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Hobbit Starter set for New Players (Battle Review)
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Author:  AcasualDream [ Wed Dec 05, 2012 3:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Hobbit Starter set for New Players (Battle Review)
Some who have seen some past thread might know that I came to LotR to try to get my wife interested in table top gaming.

Well, we played the first scenario of the Hobbit last night, and I am happy to report success!!!! (so far)

It was a slow start, as she was more or less there to humor me (it should be noted that years ago I failed to teach her to play WF, it was just to much for her). The simplified combat rolls really made the difference, and once she started smashing the skulls of my goblins she started to have genuine fun. I knew I was on the right track when she took the book away from me and started looking up her own stats.

A couple points of advice (if your going to try to get a new person involved)
- Limit "WarSpeak". I spooked her a couple times last night when she asked a question and I responded with too much slang, along with too complicated of answers.
-Don't use any special rules the first game! No matter how simple it seems in your head, don't do it, because you don't want to overwhelm. That was my mistake teaching WF and I almost did it again last night. It seems so obvious to "as example" use neg modifiers for shoot / move, but it isn't. Looking at the stat sheets and remembering all the rules is already a lot to learn in an hour. And once they start to focus on remembering everything, rather than just having fun then you have defeated yourself. Resist the Urge!!!
- "Let the Wookie Win". Most important. The Goblin Town box is already stacked towards Good, but that doesn't mean you should put a good fight up. I held my GK back so they he would fight alone and unsupported, I ran my goblins in piece meal - never more than three goblins on one char, etc... The goal should be to let her feel like she outplayed you tactically.

I even fell back at one point to regroup, so it didn't seem like I was mindlessly throwing guys into the meat grinder. It freed up all her guys and she was giggling with delight as she redirected the entire right flank onto the platform to smash into the Goblin King. Luckily she was so smug and pleased with her self she never asked why my newly regroup goblins didn't follow her and smash in the back, anvil and hammer style. Instead they wandered off to go pick a fight with Gandulf on the back row, half way across the board. All and all it was great fun,

We are playing scenario 2 on Thursday so wish me luck, and best of luck to all of you that dare to live the dream (casual gaming at home...)

Cheers
Author:  Dorthonion [ Wed Dec 05, 2012 4:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hobbit Starter set for New Players (Battle Review)
Well done for bringing more people into the hobby! Good to hear that a straightforward game can be had with no prior exposure to the rules.

And for those of us drooling with anticipation as our boxsets are still enroute, here is yet another review of the contents;

http://taleofpainters.blogspot.de/2012/ ... -game.html

Maybe I could try with our lot at home? maybe I had better not - the pup would chew the minis... :sad:
Author:  Erunion [ Wed Dec 05, 2012 5:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hobbit Starter set for New Players (Battle Review)
Excellent. I tried to get my wife to play a few years back, and she did not really enjoy it. I may try again, now that my boy is getting old enough to play (9 yrs. old). I might try to get them to play against each other with me as a referee.
Author:  AcasualDream [ Wed Dec 05, 2012 5:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hobbit Starter set for New Players (Battle Review)
You should have them play against you, with them as the good team.

A couple tricks I used to make things go smoother and to be able to focus on having fun

- marked the bases of anyone who could shoot with a white dot
- drafted the wounds chart, and highlighted the most common combinations
- I also made a stat sheet for myself, so when I turned over the book I never needed it back
- I made hot chocolate. Its a warm and inviting drink ;)

I wouldn't recommend try to be the ref, since they you would be the authority figure, rather than the fun of "beating up on daddy"

Best of luck
Author:  Erunion [ Wed Dec 05, 2012 5:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hobbit Starter set for New Players (Battle Review)
That makes sense. Thanks for the tips!
Author:  whafrog [ Wed Dec 05, 2012 6:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hobbit Starter set for New Players (Battle Review)
@AcasualDream: well done, and good points about not introducing special rules. I have to rein in my son whenever we introduce someone new, he wants to tell them *everything*.
Author:  Bartelomeus [ Wed Dec 05, 2012 7:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hobbit Starter set for New Players (Battle Review)
My girlfriend likes the LOTR movies and is going to the The Hobbit midnight premiere with me. I might play the EFGT scenario's with her this weekend or wait until we've seen the movie, playing a scene she's seen adds to the fun I think. (and I don't want to rush all the assembling :P)
Author:  AcasualDream [ Wed Dec 05, 2012 9:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hobbit Starter set for New Players (Battle Review)
That is definitely a price I had to pay. My daughter (who is five) was there when I picked up the set, so I already committed to letting her paint the goblins with me. It is an fun way for them to be involved in the hobby while still to young to actually play.

Once I get everything primed, I will start making posts on the WIP board. What I normally after we have painted together, then I take the models away and put the finishing touches on them. It makes for some interesting models, my skaven from Island of Blood are a colorful bunch. I am almost a little sad to do it with this set, since the cast or so nice.

I will be doing the heroes and terrain myself
Author:  Seerex [ Thu Dec 06, 2012 8:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Hobbit Starter set for New Players (Battle Review)
Really great thread, i am happy to hear it was a success! There isn't anything better than being able to play with your loved ones!

I haven't started playing yet, but if i'm lucky my starter set will arrive today (Fingers crossed!!), so im looking forward to start playing.

May i ask, how did you find the set for a new player? and how much fun can be had with it? (talking about the amount of time you can spend without having to invest further in the hobby) :)

My girlfriend and i play Magic the gathering (card game), and i just got her involved a few months back and she's a huge fan. Maybe i can convince her to play this, so i was very happy to read on the tips and tricks you could provide me with for doing just that. Thanks!!

On a side note (off topice i know, sorry, but its quick): I bought a black primer, but i was wondering if i should invest in a white one as well for the hobbit starter set? i want a primer that i can use for pretty much anything. I mean, i can imagine black being good for the goblins, but can i use it for the dwarves too?

I have never painted before, and i actually dont even know what a primer does xD

thanks on advance
Author:  SidTheSloth [ Thu Dec 06, 2012 9:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Hobbit Starter set for New Players (Battle Review)
I'm glad to hear it was a success! :D

Seerex wrote:
i want a primer that i can use for pretty much anything. I mean, i can imagine black being good for the goblins, but can i use it for the dwarves too?

from my experience, I'd recomend a grey primer, best of both worlds :) .
Author:  Erunion [ Thu Dec 06, 2012 1:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hobbit Starter set for New Players (Battle Review)
Seerex wrote:
On a side note (off topice i know, sorry, but its quick): I bought a black primer, but i was wondering if i should invest in a white one as well for the hobbit starter set? i want a primer that i can use for pretty much anything. I mean, i can imagine black being good for the goblins, but can i use it for the dwarves too?

I have never painted before, and i actually dont even know what a primer does xD


Primer serves two purposes: it adheres to the model, to help prevent your paint from chipping off of the model, and gives you a solid undercoat to give you an even color to later layers. The choice between black/white/grey primer has to do with the colors you want to use. Using a lighter color primer brightens up your later colors. In the other hand, black gives you a darker, grittier palette, and gives you instant shading if you leave it showing in the recesses. I exclusively use black primer, as it fits with the more realistic (compared to Warhammer) palette of the LotR range. If I need an area to be particularly bright, I will generally paint it white by hand before using the brighter color.
Author:  AcasualDream [ Thu Dec 06, 2012 2:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hobbit Starter set for New Players (Battle Review)
Depending on how much you play, you should easily get a couple months or more of good games out of just the set alone. Even then, just slowly start to add units. A unit of cavalry, maybe a warmachine will change up the game entirely.

If you start feeling repetitive, add terrain. Terrain changes everything, dump down a ton of terrain and give you goblins all bows and you will have a completely different game on your hands.

When you start to add terrain don't lose too much sleep over what you use, be creative. I can't name the amount of time Strawberry Shortcakes house has been raided by marauding Skaven. Use your paints as rocks, lay down books and throw a towel over them to make a hill. There is also whole sites dedicated to making terrain out of paper.

As for primer, I use army painter primer a lot since it comes in a range of colors. For example, I did a horde of Pink Horrors and a great Demon of Tzech, so I primed with a darker red. It makes lifer easier and lowers the amount of coats you need to put on to get a nice looking model.

For the Goblin Starter set. I have primed all my heroes white (white is for high detail, clear colors and highlights), goblins are getting black (black is a more forgiving primer especially since I will be painting with kids) and the terrain is getting Army painter brown.

My whole plan to paint the terrain is,

- Brown primer
- 2 washes black
- dry brush light brown
- 1 wash devlan mud (brown)
- details (skulls, ropes, metal clasps, whatever)
Author:  Talison [ Tue Dec 11, 2012 5:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Hobbit Starter set for New Players (Battle Review)
I'm an experienced Wargamer and had played LOTRs in the past. I really just got Hobbit to paint the Dwarf figures, but my friends, also wargamers agreed to try the game out.

Well, what a night of gaming. We did the 6 Scenarios, and one after another my Dwarves were easily murdered by hoards of Goblins. Thorin lasted the longest in Scenario 5. Thorin and Balin lived, but they got their 10th goblin off the board in turn 10.

Then is Scenario 6 they started the Goblin King 6 inches from Bilbo and based him in the first turn. Bilbo survived and put on the ring. They had little luck with courage rolls to Charge him, so instead surrounded him so their control zone made it impossible for him to move. They then took a turn trying to get Courage tests off and mobbed and murdered the invisible Hobbit.

Might, Will, and Fate are no guarantee you are going to survive a group of talentless mooks :gandalf:
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