When two armies clash, it’s important to have Heroes who can dish out some serious damage on the front line – after all, the best way to inspire your troops to get into battle is to lead by example. In this second of a two-part series, Middle-earth rules writer Jay Clare focuses on the Evil side and those who bow to the will of the Dark Lord...
Jay: After looking at Good Heroes previously, this time, I’m going to run down our top 10 picks for the best combat Heroes that Sauron the Dark Lord has at his disposal. We’ll start by giving an honourable mention to Smaug, as he’s undoubtedly a fearsome foe, but at a whopping 700 points, there are times when he may struggle to earn back his points cost. Unless he wipes the opposition out, that is.
10 – Buhrdûr
The hulking Hill Troll Buhrdûr is often overlooked by players, but he’s a very good choice for an Angmar army. He’s cheap at only 110 points, boasts a Fight value of 6 with 3 Attacks, and possesses all the benefits that come with being a Monster (including a Strength of 6) – Buhrdûr is more than capable of holding his own against the very best of the Free Peoples.
9 – The Goblin King
The huge and bloated Goblin King is more than simply an overgrown Goblin. He is, in fact, a truly terrifying threat on the battlefield. He can dish out some serious punishment with his Strength of 5, and his combination of two-handed pick and Burly special rule gives him +1 To Wound, too. He’s also incredibly resilient and able to ignore most Wounds on a 3+. If you take on the Goblin King, be prepared for a long fight – if you’re not swiftly battered into the ground, that is.
8 – Shagrat™
The captain of Cirith Ungol, Shagrat has a profile befitting such a position – Fight 5, Strength 5, 3 Attacks, 3 Wounds, and Heroic stats many Evil Heroes would kill for. Yet Shagrat also has a trick up his sleeve to set him apart. The Shield of Cirith Ungol that he wields allows him to knock enemy models down in the same manner as Cavalry if he charges. What’s worse than being hit by a huge Uruk-hai? Being knocked prone then hit twice as often by a huge Uruk-hai!
7 – The Balrog™
With perhaps the best statline in the entire game, and as the only model to possess a mighty Fight value of 10, it may come as a surprise that the
is only seventh on this list. While it may have a Strength of 9 and 4 Attacks, the Balrog has no Might to boost its Duel roll with, meaning that it must roll a 6 to guarantee winning a fight. Though when it does, there is very little chance of its opponent surviving – and even if they do, they may get Set Ablaze for their efforts.
6 – Amdûr, Lord of Blades
Amdûr is built to seek out enemy Heroes and face them head-on. His Fight value of 6 allows him to stand toe-to-toe with the likes of Aragorn or Boromir, and his The Lord of Blades special rule means he can declare a Heroic Strike for free if an enemy in combat with him declares one of their own. Not only that, but Amdûr also regains a point of Might each time he kills an enemy Hero. For taking on the leader of the opposition army, there are few better than Amdûr.
5 – Bill the Troll
All
are good in a fight by their very nature but, when it comes to sheer destructiveness, Bill is top Troll. With a Fight value, Strength, and Defence of 7, and 3 Attacks, Wounds, and Might, Bill is going to be winning a lot of combats and will usually kill his targets. Sometimes, Heroes can have trouble killing other Heroes, but not Bill. His Mince ’em Fine Brutal Power Attack means that if he wins the fight, both he and his target roll a D6 and add their Strength. If Bill’s total is higher, his opponent suffers a number of Wounds equal to the difference – utterly devastating.
4 – Gûlavhar, The Terror of Arnor
Gûlavhar is an interesting model as he hits really hard, but is quite fragile in return. That said, his Fight value of 7, Strength of 8, and the fact he has Monstrous Charge mean that he packs a serious punch. Even if he does take a few hits, Gûlavhar’s Immortal Hunger special rule allows him to regain lost Wounds by killing enemy models. If you don’t kill Gûlavhar outright, he may just come back to get you.
3 – Bolg™
Third place on our podium goes to the spawn of Azog, Bolg. Fight 7, Strength 5, 3 Attacks and Might, and that trusted combination of a two-handed weapon and Burly, make Bolg a truly awesome combatant – and that’s just at the start of the game. As the battle rages on, and his kill tally goes up, Bolg gets even better, gaining the Terror, Harbinger of Evil, and even Mighty Hero special rules. Bolg definitely is his father’s son. Speaking of whom...
2 – Azog™
Azog has everything you could want in a combat model: a high Fight value of 7, a Strength of 5, plenty of Might, and an abundance of Heroic Actions. If that isn’t enough, he can be mounted upon his fearsome White Warg, which causes Terror and has 3 Might of its own – which Azog can also use. Azog’s I am the Master special rule means that he always wounds enemy Heroes on a 3+, no matter who they are. Oh, and when benefitting from the Azog’s Legion Army Bonus, he gains Master of Battle, allowing him to copy enemy Heroic Actions... for free.
1 – The Dark Lord Sauron™
If you want a job doing right, you have to do it yourself, right? As should probably be expected, the Dark Lord himself takes the top spot on this list. A statline many can only dream of, and a slew of special rules, make Sauron the deadliest Evil model in the game. Fight 9, Strength 8, 4 Attacks and, if that wasn’t enough, he can even set enemy models on fire. Sauron is also nearly impossible to kill with a Defence of 10, 5 Wounds, and the fact that even if you get through that, the One Ring will sustain him on a 2+. It will take a lucky strike to sever the Ring from the Dark Lord…
Thanks, Jay! So, there you have it – the Middle-earth team’s picks for the top 10 Evil combat Heroes. Do you agree with the list or are there Heroes you would’ve placed here instead? Let us know over on the Warhammer Official Facebook page.