Here is another Middle Earth Selector, it is a Work in Progress. The Selector is designed to fight other Warmaster armies.
MISTY MOUNTAIN ORC ARMY Selector v0.7
For the Third Age 2941-3018, Orcs of the Misty Mountains & Battle of Five Armies TA2941
TROOP Type Atk Hit Armour Command Unit Points Min/ Special
Size Per Unit Max
Snaga Infantry 2/15 3 0 -2/20 3 20 } 6/12 *1
Orcs Infantry 2 3 6+ -2/20 3 20 } *2
Great Orcs/Uruks Infantry 3 3 5+ - 3 60 -/1
Trolls Infantry 4 4 5+ -2/20 3 100 -/4 *3
Mirkwood Giant Spiders Infantry 3 3 0 3 40 -/1 *4r
Wargs Cavalry 2 3 0 - 3 40 } *5
Warg Scouts Cavalry 2/15a 3 6+ - 3 60 } -/8 *6
Warg Riders Cavalry 3 3 6+ - 3 60 }
Giant Bat Swarms Monster 2 3 6+ - 3 65 -/2 *7
Stone Giant Monster 2/6:60 2 4+ - 1 150 -/½ *8r
Uruk General General +1 8 80 1*
Uruk Hero Hero +1 8:60 80 -/1
Orc Hero Hero 0 7:20 25 -/4 *9
Orc Shaman Wizard 0 6:20 30 -/1 *10r
Warg Orcs & Uruks Special Mount +1 +10 -/1 *11
Balrog of Moria Special General +2 9 175 1* *12r
a=shoot all round
r=restrictions apply - see special rules.
ARMY RULESThis army is essentially an army of non-Orcs and an ablative shield of Orcs, no one cares about the Orcs. To represent this, the army calculates when it must withdraw from the battle in a different way to other armies. Snaga and Orcs do not count towards the army’s break value, all other units count as usual. Snaga and Orcs cannot hold objectives.
SPECIAL RULES1. Snaga. Snaga suffer double the command penalty for distance when given an order, so up to 20cm no penalty, up to 40cm -2, up to 60cm -4 and so on.
A Snaga unit is allowed to shoot as if it had bows but its range is reduced to 15cm.
The enemy does not gain Victory Points for a destroyed unit or stands of Snaga.
2. Orcs. Orcs suffer double the command penalty for distance when given an order, so up to 20cm no penalty, up to 40cm -2, up to 60cm -4 and so on.
The enemy does not gain Victory Points for a destroyed unit or stands of Orcs.
3. Trolls. Trolls suffer double the command penalty for distance when given an order, so up to 20cm no penalty, up to 40cm -2, up to 60cm -4 and so on. Trolls cannot have magic items.
4. Mirkwood Giant Spiders. Giant Spiders can only be used with your opponents agreement.
Mirkwood Giant Spiders always count as being in defended cover when in woods, also they do not suffer -1 to Command when in woods. They suffer -1 Command when in the open. Mirkwood Giant Spiders can only be brigaded with other Mirkwood Giant Spiders. Mirkwood Giant Spiders cannot have magic items.
5. Wargs, move 20cm into, in and out of woods and steep hills and suffers -1 to attack whilst in this terrain. Wargs can be pursued by infantry whilst in woods or on steep hills. Wargs do not suffer the dense terrain -1 Command Penalty whilst in woods or on steep hills. If the unit charges against an enemy in the open it receives an additional +1 Attack modifier in the same way as chariots and monsters. Wargs cannot have magic items.
6. Warg Scouts. Are allowed to shoot as if it had bows but the range is reduced to 15cm. Warg Scouts can shoot behind or to the side as well as to the front. Just measure the range from any stand edge, front, side or rear. They can therefore shoot at enemy charging them from any direction.
7. Giant Bat Swarm. Giant Bat Swarms can fly. They cannot home back like normal flyers. Giant Bat Swarms cannot be driven back by shooting and do not roll for drive backs. A Giant Bat Swarm cannot be given magic items. Giant Bat Swarms are based along the long base edge in the same way as infantry, rather than the short edge like other monsters.
8. Stone Giant. If fighting other Middle Earth armies Stone Giants can only be used with your opponent’s agreement.
Stone Giants are monsters and so move 20cm, they also use the shooting rules for Orc Rock Lobber (p69 LRB) with the exception that they can shoot at charging enemies. Note the ½ max per 1000, this means 1-1000 points none can be taken, 1001-3000 one can be taken, 3001-5000 two can be taken etc. Stone Giants cause terror in its enemies. A Stone Giant cannot be brigaded with other units not even another Stone Giant. A Stone Giant can see and be seen over intervening troops as if he were on a hill and must still shoot at the nearest target. Once a Stone Giants starts to throw rocks he will not move again by initiative or orders. If a Stone Giant has no enemy units or enemy defences in range he will throw rocks at the nearest friendly unit.
9. Orc Hero. Has a command radius of 20cm, not 60cm.
10. Orc Shaman. If fighting other Middle Earth armies Orc Shaman can only be used with your opponents agreement.
Orc Shaman can cast spells like a Wizard and can carry a magic item restricted to a Wizard if desired. Orc Shaman have a command radius of 20cm.
11. Warg. Any Character but the Balrog can ride a Warg. A Warg adds +1 to its riders attacks. Note this is like a common mount and is treated the same way as characters on foot as per the standard character rules.
12. Balrog. The Balrog can only be used with your opponents agreement. The Balrog can be the General and replaces the Uruk General. The Balrog causes Terror in its enemies. The Balrog and the unit it is with are immune to all fire based attacks, including Dragon Breath. The Balrog can cast spells like a Wizard and can carry a magic item restricted to a Wizard if desired. He can re-roll a failed spell on any dice result except a 1. If a spell is failed because a 1 is rolled then no re-roll is permitted.
Orc Shaman Spells
DARK SWARM (from BoFA Goblin Shaman list)
5+ to hit, Range 30cm no LOS
A swarm of dreaded bloodsucking bats and nameless dark horrors swirl about the foe and feast on the wounded.This spell can be cast on an enemy unit within range regardless of whether the Wizard has line or sight or not. The spell can cast at a target engaged in combat or not engaged in combat – it makes no difference. The Dark Swarm is worked out exactly like three ordinary shooting attacks with armour saves. If the target is not engaged in combat hits inflicted by a Dark Swarm are counted towards drive backs just like ordinary shooting. If the target is engaged in combat hits inflicted by a Dark Swarm are carried over into the Combat phase and count towards the combat result in the first round.
VOICE OF COMMAND (from Empire list)
5+ to hit, Range 30cm no LOS
The Wizard's voice booms out across the battlefield directing troops above the tumult of combat with the magical Voice of Command.The spell can be cast on any unengaged friendly unit within range regardless of whether the Wizard can see it or not. The spell affects only a single unit, never a brigade. The unit can be moved just as if it had received an order in the Command phase. Character stands that have joined the unit will not move with it: they remain where they are.
LASH OF SAURON (like Waaagh! from Orc list but not 4+)
5+ to cast, Range 30cm no LOS
A dark power billows from the Sorcerer filling his troops with the destructive vigour of Sauron.The spell can be cast on any engaged friendly unit within range regardless of whether the Wizard can see it or not. The effect lasts for the duration of the following Combat phase. Every stand in the unit, including characters that have joined the unit, adds +1 to its Attacks value.
Balrog Spells
FLAMING WHIP (TOUCH OF DEATH (from the Tomb Kings list))
4+ to cast, Range – Touching
The Balrog flicks his wrist and his Flaming Whip arcs and writhes causing flaming death and agony to all it touches.The Wizard can cast this spell if he has joined a unit in combat. The spell can be cast on any single enemy unit that it is touching the unit the Wizard has joined. The target unit takes three attacks worked out in the usual way. Any hits scored are carried over into the first round of combat and count as having been struck in the first round for purposes of working out combat results.
VOICE OF COMMAND (from the Empire list)
5+ to hit, Range 30cm
The Wizard's voice booms out across the battlefield directing troops above the tumult of combat with the magical Voice of Command.The spell can be cast on any unengaged friendly unit within range regardless of whether the Wizard can see it or not. The spell affects only a single unit, never a brigade. The unit can be moved just as if it had received an order in the Command phase. Character stands that have joined the unit will not move with it: they remain where they are.
LASH OF SAURON (like Waaagh! from the Orc list but not 4+)
5+ to cast, Range 30cm
A dark power billows from the Sorcerer filling his troops with the destructive vigour of Sauron.The spell can be cast on any engaged friendly unit within range regardless of whether the Wizard can see it or not. The effect lasts for the duration of the following Combat phase. Every stand in the unit, including characters that have joined the unit, adds +1 to its Attacks value.
DOOM AND DESPAIR (from the Tomb Kings list)
4+ to cast, Range 60cm
A dark cloud of doom and despair settles over the enemy, sapping their courage and dampening their warlike spirit.This spell can be cast on any enemy unit within range regardless of whether the Wizard can see it or not. The spell takes effect until the end of the opposing player's next turn. Whilst the spell lasts the unit cannot charge and if engaged in combat will not pursue or advance. Even units that are otherwise obliged to charge, pursue, or advance will not do so if affected by Doom and Despair. Note that even Undead are not immune
Unit NotesGreat Orcs/Uruks – These orcs are not the same as Sauron’s Uruks or Saruman’s Uruk-hai, they are lesser than Uruk-hai, but greater than Orcs. They still shunned bright sunlight. They probably would not be so well armed or armoured as their later southern brethren, but for game purposes we will treat them as the same as Uruk-hai, for they are few in number.
Great Orcs are like WM High Elf Spearmen and Archers (but don’t have the +1 to hit)Giant Bat Swarm. - The origin of these blood sucking bats is unknown, but their lusts and habits are well known. They are also the servants of the Dark Powers. Some of the Orcs must have been able to “communicate†with the bats, for the bats to blot out the sun and shade Bolg and his Orc and Warg host on their long march.
Giant Bat Swarms are like WM Vampire Count Fell Bats but with swarm rules.Stone Giants, inhabit the Misty Mountains and appear to have driven Beorn, his kin and his bears from the Misty Mountains.
Bilbo: When he peeped out in the lightning-flashes, he saw that across the valley the stone-giants were out and were hurling rocks at one another for a game, and catching them, and tossing them down into the darkness where they smashed among the trees far below, or splintered into little bits with a bang.
[…]They could hear the giants guffawing and shouting all over the mountainsides.Also.
"I must see if I can't find a more or less decent giant to block it up again," said Gandalf"Gandalf musing about getting the pass to Goblin Town blocked.
In game terms the Misty Mountain army is too weak and needs a lift, so Stone Giants that act like two Orc Rock Lobbers came to mind. The Stone Giants did not appear to fight for or against the Orcs but maybe a few could have been persuaded to throw rocks at the enemy for that is what they, in their child like way, love to do. The Stone Giants only have 2 hits, this represents again their child likeness, that once they are really hurt, they will run away.
Balrog (Demons of Might) - Maiar Spirits who became the servants of Melkor, the Dark Enemy. After Melkor’s defeat in the War of Wrath some Balrogs fled and hid in Middle Earth, one such Balrog of Moria was Durin’s Bain. He was released by the mining Dwarves of Moria in TA1980 and reigned terror for over a thousand years.
The Balrog is like a WM Daemon Overlord Wizard with Favour of the Gods.See the Sauron Selector for the other “common†unit notes.Design NotesAs I want these series of Selectors to be used with the Warmaster rules they do not follow the BoFA conventions and have rules like “Orc Shaman. If fighting other Middle Earth armies Orc Shaman can only be used with your opponents agreement.†So if fighting other Warmaster armies then Orcs Shaman can be used.
This will be a hard army to use well, it does not have many redeeming features, but note the number of Trolls and Giant Bat Swarms. As the usual General is only Command:8 your opponent might agree to you having the Balrog as the General, only so he can take it down.
AcknowledgementsHaving finally got hold of a copy of BoFA, I can see how Rick Priestly wanted his introduction to Middle Earth Warmaster game to be. I hope I have taken the best bits from all the lists I have seen to meld them into a good representation for this Selector, so thanks to BoFA and the Orc/Goblin Shaman magic.
