Hey guys! where's a good place to start in the Easterlings?

I don't have the slightest bit of experience playing as or against the army! I've decided this would be a decent evil force since someone at the store laid 40+ easterlings in my lap!

Thanks.

Well I used to play Easterling's as my main with Harad as support (now that has flipped lol). So here's a few tips

Pike-Blocks are your friend as the Easterlings can field the best ones in the game, but be careful as you can have your own units trapped because of this and its not very maneuverable. A War-priest can help negate this though.

Your archers are pretty solid as you can count on their good survivablity even in CQC.

Amdur and Khamul are very good heroes. Mount Khamul on an armored horse at least (or a fell beast) and he's a very effective hero (if used properly).

Even your basic captains are quite good as they can be D7 or take an elven blade.

And in summary: Your army (including Cavalry) is high defense, look to draw out combats so that you can grind enemy forces down as your survivablity is one of the best in the game.

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I love the idea of the fell beast! Especially with the new monster rules...

Yeah and with his essence leach rule his Fell beast is the best as he can increase Strength, # of attacks or FV by 1 and he recovers will with each wound inflicted so unlike his brethern he won't just run out

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Dragon knight is a close quarters master too. Cheap in points

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BLACKHAWK 2010 2013 2015 DYNASTY

Definitely have lots and lots of those well-armored grunts hanging around. They're cheap and stupidly hard to kill unless you're rolling against Uruk-Hai (Who are more than happy to kill everything no matter what their armor value is huehue), plus the pike/shield combo comes in handy. Also War Priests *really* come in handy for fueling those steel blocks.

Also I wouldn't recommend upgrading your line infantry. It's a tempting option but having play-tested it, it simply isn't as useful as using the points for another few infantrymen. Take a lot of those boys for your base and support them accordingly with the frighteningly affordable and well-armored kataphrakts and you're good to go.

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Army Lists
Isengard - 750
Mordor - 500
Haradrim - 300

I totally recommend Amdur from 500 points up. He works in fantastic synergy with your line troops; use him to supply fight and banner bonus. One thing I do with him is surround a troll or hero with him and a bunch of warriors, call heroic strike and then go twohanded. All men present will benefit from his fight value, one of them will roll a six and then Amdur can kill the trapped model and get his might point back (if its a hero). Just make sure no arrows are going near him, as he has criminally low defense, mediocre wounds and awful fate.

War-Priests are a must. Not even an option - a must. Their channelled fury is even more potent because your entire pikeblock is D6 - so the enemy will find it tough to chew through all that.

Black Dragon upgrade? At least one per column of pike - either front line (so that they can shield and out flank with the pikes) or back line (so that the F4 is protected). The extra courage is nice, but you already have fury. Differentiate from regular models via a paint difference

Kataphrakts? Black Dragons only is my preference - but that is personal choice. The choice of targets should be flanks or squishy models. They lack S4 or lances, so you have to be more careful.

I've tried Khamul on horse, but really you're just blowing points until he's got wings. His magic is weaker, so no high end spells - limit yourself to mainly drain courage and transfix, maybe sap will. Do not black dart under any circumstances whatsoever, you will just waste will. He is an absolute beast in combat, but his manuvourability allows him to hit soft spots - heroes (esp. transfixed ones) and cavalry are both very nice. He's not invulnerable though, and should be reserved for higher point matches.

You have a couple other options too. I like to include a few Khandish men for theme and spice, but that is not gameplay related. Dragon Knights are poor choices really (IMO) - expensive indie heroes, exceptionally weak to bowfire, no stand fast. Stick to captains and one or two priests for heroes.

Good luck! The armies of Rhun can be challenging to play, but they have been rewarding to win with - very satisfying!

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"Release the Kragle!"
They were waiting 45 minutes to make that pun.
Totally worth it.

Glad I'm not the only one who thinks dragon knights are a bit rubbish, they are nice models, but I would say that they should either not be independent or half their price.
Kataphracts I would give the upgrade, as F4 means Numenorians and dwarves don't automatically beat them.
I pretty much always take Amdur, even in 350pts matches, it may be due to my good army being last alliance, but I like to have at least one Fight 5/6 model in the army.
What I do in 500pts+ games is ally in the Knight of Umbar and some Black Numenorians, partly as I love the Knight's model, but also the black Numenorians can act as a nice front rank so to speak, with easterlings with pikes supporting the fallen sons of Numenor.

Jesus you guys both say Dragon Knights suck? I mean, sucks hes independent but 70 points for a model with 3 attacks, 3 special rules, and the stat line hes got??? Will and Fate do suck though. I see him as just someone to send after enemy heros...

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BLACKHAWK 2010 2013 2015 DYNASTY

I personally think that Dragon Knights are good. Thier point price tag can be depressing at first, but I find that they always make thier points back. They are very difficult to take down once in close combat.

Nah, I haven't got a problem with their profile per se. It's just that basically every other option is better for its points. Their independent hero status puts them at extreme arrow risk due to their defense; all they need is one bad combat to go down. If you break, fury is the only thing keeping them on the table since they have mediocre courage and no will. Regular captains are almost half the points and war-priests give fury. Why take them when you could just BD half your phalanx?

If you do take him, sending him after enemy heroes is suicide - much better as a troop killer. Their fight values and strength will make him mincemeat in a matter of turns unless you have serious backup. Which brings me back to why - its difficult to benefit from Blood and Glory since they're bad against heroes. So they can shield and are difficult to knock down, big deal.

P.S. missed that they changed the no stand fast rule - they still have terrible courage though.

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"Release the Kragle!"
They were waiting 45 minutes to make that pun.
Totally worth it.

This, their rules just seem contradictory, blood and glory just doesn't work with their stats (which are good, but for hero hunting?) If they were not independent I could see them working as they would be a heavier alternative to captains, but as it is, I'm more likely to use Elendil with my Numenorians then I am to use dragon knights in my easterlings.