Fog of War, Part 18; The Woodland Realms

 FOG OF WAR

Part 18: The Woodland Realms

Welcome back to Fog of War, the series where I am joined by some of the top players from around the world in discussing different factions of Middle-earth as a way of presenting them to new and experienced players looking for a new army to start. In part 18 of the series, joining me is Tommaso Zerbi, the Captain of Team Italy at Ardacon since 2018, Admin of Il Sito dell’Anello [and Italian League] forum and an overall excellent player whom I had the pleasure to meet and play against for the first time in November 2019 at the Scouring of Stirlingshire. Our memorable game between Mordor and Tommaso’s beautifully painted Thranduil’s Halls became an inspiration for this article and I decided to cover both Thranduil’s Halls and Lothlórien in this article. 

HALLS OF THRANDUIL

Tommaso: The elegant and dangerous armies of the Woodland Realms are my favourite forces in the Strategy Battle Game and some of my go-to armies for as long as I have been playing. Some players still complain about my five Galadhrim Stormcallers — they call them ‘nasty’... When the Woodland Realms — once a single army — got separated into two different and characteristic armies, I asked myself: do I prefer Lothlórien or the Halls of Thranduil? I do not have an answer, but I have been playing Thranduil since its release at the time of the Fall of the Necromancer sourcebook (now that I check, my phone alone contains some 200 lists with the Elven King!). I did play (the Halls of) Thranduil at the Scouring of Stirlingshire (2019) in the great game I had with Mik — the almost mythological BlackMist of the Veni Vidi blog that I had been reading since ages past from Italy! Thank you for having me here, writing about the gems in the mountain that I too desir.... ehm about elks, circlets, shields, and (of course) Elf bows. 

With three named heroes (Thranduil, King of the Woodland Realm, Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Mirkwood, and Tauriel) and pricey warriors (the cheapest option being a 9-point Mirkwood Elf), The Halls of Thranduil do not have access to the variety of characters of Rivendell nor to the cheap and sneaky Wood Elf Warriors of Lothlórien. They do not have great casters such as Elrond, Master of Rivendell, and Galadriel, nor troops as versatile and effective as the Rivendell Knights. Yet, even if the glistening hosts of Mirkwood might have little interest in the world outside their borders, they are not less dangerous than the other Elven kingdoms, if used wisely. Three things I prefer about the Halls of Thranduil, I would say are (in no particular order): Thranduil, Thranduil, and more Thranduil! 

I own more than 120 painted models of pure Mirkwood, but the Elven King is the one I always use in my Mirkwood lists and the model with which I have had the most competitive success over the years. His background as a proud and stubborn Elven lord — quite different from the always-perfect Elrond and Galadriel! — in The Hobbit and the development of his storyline in P. Jackson’s trilogy make him my favourite character in Middle-earth. His versatile profile makes him my go-to model in the Strategy Battle Game. I am against must-haves, but with a cost that goes from 100 to 190 points, there is no reason not to include Thranduil, King of the Woodland Realm, in every Mirkwood list. After all, Lothlórien is not named the ‘Halls of Galadriel,’ whilst Mirkwood is ‘the ‘Halls of Thranduil.’ With six options of equipment that allow the Elven King to show off his true skills, Thranduil makes up for the lack of named heroes. Riding his elk into the fight, fully equipped with additional Elven-made sword, Circlet of Kings, heavy armour, and bow, Thranduil is not only one of the best fighting heroes of the game, but he can join his archers, and cast Aura of Dismay and Nature’s Wrath once per game — something that not even Galadriel can do...! Yet, every option is worth considering. Even at his cheapest form, the King of the Woodland Realm leads up to 18 warriors and, with an Elven cloak, 3 wounds, and 3 fate, he is usually a better general than Legolas and Tauriel. The best part of having Thranduil in a Mirkwood force concerns the army bonus, which gives to any Palace Guard Captains, Mirkwood Elf Captains, Palace Guard Mirkwood Cavalry, and Mirkwood Elves within 3” of Thranduil a +1 to Wound bonus when making Strikes. Although on a one-to-one comparison, the Mirkwood Cavalry and the Palace Guards might seem not to stand a chance against the Rivendell Knights and the Guards of the Galadhrim Court, while nearby to their King — where, respectively, they also count as being in range of a banner and receive a bonus of +1 to their Fight value! — they become the most dangerous Elven cavalry and elite of the game. In short, the army bonus, combined with the optional +1 to Wound given by the Elven-made swords or the pricey Elven-made glaives (when used as a two-handed weapon), and the one Nature’s Wrath, make the Elves of Mirkwood the most dangerous Elven kin of Middle-earth. With the one caveat — keep Thranduil alive! The lists I want to discuss, while focused on the Elven King, propose different options of wargear which mirror different game styles (but all suited to reclaim the white gems of Lasgalen!).

ARMY LISTS:

List 1: Tommaso’s 700 points of the Halls of Thranduil

‘They are less wise, and more dangerous’

Warband 1:

Thranduil, King of the Woodland Realm (Circlet of Kings and Elf bow)
8 Mirkwood Rangers
2 Palace Guards (shield and spear)
6 Mirkwood Elves (Elven-made glaive and shield)
1 Mirkwood Elf (banner and shield)
1 Mirkwood Cavalry (shield) 

Warband 2:

Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Mirkwood (horse)
8 Mirkwood Rangers
6 Mirkwood Elves (Elf bow and Elven-made glaive)
1 Mirkwood Elf (Elven-made glaive) 

Total: 700 points, 35 models, 6 Might, 22 bows + Thranduil and Legolas

With an impressive number of bows — which includes those of the Elven King himself (shooting on a 2+!) and that of his son (not by chance the greatest archer in Middle-earth) — on first sight, this list is based upon the first thing that is associated with the armies of the Elves: shooting. Thanks to the army bonus, Mirkwood Rangers from this force do not count towards the army’s Bow Limit. Yet, rather than maximising the number of Rangers (and bows), I prefer to support them with solid lines of armoured Elves. On a close look, this army is as dangerous in close combat as it is from the distance. Thranduil’s Aura of Dismay helps to prevent enemy charges, increase the Rangers’ chances of charging multiple enemies and, therefore, taking advantage of their ‘Knife Fighters’ special rule (they receive an additional Attack for each enemy model they are Engaged in combat with after the first). This, with Nature’s Wrath and the spear support of the Mirkwood Elves and Palace Guards (and their +1 to Wound within 3” of Thranduil) makes the army very deadly in close combat. Whilst within 3” of the Elven King, the 2 Guards increase their Fight Value to 6, which means that they are a valid counter to mighty heroes. Finally, I have included the Banner bearer and a Mirkwood Cavalry with scenario objectives in mind. 

The downsides of the army are the lack of speed — deep inside I am still jealous that the ‘pig-rider Dwarf’ has Heroic March while Thrandy and Leggy don’t... — and the vulnerability. This is also why I tend to add shields to my Mirkwood Elves with Elven-made glaives, even if the glaive already gives them the Shielding rule. I can tell you from long experience that it is worth investing those few points to increase their Defence to 6. The first line of Defence-3 Rangers is as fragile as leaves, which means that they need to win the combat in order to survive — the re-roll of the Banner might help here. For the same reason, despite the pretty amazing number of arrows, this small, elite force fears the most the armies that might already overwhelm it from the distance, especially should they include Blinding Light/Pall of Darkness or deadly machines such as the Iron Hills Ballista.

List 2: Tommaso’s 800 points of the Halls of Thranduil

‘I came to reclaim something of mine’

Warband 1:

Thranduil, King of the Woodland Realm (additional Elven-made sword, Circlet of Kings, elk, heavy armour, Elf bow)
9 Mirkwood Cavalry (shield)
1 Palace Guard (shield)
3 Mirkwood Elves (shield)
2 Palace Guards (shield and spear)
2 Mirkwood Elves (Elven-made glaive and shield)
1 Mirkwood Elf (banner and shield) 

Warband 2:

Tauriel (Elf bow)
1 Mirkwood Elf (shield)
4 Mirkwood Elves (Elf bow)
6 Mirkwood Elves (Elf bow and Elven-made glaive) 

Warband 3:

Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Mirkwood (horse) 

Total: 800 points, 32 models, 9 Might, 10 bows + Thranduil, Tauriel, and Legolas

First thing first. The reason why I propose this list is because it recreates one of the most epic moments of The Hobbit trilogy. Thranduil does not journey to Dale in aid of the people of Lake-Town; he moves his armies to Erebor to reclaim the white gems of Lasgalen. It also gives me a good excuse to play the beautiful sculpt of the Elven King on the elk — with whom I won the category of Hero of Legend at the GT (2019) and various best armies. Due to the low numbers, lack of Blinding Light, Heroic March, and any protection from casters, I do not consider this a very competitive Elven force — the three heroes might easily be countered, and the troops might as easily lose the scenarios. And yet, even though I wouldn’t use it for the ETC and I wouldn’t have high expectations of winning a tournament, I managed to get some great results with it.  

[Thranduil preparing to smash Mik’s forces]

Having only 32 models at 800 points may seem daunting, but this list offers a solid wall of Mirkwood Elves and Palace Guards, supported by 9 models of Mirkwood Cavalry defending the flanks, a Banner, Aura of Dismay, Nature’s Wrath, and what is arguably the best army bonus available to the Elven kingdoms. It also has three of the best heroes in the game, all armed with bows and deadly in combat. I have three rules when I play this. First, if the force cannot outshoot the enemy, it should not shoot at all — with the one exception of Legolas. It cannot afford to lose much before getting into close combat. Second, sooner or later in the game, the Prince of Mirkwood has to fight. His father and his girlfri... ehm female friend are two fighting beasts thanks to, respectively, the elk, the additional Elven-made sword, and the Blade Mistress special rule, but they are also fragile and easy targets of casters. Do not be afraid to throw Legolas into the fight on his white horse! There’s just one thing better than two combat heroes, and that’s three combat heroes! Last but not least, Thranduil must survive. If the ruler of the Woodland Realm should fall, his army shall fall with him. The skill of the Elven King with a blade is unmatched, but he should not be overly exposed. A Thranduil behind the ranks is better than a dead Thranduil on the front line (which is also why in competitive lists I tend to avoid the elk)! Aura of Dismay, Nature’s Wrath, and the bonuses (Fight Value and banner re-roll to, respectively, the Palace Guards and the Mirkwood Cavalry; +1 to Wound to all the warriors of the army) are the key to victory. After all, there is no point in fighting and reclaiming the gems, if you cannot give them back to the Elven King because he is dead...

ALLIES:

List 3: Tommaso’s 800 points of the Halls of Thranduil and Survivors of Lake-Town

The Darkest Hour

Warband 1:

Thranduil, King of the Woodland Realm (additional Elven-made sword, Circlet of Kings, and heavy armour)
2 Palace Guards (shield)
6 Mirkwood Elves (shield)
6 Mirkwood Elves (Elf bow and Elven-made glaive)
2 Palace Guards (shield and spear)
1 Mirkwood Elf (banner and shield)
1 Mirkwood Cavalry (shield) 

Warband 2:

Lake-Town Militia Captain
6 Lake-Town Militia (bow)
6 Lake-Town Militia (bow and spear) 

Warband 3:

Lake-Town Militia Captain
2 Lake-Town Militia (bow)
4 Lake-Town Militia
6 Lake-Town Militia (spear)

Warband 4:

Lake-Town Militia Captain
6 Lake-Town Militia
6 Lake-Town Militia (spear) 

Warband 5:

Hilda-Bianca
1 Lake-Town Militia
1 Lake-Town Militia (shield)
3 Lake-Town Militia (spear) 

Total: 800 points, 64 models, 10 Might, 20 bows

Ironically enough for a(n apparently) selfish ruler like the Elven King, The Halls of Thranduil unleash their full potential when they join/are joined by other forces. They have been blessed with three pretty valid Historical Allies (Erebor Reclaimed, The Iron Hills, and the Survivors of Lake-Town) and a long series of Convenient Allies. One of my go-to allies is Gandalf the Grey (and his Blinding Light). However, Dáin Ironfoot, Lord of the Iron Hills, and an Iron Hills Ballista, or Thorin Oakenshiled, Kind under the Mountain, are also viable options. I considered some lists with Thranduil and Galadriel, Lady of Light, but my suggestion here would be to stick to Historical Allies. Convenient Allies can hardly bring more to the force than the army bonus. The list I propose represents the moment in which Thranduil changes his mind, charges to the rescue of the people of Lake-Town in Dale, and loses his mighty (and pricey) elk. This force, which is the most competitive out of the three, is quite formidable.

Counting 64 models and 20 bows, this army outnumbers and outshoots pretty much everybody. The idea here is to have Thranduil’s warband — with all its bonuses, the banner, and the spells — as the solid and deadly core of the force. Without Bard, the performance of the Lake-Town Militia might seem lacklustre. Yet, the Survivors of Lake-Town bring in cheap heroes (with Heroic March) and warriors that increase the chances of flanking the opponent and get to the precious objectives. Also, Hilda’s Stand by our Men! special rule, paired with a few axes, transforms this army of survivors into a dangerous horde of fierce warriors. The central piece is — surprise, surprise! — Thranduil. I will tell you my secret here. Rather than playing the King of the Woodland Realm as a combat hero, I tend to keep him and his precious Circlet at the back, with the Banner bearer. You might wonder why I have given him the additional Elven-made sword. First, it really makes the difference in Contest of Champions. Second, the rules of the additional Elven-made sword are simply a better addition than 5 more Lake-Town Militia. Here, the general is not supposed to risk his life (there are no casters nor combat heroes that might save him). Yet, on specific occasions, Thranduil might want to join the first line; some sneaky enemies might reach him in close combat. Trust me, if you have some spare points, do include the additional Elven-made sword!

Mik: Having never fully played with Thranduil’s Halls, I don’t feel qualified to say much more here than Tommaso has already done. However, there is one alliance option that shouldn’t be overlooked with Halls of Thranduil. It is simply the fact that Legolas, arguably one of the best Heroes in the game, is a Hero of Valour in this list and other than 3 Historical allies, the Halls are a Convenient ally with every other army on the good side. This makes this list pretty incredible as an alliance option to drop in to other lists. Legolas can be mounted and can bring up to 15 Fight 5 spearmen (with 5 bows) to any other force, so whether you want some extra firepower or to improve the combat capabilities of your Dwarves of Khazad-Dum, or Men of Minas Tirith, or perhaps you want to add some Fight 5 to your Army of the Dead led by Aragorn? You can do all that, whilst bringing one of the game’s most useful characters alongside. People often underestimate Legolas, as after all he ‘only’ has 2 attacks, but when mounted, he fights with 3 dice at Fight 6 with Heroic Strike, 3 Might and has that all important auto-hit which can easily dismount enemy heroes, randomly cause a wound on enemy leaders, take out an unattended Banner-bearer, kill a lone model guarding an objective that you might not have the time to walk over to and so many other things. Leggy and a bunch of elves are my first alliance consideration in virtually every good army I think of. 

SUMMARY

Tommaso: In short, the key to victory for the Halls of Thranduil is the Elven King himself. With his incredibly versatile profile, going from a ridiculous cost of 100 points — which makes him the cheapest Hero of Legend available to the Elves — to 190, the King of the Woodland Realm makes a valid addition to any (Mirkwood) list. As a pure army, despite being one of the most shining and elite forces in the game — and with pretty amazing sculpts —, the Halls of Thranduil are not the most competitive of The Hobbit sourcebook nor of the Elven kingdoms. To unleash their full potential, it is vital for the Elven King to let go his proud and stubborn nature to set foot, instead, beyond his own realm and join a bigger cause [better should they offer some white gems in return...].

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LOTHLÓRIEN

Mik: Unlike Halls of Thranduil, Lothlórien is an army I have played with on many occasions and one that I have faced regularly over the years. Back in the day, some 10 or 12 years ago, the forces of Thranduil, Galadriel, Legolas, Haldir, Celeborn, all kind of melted into one pot people called "Wood Elves". Back then this army used to be an absolute powerhouse. In the year when I won the UKGT, there were 6 Wood Elf armies in the top 10 of the tournament, despite Shadow Lord present in virtually every evil list and a Good vs Evil format. The overwhelming firepower combined with high numbers and the incredible Legolas were unstoppable. 

Just imagine trying to defeat this commonly used variant of a 700 points army from a decade ago:

Legolas
23 Wood Elves with Throwing Daggers
23 Wood Elves with Spears
12 Wood Elves with Bows & Spears
11 Wood Elves with Bows

In total you had 70 models with Fight 5, 26 bow shots and 23 Throwing Daggers. Nobody cared about lack of Might when playing this list... they just chose to go to Bugman's early. 

As the rules changed to the last edition, Lothlórien were backed by the abundantly powerful Galadhrim Stormcallers, capable of not only casting Call Winds, which on 2+ knocked over and removed Fell Beasts, but also had access to the 6" range Nature’s Wrath on 4+, with the ability to regain all Will lost to cast a spell if a natural 6 was rolled. In the very first season of Great British Hobbit League, we limited the use of Galadhrim Stormcallers in tournaments, because of their insane power level. 

As the years went by, many new armies were introduced and Lothlórien lost a lot of its strength and appeal. Now they are nowhere near as powerful as they used to be, but they can still be used as a competitive army with many unique features and characters available:

Throwing Daggers – The Wood Elf Warriors come automatically equipped with an Elven Cloak and an ability to buy Throwing Daggers, as well as spears that give them the ability to Parry (same effects as shielding). That combined with Woodland Creature and shooting skill of 3+ means that they can easily travel through otherwise difficult terrain and harass enemies at range. Even as a front line of Elves, having 10 or 15 Wood Elves walk up within 6” of your opponent and then charge the following turn gives you excessive number of shots that more often than not will hit. With S3 they have a good chance of wounding all lightly armoured enemies and just their sheer numbers can be a threat to heavier armoured troops. This is especially strong against Defence 3 to Defence 5 armies. In combination with large number of bows, the army can be quite versatile, quick and deadly before they even engage. 

Celeborn – The Lord of the West always rolls 4 dice to win combat (3 plus the LotW re-roll), ensuring he will win more fights than he loses. His Fight 6, Elven made hand-and-a-half sword, Heroic Strike and a potential of Defence 7 make him a very good fighter. His Aura of Command cast on 2+ combined with a 12” Stand Fast! also make him a very potent leader and character you will often want to include in your forces. His downsides are the lack of option to have a Horse, as well as sadly only the status of Hero of Valour for a pretty steep price of 150 points. 

Galadhrim Knights – These guys are I believe the only cavalry in the game with the Fleetfoot special rule, allowing them to ignore Woodland terrain whilst mounted. This improves the speed of the force significantly. Their lack of any bonuses to wound is disappointing, but Fleetfoot alone makes them interesting. 

Wood Elf Sentinel – I normally only list 3 favourite things per army, but I couldn’t miss out on the Sentinel. These guys can feel a bit useless and overpriced at times, but Eldamar Madrigal can be one annoying trick, forcing an unsuspecting enemy to move in the wrong place and allow us to slingshot a Heroic Combat off them or to move a Shade, or an important hero out of range of their abilities or charging range. If you have spare points, you should think about including one of these models in your force. 

Galadriel – The mighty sorceress is someone who leaves me in two minds in this army. Her profile within the White Council armylist is one of most useful and most powerful models in the game currently. A constant Blinding Light effect, with 3 Attacks, 3 Might, Fortify Spirit, Banish, Heroic Strike and Heroic Defence make the Lady of Light insane. However, her Lothlórien profile is a bit lacklustre. Her biggest downside is the fact that Celeborn is not a Hero of Legend. Because of this, should you wish to take Galadriel, she must be your leader unless you ally in another Hero of Legend (Theoden, anyone?!). This is only possible at higher points. At lower points, this leaves you vulnerable in Contest of Champions, due to her being unarmed. She can be an interesting choice at lower points, since very few Heroes are capable of constantly resisting 2+ Immobilise, but she won't ever be your classic Army leader. Perhaps that uniqueness is one of the reasons to play Lothlórien?

The Army Bonus - is interesting, but I don't think it's a dealbreaker when choosing allies, as there are better options out there. It's nice against Ringwraiths, but so is just pure and simple Fight 5 :)

ARMY LISTS:

500 Points of ‘Wood Elves’:

Warband 1:

1 Celeborn in Full Kit //OR // Galadriel & a Banner Bearer
5 Wood Elf Warriors with Throwing Daggers
5 Wood Elf Warriors with Spears
3 Wood Elf Warriors with Bows
2 Wood Elf Warriors with Bows & Spears

Warband 2:

1 Haldir with Heavy Armour, Bow & Elven Cloak
4 Wood Elf Warriors with Throwing Daggers
4 Wood Elf Warriors with Spears
2 Wood Elf Warriors with Bows
2 Wood Elf Warriors with Bows & Spears

Total: 500 (505 with the banner bearer, so slight tweak needed) Points, 29 Models, 6 might & 11 Shots.

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500 Points of ‘Galadhrim’ Elves:

Warband 1:

1 Celeborn in full Kit
4 Galadhrim Warriors with Shields
4 Galadhrim Warriors with Spears & Shields
3 Galadhrim Warriors with Bows
2 Galadhrim Warriors with Bows & Spears

Warband 2:

1 Haldir with Heavy Armour, Bow
4 Galadhrim Warriors with Shields
4 Galadhrim Warriors with Spears & Shields
3 Galadhrim Warriors with Bows
1 Galadhrim Warriors with Bows & Spears

Total: 500 Points, 27 Models, 6 Might, 11 Shots.

I put the two lists together here, as they are the two basic archetypal ways of building a Lothlórien list. The ‘Wood Elves’ version has access to 9 daggers and 2 more models, whilst the Galadhrim have Defence 6 and essentially work similarly to a classic Rivendell force. Therefore, to me the primary appeal lies with the first list – the Wood Elf version with the Throwing Daggers. Whether you pick Galadriel or Celeborn is an interesting question. On one hand you get Blinding Light and Immobilise, but you lack the killing power of a big hero. On the other hand you get the big hero with a limited magical ability, but your army becomes very vulnerable to bowfire. Which force you pick is going to depend on how you prefer playing, as well as perhaps on the meta that you are expecting to face. 

600 Points of the House of Flying Daggers:

Warband 1:

1 Haldir with an Elf Bow
4 Wood Elf Warriors with Throwing Daggers
4 Wood Elf Warriors with Spears
3 Wood Elf Warriors with Bows
1 Wood Elf Warriors with Bows & Spears

Warband 2:

1 Wood Elf Captain with a Bow
4 Wood Elf Warriors with Throwing Daggers
3 Wood Elf Warriors with Spears
3 Wood Elf Warriors with Bows
2 Wood Elf Warriors with Bows & Spears
1 Guard of the Galadhrim Court

Warband 3:

1 Wood Elf Captain with a Bow
4 Wood Elf Warriors with Throwing Daggers
2 Wood Elf Warriors with Spears
3 Wood Elf Warriors with Bows
1 Wood Elf Warrior with Bows & Spears
1 Guard of the Galadhrim Court
1 Wood Elf Warriors with Spear & Banner

Total: 600 Points, 39 Models, 6 Might, 16 Bow Shots, 12 Throwing Daggers

A common rule in SBG is for armies to average around 1 model per 20 points. In the case of 600 points lists that means you are expecting about 30 models in the army. More elite forces will be in their high 20s and horde-like armies will be in high 30s to 40s. This force has a staggering 39 at 600 points, which makes it a rather unique horde list - a horde of Fight 5 warriors, who are capable of outshooting most enemies and outrunning them through difficult terrain. The 12 potential throwing daggers offer constant harassment and constant need for your opponent to be winning Heroic Moves or you getting free hits on them – Every time 10 elves get to charge 10 Orcs, you’ll end up killing 2 or 3 orcs for free. The force allows you to wither down a significant number of enemies before the combat begins, whilst at the same time having very good numbers itself. Lack of big heroes could be an issue, but Haldir and 2 Captains provide a decent combat capability, all at Fight 6 basic, alongside Haldir’s Heroic Strike and Captains’ Heroic Marches. Heroic Accuracy can play a major role in the game too, so cannot be overlooked. I think at 600, the classic Wood Elf spam is a force to be reckoned with. 

Although not entirely themed to the Wood Elf concept, the 2 Guards of the Galadhrim Court add a little bit of extra protection against Fight 6 heroes, forcing them to use Might on Heroic Strikes when facing just basic elves, as well as ensuring that Fell beasts think twice before flying behind our ranks. Naturally, they give you a slight edge in the mirror match too. 

800 Points of Galadriel’s Alliance with Rivendell:

Warband 1:

1 Galadriel with the Mirror
6 Galadhrim Warriors with Shields
6 Galadhrim Warriors with Spears & Shields
5 Galadhrim Warriors with Bows & Spears
1 Wood Elf Sentinel

Warband 2:

1 Elrond, Master of Rivendell on a Horse with H.Armour (Army Leader)
2 Rivendell Knights with Shields
5 Rivendell Warriors with Shields
6 Rivendell Warriors with Shields & Spears
4 Rivendell Warriors with Bows & Spears
1 Rivendell Warrior with Shield, Spear & Banner

Total: 800 Points, 38 Models, 6 Might, 13 Bows

This list is not made for competitive reasons, but rather because of a cool rules interaction between Elrond and Galadriel. It only includes 2 heroes, so at first sight might look relatively weak. However, Elrond has a very nice trick with Galadriel in this situation: Vilya, his Elven Ring, allows him to re-roll his Fate rolls. Mirror of Galadriel allows a Hero within 6” to regain all Fate points. As such, Elrond, with his Defence 7, Fight 6, Heroic Strike, Heroic Defence and the Mirror nearby becomes virtually unkillable, unless someone manages to cause 6 wounds at one time against him. Galadriel provides a good amount of bow protection with the Blinding Light and regular Immobilise, and the force has generally solid numbers, some mobility with 3 cavalry models, banner and a Sentinel for some distraction. 

800 Points of Halls of Thranduil, White Council & Lothlórien:

Warband 1:

1 Galadriel, Lady of Light

Warband 2:

1 Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood on a Horse

5 Mirkwood Elves with Bows

5 Mirkwood Elves with Shields

4 Mirkwood Elves with Glaives

1 Mirkwood Elf with a Banner & Glaive

Warband 3:

1 Haldir with a Bow

4 Wood Elf Warriors with Throwing Daggers

3 Wood Elf Warriors with Spears

3 Wood Elf Warriors with Bows

1 Wood Elf Warriors with Bows & Spears

1 Guard of the Galadhrim Court

Warband 4:

1 Wood Elf Captain

4 Wood Elf Warriors with Throwing Daggers

3 Wood Elf Warriors with Spears

3 Wood Elf Warriors with Bows

1 Wood Elf Warriors with Bows & Spears

1 Guard of the Galadhrim Court

Total: 800 Points, 43 Models, 11 Might, 18 Shots, 8 Daggers. 

Since we're talking about the two Elven factions here, why not try to combine them? This is an example of an 800 points list that emphasises what Elves are best at - Shooting. It contains arrow protection, 3 Heroes with Heroic Strike, 1 Hero with Heroic March, some daggers, some Fight 6 pikes, alongside 4 heroes all sitting on Fight 6. It might be a bit fragile in combat, but the aim will be to wither down as many enemies before combat starts as possible and to harass mounts from long range. Haldir provides Heroic Accuracy, so that Legolas doesn't have to use his own Might for it. 1 Mounted model isn't much, but the captain adds some Heroic March to the mix. 

SUMMARY:

Just like Thranduil's Halls, the Lothlórien list does not have any Impossible Allies. As such it can be used as an easy ally with anyone else, simply to add some Fight 5 or Fight 6 Galadhrim Guards into any other force. Whereas the Halls would bring Legolas and some Elves, Lothlórien allows us to bring a support caster like Galadriel or a combat beast like Celeborn alongside. That gives both armies a lot of options when allying. On their own, both factions are able to create solid lists. Whether it's an army of shooting Mirkwood Rangers, or a house of flying daggers type force, both factions allow you to bring and play something different than your regular rank and file troops that you see in most other armies. 

Final thing worth mentioning is the Legendary Legion combining elves of Lothlórien led by Haldir to defend Helm's Deep from the Isengard Siege. Alongside Aragorn and a host of Rohan heroes, as well as increased bowfire range to 30", the Legion is possibly a better option than a pure Elven list at certain points levels. However, since it's a Legion, it might get its own article in due course :) For now, that's all!

Good Luck!

BlackMist & Tomgalad

Fog of War, Part 17: Forces of Azog, Mirkwood and Dol Guldur

FOG OF WAR

Part 17: Forces of Azog, Mirkwood and Dol Guldur

Welcome back to part 17 of Fog of War, a series of articles with contributions from some of the to players in the game. This time we venture into the dark side of the Hobbit trilogy and will be exploring the forces of Azog’s Legions, Azog’s Hunters, Denizens of Mirkwood and the Dark Powers of Dol Guldur. Joining me will be the 2017 NOVA Open Champion and the co-host of An Unexpected Podcast, Matt Iverson. 

Although it seems like a lot to cover, Dol Guldur is mostly a stand-alone elite force and Denizens of Mirkwood primarily act as allies within other forces, so I thought it would be best to combine them into one article outlining all 4 factions.

Azog’s Legion

Matt: Azog’s Legion is an army equipped with a number of wonderful toys. You can build lists that go in several different directions, hitting-hero heavy (with Azog and Bolg), monster heavy (spamming trolls, or even better, the cheap but effective ogres), or a horde of tough but effective Gundabad Berserkers and Orcs. What the list does not have, however, is any cavalry or any real shooting. Although you can mount Azog and Bolg on wargs – nothing in this army shoots except the Catapult Troll, and that model, even if you build one (which I have) is far too large a point sink except in the largest of armies. Azog’s Legion does have one of the best faction bonuses in the game, allowing Azog or Bolg to gain the Master of Battle Special Rule if either is your leader. Having a F7 hero of Azog or Bolg’s caliber that can freely counter the Heroic Strikes other heroes will need to match them is a massive advantage. As a note, this special rule attaches even if your leader is not from Azog’s Legion. This means, for example, that if you ally a warband of goblin mercenaries from the Azog’s Legion list into an Azog’s Hunter list led by Bolg, Bolg still gets the bonus.

Mik: Azog's Legion has the option of deploying a swarm of tiny goblins at the same time as some elite and extremely powerful characters. This faction's basic troops are a weird combination of pseudo-Uruk Hai Berserkers, pseudo-Morannon Orcs and pseudo-Goblin Town Goblins, making it a breed of potentially multiple playstyles thrown into one army. One of my favourite units in the game are Goblin Mercenaries. Their Special Rules regarding deployment create a very interesting game dynamic where in certain scenarios the opponents have to hold troops back (like in their camp in Storm the Camp, or in the normally less guarded places like the home objective in Domination and Capture & Control), thus minimising their own forces' effectiveness in the field by having to account for potentially disastrous 'drop' of the Mercs. If the Mercenaries get lucky, pass multiple Courage Tests and choose not to deploy for a long time, they can create a strain on the enemy forces that may result in really tough game for the opponent.

Azog’s Hunters

Matt: The Azog’s Hunters list allows you to bring hunter orcs, with their cheap access to two-attack models, as well as increased mobility from fell wargs and warg riders. In addition, if you take a pure Azog’s Hunters list (or limit yourself to green allies, like Azog’s Legion), you can equip up to half of your hunter orc models with bows and increase their shoot value to 4+. The Azog’s Hunters list also gives you access to several reasonably-priced three might heroes with some interesting special rules, such as Fimbul with F5 and an ability to ignore terrain, Narzug with his free might to spend on shooting, and Yazneg with his lance.

Dark Denizens of Mirkwood

Mik: The almighty Spider Queen has been a staple of many armies and a winner of many big tournaments since her release in 2006. Back in the day, around 2007/2008, the UKGTs were won by armies containing between 3 and 5 Spider Queens and some players famously even fielded 8 of them at 700 points (she used to cost only 75!). A lot has changed since in the army-building rules and Spider Queen is now a lot more expensive points-wise than she used to be and counts as a named hero, so can only be taken once per army. Regardless of that, the potential 6 Strength 6 re-rollable strikes on charge, combined with Brutal Power Attacks, Heroic Strike, Might, ignoring difficult terrain and deploying fast, easy to hide and at times incredibly annoying Broodlings still makes her incredibly dangerous, especially against unsuspecting Heroes. Her low Defence and lack of Fate points are her only downside, but when played well, these downsides become largely irrelevant (until a disastrous roll of the dice...). 

The Queen can bring other Spiders, Bat Swarms and Fell Wargs along to the party. All of these provide an interesting bonus when allied with both Azog's Legions and Azog's Hunters, as well as with armies such as Mordor, Moria and many others. 

Naturally, Dark Denizens can play as a very cool army on their own, but lack of other Heroes makes them difficult to scale up to anything over 400 or 500 points without adding allies in the shape of Fell Beasts or other big toys. 

ARMY LISTS 

Matt: When building either an Azog’s Hunters or Azog’s Legion list, your first choice is a hero to lead it. While you can take workable lists at lower points levels with just Captains, in most cases you want to center your list on either Azog (if you are above 700 points) or Bolg (if you are at lower points levels). And make sure to include at least one warband from the Azog’s Legion list to give your leader that all-important Master of Battle. 

Your next decision is what should form the core of you army – orcs (of either the Gundabad or Hunter variety), monsters (perhaps a troll or a trio of ogres), or something with mobile hitting power (some berserkers, war bats, or Hunter Orcs on Wargs). 

Finally, you can decide what odds and ends you want to include to give your army some clever tricks. One option is a small warband of Goblin Mercenaries that seize key terrain, the other side’s camp, or just appear exactly where you need them to seize an objective. Another option is a War Bat or two to fly over the lines to pluck at dismounted heroes. You can also opt for a few Fell Wargs or Hunter Orcs on Wargs, whose Fell Sight special rule allows them to lurk out of sight and then dart from cover to entrap unwary opponents. 

List 1.1: Mik’s 500 Points of Azog’s Legion

Warband 1:

Bolg on a Warg 

5 Gundabad Orcs with Shields 

7 Gundabad Orcs with Shields & Spears 

Warband 2:

Goblin Mercenary Captain 

12 Goblin Mercenaries 

Warband 3:

Goblin Mercenary Captain 

12 Goblin Mercenaries 

Total: 39 Models, 7 Might (Plus Master of Battle) 

Mik: At the 2018 ETC, I was very fond of a warband of Goblin Mercenaries, especially since at that time I was able to assign the captain to be my Army Leader, despite having 2 Ringwraiths on Fell Beasts leading a force of Corsair Reavers and Orcs (my leader had the ultimate protection - he didn't even start the game on the table most of the time!)… now that such crazy times have passed, I still feel that the Mercenaries are incredibly valuable and useful models. Not only do they make this 500 points list huge in numbers, they give it pseudo-mobility, which standard Azog’s Legion would lack at this points limit - at times, they’ll deploy in hugely advantageous positions and provide a swarm of cheap attacks that your opponent will struggle to deal with en-masse. At other times, they can be deployed just like any other troops and form a wide line that will likely outnumber most enemy forces. At 500 points Bolg is a powerhouse that in this case gains the Master of Battle Special Rule and acts as a killing machine that only the likes of Boromir, Elendil or Elven Lords can reliably fight against, meaning you can rely on him for most things, except Courage. So make sure not to break.

Another way of playing Azog's Legion would be to include one of the Trolls or a couple of Ogres. That would however force a vastly different list to the one above, one like for example this:

List 2: Mik's 600 Points of Azog's Legion

Warband 1:

1 Gundabad Orc Captain with Shield

5 Gundabad Orcs with Shields

4 Gundabad Orcs with Shields & Spears

1 Gundabad Orc with Shield, Spear and a Banner

1 Gundabad Berserker

1 War Bat

Warband 2:

1 Gundabad Orc Captain with Shield

4 Gundabad Orcs with Shields & Spears

3 Gundabad Orcs with Shields & Spears

1 Gundabad Troll with a Crushing Club

2 Gundabad Berserker

Warband 3:

1 Goblin Mercenary Captain

12 Goblin Mercenaries

Total: 37 Models, 6 Might

Although low on Might and lacking Master of Battle, this force packs a solid S4/D6 front line with the support of 3 fast-moving  and hard-hitting Gundabad Berserkers, 1 objective-grabbing and annoying War Bat and a warband of Mercenaries. The Troll with the Crushing Club poses a major threat to heroes, as winning combat against them will often result in causing too many wounds even for the likes of Aragorn to to withstand. Their only hope against the Troll is its massive base, preventing it from getting into advantageous positions. 6 Might for Heroic Marches is also worth keeping in mind for the times when moving fast is vital. 

List 3: Matt’s 600 Points of Azog’s Hunters & Azog's Legion

Warband 1:

Bolg on Fell Warg 

12 Hunter Orcs 

1 Hunter Orc with a bow 

Warband 2:

Fimbul on Fell Warg 

2 Hunter Orcs on Fell Warg 

Warband 3:

Narzug 

12 Hunter Orcs w/ bow 

Warband 4 (Azog’s Legion Ally):

Goblin Mercenary Captain 

4 Goblin Mercenaries 

Total: 35 models, 11 might (plus Master of Battle), 14 bows (including Narzug). 

Matt: This list puts out a surprising amount of shooting and packs quite a punch when the lines meet. Each warband has a different role in the mix: Bolg’s warband is the army’s main punch, and Bolg’s presence will make most armies hesitant to close in. Narzug and his archers, on the other hand, create a solid base of fire that the enemy will have to either run from or engage. Fimbul and his Warg riding buddies can either grab objectives or use their Fell Sight to lurk in ambush behind terrain pieces. Finally, the Goblin Mercenary warband can appear in the enemy’s rear, on an objective, or in an enemy’s camp. Should they choose to join the army as normal, the Captain can call a Heroic March or two if the army needs to close quickly against superior shooting. 

List 4: Mik’s 800 Points of Azog’s Hunters & Dark Denizens of Mirkwood

Warband 1:

Bolg on a Fell Warg 

14 Hunter Orcs 

Warband 2:

Yazneg on a Fell Warg with Lance 

12 Hunter Orcs 

Warband 3:

Finbul on a Fell Warg 

12 Hunter Orcs 

Warband 4:

Spider Queen 

2 Bat Swarms 

Total: 40 Models, 11 Might 

Mik: Here we have a list with a solid combination of fast moving heroes and a horde of 2-attack warriors. Having 4 mounted heroes (SQ counts as one too) with Heroic Strike can cause a major issue to a lot of infantry lines. Minor Heroes will often struggle to beat the F7/6/5 of Bolg, SQ and Fimbul, whilst even the likes of Aragorn and Boromir can suffer major damage, should they lose a Strike-off to any of the 4 characters, especially when combined with another Hunter or valar-forbid a Bat Swarm. The obvious weakness of this army is the general low defence and numbers which aren't hugely impressive at this points level for a Defence 4 army, but once the combat begins, this force has the capability to hit fast and hard. 

The lack of models from Azog's Legion takes away the Master of Battle Rule, but the addition of Spider Queen naturally makes the alliance a Covenient (yellow) one, thus not eligible for the Army Bonusess anyway. Whether it's a correct trade-off is arguable both ways. 

List 5: Matt’s 800 Points of Azog’s Signal Tower Legion

Warband 1 (and only):

Azog on White Warg, heavy armor, stone flail. 

The Signal Tower w/ 7 Lieutenants. 

22 Berserkers 

1 War bat 

Total: 31 models, 13 might (plus Master of Battle on Azog). 

Matt: The core of this list is, obviously, Azog and his Signal Tower, and the list capitalizes on the benefits the Tower conveys. All of the models can move at least 8” a turn, or 11” thanks to the Tower. Each model, regardless of where it is, gains a banner reroll. The +1 courage bonus is sufficient to make the army essentially fearless, and the -1 courage penalty to the opponent makes it very hard to charge Azog while he remains on his mount. Finally, not only do Azog and his mount get a 6+ fury save, but the Tower improves the berserkers’ survivalability even further, discounting 1/3 of the wounds they suffer. 

The most important benefit of the Tower, however, is its mere existence. The Tower allows you to place a terrain piece and seven Lieutenants ANYWHERE ON THE BOARD. Playing Hold Ground? Place the Tower and the Lieutenants in the middle of the board. Playing Seize the Prize? Put the tower between your opponent and the prize. Playing Contest of Champions? Place the Tower in your opponent’s deployment area and use the Lieutenants to box the opponent’s leader into a cage match with Azog. Need cover against a shooting army? Place the Tower in the middle of the board and hide behind it. The possibilities are endless. Have fun! 

Dark Powers of Dol Guldur

Mik: This unique all-hero force appears as more of a relaxed, cool, thematic, not-exactly-competitive force. But appearances can be and are very deceiving in this case. The Necromancer and his Ringwraiths are an incredibly difficult and annoying faction to beat in certain scenarios when the army you are playing lacks the tools for it - these being abundance of F5+ models and Elven Blades. The key model in the army is The Necromancer himself, as he makes the rest of the list virtually invulnerable in combat through the 2+ Mightable resurrection roll. If the Necromancer dies, the army will die soon after, unless it has already caused enough damage to the opponent that a bunch of F5 2-Attack Terror-causing heroes can pick off the remaining scattered troops. 

The uniqueness of each Wraith also adds another advantage that isn't obvious from the start - confusion. The player who learns to use the Wraiths will know exactly what each one of them is capable of and where to put them to the maximum effect. But the opposing player may have to revert to constantly checking each one's rules to remember who does what in order to figure out how to best combat them. As a result, your opponent is far more likely to be making mistakes than you are and more often than not, the player who makes more mistakes is the player who ends up losing the game. 

Although the Wraiths can be allied into other forces as interesting captains bringing (newly added in the February FAQ) Heroic Strikes, they are most effective on their own, supported by their boss, meaning that at points of 500 and less, they are hardly viable, but points limits such as 800 or 1000 is where they really shine. 

The Castellans are also units that often get overlooked. They provide very good fighters at a relatively cheap price, making them good at low points levels, especially when your opponents lack the means of causing multiple wounds on them or lack the resources to drain down their Will over many turns of combat. 

List 6: 1000 Points of Dark Powers of Dol Guldur

The Necromancer 

9 Ringwraiths 

Keeper of the Dungeons

Summary

Matt: Azog’s Legion, together or in conjunction with Azog’s Hunters, gives you a host of options that allow you to play the army in very different ways. This is a great army to begin as a starter set (maybe with Bolg and some orcs) and then expand into a monster army (adding some ogres or trolls), an elite army (with berserkers) or just about anything else you like.

Mik: Depending how you build your army, forces of Azog have a lot of variety to pick from and utilise throughout the game. Their strong heroes are some of the game's most fearsome and their warriors allow you to build lists that will have very solid, heavy-infantry feel, or look like scattered-skirmish-scouting forces capable of spreading and dealing damage in non-standard-shieldwall ways.  If you like your beasts, add some spiders and a Queen. If you like a challenge and an army unlike any other, just take the Nazgul of Dol Guldur. Whatever you choose, you're sure going to have a good game to play. 

Good Luck!

BlackMist & Matt

======= 

Pictures kindly provided by Matt.

Fog of War, Part 16: The Serpent Horde & Far Harad

FOG OF WAR

Part 16: The Serpent Horde & Far Harad. 

Welcome back to Fog of War. This time joining me is the co-host of An Unexpected Podcast, 2018 NOVA Champion and 2019 NOVA runner-up Rainier Lee. Together we will be looking at the factions of The Serpent Horde and Far Harad, and as always showcase example lists for you to see, in case you’re interested in joining the ranks of men fighting for the Dark Lord. 

The Serpent Horde is a unique Evil army, as unlike most Evil armies, it shines in the shoot phase, contains a variety of troops almost as large as that of Mordor and counts Mordor as its Historical Ally, gaining cheap access to some of the Dark Land’s versatile toys. Far Harad has some of the game’s most powerful unnamed heroes and a set of fearless mini-chariots paired up with mini-trolls, providing a unique playing experience for everyone involved. 

HEROES:

Rainier: The rebellious men of the south offer a long range of heroes from troop killing assassins (Hasharin), taskmasters, death dealing Mahud Kings, and Ringwraiths to the Serpent Lord himself (Suladan).

First, I would like to focus on Suladan, who is arguably a must take for most Harad lists. Suladan gives players a 3/3/1 Hero of Legend with Heroic Strike and March, and he is a 6-inch banner. Yes, you read that correctly, “is a 6-inch banner”. Meaning, Suladan gives players 1-2 free Victory Points at the end of some scenarios if he is alive. Couple that with him usually being your general (Hero of Legend), most players are sure to keep him alive for the end game victory pts grab! Whilst mounted on an armored horse, he is also very cheap for everything he can offer!

Second, the Mahud King. The Mahud King is a 2-Might Hero of Valour with Heroic Strike, and Strength. What makes this unnamed hero so deadly is his ability to KILL. At less than 100 points, a King gives you a three-attack strength 5 model with a warspear, shield and camel (I will address camels in more detail later). The King’s stats give him a diverse range of options from going toe to toe with mega heroes to cutting through heavy armored dwarves like butter. At a cost lower than most Heroes of his fighting ability, the Mahud King is a smart choice for your list. 

Mik: Although Suladan is arguably the best and most cost-efficient Hero in the game, allowing you to take 18 warriors alongside him with a banner that covers an area almost 4 times* the size of a standard banner, he isn’t the only choice you have. The Golden King, once an absolute powerhouse on top tables of major tournaments, is still a force to be reckoned with despite losing the ability to Heroic Strike in the current edition. Sitting quietly on top of his banner-throne with more attacks than any other non-monster Hero in the game at Strength 4 and Burly, he provides a solid meat cleaver against Fight 3 and lower basic troops and also is capable of slicing down big heroes when combined with a Transfix or a Heroic Striking friend. His ‘Riches Beyond Renown’ is still one of the best abilities in the game, able to automatically remove any enemy hero from the battlefield. 

Special mention naturally goes to The Betrayer, whose ‘Master of Poisons’ Special Rule technically almost doubles the number of bows the army contains and making the cheap Warriors much more powerful in combat against all opponents. 

PLAYSTYLE:

The Serpent Horde:

Rainier: The Serpent Horde is arguably one of the best shooting factions in the game. Their Army Bonus allows you to equip 50% of your army with bows, instead of the usual 33%. Moreover, Haradrim bows are always poisoned. Combine a horde of poisoned bows with The Betrayer and you will rarely find yourself losing the shoot phase. Bows are a staple for any Harad army and can be complimented with fast moving and cheap Fight 4 lanced cavalry (Serpent Riders). Abrakhan Guards also give a punch in the combat phase, for 9pts you can sprinkle in these strength-4 burly-body-builders. [More like powerlifters – Mik 😉]

Mik: Players can opt to go in multiple directions with The Serpent Horde, both by spamming high numbers of relatively cheap troops and as a hard hitting elite force. Abrakhan Guards can indeed punch holes in most battle lines and Watchers of Karna provide good flanking troops with extra attacks, but one of the more overlooked units in Harad are Serpent Guards – with their poisoned spears they are able to provide cheap F4 spear support not only to standard Haradrim Warriors, but also to Morannon Orcs or Mahud Warriors, both of whom are Historical Allies and hence easy to drop into the list if required.

Far Harad: 

Rainier: Far Harad is unique to most factions in that it allows players to deal damage not only in the fight and shoot phase, but also in the move phase. Camels, for example, provide hits when charging in the move phase. If the camel mounted model kills their opponent, they may then continue or finish their 10inch movement inflicting as many of those impact hits as their savage heart’s desire. I once played Far Harad against a Rangers of Ithilien list at a tournament and would wipe out whole Defence 4 warbands in the move phase. What a scary notion for any low defence army! Moreover, a Mahud King or Chieftain can Heroic Combat, offering double the carnage. Mahud Raiders give Far Harad lists a scary ability to ruin formations and cause havoc out of nowhere. Far Harad also gives players some of the best infantry in the game. Half-Trolls provide immense hitting power with their high Strength, Fight and Attacks, allowing you to form battle lines with better stats than many heroes! Let me also not forget Far Harad’s army bonus, which allows its warriors to automatically pass Courage Tests in certain circumstances, so models like Gulavhar can easily become an afterthought before they have the ability to participate in the fight phase. 

Mik: Mumaks… What can I say… they’re awesome! Sadly, the size of their bases and their rules are not really designed for competitive play, despite the really cool upgrade of the Mumak War Leader leading a really powerful looking Grand Army of the South Legendary Legion – Mahud Warriors with blowpipes backed by Haradrim Spearmen with Bows? Sign me up! Nevertheless, Mumaks are an awesome part of the game and definitely worth trying to use, whether for competitive or not reasons. Whether you use Mumaks or fight against them, they usually provide a laugh and a series of unexpected events ensues. 

WEAKNESSES:

Rainier: For an enthusiast of the desert tribes of Southern Middle-Earth I must admit that these factions can easily be exploited. Though they can deal a lot of damage in the move, shoot, and fight phase, due to their low defense, The Serpent Horde and Far Harad lack the ability to grind in a long battle. For example, Haradrim archers can many times be outshot by elves with blinding light, or factions with a heavy emphasis on Strength 4 Crossbows. Furthermore, the low Fight Value of Mahud Raiders means that failing to charge may end up costing you large sways of very expensive camels. If you are playing Harad make sure to weaken your opponent before the battle lines hit. If you are playing Far Harad make sure to optimize your killing in the move phase and set yourself up for the counter charge.

Mik: Suladan, despite being a good offensive and supporting character, and a centerpiece of many Harad Armies, is a particularly fragile Hero. At a lowly Defence for a hero that will usually be your leader, and just one Fate point, a single bad roll against some basic strength 3 troops can easily poke away a Victory Point for your opponent. As a rule, whilst trapped against enemy heroes, losing a Heroic Strike-off usually results with the death of your Leader. It’s imperative that Suladan is kept safe due to his regular status as the Leader and his immense Banner range, but as the best combat hero of The Serpent Horde, players will be regularly throwing him in danger. Elven Bows are also a problem and appearance of Legolas on the other side of the board is something every Suladan player despises, as regardless of how safe we play, it becomes inevitable that at Suladan will drop at least 1 wound, if not more. I've been on the receiving end of Legolas at a GBHL Masters Tournament in 2019 and after spending just 1 Might point earlier in the game, I rolled a 1 on my Fate and lost a game of Reconnoitre by 1-0 simply by not passing the Fate roll. It may be a good idea to look to ally in other Heroes of Legend, so as not to put all your eggs (Leader and Banner) into one basket. It could be Witch King, Dalamyr, or even Saruman.

ARMY LISTS:

List 1: Rainier’s 800 Points of The Serpent Horde & Far Harad Alliance:

Warband 1:

Sulladan (Armoured Horse)

2 Abrakhan Guard

2 Watchers of Karna (Twin Blades)

6 Harad Warriors with Bows

3 Harad Warriors with Bows & Spears

5 Serpent Guards

Warband 2:

Mahud King (Camel, War Spear, Shield)

3 Half Trolls

4 Mahud Warriors with Blowpipes

7 Mahud Warriows with Blowpipes & Spears

Warband 3:

Mahud King (Camel, War Spear, Shield)

3 Mahud Raiders with Blowpipes & War Spears

Warband 4:

Mahud King (Camel, War Spear, Shield)

2 Mahud Raiders with Blowpipes & War Spears

Total: 797 Points, 41 Models, 9 Might, 9 Bows, 14 Blowpipes, 8 Camels

This 800pt list balances shooting, killing, and movement compacted in a themed army that would have fought at the Pellenor Fields.  Like a kid at a candy shop my list echoes “a little of this and a little of that.” My 9 poisoned bows alongside 14 blowpipes that hit on 3s offers enough to harass my opponent with shooting. Ideally, I want to be around 12” away from my opponent to maximize my blowpipes and choose which fights my camels want to engage in. I brought 4 warbands, two of which only have 2-3 models. This allows me to have options on where my camels/Might will be both in the deployment phase and throughout the match depending on what scenario is played. The two main warbands contribute a lot of punch to my force. When combined, they can form a battle line with F5 Half Trolls, Abrakhan Guard and S4 Mahud Warriors with F4 Serpent Guards sprinkled in. Don’t forget Suladan’s 6-inch banner! My 9 Might does not seem like a lot. However, 9 Might distributed amongst four mounted 3-attack models, three of which are baby Dains, can be a problem to most armies. Overall, this force offers a balanced look to what Harad and Far Harad have, as it includes shooting, killing power, and the ability to move around the board.

Mik: You’ll be glad to know that we featured an almost identical list to this one in the first episode of An Unexpected Podcast, where Tim, Devin, Matt and I had a chance to discuss the pros and cons of it with Rainier going into an 800 point tournament. Check it out on the DC Hobbit League Youtube page, starting at 45:30 below: 

https://youtu.be/uC-GTrDVUIk?t=2732

List 2: Rainier’s 500 points of The Serpent Horde

Warband 1:

Suladan (Armoured Horse) 

2 Serpent Riders 

4 Abrakhan Guards

5 Harad Warriors with Bows

5 Harad Warriors with Spears

2 Serpent Guards

Warband 2:

The Betrayer on Horse

8 Harad Warriors with Bows

3 Harad Warriors with Bows & Spears

3 Harad Warriors with Spears

1 Harad Warrior with a Sword 

Total: 500 Points, 35 Models, 5 Might, 16 Bows, 4 Cav

This 500pt list build is traditional in that it leans on its strengths, which are bows and poison. The Betrayer gives 16 bows the ability to re-roll all failed to wound rolls, which is a terrifying notion at 500pts. Moreover, The Betrayer also buffs this army in the combat phase. Withholding the few Abrakhan Guard, this army with its F4 sprinkled around can also re-roll failed to wound rolls in the combat phase. At 500 points Suladan is likely going to be facing less threats, whilst still providing his awesome banner effect. Overall, this army offers a HUGE punch in the shoot phase and coupled with its cavalry, Burly, and more poison re-rolls can be deadly at 500pts. 

List 3: Mik’s 600 Points of Serpent Horde & Far Harad:

Warband 1: The Serpent Horde

Suladan, Mounted with a Bow

9 Haradrim with Bows & Spears

9 Abrakhan Guard

Warband 2: The Serpent Horde

Haradrim Chieftain with a Bow

6 Haradrim with Bows & Spears

6 Abrakhan Guard

Warband 3: Far Harad

1 Mahud King with full kit

3 Mahud Camel Riders with Warspears and Blowpipes

1 Mahud Camel Rider with a Warspear

Total: 600 Points, 37 Models, 7 Might

This is a solid and simple 600 points list that provides decent numbers with a 15-wide front line of Abrakhan Guard backed by Spears, 17 bows, Suladan’s banner and a contingent of Mahud King with 4 Camels, for a total of 6 cavalry models. The Chieftain gives the army an extra Heroic March, ensuring the force can move quickly when it needs to without having to spend Suladan's Might points. The force sacrifices The Betrayer in order to bring some Camels and a better 2nd fighter. There isn’t much to say other than the fact that it’s likely not going to win a straight up shooting war with Rangers of Ithilien, but if it starts the game up close to them, it should annihilate them. 

List 4: Mik’s 700 Points of Golden King & Catapult Combo

Warband 1: The Serpent Horde

Golden King

8 Haradrim Warriors with Spears & Bows

6 Abrakhan Guard

1 Serpent Rider

Warband 2: Mordor

The Dwimmerlaik on a Horse

7 Black Numenoreans

7 Morannon Orcs with Shields & Spears

1 Warg Rider with Shield

Warband 3: Mordor

1 Mordor War Catapult with:

- 1 extra crew member

- Severed Heads upgrade

Total: 700 Points, 37 Models, 3 Might (2 really), 8 bows and something special…

Whether you take Shadow Lord over Dwimmerlaik for better bowfire protection or Betrayer over Dwimmerlaik for those bonuses to re-rolls is up to you. Perhaps taking Dwimmerlaik here is going too far, but hear me out, because this is one of the most fun lists I’ve ever made. 

Golden King’s Special Rule allows you to force your opponent’s heroes to fail Courage Tests. Severed Heads upgrade of the Catapult outright kills models that fail Courage Tests. Together what that means is that if you drop a head on your opponent’s leader and Golden King is nearby, it’s possible that leader will flee regardless of who they are. A Ringwraith’s Harbinger of Evil modifier is a great tool here in improving the odds of the failed test, hence regardless whether you take Shadow Lord, Betrayer or Dwimmerlaik, you’ll get the added bonus. However, this is where the extra hit comes in: Dwimmerlaik’s ‘Sap Fortitude’ Special Rule forces Heroes to spend EXTRA points of Might and Will, meaning that you can either save up on GK’s Will points, or you can force someone who you wouldn’t think would fail into failing. 

That, plus Dwimmerlaik is virtually never used, so wouldn’t it be fun to see him played a bit more often? Start the game with a couple of normal shots, then cast a cheeky Drain Courage or two on your opponent’s leader, then bring both Dwim and GK nearby and aim Severed Heads at him. You could just out of nowhere win a game you never thought you had a chance in. 

And if all that fails? You still have a Catapult, Black Numenoreans, Morannon Orcs and Abrakhan Guard supported by a Banner and a Wraith to keep you going! Lack of Might could be a problem, but hey, such is life for the brave who choose the road less travelled by.

ALLIES & CONCLUSION:

Rainier: Allying can stop your opponent from using your army’s weaknesses against you. Harad has the ability to green ally with factions such as Mordor, or the Corsairs of Umbar. Mordor can give Harad Defence 6 / Strength 4 Morranon Orcs, or the Shadow Lord who can make Haradrim battle lines more sustainable to combat the opposing bow fire. If you ally with Umbar, cheap backstabbing F4 Corsairs and crossbows can make your shooting even deadlier than it already is! 

Far Harad only has one historical ally in The Serpent Horde, but it’s a strong one. It allows your army to not only be an elite small hitting force, but also provides backup in numbers and bows. To conclude, The Serpent Horde and Far Harad offer unique playstyles that when used correctly can cause mayhem on the battlefield. 

Mik: The Serpent Horde and Far Harad offer a ton of strengths and versatility in a force that in itself is full of weaknesses, making every game a challenge and forcing every player to think how to minimise their inevitably high casualty counts and maximise what their army can do. From my personal experience, Harad, in its many iterations is one of the most fun and interesting armies to play and serves as a good learning tool for players of all skill levels. 

Good luck!

BlackMist & Rainier

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* Suladan’s banner range compared to a standard banner:

A standard banner covers an area of 3” in every direction from the base of the model and the base has a diameter of 1”. 

Therefore the radius from the centre of the base is π*3.52 = 38.45 inches

Suladan on foot has a radius of 6.5” from the centre of the base, which means the area of the banner effect is: 132.7 inches. 

Considering that you’ll virtually always take Suladan on horse and rarely take a mounted banner, because you’re more likely to give the banner bearer a spear to support friends, the true area of Suladan’s banner is going to be:

π*6.82 = 145.2 inches

Note: 6.8 is the 6” banner plus a 40mm of the base is 1.6 inches, hence 6 + ½ *1.6 = 6.8