There are three main elements of play in Hyborian War: troops, characters, and provinces. Your armies will consist of combinations of various types of troops led by certain characters as they occupy provinces. Troops are army or naval units consisting of three to five thousand warriors. Characters are unique individuals who may lead armies or perform missions of great consequence to your kingdom by means of heroism, intrigue, diplomacy, and magic. Provinces are areas in the Hyborian World capable of providing economic resources and troops. Your kingdom starts with a given number of provinces. Much of your effort will be directed to gaining control over additional provinces. Your kingdom enters the Hyborian Age with particular strengths and weaknesses, derived from the nature of the troops, characters, and provinces you open play with. Your challenge will be to make the most of your strengths, while discovering and exploiting the weaknesses of your opponents.