Grelber | 16 Dec 2012 5:57 p.m. PST |
When folks ask about Medieval skirmish rules here on TMP, somebody usually recommends the Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game. So, I thought I'd look into this. Turns out I'm not sure I could buy it new, and even if I did it's kind of pricey. I thought I'd see if it turns up at the two gaming auctions I'll be going to in the new year. However, it seems there are several editions, lots of supplements, and maybe even a short version. So, if I just want to game historical skirmishes, what book(s) should I be looking for? Grelber |
Tgunner | 16 Dec 2012 6:23 p.m. PST |
Just the blue book is enough. Everything else is just fluff and stat lines which you don't really need. At less than $50 USD it's a good buy still: link Although this book would do too: link It's the old Return of the King rule book but it has all the main rules. Either book would do honestly if you're just going to use them for your own gaming. |
20thmaine | 16 Dec 2012 6:26 p.m. PST |
If you're just looking at skirmishes and no fantasy then try and pick up the two towers edition rulebook – has the basic move/fight rules but added in cavalry and had a siege section. Good thing is these turn up quite cheap on Ebay etc because the rules were drip fed (each film release had a tie-in boxed game with updated rules – mostly new creature/hero stats), with a catch all big book at the end. So most people who tuck with the game have 4 sets of the rules – and a lot offload the "spare" ones. The ROTK rule set is also ok if you're not doing sieges (oddly enough they left the siege rules out IIRC). The supplements – don't need them, they just add heroes, creatures, etc which you won't need for historical skirmishes. |
Uesugi Kenshin | 16 Dec 2012 6:36 p.m. PST |
Gelber, im trying to pick a used copy too. Never read them. Let me know how you like them. |
Tgunner | 16 Dec 2012 6:51 p.m. PST |
Oh here's one that's cheaper: auction |
LostPict | 16 Dec 2012 6:58 p.m. PST |
And once you have the Blue book or one of the myraid other variants of it. Grab the "Age of Trebuchets" fan-supplement from the LOTRvariants Yahoo group. It is has suggested stats for all kinds of medieval troops. I use it for Viking gaming (when I am not doing the LOTR thing). Lost Pict |
Tgunner | 16 Dec 2012 7:18 p.m. PST |
I use LOTR for my Arthurian games too. It's a great set of rules that really catches heroic combat. The mooks die in droves around the heros but if you get enough of them on a hero
great stuff. |
CPBelt | 16 Dec 2012 7:46 p.m. PST |
Pick up something like the Return of the King softback. Don't pay more than $5 USD for it IMO. |
Inari7 | 16 Dec 2012 9:20 p.m. PST |
Look for the basic book used on Amazon, you can pick them for VERY cheap. |
Grelber | 16 Dec 2012 10:24 p.m. PST |
Thank you all very much! I've been looking at used book sites, and I can find inexpensive copies of many of the books. I can see, though, that buying all of them could get expensive very quickly. Grelber |
Uesugi Kenshin | 16 Dec 2012 11:01 p.m. PST |
Looks like there is a copy for $25 USD on Boardgame Geek. |
YogiBearMinis | 17 Dec 2012 4:01 a.m. PST |
I was told at the GW store that the new Hobbit game rules are to replace the LOTR SBG rules, so you may want to hold. |
20thmaine | 17 Dec 2012 5:24 a.m. PST |
Rwphillipsstl – was flicking through the Hobbit hardback at the weekend – there's not a lot in it really – even some of the scenarios have been taken from the LOTR books!!! Has, to me, the feel of an (expensive) primer, to get people to then buy into the LOTR game. |
Who asked this joker | 17 Dec 2012 7:24 a.m. PST |
Get the Two Towers book and be happy. You don't need more than that for a medieval army. Like others say, it usually can be picked up for a song. |
SonofThor | 17 Dec 2012 7:56 a.m. PST |
LOTR would work for sure and it's a decent system but I'm sure there are better rules that are complete in one volume and for cheaper. Montjoie by Two Hour Wargames is one link Or Battlelust by Columbia Games, which is really good. link |
KatieL | 17 Dec 2012 8:51 a.m. PST |
I compressed Mick's Age of Trebuchet into a single sheet and added a few extra bits; PDF link I've been thinking about some better volley archery rules as well (I'm not convinced by the ones in the later LotR books), but I've not had a chance to try things out yet. |
Mick in Switzerland | 17 Dec 2012 12:56 p.m. PST |
I am glad that "Age of the Trebuchet" is still getting some use. Mick (Farnworth) |
Marshal Mark | 17 Dec 2012 1:10 p.m. PST |
I was told at the GW store that the new Hobbit game rules are to replace the LOTR SBG rules, so you may want to hold. Why would he want to hold ? If he wants the rules for historicals, he is best just getting the rules in the cheapest format available – which I'm sure will not be the new "Hobbit" version. |
Blount | 17 Dec 2012 7:54 p.m. PST |
Does the final blue book have the seige rules from the Two Towers rules? |
asa1066 | 17 Dec 2012 8:31 p.m. PST |
@Blount, yes it does. David S. |
thosmoss | 17 Dec 2012 10:42 p.m. PST |
> Does the final blue book have the seige rules from the Two Towers rules? It does, but the rules were changed after TTT came out. Pity, mostly because I had the TTT rules memorized once, and then had to go learn all the new reasons to roll dice all over again. Remakes of TTT scenarios often put in an extra Orc bomb at the Deeping Wall, because the new excessive die rolling made the original two bombs too much a gamble to hope it could succeed. Yay for more rules, I couldn't help but think. |
FreemanL | 18 Dec 2012 6:02 a.m. PST |
OK, got the new Hobbit book and while they are simplified, it basically is the same game. The largest "twist" (read: GW begging for you to buy more minis) is that troops are banded together around a leader figure. To me, if there ever was an ignore and continue what you were doing rule, that would be it. So for those who have the old rules, the new ones keep a lot of the old mechanisms, especially for the turn sequence and normal game actions. The text is cleaned up and simplified with clearer examples, but by and large – thankfully – the core game remains unchanged. There is also a Yahoo group that specializes in mods to the LotR system. Look for LOTRVariants and join. People are very helpful and they cover a wide gamut of mods from Samurai to Napoleonic skirmish. Larry |
religon | 18 Dec 2012 6:15 a.m. PST |
I like "Age of Trebuchet." Katie's PDF is also very nice. For early medieval games, I also like the old Wargames Journal "Sibling Rivalry" LOTR SBG scenerio for inspiration
page 55 for stats. PDF link For both variant games, one change I would recommend in larger battles would be reducing the Defense values by 1 across the board. |
YogiBearMinis | 18 Dec 2012 6:56 a.m. PST |
What was explained to me re the SBG rules was that in the end there was going to be one set of skirmish game rules and then the one set of mass game rules. The Hobbit is meant to introduce those rules changes for SBG, and then as each iteration of the film produces another rule book, in the end there will be one brand-new SBG rule book. Clever, eh? |
Lysergicka | 18 Dec 2012 8:49 a.m. PST |
I've agonized over picking up the Hobbit book, as I always try to play with the most current rule sets from popular systems to easily join other players in my area. I have a LOT of LoTR painted and based from when we played War of the Rings for about a year (good rules on that one). To buy into the Hobbit LoTR now seems to require: The large expensive Hobbit book The sourcebook for each and every army present on the table. That's a pretty penny investment. We may just use our LoTR GW figs for Fanticide factions, if I can get over the infantry being on giant tall bases instead of the Renedra that I usually use for the game. |
Uesugi Kenshin | 18 Dec 2012 11:22 a.m. PST |
I bought my first LotR miniatures yesterday. A cave troll (all I could afford at the shop!). I guess I am now on the road to becoming a SBG gamer. Oh joy, another period to collect! |
praeternaturam | 21 Mar 2023 11:12 a.m. PST |
On the subject of medieval adaptations of Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game, I've created some homebrew rules for the Wars of the Roses. You can find them here: link |