Alright, fellow adventurers and Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game (MESBG) enthusiasts, buckle up because there’s a new edition on the horizon, and it’s going to be epic! If you’re a die-hard fan of the game like me, you’re probably already hyped, but let’s break down what’s coming with this massive update and why it’s going to be a game-changer.
The New Edition: A Fresh Chapter in Middle-earth
So, the new edition of MESBG is centered around the upcoming movie, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim™. This is huge because it’s the first time since The Hobbit films that the team gets to work on a brand-new movie. The excitement is real, and while they’re keeping a lot under wraps for now, they’ve given us a taste of what’s to come.
First off, they’ve gone all out on rewriting the core rules. This isn’t just a minor tweak; they’ve overhauled everything to make the game smoother, more modern, and easier to understand. They’ve focused on clearer language and consistent terminology, which should help all of us avoid those rulebook debates mid-game. But don’t worry, the core mechanics we know and love haven’t changed – they’ve just been polished to perfection.
Streamlining for a Smoother Game
One of the big things they’ve tackled is streamlining the gameplay. For example, the In The Way chart, which a lot of us either forgot about or barely used, is gone. Now, In The Way tests are a simple 4+ roll, making it way easier to keep the game moving. Also, Special Strikes have been scrapped because they were either too confusing or players were trying to exploit them. Now, all hand weapons are treated the same, so you can kit out your models with whatever looks coolest without worrying about rules complications. This means we can focus more on the fun parts – like smashing Orcs – and less on flipping through the rulebook.
Narrative Armies Take the Spotlight
Now, this is where things get really exciting for us lore nerds. The new edition puts a bigger emphasis on narrative armies, especially in Matched Play. The team’s goal is to make every army feel like it’s straight out of the movies or books, with profiles and Army Lists that bring those iconic scenes to life. Every army will now be presented in a way that captures the essence of Middle-earth, just like the popular Legendary Legions from the current edition.
Jay, the Lead Games Developer, mentioned that they’ve reworked and rebalanced many character profiles to better represent them on the battlefield. So, not only will your favorite heroes and villains play more like they do on-screen, but their rules will be clearer and more flavorful, adding even more depth to your games.
A New Era of Fight Values
One of the most exciting changes is the adjustment to Fight Values. If you’ve been frustrated by how congested the 3-6 range has been, you’re going to love this. They’ve spread out the Fight Values, so those profiles that were at the top of Fight Value 3 or 4 are getting a bump up. This applies to both Heroes and Warriors, meaning your favorite characters might just pack a little more punch in the new edition.
New Intelligence Characteristic
Here’s a cool new addition: an Intelligence characteristic. This will work similarly to Courage but will be used for tests that make more sense for a character’s smarts, like spotting an invisible Ringbearer. No more Uruk-hai Berserkers suddenly becoming experts in detection – this change is going to add a nice layer of logic to those crucial in-game moments.
More Thematic Special Rules
To make characters feel even more like their on-screen counterparts, they’ve added new thematic special rules. For instance, Sam can now use his frying pan in combat (which is just awesome), Lurtz can potentially shrug off wounds, and Isildur might wield the Shards of Narsil if Elendil falls. These little touches are going to make the game feel even more immersive and true to the source material.
New Supplements: Armies of Middle-earth
When the new edition drops, two supplements will be available right away – Armies of The Lord of the Rings™ and Armies of The Hobbit™. These will cover everything from their respective films. But don’t worry, anything not directly from the movies will be covered in the Armies of Middle-earth™ supplement, which is coming shortly after. This supplement will ensure all your favorite profiles and Army Lists that aren’t from the films get their time to shine.
Legacies of Middle-earth
Now, with all these updates, some older profiles will be phased out of official play to make room for new miniatures. But don’t panic – these older profiles will still be available in a Legacies of Middle-earth™ PDF, free to download. While these profiles won’t be legal for official Games Workshop events, you can still use them in your own games and tournaments. So, your beloved old-school models will still have a place on the tabletop.
Wrapping Up the Current Edition with Rise of Angmar™
Finally, if you’ve been eyeing the Rise of Angmar™ supplement, it’s important to know that it was written for the current edition, so it won’t be valid for Matched Play once the new edition launches. But don’t worry, there’s still plenty of content in there to enjoy, and they’re also releasing a free Armies of Arnor and Angmar PDF when the new edition drops. This means you can still field those armies in the new edition without missing a beat.
Looking Ahead
So, there you have it! The new edition of MESBG is shaping up to be the best version yet, with streamlined rules, a stronger focus on narrative play, and loads of updates that are going to make our games even more epic. Keep an eye on Warhammer Community for more details as we get closer to the release – this is going to be a big one!
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