Next up is Mordor - My initial suspect is that it will be similar to Gondor & Arnor, since it appears that those two armies were intentionally created to face-off one against another. In fact, I think that there may have been pairs like that across the development of several of the Armies. When playing against their "opposite Army", games are "fairly" well balanced for the original points, but the breakdown occurs when you step outside of those pairing since the stat lines are not normalized across all Armies (as we are attempting to do here). I also noticed that Mordor has A LOT of WarMachines - so I would suspect that a typical fielded Mordor Army would include multiple WarMachines (interestingly the Good Army that has a lot of WarMachines is The Forgotten Kingdoms with Ents
[the good version of Trolls], Eagles
[the good version of Nazgul], & Special Formations).
Also, with Mordor we have a new Baseline Profile that we have not yet encountered (I lied, there is already a Monster Hero profile already in the Isengard's post) ... the "Monster Hero". Typically profiles with Might have been only the Hero Profile that have no stat line entries for Ballistic Skill, Strength, Defense, & Attack; so it seems that the "Monster Hero" is a little bit like a Warrior and a little bit like a Command Hero. The way to identify the "Monster Hero" is that they are not a Command or Legendary Hero, but rather their own formation - and they still have Might.
It looks like the base profile for a "Monster Hero" character in War of the Ring is:
Monster Hero Baseline Profile:
Cst | Mv | F | B | S | D | A | R | C | Mt | Ar | XWpn | SpR
-------------------------------------------------------------------
6/7/10 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Key:
Cst = Baseline Cost of the "Monster Hero"
- 6 = Rank and File Hero ... Equivalent of a Command Hero
- Examples: Mordor Troll Chieftain, Isengard Troll Chieftain, & Spider Queen
- 7 = Lesser Named Hero ... Equivalent of a Legendary Hero + 1
- Examples: Glorfindel, Lord of the West; Quickbeam; Beechbone; Tom Bombadil; Shelob; & Dragon of Ancient Times
- 10 = Big Named Hero ... Equivalent of an Epic Hero
- Examples: Treebeard; The Three Hunters; Gwairhir; The Fellowship of the Ring; The White Council; Council of Wizardry; The Necromancer of Dol Guldur; The Nine are Abroad; Winged Nazgul; The Balrog of Morgoth; Buhrdur; & Gulavhar, the Terror of Arnor
Mv = Move value of the "Monster Hero" [Range: 0 .. INF]
F = Fight value of the "Monster Hero" [Range: 1 .. 10]
B = Ballistic value of the "Monster Hero" [Range: 1 .. 6]
S = Strength value of the "Monster Hero" [Range: 1 .. 10]
D = Defense value of the "Monster Hero" [Range: 1 .. 10]
A = Attack value of the "Monster Hero" [Range: 1 .. 10]
R = Resistance value of the "Monster Hero" [Range: 1 .. 4]
C = Courage value of the "Monster Hero" [Range: 1 .. 10]
Mt = Might value of the "Monster Hero" [Range: 0 .. INF]
Ar = Armor level of the "Monster Hero"
XWpn = Extra weapons that are equipped for the company in a formation
- 0 = Hand Weapon only
1+ = Any other additional wargear listed within the profile (i.e., If a profile, like Minas Tirith Archers, has "Each company has hand weapons, heavy armor and bows" this would imply that the number of extra weapons would be 1 ... 0 for the hand weapon and 1 for the bows. For the Knights of Dol Amroth: "Each company has hand weapons, heavy armour, shields and lances", this would imply they would have Ar = 2 and Xwpn = 2; 0 for the hand weapon, 1 for the shields and 2 for the lances.)
SpR = Magic Spells, Epic Actions & Special rules that are assigned specifically to the "Monster Hero"
For all heroes, regardless of level, it appears that Heroic Actions are not counted as special rules - and are effectively free
0 = At the Double!, Heroic Move, Heroic Shoot, Heroic Charge, Heroic Fight & Heroic Duel (see pages 64-67 of the rules manual for details)
For "Monster Heroes" this value will always be the total count of Magic Spells, Epic Actions & Special rules that are assigned to the hero
0 = No magic spells, epic actions or special rules (only Heroic Actions)
+1 for each magic spell (not discipline) and Mastery Level above 1, epic action or special rule available to the profile
When "Monster Hero" profiles are created it seems that statistics adjust the cost up or down by a set number of points:
Move = +/- 5 points per value point above or below 6
Fight = +/- 5 points per value point above or below 3
Ballistic = -/+ 5 points per value point above or below 4
Strength = +/- 5 points per value point above or below 3
Defense = +/- 5 points per value point above or below 3
Attacks = +/- 5 points per value point above or below 8
Resistance = +/- 5 points per value point above or below 1
Courage = +/- 5 points per value point above or below 3
Might = +/- 10 points per value point above 0
Armor Value = +/- 5 points per armor level
Extra Weapons = +/- 10 points per extra weapon
Special Rules = +/- 10 points per spell, mastery level of 2 or greater, special rule, or epic action
COST OF MONSTER HERO PROFILE = {[(Cst)*5]+[(Mv-6)*5]+[(F-3)*5]+[(B-4)*-5]+[(S-3)*5]+[(D-3)*5]+[(A-8)*5]+[(R-1)*5]+[(C-3)*5]+[(Mt)*10]+[(Ar)*5]+[(XWpn)*10]+[(SpR)*10]}
Example:
Based upon the profile for the "Monster Hero" Shelob:
Cst = 7
Mv = 8
F = 7
B = 5
S = 7
D = 8
A = 4
R = 2
C = 5
Mt = 3
Wargear: "Vicious mandibles (hand weapons)."
Ar = 0 (The Wargear entry has nothing related to Armor.)
XWpn = 0 (The Wargear entry gives: 0 for the hand weapon.)
SpR = 7 (The Special Rules have "Ambusher, Hard to Kill!, Pathfinder (Master), Prowler, Terror, Envenomed Bite, Hunter's Pounce" listed.)
Plugging all this into the equation gives:
COST OF MONSTER HERO PROFILE = {[(7)*5]+[(8-6)*5]+[(7-3)*5]+[(5-4)*-5]+[(7-3)*5]+[(8-3)*5]+[(4-8)*5]+[(2-1)*5]+[(5-3)*5]+[(3)*10]+[(0)*5]+[(0)*10]+[(7)*10]}
= {[35]+[(2)*5]+[(4)*5]+[(1)*-5]+[(4)*5]+[(5)*5]+[(-4)*5]+[(1)*5]+[(2)*5]+[30]+[0]+[0]+[70]}
= {[35]+[10]+[20]+[-5]+[20]+[25]+[-20]+[5]+[10]+[30]+[0]+[0]+[70]}
= 200
This gives 200 Points for Shelob's profile.
MORDOR WARRIORS
NOTE: The profile image above is the old version of the book's rule for the Hard to Kill! special rule. For the updated version of this rule, see here:
Hard to Kill! Special Rule UpdatesKeys:
(C) = Common Formation, (R) = Rare Formation, (L) = Legendary Formation
[I] = Infantry, [H] = Cavalry, [A] = Artillery, [M] = Monster, [MH] = Monster Hero
- (L) [MH] The Necromancer of Dol Guldur - Underpriced by 33%
- (L) [MH] Winged Nazgul - Underpriced by 25%
- (R) [A] Siege Bow Battery - Underpriced by 23%
- (L) [MH] The Nine are Abroad - Underpriced by 15%
- (L) [MH] Winged Witch-king Nazgul - Underpriced by 10%
- (L) [MH] Sauron, the Dark Lord of Mordor - Underpriced by 7%
- (C) [I] Morannon Orc Warband - Accurately Priced (0% deviation)
- (C) [H] Warg Rider Warband - Accurately Priced (0% deviation)
- (C) [I] Mordor Orc Warband - Accurately Priced (0% deviation)
- (R) [M] Mordor Troll - Accurately Priced (0% deviation)
- (L) [I] Shagrat's Tower Guard - Accurately Priced (0% deviation)
- (R) [MH] Mordor Troll Chieftain - Overpriced by 11%
- (R) [I] Black Guard of Barad-dur - Overpriced by 11%
- (L) [I] Grishnakh's Trackers - Overpriced by 20%
- (R) [A] War Catapult Battery - Overpriced by 25%
- (L) [MH] Shelob - Overpriced by 25%
- (R) [M] Mordor Troll Drummer - Overpriced by 43%
- (C) [I] Orc Tracker Warband - Overpriced by 50%
- (L) [I] Gorbag's Morgul Rats - Overpriced by 50%
- (R) [I] Morgul Stalker Warband - Overpriced by 75%
- (R) [A] Mordor Battering Ram - Overpriced by 100%
- (L) [I] Twilight Ringwraiths - Overpriced by 114%
- (L) [I] Castellans of Dol Guldur - Overpriced by 145%
Applying the template from cheapest (weakest stat-wise) to most expensive (most powerful) gives the following. Of course, the Monster Heroes are at the bottom where they should be of course.
- 10 Points per Company:
- (C) [I] Mordor Orc Warband
- (L) [I] Gorbag's Morgul Rats
- 20 Points per Company:
- (C) [I] Morannon Orc Warband
- (C) [H] Warg Rider Warband
- (C) [I] Orc Tracker Warband
- (R) [I] Morgul Stalker Warband
- (R) [A] Mordor Battering Ram
- 25 Points per Company:
- (C) [I] Mordor Uruk-hai Warband
- (L) [I] Shagrat's Tower Guard
- (L) [I] Grishnakh's Trackers
- 45 Points per Company:
- (R) [I] Black Guard of Barad-dur
- 55 Points per Company:
- (L) [I] Castellans of Dol Guldur
- 65 Points per Company:
- (R) [A] Siege Bow Battery
- 70 Points per Company:
- (L) [I] Twilight Ringwraiths
- 80 Points per Company:
- (R) [A] War Catapult Battery
- 100 Points per Company:
- 105 Points per Company:
- (R) [M] Mordor Troll Drummer
- 180 Points per Company:
- (R) [MH] Mordor Troll Chieftain
- 200 Points per Company:
- 335 Points per Company:
- 360 Points per Company:
- (L) [MH] Winged Witch-king Nazgul
- 445 Points per Company:
- (L) [MH] The Necromancer of Dol Guldur
- 540 Points per Company:
- (L) [MH] Sauron, the Dark Lord of Mordor
- 585 Points per Company:
- (L) [MH] The Nine are Abroad
MORDOR HEROES
Key: (C) = Command Hero, (L) = Legendary Hero, (E) = Epic Hero
- (E) The Mouth of Sauron - Underpriced by 41%
- (E) Ringwraith - Underpriced by 40%
- (C) Guard Captain BGoB - Underpriced by 33%
- (E) Gollum - Underpriced by 17%
- (E) The Witch-king Ringwraith - Underpriced by 15%
- (E) Gothmog, Castellan of Minas Morgul - Underpriced by 12%
- (E) Kardush the Firecaller - Underpriced by 9%
- (L) Shagrat - Underpriced by 6%
- (L) Grishnakh - Underpriced by 6%
- (C) Orc Captain WRW - Accurately Priced (0% deviation)
- (C) Uruk-hai Captain MUW - Accurately Priced (0% deviation)
- (C) Black Uruk Shaman BGoB - Accurately Priced (0% deviation)
- (C) Mordor Shaman WRW - Overpriced by 25%
- (C) Black Uruk Shaman MUW - Overpriced by 25%
- (L) Black Uruk Shaman STG - Overpriced by 25%
- (L) Gorbag - Overpriced by 36%
- (C) Orc Captain MOW - Overpriced by 43%
- (C) Morannon Orc Captain - Overpriced by 43%
- (C) Mordor Shaman MOW - Overpriced by 54%
- (C) Mordor Shaman MorOW - Overpriced by 54%
- (C) Mordor Shaman GMR - Overpriced by 54%
Oh, this is interesting ... Apparently using big name Epic Heroes with Nazgul and the Necromancer would be a cheap way under the existing rule set to have a formidable Mordor force! Sorting by the cost calculated by the template from cheapest (weakest stat-wise) to most expensive (most powerful):
- Heroes that should cost 35 Points:
- (C) Orc Captain MOW
- (C) Morannon Orc Captain
- Heroes that should cost 50 Points:
- (C) Orc Captain WRW
- (C) Uruk-hai Captain MUW
- Heroes that should cost 55 Points:
- Heroes that should cost 60 Points:
- Heroes that should cost 65 Points:
- (C) Mordor Shaman MOW
- (C) Mordor Shaman MorOW
- (L) Mordor Shaman GMR
- Heroes that should cost 75 Points:
- Heroes that should cost 80 Points:
- (L) Shagrat
- (L) Grishnakh
- (C) Mordor Shaman WRW
- (C) Black Uruk Shaman MUW
- (L) Black Uruk Shaman STG
- Heroes that should cost 100 Points:
- (C) Black Uruk Shaman BGoB
- Heroes that should cost 110 Points:
- (E) Karduch the Firecaller
- Heroes that should cost 125 Points:
- (E) Gothmog, Castellan of Minas Morgul
- Heroes that should cost 170 Points:
- Heroes that should cost 210 Points:
- Heroes that should cost 235 Points:
- (E) The Witch-King Ringwraith
