whafrog wrote:
The main thing I don't like about the increased bow limits is turning the game into a shoot-fest. Shooting is fun for certain characters (Legolas), but the real tactical part of the game is centered around melee. I'm afraid an all-bow RoR force will be just as boring to play and play against as GC was.
But even cav aren't going to hold off for long and their greatest power comes from charging. Spending a couple turns will not do much more than soften up a zone to help with the charge that needs to come. Maybe weakening spear / pike support or such.
A RoR costs twice as much as an Orc or Haradrim on foot and about 50% more than a Morannon or Uruk so you will remain out numbered (usually outnumbered AND out-classed). You can’t use a bow and shield in the same turn so if you choose to shoot your Defense is going to be lessened. Even if you don’t shoot you are still a relatively soft target sitting on top of an even softer horse. You can’t move more than half and still shoot so your critical mobility advantage will fade fast if you try to play a shooting match for too long. Their bows are weak, even more so in the current world where base defenses have gone up steadily.
I think it’s safe to say that with the -1 Move/Shoot penalty a fully mounted and bow armed RoR force (with some decent Heroes) will NOT be over-powerd by far and may still have a chance if played well. If you drop the -1 and just use standard movement restrictions ( ½ move to shoot ) then I think they become competitive but still less so than Black Guard, Isengard Uruk Hai or Morannon Orc forces.
It’s a mostly moot point of course as we have the -1 penalty now and will until at least the next major revision (probably for years to come) unless you want to house rule it away. I am at least encouraged now to paint up a couple dozen RoR and see how they do in fact play out with full bows, harassment tactics and timely charges at weak points (the way they always struck me thru the books).