In this instalment of Faction Focus our resident Elf-friend Dan Entwisle takes us beneath the boughs of the golden Mallorn trees to learn more about the army of Lothlórien.
Dan: Just as dangerous as their kin from Rivendell, the Elves of Lothlórien defend the borders of their realm with deadly archery and exceptional swordsmanship. Ruling over Lothlórien is the Lady Galadriel – a mighty sorceress of immense power and one of Sauron’s most determined adversaries.
The Lothlórien Army Bonus, They say a great Sorceress lives in these woods… provides all friendly Lórien models with the Resistant to Magic special rule, granting them an additional die when resisting Magical Powers. Even the dreaded Ringwraiths will need to think twice about how to spend their precious Will points when targeting these Elves with their dark magic.
Heroes
Galadriel has long been a staunch opponent of Sauron working to thwart his evil machinations for thousands of years. While her kin take the fight to the Dark Lord with blade and bow, Galadriel wields magic to great effect, hindering her foes and protecting her allies. The Immobilise and Command Magical Powers prevent the enemy from declaring Heroic Actions, using active special rules or making Strikes, allowing Galadriel to temporarily neutralise even the most dangerous of foes – buying precious time for her allies to dispatch them.
Blinding Light meanwhile protects Galadriel and any allies within 6”, who can only be hit by Shooting attacks on a 6, making her particularly effective against missile-heavy forces such as the Serpent Horde, Corsairs of Umbar, and Variags of Khand. In addition, Blessing of the Valar can restore a point of Fate to an ally.
To cement her magical prowess, her Lady of Lothlórien special rule lets her spend one Will each turn for free, so she can cast magic late into the game.
A hidden gem in the Lothlórien army list, Celeborn has a profile befitting that of an Elven lord – and he can cast spells too. Enchanted Blades helps him cut through tough opposition, Aura of Command ensures he and any nearby friendly models automatically pass Courage tests, whilst Immobilise will subdue particularly powerful opponents. The Lord of the West special rule lets him re-roll a die when making a Duel roll and when rolling To Wound.
Warriors
Clad in golden heavy armour, the Galadhrim Warriors defend their woodland home with blade, bow, and spear. Like all Elves, Galadhrim Warriors possess a Fight value of 5 and a 3+ Shoot value, and they will outshoot all but the most proficient archers, and overcome elite Warriors or even Evil Heroes in combat.
One of the few Warrior models to possess a Fight value of 6, the Guard of the Galadhrim Court fight with pikes, bringing their exceptional Fight value to bear wherever it is needed. Their Caras Galadhon Fighting Style, gives them Shielding when fighting with their pikes, making them far more versatile than most other similarly armed fighters.
Wood Elf Warriors trade the protection of heavy armour for Elven cloaks, allowing them to avoid detection by the enemy and evade missile weapons and Magical Powers. When armed with Elf Bows, these unseen warriors can hide behind cover and rain volleys of arrows down upon the foe without repercussion, forcing the enemy to fight on your terms.
Tactics
Your elite Warriors are incredibly powerful, but come at a premium points cost. They are fantastic fighters but be sure to support them with the rest of your army and protect them from harm, as your opponent will be gunning to take them out of action.
Have the Guard of the Galadhrim Court provide spear support against enemy Heroes, as their Fight value is normally good enough to tie with or even exceed many of their opponents. This works nicely with the Elven-made weapons throughout your force, as any of your models armed with these weapons will win any tied Duel rolls on a roll of a 3+ rather than a 4+. When it comes to Wood Elf Sentinels, Eldamar Madrigal allows you to pull key models out of position. This is particularly effective at eliminating any models carrying a banner, as you can move them out of base contact with their allies before directing a volley of arrows in their direction!
Army Lists
The first of our two army lists has Galadriel and Celeborn leading the defence of Lothlórien alongside a cohort of Galadhrim Warriors.
The second list sees the brothers Haldir, Rúmil and Orophin stand side-by-side to defend their woodland home against any intruders.
Thanks Dan! If you’re interested in the Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game, the new The Lord of the RingsTM Battle of Osgiliath boxed set will be available in December!