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Hi All!

I recently got back into the LoTR SBG and ... a lot has changed (the last time I remember playing, Warbands had just become a thing). I'm wondering, from all current players out there, what is the new "standard" size for an army? Last I was playing, 500 points was the usual, but has that shifted at all? Also, is there a standard size for tournament lists or is it very varied, depending on location and event?

Thanks! Happy to be dusting off my collection again.

500-600 is "standard" size and that's what tournaments bounce between.

500 is standard casual play size.
700-1000 is standard play size, it allows room for actual magic users.
1500 is a large game.

Tournaments, such as the NOVA Open use 750 nowadays.

Personally, I thoroughly enjoy the 100pt(One Hundred Point) format by GBHL.

We usually play 600pts, although I think one of the great things about the game is you can have fun even with 150pts.
The VFX team where I worked in London used to go to Games Workshop in our lunch break and have a quick 150-200 point battle...
The staff were so polite, bringing us tape measures and paper and pencils for notes...
Then all that changed and they literally said this is only for Age of Sigmar and 40K now. Couldn't believe it!
We ended up playing on our desks instead!

Back in the day it was about 500. I doubt that'd change much since its not a system that's changed much (Heck why fix something that worked perfectly)

I think generally, its somewhere between 300 and 800. But because there isnt a whole lot of organised play, there doesnt seem to be a dominant standard like youd get in 40k. Just guidelines for what makes an enjoyable game - big enough to bring some toys, small enough to not bog down.

I favour 500 or 1000, depending on how long a game we're after, though I have played 1500 a few times - lets me use the big nasty stuff like Mumakil and multiple Mordor Trolls.

There have been a lot of 750pt games going on lately around here as this year that's what both NOVA and ARDACon are running. Its been a really fun size game with meaningful choices but some room for big-boys.

Has anyone tried it on a much more skirmish level? such as Shagrat and 7 models in a cinematic mission against a handful of Rohan?

You can play it at any skirmish size you like; it just might make the game end a bit quicker.

If you're going to play with only a handful of figures, might as well go with Battle Companies.