Lord the Rings SBG New Releases

 The Gorgoroth, if your recall this is what's pulling the Grond Ram in Return of the King


The cat's out of the bag more of less as the Feburary White Dwarf hits the stands in the different parts of the world. I wanted to this collected information up before GW sends out it's February releases email tonight or tomorrow morning. I spoke to my pal who runs our local one man store in my area and he was absolutely clueless about any of this. I quote " they dont tell us anything", "I'll see on the 4th like the rest of you" Leave it to us to hype Games Workshops products for them for free right?

The New Codes


Global Pack Code Complete Barcode Short Sales Code Product Name Contents D Release R/T Release USD CAD Route to Market Product Status Life Span Range Action Type
60041499029 978190796436-7 05-01-60 LoTR: The Free Peoples (English) 64pp Army Book 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $24.75 $29.75 RTD New - Active Book
60041499033 978190796460-2 08-01-60 LoTR: Mordor (English) 48pp Army Book 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $24.75 $29.75 RTD New - Active Book
60041499031 978190796450-3 09-01-60 LoTR: The Fallen Realms (English) 48pp Army Book 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $24.75 $29.75 RTD New - Active Book
60041499032 978190796455-8 11-01-60 LoTR: Moria & Angmar (English) 48pp Army Book 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $24.75 $29.75 RTD New - Active Book
99121464007 501192102290 8 09-07 Easterling Kataphrakts 6 Fig Box 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $36.25 $43.50 RTD New - Active Plastic
99801464015 501192102611-1 09-62 Amdûr, Lord of Blades 2 Fig Clampack 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $33.00 $39.50 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Resin
99801464016 501192102730-9 09-63 Easterling Dragon Knight 1 Fig Clampack 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $23.00 $27.50 RTD New - Active Resin
99801464018 501192102732-3 09-64 Easterling War Priest 1 Fig Clampack 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $23.00 $27.50 RTD New - Active Resin
99811499008 501192103248-8 - Lord of The Rings Casualties 8 Fig Box 4-Feb-12 - $29.75 $35.75 D New - Active Resin
99811499006 501192102947-1 11-41 The Watcher in the Water 1 Fig Box 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $71.00 $85.25 RTD New - Active Resin
99801499008 501192102949-5 11-62 Warg Marauder 1 Fig Clampack 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $24.75 $29.75 RTD New - Active Resin
99811466005 501192102952-5 11-42 Dweller in the Dark 1 Fig Box 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $41.25 $49.50 RTD New - Active Resin
99801462009 501192102951-8 11-60 Grôblog, King of the Deeps 1 Fig Clampack 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $15.25 $19.00 RTD New - Active Resin
99801462008 501192102950-1 11-61 Ashrâk, the Spiderkin 1 Fig Clampack 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $13.25 $16.00 RTD New - Active Resin
99811499007 501192102948-8 08-44 Great Beast of Gorgoroth 1 Fig Box 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $71.00 $85.25 RTD New - Active Resin
99811464020 501192102954-9 04-41 Gondor Commanders 4 Fig Box 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $39.50 $47.50 RTD New - Active Resin
99811464021 501192102961-7 04-42 Rohan Commanders 4 Fig Box 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $39.50 $47.50 RTD New - Active Resin
99811463004 501192102953-2 05-40 Galadhrim Elf Commanders 4 Fig Box 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $39.50 $47.50 RTD New - Active Resin
99811465005 501192102959-4 05-41 Dwarf Commanders 4 Fig Box 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $39.50 $47.50 RTD New - Active Resin

RE-PACKAGED PRODUCTS Infantry boxes will phase in Global Pack Code Complete Barcode Short Sales Code Product Name Contents D Release R/T Release USD CAD Current RTM Current Status Range Action Range Action Date Type
99121499025 501192102983-9 11-08 Wild Wargs 6 Fig Box 14-Jan-12 4-Feb-12 $16.50 $19.75 D Active RTMC - RTD 4-Feb-12 Plastic
99121464012 501192102971-6 04-08 Warriors of Minas Tirith 12 Fig Box 14-Jan-12 4-Feb-12 $22.25 $26.75 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Plastic
99121464011 501192102966-2 04-09 Rangers of Middle-earth 12 Fig Box 14-Jan-12 4-Feb-12 $22.25 $26.75 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Plastic
99121466006 501192102969-3 04-10 Warriors of the Dead 10 Fig Box 14-Jan-12 4-Feb-12 $22.25 $26.75 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Plastic
99121464013 501192102972-3 04-11 Warriors of Rohan 12 Fig Box 14-Jan-12 4-Feb-12 $22.25 $26.75 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Plastic
99121463004 501192102981 5 05-09 Galadhrim Warriors 12 Fig Box 14-Jan-12 4-Feb-12 $22.25 $26.75 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Plastic
99121463003 501192102976-1 05-10 Wood Elf Warriors 12 Fig Box 14-Jan-12 4-Feb-12 $22.25 $26.75 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Plastic
99121499024 501192102970-9 05-15 Warriors of the Last Alliance 12 Fig Box 14-Jan-12 4-Feb-12 $22.25 $26.75 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Plastic
99121465004 501192102968 6 05-11 Dwarf Warriors 12 Fig Box 14-Jan-12 4-Feb-12 $22.25 $26.75 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Plastic
99121465003 501192102967-9 05-13 Dwarf Rangers 12 Fig Box 14-Jan-12 4-Feb-12 $22.25 $26.75 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Plastic
99121462003 501192102975-4 08-07 Mordor Orcs 12 Fig Box 14-Jan-12 4-Feb-12 $22.25 $26.75 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Plastic
99121462006 501192102977-8 08-08 Morannon Orcs 12 Fig Box 14-Jan-12 4-Feb-12 $22.25 $26.75 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Plastic
99121462005 501192102974-7 10-07 Uruk-hai Warriors 10 Fig Box 14-Jan-12 4-Feb-12 $22.25 $26.75 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Plastic
99121462002 501192102973 0 10-08 Uruk-hai Scouts 12 Fig Box 14-Jan-12 4-Feb-12 $22.25 $26.75 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Plastic
99121462004 501192102978-5 11-07 Moria Goblin Warriors 12 Fig Box 14-Jan-12 4-Feb-12 $22.25 $26.75 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Plastic
99121464008 501192102979-2 09-08 Haradrim Warriors 12 Fig Box 14-Jan-12 4-Feb-12 $22.25 $26.75 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Plastic
99121464010 501192102982-2 09-09 Corsairs of Umbar 12 Fig Box 14-Jan-12 4-Feb-12 $22.25 $26.75 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Plastic
99121464009 501192102980-8 09-10 Easterling Warriors 10 Fig Box 14-Jan-12 4-Feb-12 $22.25 $26.75 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Plastic
99801464017 501192102731-6 09-61 Khamûl The Easterling (Ringwraith) 2 Fig Clampack 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $33.00 $39.50 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Resin
99811464019 501192102733-0 09-40 Easterling Commanders 4 Fig Box 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $39.50 $47.50 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Resin
99811462013 501192102958-7 08-45 Mordor Orc Commanders 4 Fig Box 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $39.50 $47.50 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Resin
99811462012 501192102957-0 08-46 Morannon Orc Commanders 4 Fig Box 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $39.50 $47.50 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Resin
99811462011 501192102956-3 10-41 Isengard Commanders 4 Fig Box 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $39.50 $47.50 RTD New - Active Resin
99811462010 501192102955-6 11-43 Moria Goblin Commanders 4 Fig Box 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $33.00 $39.50 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Resin
99811464022 501192102960-0 09-41 Haradrim Commanders 4 Fig Box 4-Feb-12 4-Feb-12 $39.50 $47.50 RTD New - Repackaged - Active Resin
99801462015 501192103249-5 - Mordor Orc Shaman 1 Fig Clampack 4-Feb-12 - $15.25 $19.00 D New - Repackaged - Active Resin

There a 5 Source books at $24.50 USD each book is going to overwrite the current force organization specified by The Legions of Middle Earth book. (code for the Kingdoms of Men book is missing above, I'm assuming a C/P error)

New Models...I've posted pics of sum, all plastic and Finecast, the prices, yes. Outrageous. 


 

 

The Watcher in the Water no has legs and gets mobile!

Another Ghulvar type Demon (above) and the coolest of the new models this Easternling Cataphract sculpted by Alan Perry

 

What we know-

The Core Rules are not changing, The big book is being re-released by the page count is the same and the sample pages are the same. People are concluding the book has not changed.

The new Core books feature new Force organization rules and other new rules.

Basic rules revolve around 1 Hero Commands 12 Figures, so armies are built around that concept.
Wisdom suggests The Boromir of the White would have command bonuses over say a regular Gondor Captain but what we dont know. Illustrations with bonus to statistics for Instance Khamul leading Easterling Cavalry is now F4, etc. exist.


 Points have seemed to have NOT Changed.

No word on Changes to Magic or incorporation of Monsters or Siege Weapons into the Hero +12 Command Structure. Following GW's lead in other games and big monster kits I expect monsters to more easily fieldable then they are now.

Alliance Rules gone, now just Good Vs Evil.

I expect many other unique Army rules to change in favor of a more streamline concept. as well as some Army lists.

War of the Ring is being shelved as specicalist game and this version of SGB is going to be e pushed the 3rd Flagship game at least thru the new films then it will slowly slide off into oblvion unless the fans keep it alive. This is surprising we thought War of the Ring would be the game the pushed but its just doest have the fanbase and the new troop box repackaging makes its price prohibitive to get into unless your filthy Rich or a long time collector, as the cost of 3 companies of stock troops went up from $30 to almost $50


I see alot of good here with the focus on Heroes and Command, the proof will be in its implementation, smaller warband and removal of alliance restrictions can be positive as you can run some different combos that dont really on a ton of models so Grey Company and Rohan Cav, etc., this freedom of design can also lead to some unrealistic or just bad combos in the name of gaming
so we are just going to have to see.

Overall, I am optimistic with what I see, but am of course skeptical as well because with everything
GW does the focus is on maximizing sales of over game quality. But they're going to get me for $125 next weekend as I get all 5 books....Big year for Lord of The Rings starting 11 months before the new movies..who would have guessed?


Photos, and information collected courtesy of  members of Dakka Dakka, and the One Ring UK.

GW goes back to Middle Earth.

Looks like Games Workshop has pulled a bit of a surprise out its hat and much to the chagrin of 40K haters over at the various forums. Rumor has been bubbling for the last 6 weeks or so about a new skirmish ruleset for the SBG in Feburary. While the LotR SBG community is small it is dedicated and we've seen a big rise in player populace here in the midwest over the last year, either as a result of the exodus from other systems or as just an increase in curiosity from other player bases.  Last November's Bilbos Birthday Bash was the single biggest LotR tournament to date with attendance up 400% since its start in 2009. The tournament was as grand a *hobby* spectacle as you are going to see around these parts outside of Adepticon.

As the cover of this French version of February's White Dwarf confirms this is a reality. From the rumors that seem reasonable on a couple of reliable forums..It seems like they aren't changing the rules so much but tweaking unit values and command structures on how many models a particular hero model is capable of commanding. This is an awesome move that will shake the game up in a good way in my opinion because one the few problems with game on the tournament level is that players can spam models using only Captains or low costing generic command figures as leaders. This gamey disregard to *theme* allows you maximize model counts  and while its the best tactical game GW has managed to come up with, It is still very much a game of numbers. Also mentioned are a whole of bunch of new models this month..*what* I am not sure as releases for *The Hobbit* should still be pending probably late this fall to tie in with the new film. Whatever they do lets hope they dont mess with core rules and keep the Finecast to a minimum. Going by the standard info release schedules we should know the details this weekend.

In other LotR/ GW news not sure if anyone else noticed who doesnt play but GW recently, in typical fashion, repackaged the plastic troop boxes lowering the number of models in a box by 50% but lowering the price only about 25%,  This isnt something they would have invested money into if they were just trying to *blow out inventory* like I've read speculated. Considering GW fought like hell to even get the rights to do models for the new films, I think we can plan on a significant amount of attention on the game from GW over the next 24 months considering its the companies sizable investment. Sorry 40K dudes.

Dark Age Campaign Round 7

Here is our Campaign Map post 6 rounds of play. Moves are pending for round 7 based on the above.
 Scores last rounds where The Saxons over the Byzantines 34 -19 and The Caliphate over the Normans 34-10.

If you've been following this at all you'll see the Caliphate has been slowed slightly the last couple rounds a Saxon victory in Round 5 (barely) and a equal score forcing draws in Round 6 enabled me to consolidate and rebuild. Chris and his Byzantines have likewise held there own, and the loss to Saxons last round only really set the dispute over a neutral territory we where fighting over. What we currently have is 3 way ties with 19 territories a piece...Rich is in the lead with 101 Armies versus 81 for Chris and 80 for myself. Most number of territories at the end of 8 is declared the winner, with number of Armies as the tie breaker. The Norman empire is in its last throes, with 8 Territories and 24 armies he has suffered from a combination of being * man in the middle* and bad luck.. Dismissing his Heavy Cavalry would be foolish however and I since he and I are playing this week
I should probably work to complete absorb him and have him fighting for me in the last round, however a loss in that scenario would probably knock me out of the running so it might be best to skirmish against border territories and try for another smaller expansion protecting my Empires strength. However a strong push from either Rich or Chris with a high score could make that moot as well. Decisions, Decisions.

Course Correction- Adepticon Update.

The Kraken Attacks, abandon ye all hope. In all seriousness I wanted to make a quick announcement about a course correction. Due to circumstances far beyond my control I am suddenly being forced to relocate my business operations over the next 3-4 months. As a result I have no choice but to cancel my Adepticon 2012, Legends of the High Seas Event.  Thankfully Tim Kulinski, Author of the High Seas book is stepping up and running a big game in its place and current time slot, while not the massive scenery laden affair I had planned its going to be great game on great terrain with multiple crews fighting in a free all doing an table wide treasure hunt. Prizes, etc will be still be offered, look for replacement event details at Adepticon.Org and Tim's blog as well.

I'll still be at Adepticon myself, I may even play Friday Night. (I'll definitely show up) Unfortunately I am going to have very limited time this spring, and planning an event like I had run last year and stepping it up as I was  aiming for this year takes just alot of time and planning, I had estimated between finishing new terrain, scenarios and all the paperwork involved I was looking at 100 or so hours of work between now and then, which is time and distraction I just can't have.

Anyway I want to give a big Thanks to Tim and Rich  for bailing me out and saving the day here
Tickets will be refunded or honored depending.  Once life is back on track, I'll be back to business as usual with my hobbies. This kind of throws a monkey wrench at some other announcements I had planned as I am loath to make them until I ride out this course correction...such is life...Arghhh.

Dark Age Campaign Round 6

Here we have the Campaign Map, after 5 turns and before our moves for turn 6. Only 3 turns to go. Luckily, The Saxons called in their Pagan favors, (thanks in part to one bulletproof and credibly lucky Medium Cavalry unit) and beat the Arab force by 4 points!...basically nothing, 1 point on kill points and I killed the Caliphate General netting 3 more. It was great game.  I made some big gains early, but started losing it toward turn 6 (of 8) finally coming back with a decent last round to close it, although my super cavalry finally succumbed to shooting the last turn..(losing me 4 points). This close spread of our game while forcing him out my territories barely phased him as he only lost 10 armies the whole round, and when he musters for his turn 6 moves, he'll 82 armies in the field, and still firmly in the lead, The Byzantines come in second with 69 armies ( Besting the Normans 28-10) After this victory, I have regrouped to third place with 60 armies. Normandy cant catch a break rounding out the bottom at 28.

All in all things are playing out great, I play the Byzantines next week and a big loss for either of us will be brutal. The Normans are on the verge of being absorbed, if that does happen, we'll have to Aaron play the campaign out as Vassal of whomever does it. Personally having re tooled his list, I think he's overdue for the big upset.

 In other news I have been gearing for my Spring projects for Adepticon and even made some headway painting my Saxons..more on all that soon.

Dark Age Campaign Round 5

Round 5 of our Quasi Historical Dark Ages Campaign is tonight. Above is the current map of the world before the festivities. As you can see the Green of the Caliphate of Cordoda, led by the Mighty Almanzor is spreading across the known world as quickly as the plague. My Saxons got lucky with a minor victory against the Normans last week but since the results against all opponents are based on Scores in the games you play my winning score of '30" was no match for Rich's "40" so I continue to lose ground to the Caliphate. I face off against the Caliphate tonight and all my Map moves are against Green, with the hope of kicking them out of Ireland and England, and not losing any more territory. A bad round with a low score against Rich in which I face aggressive moves from the Normans could legitmately knock me out maybe not this round by next...with the position Aaron and I are in we not make the 8 rounds of campaign!. and he faces of against Chris and the Byzantines tonight!. So wish the underdogs luck.

Despite my only semi serious gloom and doom above. This campaign and Warlords Hail Caesar rules have been great time. We are going to be hosting Hail Caesar open gaming at Adepticon this year so if your looking for something to do Saturday Night or just want to check it out..please keep it in mind!