My thoughts are that the easiest way to figure out who gets what would be to use "legions of middle earth" army lists to base them off.
So you guys can help with ideas.

Heroes
Faramir, Madril, Cirion, Damrod, gondor captains.
Warriors
WoMT, rangers of gondor, citadel guard

Army bonus- ithilian- woodland creature for all models.

I think most of the armies need bringing up to date, if I were to say one army bonus type rule then Numenor - All warriors strike at S4

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Soon Master Elf, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves! Roaring fires, malt beer, red meat off the bone!

Steven Bonnar - the rule its interesting however its not fair to have a themed ithilien force bonus with citadel guard in it, those models are specially reserved for the white city stewards court and nothing else. I kinda understand your attempt to pull the cheese on it, but that´s not even fluff wise to even consider.

Scib - Strength 4 I think it´s too much major thing an army should get a bonus. So far the bonus we pretty much are getting aint exactly stat super game changing rules, its more like bonus tweeks that let you improve a bit your fighting style:

ex: iron hills: +1 or -1 to reinforcements and deploys
azogs legions: a pseudo 6" master of battle
army of thror: banner effect within 6" of Thror
garrison of dale: all models get 3+ shooting (including heroes).


Not really sure about that strength 4 on numenor... it would tweek Isildur and elendil to also have +1S (up to 5). And yea you can say (you can give me the example of dale everything get 3+ except Girion... well Girion is already at 3, so he effectively already has the buff on it as well)


If I was to give single army bonus: (Single army only buffs unless mentioned)

*special note: all Captains will have tactical awareness special rule.


____________________________Good____________________

Eregion & Rivendell: If your army consist solely from models of Eregion&Rivendell army list, warriors within 6"of Gil Galad and Elrond count as being i nthe range of a banner. In addition, High elf captains tactical awareness special rule is increased by a +1 to the roll.

Lothlórien: If your army consist solely from models of Lothlórien army list, Models within 6" of Galadriel and Celeborn automatically pass courage tests and count as being within the range of a banner. Galadhrim elf captains tactical awareness special rule is increased by a +1 to the roll.

Durin´s folk:
Khazad Dûm:
Heroes: Durin, Mardin, Dwarf Captains, King´s Champion, Shieldbearers
Warriors: Dwarf warriors, Dwarf Rangers, Khazad guards, Ironguards, Vault warden teams, Dwarf ballistas

If your army consist solely from models of Khazad Dûm army list. All models pass courage tests as long Durin´s is alive on the battlefield and count within the range of a banner if within 6" of Durin. (and thus removing durin´s ability to create heartguard).

Khazad Dûm Reclaimed:
Heroes: Balin, Son of Fundin, Flói, Dwarf Captains, Shieldbearers, Oin Champion of Erebor, Ori Champion of Erebor)
Warriors: Dwarf warriors, Dwarf rangers, Khazad guards, Iron guards, Dwarf ballistas.

If your army consist solely from models of Khazad Dûm Reclaimed army list.
Balin´s stand fast is increased to 12" and all models count as being within the range of a banner while within 6" of Balin, Son of Fundin.

Erebor the Lonely Mountain:
Heroes: Dain Ironfoot, King of Erebor, Gimli, Múrin and Drar, Dwarf Captains, Dwarf Kings, Shieldbearers, King´s champion, Iron hills Captains
Warriors: Dwarf warriors, khazad guards, Iron hills warriors, Ram riders, Iron hills Ballista, Iron Hills Chariot, Dwarf Rangers.

If your army consist solely from models of Erebor the Lonely Mountain army list. Warriors Automatically pass courage tests within 6" of Erebor the Lonely Mountain Heroes. In addition, models count Dain Ironfoot, King of Erebor while within 6" of him.

The Shire: If your army consist solely from models of The Shire army list, Hobbit Militia and Shirrifs can support other friendly hobbit models as counting as spears.

The Fellowship: Models count as within the range of a banner if the´re another fellowship member within 3". In addition while Frodo is alive, other members of the fellowship warband automatically pass Courage tests caused by your force being broken.

Wanderers of Druadan forest: If your army consist solely from models of Wanderers of Druadan Forest army list.(Ghân-Buri-Ghân, wose chieftains and woses warriors) Heroes and warriors count as being in the range of a banner if the´re within 12" of Ghân-Buri-Ghân.

Ents of Fangorn: If your army consist solely from models of Ents of Fangorn army list (Treebeard, Beechbone, Quickbeam, Skinbark, Ents) Enemy models count these models as having +1D when rolling to wound rolls against them.

Old Forest Wanderers: Tom Bombadil and Goldberry.

Minas Tirith: If your army consist solely from models of Minas Tirith army list(Includes Gandalf the white), Models within 6" of Aragorn, King Elessar; Gandalf the White, and Boromir, Captain of the white tower. suffer a wound, roll a D6, on a roll of a 6 that wound is ignored.

The Fiefdoms: If your army consist solely from models of The Fiefdoms army list, Heroes (except Imrahil) gain +1 to their Fight Value.
The Army of the Dead: If your army consist solely from models of The Army of the Dead army list (king of the dead, Captains of the dead, warriors of the dead, Riders of the dead), Enemy models in a fight suffer -1 to the duel rolls with models from this army.

Rohan: If your army consist solely from models of Rohan Army list. Models (heroes and warriors) count as being in the range of a banner within 12" of Eorl the Young and/or Theoden.

Arnor: (Averdui, Malbeth, Captains of Arnor, warriors of arnor, rangers of Arnor) If your army consist solely from models of Arnor army list. Warriors automatically pass courage tests as long the´re within 6" of Arnor Heroes.
The Grey Company: (Aragorn, isildur´s Heir, Arathorn, Halbarad, Elladan and Elrohir, Legolas Greenleaf, Gimli Son of Gloin, Dunedain, Rangers of the North, Rangers of Arnor) If your army consist solely from models of The Grey Company Army list, Models automatically pass Courage tests as long Aragorn, Isildur´s heir is alive. In addition (Grey company bow limit rules as before).

Numenor: If your army consist solely from models of Numenor army list. Heroes and warriors gain +1 to their fight value.

_______________________Evil___________________
Mordor: (a player can choose which army his Mordor force compromise).

- Minas Morgul:
Heroes: Witch King of Angmar, The Dark Marshal, The Shadow Lord, Gothmog, Morgul Morannon Captain, Morgul Orc Shaman, Orc Dummers, Black Numenorian Marshal.
Warriors: Morannon orcs, Morgul stalkers, Morgul knights, Black Numenorians, orc warriors, orc trackers, Mordor Trolls.

If your army consist solely from models of Minas Morgul Army list, Heroes and Warriors gain +1 to their Courage test rolls.

- Morannon:
Heroes: The Dwimmerlaik, The Tainted, Morannon Orc Captains, Orc Captains, Orc Shamans, Orc Drummers, Mordor Orc Taskmasters, Mordor Troll Chieftains.
Warriors: Orc warriors, Orc trackers, Morannon orcs, Warg Riders, Great beasts of Gorgoroth, Mordor Trolls, Mordor seige bows, Mordor War Catapults.

If your army consist solely from models of Morannon Army list, Morannon orcs and Orc warriors count as having +1 to their Movement value if the´re in base contact with 2 or more models.

- Cirith Ungol:
Heroes: Shagrat, war leader; Shagrat, Captain of Cirith Ungol, Grisnak, Gorbag, Orc Captains, Shelob, Mordor Orc Taskmasters.
Warriors: Orc warriors, Mordor Uruk hai, Orc trackers, Giant Spiders
If your army consist solely from models of Morannon Army list, Heroes and Warriors can alter the dice for deploying warbands on +1 or -1 as well as reinforcement rolls.

- Barad Dûr:
Heroes: The Dark Lord Sauron, The Undying, Captains of the Black Guard, Kardush, Mouth of Sauron, Mordor Troll Chieftains, Black Guard drummers, Orc Shamans, Black Numenorian Marshals, Mordor Orc taskmasters.
Warriors: Black Guard of Barad Dûr, Morannon orcs, orc warriors, Mordor uruk hai,Black Numenorians, Spectres Mordor trolls.

If your army consist solely from models of Barad Dûr Army list, Warriors being within 6" of Heroes, count as being in the range of a banner. In addition, anytime black guard captains and black guards suffers a wound, roll a D6, on a roll of a 6 that wound is ignored. If Sauron and/or Mouth of Sauron are alive in the Battlefield that roll is increased by +1. (this is not cumulative with any other special rule).

Sentients of Dol Guldur: Castellans of Dol Guldur, Spider Queen, Giant Spiders.

Sentients of Dol Guldur gain +1 to their Resist rolls on spells if the´re 2 other models within 3" of eachothers (this does not affect Giant spiders, but it does on the spider queen).queen).

Maybe the bow limit for a full Ithilien force could go up to say 50%?
Furthermore, I feel burly for a full Dunland army, extra movement, woodland creature or something of that kind for a pure Uruk scout army and a 50% bow limit plus increased shooting value for a purely Khand army could be nice editions for some of the other fluff armies.

@Galanur.

Check out the legions book, citadel guard are in fact in the ithilian list.

though realistically its unnacurace... I dont see why citadel guard with shiny armour and all being in the middle of the woods...

I'd like to see rules that change how the armies play more so then just little buffs. Banner effects are cool and all but itd be a shame to never use the models :p and more over non of that will change how the game plays at all. The Azogs hunter army rule that gives hunter orcs morgul arrows and gives them a better shoot value, is more along the lines of what I'd like. That gives you a real reason to take them and it makes that army list play much different then if you took half gundabads and half hunters orcs. I like the idea of more things like that change how you play a list, ideally, leaning towards more themed lists. Or making two lists with similar troop options play very differently like another good example would be the uruks vs uruk scout list. I'd like to see some similar way to make the scouts more viable, yes I know they're fast and they aren't horrible by any means, but maybe giving them a better shoot value, buffing lurtz, stuff like that that will synergize and create new ways to use models and make different lists and different themes within lists more fun to play, encouraged to play and more thematic overall.

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Cheers,

P

I like how polywags worded it, so here's my attempt at making the army bonuses thematic, useful but not gamebreaking, and as unique as I could make them. I try to explain my reasoning where it's valid. These all require playtesting, they could very well be unbalanced one way or the other.


In a pure _________ army, ...

Minas Tirith:
Each time a Warrior of Minas Tirith or Captain of Minas Tirith is wounded, roll a D6. On the roll of a 6, the wound is ignored. This rule is in effect as long as your army leader is alive.

-WoMT and CoMT are the guys who bear the brunt of Sauron's anger, it wasn't Guards of the Fountain Court or Citadel Guard, it was WoMT and they held out very well. They had quality healing houses to help, so it makes sense to me.

The Fiefdoms:
*Idea coming soon. Stay tuned*


Rohan:
Riders of Rohan and Rohan Outriders do not suffer from the -1 to hit penalty while mounted. Riders of Rohan do not count towards your army's bow limit.

-These guys lived off of mounted archery, I imagine they're fairly good at it.


Arnor:
I don't know that they need anything beyond their existing bow limit rules.


Numenor:
Whenever Elendil calls a Heroic Combat, any friendly hero within 3" may also call a Heroic Combat without expending any Might Points.

-These are Aragorn's ancestors, I would think their royalty all have some sort of Mighty Hero power.

Eregion and Rivendell:
Any friendly Elf from the Eregion and Rivendell army list causes Terror while fully in difficult terrain or a water feature. If the model already causes Terror, then it gains an additional attack instead.

-This one I'm a bit iffy about just because it puts them in the woods, whereas these are the Elves that went out in the open to fight Sauron at Dagorlad. My reasoning is that Rivendell is protected by Elrond's control over the Bruinen, so they should have some sort of rule that gives them an edge there (I guess Elrond himself already has the rule, but until I come up with something better, this will stay here. Plus it gives you a reason to take Cirdan)

Lothlorien and Mirkwood:
Any Warrior from the Lothlorien and Mirkwood army list that is armed with an Elven Cloak may fire its Bow even if it moved its maximum allowed distance. The -1 to hit penalty applies as normal.

-Most of the Lothlorien army is invisible in the books, and they don't seem to be bothered by such pedestrian things as tightrope walking or climbing trees, I'm sure they can reload their bows on the run if they need to.


Durin's Folk:
*Idea coming soon. Stay tuned*


The Shire:
*Idea coming soon. Stay tuned*


Mordor:
Does Mordor really need anything? Mordor already has the most diverse hero and warrior selection, including the Nazgul; and there's no real theme to how they fight in the books. I'll leave Mordor as is for now.


Isengard:
*Idea coming soon. Stay tuned*


Harad and Umbar:
*Idea coming soon. Stay tuned*


Eastern Kingdoms:
*Idea coming soon. Stay tuned*


Moria:
The Balrog may call a single Heroic Action once per turn without expending any Might. All friendly Moria Warriors and Heroes automatically pass any Courage Tests within 6" of the Balrog.

-I think Moria needs to be Balrog-centric. The Balrog is why Goblins still live there, and right now you don't have a reason to take it because a pure Goblin horde is so good.

Angmar:
Any time an enemy hero expends one or more Will Points to resist a Magical Power cast by a friendly Angmar Hero, they must always roll an extra D6 and discard the highest result (this does not cost any additional Will Points). For instance, a model that spends 1 Will must roll 2 dice and discard the highest, 3 Will must roll 4 dice, etc.
In addition, any enemy model taking a Courage Test due to a Special Rule that belongs to one of your Angmar models (Terror, A Fell Light is in Them, etc) must take the Courage Test on 3 dice, with the highest dice roll discarded.

-Basically, I think the defining feature of Angmar is its collection of spirits. Yes, there are Orcs and Trolls and what have you, but it's the Witch King and whatever spirits he tortured into existence that really made it a threat.






That's all I have for now

Arnor need a courage bonus i think (warrior with 2, captain with 3 ...).
For dwarf, banner roll around heros (kings, great nammed champ : Balin, Durin, Dain, Gimli ...) can be nice.
For harad, work around venimous strike for more unit in fight ? Standard warrior with venimous strike can be interesting.