diff --git a/battleman.py b/battleman.py
index aba7774..65de080 100755
--- a/battleman.py
+++ b/battleman.py
@@ -52,33 +52,37 @@ def main():
             sys.exit(1)
 
     else:
+        for f in settings.files:
+            for g in battle.combatgroups_from_file(f):
+                btl.add_group(g)
+            
         # hard-coding test cases for now.
         # fixme: Eventually, use a state-saving text file that's easy to edit, or at least copy...
-        adele = Combatant("Adele", hp=26, pc=True, surges=8, sw=1)
-        adele_dict = {adele.index: adele}
-        aristaire = Combatant("Aristaire", hp=20, pc=True, surges=6, sw=1)
-        aristaire_dict = {aristaire.index: aristaire}
+        # adele = Combatant("Adele", hp=26, pc=True, surges=8, sw=1)
+        # adele_dict = {adele.index: adele}
+        # aristaire = Combatant("Aristaire", hp=20, pc=True, surges=6, sw=1)
+        # aristaire_dict = {aristaire.index: aristaire}
 
-        foobolds = {}
-        for i in range(5):
-            c = Combatant("Foobold", hp=50)
-            foobolds[c.index] = c
+        # foobolds = {}
+        # for i in range(5):
+        #     c = Combatant("Foobold", hp=50)
+        #     foobolds[c.index] = c
 
-        barglins = {}
-        for i in range(2):
-            c = Combatant("Barglin", hp=50)
-            barglins[c.index] = c
+        # barglins = {}
+        # for i in range(2):
+        #     c = Combatant("Barglin", hp=50)
+        #     barglins[c.index] = c
 
-        orcs = {}
-        for i in range(2):
-            c = Combatant("Orc", hp=50)
-            orcs[c.index] = c
+        # orcs = {}
+        # for i in range(2):
+        #     c = Combatant("Orc", hp=50)
+        #     orcs[c.index] = c
 
-        btl.add_group(CombatGroup("Adele", adele_dict, 2))
-        btl.add_group(CombatGroup("Aristaire", aristaire_dict, 0))
-        btl.add_group(CombatGroup("Foobolds", foobolds, 20))
-        btl.add_group(CombatGroup("Barglins", barglins, 3))
-        btl.add_group(CombatGroup("Orcs of Baz", orcs, 1))
+        # btl.add_group(CombatGroup("Adele", adele_dict, 2))
+        # btl.add_group(CombatGroup("Aristaire", aristaire_dict, 0))
+        # btl.add_group(CombatGroup("Foobolds", foobolds, 20))
+        # btl.add_group(CombatGroup("Barglins", barglins, 3))
+        # btl.add_group(CombatGroup("Orcs of Baz", orcs, 1))
 
     print btl
 
@@ -433,6 +437,8 @@ def do_stub():
 def parse_args():
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Command-line interface to manage battle data for D&D 4e', formatter_class=argparse.RawTextHelpFormatter)
     parser.add_argument('--resume', '-r', action='store_true', help='Resume the battle from the last run of the program')
+    parser.add_argument('files', nargs=argparse.REMAINDER, help="A list of files containing combat groups to add to the initial battle. Ignored if --resume is specified.")
+
     return parser.parse_args()
 
 
diff --git a/lib/battle.py b/lib/battle.py
index 936cd16..fe33a20 100644
--- a/lib/battle.py
+++ b/lib/battle.py
@@ -662,3 +662,88 @@ def do_combatant_select(battle, data):
             print 'Error: Battle not started and no combatant specified.'
     
     return c
+
+
+# Read combatant/groups in from a file, return a simple list of CombatGroups
+def combatgroups_from_file(filename):
+    ret = []
+
+    with open(filename, 'r') as f:
+        group_data = {}
+
+        for line in f.read().split('\n'):
+            line = line.strip()
+
+            if line == '':
+                if group_data == {}:
+                    continue
+
+                g = _build_group_from_file_data(group_data)
+                if g is not None:
+                    ret.append(g)
+                else:
+                    print 'Error: Failed to read a group definition from file: {}'.format(filename)
+                group_data = {}
+
+            else:
+                try:
+                    var, value = line.split('=')
+                except ValueError:
+                    print 'Error: Bad value in data file. No data from file parsed.'
+                    return []
+
+                group_data[var] = value
+
+    return ret
+
+
+def _build_group_from_file_data(data):
+    if not _validate_group_data(data):
+        return None
+
+    if 'count' in data:
+        if 'groupname' in data:
+            gname = data['groupname']
+        else:
+            gname = data['name'] + 's'
+
+        count = int(data['count'])
+    else:
+        count = 1
+        gname = data['name']
+
+    members = {}
+    for i in range(count):
+        c = Combatant(data['name'], int(data['hp']), data['pc'],
+                      int(data['init']), int(data['surges']),
+                      int(data['ap']), data['sw'], data['recharges'])
+        members[c.index] = c
+
+    return CombatGroup(gname, members, data['init'])
+
+
+def _validate_group_data(data):
+    if not 'pc' in data:
+        data['pc'] = False
+
+    if not 'ap' in data:
+        data['ap'] = 0
+
+    if not 'init' in data:
+        data['init'] = 0
+
+    if not 'surges' in data:
+        data['surges'] = 0
+
+    if not 'count' in data:
+        data['count'] = 1
+
+    if not 'recharges' in data:
+        data['recharges'] = []
+
+    if data['pc']:
+        data['sw'] = 1
+    else:
+        data['sw'] = 0
+
+    return 'name' in data and 'hp' in data