I don't think there's been any significant power creep to be honest. Nothing from last year has broken the game and, with the exception of Alfrid, everything this year looks really well balanced.

Grimhammers are commonly thought of as not worth their points, Azog's very destructive but has low defence, Mirkowwod Rangers have 100% bows but are very expensive etc. I think there are still far more LOTR cheese armies on the tournament scene than Hobbit ones. I'm a big fan of the vast majority of the Hobbit releases, I think they've breathed new life into the system.

I don't think the spiders should be 3 wounds, 3 attacks (although it would be nice), but given their lowered stats and increased base size I think that giving them the monster rule would be fair at their points value. Remember to get the most out of the monster rules you have to win the fight and F2 with 2 attacks isn't going to do that a lot. however, it would be enough of an incentive for your opponent to worry about them.



I'm with Mertaal on this, unfortunately these spiders are not for range, they have a 6" shooting attack that will require a 6+ to hit most of the time and can't be used as a throwing weapon. To use their 'ranged' attack you have to get them really close to the enemy but then not charge, leaving them vulnerable to counter charges and shooting.

3+ shoot value or monster and I think they'd be well worth it, alas, the path not taken

I still love the models to bits though, particularly having seen the fantastic paint job Graham did on the GBHL Facebook page and the awesome conversions Harfoot's been doing on this very forum. I'll definitely get 2 and I think, over the next few months I may spring to 6 to allow me to re-fight the first scenario. That'll be my lot though.

It's a shame because if ANY of the following were true:

A) They were real-world cheaper (say 6 plastic ones for £30)
B) They were really effective in the game (for me that's monster or 3+ shoot)
C) They were only needed in, relatively, small numbers for scenarios in their current format (say 10 max)

I would buy them up in a heartbeat, as it is, the fact that, IMO, neither A.B or C are true means that GW have lost out on some sales from me.

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3+ shooting? with a paralyze that cant be resisted only by fate? ugh nasty nasty

F4 would resolve their balance issue in one swoop, nothing on a 60mm base should ever F2 period!

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Dr Grant, you seem in your analysis to be treating the Mirkwood Spiders as if they were a core infantry that you could just hurl at the enemy, like the Grimhammers or Hunter Orcs on Fell Wargs, but the Spider is a support unit. You wouldn't send out warbands made up entirely of Spectres would you? Think of it like that, you leave gaps in your line, once the lies are pretty much drawn, and cast webs. The only problem is you have to wait until the shoot phase which ruins the timing somewhat.

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"I am the Flying Spagetti Monster. Thou shall have no other monsters before me"
-FSM.

Not to mention the range, base size, innaccuracy and squishiness involved.

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The models are awesome, but the profile, rules and base size are just not worth the point upgrade, and no-one is going to tell me that these spiders are less skilled than their moria cousins( albeit not having seen them in a film before)
And I know they don't need a leader but really, no way am I getting a 60mmbase unit that has F2/sh5+
better off paying 10pts more on a warg marauder!

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Well that's just it, 25 points is an incredibly expensive support unit, if they're lurking behind my lines trying to shoot through gaps to paralyse I'd certainly want more than a 1/6 chance of hitting or a longer range. Assuming that the lines clash (which if they're within range of a 6" attack they probably have) you wouldn't want to risk shooting into combat in case you paralyse your own guy.

There's just too many problems with them, if it was a throwing weapon so they could shoot as they charge combined with a shoot of even 4+ then they'd potentially be quite effective. Unfortunately 2/3 spiders lurking behind the lines occasionally taking 1/6 pot-shots isn't an effective use of 50/75 points for me.

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