Hi! Looking for some advice from people who have played Harad as to what is and isn't worthwhile.

I have purchased:

Suladan ft and mtd
24 Harad Warriors (12/12 spear/bow)
5 Abrakhan Guard
4 Watchers of Karna
4 Half Trolls
6 Serpent Guard (just as dismounts)
6 Serpent Riders
6 Haradrim Raiders
Harad chieftain and banner bearer

I intend to buy enough Watchers and Abrakhan Guard to make a full warband of each if that is advisable. I also have my eye on The Betrayer.

In my mind I have various combinations of 12 Watchers with The Betrayer, 12 Abrakhan Guard with The Golden King. What's good, what works?

For 500pts I was thinking something like:

Suladan, horse
6 Serpent Riders

Golden King
6 Merchant Guard
6 Harad Warriors with spear and bow

Harad Chieftain
6 Watchers of Karna with bow

Input welcome.

Cheers,
VG

_________________
"Dark have been my dreams of late."

At that point value, I like the army. Im used to 750 so I cant comment too much but it looks nice.

As for whats good and whats not.....pretty much everything harad is good....the only thing on your list I personally dont use every is a banner with them (save points for troop whording, or elites) and the serpents on foot. People will say blah blah blah fight value but your strength I believe is always in elites like half trolls or watchers, or strength in numbers.

And ive gotten rid of my harad raiders.......Ive done all mounted armies with them, or one group of them to skirmish and they always seem to fail me. Use your serpent riders some times but the raiders Im not a fan of. Theyre a crappier rider of rohan which already you need to play carefully with the survive.

Any more questions Id be happy to answer.


EDIT: Oh, and the Betrayer.....meh.

I wanted him forever, then put him in my force. The problem is his rule helped very poorly. Of all the re rolls, maybe one of ten worked. Not worth bringing him if you can spare the points and only want the rule(keep in mind you need points with harad again, to whord or elite it up).

Furthemore is magic is average. And heres the problem I ran into. If you want to use his special rule, you have to keep him back with the troops or risk him getting engaged. Or, if you like I did my first time using him, wait with the archers the whole game.....you waste his magic. I ended up not using his magic till both armies were already broken! Its not the worst tactic but there was so much more I could have done.

_________________
BLACKHAWK 2010 2013 2015 DYNASTY

Suladan gives great value for the points.

Watchers of Karna with 2 attacks and Best Evil Bows are a bargain--with their Fight 4 and some spear support, they will win 60% of their fights against other F4 troops (most Good forces these days) and 71% against lower Fight. Worth it. The more the better -- but don't waste them only as archers.

Half Trolls are twice the cost and even more worth it (though including them will negate your 1/2 bow option). Think of them as cheap Captains without Might. They will chew up Elves, which are getting popular.

Cavalry is destroyed by Monsters and their Hurl attack --and always vunerable to bows (especially low def Harad cavalry). I would not recommend them, especially in armies under 600 points.

No banner unless needed for a Tournament poiints match (Lords of Battle?) You cannot spare the points at this level.

Consider Knight of Umbar on Fell Beast, as he can lead Harad. You will have one of the few Monsters on the field at this points level (500). Flying has huge tactical advantages, combined with magic and monster bonuses, most any enemy hero can be neutralized. Worth the cost of having low troop numbers, IMO.

Betrayer: only ever used him on a Fell Beast...and no more: Rend can kill as easily as his Poison rerolls. Bows have been so nurfed, that they will never win games. Witch King is a much better deal, if you are OK with Orc Spears and a Pelannor theme.

Thanks for your input gents, got some further questions if you're up for it.

Let's say I was to focus on abrakhan guard, watchers with bows and haradrim warriors. What combinations should I deploy these in? 4 of each per warband? Two warbands of 6 watchers/abrakhan with spear support? I haven't played enough to know what is optimal.

Cheers
VG

_________________
"Dark have been my dreams of late."

whatchers are good, abrakhan guard are great aswell, but imo the best troop in the game are half-trolls, they can beat most captains in combat for less than half the price, also against troops they are prety much gaurentied to kill a model every turn. suladan and chieftans are good.

As for another hero i would say a mahud hero is the best, however they are no longer available, so if you cant get your hans on one the golden king is also good

hope i could help

Yes do the warbands 50/50 with spear support. And make sure you dont shoot with your watchers till the game is already over and they didnt see combat.

_________________
BLACKHAWK 2010 2013 2015 DYNASTY