Guy and I are very excited about the new War of the Ring mass combat rules from GW. They don't come out until April, it seems, which is just as well as we will need to get a lot more figures painted! I don't know much about the rules yet although having asked a few Games Workshop guys they are not based on Warhammer.
A few interesting things I have picked up. They use units of eight figures which you can combine into bigger units but that effects their manoeuverability, which is an interesting one I haven't come across before but seems perfectly logical when you think about it. There is a one stage wounding process; not the Warhammer hit followed by wound sequence. Heroes are very important in effecting the fighting abilities of the unit they are with. There will be new command figures and special bases for the figures. The book is really thick, apparently, and contains all the army lists. Can't wait!
Having painted 12 Uruk Hai in a day yestarday I am thinking that this must be an army to go for and possibly Gondor, who are equally quick to paint. I have also wanted to do the Last Alliance Second Age battle between Elves and Men and Sauron's orcs on Mount Dooom.
I wonder whether the reason for the whole thing (other than selling a lot more figures, naturally) is the imminent arrival of the two new Hobbit films and the ability to do the Battle of Five Armies?
