Unfortunately, I still haven't managed to scrape together the money for the Hobbit rulebook,b ut I'm not actually asking for rules, just clarifications on some things to do with certain weapons.

1) This one should be a simple yes/no really. Do the new sword/axe/flail etc rules count for two-handed weapons as well? (The real reason I ask is because the grimhammer Dwarfs are specified as having hammer-picks and I'm wondering if this means they have dual-access to the rules for hammers and for picks.)

2) This one is perhaps a cause for debate as much as anything else. An evlen-blade can be used one-handed or two-handed - that's not the question since it may as well just be a two-handed weapon (since everyone has a single-hander anyway), is there some sort of rule mentioning tow hand weapons/additional hand weapon? I.E. having an elven-blade mean you can use it two-handed or use two single-handers to gain some bonus (like +1A in Warhammer or maybe +1F like in WotR)?

1) Yes, I believe so.
2) No, there is no such rule for extra attacks. Such a weapon would have to cost at least 3-5 points.

1) that's excellent. That's where the Grimhammers' real strength lies then. I've seen lots of people saying they're not worth their points compared to normal warriors with to-handers, but i don't think they're taking into account the dual nature of their weapons.

2) I didn't think there were, but I was trying to figure out what the difference between an elven blade and a two-handed weapon is? Except that an elven blade (by definition) can only be a sword (or maybe axe) - but not a hammer, pick, flail etc... So it's actually more limited unless new rules for it have come about?

A 2H weapon still has the -1 to hit penalty etc etc. Elf blades now give you an advantage in drawn combats actually worth something on Elvish heroes now who have a elf blade and shield.

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Mid Sussex Wargamers

Before the One Ring book, profiles didn't have a hand weapon by default. So an elf blade had the benefit of being a hand weapon (sword) and a 2H weapon. One Ring book made it no different from a 2H weapon since all profiles had a hand weapon unless otherwise specified. The Hobbit rules now give you a slight advantage if you tie on the Duel roll (and you have equal Fight scores). Which means it's really only useful when fighting normally against wraiths and uruk captains, or when feinting against goblins and orcs (you probably wouldn't feint against uruks or other F4).

If you do the math, the odds of the elf blade's advantage even coming up is pretty slim, far less interesting than, say, the axe rules. So it's basically still just a 2H weapon.

Okay but can't you give an Elf both a shield and Elf blade and use the defense when needed but switch to using it two-handed and forgo the added defense when in combat?

For instance you have the shield for defense as you close in on your enemy making it harder to hit with bows, then when in close combat you can have some of the elves shoulder their shields (thus reducing their defense) and use their elf blades two handed for that turn and if you think you need to on the following turn have them go one handed with the shield again and use their shielding as you have to declare each fight whether you are using it one handed or two-handed.

Ah, thanks. I didn't realise they gained a new rule in the Hobbit But, as you say, unless your main opponent is an elf player as well or plays wraith-heavy, it seems very much a pointless bonus, lol. Still, at least I know what the difference between it and a normal two-hander is.

Now I have a third question, which is more just to see what other people think (which is likely to be that it's OP and unfair) - an elven blade being visually represented by an axe: an axe has a blade, so it's still within the confines of the weapon, but instead of feinting has the (from what I've heard, very good) axe's ability. So, it's a two-handed axe with the bonus of a drawn fight at equal Fight values...

I guess, equally, the above could apply to an Easterling halberd - it uses the rules for an elven blade and is an axe, so does it combine elven blade with axe or does it keep the sword's feint rule despite that?