The Army of the Dead can be very, well, deadly, if used correctly. It is the ultimate army and hero-killing power. Learn how to master this power in this short guide.
Army of the Dead
Background"The Dead are following," said Legolas. "I see shapes of men and of horses, and pale banners like shreds of cloud, and spears like winter-thickets on a misty night. The Dead are following."
"Yes, the Dead ride behind. They have been summoned," said Elladan.
-The Passing of the Grey Company, The Return of the King The Army of the Dead, also known as the dead men of Dunharrow, compromised of the ghosts of men of the White Mountains, cursed to remain in Middle-earth by Isildur after they abandoned their oath to aid him in the War of the Last Alliance. Isildur’s curse said that they would not have peace or rest until they fulfilled their oath upon his command, or that of his heirs. They haunted the caverns beneath the Dwimorberg, and the valley of Harrowdale that lay in its shadow, though they were said to appear in the valley only in times of trouble or death. They were led by the King of the Dead, the most fearsome and terrifying of the whole Dead Army. Since the line of Isildur had "ended" (after a couple of hundred years), no one could call upon the Dead Army to aid them in their hours of need, as they would only answer to an heir of Isildur.
UsageThe Army of the Dead is all about completely annihilating any type of unit. They are perfect for summoning on top of giant armies or into someone's base so you can attack it freely. The Army of the Dead is not good for chasing people down, so when you summon them do not try to make them chase the opponent. Get it right on the first try. Summon them right on top of the units tio kill them before they can run.
The Dead do very low damage on buildings, so they will not be of much use in an empty base. Try to mix them with other powers, the most efficient combo being Rohirrim Summon. When you summon them on an army, the part of the army that has not been killed will flee and that will leave you an open path to his base. Bring the Army of the Dead into the base, summon the Rohirrim, and go straight for the Fort. All the units coming to stop you will fall in front of the might of your army. Just remember to summon the Dead close to the fort so they do not run out of time by the time they get there.
There is another way that you can use the Army of the Dead. You will normally get out the Army of the Dead when the game has commenced pretty far and you both will have large armies. When you are not in a position to rush his base, try to lure him into your own ambush. Force him to commence in a large battle, then summon the Army of the Dead right behind him to encircle him and demolish his army. Then go into his base and wreak havoc, turning the tables and winning you the game.
Do NOT Waste It!The most important thing you must remember when using this power is not to waste it. It takes a very long time to recharge, and in most games you will only be able to use it once. You have to use it only when you know it will change the momentum of the game or give you a very large lead. Before you use it, ask yourself “Do I really need it?”, and “Will it give me the edge?”. Try to use it only when it will be extremely beneficial and useful. Misusing it can make it useless and tell him that you have used your 25 powerpoint and now he can come in with his own and kill you.
Try to prioritize. If you have an enemy army in your base and you are also sending in a raiding party into his base without any kind of killer summon, where should you use the army of the dead? You have to think. If you use it to defend your raiding party, you will be able to hurt him badly. But if you waste it up there, his army will overrun you and the raiding force will have been useless. You need to make the choice of saving yourself or defending a little attacking force that will only injure him, but not finish him.
If you have the Army of the Dead and you are leading the game, go for the kill as fast as you can. The more time you give him, the more time he will have to get his own 25 ppt and counter your army. Attack him with your full force, and don't worry about being able to take his army. Just have something that will be able to wreak havoc in his base. Your Army of the Dead will take care of the units nicely.
