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Author:	Zogash [ Mon Nov 12, 2012 11:23 pm ]
Post subject:	Rohan - as it should have been (updated for The Hobbit)
***EDIT: The list has now been edited to take into account changes made with the release of the Hobbit edition of the main rules. Mainly, hand weapon types for heroes and warriors have been added to prevent unfluffy shenanigans (e.g. Éomer with an axe, Warriors with staves, etc.), along with minor changes to special rules and point costs.*** Hail, comers from afar! After a long time of complaining about the inadequate portrayal of Rohan in the SBG ruleset, and especially after the utter disappointment that was the Kingdoms of Men book, I decided to do something about it and come up with house rules that make (or at least attempt to make) Rohan playable as it should be played: as the most powerful cavalry force Middle-earth has ever seen. Also, since (to my mind) Tolkien's writings are paramount, I also attempted to adjust the rules and power of each hero and warrior to better reflect their role in the book(s). I am aware of whafrog's Rohan By the Book thread from a couple of years back, however, the following is simply my take on what I would change in the current state of affairs. 'ere we go... woosh Cavalry in general: As you well know, cavalry as a whole is rather lackluster, especially if used exclusively, and while others have developed some interesting workarounds (such as Coën over at TLA), I wanted to increase its power without requiring rebasing or the like. The easiest, and surprisingly effective way I have found is to give mounted models +1A base. This way, they are less likely to be overwhelmed when outnumbered - which being on 40mm bases, they will be most of the time. Another thing worth playtesting is to increase the number of bonus attacks they get on the charge relative to how many (infantry) enemies they are in contact with - 1 Model -> +1A, 2 Models -> +2A (I think it shouldn't go higher than this if they charge 3+ models). This represents the impetus of the charge equally hitting all enemies in B2B, while supporting spears remain valid. However, having both +1A base and additional attacks when outnumbered is too powerful (especially for strong heroes like Aragorn or Glorfindel), so for all intents and purposes, my house rules only grant the +1A base. Furthermore, one of the main problems of cavalry, the horse's survivability, can be alliviated by horses being 2W each - horses are surprisingly tough. Once they take a wound, they founder, reducing their speed by 1" for the rest of the game - or until they or their rider die... obviously. TL;DR: All cavalry is +1A base. Horses (and wargs, for that matter) are 2W each. Once they take a wound, they reduce their speed by 1" for the rest of the game. The Horses of Rohan The Rohirrim value their horses next to their kin, and this love is returned by their animals. If any mounted Hero or Warrior of Rohan is killed or dismounted, their horse doesn't disappear automatically. Instead, it takes a Courage test (if the rider dismounted voluntarily, the test is taken at +3C). If it fails, the horse flees the field. If it passes, the horse remains on the field and can be remounted by its owner (if he was merely thrown off or dismounted voluntarily) or by any Rohan model that has the option for the respective type of horse in their entry* (if the rider has been killed). A model cannot voluntarily dismount to pass his horse to another - it only becomes 'free for all' if the original rider has been killed. A riderless horse cannot be attacked and is ignored for all purposes of movement and LOS. If it is in the way, it will move the shortest possible distance to get out of the way, itself ignoring models that are in its way. *Exceptions are: Shadowfax, Snowmane, Holdwine's Pony, and Felaróf - these horses will not be handled by anyone but their original rider and can only be remounted by them. If their original rider is killed, they automatically flee the field. Continued in Part II

Author:	Zogash [ Mon Nov 12, 2012 11:37 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Rohan - as it should have been
So, after going over changes to cavalry in general, it is time to go into Rohan in particular, starting with... The Heroes of Rohan: King Théoden Ednew (The Renewed) Click to: Show "Out of doubt, out of dark, to the day's rising he rode, singing in the sun, sword unsheathing. Hope he rekindled, and in hope ended; over death, over dread, over doom lifted out of loss, out of life, unto long glory." F S D A W C M W F Points 5/4+ 4 7 3 3 6 3* 3 2 120 Wargear: - Heavy Armour - Shield - Herugrim (Hand Weapon: Sword) Options: - Snowmane - +15 Points - Lance (mounted only) - +5 Points Special Rules: - Expert Rider - King of Rohan - Lord of the Mark - To me! To me! Up Eorlingas! Fear no Darkness! - Fey - Legendary Hero King of Rohan: As King of Rohan, Théoden commands the love and loyalty of all his subjects. The range of Théoden's Stand fast! is 12" instead of 6" for all Warriors of Rohan. Lord of the Mark: The most powerful lords of the Riddermark also command the strongest warriors as their bodyguards. In an army that contains a Lord of the Mark, any Rohan Royal Guards may be upgraded to Guard's of the First Éored for 1 point each. Guards of the First Éored are Strength 4, rather than 3, and gain the Shieldwall Special Rule (see Warrior of Rohan entry) while on foot, increasing their Defence to 7 if fighting in a Shieldwall. To me! To me! Up Eorlingas! Fear no Darkness!: Théoden is fearless even in the face of certain doom. Once per game, Théoden can rally all nearby Rohirrim to his side. For one turn, all Heroes and Warriors of Rohan within 12" of Théoden automatically pass any Courage tests they have to take. Fey: Once the lust of battle is on him, Théoden can hardly be constrained as he seeks to challenge the enemy's champions. If Théoden is within charge range of an enemy hero, he must attack him. Legendary Hero: see Eorl's entry in the KoM sourcebook Snowmane: Snowmane is Théoden's faithful steed that is yet fated to ultimately be his master's bane. Snowmane is an Armoured Horse (remember, all horses have 2W, and the rider gets +1A) with Move 12. If Snowmane is killed, roll on the following chart (Might cannot be used to change this roll): 1 - Théoden is crushed to death under his falling steed; he is removed from play, Fate points can be used to change this to the 2-5 result, but require a 6 instead of 4+ and no Might can be expended to affect the roll 2-5 - Théoden is crushed and severly wounded; he is reduced to 1W, knocked down, and his Fate store is reduced to 0; if Théoden is already at 1W, he dies. 6 - Théoden manages to cheat fate; he is knocked down but suffers no further penalty Notes: The way Théoden is portrayed in the game (and the movie as well, for that matter) has always been one of the things that irked me the most. After being healed by Gandalf, he rises to new glory and faces all challenges, and even death itself, with cold stoicism, superb skill at arms and unshakeable loyalty to the Oath of Eorl - something that doesn't come across at all in the movie, IMO. Likewise, his game profile didn't do his actions in the War of the Ring justice by a long shot. Éomer, Third Marshal of the Riddermark Click to: Show "Gúthwinë! Gúthwinë for the Mark!" F S D A W C M W F Points 5/4+ 4 6 2 2 5 3 2 2 75 Wargear: - Heavy Armour - Gúthwinë (Hand Weapon: Sword) Options: - Shield - +5 Points - Throwing Spears - +5 Points - Horse - +10 Points - Armoured Horse - +15 Points - Lance (mounted only) - +5 Points Special Rules: - Expert Rider - Lord of the Mark - Exceedingly Loyal Lord of the Mark: The most powerful lords of the Riddermark also command the strongest warriors as their bodyguards. In an army that contains a Lord of the Mark, any Rohan Royal Guards may be upgraded to Guard's of the First Éored for 1 point each. Guards of the First Éored are Strength 4, rather than 3, and gain the Shieldwall Special Rule (see Warrior of Rohan entry) while on foot, increasing their Defence to 7 if fighting in a Shieldwall. Exceedingly Loyal: Éomer is irrevocably loyal to his uncle Théoden, acting in his best interest regardless of orders or danger. If the force also contains Théoden, Éomer automatically passes all Courage tests he has to take as long as Théoden is alive and on the board. Notes: Éomer, even in his pre-Pelennor version was a warrior to be reckoned with (e.g. he killed Uglúk in single combat) and commanded some of the best troops Rohan had to offer. Especially with the inclusion of Erkenbrand, I felt that Éomer Mk. I's rules were a little on the weak side. Éomer, Heir of Théoden Click to: Show "Out of doubt, out of dark, to the day's rising I came singing in the sun, sword unsheathing. To hope's end I rode and to heart's breaking: Now for wrath, now for ruin and a red nightfall!" F S D A W C M W F Points 6/4+ 4 7 3 3 5 3 3 3 130 Wargear: - Heavy Armour - Shield - Gúthwinë (Hand Weapon: Sword) Options: - Throwing Spears - +5 Points - Armoured Horse - +15 Points - Lance (mounted only) - +5 Points Special Rules: - Expert Rider - Lord of the Mark - Exceedingly Loyal - Devastating Charge - Death! Death! Death take us all! Lord of the Mark: see Éomer, Marshal of the Riddermark Exceedingly Loyal: see Éomer, Marshal of the Riddermark Devastating Charge: If Éomer charges, he is Strength 5 until the end of the turn. Death! Death! Death take us all!: If the force also contains Éowyn and she is slain/incapacitated, Éomer falls into a rage. From this point forward, at the beginning of every Movement phase, Éomer must take a Courage test at his unmodified C value (which is unaffected by his Exceedingly Loyal rule) with 3D6, discarding the highest. If he passes the test, he may act as normal. If he fails, he must move towards the nearest enemy model and attack if within range. This has no effect if he is already tied up in combat. Notes: While I was more or less happy with Pelennor-Éomer's rules in the KoM sourcebook (apart from the obviously lacking lance option), I still felt he needed a minor upgrade (namely to F6) to bring him on par with Aragorn and Imrahil (along with whom he alone remained unscathed during the battle due to his skill of arms), as well as a flavour rule to represent his connection with his sister and his grief over her apparent demise. Éowyn, Shield Maiden of Rohan Click to: Show "But no living man am I! You look upon a woman. Éowyn I am, Éomund's daughter. You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him." F S D A W C M W F Points 5/4+ 3 6 2 2 6 2 2 2 60 Wargear: - Armour - Shield - Hand Weapon: Sword Options: - Throwing Spears - +5 Points - Horse - +10 Points Special Rules: - Expert Rider - Maiden of the Rohirrim Maiden of the Rohirrim: Éowyn has the heart of a warrior, and she will not blench in the defence of her kin and country. Éowyn is immune to Terror. She is also immune to Immobilize and always wounds Ringwraiths on 5+ and Fell Beasts on 4+. This only applies to melee attacks, not to attacks with Throwing Spears. Notes: I somehow wanted to reflect Éowyn's unflinching resolve in facing the second-most terrifying entity in Middle-Earth (after Sauron himself), where even mighty Men would have trembled in fear. Holdwine of the Mark (Merry) Click to: Show "Kings of old would have laden you with gifts that a wain could not bear for your deeds on the fields of Mundburg; and yet you will take naught, you say, but the arms that were given to you. This I suffer, for indeed I have no gift that is worthy; but my sister begs you to receive this small thing, as a memorial of Dernhelm and the horns of the Mark at the coming of the morning." Holdwine (Merry) may only be taken if the army also includes Éowyn, and he must be part of Éowyn's warband, taking the place of one warrior. F S D A W C M W F Points 3/3+ 2 4 1 2 4 1 1 2 30 Wargear: - Armour - Hand Weapon: Barrow Blade Options: - Shield - +5 Points - Elven Cloak - +10 Points - Pony - +5 Points Special Rules: - Resistant to Magic - Throw Stones - Slow-kindled Courage Slow-kindled Courage: As long as he is within 6" of Éowyn, Holdwine (Merry) passes all Courage tests he has to take. He is also immune against Immobilize if within 6" of Éowyn. Barrow Blade Merry's Barrow Blade was forged by the Men of Westernesse to be the bane of evil spirits, and, above all, the Witchking of Angmar. If Holdwine (Merry) and Éowyn are in the same combat against a Ringwraith, Éowyn's chance to wound is increased from 5+ to 3+. Merry may use the Feint special strike. Notes: This is my attempt to make Merry actually worth fielding in a themed Rohan army. Of course, his use is very situational... but at least he has a use now. Since Merry only receives his horn after the events of the War of the Ring proper, it is unavailable to him if taken as a Hero of Rohan. Théodred, Prince of Rohan Click to: Show "Let me lie here - to keep the Fords till Éomer comes." F S D A W C M W F Points 5/4+ 4 7 2 2 5 3 2 0 70 Wargear: - Heavy Armour - Shield - Hand Weapon: Sword Options: - Throwing Spears - +5 Points - Horse - +10 Points - Armoured Horse - +15 Points - Lance (mounted only) - +5 Points Special Rules: - Expert Rider - Second Marshal of the Riddermark - Lord of the Mark Second Marshal of the Riddermark As the son of King Théoden, Théodred holds the post of Second Marshal, the second-highest rank in the Kingdom, beloved by all. As long as Théodred is alive and on the board, all Rohirrim on the field are at +1C. This is cumulative with the effects of a war horn. Lord of the Mark: The most powerful lords of the Riddermark also command the strongest warriors as their bodyguards. In an army that contains a Lord of the Mark, any Rohan Royal Guards may be upgraded to Guard's of the First Éored for 1 point each. Guards of the First Éored are Strength 4, rather than 3, and gain the Shieldwall Special Rule (see Warrior of Rohan entry) while on foot, increasing their Defence to 7 if fighting in a Shieldwall. Notes: This was a tough one. Heroes with 0 Fate are very hard to make worthwhile, since they just die so easily. I felt I had to give him some army-wide bonus as an incentive to field him. Erkenbrand, Lord of Westfold Click to: Show "Amid them strode a man tall and strong. His shield was red. As he came to the valley's brink, he set to his lips a great black horn and blew a ringing blast." F S D A W C M W F Points 5/4+ 4 7 2 2 4 3 1 1 75 Wargear: - Heavy Armour - Shield - Black Horn of the Hammerhand - Hand Weapon: Sword Options: - Throwing Spears - +5 Points - Horse - +10 Points - Armoured Horse - +15 Points - Lance (mounted only) - +5 Points Special Rules: - Expert Rider - March through the night! Black Horn of the Hammerhand: This is a war horn that adds +2 Courage, rather than +1. March through the night! All unmounted Heroes and Warriors of Rohan within 6" of Erkenbrand may elect to march during their movement phase. This adds 3" to their maximum move, however, they may not charge this turn. Notes: I never quite got why Erkenbrand of all people unlocked upgrades for RoR, when he was the one notable lord of the Rohirrim that was mentioned specifically to fight on foot (see quote above). I believe this fits better with Grimbold and Elfhelm, while I wanted to reflect how Erkenbrand led his troops on a forced march to arrive in the nick of time at the end of the Battle of the Hornburg. Elfhelm, Marshal of the Second Éored Click to: Show "Ahead nearer the walls Elfhelm's men were among the siege-engines, hewing, slaying, driving their foes into the fire pits." F S D A W C M W F Points 5/3+ 4 7 2 2 5 2 1 1 65 Wargear: - Heavy Armour - Shield - Bow - Hand Weapon: Sword Options: - Throwing Spears - +5 Points - Horse - +10 Points - Armoured Horse - +15 Points - Lance (mounted only) - +5 Points Special Rules: - Expert Rider - Marshal of the East-mark Marshal of the East-mark: Elfhelm is one of Rohan's most skilled cavalry commanders, excelling in the art of hit and run warfare. If your army includes Elfhelm, you can upgrade any number of Riders of Rohan to Elfhelm's Riders at the cost of 1 point per model. Elfhelm's Riders are Fight 4/3+, rather than 4/4+, and may move 6" and still shoot their bows, rather than 5". Foundering horses (see generic cavalry rules in 1st post) may still move 5" and shoot. If they are dismounted, Elfhelm's Riders are Fight 3/3+, but they lose their movement bonus. Notes: Elfhelm was one of my favorite characters on first reading LotR - and especially after reading Unfinished Tales - and I think the different marshals are a great way to individualize what RoR do most effectively. Grimbold of Grimslade, Marshal of the Third Éored Click to: Show "So fierce was his onset from the rear of the attackers that Grimbold, a man of great strength and stature, clove his way through, till with two others he reached Théodred standing at bay on the knoll." F S D A W C M W F Points 5/4+ 4 6 2 2 5 2 1 1 60 Wargear: - Heavy Armour - Grimbold's Axe Options: - Throwing Spears - +5 Points - Horse - +10 Points - Armoured Horse - +15 Points - Lance (mounted only) - +5 Points - Shield - free (but looses 2H-option) Special Rules: - Expert Rider - Tactical Genius Tactical Genius: Grimbold is a master of tactics, able to adapt quickly to changing situations in battle, even if it requires fighting on foot. If your army includes Grimbold, you can upgrade any number of Riders of Rohan to carry Long Spears at the cost of 1 point per model. Long Spears count as Lances while mounted, and as Spears while dismounted. Grimbold's Axe: Grimbold wields a battle axe with great skill. He can choose to wield it either one or two-handed, even when mounted. If he also carries a shield, he can only use his axe as a one-handed weapon. Grimbold can use the Piercing Strike special attack. Notes: During the First Battle of the Fords of Isen, Grimbold quickly responded to the changing fortunes of the fight and it is due to his tactical prowess (and the timely arrival of Elfhelm) that complete disaster could be averted. Gamling the Old Click to: Show "Helm! Helm! Forth Helmingas!" F S D A W C M W F Points 4/4+ 4 5 2 2 4 2 1 1 55 Wargear: - Armour - Two-handed Axe - Hand Weapon: none* Options: - Heavy Armour - +5 Points Special Rules: - Forth Helmingas! Forth Helmingas!: Gamling is strong and stubborn, as are the men he leads. If your army includes Gamling, you can upgrade any number of Warriors of Rohan to Helmingas at the cost of 1 point per model. Helmingas are Strength 4, rather than 3. Gamling may use his axe one-handed, but if he does so, he may not* choose to use the Piercing Strike special attack - the axe is just too unwieldy to bring the required force behind a one-handed strike. Notes: Pretty much exactly the same as GW's Grimbold, plus the option for Heavy Armour. Háma, Doorward of Théoden Click to: Show "Yet in doubt a man of worth will trust to his own wisdom. I believe you are friends and folk worthy of honour, who have no evil purpose. You may go in." F S D A W C M W F Points 4/4+ 4 5 2 2 4 2 1 1 50 Wargear: - Heavy Armour - Hand Weapon: Sword Options: - Shield - +5 Points - Throwing Spears - +5 Points - Horse - +10 Points - Armoured Horse - +15 Points - Lance (mounted only) - +5 Points Special Rules: - Expert Rider - King's Man King's Man: Háma is Théoden's doorward and Captain of the King's Guard. If the force also contains Théoden, Háma automatically passes all Courage tests he has to take as long as Théoden is alive and on the board. Notes: Almost the same as before, but more flexible and with 1 point of Fate. 0 just doesn't cut it. This makes him pretty much a generic captain with the Bodyguard rule. As he should be. Guthláf, Bearer of the Royal Banner Click to: Show "Suddenly the king cried to Snowmane and the horse sprang away. Behind him his banner blew in the wind, white horse upon a field of green, but he outpaced it." May only be taken if the army includes Théoden Ednew and/or Éomer, Heir of Théoden. If Théoden (or both Théoden and Éomer, Heir of Théoden) is in the army, then Guthláf must belong to Théoden's warband. If Éomer, Heir of Théoden (and not Théoden) is in the army, Guthláf must belong to his warband. F S D A W C M W F Points 4/4+ 3 6 1 1 4 0 0 1 60 Wargear: - Heavy Armour - Shield - Royal Standard of Rohan - Hand Weapon: none Options: - Horse - +6 Points - Armoured Horse - +9 Points Special Rules: - Expert Rider - Bodyguard (Rohan) Bodyguard (Rohan) see Rohan Royal Guard; Guthláf must protect the leader of his warband (Théoden if he is there; Éomer, Théoden's Heir if he isn't) Royal Standard of Rohan This is a banner that has a range of 6", rather than 3". In addition, any Hero of Rohan who has 0 Might and starts the turn within 3" of the Royal Standard of Rohan regains a single point of Might on a roll of 5+. The Royal Standard can only be picked up by Rohan Royal Guards. If no Royal Guard is in b2b when Guthláf dies, the Standard is lost. Guthláf carries the Standard instead of a hand weapon, so he profits from his shield's Defense bonus, but he cannot make any strike even if he wins combat. Notes: I didn't want to make Guthláf a full-fledged Hero, since, after all, he is simply a high-ranking Royal Guard. However, i didn't want to chuck him in with the generic Guards as his position merits, IMO, a single Fate point. Also, I like requiring the king to actually be there for the royal banner-bearer to be taken. Makes sense, no? Naturally, Éomer's banner bearer wouldn't be Guthláf himself (him being dead and all...), but the rules stay the same. I'm pondering if I should make a Royal Banner bearer available to Eorl, and if so, how...? Gandalf the White Click to: Show "But hearken all! Here now I name my guest, Gandalf Greyhame, wisest of counsellors, most welcome of wanderers, a lord of the Mark, a chieftain of the Eorlingas while our kin shall last; and I give to him Shadowfax, prince of horses." see The Free Peoples sourcebook. Gandalf must ride on Shadowfax if taken as a Hero of Rohan. Notes: Gandalf orchestrated the relief force during the night of the Battle of the Hornburg. Also, from the quote above, he is officially a chieftain of Rohan, and as such him being able to lead Rohirrim into battle is only fitting. Eorl the Young Click to: Show "But upon one form the sunlight fell: a young man upon a white horse. He was blowing a great horn, and his yellow hair was flying in the wind. The horse's head was lifted, and its nostrils were wide and red as it neighed, smelling battle from afar. Foaming water, green and white, rushed and curled about its knees. 'Behold Eorl the Young!', said Aragorn. 'Thus he rode out of the North to the Battle of the Field of Celebrant.'" No other named Heroes of Rohan may be included if Eorl is in the army. F S D A W C M W F Points 5/4+ 4 7 2(3) 2 5 3* 2 2 90 Wargear: - Heavy Armour - Shield - Lance - Felaróf - Hand Weapon: Sword Options: - Throwing Spears - +5 Points Special Rules: - Expert Rider - Legendary Warrior Legendary Warrior: see Eorl's entry in the KoM sourcebook Felaróf Felaróf is an Armoured Horse with Move 12. Notes: Again, nothing significantly wrong with the original version (after D7 was FAQ'ed in). Exchanged throwing spears for the more fluffy lance, while retaining the option to still take them. Attack stat includes +1 mounted bonus in parentheses. Captain of Rohan Click to: Show "Arise now, arise, Riders of Théoden! Dire deeds awake, dark is it eastward. Let horse be bridled, horn be sounded. Forth Eorlingas!" F S D A W C M W F Points 4/4+ 4 5 2 2 4 2 1 1 45 Wargear: - Armour - Hand Weapon: Sword or Axe Options: - Heavy Armour - +5 Points - Shield - +5 Points - Bow - +5 Points - Throwing Spears - +5 Points - Horse - +10 Points - Lance (mounted only) - +5 Points Special Rules: - Expert Rider Notes: Generic Captains are pretty decent as is, just add in the option for a lance and voilà. King's Huntsman As cool as this concept may be in theory, it just doesn't fit the fluff. At all. Would have fit in better in an Elven army, I think. Rohan? Not so much.

Author:	Zogash [ Mon Nov 12, 2012 11:44 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Rohan - as it should have been
After the Heroes have been taken care of, lets take a look at the Warrior section... boy, there are some basket cases in there... Warriors of Rohan: Rider of Rohan Click to: Show "The Men that rode them matched them well: tall and long-limbed; their hair, flaxen-pale, flowed under their light helms, and streamed in long braids behind them; their faces were stern and keen. In their hands were tall spears of ash, painted shields were slung on their backs, long swords were at their belts, their burnished shirts of mail hung down upon their knees." *NOTE: Within these rules, Riders of Rohan still fall under the 33% contingent-wide bow limit.* F S D A W C Points 4/4+ 3 5 1(2) 1 3 12 Wargear: - Armour - Shield - Horse - Hand Weapon: Sword or Axe Options: - Bow - +1 Point - Lance or Throwing Spears - +1 Point - Banner - +25 Points - War horn - +20 Points Special Rules: - Expert Rider - Horselord Horselord: The Riders of Rohan prefer mounted combat to fighting on foot. As such, their superb skill in the saddle avails them little if they are dismounted. If a Rider of Rohan loses his horse or dismounts for any reason, his Fight value is reduced to 3/4+ until the end of the game or until he remounts, in which case it is restored to 4/4+. As long as they are on foot, they gain the Shieldwall special rule (see Warrior of Rohan below). Notes: One of the (if not the) most flawed and underpowered unit in the Rohan army list, the RoR needed a major buff to be worth their cost. First of all, the ridiculous obligatory bow was moved to options, with an apropriately reduced base cost. Secondly, the signature weapon of the Rohirrim, the lance, was included. Thirdly, their superior horsemanship was represented by a base Fight 4 while on horseback. While still rather squishy at D5, their increased attack value while mounted and better horse survivability should ensure that they stand a better chance of winning (let alone surviving) a fight than they do now. Rohan Royal Guard Click to: Show "Great was the clash of their meeting. But the white fury of the Northmen burned the hotter, and more skilled was their knighthood with long spears and bitter. Fewer were they but they clove through the Southrons like a fire-bolt in a forest." F S D A W C Points 4/4+ 3 6 1 1 3 11 Wargear: - Heavy Armour - Shield - Hand Weapon: Sword or Axe Options: - Horse - +6 Points - Armoured Horse - +9 Points - Lance (mounted only) or Throwing Spears - +1 Points - Banner - +25 Points - War horn - +20 Points Special Rules: - Expert Rider - Bodyguard (Rohan) - Royal Guard of Rohan Bodyguard (Rohan): see KoM sourcebook Royal Guard of Rohan: The Royal Guards would gladly give their lives for a member of the Royal family. Rohan Royal Guards always count as being within the area of effect of a banner if they are within 3" of Théoden, Théodred, Éomer, or Éowyn. Notes: The Royal Guard of the First Éored is comprised of the best soldiers Rohan has to offer, and they follow their lord unquestioningly. RRG were ok before, and I saw no reason to alter their statline beyond the +1A for being mounted. Being Royal Guards, I wanted them to actually benefit from being close to a member of the Royal family, hence the RGoR SR and according points increase (from 10 to 11 each) Horse survivability was their biggest problem, with the changes to generic cavalry, this shouldn't be such a breaking issue for them anymore. Since Sons of Eorl are out (they have no basis in fluff), Théoden, Théodred and Éomer unlock upgrades for RRG that put them more or less on par with SoE statwise. Warrior of Rohan Click to: Show "Behind him, hastening down the slopes, were a thousand men on foot; their swords were in their hands." F S D A W C Points 3/4+ 3 4 1 1 3 6 Wargear: - Armour - Hand Weapon: Sword or Axe Options: - Shield - +1 Point - Spear or Throwing Spears - +1 Point - Bow - +1 Point - Banner - +25 Points - War horn - +20 Points Special Rules: - Shieldwall Shieldwall: When on foot, the Rohirrim fight in the Shieldwall, a cohesive line of overlapping shields, where each warrior protects his neighbors. If a Warrior of Rohan with shield is in b2b with at least two other Warriors of Rohan with shield, dismounted Rohan Royal Guards, and/or unmounted shield-bearing Heroes of Rohan his Defence value is raised by +1. Models that are part of a Shieldwall are not pushed back if they lose a fight; if the enemy fails to wound, he is moved back instead. They can still be knocked down by cavalry, however cavalry wishing to charge a model that is in a Shieldwall (i.e. not on the flanks) must first pass a Courage test. If the test is failed, the horse/camel/etc. refuses to charge the solid wall, the rider can, however, choose to redirect his movement, though he may not choose to attack another model requiring a Courage test to be taken in this turn (e.g. another member of the Shieldwall or a model causing Terror). This limitation does not apply to monstrous mounts - they can attack shieldwalls freely. Notes: The main disadvantage of WoR has always been their inability to take normal spears, thereby making them utterly useless as line infantry, whereas their fluff clearly states that they fight in the Shieldwall, which requires spear support to work. The Shieldwall SR increases their theoretical survivability, while still being less reliable than the comparable and only slightly more expensive Men of Gondor with D6 flat, adding another tactical layer - protecting the soft (D5) flanks of the Shieldwall becomes doubly important. RRG and shield-bearing Heroes can participate in a Shieldwall, but they don't gain a bonus D. Rohan Outrider Click to: Show "They lit no fires, for they were uncertain of events; but they set a ring of mounted guards about them, and scouts rode far ahead, passing like shadows in the folds of the land." F S D A W C Points 3/3+ 3 4 1 1 4 8 Wargear: - Armour - Bow - Hand Weapon: Sword Options: - Horse - +6 Points Special Rules: - Expert Rider - Woodcrafty - Vanguard Woodcrafty: Rohan Outriders are used to maneuvering through difficult terrain even when on horseback. The speed of mounted Outriders is only halved when crossing through forests, not quartered. Vanguard: see KoM sourcebook Notes: Just some minor things, most obviously +1 point base. This way, the noticably superior Outrider doesn't make the (now 1 point cheaper) bow-armed WoR utterly redundant. Sons of Eorl These, on the other hand, have no basis whatsoever in the fluff, and as such are out. Their role is taken over by RRG mounted on armoured horses and upgraded via the Lord of the Mark special rule. So, that's it. Any comments, criticisms, and suggestions are most welcome!

Author:	Galanur [ Tue Nov 13, 2012 3:19 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Rohan - as it should have been
I do like way more this rules. Finally I see characters of Rohan with unique skills. So far only I could see is diferent heroes of rohan, all with similar stats, the only diference would be the wargear, and 1 bonus they could give or a minor bonus like erkenbrand horn. Theoden, eomer, theodred...all the same ... except the new eomer. Even theoden....very slacking as a king, a king of Man model equipped in similar way would be even better cause he would have will. Congratz on this, I really like it seems that provides the rohan army alot more strategy on combinations

Author:	KnightyKnight [ Tue Nov 13, 2012 8:26 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Rohan - as it should have been
I cannot stress enough how overjoyed it makes me to see Rohan finally receive the attention it deserves. It's clear how much work and thought you've put into creating profiles that are balanced, provide justice for the character and have a nice twist or unique trait. I'm sure you'll have felt yourself how depressing it is to be creating a Rohirrim list, flicking through the sourcebook and seeing such little variation or options. Also, reading all the fluff extracts was simply the cherry on top - masses of bonus points for picking and including them

Author:	Bartelomeus [ Tue Nov 13, 2012 9:55 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Rohan - as it should have been
Great stuff, I think Rohan is the best looking army but I never started an army due to the limited variety of models. Really cool you did this and so conveniently arranged too!

Author:	Zogash [ Tue Nov 13, 2012 10:33 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Rohan - as it should have been
Thanks guys! Rohan was my first LotR army when I started back in '03, and since then I always felt that they had sooo much potential. Yes, depressing is exactly the right word for how I felt about GW's handling of Rohan. ^^ Yes, model variety could be better, and I'm still waiting for plastic RRG... I haven't given up hope quite yet - silly optimistic me. EDIT: I cant believe I actually forgot to include the changes to Rohan horses. That got lost somewhere in the deeps of my draft text file... Upgraded the 1st post.

Author:	Constantine [ Tue Nov 13, 2012 1:32 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Rohan - as it should have been
But the Sons of Eorl have amazing models I think 2W for horses is too much. Maybe just for horses like Shadowfax or Theoden's horse.Besides that, I really like your rules. Did you play-test them? If I were you I'd seriously consider e-mail the list to GW!

Author:	CyberAlien312 [ Tue Nov 13, 2012 1:41 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Rohan - as it should have been
Constantine wrote: Did you play-test them? If I were you I'd seriously consider e-mail the list to GW! Agreed. The rules look great indeed, much better than anything GW has come up with for Rohan.

Author:	Zogash [ Tue Nov 13, 2012 2:12 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Rohan - as it should have been
Constantine wrote: But the Sons of Eorl have amazing models I think 2W for horses is too much. Maybe just for horses like Shadowfax or Theoden's horse.Besides that, I really like your rules. Did you play-test them? If I were you I'd seriously consider e-mail the list to GW! Cheers! Even with 2W, horses are quite easy to kill - being D4, bows wound them 1/3 of the time. Considering that without his horse, the Rider loses most of his efficiency, the horse has to have some survivability to make the model worth its comparably high points cost. In CC, horse wounds are irrelevant anyway, so the only thing 2W do is make it more likely that the unit gets there at all. Especially against archer-heavy armies (Harad, Moria, Arnor), single-wound horses simply get butchered! I vividly remember playing all-cav against Arnor once... of my ~20 Riders, one (ONE!) made it into CC, the rest was either dead or dismounted by the time I caught up with them. shivers I have playtested both the cavalry part and Shieldwall against Moria Goblins, Orcs, and Uruk-hai, and point-for-point, they now stand a way better chance to pull through than before, but without being overpowered. I'll think about mailing it in, though I seriously doubt that GW will ever revisit Rohan again after the Sourcebooks...

Author:	whafrog [ Tue Nov 13, 2012 5:32 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Rohan - as it should have been
These are great new profiles and rules! I like the flavour, and agree that Rohan needs more beef. That said, I have a few quibbles 1) Rohan now outclasses Gondor...'nuff said. Of course, I think Gondor is a bit feeble under GW rules...what makes them work at all is numerous cheap heroes and fountain guard. 2) I do like the persistent +1A for cavalry, but I'm not sure the benefit is reflected in the cost...though if your playtests against equal points results in equals chances of either side winning, then maybe you're on to something. 3) I agree that horses seem too fragile in SBG, but two wounds for horses is more record-keeping (I'm not a fan of on-the-field tokens, I find it spoils the view). Maybe they should just have higher base D (5 for unarmoured, 6 for armoured). Of course, then wargs will need it too... 4) I'm not sure the upgraded RRG (First Eored) are expensive enough. They're cheaper than a berserker, but more potent. IMHO, the berserker is a well-costed model, whereas the reavers and watchers of karna are too cheap. If you were using the latter as a 2A model profile I don't think they're applicable. Anyway, quibbles aside, great work! Nice to see somebody tackle this head on.

Author:	Zogash [ Tue Nov 13, 2012 6:33 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Rohan - as it should have been
whafrog wrote: These are great new profiles and rules! I like the flavour, and agree that Rohan needs more beef. That said, I have a few quibbles 1) Rohan now outclasses Gondor...'nuff said. Of course, I think Gondor is a bit feeble under GW rules...what makes them work at all is numerous cheap heroes and fountain guard. Agreed, Gondor is too weak as well. But that's another matter altogether... if I were to have a go at Gondor like I did with Rohan, they'd get much stronger across the board (Cavalry aside), too. That's the main issue I have with SBG as a whole: the main theme of LotR (to my mind) is the fight of few but strong (Good) against many but weak (Evil). In the beginning of SBG, it was more or less like that (Uruk-hai being the exception). As time passed, however, Evil got more and more units that closed the quality gap - Morannon Orcs, Black Guard, Easterlings (especially Cataphracts) - while Gondor stayed the same. Quote: 2) I do like the persistent +1A for cavalry, but I'm not sure the benefit is reflected in the cost...though if your playtests against equal points results in equals chances of either side winning, then maybe you're on to something. For most cavalry, +1A means 3A on the charge, 2A when charged. Considering that most of the time, you'll be outnumbered at least 2:1, this increases your fighting chance, but isn't really "OP" - if you don't get that 6, you still die just as easily. With just 1A base, being charged by your points' worth of infantry is more or less a death sentence. 2A helps a lot in this regard. With the original rules, I had the feeling that cavalry underperformed for their cost, with the change, they feel more balanced. Quote: 3) I agree that horses seem too fragile in SBG, but two wounds for horses is more record-keeping (I'm not a fan of on-the-field tokens, I find it spoils the view). Maybe they should just have higher base D (5 for unarmoured, 6 for armoured). Of course, then wargs will need it too... Granted, records need to be kept. If you don't like markers, here's how I do it: Each of my generic cavalry models has a number in Roman numerals painted on the edge of their base. Pen and paper, tally sheet, done. ^^ Quote: 4) I'm not sure the upgraded RRG (First Eored) are expensive enough. They're cheaper than a berserker, but more potent. IMHO, the berserker is a well-costed model, whereas the reavers and watchers of karna are too cheap. If you were using the latter as a 2A model profile I don't think they're applicable. I took the difference mounted RRG - Son of Eorl and went from there: A Son of Eorl is S4, A2(+1 mounted), C4, and has an Armoured Horse with Move 12 - Cost: 22 Points An upgraded and mounted RRG is S4, A2(+1 mounted), C3 (but has the Bodyguard rule), and has a normal Armoured Horse - Cost: 23 Points One way to handle this might be to change the upgrade requirement to only work for mounted Royal Guard. What do you think? Quote: Anyway, quibbles aside, great work! Nice to see somebody tackle this head on. Cheers whafrog, that means a lot!

Author:	whafrog [ Tue Nov 13, 2012 7:29 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Rohan - as it should have been
Zogash wrote: I took the difference mounted RRG - Son of Eorl and went from there: A Son of Eorl is S4, A2(+1 mounted), C4, and has an Armoured Horse with Move 12 - Cost: 22 Points An upgraded and mounted RRG is S4, A2(+1 mounted), C3 (but has the Bodyguard rule), and has a normal Armoured Horse - Cost: 23 Points One way to handle this might be to change the upgrade requirement to only work for mounted Royal Guard. What do you think? I'd agree with mounted only for the upgrade, it would be more in keeping with their main skills. But when dismounted maybe they get the Shieldwall rule (which I really like BTW).

Author:	Zogash [ Tue Nov 13, 2012 9:21 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Rohan - as it should have been
whafrog wrote: Zogash wrote: I took the difference mounted RRG - Son of Eorl and went from there: A Son of Eorl is S4, A2(+1 mounted), C4, and has an Armoured Horse with Move 12 - Cost: 22 Points An upgraded and mounted RRG is S4, A2(+1 mounted), C3 (but has the Bodyguard rule), and has a normal Armoured Horse - Cost: 23 Points One way to handle this might be to change the upgrade requirement to only work for mounted Royal Guard. What do you think? I'd agree with mounted only for the upgrade, it would be more in keeping with their main skills. But when dismounted maybe they get the Shieldwall rule (which I really like BTW). Good idea! I've edited the Lord of the Mark rule accordingly. I still think they should be S4, though. They're 14 points each, so that's hardly a cheesy bargain. EDIT: Ugh. Come to think of it, 14 points is quite a lot for what they can do... that's 3 points more than a Khazad Guard! May think about splitting the upgrades, making mounted +3 and foot +2 or even +1. Or even scratch the entire rule and make First Éored Riders a unit of its own and have Lord of the Mark just make RRG Strength 4 and get Shieldwall for a point. I'll have to think about it... Any input is still much appreciated! As you can see, this is anything but set in stone!

Author:	WhoelsebutHaldir [ Tue Nov 13, 2012 11:43 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Rohan - as it should have been
Just a thought about the +1A, why not make riders able to use the shielding rule wilst mounted? Anyway that aside, if these rules are implemented my elf cav will be quite happy:D

Author:	Zogash [ Wed Nov 14, 2012 2:06 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Rohan - as it should have been
WhoelsebutHaldir wrote: Just a thought about the +1A, why not make riders able to use the shielding rule wilst mounted? Apart from the fact that shielding from horseback simply wouldn't work IRL, and as such having the rule would seem weird, it also only works if you sacrifice any chance to do damage. Shielding, IMO, should be for those desperate situations where it's life or death. I just don't like the idea that cavalry should more or less always opt for the desperate measure unless they get the charge... Also, I wanted to boost their offensive potential as well - for the same reasons of usually being outnumbered at least 2:1, more likely 3:1 or even 4:1 when factoring in spears. Quote: Anyway that aside, if these rules are implemented my elf cav will be quite happy:D ... Don't get me started on Wood Elf cavalry! They'd get the nerf bat big time if I had any say in the matter! Move 12 horses for warriors is ridiculous - that kind of speed should be reserved for exceptional steeds like Shadowfax (!), Felaróf, Snowmane, and Asfaloth. That they can move the full 12" through forests while even the above have to crawl at 1/4-speed is just plain offensive! Move 10, halved speed in forests (like Outriders) - that I could live with. That WOOD Elves would use cavalry at all doesn't sit well with me anyway. If there's one type of terrain cavalry should keep out of, it's forests! High Elven cavalry, though, now that would be better! EDIT: I've changed some things around now, namely: - The Lord of the Mark special rule now upgrades RRG to S4 and grants them the Shieldwall rule while on foot for 1 Point each. When mounted on an armoured horse, they are still more or less what Sons of Eorl used to be (minus the Move 12 and the additional attack), while not outclassing Berserkers while on foot, as they used to in the original version. - Háma, as Captain of the King's Guard, now has the option for an armoured horse like all RRG do. - Clarified that Éowyn's increased chance to wound Ringwraiths (and also now Fell Beasts) only applies to her melee attacks, not to eventual throwing spear attacks.

Author:	Telchar [ Sat Nov 17, 2012 2:09 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Rohan - as it should have been
Very good! And I see Eowyn is finally good for something more then dying and getting Eomer angry, too.

Author:	whafrog [ Sat Nov 17, 2012 8:48 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Rohan - as it should have been
Zogash wrote: Move 10, halved speed in forests (like Outriders) - that I could live with. Yeah, they do seem overpowered, I like your mod, assuming you could include they are not trapped in woods if they lose a fight. Zogash wrote: That WOOD Elves would use cavalry at all doesn't sit well with me anyway. If there's one type of terrain cavalry should keep out of, it's forests! High Elven cavalry, though, now that would be better! Agreed. The whole high elf line is ripe for a redo. On a different note, I was thinking about Eowyn, and I kind of liked her as she was: one of the few cheap heroes you could take with Rohan. Making her better (and more expensive) than a captain just robs the chance of using her more often. Also, and this is just MHO, I really dislike rules that derive from actions in the movie because it overlays a scenario rule onto a profile. The Twin's bond I get...it's special to them and unique. But the Eomer thing is more of a scenario special rule, and if it holds for him it should hold for any close couple. What would Aragorn's reaction be if Arwen was slain? A few other profiles have this, like Gil-Galad: guy lives 3000 years through numerous wars and whatnot, and is only finally killed when Sauron comes out to play...the guy has 3 Fate, not 1 just because he died after all that time. Similar argument might be made for Theodred, although it's true he didn't live very long. So while I like Eowyn's immunities I guess I don't like Eowyn's new wraith-wounding rule. And really, if you read the book, it was Merry's blade that did the trick and make the wraith's flesh mortal, so that Eowyn could deliver the coup-de-grace. Fearlessness and indomitability are their own rewards.

Author:	WhoelsebutHaldir [ Sat Nov 17, 2012 11:45 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Rohan - as it should have been
I hear you about the Gil-Galad thing, that always bugged me. But it is kind of countered by the fact that he is the only elf that can hit D8.

Author:	Draugluin [ Sun Nov 18, 2012 12:45 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Rohan - as it should have been
I actually get the feeling that Gil-Galad knew Sauron was going to kill, which would explain why he gave Vilya to Elrond, so him only having 1 fate kinda fits in with LotR. Now, if this was the War of Sauron and the Elves (forget if that's the official name or not), he would HAVE to have 3 fate.

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