[*] Battle Companies - by Erunion

Isilduhrr · **Posted:** Sun Mar 01, 2015 8:25 pm

Durak, are you charging 4 gold for reinforcements? It's a good idea to do so, as dwarves don't really take wounds, and they can become OP fast.

Durak · **Posted:** Sun Mar 01, 2015 8:51 pm

No, I have charged the normal amount for what I have drawn, but I agree that it should be 4. I have only drawn two reinforcements at present though. I've spent gold on armor and throwing weapons for the most part for the heroes. The first time I did a battle companies in this style I think I had like eleven or twelve guys and even with full blown named enemy heroes, the dwarves would just stomp.

Auric · **Joined:** Thu Sep 19, 2013 9:39 am **Posts:** 2

Awsome work! I'm glad there're still people around keeping this game alive.
I have a quick question concerning the rules.
In 'step one' it is stated that you nominate three Heroes which are actually treated as Heroes.
Does it mean they also get +1 S,D a C from the start?

Durak · **Posted:** Wed Mar 18, 2015 3:56 pm

Nope! The Lieutenant gets +1 M/W/F while the two Sergeants get +1 F. I think it assumes that your heroes are only a little bit better than your band. They can work their way up to Captain status, but it takes some time (aka, you have to earn the other stats.)

Hope that helps!

Little_Odo · **Posted:** Thu Apr 02, 2015 3:17 pm

I have just started playing again after a long hiatus. Well, when I say playing, I have just recently umpired a couple of small Battle Companies skirmishes with my sons. I am not following the rules verbatim but have modified them slightly so we can get some quick games in without the boys getting bored...

I have limited the games to just 10 turns (on a 48"x48" board)
The leader only has a single Fate point to separate him from the hoi polloi
Battles are straight up fights
There is no character advancement for the warriors etc.

The reason for this is that I am re-familiarising myself with the rules of LotR:SBG (the Big Blue One), and want to introduce the rules piecemeal to the boys so we pick it up slowly as we play more. The next game may see the introduction of more stats or maybe I will use a scenario.

Anyway, I am so glad these rules exist as they allow for a quick, exciting, fun game to be played in under an hour.

Tharkan · **Joined:** Sun Sep 25, 2011 1:29 pm **Posts:** 55

Hi there!

The other day I played a game Gundabad Hunters vs Umbar Corsairs. My pal thinks Hunters are a bit overpowered. The special rule that gives them +1 attack makes them wonderful.

Sergeants (1 Fell Warg and 1 Hunter orc with bow)
Liutenant (Hunter orc with two handed weapon)

I used the Fell Wargs to protect the hunters from shooting (but anyway the bowers used to die) or to throw them to the attack in order to give the others time to reach the combat.

I think they are pretty weak against projectiles, and the corsairs Throwing Daggers and better fighting value could balance fighting against this kind of troop (2 dice vs 1 dice with more Fight value is slightly better).

What do you think about them? Do you think they need a revision? Thx!

Erunion · **Posted:** Sat May 30, 2015 4:01 am

Greetings, Tharkan.

The Hunter Orcs are very nice with the Many Blades rule, but they are fairly costed (at least according to GW). I hope that your friend figures out a nice counter-strategy and doesn't get too frustrated!

Tharkan · **Joined:** Sun Sep 25, 2011 1:29 pm **Posts:** 55

Thanks Erunion for your reply.

My pal seems a bit overwhelmed by them. It's true that they are fairly costed (by GW terms) but in this kind of games (very low pointed warbands) they really shine. And we play Battle Companies with a lot of terrain so my hunters can move around to get to their targets (and my opponent refuses to wait me to reach him forever).

We thought this kind of list could start with Gundabad orcs and some orc trackers (this ones could improve to Hunter orcs or something and they can mount Fell Wargs instead common ones). Anyway, we are waiting your next rules revision

Great job and thank you for sharing!

Tungdil · **Posted:** Tue Jun 02, 2015 10:13 pm

Any estimate on when the new version will be released?

Loving Battle Companies, and I am waiting in excitement for the new release

Erunion · **Posted:** Wed Jun 03, 2015 2:31 am

@tharkan -- The Gundabad BC has definitely received some tweaks that I hope will help balance it out. Several of the Hobbit factions were a bit thin on options at first, but the additional releases have helped quite a bit.

@Tungdil -- My hope is to have it ready no later than August, but no promises! Haha.

Docccy · **Joined:** Fri Jan 02, 2015 10:06 am **Posts:** 4

Hey mate, loving battle companies! you're a legend!

Regarding the fighting special rule table for hero advancing, if I role a 5, do I get a free heroic combat every turn or once a game?

generalripphook · **Joined:** Sat Apr 02, 2011 2:02 am **Posts:** 127

In the Campaigns and Scenarios a fellow named Ringil is trying to work out his own battle company of brigands. Might be worth looking at and weighing in on.

Captain Andruil · **Joined:** Sun Jan 20, 2013 5:19 am **Posts:** 44

Hi Erunion. I'm having a blast with the Battle Companies, I wanted to start a Fiefdom Battle Company and I noticed that the Men-at-arms of Dol Amroth don't start with any wargear, and there is no option to give them pikes. Have the pikes been replaced with the spears for 1 gold?

Tungdil · **Posted:** Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:52 pm

Hey!

What is the progress on the latest BC version?

Erunion · **Posted:** Fri Oct 09, 2015 4:23 pm

A wizard is never late. He always arrives precisely when he means to!

Work continues, albeit not as quickly as I'd like.

Dikey · **Joined:** Tue Feb 03, 2015 10:19 am **Posts:** 508

I'm copying what I wrote in another post

about Dwarves Rangers:
Looking at the Gondor list, I noticed that a Ranger can upgrade to Citadel Guard. Now, I read and saw that many do not like the Dwarves Bowmen promotion to Ranger. What if we make the other way around, a la Gondor?
A Durin's Folk company may start with 2 Dwarves Ranger and they can be upgraded to dwarves bowmen. And there may be another upgrade to iron hills veterans, giving them S4. If it works with Rangers of Gondor and Citadel Guards, why it shouldn't work on dwarves?
Also, we thought of a different upgrade for Dwarves Rangers w/Throwing Axes. First, an upgrade to Iron hills veteran and then to Iron Guard.
Something like this:

Durin's Folk starting company
-2 Dwarves warriors with 2-handed weapon
-2 Dwarves warriors with shield
-2 Dwarves Rangers w/Bows

Upgrades
-Dwarf with 2 handed weapon-->Iron Hills Veteran with 2 handed weapon--->Khazad Guard
-Dwarf warrior with shield-->Iron Hills Veteran with Shield--->Khazad Guard
-Dwarf Ranger w/bow-->Dwarf warrior with bow--->Iron Hill Veteran w/bow
-Dwarf Ranger w/throwing axes--->Iron Hills Ranger w/thr.wea---->Iron Guard

About the Warg Riders: this is a company with 3 mounted models as starting formation. Isn't that too much? I'm afraid that starting with 3 mounted models already when most of the other armies have 6 or 8 foot models would be game-breaking, expecially in early games.

KhaosRising · **Posted:** Sat Oct 31, 2015 8:21 pm

Erunion wrote:

A wizard is never late. He always arrives precisely when he means to!

Work continues, albeit not as quickly as I'd like.

It seems the link to the new rules is broken. Do you have another site with the newest rules?

Commissariat · **Posted:** Sun Nov 15, 2015 12:32 am

Battle Companies is under way again, catching up for lost time. It is going to be pretty epic. I cannot wait for someone to try out the "Shadow of Saruman" list!

Newest rules are not released yet, but don't you fret, I am working on it once more.

jdizzy001 · **Posted:** Sat Nov 21, 2015 6:20 pm

What are the odds of seeing some rules centered around building your own battle company? By which I mean a mixed company. Two elves, 2 dwarves and 2 men of arnor (for example).

Commissariat · **Posted:** Thu Nov 26, 2015 11:02 pm

I cannot give an exact weather forecast nor promising anything right now as Erunion, myself, and Will are currently frying bigger fish. Not to say the idea is not important, but we'd like to cement the main bulk before touching on extras like this.

I'll bring it up with the group, but I am not a total fan of the concept. It is a sort of "Fellowship" idea which I understand, but it is not exactly a common occurrence. Due to the rarity of this sort of thing lore-wise and the balancing issues it can cause, I do not predict it making the cut.

[*] Battle Companies - by Erunion

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