Quote from: Christopher Brady;842962History is not why we play these games.  It's often boring and written by the winners.

That may be true, but history can also lead us to some great ideas for adventures and keen insights into why things are happening in a campaign as they are.

Mammoth hissy fit.

Quote from: jeff37923;842948IMHO, no self-respecting warlord is going to go and enter a kingdom until it is pacified enough to do so. That warlord will send in a trusted flunky to be the sharp end while they are safe in back.

While the general point that the, uh, general of the army is unlikely to be riding in the vanguard is well taken, the limitations of communications technology and the historical difficulties warlords have had in trusting their flunkies have often meant that yeah the warlord was at least in the army that he was using to conquer whatever he was conquering.

(Currently rereading Herodotus: the part where Cyrus loses his army & his head to the queen of the Massagetae is, of course, probably apocryphal, but also completely badass, Game of Thrones can eat its heart out)

(Also, cue argument about D&D magic vs. telegraphs)

Oh yeah and flails, or a nice sword if I'm going for a more respectable vibe.

A macuahuitl bladed with the sharpened bones of fallen champions, etched with foul runes to the 8 Furies.

Either nothing (other than maybe a sinister fondle-toy such as the pocket watch in A Few Dollars More), or an MP40.

Quote from: Christopher Brady;842985You're thinking what D&D calls the Morning Star vs. the German version, which is what D&D calls a 'Flail', it's a stick with a chain and a spiked ball, or balls,m on the end.

No, I'm not. There are morning stars with chains, but they're not the most common variant, just the most known. The name of the weapon comes from the ball with spikes, though, which gives it star-like appearance.
There are quite a few examples of morningstars without chain, though. And I'm talking about them.

QuoteHistory can be fun, but for the most part it's rather mundane compared to what can happen in a RPG where Magic can twist the laws of reality.  

I'm not even going to comment. Let's just say I've read enough of the most popular high-magic fantasy, and all of it combined is less useful than a single well-written history book.

Quote from: Kiero;842988I think it was more than by his age, Megas Alexandros was already dead, having trounced the mightiest empire in his time and traversed half the known world.

Yeah, and he had lead a few battles from the front;).

His dick.  On fire.

And he's laughing.

Quote from: AsenRG;843012Yeah, and he had lead a few battles from the front;).

Not really the Roman style, at least not for a general. A young contubernales trying to make a name for themselves, perhaps, but a general led from behind the fighting line, director rather than participant.

He was born two centuries or more too late if he'd wanted to be the tip of the wedge.

An apple, or a small pet.

He's so casually in charge at this point that there's no need for him to actually hold a weapon.

Well it looks like axes currently hold the lead in the serious choices category of this highly scientific poll.

Now I'm wondering why.

Association with executioners?

Quote from: Shipyard Locked;843099Well it looks like axes currently hold the lead in the serious choices category of this highly scientific poll.

Now I'm wondering why.

Association with executioners?

Blood For The Blood God!!

Quote from: Kiero;843023Not really the Roman style, at least not for a general. A young contubernales trying to make a name for themselves, perhaps, but a general led from behind the fighting line, director rather than participant.

He was born two centuries or more too late if he'd wanted to be the tip of the wedge.

He lead the cavalry charge in 338 BC, helping his father defeat the enemy, didn't he? I'm pretty sure he had lead other cavalry charges as well, though I can't name a particular one.

Still, for most Evil Warlords avoiding the front line is a sign of professionalism, it's just not an absolute rule!

Quote from: jeff37923;842948Seriously guys, I know this board loves its D&D and OSR clones, but if you are really thinking about kingdom building or nation smashing as part of the campaign then read a good history book.

I read history. Many medieval kings led from the front as it was an expectation of heroic-style, warrior-band leadership.

Anyway,  I voted morning star. It looks mean and in some systems like RM it has a high fumble range, so it leads to comedic effects and black humour ala "This is gong to hurt me more than t will hurt you!.

This poll tells me that very few people actually run Warlord villains.  They much prefer Masterminds.

I decided to go with spear for reasons.