This is the army of the Easterlings from J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.
The Easterlings consisted of a number of Tribes and Nations living east of the Sea of Rhun. Under Sauron's influence, to a lesser or greater extent, they were drawn Westward in a series of invasions or migrations over a period of two thousand years.
The two handed axemen, who also appear in the Mordor list, were apparently atypical of the Easterlings in general. From the Hill of Amon Hen, Frodo saw a vision of the Easterlings, 'swordsmen, spearmen, bowmen on horses, chariots of chieftains, and laden wains.' The Easterlings are described as marching in 'serried ranks', and also rushing to the attack. If considered as a confederation of tribes, each with a slightly different culture and fighting style, then the use of 'fast' and 'heavy' warbands alongside more formed foot seems plausible. Tolkein suggests that the Easterlings, like the Dunlendings, were a more primitive group of peoples then the Dunedain of the West, and their apparent conservatism would be reflected in their war equipment
Even though "the East" is described as being "plain-like", none of the Easterlings appear to be anything like steppe nomads. Therefore, I have loosely based the Easterlings on the Picts.
| Fantasy | Easterlings | CR: H: 4 L: 2 | BP: 2 | Init: 4 | ||||
| Core | ||||||||
| Number | Type | Description | Key | FV | PROT | Weapon | Cost | |
| 1 | HC | Easterling Heavy Cavalry | X | 4(0)0 | +1 | Lances | 10 | |
| 1 | WB | Easterling Foot* | X | 5(1)2 | +1 | Various | 8 | |
| 5 | FT | Easterling Foot | X | 5(1)1 | +1 | Spears | 6 | |
| 1 | LC | Easterling Light Horse | 2(0)0 | +1 | Javelins | 7 | ||
| 5 | SI | Skirmishers | 3(1)2 | +2 | Javelins | 2 | ||
| Bonus: | ||||||||
| 3 | HC | Easterling Heavy Cavalry | X | 4(0)0 | +1 | Lances | 10 | |
| 2 | WB | Easterling Foot* | X | 5(1)2 | +1 | Various | 8 | |
| 4 | WB | Easterling Foot** | X | 5(1)3 | +1 | Various | 6 | |
| 6 | FT | Easterling Foot | X | 5(1)1 | +1 | Spears | 6 | |
| 2 | LC | Easterling Light Horse | 2(0)0 | +1 | Javelins | 7 | ||
| 2 | M2CH | Wainriders | X | 4(1)0 | +1 | Various | 10 | |
| 2 | SI | Skirmishers | 3(1)2 | +2 | Javelins | 2 | ||
| 2 | SI | Skirmishers | 2(1)1 | +2 | Bows | 2 | ||
Terrain:
Core: 1 GR
Bonus: (Max: 3 ) 3 GR, 1 SH, 2 RG
Notes:
Core: 95 Bonus: 148
*BP 4; Move 6".
** BP 3; Move 9".
List Author: David Billinghurst