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