Naresh wrote:
When I play Isenguard ...
Heh well more like when you play *against* Isengard, usually me.
But in short I agree with the other posts here. I have played Isengard in WotR for 9 months now ina variety of configurations, and combinations well except any heavy use of scouts/ferals/ruffians.
In answer to the original question, the best method is to come up with a core concept or idea around which to base your list, this should be based on your style, and what you find fun/interesting and so suits your general style of play. If you like the sight of monsters/heavy units then you would need to take 2-3 trolls and/or Beserkers (or more) supported by common units like warbands. if you like artillery, don't take one ballistae but 2-3.
Specific units:
Saruman is very useful for his effective spells, Inspiring leader/high courage, in small armies he is a one man artillery unit, in larger armies he can be protected better and buff his formations or debuff enemies and then brought to bear at key points. He is of course like any spellcaster vulnerable to Heroic Duels.
Thryden is cheap and never leave home without him.
Grima - urg. sometimes for fun, but is pricy points wise for what he does
Lurtz - also pricy. Better for larger armies and his hero or monster hero killing ability with assassins shot.
Uruks with shields - High defence good fight. Often the core of the army. Place Saruman in here and you have a solid base to fling spells from and he can ressurect Uruks using belssing of the valar which can depress your opponent...
Uruk Phalanx - Just not as useful as shield uruks. Take some, but unless its Rohan you're fighting don't take too many as shield Uruks in the end are better than phalanxes in my opinion
Uruk Crossbows. (and Vrasku's talons) deadly. expensive in ££, but effective in combat and shooting. take heroes with them for Heroic Shot so you can move, at the double and still shoot at key stages in the battle. As i don't need many phalanxes and ended up with many broken pikes.. I convert these hapless uruks to crossbowmen by removing the remains of the pike and cutting their hands to give them metal crossbows. Yay, those pikemen are now far more lethal..
Sappers - Fun! Dont rush to use them in combat - keep them back, then unleash them to go boom! On Sunday last a sapper unit blew up, detonating another sapper unit, combined taking out a Stone Giant and inflicting 13 wounds on a Dragon.... if used right they are deadly (they took out a ballista of mine too but it was worth it)
Beserkers - Useful again they are high targets often so screen them with a warband to start with until they can start charging, or place cheapo Thryden in with them to give them At the Double! speed...
Ballistae - like any artillery in the game useful especially against defending units or high defence units especially.
Warg riders - Not strong, but fairly cheap, send them deep...
Trolls - Heavy shock units... but take more than one and keep them together, they also atract attention from enemy archers, and Hard to kill! in WotR means the opposite sometimes.
You can't really do everything, i mean you could take a bit of everything a few warbands, a sapper, a ballista, a troll, some magic, but its uninspired and all those elements are good but dont necessarily mean yu hit as hard as you could. Take units for a reason to support or synchronise with others. The battlehosts provide some examples of thematically constructed lists. Use them or take inspiration and build an army around that central idea allowing for some flexibility. For example:
Basic Army: Saruman Thryden, and many uruk warbands/phalanxes. Sheer numbers of uruks will wear enemies firepower and if you keep relentlessly closing you'll get to his archer/specialised units in time. Add Trolls or archer/crossbows for some flexibility.
Firepower: Lots of ballistae and crossbows. long range damage. make him come to you, and hold him off with uruk warbands, maybe add cavalry if needed to dig out his deep units.
The Siege Lords Battlehost for example allows lots of Rare ballistae, sappers and beserkers (as Battlehosts are exempt from Decree of Rarity)
Destruction: Saruman with Kardush and Druzhag for up to 7 spells of ruin a turn... take heavy units of Uruks, maybe bolster a large formation of 6 with Isengard Steel or Cursed Armour of Udun fate for 6(8) defence. add flexibility again with a mix of cavalry, trolls, archers, beserkers etc. get in close and unleash up to 3 tremors against multiple units. (I believe as a spell that is not targetted at a specific formation but radiates from the caster and affects even friendly formations (apart from the caster), it cannot be countered by Will of Iron - but that is another debate in itself)
And many more, such as armies with many many warg riders or instead relying on Orcs like mordor lists. The imagination is the limit and Isengard gives many options and combinations.
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