Harfoot wrote:
Hi Voidwader, welcome back to the hobby.
The rules have changed slightly, but in my opinion you don't need to use warbands.
Also you don't need the latest Hobbit rules, they didn't change much from the last blue book set which covers most figures and you can pick it up on ebay at reasonable price.
It's also a good place to buy more figures. Also White Dwarf is a waste of money as they don't cover lotr or the Hobbit any more.
what??? the Hobbit rules are the most current recommending a new person to old rules is ridiculous. He won't be able to play in a GW or anyone for that matter that has the new rules. Sure you could keep playing the old ones at home but that's not how this hobby works. War bands and the new weapon, and monster rules, not to mention archery, magic channeling, have all been changed and or added. The basic turn sequence and mechanics are the same, but even who is involved in a fight is different now.
I recommend getting either the new hardback, or going on eBay and picking up the hobbit soft cover rule book. The softcover has no stats for hobbit models but has all the new rules. The hardcover has stats and rules and is a beautifully done book.
Warbands improve the game if anything. They've helped speed it up with more heroes and no hoard armies on the board. You take one captain per (up to can be less) 12troops. This regulates the army of the dead from being over powerful as they only have the king of the dead to lead them there can never be more then 12in a Warband.