Using the SBG Profiles from Warbands & The Hobbit to Extend the WotR Army Lists with Missing Profiles - Describing the Process [Part 1/13]

Over on www.one-ring.co.uk there are several posts about the missing profiles that are not contained within WotR, especially with the release of Warbands for SBG (which included several new models and profiles) and after the new Hobbit miniatures and profiles for SBG were also released. In order to help fill the gaps, it would make sense to use the SBG profiles and translate them over into a WotR profile to allow us dedicated players to have more access to those models and units.

One thing to note: This process is not an "exact science" and usually requires a little "creative liberty" to make it work; however, since we have the "formula" for calculating Unit Cost(s), it is an easy thing to crunch numbers for any "new" profile that we effectively create.

Here is the SBG profile for Tauriel from The Desolation of Smaug book for the Hobbit Strategy Battle Game:



First, it would make sense to have Tauriel be an Epic Hero in The Elven Kingdoms Faction within WotR. Recall that Epic Heroes in WotR only have 4 stat-line items: Fight Value, Resilience, Courage and Might. We can use the values directly from her SBG profile to begin to "fill in the gaps" for her Epic Hero Profile. 

1. Tauriel's Fight Value from the SBG profile is a value of 6. Perfect - we can copy that directly into her WotR profile.
2. Tauriel's Wound Value from the SBG profile is 2 and she also has a Fate Value of 3. Recall from the SBG rules that Fate can be used to "discount a wound" on a roll of 4, 5, or 6 … this means that it in essence counts as "1/2 of a Wound Point". This would imply that Tauriel would then have 3.5 Wounds = Wound Value + 1/2 (Fate Value) = 2 + 1/2 (3) = 2 + 1.5 = 3.5. Since we must have Whole Number Values for profile statistics we could assign Tauriel's Resilience Value to be either 3 or 4. Looking at the set of profiles that already exist for models, 3 is a pretty rare value to have - and 4 is nonexistent … so 3 it is.
3. Tauriel's Courage Value from the SBG profile is a value of 6. OK - good enough, let's put that in for her WotR Courage Value.
4. Finally, Tauriel's Might Value from SBG is 3. So we can just use that, too for her WotR Might Value.

Cool - that worked pretty good. Let's now look at the special rules that she has:

1. Woodland Creature - This is a special rule that all Elves have in SBG. From a WotR perspective all Elves have the Special Rules: Pathfinder (Master) and Terror. It seems like these map 1:1 from SBG to WotR. Since Tauriel is going to be an Epic Hero, she gets the "Bestow" versions of: Bestow Pathfinder (Master) and Bestow Terror.
2. Blade Mistress - This is Tauriel's unique special rule. She should probably retain this in her Epic Hero Profile. Here is where the creative liberty is going to need to come into full effect. Reading the SBG version of the rule, we want to keep the "intent" of the rule - but put it into a WotR context.

As for the Wargear that she possesses in her SBG profile, WotR Epic Heroes typically inherit the weapons/armor of the unit in which they are participating - and do not typically have a "Bestow"-like capability for upgrades. So we won't worry about the Elven Cloak, Armor, Elf Bow, or Daggers.

Finally, Tauriel being an Epic Hero gains the standard set of Heroic Actions: Will of Iron, At the Double!, Heroic Move, Heroic Shoot, Heroic Charge, Heroic Fight and Heroic Duel. Also, we need to apply a "logical" set of Epic Actions to her as well.

A good way to think about this is to consider the set of Epic Actions that already exist within the target faction and try to find opportunities to "fill the gaps" that exist. It seems like making a list of Epic Actions and then analyzing the character's role within the films also works pretty well. If you see the character constantly shooting a bow - then maybe Epic Shot is a good choice. If you see the character going "nuts" because of some "psychological complication", maybe Epic Rage is a good choice. 

A good number to shoot for is about 3-4 Epic Actions, we don't want the Hero to become too expensive just because we want a "superhero(ine)". Try to reign in the desire to assign everything to the unit - after all, if adding the character creates a substantial unbalance when played, it will be obvious when the model is included - and will inevitability result in an annoyed opponent. Constantly keep the following thought in mind: "If I never got to play this unit - and it was regularly used against me … what would I think of it?"

Finally, if there is something that is "really unique" to the character that is worth of Epic Stature, which does not currently have an Epic Action associated with it … then it may be a candidate for a new Epic Action. Which do-able, it is suggested that this be "the exception, not the rule" (pun somewhat intended, lol).

Here is the complete list of Vanilla WotR Epic Actions and the typical assignee:

• Epic Challenge - Good for Hero vs Hero types
• Epic Channelling - Good for Magic Users
• Epic Charge - Good for Fighter Heroes
• Epic Cowardice - Unique to Evil Heroes (Mostly Goblins)
• Epic Defense - Good for Heavy Armored/Shielded Heroes
• Epic Duel - Good for Hero vs Hero types
• Epic Intervention - Good for "Main" Race Heroes
• Epic Journey - Unique to Aragorn
• Epic Leadership - Good for "Main" Race Heroes
• Epic Poison - Unique to Poison Users (Mostly Harad)
• Epic Rage - Good for a Hero with a Need to "Go Crazy" (i.e., Lost a limb, Lost a lover, etc…)
• Epic Rampage - Good for a "Kills Way Too Many Enemies" Hero
• Epic Renewal - Good for a Hero that Leads or Councils Other Heroes
• Epic Restoration - Good for a Healing Hero
• Epic Ruination - Unique to Evil Spell Casters that have Access to Spells of Ruin
• Epic Sacrifice - Good for a Hero that Dies (or almost dies) in the Movies
• Epic Shot - Good for Archery Heroes
• Epic Strength - Good for Big/Strong Heroes
• Epic Strike - Good for Everyone
• Epic Tranquility - Unique to Good Spell Casters

As we saw over in the Epic Hero Special Rule Applicability Post for Elves, here are the Epic Actions that the Elves already have access to:

• Epic Challenge
• Epic Channelling
• Epic Charge
• Epic Defense
• Epic Leadership
• Epic Rage
• Epic Renewal
• Epic Restoration
• Epic Sacrifice
• Epic Shot
• Epic Strike

Let's look at the list again, mark those that already are "covered" by the list with an (*) and determine which "make sense" for Tauriel (colored green):

• (*) Epic Challenge - Yes
• (*) Epic Channelling - No
• (*) Epic Charge - Yes
•      Epic Cowardice - No
• (*) Epic Defense - No
•      Epic Duel - Yes
•      Epic Intervention - No
•      Epic Journey - No
• (*) Epic Leadership - No
•      Epic Poison - No
• (*) Epic Rage - Yes
•      Epic Rampage - Yes
• (*) Epic Renewal - No
• (*) Epic Restoration - No
•      Epic Ruination - No
• (*) Epic Sacrifice - No
• (*) Epic Shot - Yes
•      Epic Strength - No
• (*) Epic Strike - Yes
•      Epic Tranquility - No

Let's give her Epic Duel, Epic Rage and Epic Strike. She will then cover a new Epic Hero Ability with Epic Duel, her Epic Rage fits well with the movie's Star-crossed Lovers with Kili, and as a Duelist Epic Strike is always useful.

Now we can use the equation to calculate her Cost. Whew, this is digging WAY back in the list of posts …

 Based upon the profile for the Epic Hero Tauriel:

• Cst = 10 (Epic)
• F = 6
• R = 3
• C = 6
• Mt = 3
• Ar = 0 (Epic Hero)
• XWpn = 0 (Epic Hero)
• SpR = 6 (Bestow Pathfinders (Master), Bestow Terror, Blade Mistress, Epic Strike, Epic Rage, and Epic Duel) - [Remember that the Heroic Actions are "free".]

Plugging all this into the equation gives:

COST OF HERO PROFILE = {[(Cst)*5]+[(F-4)*5]+[(R-2)*5]+[(C-4)*5]+[(Mt-2)*10]+[(Ar)*5]+[(XWpn)*5]+[(SpR)*10]}

= {[(10)*5]+[(6-4)*5]+[(3-2)*5]+[(6-4)*5]+[(3-2)*10]+[(0)*5]+[(0)*5]+[(6)*10]}

= {[50]+[(2)*5]+[(1)*5]+[(2)*5]+[(1)*10]+[0]+[0]+[60]}

= {[50]+[10]+[5]+[10]+[10]+[0]+[0]+[60]}

= 145

This gives 145 Points for this profile.

Putting it all together, here is what her profile would look like:

That's pretty cool - and exciting, too! I can't wait to get her into a formation of Wood Elves and see how she works out!






LINKS TO OTHER PARTS OF THE SBG TO WOTR CONVERSION SERIES

1. Describing the Process [Part 1/13]
2. Creating the Full List of Needed Profiles and Assigning WotR Armies [Part 2/13]
1. Status Update for Progress on Profile Creation and Army List Document Writing - Good Armies [Part 2a/13]
2. Status Update for Progress on Profile Creation and Army List Document Writing - Evil Armies [Part 2b/13]
3. Extending the Gondor & Arnor List [Part 3/13]
4. Extending The Kingdom of Rohan List [Part 4/13]
5. Extending The Elven Kingdoms List [Part 5/13]
6. Extending The Dwarf Holds List [Part 6/13]
1. Sneak Peak at the Profiles for Thorin [Part 6a/13]
2. Common Formations [Part 6b/13]
3. Legendary Formations [Part 6c/13]
4. Epic Heroes [Part 6d/13]
7. Creating The City of Dale List [Part 7/13]
8. Extending The Forgotten Kingdoms List [Part 8/13]
9. Extending the Mordor List [Part 9/13]
10. Extending The Fortress of Isengard List [Part 10/13]
11. Extending The Misty Mountains (Moria) List [Part 11/13]
12. Extending The Fallen Realms List [Part 12/13]
13. Extending the Angmar List [Part 13/13]
1. Common and Rare Formations [Part 13a/13]
2. Legendary Formations [Part 13b/13]
3. Epic Heroes [Part 13c/13]