With the recent arrival of the Defence of the North supplement, we lit the beacons and sent word to one of our Middle-earth strategists, Dan Entwisle, asking him to shed some light on the warrior culture from Rhûn – the Easterlings.
Dan: Amongst the most fanatical and loyal of Sauron’s worshippers are the Easterlings, who answered the Dark Lord’s call to war with incredible enthusiasm. Unlike the disorganised rabble of Orcs that make up the bulk of Sauron’s forces, the Easterlings are exceptionally well trained and organised on the battlefield. Beginning their martial training as soon as they are old enough to hold a blade, these zealous warriors are taught to show no mercy and never surrender.
Their Army Bonus, No quarter was asked…, makes their armies tough to defeat in Matched Play. Once their force is considered Broken, all Easterling models receive +1 Courage, making it more likely they will stick around and keep fighting.
This unwillingness to retreat from the field or surrender is one of their defining characteristics. In scenarios where a die is rolled to determine when the game ends, the Easterling player can choose to re-roll the result if they are not quite ready to throw in the towel – giving them a chance to secure additional Victory Points.
Heroes
The Dragon Emperor of Rhûn has only just arrived, and it’s no surprise to see that the faction’s only Hero of Legend has taken his rightful place as the most powerful Hero in the list. With 3 Attacks, a Fight value of 6, and an Elven-made weapon, the Dragon Emperor is more than capable of crossing blades with the likes of Aragorn, Imrahil or Thorin Oakenshield – especially with 3 Might points and access to Heroic Strike, letting him temporarily boost his Fight value by D6! The renowned Emperor of Rhûn commands his army with an iron fist; as such, the Dragon Emperor has a battlefield-wide Stand Fast! This ability also affects friendly Easterling Hero models, giving the army incredible staying power even if the battle has taken a turn for the worse for them.
The Dragon Emperor begins the game atop his Royal Palanquin, which is carried by six of the Emperor’s loyal Black Dragons. Should he dismount, they join the fray. The Palanquin also has two special rules of its own to further increase the impact of the Lord of Rhûn. Standards of the Emperor is a Banner with a range of 12” and In the Name of the Dragon Emperor increases the Fight value of all friendly Easterling Warrior models within 6” by 1, making nearby Black Dragons possess an incredible Fight value of 5!
Warriors
Easterling armies are usually built around a core of heavily armoured Easterling Warriors, which excel at fighting in disciplined battlelines. The Phalanx special rule lets them wield both a pike and a shield, allowing them to form a Defence 6 block that can be supported by up to two allies. Usually, the biggest weakness of a pike formation is that its Engaged models often end up being Trapped, resulting in them taking additional strikes from your opponent should they lose the fight. Phalanx also allows two models to Make Way should an Easterling model on foot need to Back Away after losing a fight.
Dragon Cult Acolytes are fantastic skirmishers thanks to their 2 Attacks, Fight value of 4, and throwing daggers. Supreme Agility confers a +2 bonus to Jump, Climb, and Leap tests, and they automatically pass any In The Way tests against foes defending doors or barriers – perfect for rooting out enemy models that are trying to hide behind a troublesome terrain piece!
Kataphrakts are the Easterlings’ Cavalry option. They’re heavily armoured shock troops that thunder toward their foes as a column of golden scale and flashing steel. The Gleaming Horde allows Kataphrakts to benefit from Shieldwall whilst mounted, boosting their Defence to 7 and their armoured horses to Defence 6. They have access to a War Drum, letting you speed them into position in scenarios where manoeuvring is key.
Tactics
The Easterlings fight best as a solid block, enabling them to make the most of their Phalanx special rule and the abundance of supporting attacks provided by their pikes. Be sure to anchor the flanks of your cohort with impassable terrain, to stop your pike block from becoming surrounded. If there is no suitable terrain, try using your Dragon Cult Acolytes or Kataphracts to intercept any of your opponent’s models who try to outflank you.
You can be confident in using your warriors to hold far-off objectives even if your force has become Broken. A Black Dragon has a mighty Courage of 5 once your force Breaks thanks to the Easterling Army Bonus, so your Heroes can be where you need them to be while your Warriors secure all-important Victory Points.
Example Army Lists
This first army list is an ideal place to begin. It contains a large number of Easterling Warriors that form a solid foundation, along with a few Kataphrakts to accompany Amdûr into battle. Our second list places the Dragon Emperor of Rhûn in the spotlight, alongside a cohort of Black Dragons, plus Rutabi and Brórgîr. This army can also be used as the basis for the Host of the Dragon Emperor Legendary Legion with a few small changes.
Thanks Dan! If these disciplined warriors from Rhûn have caught your attention, pick up the Easterling Commanders and Easterling Warriors today to kick-start your new force. Join us on Facebook and let us know how you’re going to field your Easterling army, or which models you are most excited to get onto your painting table!
