Hi all.

I'm considering making a 600 point Isengard force, but I'm not too sure what direction to go in. It seems that crossbows lead by Vrashku are popular, as are ferals and berserkers. Beyond that I'm unsure.

If you were to make a 600 point list, where would you start? I've got mainly models from the SBG magazines, with a few crossbows and extra berserkers.

Another option I was thinking of was taking Sharkey and Worm alongside 11 bow armed Ruffians then bringing a horde of orcs for something different for an Isengard force. Is this just an inferior Mordor list?

Does mixing orcs and Uruks make for a less effective army?

I'm wanting something that's fairly competitive, but not looking to loose any friends with my list.

Cheers.

Dallo

I'm no Isengard-player normally, but have played against Uruks from Isengard various times.

Vrasku + Crossbow-Uruk and Uruk Scouts mixed with some Berserkers and maybe ferals and lead by Saruman is a quite classic army for Isengard. It's very competitive, but due to the higher costs the number of models in such an army is small.

Sharkey with rogues semms to me to be much less competitive. But Sharkey with Uruks is an interesting combination. There is a tournament report in this Forum by Dr Grant about such an army ("Dr Grant's Adventures at The Best Event Ever" from 2014).

Mixing Orcs with Uruks increases the numbers, but certainly orcs are weaker. I suppose your stretegy will decide, wether this combination will be successful.

There is another tournament report in The One Ring, also by Dr Grant, about 100 Point of Isengard with Saruman, Grima an Uruk-hai ("Dr Grant's Adventure at the Desolation of Cumberbatch" from 2014), which is also very interesting.

Hi @Dallo.....here's a scouting report on Isengard that I had written up on another similar thread on the site....hope it is helpful to you.....


Saruman - a "must have"....costly points, but a game changer...Immobilize and Compel can neuter any big hero, and Sorceror's Blast can destroy cavalry and wreak havoc on enemy battle lines
Vrasku - another "must have"....shoots his str4 xbow twice per turn, str5, 3 might
Mauhur - very good....moves 8', 3 attacks, his upgrade rule for scouts is great
Lurtz - solid...3 might, str5, can take a bow
Ugluk - decent....3 might, str5, has a special rule also
Uruk Capts. - very good....str5, def can get 7 with armor and shield, very survivable
Uruk Shaman - very good...channeled fury can swing the game massively
Thrydan - solid ....good killing power, can be mounted also
Dunlending Chief - solid...good killing power, but other options are generally better
Grima- sneaky good....can be a non factor, but can also help you win games with his special rule, especially against big guns (Boromir, Aragorn, etc.)
Orc Captain - useful, but Uruk Capts are better option

Uruk Scouts - decent...can move 8" with Mauhur's special rule...can get def 5 w/shields...pass on the str2 bows
Uruks w/Pikes - solid....good support option for your battle lines
Uruks w/shield - solid....D6 with shields, str4, good cheap bulk troops
Uruks w/xbows - excellent....str4 shooting with 24" range...fight 4 and str4 in melee also
Bezerkers - excellent...2 attacks, str4, def6, and courage 7 !
Feral Uruks - very good....2 attacks, str4, cheap points
Dunlendings - ok....most Uruk troop options are better
Men of Dunland - pass....weaker version of Dunlednings
Isengard Troll - ok....can dominate, but as with all Trolls, very susceptible to Magic....and Costs about the same as 7 Bezerkers, who can do a lot more damage (IMO)
Isengard Orcs - ok...orcs w/spears behind a line of bezerkers is a nice combo, giving 3 attacks on the line

_________________
T'was in the darkest depths of Mordor, I met a girl so fair..
But Gollum, and the evil one crept up and slipped away with her..

Thanks for the in depth response ja33. Thanks for the suggestions werennor, I'll check out those threads. Any reason why humans with bows seem uncompetitive? Is it just because they're not crossbows?

I primarily play Isengard and ja33 gave as good of an answer as you can get. He forgot warg riders though. They are good but they become great when lead by Sharku and have about 8-10 warg riders in Sharku's war band.
If you do crossbows, do them in a single warband with preferably 10 or more.
IMO orcs, scouts, dunlad warriors, ruffians, wildmen, sharky + worm are all underperformers. Not bad but everything else is better. Shamans are extremely good as well.