Shield with White Hand Symbol

18. Orthanc

Cold. Ag 3. Rv, H(S), H(G), E, RGo, Rd, BUA.
1
C-in-C - if a man or half-orc on foot as Reg Bd (O) @ 25, if an Uruk on foot as Reg Bd (F) @ 27, if a man on horse as Reg Cv (O) @ 28
1-2
Sub-generals - if a man or half-orc on foot as Reg Bd (O) @ 27, if an Uruk on foot as Reg Bd (F) @ 27, if a Dunlending on horse as Irr Cv (O) @ 17
4-8
Men and half-orc axemen - Reg Bd (O) @ 7
4-16
Uruks of the White Hand - Reg Bd (F) @ 7
2-5
Dunlending horsemen - Irr Cv (O) @ 7 or Irr LH (O) @ 5
6-25
Dunlending hillmen - Irr Ax (O) @ 3
6*-12
Pikemen - all Irr Ax (X) @ 3
12-16
Orc wolf-riders - Irr LH (O) @ 5
16-64
Orcs - up to 1/3 as Irr Bw (I) @ 3, up to 1/3 as Irr Ps (O) @ 2, rest as Irr Ax (I) @ 2
0-20
Upgrade Orc Ax (I) to Great Orcs - Ax (O) @ 3
0-6
Upgrade Irr Bw (I) with mail and spear to Irr Bw (O) @ 4
0-1/2
Downgrade Orcs to Irr Hd (O) @ 1
4*-12
Trenches to obstruct enemy cavalry - TF @ 2
This lists covers the wizard Saruman the White's forces in the years 3018 and 3019 of the third age. Saruman did not take the field in person, delegating his authority to subordinates. The Dunlendings lived in the foothills of the Hithaeglir, or Misty Mountains, and readily served Saruman due to their long emnity with the Rohirrim. While fierce, they were however not as well equipped as their enemies. Dunlending Cv (O) may always dismount as Ax (S). Wolves were particularly useful against the Rohirrim cavalry, the wolves attacking the bellies of the knights' horses, while at the same time being very swift and skilled at avoiding the enemy, but closing in to destroy isolated groups. Wolfriders may dismount to defend fortifications or within 300p of enemy fortifications or war-wagons as Ax (I); or to enter rough or difficult going as Wb (F) (but on LH sized bases), in which case they are accompanied by and fight alongside their mounts, which therefore do not get left behind as separate elements, but are part of the dismounted element, and can accordingly be remounted. Uruks were huge orcs, strong, fierce, heavily armed and trained to move very quickly. Archers were posted behind other troops to fire overhead. Therefore Orc Ps (O) may support Bd (F), Bd(O), and Orc Ax (I) and (O). Pikemen were used to defend a trenchline at the Fords of Isen. Minima marked * apply only if any items so marked are used. If a BUA is used, it must be enclosed by PF with only one gate, and touch the defender's base-edge. This represents Isengard.

DBA: 1 x 3Cv or 3/4Bd, 2 x 2LH, 2 x 3/4Bd, 2 x 4Pk or 3Ax, 2 x 2Ps or 3Bw, 3 x 3Ax

HotT: 1 x Riders, 2 x Beasts, 2 x Warband, 2 x Blades, 2 x Pikes or Blades, 2 x Hordes, 4 x Hordes or 1 x Magician

Enemies: Rohan, Mordor

Further notes on this army list, including justifications for all the above options, can be reached at the Orthanc army list notes section.

Spear
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