What are your future plans for SBG

Harfoot · **Posted:** Fri May 30, 2014 2:27 pm

to all the positive messages above, it will never die, other companies will take the license, look at Knight models.

I paint every day, play a game or 2 every week, have enough to paint for 10+ years at least. This forum is alive and kicking, a brilliant source of information and inspiration.

My plans are the same now as they have always been, collect, paint, build and game.

aelfwine · **Joined:** Sat Aug 22, 2009 12:23 am **Posts:** 508

Lemme see.

Plan the first: Finish my Osgiliath+Ithilien+Fiefdoms army. I have the figures, mostly. Just need to paint them.

Plan the first, part B: Finish painting, and, annoyingly, collecting a Fallen Realms centred army to fight said Gondorian force. Maybe add in some Haradrim raiders.

Plan the second (really, the first): Finish painting the War of the Dwarves and Orcs collection. This is a bunch of Hobbit figures, Dwarves from both ranges, some other things. I have this mostly collected, its just an issue of backlog painting. It will also include a sort of allied group of High Elf exiles, led by Gildor.

Plan the second, part two: an outgrowth of this, I plan to replace some of my stolen Rivendell army, just now centred around Rivendell knights and the hoped-for new High Elves from film 3 (there's rumours we see them in the Dol Guldur siege sequence, so fingers crossed), with a converted Glorfindel as leader. Ranged against them will be some sort of Gundabad army, though I am way too cheap to have a full Gundabad orc force. No idea how I'll manage that (I had a "northern" orc force, that was also stolen). Hunter Orcs and something else.

Plan the Third is to somehow get two warbands worth of metal Galadhrim, but that's way in the future.

I have some vague plans beyond that, but mainly rebuilding the generic Mordor force is cruciale. Granted buying (for more money) and painting (again) figures that were stolen feels like a huge bloody chore. Still, be worth it in the end. Maybe. I hope.

Gavin

mikeland · **Joined:** Wed Feb 20, 2013 1:08 pm **Posts:** 72

mertaal wrote:

mikeland wrote:

As has been said often on here GW interest in this system already seems to be flagging,

I always wonder what data people are basing this opinion on when I see it mentioned. The UK tournament scene is thriving, the GBHL facebook group has 500 members, and the youtube channel has 1200 subscribers. Ebay prices for OOP miniatures is through the roof, and the forums are busy. The only interest I can see flagging is Games Workshop's own- they aren't supporting the game properly, but that hardly matters when you have a good community of eager and enthusiastic players.

As I said in another thread today, Bloodbowl, Necromunda and Mordheim are all examples of games Games Workshop no longer actively supports which are thriving due to the enthusiasm of the player community.

One thing that definitely drives people away from the hobby is negativity and re-enforcement of the myth that the game is dying: if you tell people that the game is dying then they will believe you, which consequently contributes to its death. Personally I think it's important to keep positive and take personal responsibility for enthusing others about SBG.

I think you miss understood my comment. I wasn't saying that interest in the system is flagging, but that GW's interest is flagging. Quite simply I don't think that SBG is were Games Workshop see themself as a company now and so they are going to ride out the contract and then let it go. The lacklustre release schedule, mainly fine cast new stuff and lack of coverage in their magazines, online presence and shops would be my evidence.

I raised the question I did for exactly the reasons you stated. The system is much loved and has a great following so I was interested to see what people intend to do when GW do drop the range.

I have already started to put together a wants list for an alternate thorins company, (using ranges like hasslefree miniatures) based on more how i see them in the book and less on the movie versions.

The SBG rules are great, some of the finest pick up and play rules written. Simple, elegant and very good fun to play. And good rule sets will always have a following.

mikeland · **Joined:** Wed Feb 20, 2013 1:08 pm **Posts:** 72

mertaal wrote:

As we speak I'm currently getting my head around the idea of using LotR models on movement trays to play Hail Caesar, to get that big "epic battle" feel, without resorting to WotR. SBG will always be my main love, but once in a while you can't beat moving large blocks of troops.

For the large skirmish game it's hard to beat SBG, but HC is an excellent system and would be great for the big battles, there is a yahoo group for fantasy HC and draft Hail Sauron rules knocking about.

Little_Odo · **Posted:** Fri May 30, 2014 8:41 pm

Sadly, I don't get to play that much at the moment but I do collect the miniatures and then paint some of them when I get the time and/or inclination. I am mainly collecting to get the armies I want, not to fit them in with the rules as such. Once my full armies are completed I will then see about playing with sections of them that fit in with the rules (starting with Battle Companies, through SBG, and then onto a mass battle system yet to be decided). I am still collecting LotR at the moment, but should move onto The Hobbit next year when I have all the LotR minis I want.

So, for me this is a slow burn part of my hobby (I also play RPGs and other fantasy and historical tabletop battle games), but one I am committed to for the long run. Considering that a couple of years ago I only got around to painting some of the fantasy minis I bought way back in the early 1980s, I think my hobby has still got some legs.

Also, the fact that there are fantastic fora like The One Ring and a huge variety of blogs on gaming, modelling and painting in Middle Earth, I think the hobby still has legs and maybe, just maybe the best years are still yet to come?

Thurin · **Joined:** Thu Oct 24, 2013 12:10 am **Posts:** 40

I have the perspective of a guy that only got started with SBG after the glory days were over. I have been a GW-phobe in the past, with the exception of one enthusiastic affair with mordheim.

Tolkien's books were bedtime stories to me, so I've carried an affection for them my whole life. Unfortunately, back when the first three peter jackson movies were coming out I was in my early teens. I had neither the money nor the skill to get into the hobby. On the one hand, I regret that I didn't get into the game when it was cheaper and more lively. Even if I had collected it at that time, I expect that my poor storage habits would just have left me with a box of irredeemably broken miniatures.

I began collecting SBG miniatures very late. I think I bought my first box of them a couple of months before The Desolation of Smaug. For a long time I had forgotten that the range even existed. When I rediscovered it, and found it was made up of realistic Perry sculpts, I fell in love with it overnight. I have to admit that some of my purchases haven't exactly been prudent. I got caught up in the mood of trying to grab things before they disappear forever. I think I've begun collecting SBG at the most expensive time I possibly could have, and though I've gotten some good deals on ebay, I've also spent on some miniatures in poor condition, or paid a premium for things that are already out of print.

In my frantic first go at SBG, I began to collect anything I could nab in a big ebay auction. I got the fellowship, Thorin and Company, ringwraiths, lots of boxes of plastic orcs, warriors of rohan, gondor etc... After all of that, I tried to narrow my focus to get a few solid playable armies. At that point, it became my first priority to have a fully fleshed out Eregion/Rivendel list. That took about six months on ebay to hammer out. Once I'd finished with that I started hunting down a few heroes and elite units to make my Gondor force playable. My next goal was going to be mounted Rohan...

Honestly, that's about the point where I ran out of steam. Needless to say, I've been overspending. A bigger issue is that I'd already snatched up as many of the game's most aesthetically pleasing miniatures as I could. It was hard to muster up the same enthusiasm to fill out my force with the necessary Royal Rohan Guards and Citadel guards, models I'm not thrilled to look at.

So now I'm taking a breather, getting some perspective on what I have. I suspect I'll keep playing SBG regardless of if it goes out of print. There are quite a few miniatures I'll be happy to repurpose for future games. I have no regrets about my rivendell/eregion/elrond's household collection. I have to say I'm not sure I'll keep collecting SBG's human factions. There are a lot of inexpensive, well sculpted historical miniatures out there, and I suspect my cash is going to get funnelled towards them rather than towards rohan and gondor.

Looking forward, I don't think the future is all that bleak, even if SBG goes out of print. Look at the amount of fan support that continues to get written for mordheim and inquisitor. I believe that SBG is a more polished and well balanced system than either of those were when they went out of print. I think that if GW stops supporting SBG, the people on One Ring and Last Alliance will pick up right where they left off. New factions will get written up. A larger number of 3rd party miniatures will show up in SBG games, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. It might become easier to talk your friends into trying it out, if they can use a single box of multipart plastics to make an army.

Sticky Fingersss · **Joined:** Sat Oct 09, 2010 11:20 am **Posts:** 1776

I don't believe the future is bleak either. I haven't done anything with the hobby (apart from a few games) for nearly a year, simply because I have moved to a different country, and am still in the process of shipping all my models and terrain to my new flat. Once i have everything in this country I will start buying new ones.... and I get paint cravings all the time and I can't wait to buy new miniatures soon!

Sacrilege83 · **Posted:** Sat May 31, 2014 10:36 pm

I have a budget plan for the next 6 years concerning the Hobbit, on getting the models I want at a steady pace. So I'll definitely have the few models I want in two years time and the models I kind of like to have will come further along, but if it happens that GW drops their support of the Hobbit, I will not rush to buy everything like I did for the Lotr metals range.

CaptainOfTheWhiteTower · **Posted:** Sun Jun 01, 2014 2:23 pm

mikeland wrote:

As has been said often on here GW interest in this system already seems to be flagging, and after the release of TBoFA in december I can only see this disinterest increasing a pace. So what are peoples plans? Buy, buy, buy... while you can, give up and go play something else?

I remember GW used to have more of an emphasis on being creative and making their own gaming boards (which for me was one of the big draws of visiting the store). Staff would also show new starters how to make simple scenery pieces like walls, hedges e.t.c. So you could argue they have lost enthusiasm generally.

I rarely get to game much (although if I can get a new job I will try to move to a location that will allow me to play more), but I'm still picking new things up for LOTR every so often (mostly metals) and will continue to collect through ebay if GW abandons the range. I've never bought anything from the Hobbit range so am unconcerned about that.

Sithious · **Posted:** Sun Jun 08, 2014 11:13 pm

One good thing that is possible is a fan system. GW made rules for many characters that only appeared in White Dwarf which I think would be great to bring back to life. Examples;
issue 304 (u.s.)
Will Whitfoot, Ted Sandyman, Gaffer Gamgee, Gerontius Took, Baldo Tulpenny, Lotho Sackville-Baggins,
Issue 292 before Mirkwood was in film, Rules for Mirkwood Sentinels, Taurdirim the wood elf, There were even rules for Thranduil in this issue that had a conversin made from a radagast model, the Mirkwood spears rule for parry were also in this issue...these were great concepts considering the time of them.
issue 303
Warlord of Carn Dum, Warrior of Carn Dum, Revenant, Spectral Warg, Duskwraith,

These concepts could be flushed out again and many things like this can be added to existing lists if fans would embrace a single fan accepted location for such additional rules. As with most house rules, most people can argue them out for days as too powerful or not powerful enough, so first off; A system of making rules and points needs to be set down. Then all the base profiles of a un equipped norma health civilian of each race needs to be made. Then from there it becomes systematic to make rules for every character and warrior type you can think of and resources where alternate models or conversions can be had to fit with it.
So a Fan system could be great for SBG. We just have to see what happens. Nothing stopping us from making something anyway.

jscottbowman · **Posted:** Mon Jun 09, 2014 3:49 am

My gaming has kinda come full circle over past few months and I am back focusing on LOTR and Hobbit... I always wanted to have "all" the forces collected - to be able to play all the missions in the 3 LOTR journey books... and collect other figures along the way... now the Hobbit has added to the purchase requirements in the same manner... I am trying to source still the odd figures/forces I want/need to complete my collection... once you have the figures you can play with them endlessly whether GW continues support for the game or not... so I am getting what I can now, without breaking the bank in the process, but its getting close! ;-)

So of course always looking for good prices where possible on 2nd hand market... and getting what I can via sensibly priced retailers... Out of all my gaming genres, MiddleEarth is the one that gives me the most pleasure, whether I am gaming, painting or making terrain for it... it will probably keep me busy till the end of my days...

jdizzy001 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 09, 2014 6:32 pm

Sithious wrote:

One good thing that is possible is a fan system. GW made rules for many characters that only appeared in White Dwarf which I think would be great to bring back to life. Examples;
issue 304 (u.s.)
Will Whitfoot, Ted Sandyman, Gaffer Gamgee, Gerontius Took, Baldo Tulpenny, Lotho Sackville-Baggins,
Issue 292 before Mirkwood was in film, Rules for Mirkwood Sentinels, Taurdirim the wood elf, There were even rules for Thranduil in this issue that had a conversin made from a radagast model, the Mirkwood spears rule for parry were also in this issue...these were great concepts considering the time of them.
issue 303
Warlord of Carn Dum, Warrior of Carn Dum, Revenant, Spectral Warg, Duskwraith,

These concepts could be flushed out again and many things like this can be added to existing lists if fans would embrace a single fan accepted location for such additional rules. As with most house rules, most people can argue them out for days as too powerful or not powerful enough, so first off; A system of making rules and points needs to be set down. Then all the base profiles of a un equipped norma health civilian of each race needs to be made. Then from there it becomes systematic to make rules for every character and warrior type you can think of and resources where alternate models or conversions can be had to fit with it.
So a Fan system could be great for SBG. We just have to see what happens. Nothing stopping us from making something anyway.

I would love to see more profiles. Isn't there a profile generator out there?

jscottbowman · **Posted:** Tue Jun 10, 2014 2:15 am

jdizzy001 wrote:

Sithious wrote:

One good thing that is possible is a fan system. GW made rules for many characters that only appeared in White Dwarf which I think would be great to bring back to life. Examples;
issue 304 (u.s.)
Will Whitfoot, Ted Sandyman, Gaffer Gamgee, Gerontius Took, Baldo Tulpenny, Lotho Sackville-Baggins,
Issue 292 before Mirkwood was in film, Rules for Mirkwood Sentinels, Taurdirim the wood elf, There were even rules for Thranduil in this issue that had a conversin made from a radagast model, the Mirkwood spears rule for parry were also in this issue...these were great concepts considering the time of them.
issue 303
Warlord of Carn Dum, Warrior of Carn Dum, Revenant, Spectral Warg, Duskwraith,

These concepts could be flushed out again and many things like this can be added to existing lists if fans would embrace a single fan accepted location for such additional rules. As with most house rules, most people can argue them out for days as too powerful or not powerful enough, so first off; A system of making rules and points needs to be set down. Then all the base profiles of a un equipped norma health civilian of each race needs to be made. Then from there it becomes systematic to make rules for every character and warrior type you can think of and resources where alternate models or conversions can be had to fit with it.
So a Fan system could be great for SBG. We just have to see what happens. Nothing stopping us from making something anyway.

I would love to see more profiles. Isn't there a profile generator out there?

Thanks for that heads up on those articles and WD ref numbers - I've been looking for a Farmer Maggot scenario for a while... which makes me wonder, is there a directory of all LOTR material from WD magazines anywhere. It would be nice to know whats out there to track down the relevant WD mags for the articles... I rarely if ever bought them new over the last several years as I was only interested in LOTR content and didn't want to fork out new mag prices , for a mag with only a few pages of interest to me... sorry to hijack the thread this way...

Sithious · **Posted:** Tue Jun 10, 2014 4:44 pm

I am working on making a list of the WD issues I have and the LOTR contents (I wish I could include relevant Fantasy articles but don't have time atm). The Farmer Maggots Crop scenario is in USWD issue 302. if in UK I think it would be issue 303 as they were 1 higher for a long time.

Gandlaf the Grey · **Posted:** Tue Jun 10, 2014 4:48 pm

From a hobbyist side, I too have many figures to do or re paint. Enough to last a decade or so. I gave considered branching out to other ranges but finances won't let me just yet.
Maybe that will be my long term direction but I have no desire to move completely away and any move is a long long time away anyway.
With things like Helms Deep and Lothlorien on my hit list, they alone will take an age.
My ultimate though is a Minas Tirith diorama, complete with at least 3,000 figures.

JamesR · **Posted:** Tue Jun 10, 2014 4:50 pm

Gandlaf the Grey wrote:

My ultimate though is a Minas Tirith diorama, complete with at least 3,000 figures.

Now that would certainly be a sight to see

jscottbowman · **Posted:** Tue Jun 10, 2014 10:47 pm

Sithious wrote:

I am working on making a list of the WD issues I have and the LOTR contents (I wish I could include relevant Fantasy articles but don't have time atm). The Farmer Maggots Crop scenario is in USWD issue 302. if in UK I think it would be issue 303 as they were 1 higher for a long time.

Cool, I'd be keen to see what you, and others, may come up with. I had not realized content differed between UK and US version of Mag! Why and how did that happen - seems pretty dumb!

Sithious · **Posted:** Wed Jun 11, 2014 2:46 am

Content was the same, it is just that WD started in the UK, and somehow when they started shipping to US the number was one off from the UK, I don't know the specifics.
I am almost done the entire list of what I have (which is a lot for sure) But I am not sure where best to up load the info so that people can get to it easy. A forum topic will eventually be lost to the back pages. So I may put it on my blog for starters. I did include relevant painting workshops like Blending and wash tutorials as they are universal, and there are occasional times when scenery article can be used in our system, but everything else is just the LOTR stuff.

jscottbowman · **Posted:** Wed Jun 11, 2014 2:57 am

Sithious wrote:

Content was the same, it is just that WD started in the UK, and somehow when they started shipping to US the number was one off from the UK, I don't know the specifics.
I am almost done the entire list of what I have (which is a lot for sure) But I am not sure where best to up load the info so that people can get to it easy. A forum topic will eventually be lost to the back pages. So I may put it on my blog for starters. I did include relevant painting workshops like Blending and wash tutorials as they are universal, and there are occasional times when scenery article can be used in our system, but everything else is just the LOTR stuff.

I see...
Maybe the forum could add a section specific to WD articles, much like the section for BGIME?
Where-ever it ends up, I'd appreciate a heads up.
Cheers
Scott

Sacrilege83 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 11, 2014 2:16 pm

jscottbowman wrote:

So of course always looking for good prices where possible on 2nd hand market... and getting what I can via sensibly priced retailers... Out of all my gaming genres, MiddleEarth is the one that gives me the most pleasure, whether I am gaming, painting or making terrain for it... it will probably keep me busy till the end of my days...

Feel the same way, been done with collecting Warhammer for quite sometime now but I'm never much into the hobby than I am when painting Lotr figures. Just a big fan of the films and the lore. And SBG is a good game system.

What are your future plans for SBG

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