In my most recent game my opponent brought an army banner. However, we had a disagreement on how they are aquired, he said that if you buy a banner for a formation of soldiers you can nominate it as your army banner and it follows the rules for one. Every banner you buy after this is just a regular banner.

But I was under the impression that to obtain an army banner you had to buy the fortune/fate for it and apply that to a banner already in your army.

We looked it up, but could not find anything to prove which idea was right.

Do you guys know which opinion is right?

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Fight! Fight to the last man!

If this was to be our end then I would have them make SUCH AN END as to be worthy of remembrance

Any banner you buy.. is just that.. a regular banner for that formation.

You must take a fate or fortune to upgrade an existing banner already in your army to an Army Banner.

As the Fortune says:
"Banner of the Free Peoples 50 points
...
"Choose one formation in your army that HAS A BANNER BEARER. that banner is now an army banner for the rest of the game" (My emphasis)

There is the similar "Banner of barad Dur" for the evil fellows.

Alternatively some legendary formations come with an option for becoming army banners, without requiring this fate.

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Thanks, that's what I thought.

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Fight! Fight to the last man!

If this was to be our end then I would have them make SUCH AN END as to be worthy of remembrance

has anyone ever used an army banner to good results?

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"His people were of great strength and stature, bold and steadfast, mighty among the Children of Ilúvatar."

The army banner's effect is from the company with it to any formation within 12". (Note 'company' and 'formation' in that sentence)

This makes the army banner's use rather situational or one you are unlikely to use more than once in a game. That range of 12" means that you are unlikely to get more than two additional formations to Heroically Advance along with the formation with the Army Banner.

But it is expensive for the effect it provides... you most likely need to spend need 3 x Banner (105 points) and the Fate (50 points). That makes 155 points to charge first with three formations.

However, I did try and use it once. But in the swirl of battle, rarely had even 1 formation in range to use it, so it was a little wasted.

It would be worth an experiment to try again.... hmmm

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Taking the War in Middle earth to a new level!