero Wars.
Happily for both Chaosium and Chris, Tarsh War comes at the perfect time: we are busy developing the background for the great battles (and commando raids!) that will occupy center stage in the Gloranthan miniatures games we are co-producing with Stratelibri in 1997.
For the moment, enjoy this book to the fullest. It's not quite right in all its particulars, but certainly that's partly because Chris & Co. drew inspiration and details from unpublished Gloranthan tabletop miniature rules I wrote twenty-two years ago.
Just as Chris drew from my old rules, we are absorbing Tarsh War into the creative stream for the upcoming Gloranthan skirmish game. I'm grateful for this assistance, and welcome your comments and input as well.
So I say forward! Glory lies before he who knows when to provoke, when to look the other way, and when to strike; if the barbarians obstruct the path of the Empire, let the Moonlight gild their shattered hovels!
- Greg
Tarsh War is a lavishly-illustrated 48-page book with colour cover, containing a rules-light freeform scenario suitable for up to thirteen players and a referee (though easily playable with fewer). The player characters include a Lunar General, People's Tribune, Cossack Hetman and Prince of Tarsh. Most players are senior officers and troop commanders. Illustrations and detailed unit descriptions are included for the Granite Phalanx Hoplites, Lost Sky Peltasts, Red Dragoons, Bush Rangers, Bagnot Militia and Char-Un Cossacks, as well as Lunar military magicians from the Lunar College of Magic, not forgetting their fearsome Tarshite opponents, from savage Tribal Militia to the Cannibal Virgin Axe-Maidens. Also included are a two-page pictorial map of the Bush Range, full-page illustrations of Lunar and Tarshite troop types, half a dozen pages of Lunar military background, player handouts, regimental marching songs, full wargaming rules and more!
Tarsh War is written by Chris Gidlow, Dan Barker and Nick Brooke. Editing by Nick Brooke and David Hall. Graphic design by Steve Thomas. Artwork by Dan Barker. Map by Phil Anderson. Production by David Hall. Produced by Reaching Moon Megacorp, 1997.
Yanafal Tarnils,
Ram and Warrior
Defends this Book.
Glorantha, HeroQuest, Hero Wars, and Issaries are trademarks of Issaries, Inc. The contents of this page are copyright by Nick Brooke , 2001; any material derived from Greg Stafford's world of Glorantha is also copyright by Greg Stafford. Glorantha is the creation of Greg Stafford, and is used with his permission.