Battle Companies?

thewhitehand · **Joined:** Sun Dec 20, 2009 3:03 pm **Posts:** 128

I'm not sure if this is the right forum, but I'm wondering what is Battle companies? I've seen it mentioned in quite a few posts and it sounds interesting. Any help?
Thanks

whafrog · **Posted:** Wed Jun 02, 2010 2:56 pm

A set of rules for the SBG game that allows you to field small units, track their experience, buy weapon upgrades, and earn better capabilities. You can find all the relevant docs here:

http://tabletopgeeks.com/lotr-downloads/

Ukfreddybear · **Posted:** Wed Jun 02, 2010 2:57 pm

Battle Companies is a type of game played under the SBG format. You start out with 5-8 minis, depending on what faction you choose, give them all an identity then at the end of the game work out what experience, injuries etc they picked up from the battle. Each character develops and becomes more powerful for the next game than in the previous battle. The biggest Battle company is only about 15 models, so the great thing about this game is that you need very few minis to play it.

Battle Companies rules, factions, character sheets can be found in UK WD issues 297, 311, 312. If you see them on ebay I recommend them.

Battle Games in Middle Earth issues 74 and 75 also covered Battle Companies, although not as useful as the WD issues, worth picking up for the scenarios.

Noddwyr · **Posted:** Wed Jun 02, 2010 7:41 pm

is there an elven battle company? Cause there isnt one in the link whafrog sent adn I was wondering if that was an oversight or if it just doesnt exist.

thewhitehand · **Joined:** Sun Dec 20, 2009 3:03 pm **Posts:** 128

Thanks guys, looks awesome! I love the idea of having my own individual uruk-hai scout company :twisted:

Mouth-of-Sauron · **Joined:** Tue Nov 20, 2007 8:14 pm **Posts:** 544

There is a battle company for almost all factions... These rules were on the GW web site.. don´t know where they are available now....

BTW the Goblin army limit is either 20 or 25 I don´t remember cause they are so weak but stronger in numbers... :rofl:

Hirumith, the Grey Knight · **Posted:** Wed Jun 02, 2010 9:14 pm

Noddwyr wrote:

is there an elven battle company? Cause there isnt one in the link whafrog sent adn I was wondering if that was an oversight or if it just doesnt exist.

I don't remember there ever being an "official" elf battle company, but I'm sure you could come up with one without too much trouble. Heck, you could probably do two or even three if you really wanted - Lothlorien/Galadhrim, Mirkwood, and 2nd Age Noldor.

Noddwyr · **Posted:** Wed Jun 02, 2010 10:07 pm

So if I try to create my own battle company is there a points limit? Or how would I go about it to make it balanced? Sorry, I have never played but i like the idea of playing with a very small amount of models.

EDIT: Also will I need anything other than the WD issues to figure out how to play this? Keep in mind I have never played SBG or WOTR or anything like it before?

emperor_thompson · **Joined:** Tue Oct 20, 2009 7:41 am **Posts:** 181

The game follows the rules of SBG, so you will need the official rules for that before you can play it. However, you probably won't need any supplements, as all the official battle company armies are based on older models. If you wanted to make a custom battle company for an army which is not covered, look at an existing army which is similar, and try and base it around that.

Noddwyr · **Posted:** Thu Jun 03, 2010 1:15 am

Right so how about these as possible starting companies:

For the shire (jsut suppose some hobbits actually felt like going raiding, some of the good old Took and Baggins spirit in them).
6 hobbit militia
5 Hobbit shirrifs
5 hobbit archers

I figure they have slightly higher number than gobbos since they are weaker and cheaper and dont have options like shields.
I suppose that they have a rule similar to the Moria rule where they have a higher amount of troops allowed and there are no warrior promotions but they become heroes right away. Not sure about Advancements to give them, since the only thing they can get is a horn, any ideas?

And for Rivendale battle company, I guess something like that led by Gildor i was thinking:
2 elf warrior with elf bow
3 elf warrior with spear
2 elf warrior with elf blade

For equipment option, everything save heavy armour (which would cost 2) would cost 1 influence point. Also not sure about the advance chart.

EDIT: THese around based around 60 point options, since that seems to be the average number for the suggested companies in the link that was given.
EDIT #2: What book do I need to get then? THe Lord of the Rings rulebook, thats 240 pages long?

What do you guys think?

Hirumith, the Grey Knight · **Posted:** Thu Jun 03, 2010 4:21 am

Yeah, you'll want the "One Rulebook". Make sure you get this guy, and NOT the War of the Ring rulebook.

I think your sample battle companies look pretty good, although I'm inclined to suggest that maybe the hobbits upgrade to sherriffs, and start out just as militia and bowmen?

Noddwyr · **Posted:** Thu Jun 03, 2010 4:38 am

Thanks. I guess I also have to ask whether the hobbits would be competitive in such numbers against say dwarves starting battle company?

What about this for hobbits:
14 Hobbit militia
6 Hobbit archers

Equipment options:
Horn (archers only) 1 influence point
Elven dagger like Sting (hero only) 2 influence points
Armour 2 points
Shield 2 points
Mithril coat?? 3 points

Influence Table:

1 no effect
2 hobbit militia
3 hobbit archer
4 hobbit shirrif
5 choose one
6 choose 2

Promotion: Hobbit shirrifs (militia only)

Havent thought of advance table yet. And was wondering whether I should make the rule that they can have a max of 25 or should it be more. I guess the question becomes can 25 hobbits take on 25 gobbos.

Hmm this is gonna be expensive haahha. A grey Company BC might be cool too. Oh decisions. What do you guys think i should do?

Noddwyr · **Posted:** Thu Jun 03, 2010 5:17 am

Ok, so I know i totally hijacked this thread and Im sorry but im excited and have another possible profile.

This time its for Rangers:

Starting:
1) 1 Ranger of the North
1 Ranger of Arnor with Spear
4 Ranger of Arnor
OR

2) 3 Ranger of Arnor with Spear
4 Ranger of Arnor

Influence Chart:
1. No effect
2. Ranger of Arnor
3. Ranger of Arnor with Spear
4. Ranger of the North (nots sure at all about this one)
5. Choose one
6. Roll again on table below

1-3 Grey Company
4-6 Blackroot Vale Archers

Promotion:
Ranger of the North (only for Ranger of Arnor)
Grey Company (only for Ranger of the North)
Blackroot Vale archer ( only for Grey Company)

Equipment:

Horse 2 points
cant think of anything else, I dont have the books, I am just making this up from reading the forum and various other internet sources.

Advance:
1 might/will
2 blademaster
3 expert shot - can re-roll on in the way
4 courageous
5 Great leader
6 Might

Special Rule. I dont know was thinking something to do with no penalty for movement in woods, or something to do with ambushing.

let me know what you think if you really have read all this, Im sorry for making you suffer.
:oops:

emperor_thompson · **Joined:** Tue Oct 20, 2009 7:41 am **Posts:** 181

Since every model can potentially become a hero, the second grey company army would be the better one. However, since they can all get bows, perhaps they should have fewer men (say, 5 to start with, maximum of 12?).

Edit: Perhaps you should remove the rangers of the north entirely, as there is already a mechanism to make your warriors become heroes. The grey company would be too powerful if they can get heroes in this way.

Highlordell · **Posted:** Thu Jun 03, 2010 6:53 pm

Both lists seems quite powerful and not to rain on your parade but I'm not even sure whether it is suitable to do a Ranger only battle company as the fact that all the models carry bows would mean that your opponent would lose lots of models before he even got into combat. In big battles that may be ok, but when you have 8 models on either side it may become very overpowered, I suppose it could work with some tweaking but at the moment it seem slightly unfeasile to keep it balanced.

Other's may differ in their opinions though.

Noddwyr · **Posted:** Thu Jun 03, 2010 7:59 pm

Its ll good. I wanna keep it balanced so criticism is good. However its hard for me to create a balanced list as I have never played before. I know that the old TLA site had a whole bunch of battle companies but they no longer exist as far as I know.

I guess and all Ranger battle company might not work, but it just seems to me like there should be one, as they are always traveling and hunting foul things. I am open to suggestion, even people coming up with lists for me. Right now I am thinking either rangers or elves as both list should be feasible without me spending too much money.

What is i lowered the numbers as emperor thompson suggested to 5 to start? 2 ranger of arnor with spear and 3 plain rangers of arnor. Limit the max to say 10. And the only promotion would be to Grey Company. Would that make it more balanced?

As for the elves list i listed earlier, what is wrong with that?

isengard owns · **Posted:** Thu Jun 03, 2010 9:31 pm

for rangers we play only the ones holding bows have bows. it really makes it fairer.

Noddwyr · **Posted:** Thu Jun 03, 2010 10:21 pm

Hmm that might work. What about this for elves, I found it on the internet, but some of the stuff didnt work (wasnt within the bow limit and such) so i changed a bit.

Start with: 2 Wood Elves w/elf bow, 2 Wood Elf w/spear, 2 Wood Elves w/elf blade

Special Rule: This battle company must use 5 Influence dice to roll on the influence table.

Influence:
1=No Effect
2=Wood elf w/elf bow
3= Wood elf w/elf blade
4= Wood elf w/spear
5=choose 1 of the above
6=re-roll on the below table

1-2=High Elf w/elf blade
3-4=High Elf w/spear & shield
5-6=High Elf w/elf bow

Promotion table:
Wood elf w/elf bow-High Elf w/elf bow
Wood elf w/spear-High Elf w/spear & shield
Wood elf w/ elf blade-High Elf w/elf blade

Elf Equipment:
Elf bow= 2 ID
Shield=1 ID
H. armor=2 ID
Horse=2 ID
Armor=1 ID
Elf blade=1 ID
Spear=1 ID
Elven Cloak=2 ID

What you think? Also in terms of advancement I was thinking that tey might have the possibility to have magic. Or that they can have terror or smt.

Hirumith, the Grey Knight · **Posted:** Thu Jun 03, 2010 10:54 pm

For elves, it would be cool and fluffy to have minor spellcasting abilities as one of their advancements. I would leave out any major offensive spells like sorcerous blast and nature's wrath, though, and I would only allow one elf per battle company to learn magic.

Also for Elves, I think separate wood elf and high elf battle companies would make much more sense. For wood elves, I would include a mix of armored and unarmored warriors to start, allowing armored elves to become Guardians of the Galadhrim Court and allowing unarmored to be promoted to armored or to wood elf sentinels.

Perhaps the numbers could be 2 armored with elf blades, 1 unarmored with spear, 2 unarmored with elf bows.

High elves are a little less interesting, in that they don't have any real promotable options. Maybe leave spearmen out of the initial battle company, and have that be the promotion?

Noddwyr · **Posted:** Thu Jun 03, 2010 11:49 pm

Ok, so my girlfriend decided to play easterlings so I have made 2 battle companies. I know these are long, but I would really appreciate the help. Any suggestions you may give me to make these more balanced fair would be awesome.

Eastern Raider Starting Force
2 Easterlings with spears
3 Easterlings with shields and hand weapon
2 Easterlings with bows

Eastern Raider Influence Table
1 – No effect
2 – Easterling with shield and hand weapon
3 – Easterling with spear
4 – Easterling with bow
5 – Choose one of the above
6 – Roll again on the table below

1-3 – Easterling with spear and shield
4-6 – Easterling Kataphract

Eastern Raider Equipment Options
1ID Spear
1ID Shield
1ID Hand Weapon
2ID Easterling Halberd
1ID Horn
2ID Horse
1ID Poison Arrow/Blade

Eastern Raider Promotion Table
Dragon Knight (Kataphract Only)
Dragon Guard

And now a revised wood elf version.

Wood Elf Ambushers Starting Force
1 Wood Elves w/elf bow, 2 Wood Elf w/spear, 2 Wood Elves w/elf blade, armoured
- I want another bowmen instead of the second spearmen, but if I do that I am above the 33% limit

Special Rule: This battle company must use 5 Influence dice to roll on the influence table.

Wood Elf Ambushers Influence:
1=No Effect
2=Wood elf w/elf bow
3= Wood elf w/elf blade
4= Wood elf w/spear
5=choose 1 of the above
6=re-roll on the below table

1-2 = Armoured wood elf w/spear
3-4= Armoured wood elf w/elf blade
5-6= Wood elf w/elf bow and cloak

Wood Elf Ambushers Promotion table:
Unarmoured Elf – Wood Elf Sentinel
Armoured Elf – Armoured Knight

Wood Elf Ambushers Equipment Options:
Elf bow= 2 ID
Shield=1 ID
Throwing weapon (daggers)=2 ID
Horse=2 ID
Armor=1 ID
Elf blade=1 ID
Spear=1 ID
Elf cloak = 2 ID

Not sure what magic to incorporate as i am not really familiar with any magic. I left out guards of galadhrim court cause i think they are more the stay at home and defend that type of dudes rather than travel and slay. Does this list look better?

Battle Companies?

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