Warmaster Revolution Compatible
“The Shadow that bred them can only mock, it cannot make: not real new things of its own. I don’t think it gave life to the orcs, it only ruined them and twisted them.”
— Tolkien, The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
Right, let’s talk about Mordor—the overwhelming might of Sauron’s dominion. This isn’t just an army list; it’s about vast armies of corrupted beings, diverse thralls from distant lands, and the terror of the Nazgûl. This army list captures the crushing weight of the Dark Lord’s will through unreliable hordes, disciplined foreign contingents, and monsters that break enemy morale.
Design Philosophy
Thematic Pillars: The army embodies overwhelming numbers through cheap, unreliable Orc hordes that can swamp the enemy—like a tide of darkness. Terror and despair come from Nazgûl and monsters that break enemy morale, while the diversity of thralls includes Easterlings, Southrons, and other conquered peoples. Most importantly, the army represents the crushing weight of Sauron’s will through command influence and fear effects.
Mechanical Expression: Orcs are very cheap but very unreliable, using the Ancient Unreliable keyword. Disciplined Easterling and Southron contingents provide reliable anchors, while trolls serve as terror-causing monsters. The Nazgûl influence the battlefield through fear and command rather than direct combat.
Army List
Core Units
| Unit Name | Type | Att | Hits | Save | Cmd | Size | Points | Min/Max | Special Rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orc Warriors | Infantry | 2 | 3 | 6+ | – | 3 | 25 | 3/- | Ancient Unreliable |
| Orc Archers | Infantry | 2/1 | 3 | 6+ | – | 3 | 30 | 1/- | Ancient Unreliable |
| Easterling Warriors | Infantry | 3 | 3 | 5+ | – | 3 | 60 | 1/- | Disciplined |
| Easterling Archers | Infantry | 3/1 | 3 | 6+ | – | 3 | 55 | 1/- | Disciplined |
| Southron Warriors | Infantry | 3 | 3 | 5+ | – | 3 | 60 | 1/- | Disciplined |
| Southron Archers | Infantry | 3/1 | 3 | 6+ | – | 3 | 55 | 1/- | Disciplined |
| Mountain Trolls | Monsters | 4 | 4 | 5+ | – | 2 | 120 | -/2 | Terror, Berserker |
| Olog-hai | Monsters | 4 | 4 | 4+ | – | 2 | 140 | -/1 | Terror, Armoured |
| Mûmakil | Monsters | 3 | 6 | 4+ | – | 3 | 200 | -/1 | Terror, Trample |
Characters
| Name | Type | Cmd | Att | Points | Min/Max | Special Rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | General | 8 | +2 | 100 | 1/1 | Dark Presence |
| Hero | Hero | 7 | +1 | 70 | -/2 | Dark Presence |
| Nazgûl | Hero | 8 | +1 | 90 | -/2 | Terror, Dark Presence |
| Witch-king | Hero | 9 | +2 | 150 | -/1 | Terror, Dark Presence, Crown of Morgul |
Special Rules
Ancient Unreliable
Orc units suffer a -1 penalty to all Command tests and must test to follow orders if not within 15cm of a character.
Disciplined
Easterling and Southron units ignore the first failed Command test each turn.
Terror
Enemy units within 10cm must pass a Courage test to charge or shoot at units with Terror.
Dark Presence
Characters with Dark Presence can reroll one failed Command test per turn for friendly units within 10cm.
Crown of Morgul
The Witch-king can force enemy units within 15cm to reroll successful Courage tests.
Berserker
Mountain Trolls must charge the nearest enemy unit if possible.
Trample
Mûmakil cause 2 hits on any unit they move through.
Army Composition Guidelines
Minimum Requirements
- 1 General
- 3+ Orc Warrior units
- 1+ Orc Archer unit
Recommended Composition
Mordor armies should be composed of 60-70% core Orc hordes for numbers and board control, 20-30% anchor units like Easterlings or Southrons for reliability, 10-20% monsters such as Trolls, Olog-hai, or Mûmakil for terror and hitting power, and a mix of Nazgûl for terror and regular heroes for command.
Tactical Considerations
Strengths:
- Overwhelming numbers can swamp enemy positions
- Terror effects disrupt enemy plans
- Diverse unit types allow flexible responses
- Cheap core allows for more characters and monsters
Weaknesses:
- Orc unreliability can backfire at crucial moments
- Expensive monsters are vulnerable to focused fire
- Requires careful command management
- Can struggle against highly mobile enemies
Playstyle
Mordor excels at attrition and terror warfare:
- Overwhelm with Numbers: Use cheap Orc units to control board space and absorb casualties
- Break Enemy Morale: Position Nazgûl and monsters to maximize terror effects
- Anchor with Discipline: Use Easterling/Southron units for reliable command and combat
- Exploit Weaknesses: Focus fire on isolated enemy units with superior numbers
The army embodies Sauron’s philosophy: victory through overwhelming force, terror, and the corruption of free peoples. Every unit serves the Dark Lord’s will, whether through mindless obedience, disciplined service, or supernatural fear.
This list balances thematic accuracy with Warmaster Revolution’s mechanical requirements, creating an army that feels like Mordor while remaining competitive on the tabletop.