THIS is a 128-page supplement to the Conan RPG which details the structure, history and everything else you need to know about Hyboria's mercenary companies as well as national armies and how warfare is conducted.

The world of Conan was a hard place and many lived and died by the sword, including a variety of sell-swords with ruthless and exotic reputations.

Written by Shannon Kalvar, The Free Companies is divided into chapters such as Traditions of Force, Rewards of Blood, Tools of Warfare, Battle's Bright Flame and Shadows and Darkness.

The first chapter, Mercenaries of Hyboria, provides information about various fighting groups in Hyboria which take gold to protect their clients - whether kings, nobles or merchants - and their lands or possesions.

Whether it is the most famous mercenary group of all, the Free Companies, or the Ashurri lean, mean fighting machines from Shem, they all have their own codes of conduct, goals and enlistment policies.

Organisations featured include the heavy, mounted infantry of the Nemedian Adventurers, the Khitan Engineers from the far east, the Free Companies of mercenary captains who have banded together, the Kozaks - the nomadic ragtag army of outcasts which maraud across the Steppes - and the fearsome Ashurri who sell their services to the highest bidder.

Tools of Warfare creates rules for looting corpses and looks at sacking cities and such soldiers' comforts as dice games and folding stools.

Traditions of Force details the structures and numbers of national armies as well as the various barbarian hordes which can threaten their civilised neighbours.

From the most powerful military might of the Hyborian Age, the Aquilonian army, with its Bossonian archers, Gunderland pikemen and Potainian knights, to the nomads of Hyrkania and tribal warriors of Cimmeria, they are all detailed along with the weapons they use and fortifications they employ.

Shadows and Darkness deals with magic in warfare, Fields Awash With Blood discusses battle tactics, Battle's Bright Flame gives adventure ideas and Mercenaries of Note features characters Conan fans will know well such as the southern giant Imbalyo who almost matches the Cimmerian's deftness and skill.

The Conan Mass Combat system - a token-based wargame allowing players to engage in massive tabletop battles involving sorcery and siege engines - is covered in detail.

The book provides rules for allowing characters to play as mercenaries, common soldiers or officers and generals and explains new feats and some prestige classes.

Although the scope of the sourcebook is wide with its look at the armies of the world, the focus is on the individual soldier or warrior because in Howard's world individuals - whether infantrymen or generals - drive conflict and can change the course of history.

With the information in this superb book characters can follow Conan's footsteps as a mercenary or try make a fortunes as defenders of a kingdom.