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 the first of a two-part series, Middle-earth guru Jay Clare takes a look at the very best combat-oriented Heroes in Middle-earth. This week, it’s the turn of the Good side, those who fight to oppose the will of Sauron.
Jay: A good combat Hero is often the key to winning a game – someone who can cut swathes through enemy lines and wreak havoc upon your opponent’s plans. But just who is the best of the best when it comes to a fight? Well, in this article I’m going to run down our top 10 picks from the Good forces of Middle-earth!
10 – Dwalin™, Champion of Erebor™
Of all of Thorin’s Company, there are none who can match Dwalin for sheer killing power – especially in his Champion of Erebor form. Fight 6, 3 Attacks and a whopping Strength of 5 is an impressive stat line, but it doesn’t stop there. Dwalin can either use his two-handed axe (which, when coupled with his Weapon Master special rule, essentially gives him +1 when rolling To Wound) or his pair of axes (for a total of 4 Attacks), making him both versatile and destructive in a fight!
9 – Éomer™, Marshal of the Riddermark™
With a Fight value of 5, 3 Attacks and Wounds, and plenty of Might, Will and Fate, Éomer is a potent combat Hero on the battlefield. Naturally, you’ll want to put Éomer on a horse to give him that all-important +1 Attack when he charges, but that’s not the only reason. When benefitting from the Rohan Army Bonus, or in the appropriate Legendary Legions, Éomer gets +1 to his Strength when he Charges so long as he is mounted. Also, should Théoden or Éowyn die, then Éomer will fly into a rage and add +1 to all To Wound rolls – ouch!
8 – Helm Hammerhand
The only Rohan Hero that can best Éomer in raw killing power is the legendary king, Helm Hammerhand. Though he may have less Fate than the Marshal of the Riddermark, Helm is Strength 5, wields a two-handed sword and has the Burly special rule. This is a rather potent combination, but he gets even better in the Helm’s Guard Legendary Legion, where he may declare a free Heroic Combat every turn and gets the Mighty Hero special rule, giving him a free Might point each turn. When Helm’s on the rampage, get out of the way!
7 – Durin
With a very impressive stat line, and an abundance of special wargear, Durin is one of the most powerful Heroes in the game. With Fight 6, Strength 4, 3 Attacks, Wounds and Might, and a staggering Defence of 9, Durin is a particularly tough nut to crack. Durin’s Axe gives the King of Khazad-dûm +1 To Wound and a re-roll in a fight, his horn makes him cause Terror, and his crown gives him the chance to ignore any Wound he suffers on a 6 – as if Defence 9 wasn’t tough enough!
6 – Thranduil™
Thranduil is perhaps the most customisable Hero in the game, with plenty of different wargear options allowing him to act as either a support model or a front-line killing machine. Giving Thranduil his additional Elven-made sword not only increases the Elvenking’s Fight value to 7, and gives him +1 Attack when on foot – it also gives Thranduil an additional Attack for every model he is engaged in combat with after the first, allowing him to cleave through any enemy who dares attack him. Of course, you can also mount him on his majestic Elk steed for even greater hitting power on the charge!
5 – Elendil
In the history of the race of Men, there are few who can be even considered as great as Elendil, and fewer still who could match his skill on the battlefield. The strength of Númenor flows through Elendil, and it shows with his Fight value of 7 and Strength of 5. Elendil is also resistant to even the most potent of magicks, but most importantly, he wields Narsil. This legendary sword is Master-forged, giving Elendil +1 To Wound, and also lets him declare a Heroic Combat each turn for free!
4 – Gil-galad
Gil-galad’s stat line is similar to the other Lords of the West who don’t quite feature on this list, save for one important characteristic – his eye-wateringly high Fight value of 9. This is the same as Sauron himself – after all, it takes the Dark Lord to slay him! Gil-galad also wields Aiglos, giving him +1 To Wound and making chewing through troops and even enemy Heroes significantly easier.
3 – Dáin Ironfoot™
Taking bronze in our list is perhaps the most lethal Dwarf in Middle-earth – the loud-mouthed, pig-riding Lord of the Iron Hills himself, Dáin Ironfoot! Fight 6, Strength 5, plenty of Attacks, Wounds, Might, Will and Fate, and the wonderful combination of a two-handed weapon and the Burly special rule (giving that +1 To Wound) makes Dáin a true powerhouse on the battlefield. Oh, and if he doesn’t kill a model outright, he might just headbutt them to the floor anyway – brilliant!
2 – Boromir™, Captain of the White Tower
The favoured son of Gondor takes second place on our list, and it’s not hard to see why. Fight 6 (7 if he wields the Banner of Minas Tirith), Strength 4, a good Defence, and 3 each of Will and Fate – oh, and 6 Might. Yes, that’s right, 6! That’s the most in the entire game and is a huge reason for Boromir’s placing on this list. With such an abundance of Might, Boromir can use plenty of Heroic Actions and boost Wound rolls whenever he takes his fancy – but usually to kill bad guys by the dozen!
1 – Aragorn™, King Elessar™
Taking the top spot is none other than the King of Gondor himself – Aragorn, King Elessar. He’s not as strong as the likes of Dáin or Helm Hammerhand, nor does he have the Fight value of Gil-galad or Elendil, so why is he top of our list? Well, two reasons actually. First is the fact he carries Andúril, which allows Aragorn to wound any enemy on a 4+. That’s any enemy – the Balrog, Sauron, Smaug – all on a 4+! The second is his Mighty Hero special rule, which gives Aragorn a free point of Might every single turn. This is fantastic and, coupled with the fact that Aragorn has pretty much every Heroic Action, it means he is a formidable foe and a worthy candidate to top our list!
Thanks, Jay! So, there you have it – our picks for the top 10 Good combat Heroes. Do you agree with our list, or are there Heroes you would have placed here instead? Let us know over on the Warhammer Official Facebook page. Keep an eye out for our Evil Heroes list in a few weeks’ time!