Hey everyone,
I thought "newbie" would be a good place to start since I rarely play the game and primarily paint. That being said, I would love to get some games in with my kids who are now at an age where they are showing interest. I am primarily interested in the skirmish and story driven games.

Here's my question: Would someone be willing to explain the different "games" and what rule sets are out there for the GW LOTR miniatures?

As I see it now, there is
- SBG which is what they release with but now has The Hobbit set of rules. I've read that these rules are similar to the older but now "outdated" rules (I have a hardback book, blue cover). I also have other books like Shadow and Flame which i believe has now been change to "Source books". Right?

Another source of confusion is the term WARBAND? I don't see that referred to in the text of the SBG book (maybe I'm missing it). It seems that warbands are just groupings of the same units, but then that seems like WOTR to me (on the surface obviously).

- WOTR - This is a whole separate set of rules that involve large scale battles.

I am mostly interested in running skirmish level (small) games that tell stories (i.e. the path of the fellowship). I have hundreds of painted models and plenty of terrain so that shouldn't be an issue.

Finally, I also would love clarification on "Battlehosts". I have a pamphet on that as well but not sure that if that is being used.

Thanks in advance for clarification.

You heard of Legions of Middle-earth? Warbands is a replacement for this, the rules are found in the new source books and the hobbit rulebook. You must have at least 1 hero per 12 warriors, and a few heroes are independent an cannot lead any troops.

Yes the Hobbit rules are a replacement for the older SBG rulebooks. Shadow & flame is still technically a "source book", but there are old sourcebooks like S&F which are outdated and there are the 5 new ones which are not.

WotR is a completely different system, and Battlehosts is an expansion to this.

Does this help?

_________________
"I am the Flying Spagetti Monster. Thou shall have no other monsters before me"
-FSM.

Thanks. It sort of makes sense. I think i will stick with what I have for the time being (and since I'm not playing competitively). So if I was to field any group of figures (i.e. 5 dwarves with axes), they "Must" have a leader?

Also, I must have missed Legions of ME. No big deal apparently.

Thanks again.

Yes, those 5 dwarves must be led by a Dwarf hero.

The LotR dwarves and Hobbit dwarves are in different army lists so, have to be led from a hero from the same list.

If you want to lnow what models are in what lists in SBG: Warbands, then just look on the GW website. That is how they are arranged.

_________________
"I am the Flying Spagetti Monster. Thou shall have no other monsters before me"
-FSM.