Troll army, questions

[techmarine Rannon Zriker]

Yes, that's right, a troll army. So I can actually troll people. Well it would be most troll anyway.

But first, I want to ask some questions.

1. How good would an army of trolls be? I already figured out that I'd be outnumbered, but what else?

2. Is the troll hero any good? Don't want to get something that sucks.

3. What sourcebook would give me the best amount of trolls?

4. etc, etc.

Thank you, ahead of times for answering all my questions.

[Stunted_Merc]

1: Probably pretty devestating, and a surprise to the opponent. It seems like a glorified one trick pony, since the opponent would not know what to expect. Trolls can handle crowd control pretty well, and you could leave a few to throw boulders at people.

2: Burhdur for his points really isn't bad, he has 3/1/1 and a fight and toughness of 6. The Mordor Troll chieftain is a monster, literally, on the battlefield. I believe he only has one point each, but his stats and standing power are absurd.

3: I would get the Legions of Middle Earth and find a list that allows for the most variation of Trolls from the ally chart. Burhdur is in the Arnor book, Mordor and Cave trolls in the main rulebook, and the Isengard Troll in the revamped two towers sourcebook.

I think if pure Trolls it would be a one trick pony, but add in a few others things and it could be competitive. The Dwellers Below list comes to mind, a bunch of beasts running around with Trolls. You can get Giant Spiders, Wild Wargs, and Bat Swarms to help Trolls win fights and keep from being mobbed up.

I like this idea though, and I'm very interested in seeing how it turns out. Welcome to LOTR btw, haven't met you before and it's cool to see some interest in this game. :happy:

-K

[techmarine Rannon Zriker]

1: Probably pretty devestating, and a surprise to the opponent. It seems like a glorified one trick pony, since the opponent would not know what to expect. Trolls can handle crowd control pretty well, and you could leave a few to throw boulders at people. Hehe, boulders.

2: Burhdur for his points really isn't bad, he has 3/1/1 and a fight and toughness of 6. The Mordor Troll chieftain is a monster, literally, on the battlefield. I believe he only has one point each, but his stats and standing power are absurd.

Mordor Troll Cheiftain it is. Because I don't like how Burhdur looks. Yes, I'm not using something because of looks.

3: I would get the Legions of Middle Earth and find a list that allows for the most variation of Trolls from the ally chart. Burhdur is in the Arnor book, Mordor and Cave trolls in the main rulebook, and the Isengard Troll in the revamped two towers sourcebook.

Main rulebook it is then, then maybe the others if those kind of trolls are good.

I think if pure Trolls it would be a one trick pony, but add in a few others things and it could be competitive. The Dwellers Below list comes to mind, a bunch of beasts running around with Trolls. You can get Giant Spiders, Wild Wargs, and Bat Swarms to help Trolls win fights and keep from being mobbed up.

Which sourcebook are the beast in?

I like this idea though, and I'm very interested in seeing how it turns out. Welcome to LOTR btw, haven't met you before and it's cool to see some interest in this game. :happy:

-K

Yeah, I like the mini's more than WHFB, and the system seems easier. Maybe give one of the trolls a pink loincloth....

[Grand Master Belial]

I believe Bats and Spiders are in the Fall of the Necromancer Sourcebook.

[techmarine Rannon Zriker]

After looking into it moreso, I'd like to know; what's a good 500pt army that has 3 trolls? yes, 3 mordor trolls, because the site puts normal ones around 99pts and the cheiftan can't cost to many more points, so that could leave me with only 100-150pts.

Perfect, I might add, for a small armada of orks to be added into the mix. and with this hole 33% archer thing I'm hearing, so many ork archers couldn't hurt. Heck, one box set get's me around the 30 or so I need.

Eventually it will become a mordor Troll armada, With 5 or so trolls and orks tagging along. That's right, "Trolls in the dungeon!"

And as a final note, is the rulebook in the MOM set the same as the big one, with all the entries for units and everything?

[Stunted_Merc]

MOM as in Mines of Moria? Yeah that pretty much covers everything, but the main Rulebook has them in order more so.

I don't have my rulebook on hand, but I can post a sample list tomorrow for you. This coming month the Mordor book is being released, along with a plastic troll set. A new Troll unit is in the book as well, the Troll drummer!

Basically he is a Mordor troll that counts as a banner to anyone within 18 inches. Pretty great huh? The plastic troll is selling for $25 US, and has a lot of additional parts and cool stuff.

Beasts are in the Fall of Necromancer book as Belial stated, as well as a few in the Fall of Arnor, but I think it's the same as the Necro book.

[Morden]

I'd add a couple of mordor orcs a like whipmasters or penkeepers that guide the trolls in to battle.

[Stunted_Merc]

The Orc Taskmaster would be so themey and good for this army it's ridiculous. His special rule would be cheap as well, allowing you to expend might and roll to see if you actually lose it.

The troll drummer has a universal rule I didn't know about, basically as long as he is alive all good suffer from -1 courage and all evil have a +1. It also seems it's a table wide rule, which could be downright sick with a few combo's I tinkered with.

If the -1 is stackable with the Dark Marshal's ability I might shell out for him, a -2 during a break would be sick.

[techmarine Rannon Zriker]

Well heres to what the list should look like after I get all the things for it

Troll cheiftan
*blank, maybe a taskmaster

2 mordor trolls 180pts

18 mordor orks 90pts

6 mordor orks with bows

6 warg riders

If it's less than 750pts, add more stuff.

[Stunted_Merc]

The Trolls would come from "The Black Gate" list, the only one representing the Mordor Troll Chieftain, either way you would have to get an Orc hero if you want to use the Orc's and allies.

Going by the "Cirith Ungol" list as an ally I could see this army doing well at the 750 pt. limit.

Evil Heroes:

Mordor Troll Chieftain- * Pts.

Orc Shaman: Warg- 60 Pts.

The Mouth of Sauron: Armoured Horse- 75 Pts.

Total Points: 275 Pts.

Evil Warriors:

2x Mordor Trolls- 200 Pts.

8x Orc Warriors: Orc Bows- 48 Pts.

8x Orc Warriors: Shield- 48 Pts.

8x Orc Warriors: Spears, Shield- 56 Pts.

3x Warg Riders: T.Spears, Shield- 45 Pts.

3x Warg Riders: Shield- 39 Pts.

3x Warg Riders: Orc Bows- 39 pts.

Total Points: 475 Pts.

Army Total Points: 750 Pts.

# of Models: 38 (Max 75)

Main army List: The Black Gate.

Army overall Leader: The Mouth of Sauron (Or Mordor Troll Chieftain, whichever you prefer).

Allied army list: Cirith Ungol.

Allied Leader: Orc Shaman w/ Warg.


With this list I managed to fit in a large amount of super powerful Trolls, as well as many versatile units on the battlefield. Since the Trolls would be obvious targets, I decided to put some other juicy targets on the field, minimizing the number of shots going at the Trolls.

Cavalry are dangerous, if only for their speed. Warg Riders are even more dangerous, since the mount is rather nasty in combat and pose a real threat. The Orcs are numerous enough to be effective, and combined with the Trolls and their fight value and combats are almost guaranteed a win.

I chose the magic Heroes over the fighty one's because you have three freakin' Trolls, and one has his own Might/Will/Fate on him! The Mouth of Sauron is a very potent spell caster, and while mounted can get to an area of the battlefield where his abilities can be more beneficial. The Orc Shaman on Warg attached with the Warg Riders makes a rather potent force, and will have the enemy second guessing his targets for the turn.

My only beef with the list is a lack of a banner guy, to reroll combats. I figured the Trolls high fight value would set this off, but it still annoys me. I was tinkering with the idea of equipping one Troll with the Drum, but I have no idea if this effects his combat skills.

I rather like this list, and when the new Mordor book hits I might just make it as well! :D

-K

[techmarine Rannon Zriker]

Ok, according to my calculations, I would need to spend $264 for that army (no big deal) then an addition amount for the rulebook, mordor book and maybe the RoTK book. plus the obvious hobby supplies and terrain.

crap.

anyway, the first model I'm buying is a cheiftan, then another troll, then some orcs, etc etc.

[Stunted_Merc]

If you can wait a week or so the Troll plastics will be out, as well as the Mordor book. You really would only need that, if you have another player in the group maybe you can split the main rulebook and cut down the cost.

All the Orcs on foot will cost you $25, another box is needed for the Wargs though.

Wargs are $25 each for plastics, need two.

I think max it'll be $205 before tax, not bad for a full army though.

[techmarine Rannon Zriker]

Finding other people who want to share a rulebook might be a problem, but I could split the MOM set with my brother, convert the troll in it (insert ringwraith troll idea here) learn the rules and get a rulebook. Plus terrain and gobbos.

Another question: which sourcebook is Cirith Ungol in?

[Stunted_Merc]

Cirith Ungol is in the Legions of Middle Earth book, next to the rulebook, this baby is your bible. It has ALL the army lists for good and evil, which armies they can ally with, and the tournament rules and scenarios.

[techmarine Rannon Zriker]

Thanks

[Stunted_Merc]

Anytime man, anything to give Good players a good whoopin' :D

[techmarine Rannon Zriker]

Holy crap, I'm a modelling god (give or take a few godliness, ah heck the whole godliness)
Yesterday I started making a skeleton out of wire for a troll, then I green stuffed it and later, made a skinny troll.
It's a river troll! yeah! a river troll! might need more GS to make it's arms bigger, but it's a loinclothed troll, heck might as well give it armour too...

I will get pics up, as soon as I figure out how to work a camera and when I figure out how to get them on the internet.

EDIT: Just thought up something; an entire army of trolls. Half trolls with mordor trolls, doing the troll thing, to bad it's probably not tournie legal though...

[Stunted_Merc]

I don't have my Legions book on hand, but I can check tomorrow if Cirith Ungol and Far Harad (Where the Half Trolls are from) can ally with each other, if so than it's perfectly legal man :).

-K

[techmarine Rannon Zriker]

I don't have my Legions book on hand, but I can check tomorrow if Cirith Ungol and Far Harad (Where the Half Trolls are from) can ally with each other, if so than it's perfectly legal man :).

-K

Just one problem, I'd need the one far harad leader to get the half trolls, kind of taking away from the all trollish theme. Of course I could just convert a half troll into said leader, but people will be all like "Hey! you can't use halftrolls as humans!" stupid people with no imagination...

[Stunted_Merc]

True people could complain about it, but you never know. The Mahud king, chieftain, and warriors are pretty solid and revere strength above anything else. Which is why they use the mighty Mumak. The Half-Trolls aren't even trolls in a traditional sense, it's the Mahud at their peak strength, the most devoted of their people.

[techmarine Rannon Zriker]

Now presenting my oversized, mal-nurished troll

RannonsRiot (http://rannonsriot.piczo.com/trollpictures?cr=6&linkvar=000044)#

Because I'm too lazy to upload it on an actual image site.

It's on a bridge I made, so it could be a river troll!

[Stunted_Merc]

Looks pretty cool so far, after some touch up it'll be ready to eat some Rohan or Minas Tirith troops, whichever type of human it prefers :).

-K

[techmarine Rannon Zriker]

That troll can do so much more than just the plain old trolling, I've added more stuff and now he has a mohawk and is named Mr. T. He likes all kind of man-meat. He's also my troll cheiftan. it's perfect, because the other trolls would listen to something a head taller than them.

I was looking over all the orc miniatures and they don't seem right to me, I dunno, I like having other species so I'll ask the question

"Can an army that is led by a Mordor troll cheiftan ally with either the Easterlings or Harad?"

Harad looks awesome. so that's why I ask. Most of all, is harad actually useful?

[Stunted_Merc]

Harad is a tough army, and has the best horde troops in the game. All their models have poisoned arrows rule.

Harad can probably ally with them, need to get my book back soon. Other than the Nazgul, Harad has one of the bigger ally charts for Evil.

-K

[techmarine Rannon Zriker]

From what I've heard, Poison arrows only help when you roll 1's, letting you reroll them.
But still awesome though, still awesome.

With warriors as cheap as orcs, who wouldn't love them? Also have a better statline too!

I was at a "painting thing" saturday for the new ink washes, and got an eowyn and gollum miniatures.

Gollum will totally be a part of my force because of 2 reasons
1. Most of the people who play are little kids with their parents and just wanted the fellowship, so frodo the ringbearer is there.

2. besides that, I can't really use him.