The Han Dynasty TheHan dynastywas the secondimperial dynasty of China(206 BCE220 CE), preceded by theQin dynasty(221206 BCE) and succeeded by theThree Kingdomsperiod (220280 CE).Spanning over four centuries, the Hanperiod is considered agolden agein Chinese history.It was founded by the rebel leaderLiu Bang,known posthumouslyasEmperor Gaozu of Han, and briefly interrupted by theXin dynasty(923 AD) of the former regentWang Mang. This interregnum separatesthe Han dynasty into two periods: theWestern HanorFormer Han(206 BCE 9 CE) and theEastern HanorLater Han(25220 CE).

The emperorwas at the pinnacle ofHan society. He presided over theHan governmentbut shared power with boththe nobilityand appointed ministers who came largely from the scholarlygentry class. The Han Empire wasdivided into areas directly controlledby the central government using an innovation inherited from the Qin known ascommanderies, and a number ofsemi-autonomous kingdoms. These kingdoms gradually lost all vestiges oftheir independence, particularly following theRebellion of the SevenStates.

The Han dynasty was anage of economic prosperityand saw a significant growth of themoney economyfirst established during the Zhou dynasty(c. 1050256 BCE).The coinageissued by the central governmentmintin 119BC remained the standard coinage ofChina until theTang dynasty(618907 CE).

TheXiongnu, a nomadicsteppeconfederation,defeated the Han in 200 BCE and forced the Han to submit as ade factoinferior partner, but continued their raids on the Han borders.Emperor Wu of Han(r. 14187 BCE)launchedseveral military campaignsagainst them. The ultimate Han victory in these wars eventually forced the Xiongnu to accept vassal status asHan tributaries. These campaigns expanded Han sovereignty into theTarimBasinofCentral Asia, divided the Xiongnu into two separate confederations, and helped establish the vast trade network known as theSilk Road, which reached as far as theMediterranean world.

The territories north of Han'sborders were quickly overrun by the nomadicXianbeiconfederation. Emperor Wu also launched successfulmilitary expeditions in the south, annexingNanyue in 111 BCEandDian in 109 BCE, and in theKorean PeninsulawheretheXuantuandLelang Commanderieswere established in 108 BCE. After 92 CE, the palaceeunuchsincreasingly involved themselves in court politics, engaging in violent power struggles between the variousconsort clansofthe empresses and empresses dowager, causing the Han's ultimate downfall. Imperial authority was also seriously challenged by largeDaoistreligious

societies which instigated theYellow Turban Rebellionand theFivePecks of Rice Rebellion. Following the death ofEmperor Ling (r. 168189 CE), the palace eunuchs suffered wholesale massacre bymilitary officers, allowing members of the aristocracy and military governors to becomewarlords and divide the empire. WhenCao Pi, King of Wei, usurped the throne fromEmperor Xian, the Han dynasty ceased to exist.

At the beginning of the Han dynasty, every male commoner aged twenty-three was liable forconscriptioninto the military. The minimum age for the military draft was reduced to twenty afterEmperor Zhao's(8774 BCE)reign.Conscripted soldiers underwent one year of training and one year of service as non-professional soldiers. The year of training was served in one of three branches of the armed forces:infantry,cavalryornavy.[198]The year of active service was served either on the frontier, in a king's court or under the Minister of the Guards in the capital. A small professional (paid) standing army was stationed near the capital.

During the Eastern Han, conscription could be avoided if one paid a commutable tax. The Eastern Han court favored the recruitment of

avolunteer army.The volunteer army comprised the Southern Army (Nanjun),while thestanding armystationed in and near the

capital was the Northern Army (Beijun).Led by Colonels, the Northern Army consisted of five regiments, each composed of

several thousandsoldiers.When central authority collapsed after 189 AD, wealthy landowners, members of the aristocracy/nobility, and regional military-governors relied upon their retainers to act as their own personal troops

During times of war, the volunteer army was increased, and a much largermilitiawas raised across the country to

supplement the Northern Army. In these circumstances, a General (Jiangjun) led adivision, which

wasdivided intoregimentsled by Colonels and sometimes Majors (Sima). Regiments were

divided intocompaniesand led by Captains.With the accession of James the Sixth of Scotland to the English throne the wars died out in 1603.

Army Commander 1 Any Professional Dates 206 BCE 9 CE

Sub-Generals 1-3 Any Professional TERRAIN Coastal, Mountains, Forest

Internal allied General 0-1 Any Professional Camp Unfortified or Fortified :Poor or Average

Name Type Quality Shooting ProtectionWEAPONRY Characteristics Min

MaxUG Size

MELEE Mandatory Optional

Standing Army - Beijun Battle Chariots, only before 100BC

Battle ChariotAverage

ExperiencedProtected

Light Spear - - 04,6

Formed Loose Crossbow - - - 6

Heavy CavalryCavalry

AverageExperienced

ProtectedLight Spear Shoot and Charge Melee Expert 0

4,6Drilled Loose Crossbow - - Dismountable 16

Nu - Best Missile Troops

InfantryAverage

ExperiencedProtected

- - Combat Shy 06,8

Drilled Loose Crossbow - - Caltrops 16

Ji - Best Close FightersInfantry

Average-

ProtectedPolearm - Combat Shy 0

6,8Drilled Flexible - - - Caltrops 16

Combined Best infantry *

InfantryAverage

-Protected

Polearm - Combat Shy 0

6,9Drilled Flexible - - - Caltrops 8

InfantryAverage

ExperiencedProtected

- - Combat Shy 0

Drilled Loose Crossbow - - Caltrops 16

Conscripted army - Nanjun

Heavy CavalryCavalry

AverageExperienced

ProtectedLight Spear Shoot and Charge Melee Expert 4

4,6Formed Flexible Crossbow - - Dismountable 16

Nu - Conscript Missile Troops

InfantryAverage

ExperiencedProtected

- Combat Shy - 12**6,8

Formed Loose Crossbow - - - 24

Ji - Conscript Close Fighters

InfantryAverage

-Protected

Polearm - Combat Shy 6**6,8

Formed Flexible - - - - 24

Combined Conscript infantry *

InfantryAverage

-Protected

Polearm - Combat Shy 0

6,9Drilled Flexible - - - Caltrops 12

InfantryAverage

ExperiencedProtected

- Combat Shy - 0

Drilled Loose Crossbow - - Caltrops 24

Chang'an Western Han

Name Type Quality Shooting ProtectionWEAPONRY Characteristics Min

MaxUG Size

MELEE Mandatory Optional

Mao Conscript Close Fighters

InfantryAverage

-Protected

Long Spear - Combat Shy 06,8

Formed Flexible - - - - 8

Yan Conscript Close Fighters

InfantryAverage

-Protected

Light Spear - Combat Shy 06,8

Formed Flexible - - - - 8

Optional Troops

Horse ArchersCavalry

AverageExperienced

Protected- - - 0

4,6Formed Flexible Bow - - - 18

Dependant State Cavalry

CavalryAverage

ExperiencedUnprotected

Light Spear - Melee Expert 04,6

Formed Flexible Bow - - - 12

Convict Labour troopsInfantry

Average-

Unprotected - - Combat Shy 0

8,9,10Tribal Loose - - - - 10

Bolt ShootersArtillery

AverageExperienced

Unprotected - - - 0

2,4Formed Loose Light Artillery - - - 4

Stone ThrowersArtillery

AverageExperienced

Unprotected - - - 0

2,3Formed Loose Light Artillery - - - 3

Archers Infantry

AverageExperienced

Unprotected- - Combat Shy 0

6,8,9Skirmisher Bow - - - 18

NOTES

*Han Combined infantry TuGs consist of 1 front rank base of Ji (Polearm) armed troops and a 2nd and 3rd ranks of Nu (Crossbowmen). The

bases from combined TuGs taken in this way deduct from the minima and maximum of the component troops.

** Mimimum only applies if any non- Cavalry bases are used.

Luoyang Eastern Han Army Commander 1 Any Professional Dates 25220 CE

Sub-Generals 1-3 Any Professional TERRAIN Coastal, Mountains, Forest

Internal allied General 0-1 Any Professional Camp Unfortified or Fortified :Poor or Average

Name Type Quality Shooting ProtectionWEAPONRY Characteristics Min

MaxUG Size

MELEE Mandatory Optional

Standing Army - Beijun

Yueji Guard CavalryCavalry

SuperiorExperienced

ProtectedLight Spear Shoot and Charge Melee Expert 0

4,6Formed Loose Crossbow - - Dismountable 12

SheshengInfantry

AverageSkilled

Protected- - - 0

6,8Drilled Loose Crossbow - - Caltrops 8

Nu Missile TroopsInfantry

AverageExperienced

Protected- - Combat Shy 0

6,8Drilled Loose Crossbow - - Caltrops 16

FubingInfantry

Superior-

ProtectedPolearm - - 0

6,8Drilled Flexible - - - Caltrops 8

Ji Close FightersInfantry

Average-

ProtectedPolearm - Combat Shy 0

6,8Drilled Flexible - - - Caltrops 16

Volunteer army

Heavy CavalryCavalry

AverageExperienced

ProtectedLight Spear Shoot and Charge Melee Expert 0

4,6Formed Flexible Crossbow - - Dismountable 16

Nu - Volunteer Missile Troops

InfantryAverage

ExperiencedProtected

- Combat Shy - 12*6,8

Formed Loose Crossbow - - - 24

Ji - Volunteer Close Fighters

InfantryAverage

-Protected

Polearm - Combat Shy 6*6,8

Formed Flexible - - - - 24

Mao Volunteer Close Fighters

InfantryAverage

-Protected

Long Spear - Combat Shy 06,8