WHITE DWARF · APRIL 2009
War of the Ring launches with design notes, a huge Pelennor battle and scenery guidance. Tank-ace rules, a narrative Empire campaign, Stompa painting and army-wide painting methods complete the issue.
COVER TO COVER
In printed page order
Mark introduces the mass-battle game as another way to enjoy Middle-earth miniatures. It sits alongside the skirmish system, much as different scales coexist elsewhere in the hobby. He also considers historical forces and games without points limits. A new release becomes an opportunity to reconsider familiar habits and choose formats that suit the group.
The standalone rulebook gathers profiles, army organisation and a complete mass-battle system. Historical and standard scenarios accompany modelling material and miniature photographs. Its three-hundred-and-twenty-eight pages cover the existing range within one volume. The notice establishes the new game’s scale and publication rather than reproducing the whole ruleset.
A plastic Ent offers interchangeable heads and many separate branches. A boulder or captured Orc changes what it carries into battle. Vines and fungus give the legs an aged woodland surface. Spare dead Orcs can decorate its base or serve as wound counters.
Twenty plastic warriors depict the cursed Men of Dunharrow. Their oath binds them to the rightful king rather than Sauron. A separate metal banner supports formations in the new mass-battle system. The notice explicitly identifies uses for the warriors in both Middle-earth games.
A Captain, Shaman and Banner Bearer provide different formation upgrades. Martial leadership brings Might and stronger fighting characteristics. Magic and rerolls add alternative support. The metal figures make the command company visibly different from the surrounding rank-and-file.
Powerful Orcs rise above Mordor’s internal rivalry to lead their followers. The metal command group provides a captain, shaman and banner. Those figures support massed formations as well as ordinary skirmish forces. The notice connects their authority with a clearly recognisable battlefield role.
The new metal assassin serves as a distinctive company upgrade. His Master of Blades ability offers several attack approaches in War of the Ring. The skirmish game also uses him as a dangerous troop-killer. The notice establishes the dual gaming role without printing a complete profile.
The infantry of Rohan gain a Captain, hornblower and banner. One sculpt shows the captain throttling an Orc. Musical command helps the formation move faster in massed battles. The miniatures add character to the militia fighting beside the more famous mounted riders.
A forward-moving command group directs Gondor’s infantry. The captain stands above a fallen Orc while the hornblower gestures his followers onward. A steadily marching banner completes the set. Their different poses combine into a coordinated company rather than three identical warriors.
Drûzhag joins the new game as an Epic Hero with command over foul creatures. His power is intended to influence the battle where it is most needed. The metal model provides a visual focus for that beast-led role. A separate skirmish profile is promised later rather than supplied here.
Metal Rangers combine strong archery with capable close fighting. Their equipment suits a mobile force that can continue to threaten at range. The notice recommends them for a bow-heavy collection. Their restrained appearance contrasts with the more ceremonial warriors released alongside them.
Hand-picked guards represent the defenders of Minas Tirith’s inner sanctum. Their courage and strength distinguish them from ordinary soldiers. Michael’s metal sculpts give those elite troops a dedicated appearance. The notice introduces additional figures for expanding a Gondor force.
The notice reminds collectors that Uruk-hai also serve in Mordor. New metal figures place those warriors among Sauron’s less disciplined rabble. Their presence adds another infantry identity beyond Isengard’s famous pike blocks. The review presents the sculpted models without reproducing their full game entries.
Elite riders provide a more courageous and forceful cavalry option for Rohan. The notice describes warriors who resist bowfire and terrify the foe they charge. Their metal models extend the mounted range beyond ordinary Riders. The emphasis is on their character as a select formation.
An individual Shieldbearer supports the resilience of Dwarf Kinbands against panic. Michael’s sculpt expresses stubborn determination in a compact character. The notice identifies him as a special command upgrade. It also points ahead to a later Strategy Battle Game profile, which is not present in this issue.
Amdur’s golden armour conceals a violent servant of Evil. The new Epic Hero threatens nearby enemies through intense blade work. His distinctive metal figure gives the Easterlings a named centrepiece. The release announcement precedes the separately promised skirmish rules.
The Stormcaller raises a staff as though shaping the surrounding natural forces. Wind, water and trees provide the setting for this kind of Elven magic. The metal figure captures that active casting moment. A skirmish profile is announced for a later issue rather than included here.
Two plastic tray types organise infantry and cavalry companies. A pack supplies capacity for twenty-four infantry or six mounted models. Matching the miniature material makes the trays straightforward hobby components. The notice offers them as an alternative to the homemade bases described later.
Gandalf rides a rearing Shadowfax with his staff still intact. The sculpt depicts the wizard shortly before confronting the Witch-king. Its dramatic mount makes it suitable for leading cavalry formations. The notice connects the model’s specific film moment to its presence in a collection.
The king rides Snowmane in full armour with Herugrim drawn. Michael captures the film character’s likeness as he leads the famous charge. The miniature’s battlefield effectiveness is demonstrated later in the issue. Here the notice introduces the mounted sculpt and its historical scene.
The Ringwraith rides a dark horse with a flaming blade raised overhead. That weapon makes his otherwise shadowy form immediately recognisable. The sculpt represents one of the several appearances available to the character. The notice situates the model around the siege of Minas Tirith.
Aragorn’s kinsman carries the king’s standard at the head of the Grey Company. The White Tree decorates its broad fabric. Alan’s metal figure makes the banner a clear focal point for the Rangers. The notice links the miniature directly to Halbarad’s role in the War of the Ring.
Juan Diaz’s metal veterans carry varied weapons and equipment. The models can represent squad leaders or several kinds of veteran units. That flexibility lets a collector change their gaming role without replacing the figures. The notice highlights sergeants, Sternguard, command squads and unmounted Vanguard as possibilities.
Fleeing the Imperial Fists, the Soul Drinkers enter an uncharted region. A lifeless world raises questions that Sarpedon’s warriors try to answer through its survivors. Necrons turn that investigation into a struggle for survival. The release notice establishes the next danger faced by the disgraced Chapter.
A Dwarf king and Elven prince negotiate trade in the ancient Old World. An attack by Northmen kills the king’s son and brings vengeance into their alliance. Both peoples must set aside growing differences to resist the invaders. The novel’s notice introduces that fragile cooperation before the later era of human empires.
The anthology gathers stories from the civil war that nearly destroys the Imperium. Former battle-brothers become enemies across distant worlds. Different authors explore heroism and tragedy within the same conflict. The notice identifies the collected format and its editors rather than treating the individual external stories as magazine articles.
The resin Thunderhawk combines orbital troop transport with substantial armament. Optional Chapter doors personalise the large aircraft. Ork releases instead provide three Nob bikes and a jet-powered Warboss mount. The notice identifies Will Hayes and Mark Bedford’s work and the alternative assembly choices within the bike kits.
A plastic Steam Tank leads the forthcoming Empire releases. Archers and Greatswords make an entirely plastic army increasingly practical. Colin Grayson’s tank includes internal detail and alternative fittings. A separate full-colour Uniforms and Heraldry guide promises extensive province references for painters.
Five surviving champions enter a final battle together. Kurt Helborg and Shadowblade fall before the contest narrows to the Elves. Adam Troke’s customised Prince Temakador on Star Dragon defeats Tyrion. The brief report concludes the studio contest without supplying a new character profile.
Mat and Jeremy explain how companies and formations create the look and pace of massed Middle-earth battles. Faster combat, uncertain charge distances and distinct troop roles reward coordinated plans. Heroes influence nearby troops, relocate between formations and spend Might on decisive actions. Example armies and a successful Black Gate game show how those ideas work with existing collections.
Plasticard or stiff card can form homemade company bases. Consistent minimum dimensions keep units organised and easy to measure. Texturing and painting the tray extends the army’s basing scheme. Adhesive putty holds figures temporarily without making the movement base part of each miniature.
A greatly outnumbered Good force must survive while Frodo approaches Mount Doom. The studio gathers numerous heroes, Eagles, Trolls and the remaining Nazgûl for the spectacle. Two Good deployment areas face enemies surrounding them across an open board. Gondor holds long enough for the Ring’s destruction, demonstrating how an unequal scenario can still create a tense game.
Shadowswords deploy as strategic weapons rather than ordinary tank squadrons. Andy then follows Pious Karren from a failed naval career into the Steel Legion. His Iron Saint earns fame through the defence of Anthrand Plain. Individual crew stories and the cursed fourth gun give the huge vehicle a distinctive personality.
Escorting battle tanks and optional supporting vehicles form protective rings around a Shadowsword. The formation applies the logic of a naval battle group to open terrain. Smaller vehicles can absorb destruction that would otherwise reach more valuable engines. Its movement restrictions keep that layered protection together as the force advances.
The named Shadowsword’s veteran crew supply distinct special abilities. Karren makes it a scoring flank attacker, while driver and gunner improve movement and destructive reliability. Crew casualties can replace ordinary structural damage. The cursed left sponson becomes the first weapon lost, turning its background into a specific rules consequence.
Nick Bayton converts the commander from a Steel Legion Commissar and tank-crew legs. Individual transfer letters record the tank’s name and history. Kill symbols distinguish its defeated vehicles, while heraldry and campaign memorials cover the hull. Extra weathering and a named scroll make the cursed sponson visibly different.
The collectors consider how to expand established Lizardmen armies and build matching terrain. Tournament veterans examine improved Saurus, mixed Skink units and numerous monsters. Campaign players instead adapt maps and background to Lustria. Their different priorities show how the same range supports both competitive plans and growing narrative collections.
Ancient Lizardmen begin with more established territory than other campaign forces. Four starting tiles include cities in adjacent regions. Expansion and new construction cost twice the ordinary empire points. Raids retain their normal cost, reflecting a civilisation better suited to defending old holdings than rapidly building new ones.
Dave and Jeremy build a compact campaign around an Orc invasion of the Empire. Hidden map positions and loosely defined troop categories keep administration manageable. Named leaders and terrain suggest battles without requiring equal points. Their first encounter captures the watchtower but ends in an Imperial victory, leaving prisoners and grudges for later games.
Mounted Goblins ambush an isolated watchtower under magical fog. Visibility expands each turn until Rottheim’s defenders can respond. Jeremy gives up his Shaman’s battlefield presence in exchange for that temporary concealment. The narrative balances an early assault against the danger of remaining once artillery and relief troops can see the attackers.
Six players gather the studio’s forces for a huge inaugural battle. Théoden’s charges and duels devastate the enemy, but stalled cavalry and Troll attacks weaken the other Good fronts. Reinforcements briefly restore hope before Orc archers kill the Three Hunters. The loss of too many heroes makes an Evil victory unavoidable despite the king’s extraordinary survival.
The adapted scenario separates Good and Evil forces into timed arrivals. The opening cavalry charge benefits from automatic momentum, while Éowyn gains advantages against Ringwraiths. Aragorn and Théoden receive destiny protection. Losing enough named heroes prevents Good from winning, giving character survival a campaign-scale importance.
Jervis discusses a reader’s description of informal basement gaming. Shared rules provide a starting language that trusted groups can adapt to their own stories. Background, models and creative supplements often matter more to those players than small balance disputes. He welcomes that approach while recognising that different groups enjoy different kinds of games.
Chris changes a Black Reach Terminator’s stance by cutting and rotating its torso. A second conversion replaces Deffkopta rockets with spare big-shoota barrels. Natural joints help conceal the cuts. The illustrated examples show how a small tool operation can produce either a new pose or a different weapon option.
Mark paints the large model in sections, using smaller crew figures as breaks between major tasks. Masked camouflage, differently aged metals and a green face give the Blood Axe machine its identity. Irregular whitewash and damaged plates suggest repairs by Grots rather than neat factory work. Controlled chipping, dirt and rust finish the model without obscuring its main colours.
Putty masks establish the tiger-stripe pattern before the grey body is sprayed. Dark washes define the individual plates and drybrushed highlights restore their edges. Red bands and salvaged-looking panels break up the hull. Dull metallic feet connect the camouflaged upper body to its rough mechanical foundations.
The two arms receive different finishes so their forms stay readable. Brown and sepia washes create patchy dull metal on the gun arm. The chainfist instead gains an oxidised red surface with orange-pale edge highlights. Stippled black at the muzzles and bright ammunition add small signs of use.
A yellow-green head forms the main focal point without matching the crew’s skin exactly. Dark shading and a pale drybrush bring out its sculpted plates. Thin whitewash covers metal irregularly around the face and jaw. Brown-to-bone horns are brushed across their grain so the grooves remain defined.
Contrasting camouflage makes the riggers visible against the hull. Green skin develops from a dark foundation into a brighter final colour. The belly plate repeats the patchy whitewash of the face. A warm red searchlight lens adds another focal detail to the broad assembly.
Raised and recessed glyphs require different painting orders to keep cleanup straightforward. A limited palette preserves the colourfulness of Ork totems without overwhelming the whole model. Exhaust rust is built through repeated stippling. Darkened ends and final washes tie the pipes into the worn machinery.
Irregular dark chip shapes are filled with brown or silver to suggest different damage ages. Controlled sepia streaks imply rust, while black washes suggest leaking oil. Mud gathers on feet, lower armour and platforms. Real machinery photographs guide placement so weathering supports the model’s construction.
John Blanche nominates the plastic Marine system rather than one fixed figure. Interchangeable torsos, legs and equipment let a conversion grow through spontaneous choices. His own examples often become Chaos servants as the components suggest a direction. A gallery of different Chapters illustrates the range of results possible from the related kits.
Chris plans an army around a tested dominant colour and a limited palette. Large batches, prepared bases and organised assembly keep the work moving. More detailed monsters and heroes become rewards after completing ordinary troops. His Mordor army shows how consistent colours can still create a varied rabble rather than a uniform regiment.
Chris uses a brown foundation to save time on belts and other small details. Repeating a few colours in different positions makes the Orcs coherent but irregular. A mixed brown-and-black wash shades many materials at once. Extra highlights distinguish command figures while keeping them part of the same unit.
Riders remain separate from their mounts to protect finished surfaces and improve access. Related brown shades vary the Wargs without making them look unrelated. Mounted and foot versions of a hero are painted together for consistency. More elaborate bases and selective contrast make those final characters stand out from the army.
Wade draws on early Gibbons and Goodwin imagery for his Legion. Mixed Marine parts create varied weapons while preserving the distinctive helmets and chainaxes. Berzerker crests extend even to converted Terminators. A large Angron model serves as a Daemon Prince in ordinary games and the Primarch in Apocalypse.
The feature explains difficult, impassable and defensible terrain through studio examples. Woods and watchtowers offer protected positions with limited company capacity. Cliffs and rock formations channel movement according to their agreed treatment. Discussing each piece before play makes the terrain both tactically useful and easier to understand.
An Anduin crossing divides the city battlefield into restricted approaches. Buildings protect flanks and support ambushes around the key objectives. Foam card, cereal-packet detail and even a pudding container create the ruined architecture. Ferry crossings leave formations vulnerable for a turn, making the river more than a decorative boundary.
Two large boards recreate the final relief of the fortress. Towers and wall sections become separate defensible areas rather than requiring an entirely new siege system. A raised polystyrene plateau gives the Hornburg its height. The stream and broken walls shape movement around the arriving Rohirrim and the defenders’ sortie.
Brian Aderson recalls the larger venue and range of activities at the previous Games Day. Display armies, artwork, club tables and production demonstrations sit beside the painting competition. The event includes a life-size Rhino and dozens of Golden Demon cabinets. A short winners’ gallery accompanies his account of the show’s scale.
Matt Anderson describes an international field of entrants at Poznan Gaming Arena. Tournaments, demonstration games and painting advice accompany the competition. Winning figures are projected above the main-stage awards. The gallery includes Ben Komets’s Slayer Sword diorama alongside character-category winners.
All substantive launch features, new-release notices, rules and scenarios actually printed, both battle narratives, painting guides, army and miniature galleries, terrain workshops and Frontline retrospectives are indexed. War of the Ring is separately labelled as the2009 mass-battle system. Body pagination is uniformly+2. Routine calendars, directories, catalogues, advertisements and referenced external articles or future profiles are excluded.