So, I might be late to this one but...

How are you liking the new Hobbit rules as compared to the older LotR rules? I picked up the Mines of Moria set from my local FLGS dirty cheap and was wondering if the update to The Hobbit was any "better" or "more balanced" than the current rules.

Naturally, I'll be picking it up anyway in order to get pick up games, but was just wondering as I mostly play with a specific group of lads, all of whom like the current rules and are curious.

The only big changes really are stuff like weapons all have different rules now. Archery has been weakened, monsters are more powerful now, and some differences with magic, but the book is good because of the new stats and also more clarity for other rules.

I like the new rules, especially the weapon rules, makes it a bit more realistic than every weapon doing the same thing. Archery is good except for Elven Armies, who won't really suffer but screws a few strategies and now any orc or goblin archers are almost useless. Other than that I'm pretty good about the new book

I like the changes. Archery was kind of overpowered in the old rules. I miss volleyfire though. Magic is much more fun and gives more tactical aspects, wheras monsters are finally competitive. I'm still a bit sceptic about Heroic Strike though. It just doesen't fell right.

I like the new rules they give more depth to the game.
I wont be able to try them out for another month though

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Operation future in full swing.

@ The Horde Lord: Archery overpowered? Even my brothers Elves rarely kill more then 4-5 models per game (750 points). My Uruks rarely hit something at all.

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"... Telchar wrought it in the deeps of time."
-On Andùril, The Lord of the Rings

Even as a primarily Wood Elf player I don't think archery was overpowered under the OR rules, especially with the gradual increase of Defense values we've been seeing. And with the new deployments introduced under warbands and some new movement options the amount of time an enemy can be stuck targeted by bowfire has gone down.

I think the -1 shoot penalty for movement (even regarding thrown weapons which you MUST move to use on a charge) is the only weak addition to the rules. When we start adopting the new rules around Feb / March we will probably house-rule that away either partly or completely.

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Wait ye the finish! The fight is not yours.
Beowulf

http://TacticsInMiniature.com

I don't like the special strikes. I like that not all hand weapons are the same, but these new rules just seem really, really unbalanced.

The -1 to shooting when moving makes no sense - that's what the movement limit was for. And why not volley fire? Removing volleys does most certainly not increase the realism.

I like that two-handed weapons can be supported.

I like the new Heroic Actions.

I like that you can't just "feed" the Balrog with one model per turn anymore, but I do think the Brutal Power Attacks is a little exaggerated.

Brutal Power Attcks - good.

New Heroic Actions - good, except for achery which GW seems to hate.

Archery ability: really bad decision

New Magoc - good, except the Dwimmerlaik can't do proper transfix anymore.

EDIT: Weapon strikes just seems unnecesary,but at least they're optional.

All this is just academic, not played with the Hobbit rules yet.

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"I am the Flying Spagetti Monster. Thou shall have no other monsters before me"
-FSM.

My $0.02,

Really like the monster rules. Really like the toned-down magic.

I like the new heroic actions, especially march and channeling. Heroic strike is okay, need something to counter those new powerful monsters.

Really like the variable "in-the-way" score, since hiding behind a crenellated wall ought to give more protection than a shrubbery.

Kind of miffed about the bows and throwing weapon penalty, it makes shooting not just ineffective, but boring to boot. When you roll a handful of dice, unless the luck is bad you expect some kind of result

Have no interest in the special strikes. I kind of like the idea that weapons are not all the same, but a) it was badly implemented, and b) the game bogs down just thinking about your options, never mind figuring out an optimum way to roll dice without wasting time.

I like the new spear support rules, but they need to clarify whether spear support can be shot at (house rule says "yes").

I like the concept of the new pike support rule (2nd pike can only support a 1st pike), but I think the practical result will be that armies that have a mix (e.g. Galadhrim) will skip the pikes because you have to be much more careful about keeping them together...so in the end I'm not sure I like it. What I would have preferred is if spear and pikes could only support armies in the same list. This would prevent the ranger sandwich for mixed Gondor/Fiefdoms armies, but there would need to be a special rule to prevent the Orc sandwich for Isengard armies.

If you think about it, under the new rules a 1pt bow does alot more damage than a two ahnded weapon/other similar 1pt upgrade, now the two are probably equal

What they should have done with archery was make it so if you move past your standard movement allowance to shoot, you get a -1 to your rolls to hit. Something along the lines of Throwing weapons, no penalty at all, bows you can move 1/2 and shoot normally or move more than half and shoot with -1, then xbows can stay still and shoot normally, or half movement and have -1, or move full with -2.

With the weapon rules, I just play that swords and axes give modifiers of just 1. Speeds the game up while still giving the tactical variation of the strikes.

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"Leave Sauron to me."
If you're in the Raleigh, NC area, let me know.

I'm still waiting for my new rulebook to arrive so I read these posts with much interest. I agree that a weakening to archery and thrown weapons is a concern.

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I think a drug habbit would be cheaper...

Love it so far, haven't played with or against monsters though, yet.

Has anyone playtested the new rules yet with big battles?