The Ride of the Rohirrim

"Now for wrath, now for ruin, and a red nightfall!"

The War of the Ring is upon us, I tell you. The single book to play massed battles of Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Games has been out for nearly 18 months now, and in May a new expansion is being released full of epic potential.

I have recently been convinced to give the Lord of the Rings tabletop game a go again after some time where I had let it slip. Mostly because I moved to a new town and it has never been my undying love, like say Warhammer Fantasy Battle, or 40k have. I did enjoy the skirmish game though. I really enjoyed it and I got beaten about 80% of the time. In 2004 I think it was the game I played most. Firstly for its ease to pick up the rules. Secondly because of the relative speed of a game and to set-up a table. One hour all said and done. But like I say I moved towns and left it all behind.

Until now.

On the eve of the new Battlehosts book, my head has been turned back to the One Ring. Previously I have had bands of warriors from Gondor, Uruk Hai, and my indomitable Dwarves. But in the old version of the game I only ever had 8 or so warriors on the table at a time. My collection is limited.

In this new version of the game 8 warriors make up a single stand, called a company. a collection of companys makes up a fighting unit called a Formation. And you have several formations in an army. However It cost about £16 to get 24 warriors so that will make pretty formidable formation relatively cheaply.

But who should I choose?

There is something that stirs my heart about an epic cavalry charge. There is something of the viking artisanship that appeals to my soul. There is something in the Anglo-Saxon names that chimes in my head. And as for their forlorn battlecries and deathwish saga's, well, it works for me.

I have decided to test my mettle on the Riddermark, sat high in the saddle like a complete novice my thighs chafed and red raw. I have my debut game tomorrow, tuesday the 27th.

So my novice army list is:

Theoden, King of Rohan  125pts      as my Compulsary Hero

4 Companys of Warriors of Rohan    80pts           as my Compulsary Common Formation

2 Companys of bowmen         40pts                   Common Formation

2 Companys of Sons of Eorl Cavalry          235pts         Rare Formation

w/ Marshall, Banner Bearer, Hornblower

Total: 480 pts  

To make it up to 500 points in the end I will add either one more company of bowmen or one more company of warriors. I will have to save up for them.

To those in the know how does list sound as an effective force? Will it cut the mustard? I think initially it is a pretty high fight value and a good charge, but pretty low defence values that could mean it melts away the longer the battle goes on. It has punch, King Theoden really improves everything around him, and the sons of eorl can terrorize most things in the world, but this army needs to hit a knockout early for risk of a glass jaw.

Anyway some more inspiring lines to finish, that would have me charging into certain death for the lost cause, for lost friends, and for lost innocence. I have a Rohan Mindset already.

"Arise! Arise, riders of Théoden! Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered - a sword day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now! Ride now! Ride! Ride to ruin, and the world's ending! Forth Éorlingas!"

Incoming! Warhammer

You are probably aware, either from Internet rumour, or being a subscriber to the official Games Workshop Newsletter, or from the double-page spread in May's upcoming White Dwarf, that the 10th July 2010 is the advertised release date of a new Warhammer Fantasy Battle Rulebook. One of the cornerstones of the company's products for sale. That by which other products are given purpose. The thing that breathes life into the sales of bits of plastic. THE CORE PRODUCT.

That it is getting a new edition is big news, that effects all Warhammer players. Unlike, say, a Skaven Army release which will be bought by a portion of the customer-base, the Rulebook will be a required purchase of all the customer-base. Its sales potential is huge. It is a necessity to the Warhammer Universe and all the tiny plastic figures and pots of paint that go with it. It is the water to the fish, the bread to the butter, the Sigmar to the hammer.

I will definitely be buying one.

As, I guess, will many others, but, is it too early. It is, perhaps, the topper-most top trump GW can ever play. A trump card that should not be played too often, as the more you play it the less effective it will be. The first thought that went through my head when I saw the news was "Its a bit soon since the last time I had to fork out for a new rulebook". It feels like I am still coming to terms with the Warhammer Rulebook and they have anounced that in July I will have to start again. As will all the other Warhammer players in the world. The last Rulebook came out in 2006, so it is only four years that the last edition of the Core Product has been on the shelves. Its a big ask of your core audience to re-invest after only four years. It seems a bit greedy and clawing to ask of us to buy a new rulebook so soon. I bet it will be answered though. Profitably answered.

And this is important. Despite what whining you may read on the internet Games Workshop is not a massively profitable company. It had a bad year in 2008 and is still recovering. It is still not close to the finiacial position it was in five years ago. But has been climbing, its share price has risen almost 95% this year. It is certainly putting its house in order. The following is a report from January.

Hannah Kuchler of the Financial Times, wrote on January 6th 2010: "Shares in Games Workshop, the model figurine manufacturer and retailer, rose 30 per cent on Wednesday when it announced that pre-tax profits would be more than 50 per cent higher than expectations.
The company increased its gross margins by rolling out one-man stores and promoting plastic rather than metal figurines. Sales remained steady."

Read that carefully. It made the pre-tax profits 50 per cent higher by cutting staff, and resource costs. (again despite the grumbling you may hear from people, GW does not make large profits, the figures for last year were they turned over £113 million pounds, but made just £7 million profit. And those profits were down to the cost-cutting measure they made. Just think how huge the costs of ticking Games Workshop over are!) The sales have remained "steady". They have not increased, they did not have a Christmas surge, they were merely steady. Stable. Same as. Stagnant. Stuck. The profit increase was a "False Economy". It was not based on what they were making more on what they shed. You cannot make a successful company that makes cuts every year. You live or die on what you sell. GW's sales are merely steady. So, unless they can make the same cuts again on places which have already been cut, they will certainly not make a 50% profit increase. They might not make a profit increase. Their business might not grow. What is left to do? How can you increase sales?

How? You make your core audience buy the core product again. And you focus on other core areas, like Space Marines and Orc releases. It is some sound tactics that any general would nod sagely at. Good Command.

I just want to make a quick refence to the statistics in the link again. Games Workshop is steadily climbing back to high position it achieved Five years ago, and the current Rulebook is Four years old. Do the maths. This rulebook has been published in a time when GW fell from the summit. It is perhaps inuendo to suggest that the current edition of the rulebook is responsible for this, as it is also true that for 18 months GW has been on a steady upward trend in share price, but it may need an update. In terms of playability, I will address this when I know whats in the book, i.e. I've once I've bought and read it with my own eyes, but I think many players and podcasts will be looking forward to this book.

Certainly the share price rise over this year has been brilliant, and they will want to take that on into 2010. So rather than being too early it might be just the right time to push on. The tide of battle is rising favourably to Games Workshop after some creative hard work and painful readjustments (think of the staff members at your local GW you don't see anymore and spare a thought for their morgage). It is at moments like these, long strived for moments where you can begin to taste a victory, that any good Warhammer player will look to press home his advantage with a decisive hammer blow.

And like a Twin-Tailed Comet here it comes.

11 Dreadnoughts in a Single Army!

HQ

Librarian - 100
Blood Lance [free], Blood Boil [free], Bike [+35]            135

TROOPS
Death Company --- *for every 5 Death Company Marines you can take 1 Death Company Dreadnought Troops choice*
25 death company - 440
Power Fist [+25]                                                            465

TROOPS
Death Company Dreadnaught - 125
Blood Talons [free]
Magna Graple [+15]                                                      140

TROOPS
Death Company Dreadnaught - 125
Blood Talons [free]
Magna Graple [+15]                                                     140

TROOPS
Death Company Dreadnaught - 125
Blood Talons [free]
Magna Graple [+15]                                                      140

TROOPS

Death Company Dreadnaught - 125
Blood Fists [free]
Magna Graple [+15]                                                      140

TROOPS
Death Company Dreadnaught - 125
Blood Fists [free]
Magna Graple [+15]                                                     140

ELITE
Furioso Dreadnaught - 125
Blood Talons [free]
any two physic powers [free]

Furioso Dreadnaught - 125
Blood Fists [free]
any two physic powers [free]

Furioso Dreadnaught - 125
Blood Talons [free]
any two physic powers [free]

HEAVY SUPPORT
Dreadnaught - 105
Multi Melta

Dreadnaught - 105
Multi Melta

Dreadnaught - 105
Multi Melta


TOTAL: 2000pts

Walkers, even if they are are Troops, cannot hold or claim objectives I believe, and there is nothing in this codex to say they can, so in terms of claiming objectives or borad quarters you only have ONE SCORING UNIT, the Death Company.

Technical Knock Out

Saint Celestine failed. Another silver, but onkly by virtue of a low turn out I reckon. The next miniature will be both Kal Jericho and Scabbs, from Necromunda. I hope to do his epic coolness justice.

And to do this I have been reflecting on a few things. The overall messiness of the final product that was Saint Celestine, and the battle against time. There were many "heavy handed", "un-blended" and "thoughtless brushstrokes" on the Celestine model that meant she wasn't the pristine paragon of virtue she is meant to be. And this seems to be fast becoming my "style". The way people are recognising my paintings is because they are more "impressionistic" than realisitic. Well thats not what I was playing for so something is going wrong!

There is clearly a flaw in my technique that needs sorting and has done for a while. I can't find anyone who is giving me any helpful tips in the slightest, so, I have decided to analyse it myself.

My conclusion is I would be helped by a more contrasted style that demarcated areas of colour plainly. Like a comic book. Black lines around everything to "fence in the colour". Making everything neater I hope. To do this I have decided to start at the start with my undercoat.

I have decided a white Undercoat wiith a quick black wash will show up all the places I need to respect quickly and thoroughly.Obviously a white undercoat is going to change the final look of the paint job a little and it'll be interesting to see how this goes.