So, as a follow up to "Your top ten models from GW", I've decide to ask another question mainly out of curiosity. What are your top 5 armies from The Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit? They can be chosen from anything, whether troops, paint schemes, heroes, fight values or their background and history. You don't have to list them in order, just your favourites.

Here's mine:
1) Lothlorien (love the troops, especially the metal Galadhrim and Haldir)
2 Rivendell (Contains two of my favourite characters Elrond (a favourite from the book and films) and Glorfindel who is truely epic. The troops aren't the best, due to few variations but their history is cool and vivid)
3) Gondor (Includes another two of my favourite characters from the books and films; Faramir and Boromir. An awesome army when fielded, with varied troops and powerful heroes)
4) The Fellowship (Not exactly an army, but I love their adventures in the films and books)
5) Mordor (Love the idea of a horde army and holding my opponents. Also some cool captains and troops)

Of course, you don't have to explain your reasons but I have. There are no rules in particular anyway

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I started to walk around without shoes...

It sort of then became a Hobbit

LOTR Dwarves; wonderful models, and my standard army. They've also got a ton of powerful elites (love me some Iron Guards).
Hobbit Dwarves; the Army of Thror models, particularly the young Thorin, Dwalin and Balin models, are some of the best in the range.
The Shire; the Hobbits may be some of the worst in terms of actual gameplay, but they all have such character. The dunedain models are also rather nice.
Gondor/Minas Tirith; the best army in the game, arguably. Got every type of model available to them (scout/ranger, warriors, cavalry, siege weapons, strong heroes, elite troops).
Isengard; pretty much every model is strength 4, they look really cool, and they have access to Saruman, who is a great model to paint.

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See my WIP thread here. viewtopic.php?f=50&t=25624

Here's mine then:

1)Mirkwood: Because of the awesome miniatures and profiles, Dat Thranduil.. this combined with....
2)...Lothloriën: Yes, I like them, great profiles and not that difficult to play, although the many many points you have to spend is not so nice.
3)Thorin & Co: Great profiles and lovely EfGT mini's.
4)Moria: A real swarm army, great to play I think. I should probably play more games with them.
5)The White Council: Also not a real army... But great story a very long history and when played the right way, they are so effective.

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You... will get... Coal!!!!!

In no order:
Mordor for variety
Moria for fun to use
Grey company for models and characters, but they sure are dull to use!
Harad for appearance
Dwarves for ease of use

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High Elves
Silvan/ Wood elves
Arnor
Angmar

1 Harad -They just look great and I enjoy the variety (if you include umbar, Mahud etc)

2 Dwarves -They're my "main", and I have every pre-Hobbit Dwarf model lol so I'd better like them. I like their heavy armor and Tankish nature and their axes, swords are cool an all but when EVERYONE has a sword an axe is a nice change.

3 Moria, they are just fun because of all of the monsters, each is so different and has so much personality. And its just fun to field a horde and look at your opponent mentally groan before the game.

4 Gondor, simply because of Boromir and the Guards of the White tower. This was my original team, back when the game launched, and so while I never play them anymore I do still have an affinity for them.

5 Easterlings, I love the armor but their limited selection in the SBG has me only field them in support roles

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1. Mordor. Sheer variety, Mordor has something for everyone.
2. Gondor. I like the look of a loads of nicely painted WOMT all ranked up.
3. Rohan. Fun to play and a nice change from the monotone Gondor & Isengard
4. Isengard. My first army, sentimental value but is actually kinda boring.
5. Mirkwood. Beautiful and because I don't have an elf army yet.

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Operation future in full swing.

Mine are probably, (in no particular order) these:
Dwarves - great potential for fluff and also neat models.
The fellowship - Thematical sledgehammer... just turn up to any game and you've already won theme-wise. Simply awesome.
Rohan - Once more fantastic theme and great heroes... extremely cool just to sweep through the opponent with a ton of cavalry. One of the most characteristic, thematic armys in the game IMO.
Isengard - I just love this army's elite, powerful, strike force kinda feel and look.
Moria - almost entirely because of the Balrog... such a massive model brings great theme and awesomeness to any battle

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'Though my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior'
-John Newton

First love were the Wood Elves, terrible plastics but a great theme, and the old metal Galadhrim made up for the plastics in the aesthetics department. Allows one to use the amazing Galadriel, what's not to like.

Then came Rohan, the opposite of Thermo here: all infantry! Painted in typical dark-age fashion, all with individual shield patterns and differently coloured clothing. Tricky to use, especially when Grimbold hadn't arrived in the game yet, but fun and sometimes pretty effective.

Time for some evil then: Moria. Huge horde of creepy critters, supported by some terrorising monstrosities. Don't think I fully enjoyed playing these, nor my similarily sized Mordor army, as much as my Good armies though. Maybe because of the less noble cause?

While not actually having used these much, I very much like my Dwarves too. Slow, but so incredibly tough. Pretty much anything needs a 6 to kill them, or indeed that followed by 4 or 5 for the heroes. When they finally arrive, they are capable of inflicting some damage too, one of the few Good armies with a solid amount of S4 and even some shock troops with two attacks. Who needs spear support? Especially the heroes are excellent, can survive being bombarded with most magic, monsters or even a combination of those.

Finally, the Shire deserves and honourable mention, for being so terribly strange. Huge rabble of Hobbits with improvised equipment, yet gaining some sort of official appearance when led by four mounted generals. Quantity better be a quality, for that's all you have: in models, thrown stones and bowfire (well, that part actually is pretty good). Just a pity they require so many models to paint and, if you want some variety in that 60+ model horde, convert too.

Soon, Arnor may well be added to the list, but haven't had any experience with those yet. Still, the background is amazing, as may the playstyle well be: F4 across the board, spearsupport everywhere and a tough D6 frontline (kept alive by Malbeth) supported by able archery. Some allied cavalry for variety, and the end result could be fantastic. Or not. We'll see!

1.Lotr Dwarves are the first army I properly collected and I keep coming back to them, I love em.

2. All hero Good, nothing is quite as fun as getting the mightiest heroes of middle earth and watching them either cut through a swathe of evil scum, or fight desperately for their lives against a greater force (games usually involve both of the above situations.) The problem with using an actual army is that you'll rarely get to field more than one of your favourite characters, whereas if you go for broke you get all your faves and more (Eorl the Young is often overlooked in hero armies but he is gr8)

3. Monster Mash - My baby, the monster mash is the funnest thing ever, it IS an uber competetive mish mash of the nastiest bad guyz ever and does have the potential to table even the greatest of armies. But similarly it is easily beaten by any regular army with sound strategy and a bit of luck, unlike other uber competetive cheese like fellbeast armies and shades+reavers that can only be bested by armies specifically designed to beat them.

4. Moria is also great but kinda dull and overdone, after playing a couple games with shielded prowlers, spears, Durburz, 2 shamans and Groblog you get bored.

5. Umbar+Watcher. Despite the fact I am only in the collecting stage of this army, having only played a couple of 350pt games with what I have, I am already loving the distinct hobby challenge of converting reavers/painting the corsairs. Oh and there is a kraken involved #yolo

1. Forth Eorlingaaaassssss. (Nuff said).
2. Dwarves. Awesome new and old.
3. Moria. Too many cool monsters, horrid little hordes of goblins, drums.. drums in the deep.
4. Hard to choose between the elf armies- high elves for cool characters, galladhrim for awesome rank and file. Wood elves for theme and Mirkwood for awesome sculpts.
5. Goblintown. My dirty secret/guilty pleasure. love the horrible little gobbos, and the goblin king rocks.

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There are onscreen armies, and there are armies of minis...
Onscreen:
Rohan, especially the Royal Guard
Galadhrim of Lothlorien (iron discipline in the face of insane odds)
Uruk-hai (because they are such naughty, characterful baddies)
The Last Alliance (discipline, taking the fight to the Enemy's door and kicking it off the hinges)
Ents: who wouldn't want a big angry Ent on their side? When they kich your backside, you tend to land in another timezone...
Minis:
Galadhrim (especially the metals including armoured Haldir)
Easterlings - a bit quirky but the overall effect is fabulous
Rohan Royal Guard and commanders - that whole Saxon/Viking/Celtic Middle Ages theme really appeals visually and the minis look great (a pity the plastics were not quite up to the same standard)
Morannon Orcs - I like them as they are detailed and paint up well
Uruk-hai - Gotta love these guys - they are just so enthusiastically bad!

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Mine are in this order
1: Dwarves, nice models, good stats, good value (points), lots of choiced
2: Gondor
3: Rohan
4: Elves
5: Goblins

1 Angmar:
Cool miniatures on a very spooky background. In the 5 years with LOTR-Tabletop I came up with another idea for this army during each projekt. Just can´t get it out of my mind. Like one... possessed.
2 Rohan:
I like the nordish look of the models, also the huge amount of riders. And you can use them as the warriors of Cardolan.
3 dwarfs:
Beards and Beer.

Actually I like every army. Except when I have to play against elves. Campers.

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Army of Angmar & Arnor

here comes mine.

1. The Garrison of Dale, those models are all I ever hoped for.
2. The Shire, they just tell a tale of their own.
3. Gondor, I like their styles of armor.
4. Umbar, "you are a pirate"... says enough?
5. Harad, I'd never use them as haradrim but they make perfect bandits.

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The men of Dale are fighting a battle with my brush at the moment.
3 guys will never know the grey again... rest in peace

1. Last Alliance: I love the characters, models and the story line behind it all. High Elves are the best and numenor Rocks!

2. Mordor. Best army in the game if you ask me, you can do almost anything with it

2. Gondor. Most "medieval army like" of amies. Lots of different miniatures and heroes. good looking models.

3. Rohan. I love the whole look of them as a kingdom of men and the riders. Really look like I'd imagine them.

4. Isengard. Uruk Hai are bad ass! They look great, have lots of different stuff and are really good on the table.

5. Easterlings. Beautiful and really look like evil men.

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"His people were of great strength and stature, bold and steadfast, mighty among the Children of Ilúvatar."

I.ELEENDIILL!!!!! The High king of the faithull and Numenorian bowmen are two of the three models that got me into lotr, matter what people say I shall use them, and at the next tournement above 400pts I will use the high king.
II. Ereigon/Rivendell. Look at the models for Glonfindal in armour, Erestor or the high elf with spear and shield carrying a spear upward, ironically, due to the way rules and pts costs work out these guys will make the majority of my armies.
III. Easterlings. Just something about that armour is brilliant, Khamul on foot, like Elendil, is a model I love but not really used much before. The war priest however is one of the best models, yet also fairly good in game.
VI. Galhadrim, If I could ever get the metals of these guys for non ridiculous prices, I would easily get a warband to add to last alliance army, the court guard with Rumil are beautiful models.
V. Hard one, but probably Arnor of the wars against Angmar, I like their models, and the theme of men standing against a kingdom of supernatural horrors, hoping against hope that aid will come from their southern cousins, the Istarri, the elves anyone.. Just buying each day, each year for each city, fort, town or village with their blood and breath, the shield of men against the witch king.

Easterlings are wonderful to look at, visually very cool, even if they're a bit limited in choice.

The new Mirkwood minis are some of the best models in the range, and i like how easily you can build a full army with them.

I like the rabble of Orcs. Mordor obviously ranks quite highly in the "Orcs, sir. Thousands of 'em." stakes, but recently I've taken to allying in Hunter Orcs, because the Azog model is great.

Angmar. A great opportunity to play up a theme in a way that this game rarely allows. Ghosts, spooky orcs and all manner of things that go bump (and tear, rip, shred and howl) in the night

Dale. This is an army i've earmarked for conversion and expansion. I plan on adding riders, elites, scouts and Laketowners to create a viable army. The design of the city and troops is just beautiful - I sneaked a look at the Dale section of the Chronicles book earlier, and those art pieces are breathtaking and inspiring.