Shelob is up for pre-order right now, so Cirith Ungol is back in the spotlight.
If you have Middle-earth history, you already know this garrison is a mess. However, when Orcs and Uruk-hai stop stabbing each other, they hit hard. So the army list leans into that internal rivalry as a weapon. And because Shelob is involved, every fight feels like it might turn into lunch.
Strengths: Animosity, Numbers, and Shelob as the Knife
The army’s signature rule is Animosity, and it is nasty when you plan for it. Orcs get +1 To Wound if a friendly Uruk-hai is in the same combat, and Uruk-hai get the same bonus if an Orc is there too. So you want mixed fights everywhere, and that includes Captains plus Shagrat and Gorbag. It gets even scarier with two-handed weapons, because winning the fight can stack another +1 To Wound. Therefore even high Defence targets start looking mortal.
Cirith Ungol also swarms the board with cost-effective heroes and warriors. So you can surround, trap, and grind down lower model count armies. Trapped models suffer double strikes if they lose, which turns encirclement into a blender. Meanwhile, that body count also helps you sit on objectives in Matched Play.
Shelob adds the speed and threat. With high Move and Swift Movement, she can hit backline supports like banners and aura heroes. Fight 7 forces enemies into Heroic Strike or support, and Strength 7 with Venom makes losing to her feel final. However, Survival Instinct means she can flee if she takes an unprevented wound and fails a Courage test. So she is terrifying, yet she cannot be thrown in alone.
Weaknesses and Key Game Plans
Courage is a real issue across the list, so Shagrat and Gorbag matter for keeping the force stable, especially into Terror and once Broken. Defence 4 or 5 also means missile fire and high attack volume can hurt. However, Shelob can disrupt shooters quickly, and Heroic March from Captains helps you close distance faster.
On the table, you want open fights where your numbers can wrap and trap. Avoid choke points, because elite armies love anchoring flanks on impassable terrain. Instead, delay the full commit until you can swing models around. Shelob can Barge to open gaps, yet her large base makes support tricky, so do it with a plan.
Summary
Cirith Ungol wins by flooding combats with mixed Orc and Uruk-hai pairs for Animosity wounds, while using numbers to trap targets and dominate objectives. Shagrat is your hero hunter with Heroic Strike and Cleaving Blow, but he risks giving up points if he falls.
Gorbag, meanwhile, thrives when outnumbered and chews through warriors with extra attacks. Shelob is the fast finisher and late-game objective thief, especially with Dominant (4) and Barge tricks, yet she needs nearby bodies. She even fuels rerolls by eating a friendly model, because of course she does. Shelob is sold in a set with Gollum and wrapped Frodo, and it is up alongside the Treachery of Gollum journal with scenarios, hobby content, and a linked campaign.
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