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A mild debate has grown in my group over the Spears/Pikes/Chittering Hordes rules. We are new to the game, BTW.

There are 3 different explanations for these rules in the books I have access too - Two Towers, Return of the King, The Big Rulebook, The Hobbit book (new).

The Two Towers Book is very clear and states that the Spear model is part of the fight and can "fight through", but can not be wounded. The Spearman must still move back 1" if beaten in the fight.

The Return of the King has a note that this was changed. It and the Big Rulebook state the Spear supports the model, but is not part of the combat.
From the book - "The friend supported in the this way gets one extra attack for the combat...This extra attack represents the advantage offered to the friend by the support of the spearman, which allows the friend to be more effective in combat."

Questions arise:

Does the support figure (spearman/pike/chittering) have to move back 1" on a failed battle now? - or - Just to make way for the friend to move back 1?

Do you roll the extra die when rolling for wounds? - or - Does "more effective in combat" mean the model just has a better chance to win the battle?

If so, do you use the strength of the spearman or the front model? - The friend (not the spearman) is now "more effective in combat".

To complicate things, the Hobbit book is very similar to the Big LOTR Rulebook, but has a line referencing the spearman's strength. Although, it does not say to use this strength for anything specific. And why would you, if he is "not part of the fight"? (I do not own that book, but am recalling what I read)

In all four of these books there is not one example of a fight with spears, pikes or chittering hordes that goes through the rolling for wounds step. (that I can find).

My goal here is to know how everyone else is playing this, so when we encounter other players there is no rules debate.

But, I would also like to know everyone's thoughts on what the intent.

Thank You.

1 Guy can support 1 guy in base contact unless you are using pikes. 2 can support 1 guy in base contact. You can not have a spear support a guy and then a pike support behind the spear. Pikes need to have just pikes.

You roll fight dice equal to how many guys you have in the fight. The base contact guy rolls all his dice and uses his fight. The supporter rolls a single dice usuing his fight. Regardless of how many attacks he/she has. If fight values are different color code dice or roll seperatly

If you win the fight, you roll dice equal to your attack values. Again base contact guy with enemy rolls all his attacks, support rolls just 1. Use strength of each model just like how fight works. If different, color code dice or roll seperatly.

Supporting models cant take damage unless the damaging model says theydo (Aka Sauron)

One model can make way per guy who lost the fight. So if the combat with his buddy fails and they get pushed back, the spearmen/pikemen/chittering gobbo makes way.

Info is on Page 69 of the mini Hobbit rulebook

Hope this helps!

Then they changed things in the Hobbit rulebook.

My LOTR Big Book has an example (with picture) of a Pikeman and a Spearman supporting a friend, together for a total of +2 attacks.

Also, I do not recall it being this clear when I looked at my friend's hobbit rulebook. I will have to call him to look at that page.

Thanks.

Stick with the hobbit rules, they're the newest ones, unless your friends play with the old rules.

According to the new rules, you MUST have 2 pikes to support with pikes. You CANNOT support a guy with a spear then a pike.

According to the old rules, you CAN have someone being supported with a spear and a pike.