I was just wondering how viable a spirit army is viable at lower point games. The Spectre's movement ability seems like a good counter to shieldwalls as you can simply force enemy models to move through sheer numbers of will checks. Combined with a Ringwraith to give the -1 Courage Modifier to good models it should be able to keep larger numbers of enemies away. The issue I see is that i'd be outnumbered heavily, outclassed in every fight and reliant on Terror Checks to keep fights in my favour.

Here is my rough list:

Ringwraith: 55
10 Spectres: 150

Ringwraith: 55
10 Spectres: 150

Castellan of Dol Guldur: Morgul Blade: 45
Castellan of Dol Guldur: Morgul Blade: 45

=500

I'm not too happy about this list though, the 55 point Ringwraiths are a bit fragile without any might or fate, but if I upgrade them, i'll have to drop the Castellans. I'd like to get a Ringwraith like the Dark Marshall for his Banner ability, but this list is too strapped for points.

Second list:

The Dark Marshall: 120
10 Spectres: 150

Ringwraith: 80 (3 extra will, 2 Fate)
10 Spectres: 150

=500

edit: Thinking about it, an Angmar Warband with a Shade leading a warband would work with the Dark Marshall's banner quite well

The Dark Marshall: 120
10 Spectres: 150

Shade: 100
8 Spectres: 120

But that is a tiny amount of models...

I've wondered this a few times too. When the Warbands rules came out and Spectres got to wound against Courage rather than Defence they started looking pretty deadly when combined with a Wraith or Shade.

I think a pure spirit army would be tricky to play, but if you can isolate and 'Black Dart' hornblowers and banners you're off to a good start. You'll need to be wary of Heroic moves when the lines get close though, so The Dwimmerlaik may be a good choice. A combat wraith would be useful against enemy heroes, isolate them using the Spectres to move their friends away, surround them with spectres and the wraith and call a heroic strike to get the edge in the fight.

Some warg riders with throwing spears would be useful in the event that your opponent hides his hornblower at the back of the table.

I do think it would be better at 750 as the Heroes that you really want cost a lot.

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Two problems. 1) you'll get shot to pieces by everybody and 2) you'll be destroyed by bodyguard heavy force or an evil army with fury on.

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Perhaps, but shooting isn't as good as it was now that there's no volley fire, a penalty for moving and shooting and some obstacles give an 'In the Way' roll of 5+. A table with the recommended 33-50% coverage should have enough cover. Warg Riders can hunt archers quite well if they're included and the Shadowlord still does his thing just as well as ever.

Bodyguard and Fury both rely on Heroes being alive (and in the case of Fury, having Will left). 'Sap Will' will get rid of fury pretty fast and Wraiths are the natural counter to heroes. Drop the hero and the bodyguards aren't a problem.

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Thinking about it some more I reckon this would be a really fun army to use and give much better games than 2 shieldwalls clashing in the middle of the table.

You wouldn't use 'conventional' tactics, but neither could your opponent with spectres pulling models out of formation and pushing others back. The spectres wouldn't be fronting up in a battle-line, but lurking in the shadows, dragging models to their doom either on the spectre's blades or to be shot or stabbed by orcs/warg riders, their friends unable to help. Very atmospheric. This game would be enhanced by a bit of dry ice flowing over the table.

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I should use 16 spectres and 2 ringwraiths on horse.
you've got really mutch magic, so fury (sap) banners and all things like that will runn away. hero's will be killed with ease becouse you hit on their strengt so never have to roll more than a 6 (and warriors never more tan 5+ exept berserkers)
before you'r in combal the half of the enemy force will be halved becouse the half of them runs away.
and when you're within shooting range walk in your magic range and walk those guys in front of theirselves so they are in the way for themself.
bodyguards don't matter, they still have C3 (men) and you kill them on 4+. and kill the hero with black dart for example.

Lucaqs

I might have missed something, but where do you see Shadow Lord and Warg Riders in those lists?




Btw, didn't the latest FAQ say something about not having to take more courage tests for the same reason if you already passed one during a given turn? Maybe I'm remembering something wrong.


1. Nothing runs away because of magic, these guys only go when fail courage tests but given that you have 18 models and most opponents will have 30+, even if you manage to make half move away for a turn it won't make any difference, you're still doing really badly in combat with no spear support and low fight value.
2. Bodyguards might have C3, but they automatically pass tests for moving away, that was my point. Only a fool will let you kill a hero with Black Dart unless that Hero is something like Beregond, in which case only a fool will move that hero within your casting distance.

I'd be confident to destroy a 500pts list like this with forces such as:
a) 3 elven captains, 30 high elves (couldn't be easier)
b) 3 gondor captains, 36 warriors (12 bows will drop some numbers and warriors are still on a 50/50 in combat, but with spear support they are better than unsupported spectres)
c) Well... everything else... 4 goblin captains and 48 goblins won't have the least of a problem with beating a 20 model force with low fight and low defence, no bows and spells that don't kill.


It's a cool idea, but it doesn't work against any semi-competent player.

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Really interesting idea and would look good on the table for sure. Against armies of Men you may do ok. Against Elves it would be more of a challenge of course (more magic, higher courage and better shooting). Most experienced players would adapt quickly on the table against this force though.

I think a mix of 30% - 50% of your points in Nazgul/Specter and the rest in something more conventional may prove a better investment. Trying out Cavalry (Morgul Knights or Wargs), tough infantry (Morannon or Mordor Uruks), Trolls or perhaps even cheap Orc swarms.

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You didn't miss anything. I was just speculating about things that would make a spectre heavy force a bit more viable against conventional armies. They would need some fast stuff and/or missile support and the Shadow Lord would be a safe option if you weren't sure how much terrain you'd get to play over.

I have to agree that it's not really viable at 500 points, you'd really want a named Wraith and a Shade at the very least to get the best out of the Spectres and then your model count is too low. At 750 the high cost of your heroes hurts a bit less and you can stick some warg riders and/or orc trackers in. I think it could work if you hug terrain, kite around, pick models off one-by-one and avoid getting bogged down against a shield wall.

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i mean that when you play men with C3 (make C3) more than the half of them will runn backwards (or kill easy a man and move them forwards)
but against those armies of 36 man i've got lots of magig of my spectres and wraiths, bus yes there are better armies.

Lucas

Its something I've wondered about before when looking at an angmar force. It is unconventional and thus most people wont be expecting it.
The problem is your warriors are unlikely to withstand the most common formations and armies out there.
Unconventional tactics are most certainly called for.
The biggest difficulty is the reliance on good failing courage to make the most of the abilities the spectres have, generally good don;t have to much of an issue with courage.

I reckon you should have a few games, proxy the models if you don;t want to invest in the army before some trials. Put up some reports on here and we'll try and hammer it into a solid force.

In terms of the actual list my gut feeling is putting some trolls in might help, they're all part of angmar so doesn't break the theme (unless you are dead set that it must be spectre army pun intended).
Burduh would seem a good call being a troll with might points.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm using Army of the Dead models as Shades, painted up like the Evil human warriors from an old White Dwarf, but with a corpselike skin tone, so proxying is not a problem. Whilst Elves give me a problem, it should be fun trying to work out a way round it. With the Ringwraith lowering most human models courage to 2, I should be able to pick my fights. I was going to get a practice game in today, but the weather in the UK stopped my opponent from coming in. I understand that this list is going to require a fair amount of thought to get the most use out of, but thats part of the fun!.

I'll probably get a game in Wednesday or Thursday, so i'll post how it went up here.

But you have no spears, and your troops are not melee oriented, nor high in defence or power, no archery, no monsters or cavalry etc... Pretty dreadful list if you ask me.

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