"Basic LOTR basing questions..." Topic

Can anyone tell me what the basic unit sizes and basing requirements are for LOTR?

Bart

The LotR Strategy Battle Game is a skirmish game. Figures are based on 25mm diameter circular bases, calavry on 40mm, and some monsters on 60mm. Unique monsters like the Mumak or dragon have their own oval bases. There are no "unit sizes" as such – you simply choose the number of each figure type you wish to play with, although the Legions of Middle-Earth supplement give better-defined army lists. If you want, you can simply field a box or two of plastics on each side.

War of the Ring is a separate game – that's the mass-battle version. Figures are grouped in units of 8 infantry (including heroes and command), 2 cavalry, a single monster or war machine, or unique special units like the Nine or the Fellowship.

Although the figures are based individually in WotR for casualty removal (as described above for the LotR game), the units have defined sizes for their "movement tray" bases. Infantry unit bases are 11cm x 6cm rectangles ; cavalry bases are 9cm x 5cm rectangles. Monsters are usually on 4cm or 6cm diameter round bases. Small warmachines are on 8cm x 6cm bases; large ones on 12cm x 8cm (or larger if required to fit the model). Unique units have individual base sizes.

If you don't want to make your own bases, GW sell plastic infantry and cavalry movement trays, but be warned that the slots for the smaller 25mm and 40mm individual figure bases are VERY tight. The infantry unit base will not take figures based on 1" washers or 2p pieces, and the slots in the cavalry bases are actually 39mm, so won't take figures mounted on other manufacturers' 40mm bases (the GW ones are smaller). Bummer.

A couple of UK companies make movement trays with proper 1" infantry or 40mm cavalry slots, and I'd recommend these over the GW ones. Warbases make them in wood; TSS make them in resin (and IIRC do some bases for unique units).

*Phew* Enough for you :) ?

Great answer, Tanuki.

Bart, since you're mainly interested in the "dungeon crawl" or skirmish possibilities with The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game, don't worry too much about the War of the Ring stuff. It's basically a supplemental game for handling very large groups of figures, moving them as grouped units rather than individual combatants.

The LotR plastic figures should come with the appropriate bases for the use you intend. Just use the bases in the box and you'll be fine.

If you purchased the units already based by someone else, don't worry if they've picked odd-shaped or slightly off-sized bases. The game really doesn't revolve around base size or shape. Even square bases would be okay, though they would mean you could end up grouping more figures around a single target (assuming you allow diagonal attacks) than with round bases.

Tanuki, thanks for all the guidance. That answers my question perfectly!

Parzival, you've been right behind me every step of the way in my learning experience and I do appreciate it! Thanks for taking the time to walk me through all this stuff…if they had mentors like was suggested on the "newbie" page (the one I think they should have), you should definitely be one!

Bart

No problem Bart, the pleasure is mine.

Parzival is spot on about base shapes and sizes. There are no rules for model facing in LotR, and the rules state that two figures within 1/2" or 1cm of each other are efectively in contact, so don't sweat the millimetres!

I love the LotR ruleset – there's more tactics in there than you first appreciate (it's a game of ganging up, and of using your heroes wisely). You may want to look at the Legends of the Old West game, as it uses the same engine but add more scenarios, firearms and more structured ruled for small warbands. The Alamo supplement adds unit rules that (IMHO) are far nicer than the War of the Ring game.

There's a PDF booklet of GW campaign rules for small LotR warbands (basically, starting off with 6-12 figures and growing them through a campaign like a Mordheim warband). It's called "Battle Companies", and may still be floating around on the GW website.

DO also look at the Mordheim fantasy skirmish/campaign rules, they're very similar to LotR, and it sounds like the game is right up your street. Free to download on the GW site, under Specialist Games. There's also a fantastic fan-produced campaign pack called "Border Town Burning" – do an internet search on the name.

The Legends of the High Seas is GW's pirate game with the same rules, which adds ship combat. You may get a lot of mileage out of the LotR Yahoo group too:

link

You'll need a Yahoo login to join.

Derek

I really recommend "Battle Companies"
link

It's a simpler, slicker Mordhiem. You can start with only a $25 USD infantry box and add to your force (if you choose) over the course of a campaign.

Simple, fun, accessible, and very affordable. No wonder GW never mentions these rules and instead promotes the mass-battle "War of the Ring" instead.