Honest Review - Battle of Osgiliath Boxset - MESBG - Lord of the Rings Warhammer 

I won't lie I'm bummed that they're Morannon rather than Mordor Orcs, or 12 of each but when you buy it from a FLGS at £100 its still amazing value. Also, the fact that GW is still supporting the game and bringing out new kits is enough to make me buy this to keep that running.

Really appreciate the honest review, I was thinking of just waiting untill the scenery was sold separate, I do feel validated in that now

Damrod: in British military doctrine, DAMROD is the acronym for the principles of defensive positions. Tolkien probably chose this name as Osgiliath is a fight from a defensive position.

split a box w my room mate as a new player w/ no existing collection. fairly happy w it from that perspective.

Really happy to see you doing this sort of thing. Thanks for your honest review :)

Best review I've seen until now! Thanks

So I looked this up in Australia, this box retails here at a whopping $350 Aud! That’s 195 British quid. You can find it at 20% off at a good local games store but that still comes to about 150 pounds. It’s insane how much more we have to pay here.

Thanks for this, the ruins are the only thing I would want to purchase from this starter, already own more than I need of the rest inc. the heroes in metal.

Great review. I want that terrain so bad! Shame to hear about Gothmog's balance. That sculpt is almost enough to draw me to Mordor...

love your work! Great review. I want the new stuff but I'm waiting on them to be released separately. Plus I'm in Australia and we get reamed on pricing...

Thanks for the review. I have been in wargaming for some time but am new to this LOTR game. I did pre-order this starter set and for me it is great value as I have none of the items. I am enjoying assembling and painting the minis.

That was a really great review and I agree with pretty much all your points. Good to take the view of a new player coming to the game, especially new to the hobby, and the issues they may face. As a more experienced player I think there is still great value to this kit. I'd be buying the new book, heroes and terrain kits separately anyway, and I expect that would already exceed the £100 mark (especially as we don't know how they are packaging up the terrain yet. The Dol Guldor kit is currently £45 in the UK, and I think contains 2 or 3 sprues. I suspect the terrain is where the bulk of the value is in this kit. It's always useful to have some spare troops anyway for conversions, terrain scatter or filling in a bucket of heads for your Mordor catapult. Also, you can never have too many trolls.

i picked it up yesterday for £100 delivered, I really like it a lot. I don't have any of the factions and only have Pelennor Fields (plus some additional heroes) so more of the same orcs was not that much of an issue as I am building all the armies. I see what you mean about the Gondor minis being older, sometimes i think the older ones look smaller in scale slightly as well. Heroes inc in this set are fantastic, terrain incredible !! next up battle host boxes. I would like the original Fellowship box updated as those minis look very dated

How dear you Sir have integrity and do an honest review!

Nice review. I’ve been thinking about getting into this game for a while now and I think I might finally get it with this starter. It def seems like this for new players only. The terrain looks very similar to the kt box set from like 2018 as far as design and build and that was def a bit of a pain in the but. Hearing faramir isn’t very good is a bummer too.

Nice review, and fair gripes for the most part. I only have 1 gripe with your gripes and that is gothmog not staying on his warg well. I think he deserves a paint first because those fractions of a millimetre can really make the difference. I remember i had an issue with one of the hobbits on treebeard, but as soon as I got him painted he was stayign on just fine. as for not really valuing the ranger heroes that well, i think that's down to personal opinion more than anything. I think they are fine, I like my ranger heroes and I'm looking forward to adding these to my army.

Nice video. I got a copy for £81 and the store then put it up to £106! I’m new to the game too so I’m looking forward to getting the set

I’m a lucky one who works at a shop selling this starter set so I can get some discount. I can buy for £90 which I believe is 100% even just for the models. I’ve played SBG for a while so it’s mainly the scenery and new heroes I’m after, but always nice to have some spare morannons/Minas Tirith men!

My stance on this box stays the same as to when it got announced (mostly) So for me, for a new player this box is amazing and so was the pelennor fields box. Great all in 1 box to start playing with fairly balanced scenarios what help depict battles in the films you might like. Obvs that’s how these sets are intended to be used, not to make a competitive army. Secondly the terrain is so nice. I chopped all mine out the sprue lastnight into a big box ready to go clean up today and I can’t wait to get more of it. I may even buy a second box just for terrain and sell off the bits i dont need. My issue with this starter set is it could have been better. Dont get me wrong I love it, but considering this set was advertised as a direct two towers release (according to the whcomunity) it sorta makes more sence as a return of the king release. But like amon hen last year, osgiliath this year and who knows next years rotk release could be. My other gripe is the book. Like you say it’s supposed to be a direct replacement. I took it like id be able to just leave my gandalf book on the shelf and carry a single book to play 12 scenarios rather then having to carry the matched play too. I have the matched play book but it is a bit of a cheak. Considering that matched play book only gave you 12/18 cards origionally and now this book only gives the 6/(12-18) scenarios.. it’s a bit naff.

Hello, i really apreciate this review as my love for LOTR and Tolkien in general is much bigger thanw arhammer, but i find my self playing warhammer and buying warhammer because its what it is, ill defenetly buy one of these. thank you

The mix of old and new models is also what's kept me from picking up the new Battlehost boxes. I'd love to get back into Rohan after many, many, many years away but the only way to get the warriors is (now) through that box. It looks like I've missed out on Pelennor Fields, and the warrior boxes are either sold out, or not currently being made. As much as I like the new Eomer, I don't want to end up with 3-4 of him so I can get enough Riders for a list.

hi mate, happy to see the reviews. its good to see honest assessments of what GW is doing. hopefully it's seen by the right people and someone takes notice. I tend to agree with your assessment. I only want the new box for the updated rules and gothmog. I've got everything else in spades and would only be offloading everything else. everyone has so many morannans out there from the pelennor box set, so it was disappointing to see them in there. GW must have a massive stockpile of these that they need to get rid of and the troll isn't the most cost effective unit so how many people run it in compensative play. the boxset is a positive that GW is still investing in the game so on that front great, but it would have been nice for them to go broader in the range and release something that isn't out there a 1,000 times over in everyone pile of shame.

Great review. The point with the new Gondor heroe models, you need especially 1 character, it is Madril. Master of Ambush rule, opportunity of march, hero of fortitude and low cost model, he is a must have for every Minas Tirith player (including Fiefdoms and Rohan allies players)

Thank you for the review! I'm a newbie to MESBG, and I've just bought the Gondor and Mordor Starter sets. Would it be worth buying this box too, and would I get a decent army or of both sides if I did this? Thanks in advance 😊

Good review even though some of the pricing is slightly harsh in my opinion (but maybe I’m just a sucker for mesbg and throw my money at all of it) Glad you point out that it’s great value for beginners and if you want it as many people forget it’s a starter set no a veteran set

Great review man I think ill be getting one for the heros and the terrain. I think the balance seems a bit in favour of evil perhaps mix some normal orcs in with the morranons for variety and for something to shoot for the good team. I know evil win this battle in the lore but for new players should it not be balanced?

I am trying to put Faramir together now, and the 'left leg' fit is indeed stumping me completely - I am new to the hobby. The instruction pamphlet is absurdly useless in this respect, and it seems to me that the pieces are not cast in a way that there are flat or fitted surfaces that mate in a more or less obvious way. It is very very frustrating to buy a 'starter' product and feel like I am about to ruin everything in the assembly phase. (How _does_ it fit?)

Fantastic review. This was in my list but after hearing your valid points I really only want 1 model plus terrain out if this kit. Makes it a solid pass. Thank you!

Love your videos mate. I laughed when you said 10 year olds wouldn’t be interested. My 6 year old is begging me to buy this box haha. He hasn’t seen the movies but we’ve read the books together.

Thanks for the honest review. I was in the fence but now will not bother with it. I can wait for the individual Gothmog kit and the rule book feels like kind of a downgrade with scenarios cut out. That just feels like a scheme to get new players to buy the Matched Play book to me.

Nice Video! You are the first to point out the missing scenarios. Can you or someone here explain me what kind of scenarios these are? And why only 12/18 or 6/12? I am a bit lost with that. Are we talking about the scenarios you play on the tournaments? If yes it would be a big deal to not have them all on the rule book :(

While I don’t agree with some of your input, its a solid review and you do have a lot of good points! Goblins and Last Alliance need new models first. Those elves are the most broken miniature I have ever seen. Those new characters are Awesome! I may just buy them separately even though I don’t have any Minias Tirith. Subscribed and liked 👍

This is interesting for me. Long time tabletop gamer but new to MESBG. I am not sure where to start, I was thinking of just getting a battlehost set. But I have managed to find a Battle of Pelennor Fields box set for the original £105. IS that set worth it or should I stick with a battlehost?

There are spots on the inside of gothmogs leg and his mount for a 3mmx1mm magnet

You should do a collection video soon

Not sure if you were joking or not but Damrod does actually make an appearance in the Lotr Trilogy

i think your right on the money, only made for true beginner, if you have morannon and the troll and rule book already, then this box appeal relies on the new models and terrain, i have seen your cirith ungol, and bridge ,you took the time to cut the bricks , now you cant expect that kind of dedication unless you truly love the game(master builder). This is for someone who starts from nothing and want 2 quick factions to play with the complete rules book and nice gw middle earth terrain. i bet you would make great terrain for osgiliath yourself if you chose to do so, i seen your work ,it would look good, and it only comes to how much you want to bother with the details, your methods are reminiscent of the lotr gw books from the 2005 era, i believe to use foam insulation,glue ,paint, plaster, to get terrain, but truly where gw gets you is with the figs themselves. (My struggle) back in 2005 i got into lotr, particularly isengard, i got 80 plastic uruk hai warrior(4sets), 24 plastic warg riders(4sets), 20 isengard orcs(1set),3 original metal isengard trolls, metal ugluk, metal vrasku, metal sharku +metal warg sharku, metal saruman+ metal grima, 12 metal crossbows(4sets),1 metal uruk hai shaman, i got other sets but i will focus on isengard so about 800$ with the rule book and paints, glues and gw carrying case . Now i was missing lurtz ,mauhur, 12 berserkers and the new Saruman(i hate plastic figs)but i gotta say Saruman look way better then before and they also give you the mounted version, but i got plastic berserkers, plastic mauhur, metal vrasku (i could not find at the time a single mauhur online).plastic grima +saruman +mounted Saruman +palantir, SO THAT WAS 215 $for 17 plastic fig and one old cast metal vrasku(that i own already). I got metal lurtz online for 40$, the new middle earth rule book 70$ ,the armies of the lotr 75$,the armies of the hobbit 75$ ,i splurged on citadel gadgets 40mm fig painting handle20$, citadel model assembler30$, even a paint shaker70$and about 150$on paints, i still need uruk hai scout command 55$(4 figs) and fighting uruk hai command 55$(3figs), ballista set56$(3figs +1construct) ,and demolition team set 38$(10figs +4 ladders +2 bombs), 20 uruk hai scouts (1 set)55$ (20 figs), when i finally got thru the rules books and my army list i realised i needed more leaders because of warbands and their leaders limit according to hero tier (NO MORE 24 WARGS AND SHARKU ATTACKS), it truly force me to acquire the rest of the figs that i dont have to get on that list 250 $ ,only go this far if you are a real fan and you truly want 2000point of it , I AM ISENGARD(picture me with my fist risen to the sky), i am not gonna buy Dunland anything .I truly wish they stop raising the prices , because in the end i will have paid in this era of middle earth to complete isengard about 850$ without the gadgets for 58 figs and 8 items 3 books(i scored for cheaper then gw), about 30 paints. now just calculate how much money you need to acquire my army your lookin at about 2000$ for sure if your starting from scratch, if your a kid your never really gonna get into it because it is bloody expensive to have a 2000 point army, or to have a comprehensible 500 point army ama break it down in new price of dec 5 th 2022 uruk hai warriors x4sets 55$each =220 total i paid back in 05 warg riders X4 53$ =212 30$each isengard(mordor) orc X1 55$ =55 30$each isengard (mordor)trolls X 3 55$ =165 35$each metal uruk hai crossbows x3 35$ =105 25$each metal (3pack) vrasku /mauhur X1 36$ =36 vrasku was sold with ugluk 25$ metal sharku x1 36$ =36 sharku +mounted sharku 30$ metal lurtz /ugluk x1 36$ =36 lurtz was 40$ metal on ebay uruk hai berserker x3 35$ =105 25$ each metal (3pack) Saruman/Grima x1 55$ =55 30$ came without palantir and mounted Saruman ___________________________________________________________________this i own already______________________________________________________________________________________________________ uruk hai scout command x1 55$ =55 fighting uruk hai warrior command x1 55$ =55 uruk hai siege assault ballista x1 55$ =55 urk hai siege troops x1 38$ =38 uruk hai scouts x1 55$ so my grand total for all plastic figs 1283 can +13% tax 1450$ you need 150$ to start painting, some tools 200$( some very useful,others not so much) glue +putty+ terrain/base materials another 50$ books 250$ it is actually cheaper to build terrain then the figs themselves.i went overboard i am sorry lol

The density of plastic on sprue between new kits and old makes me laugh! Still the sculpts really do hold up, and it isn’t just nostalgia. I I’ve never owned Morannon orcs, and found myself wondering for a second there if there were new orc minis announced and I’d missed it.

New faz LL is an absolute nailed on cert surely? Gondar At War 2: This Time We've Done Gondor Properly must be on its way?

Regading the warg and rider - don't blutac, just drill 2mm hole and glue a brass rod to the rider. Won't go anywhere, and not really visible on the tabletop.

I bought it because I don't have any Minas Tirith or terrain, and I don't have a ton of Mordor either, so I can use everything in the box. But if someone already has most of the contents of the box, it wouldn't be worth it.

Does look a great starter for new players though.

**NaUGhTY GaMEs WoRkShOP**

Did they cut out scenarios in the new book? I thought the old rule book always had 12 scenarios 🤔

It'S Chunky!

I’m just looking to get in , like I’m very new. You think it’s good for that?

I got mine for £100, I consider it good value for that price. MOAR is always better. Ive always wanted to do a Mass Battle between MT & Orcs, never had enough of them.

If i was in the UK, Id buy this especially if places are still selling it at £100 ($120 usd). But at $210, i just cant justify it

Ramrod is on of the finest rangers ever to grace middle earth

Damrod is the guy by the fountain who shouts "Nazgûl"

£92 on Zatu

Naughty games workshop 😅😂😂

You look so young, it surprised me when you said you had 10-year-olds lol.

My shop has this for $220 and I took a hard pass only want the heroes not worth it

You are far too good looking for warhammer mate! 🤣 great video though!

don't really care that the ranger heroes aren't super powerful as I'm mostly interested in the armies from a thematic standpoint and the box helps me kickstart my Gondor/Ithilien/Osgiliath army. Damrod is the weakest of the heroes (now even overshadowed by two new minor ranger heroes) but his new sculpt is awesome. the old metal model didn't look like the Damrod from the films and this one does. With GW stuff having GW prices it's always debatable what is accepable or not. I preordered the box from a small store in Germany to get an ok price by German standards. Prices and the age of the sculpts aside; I feel like this is a better starter box than the old one. It has terrain and two similarly sized armies and is therefore more suitable as a two-player starterset (as oposed to 2.5 aries and no terrain). Plus the box art is better in my opinion.

I wonder how many 10 year olds accepted your challenge to build this kit.