OK, so I've just seen the film and it's tedious; even as a build up to the LoTR films and not a re-make of the chilrdren's book. Jackson, I think, has very little talent for re-creating Tolkien's stories. That said I do like some of the deaign (the Wood Elves looked great!) and there is one thing that immediately caught my imagination:

MINOR SPOILORS AHEAD!!!


In one scene gandalf appears riding an Eagle, not just beig carried by one but riding it. Given the new rules for monsters this would make an EPIC and near unstoppable model. Imagine an army led by the whitch king on fell beast facing one with Gandalf on a great eagle? I know I'm excited about that!

So my question is, will this ever become reality? Your thoughts...

Edit: Please comment on the thread linked below if you want to talk about the difference between films and games. Thanks!
http://www.one-ring.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=24866

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"When the god had in mind the making of a world through a word (logos) his first thought was Athena"

To be fair, he rode Gwaihir in the trilogy anyhow. Not sure if they'll make a model for it or just use the "carrying" type rules that were about.

You're right, he did ride Gwaihir in the trilogy. In two towers he escapes Orthanc on him. I can't remember any other instance from the film atm. Regardless, it was missed up till now and it would be fantastic to see it come to be with the first Hobbit film. I'm saying this as I build my witch king army btw so it's not even for my benefit, just pure ownage!

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"When the god had in mind the making of a world through a word (logos) his first thought was Athena"

He rode Gwaihir to Mount Doom to save Frodo. You really shouldn't be so critical of PJ if you missed that major of a detail.

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"Leave Sauron to me."
If you're in the Raleigh, NC area, let me know.

Oh dear, it seems I've rubbed you the wrong way with regards my opinions of the films. Regardless of that the fact remains, we have no Gandalf on great eagle and it would be great if we did. That's my thought anyway. It conforms to the books and the films and would present a highly challenging opponent on the table top. GW have passed on it till now but hopefully the new Hobbit film will change that.

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"When the god had in mind the making of a world through a word (logos) his first thought was Athena"

It'd be very cool, but I don't think Eagles can be mounted, they can only carry, and I don't think passengers can do anything

Gandalf "rode" Gwaihir, or any eagle for that matter, a mere handful of times. Those times were only when he was in dire need of aid. It would NOT conform to either the books or the movies if he rode an eagle into battle.

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"Leave Sauron to me."
If you're in the Raleigh, NC area, let me know.

Lets see, the eagles enter battle only when called or at the most desperate of moments. For Gandalf to be riding Gwaihir (because that would be most likely) he would have to be in need of rescuing moments before a battle. Hmm, that's not likely, HOWEVER, it is certainly a possibilty. Therefore in the interests of covering all bases (and making a totally knock out Gandalf) GW should do this! Gandalf is trapped by giants spiders in Mirkwood moments before an assault on the Necromancer, I don't know. You could certainly make a scenario with some friends in which this happens! Maybe the flight from Isengard was more difficult than shown in the film?

Apart from that it definitely goes down as part of my dream army!

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"When the god had in mind the making of a world through a word (logos) his first thought was Athena"

I don't think there's a "non realistic" argument to be made, based off the points value system. This is a game, not a slavish recreation of canon middle earth, otherwise you couldn't ally every good army with Ents, because that NEVER happened, Evil can take the watcher in the water, or dead characters like Gilgalad can be used outside of scenarios. Sticking to the books is for the story based scenarios only

So, you complain how the movie wasn't like the book, yet dream of a very impossible model? Gwaihir only helped Gandalf because he owed Gandalf for healing him from an arrow. However, he would NEVER allow Gandalf to ride him into battle, eagles, particularily the Wind Lord, were way too proud for that. They saved Gandalf from the wargs because they hated wargs and orcs so much (in the book), same reason they helped at the BoFA. Gwaihir owed Gandalf, thus he saved him twice in the book by carrying him. They showed up at the Black Gate because of their hate for all things evil. I could see you supporting it if you didn't hate any changes to the book, but based on your opinions on the movie, you should be the last person to support such an un-Tolkien like model.

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"Leave Sauron to me."
If you're in the Raleigh, NC area, let me know.

This happened in the fellowship of the ring, in PJ's films Also, there used to be a conversion on the GW site along time ago which had a Gandalf mounted on Gwaihir model but this was back when they had a specific conversion page. It could easily be done again though

Of course I'm critical of the films in relation to the book because they are films and not a game. Cheats and hacks in a game is hardly the same thing as rewriting a character for a movie. The two are completely different things, the one's art, there others just a game. There's no need to take games so seriously. I actually think the GW game is more true to the spirit book than the films. Part of that is because I think Jackson should be a graphic or game designer not a filmmaker. All sorts of changes have to be made to make a game fun and rewarding but the same conditions don't apply to film. It's a different ball game.

I still think Gandalf on Gwaihir should be a thing. If nothing else purely because its totally op.

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"When the god had in mind the making of a world through a word (logos) his first thought was Athena"

I didn't know they had that. How would you do it now?

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"When the god had in mind the making of a world through a word (logos) his first thought was Athena"

If memory serves they used Orthanc Gandalf as a starting point. I'll see if I can find anything on the web or in my old White Dwarf mags.

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Soon the Dark Lord Knighty shall have all he needs to cover the lands in an eevee-related darkness...

Great, thanks

Also, RangeroftheNorth, good point, in a points based its completely viable. I wonder what GW thinks regarding points value for this op model? I'm going to ask them when I'm next in.

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"When the god had in mind the making of a world through a word (logos) his first thought was Athena"

I have an Orthanc Gandalf I could part with, in case Knighty finds an article and you want to trade for it

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Gondor: 2339pts
Rohan: 1318pts
Dwarves: 2482pts
Elves: 1091pts
Mordor: 2305pts
Isengard: 1762pts
Moria: 1463pts
Evil Men: 381pts

Yep thats the one, all I remember is that it was a female sculptor and it impressed me, but this was back when they did the online 'convershun korner' (in 40k talk)

Yes! Though I'm not sure I have anything you want. What would you take for it?

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"When the god had in mind the making of a world through a word (logos) his first thought was Athena"

I typically do 1:1 metal for metal unless it's something really rare. Do you have a trade thread?

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Gondor: 2339pts
Rohan: 1318pts
Dwarves: 2482pts
Elves: 1091pts
Mordor: 2305pts
Isengard: 1762pts
Moria: 1463pts
Evil Men: 381pts

No, but I'll create one if I know what's what with the conversion. Hmm, I have the fellowship and Celleborn. Don't know if that interests.

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"When the god had in mind the making of a world through a word (logos) his first thought was Athena"