What About Banners and Hornblowers in Profiles?

For Gondor & Arnor we have covered in detail the warrior adjustment costs and hero adjustment costs - and the only remaining profile issue that remains for them is simply the cost of upgrading the Command Company to include Hornblowers/Drummers and Banners.

HORNBLOWERS/DRUMMERS COMMAND UPGRADE

"Many armies use musicians as a swift method of communication and to drive the troops ever faster into the fray. A warband marching to the beat of a drum or the winding of a  horn will reach its destination all the faster. A formation with a Hornblower or Drummer adds 1 to its Move value."  

- WotR Rule Book pg 60

Based upon the analyses that were done for Warrior Profiles (since Heroes inherit their Move Value from the formation in which they are residing), a profile line increase of 1 for the Move Value costs +2.5 points [0.5*+5 points].

Based purely off of assumption, I think the rationale by GW for the point cost of 15 points for the Hornblower/Drummer upgrade was based upon the rule of Formation Size Limit - i.e., that the majority of companies have a Formation Size Limit of 1-6 companies, and they simply took the "average worst case scenario for an average Formation" (2.5 points/company * 6 maximum companies) = 15 points for the upgrade - and then just plastered it across all the companies that can support such a command model.

So, what I am suggesting is that the Hornblower/Drummer upgrade should be based upon the number of companies within a formation - and not just a flat rate upgrade point cost, thus it would be as if simply upping the Move Value by 1 of the companies within the formation:

1-2 Company in Formation = 5 Points
3-4 Companies in Formation = 10 Points
5-6 Companies in Formation = 15 Points
7-8 Companies in Formation = 20 Points
8+ Companies in Formation = 25 Points (This would apply to the Mordor Orc Warband)

BANNER COMMAND UPGRADE

"As one might expect, Banner Bearers carry the formation's banner into battle. Banners provide a point for the whole formation to rally around, whether they are charging into combat or simply advancing across the battlefield. If the Banner Bearer advances, the whole formation will advance; but if the Banner Bearer flees, the whole company will surely follow him.

When charging, a formation with a Banner Bearer is allowed to re-roll the dice to determine how far it moves. In addition, a formation with a Banner Bearer is allowed to re-roll its Panic tests."

- WotR Rule Book pg 60

Similarly, the point value given to banner upgrades is 35 Points, since it allows 2 re-rolls - one for charging and another for failed Courage tests due to Panic (not any generic terror or courage test). [Point of Note: A "Panic Test" is a very specific Courage Test that is taken by the formation that loses a fight during the Fight Phase. This doesn't mean that the Banner allows ALL Courage tests to be re-rolled, only those that are due to losing a fight. (See pg 50 of the book)]

SO, LONG STORY SHORT: A BANNER ONLY IMPACTS THE CHARGE PHASE AND FIGHT PHASE RESOLUTION FOR A FORMATION.

Another note about re-rolls from the call-out on page 27:

"In some situations the rules allow you a 're-roll' of the dice. This is exactly as it sounds - pick up the dice you wish to re-roll and roll them again. The second score counts, even if it means a worse result than the first, and no single dice can be re-rolled more than once regardless of the source of the re-roll. if you re-roll a 2D6 or 3D6 roll, you must re-roll all of the dice and not just some of them, unless the rule granting you the re-roll explicitly specifies otherwise."

A banner is only good for preventing a "Stalled Charge" (page 43) during the Charge Phase or preventing an "Onset of Dismay" (page 50) during the Fight Phase; and just because you re-roll the dice doesn't mean that fate will not frown on you again ...

Wow, 35 Points suddenly seems very expensive for such a minor game changing upgrade. Preventing a stalled charge could be pretty useful ... maybe 10 points useful. Preventing an onset of dismay could be very useful if your formation has already lost more than 50% of its starting company count - but there again, that formation already has "one foot in the grave" at that point ...really worth 25 additional points? No, maybe 10-15 at the most ...

So, I am suggesting that a Banner Bearer Command upgrade cost 25 flat points - regardless of formation size.

So there we have it ... Perhaps I will do a little more looking into other upgrades for Gondor & Arnor before attempting to hit other conversations ... Stay Tuned!






LINKS TO OTHER RANDOM POSTS

1. GW WotR Unit Cost Controversy
2. What About Banners and Hornblowers in Profiles?
3. Legendary Formations and Their Point Costs
4. The "About Face!" Errata - More Game Changing than Expected
5. What Would a WotR Blog be without a Discussion of Epic Strike?!?
6. Blog Introduction
7. WotR Army Roster Sheet - Available for Download 
8. WotR Army Roster Example 1000 Point Gondor Army
9. Ideas for iPad Simulator of WotR