The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game

[Mithie]

Yeah - some of the figures can be pretty awesome, but unfortunately, the entire LOTR line of figures suffers from the OI! NEEDZ MORE BITZ! syndrome.

The rules are actually pretty flexible and I actually prefer them to 40k rules. It's pretty fun to play, and I've gamed a few rounds at the local GW store, but never really considered starting up my own army.

[knight of virtue and valor]

180 dollars? looks at this thread: http://forums.relicnews.com/showthread.php?t=248031&highlight=how+much+did+your+table+top+army+cost+you%3F

I know its about my hobby (4k) but they are made by the same people and have allot very similar. its a VERY expensive hobby.

[Russian Gondor]

Yeah - some of the figures can be pretty awesome, but unfortunately, the entire LOTR line of figures suffers from the OI! NEEDZ MORE BITZ! syndrome.

The rules are actually pretty flexible and I actually prefer them to 40k rules. It's pretty fun to play, and I've gamed a few rounds at the local GW store, but never really considered starting up my own army.

True. More bitz are needed but then LOTR minis are sculpted better.

[Sanguinary Guardian]

Russian Gondor, I 've seen what you bought...In my point of view, you should pick an army, collect it, paint it and then you should move on, buying one piece at a time. I used to play LoTR and had a substantial force of each race, but not one complete legal army. When my interest in LoTR waned I chose to play 40K, and elaborated for nearly a year on which army to start. Then the BA Codex arrived and I chose the IX Legio Astartes, buying a squad and a hero. When I paint them I will move on to other minis for my Marine army. Point is, you should buy one thing at a time and from one army only. Just my two cents though, your money, your hobby...Enjoy wargaming m8!

[Russian Gondor]

Well. Only reason I bought Goblins is because the manager of the store MADE me buy one and I thought its a better value to get more minis than pay 65 bucks for a book.

[Sanguinary Guardian]

Well. Only reason I bought Goblins is because the manager of the store MADE me buy one and I thought its a better value to get more minis than pay 65 bucks for a book.

Made you??
Anyhow, I think that the most diverse army in the system is Gondor, you have just about anything when you play as them. And now, they've got plastic Swan Knights and fiefdom troops, Jeez they are so appealing...I just love Gondor, but if I ever return to LoTR, I think I'll place my faith in my trusty High Elves again.

[Raradir]

I use to have a small Gondorian force a few soldiers, Archers, mounted knights and a Standard bearer, I admit I never actually played any wargaming with them I just liked painting them and making scenery, I never got around to going and playing some games as .1 I never knew how and .2 the hobby just got way too expensive so I ended up selling them on ebay, I could never understand why a small Plastic model which probably only cost 5p to manufacture was so expensive, I know they have to make a profit but they did over price them way too much.

[Russian Gondor]

I use to have a small Gondorian force a few soldiers, Archers, mounted knights and a Standard bearer, I admit I never actually played any wargaming with them I just liked painting them and making scenery, I never got around to going and playing some games as .1 I never knew how and .2 the hobby just got way too expensive so I ended up selling them on ebay, I could never understand why a small Plastic model which probably only cost 5p to manufacture was so expensive, I know they have to make a profit but they did over price them way too much.

I thought the same thing too. I finally cracked the nut on the price.

Lets think, 1) They have to pay someone to design the model 2) They have to make the equipment to make the model 3) Not too many people are into the hobby ( only a few hundred thousand around the world I presume ), and 4) Theres no guarantee people will buy the model.

Its not the materials but the demand and equipment in my opinion.

[Kip]

Cool models.

I briefly collected Lord of the Rings models in high school (basically only had the RotK starter set and a couple metal heroes), but it never took off among the friends who I thought would be interested - they all were WoW players, and they said if they started wargaming there would be no coming back (no arguments here - we threw around the term "nerd card", and everybody gets to play one ). Anyways, I let the hobby fall by the wayside due to lack of opponents, but I really would like to get back into it now that I'm at college. There's a ton more attention to the game in my university city, so I'd actually get to play the game.

[knight of virtue and valor]

warhammer 40k and fantasy are way better! (its a matter of taste)

[Russian Gondor]

warhammer 40k and fantasy are way better! (its a matter of taste)

Well. I tried playing Fantasy and I do not like it. There is no strategy at all.

In fantasy all you do is you have like 5 trays, and then you say, I moved you, attacked you, I cast fireball, you die.

In Lord of the Rings Skirmish you get to move your models around, you need to out-smart the enemies movement, find a good defensive position, or attack from a nice spot. It actually has the word "strategy" in its title. ( I am not starting War of the Ring yet, but I might look into it since I have 1,000 Gondor points, 500 goblin, and 500 isengard points ). I bought a 500 point Isengard army yesterday, 6 berserkers, and 2 packs of warriors. I am trying something new with them and not just painting and basing them, but adding "blood effects" to make them more frightening and give them a spirit of a butcher. I might send some screenies once I am done painting.

[Russian Gondor]

My new Uruk Hai! Sorry for smudginess!

Anyways, I could not get a really good focus with my camera... sorry!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Kanaric]

I played this but I prefer warhammer 40k.

Havn't played in quite a while though.

I would play Warhammer Fantasy but I hate the rules for that game.

[Russian Gondor]

I played this but I prefer warhammer 40k.

Havn't played in quite a while though.

I would play Warhammer Fantasy but I hate the rules for that game.

I was going to start Warhammer Fantasy but I agree that the rules stink!

All you do is move like 3 trays and roll 500 dice. You spend more time rolling on which units will stand where rather than playing. I really like Fantasy models though....

I do not really like 40k too though since the range is enormous and from the start of the turn you just start blasting at the other and its a game of firepower, not strategy....

[Kip]

I'm searching around on eBay for a box to buy and build over the next couple weeks/months as a relaxing hobby - but I can't decide between Easterlings, Galadhrim, or Uruk Scouts

[Russian Gondor]

I'm searching around on eBay for a box to buy and build over the next couple weeks/months as a relaxing hobby - but I can't decide between Easterlings, Galadhrim, or Uruk Scouts

A few notes:

Easterlings - You will need to buy a Mumak to get your army anywhere.

Isengard - Get Uruk Warriors, not scounts, the scouts are -1 point but have -1 defense, and defense is quite important.

Galadhrim - Well, elves are well rounded but MUST have a map with forest or they will be squashed by cavalry. Or is galadhrim rohan??? I forgot

[Sanguinary Guardian]

Actually, Haradrim need the Mumak, not the Easterlings. The Easterlings are basically the Evil warriors of Minas Tirith, good armour values, shields, decent courage and fighting skills...nice looking models too! Russian Gondor, I do not know if it's the camera focus, but it seems to me, you have painted way too much blood mate...
KippyK, I would propose Easteling or Galadhrim, they are beautiful models, relatively easy to paint, they are bright, golden and look awesome when painted. Now if you want something darker, go with Uruks, Orcs, Rohirrim or Wood Elves...

[Kip]

A few notes:

Easterlings - You will need to buy a Mumak to get your army anywhere.

Isengard - Get Uruk Warriors, not scounts, the scouts are -1 point but have -1 defense, and defense is quite important.

Thanks for the tips.

Galadhrim - Well, elves are well rounded but MUST have a map with forest or they will be squashed by cavalry. Or is galadhrim rohan??? I forgot

Galadhrim are the Elves of Lothlorien, you're thinking of Rohirrim.

I'm buying my models based on looks, so that's why I'd take Scouts over Warriors - I just think the models look cooler. Plus, part of the reason the SBG rules appealed to me so much is that the game is about the "individual" and not the "regiment". Warriors seem best fit to formation-based fighting (with their pikes and crossbows) while Scouts would be more fluid.

Haradrim have Mumakil, not Easterlings . A mumak is way out of the question though, way too expensive for me

Actually, Haradrim need the Mumak, not the Easterlings. The Easterlings are basically the Evil warriors of Minas Tirith, good armour values, shields, decent courage and fighting skills...nice looking models too! Russian Gondor, I do not know if it's the camera focus, but it seems to me, you have painted way too much blood mate...
KippyK, I would propose Easteling or Galadhrim, they are beautiful models, relatively easy to paint, they are bright, golden and look awesome when painted. Now if you want something darker, go with Uruks, Orcs, Rohirrim or Wood Elves...

Good advice, thank you. The quality of models is really one of my highest criteria - that's why I've narrowed it down to these three boxes. I also have 12 orcs left over from when I played in high school, so they would be usable with either Uruk Scouts or Easterlings - I think I should probably start with one of those, and then follow-up with some Galadhrim if I play enough to justify it.

[Russian Gondor]

I agree KippyK, Scouts look cooler for scenarios. Although, I bought 40 warriors of isengard and 6 berserkers and my army looks huge! ( Its only 500 pts, smallest amount usually used for Skirmish ). So yeh, for skirmish you can bunch up a big army if you don't use heroes. In my opinion heroes are overrated. I fought a test match against myself, 500 pts Isengard, vs 500 pts Gondor. The berserkers massacred the cavalry charge and then swarmed over Gondorian troops ( their 4 rolls vs. Gondor's 2 rolls, isengard gets 2 spear support due to pikes, + berserkers have 2 attack ). So I completely swarmed Gondor and had a 30 vs 1 Aragorn with Anduril battle. ( Sure, Aragorn killed 8 Uruks, but I still got him in the end )

[Kip]

I think I'm going to try to play even lower than that, 300, 350 points or so. The people I potentially will be playing with play War of the Ring (which is I guess a mass-scale game), so I think they'd rather do smaller games to differentiate the systems even more.

Have you played Battle Companies by the way? That looks pretty fun.