Well, this thread is mainly due to a 500pt battle i had with a friend recently.

To make a long story short, i generally lose against my gondorian friend.
However, i recently tried the tactic of fielding a huge swarm of orcs, instead of my usual thing of no archers or drummers, a core of morrannons, and a few orcs (say i have 10 morannons, i'll have 15 orcs).

And it worked!

So my question is this...
Which is better for a mordor army? A swarm of orcs? OR a solid core of uruks/Morannons, with a good number of orcs to be a meat-shield/Support?

P.S... I only ever do battles with this guy... who will almost always do one big unimaginative pike wall...

the is no "best" some lists will do better against particular foes.

against the pike block all his units will be in 1 center ball, and will lose againt mob armies as they can afford to lose warriors to the pike block and can easy surround the pike block....

that is why people like to have ''balanced'' armies - as they have a bit of everything and so dont lose badly to particular foes (but they dont do briliantly against armies as well.... (well that depends))

so if you only play againt this 1 guys, then build a list that counters it


oh, and not taking archers is a really bad idea (even if orcs suck), and taking no drummer is an even worse idea as you have no archers

Yeah... I will probably experiment with a drummer soon

And archers do suck... that's probably the reason i decided to get 20 of 'em, and use the orcs in front as an advancing meatshield, whilst the archers behind just volley over & over again...

Funny story about that actually... in the last battle, we were both trying to hit the 75% kill mark... my mate thought he had about 1 to go... then i remembered my 10 archers at the back which he hadn't touched!

my sbg mordor army usually centers around an elite unit either uruk-hai, black numenoreans, or now black guard. to save points i have tracker archers. then tons of orcs most with spear but a hand full with shield to block and sacrifice. and no mordor force is complete with out at least one nazgul.

if you dont want archers bring the shadowlord and you should reach the enemy with enough models to swarm.

i would say build your force around morranons support them with orc spears and a few shields.

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HOLLA

I agree.

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"There are few left in Middle Earth like Aragorn, son of Arathorn." - Gandalf, Many Meetings