A Return To The Hobbit For Games Workshop This Winter
November 30, 2013 by brennon
We've now seen what is coming in December for Games Workshop. This time it is of course The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug and we've got some heroes and warriors of Middle-Earth to enjoy.
We start off with a look at some of the hero clamp packs that are coming out. On the left you can see the human form of Beorn (bear form on the way?), someone we've spied in the past, and he does look pretty darn epic. Next to him is the mad Thrain who was locked in the dungeons of Dol Guldur. This also leads us to looking at the hero figures for the Mirkwood Rangers and the Palace Guard. Not the best looking of the bunch.
If you're interested in scenarios then I imagine this is going to feature as a big part of at least one of them. Regardless of the somewhat eye-watering price they have produced Bilbo and Thorin's Company in their barrels on the escape from Thranduil.
Talking of books there is the new one, Desolation of Smaug, which comes in the form of a Sourcebook! I was always a little surprised when they made the last book 'An Unexpected Journey'. Surely it would have been better to make the rulebook a general 'The Hobbit' one and then follow it with a sourcebook for the various scenarios.
Next up we have some shots of the infantry sets that will become available. The two choices are essentially an armoured and un-armoured version of the Elves with the Mirkwood Rangers and the Palace Guard. I really, really like the Mirkwood Rangers but the Palace Guard look very strange to me.
On top of that we have yet more Elves. The first film was all about Dwarves so this one has to be about Elves right? Here you can see Legolas and Tauriel in rather dynamic poses, leaping around the woods. Oh and did I mention spiders? Yeah, see what you think of those spiders. I remember the last spiders they did being very useful for Dungeons & Dragons.
Last but not least we have Thranduil looking a little bit like he isn't quite prepared for a fight in that big dress of his. I shouldn't be so against these Elves, but I have a Dwarf heart and I just can't help it!
I am actually quite impressed with what we've seen of the miniatures so far. I said that about the last release for An Unexpected Journey and I stand by it. I think they have done a very good job with the characters and while the prices leave something to be desired the less said about that the better.
It also shouldn't come as much of a surprise that the rumoured Tyranid release hasn't made it into December. I reckon you are going to have to wait until next year for that one now Broodlords and Broodladies.
We have actually had a bit of a revival surrounding Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit at my local gaming store and we play it most Thursday now. I think that a few more people should be picking this up as the rules are still very good indeed. I like their simple nature and the ease at which I was able to remember them after what has been a very long hiatus!
With that in mind, we know everything about the pricing issues with these models, but what do you make of the game itself?
What do you think of these Hobbit releases?
Supported by (Turn Off)
Supported by (Turn Off)
Supported by (Turn Off)
Actually I rate the Palace Guards, they look a bit different but it is a good style of looking armour. They’ve differentiated it a little bit from LotR but still kept the style of light and flowing movement. The spiders are are good too and I think will be a nice complement to my LotR spiders and not need to replace them. Can’t see any reason to get the barrels at that price. Tbh they would probably not really be a very interesting hobby project.
I certainly like the spiders. The helms of the palace guard are unusual, but obviously mirror the aesthetics of the film.
Like Brennon said, this is still a very good game – and the older LotR models can be picked up at reasonable prices.
Actually realised that it’s one of the best cost effective games out there. To actually play decent games all you really need is one set of the infantry (in my case Dwarf Rangers) and then a command set (finecast and a bit pricey but worth it). Then you can just get going. The fact that it’s a skirmish game means you can go for objective and/or scenario based play and genuinely tell some great stories. People think that because its Middle-Earth you HAVE to do things by the book, but an unnamed Dwarf Captain is just as cool as someone… Read more »
Very nice…really like the Rangers…
I have been a Middle-earth fan for, well, many Ages 🙂 I enjoy the films, the books, the depth and breadth of the history in there. The minis from the 3 LoTR films were good, even great. The concocted additional minis were not so great 🙁 The minis for The Hobbit fims have been faithful enough to their onscreen originals, but I am deterred from collecting even one of each for 2 reasons: firstly, the material called FineCast, more often known by other names… and secondly, the price, across the board. I like skirmish games, but I also like big… Read more »
I get by that fact with this reasoning, be it right or wrong… £20ish gets me either a regiment of a Warhammer army or a Troop Squad for Warhammer 40k. £20 for The Hobbit/LotR gets me enough models to play as many games as I like without actually having to buy anything else. You can easily use one of the plastics as a hero if you need to. Admittedly that’s not all you’re going to want for the game, but as a ”what do I need to play?” price of admission, it ain’t too bad. Of course you have to… Read more »
Yikes. These models–especially the faces–look pretty rough. I can see GW didn’t respond to the challenge put forward by Knight Models.
Not bad models, but some of the poses on the rangers look down-right silly.
Rangers yes, Spiders maybe. Dorfs in barrels. No. Legolas and Tauriel only if I can get them at a really really low discount price. Figure this. When the DVD comes out it will be priced at less than ANY of these kits. I would now rather spend my money on the film than the overpriced plastic figures. Sorry Brennon but price is a major factor and trying to ignore the price gouging simply will not fly. Even when you paint it nicely by saying one box gets you a game. (It doesn’t as you need an opponent and the rules… Read more »
Hmm, bit of a mixture this time around I think. I like the Elven rangers a lot – very dynamic minis, especially for ‘rank and file’ troops, though the £25 asking price is rather eye-watering. I also really like the Legolas and Tauriel models… but again, £15 each for a plastic 28mm figure is just ridiculous. I appreciate that the Hobbit game is much cheaper to play than the likes of Warhammer, but when you can get much larger metal minis from competing manufacturers it’s just too hard to justify a price like that. £15 from Privateer press would get… Read more »
I had to jump over to the GW site to get those prices translated into US dollars.
$25 for a single plastic figure?! Are you @#$%ing me?!
Sorry but I agree, cost of entry is still way too high when there are plenty of other great games that you can start for a fraction of the cost. I’m guessing some of that has to go into the LotR licensing fee…but it is certianly a turn off.
This is interesting. For the first time the US and UK are talking the prices we get in Australia. There is still big disparity with the Fantasy and 40k stuff but The Hobbit has evened out. That is really going to push pressure on Hobbit sales. I can’t seen anybody willing to make that kind of investment. They’re really good model and a massively fun game but the price point does not maintain the perceived value of these and you end up going to another game that does provide that value.
I actually think we’re better off this time around. £25 is currently AU$45 (Legolas is on the AU GW site for AU$40).
I think it’s a crazy amount for a single 28mm miniature where the detail doesn’t even look that great (most of it looks painted on) and most of the poses are really awkward.
Prices…Bah!
Minis…Meh!
15 pounds for a single man sized 28mm PLASTIC mini is ridiculous. But I disagree about the lack of quality. At this scale I don’t see any issue whatsoever with the faces, legolas doesn’t look exactly like Orlando Bloom but he still looks good . I like the poses and “realistic” fantasy proportions of the weapons and armor. For me they are beautiful, but the price… The regiments are reasonable though, mostly legolas Beorn and the girl are overpriced.