A balrog of Morgoth

SidTheSloth · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2012 5:16 pm

Hi all

being the biggest, scariest model in the game (excluding a mamuk) i would have thought that this model could have a pretty good mental effect on oppontents, but generally it seems it is considered overpriced.
Which leads me to ask: Is the Balrog any good and is there any way it can make up for its high points?

sid

SouthernDunedain · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2012 6:08 pm

In a word. Nope. It sucks. No might or fate points? I'd rather take a flying def 9 dragon for 50pts less.

Telchar · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2012 7:32 pm

It can make up for it's points if you opponent is rather stupid and lets you charge something essential with it. If you fight someone who has face the biggies before, no, probably not.

Balrog88 · **Posted:** Thu Oct 18, 2012 2:06 pm

You have to use it by taking down big opponents like mumakil/gil galad or spearheading an attack otherwise it's way overpriced

Draugluin · **Posted:** Thu Oct 18, 2012 2:40 pm

If used right and if used against the right opponent, it can be devastating, but the second they figure out how to counter, it loses a LOT of it's potential. I find that mumakil can do more damage just because they can trample.

Bartelomeus · **Posted:** Fri Oct 19, 2012 1:59 pm

By the way, is the Balrog an independent hero?

If not and you make him your leader no-one would be able to score victorypoints for killing or wounding him

but something tells me he is an independant hero...

SidTheSloth · **Posted:** Fri Oct 19, 2012 2:12 pm

nope, I'm pretty sure he can lead

SouthernDunedain · **Posted:** Fri Oct 19, 2012 5:55 pm

He can lead 12 goblins

why you would I dont know. And it is pretty easy to wound once it gets surrounded.

Draugluin · **Posted:** Fri Oct 19, 2012 9:45 pm

It's not that easy to wound, even when surrounded, unless you have Dain, Durin or Aragorn and a bunch of 2hw guys. Yes, he can definitely lead a warband, but I would throw a troll or 2 into his warband kind of as bodyguards.

General Elessar · **Posted:** Tue Oct 23, 2012 6:55 pm

SouthernDunedain wrote:

In a word. Nope. It sucks. No might or fate points? I'd rather take a flying def 9 dragon for 50pts less.

Yeah, the Balrog is completely useless. Even if your opponent is an idiot, you'd be better off with Glorfindel, Boromir, etc. In fact, I'd rather take either of those two instead of a Balrog without even taking into account the relative cost.

Beowulf03809 · **Posted:** Thu Oct 25, 2012 1:10 pm

The Balrog is one of those models that really needed a re-do. It should have been one of the most terrifying forces in the game but it just didn't hold up. I think the Balrog as represented in WotR was much better. It's combat and magic abilities combined were pretty effective. But in SBG it's just not there...disappointing.

Draugluin · **Posted:** Thu Oct 25, 2012 1:37 pm

It being able to fly would have helped, especially if it counted as a monstrous mount. 12in movement+5 attacks+knockdown? Now that would have been effective.

Damian · **Joined:** Mon Apr 02, 2012 10:59 pm **Posts:** 246

'Fly' would be fairly obvious as it has wings, but Evil already has Fell Beasts and Dragons, so I'd like to see a different solution.

I think it could have a form of trample attack similar a Mumak, so it can clear single wound models out of the way (including those on it's own side) to get to a juicy hero. In the Khazad Dum sourcebook there was a scenario where it basically ignored goblins for movement purposes, which would be a start.

My favourite solution would be to have it's whip work in a similar way to The Watcher in the Water's tentacles, pulling a model into base to base contact ready for the fight phase. What the range should be and whether it should work like a crossbow, a bow or a thrown weapon (for movement purposes) I don't know, that would need playtesting. It would be evocative of the 'Bridge of Khazad Dum' scene in the FoTR film, especially if he manages to snag Gandalf with his whip.

A balrog of Morgoth

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