In this instalment of Faction Focus, the Middle-earth team travel to the home of the Horse Lords to muster the Rohirrim and give us the lowdown on the armies of the kingdom of Rohan.
The kingdom of Rohan has faced near-constant turmoil and war ever since it was founded. This is especially true as the Third Age comes to an end and the Wizard Saruman seeks to bring ruin to Rohan. Orcs, Uruk-hai, and Dunlendings rampage across her lands, burning villages and destroying farms. Théoden, king of Rohan, has been placed under some sort of spell by Saruman, leaving him weak and feeble. Yet the arrival of Gandalf the White breaks Saruman’s grip over the king and returns Rohan to its former glory. Though they may not have the strength to defeat Mordor and Isengard alone, they stand by their allies in the fights to come.
There are few who can match the Rohirrim’s skill on horseback, and their Army Bonus Ride for Ruin and the World’s Ending! gives Rohan Cavalry a bonus of +1 Strength on the Charge. Couple this with the Arise Riders of Théoden! special rule for Captains of Rohan, Riders of Rohan, and the Rohan Royal Guard, who get +1 bonus to their Fight value when they Charge within 12” of Théoden, and you can see just how devastating a Rohirrim cavalry charge can be!
Heroes
Though the years have taken their toll and he is past his prime, Théoden is still a capable warrior in his own right, boasting a Fight value of 5 and 2 Attacks. As with almost all Rohirrim, Théoden is at his best when mounted upon a horse, and with the Rohan Army Bonus, Théoden can reach a Strength of 5 on the Charge. Théoden is also an exceptional leader: his Forth, and Fear no Darkness special rule grants him a 12” Stand Fast!. He is still susceptible to Saruman’s influence, however. Should Gríma ever worm his way to within 6” of Théoden, the king has his Fight value reduced to 3 and can’t use Will points or declare Heroic Actions!
With a Fight value of 5, 3 Attacks and 3 Might, Éomer is the powerhouse of any Rohirrim charge. His The Price of Grief special rule gives him +1 To Wound for the rest of the game should either Théoden or Éowyn be slain – though he must always Charge if he can.
Rohan is blessed with other Heroes who can fill almost any role. Déorwine acts as the king’s bodyguard, and his For Théoden! special rule allows a free Heroic Combat to join his liege in battle. Elfhelm provides an excellent ranged threat with his highly-accurate throwing spears, while Gamling carries the Royal Standard of Rohan providing nearby Rohan Hero models the opportunity to regain lost Might points – perfect for keeping those Cavalry charging!
Warriors
All Riders of Rohan come equipped with a hand weapon, shield, and bow, and have the option for throwing weapons. This means they can soften their foes up with volleys of arrows before charging in for the kill. The Rohan Royal Guard are much the same, though they relinquish their bows for an additional point of Fight value and Defence.
Rohan Outriders on the other hand aren’t suited to a Cavalry charge, as they lack the benefits of the standard Riders of Rohan. However, they make for ideal objective holders. Their improved Shoot value of 3+ makes them great at shooting from afar, but it is their Vanguard special rule that sets them apart, allowing them to benefit from a friendly Hero model’s Stand Fast! regardless of range – perfect for securing far away objectives at the end of the game.
Tactics
When playing an all-mounted Rohan army, the trap that many budding generals fall into is to always charge at the first opportunity. This can leave the army open to being counter-charged, surrounded, and swiftly brought down. Instead, it is often best to try to soften up the opposition with shooting first – have your Riders skirmish around and then take out some high-value targets such as opposing Cavalry and Hero mounts.
When you are ready to Charge, wait for the opportune moment and stay out of your opponent’s Charge range. Ideally, you want to make your first Charge when you have lost Priority and get as many of your Cavalry into combat as possible. Your opponent can’t then counter-charge as they have already moved. This also lets you pick and choose your fights, putting the odds in your favour and making it all the more likely that you will kill your targets. It can also be a good idea to not charge opposing Heroes in this situation and just try to do as much damage to the army as possible.
Once engaged, Cavalry need to keep moving to get their bonuses – usually +1 Attack and the Knocked to the Ground bonus on the Charge. Without these, Cavalry just don’t have the same impact so it is imperative that you use your Might points to declare those Heroic Moves and keep your Rohirrim charging!
Army Lists
The first of our example army lists focuses around the Rohan Battlehost, and makes for a great starting point for any Rohan army. This can also be used as a Riders of Théoden Legendary Legion.
Our second list is built towards a higher points value and incorporates some different units and Heroes that we mentioned earlier.
Thanks guys! If the thought of saddling up and starting your own Rohan force to ride into battle excites you, then why not pick up the Rohan Battlehost?