The latest Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game designer’s commentary is here, and it is the kind of update event players live for.
It pulls together clarifications, matched play answers, and a round of errata all in one go. So if your club night has ever stalled on a weird rules edge case, this is aimed at you. Meanwhile, a few top lists got nudged to keep games smoother. And yes, a couple of those changes will absolutely shift how people deploy.
Rules clarifications: common questions and weird corner cases
The team answered community submitted questions that came up at events and gaming weekends. Some are simple, yet important. A model can Make Way into a Control Zone, so yes, you can squeeze into that fight space legally. However, if a Monster wins a Duel Roll while Prone, it cannot use Brutal Power Attacks, so no cheeky floor wrestling into hurls.
They also tackle niche situations like Shieldwall interactions after a cavalry charge knocks a model prone. They also clarify timing on Gwaihir’s Piercing Cry, focusing on whether the affected models are those within 6 inches when declared or when models activate.
Matched Play Guide FAQ: scenario scoring headaches addressed
Since the Matched Play Guide has been out for a bit, the FAQ targets common tournament questions. It covers how to score scenarios that award victory points for killing the most expensive model when that model is part of a pair or group, like Shank and Wrot. It also addresses Reconnoitre scoring with Dominant (X). It already counts as X models for escaping, yet the question is whether it also counts as X hero models for victory points.
Errata and balance nudges: White Hand, Moria, and Thrór
There are general error corrections and added lines for clarity. The Escort the Wounded scenario also gets amendments so it plays as intended. Then come the list adjustments.
Army of the White Hand gets a real decision point. Saruman cannot Conjure Lightning if Gríma is near the target. So you choose between Gríma positioning and lightning control.
Depths of Moria sees Drums in the Deep changed to once per game. Therefore, it becomes a timed spike rather than a constant oppressive buff.
Army of Thrór gets a buff, with up to 50% of warriors allowed throwing weapons instead of 33%. So you can pack in more Grim Hammers.
Summary
This commentary delivers cleaner rules calls, sharper matched play guidance, and targeted errata. Moreover, it reins in a few problem interactions while giving Thrór players more throwing weapon density. If you have more questions, the team is still watching the FAQ inbox via their email. Finally, the next designer’s commentary is planned for August.
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