FAQ Time: Unpacking the February 2026 FAQ

Good morning gamers,

It took a week longer than I'd hoped, but the GW development team have spoken and we have some balance updates! This FAQ changed a few things that had to do with the "big lists" that we see talked about (or bemoaned playing against) on top tables - some of whom got hit harder than others. There was one profile that appears to have gone unscathed though, so there will be a discussion about that at the end.

Photo Credit: Reddit

What Didn't Have Changes

Amazingly, everything had changes - though not everything had significant changes. I decided this time around to mostly save the erratas for the end, as the changes there seemed a bit more interesting to me than the FAQs themselves. We're going to begin first, though, with the clarifications that seemed to be pretty close to what we assumed from before . . .

Rules That Worked Like We Thought

The first change is simple: to account for the new Shelob model, Shelob's base size has been upped to 80mm:

Page 146 – Shelob – Base Size Change to 80mm. 

Thankfully, Shelob is fast enough that she can probably make due with a larger base size - but golly 80mm is a bit bigger than it was before! I've been playing with Mumaks a lot recently and I've got to say, having big bases can be great, but you have to not want to be too precise to make your plays happen. Having a base that is the same as two cavalry next to each other can maneuver through most places, but not in all places - and those heroes who are embedded in their battle lines are gonna feel pretty safe against Shelob while their mates are everywhere.

The following FAQs worked as expected (or at least, this is how we've been playing with them here at TMAT - no further commentary will be made on this set, but ask your questions in the comments below if any of these things don't make sense):

Q: In the Reconnoitre scenario, if a Hero with the Dominant (X) special rule escapes the board, we know it counts as X number of models for the purpose of working out how many individual models have escaped the board, but does it also count as X Hero models for the purpose of Victory Points? (p.20) A: No, it will still be a single Hero model. So, if a Hero with Dominant (3) escaped the board in this instance, it would count as 3 models for the number of individual models that have escaped, but only a single Hero model for the criteria outlined in the second bullet point of Scoring Victory Points.

Q: If a model that is benefitting from the Shieldwall special rule is knocked Prone due to a Cavalry Charge, will they still benefit from the Shieldwall special rule for the duration of that Combat? (p.129) A: Yes as the special rule states that the benefit of +1 Defence is calculated before models Back Away. 

Q: If a Monster wins a Duel Roll whilst Prone, can they still use Brutal Power Attacks? (p.90). A: No, it will simply stand up as normal.

Q: If a Chariot is wounded by something that would kill it instantly (such as a direct hit from a Siege Engine, or the King of the Dead’s Drain Soul special rule), and the Chariot is being ridden by a Hero, are any Hero models riding the Chariot also killed instantly? (p.101) A: No. In these instances, any Hero models will be affected as described in the second paragraph on page 101.

Q: Can models benefitting from a successful Heroic Combat dismount, make Jump, Leap, Climb or Swim Tests, or pick up objects as part of this additional move? (p.81) A: Yes to all.

Q: Can a model Make Way into a Control Zone? (p.51) A: Yes.

Q: In a Realms of Men Army List, what Heroic Tier are other Hero models included in the Army? (p.134) A: Any Hero models included in the Army, with the exception of Kings of Men, will be classed as Heroes of Fortitude. This does not apply to Siege Veterans, who will remain as Minor Heroes. (EDITOR'S NOTE: I'm gonna comment on this one - I'm going to be honest, I have been carrying the heroic tiers from the profiles with me for so long, that it never even occurred to me that this would need to be spelled out. What's interesting about this is that since there's no caveat about Legacy models, this is the only list where a King's Huntsman can be taken as a Hero of Fortitude . . . you know, if you like those guys . . .)

Q: How does Gríma Wormtongue’s A Traitor Within special rule work in Scenarios where Warbands enter the battlefield, such as Reconnoitre or those that use Maelstrom of Battle? (p.160) A: If you wish to deploy Gríma with an enemy Warband in these instances, you must select the Warband at the start of the game. When that Warband enters the battlefield, after all models from that Warband have moved onto the board, Gríma may then also do so.

Okay, let's take a look at rules that changed (or got heavily clarified) . . .

Rules That Got Clarified

There were a few FAQs tied to how scenario scoring works - the primary question one should ask before moving a model or spending a Might point is how you win the scenario, so any clarifications about how scenarios are played or how the scoring within a scenario works is welcome. Our FAQ involves the not-as-dreaded-anymore scenario of Contest of Champions: it turns out that if you pick a super-sneaky, late-arrival hero as your Champion, you have to forego those fancy deployment tricks and deploy within 3" of the center, just like the enemy champion . . . that may change the way some people pick their Champions, but maybe not:

Q: In the Contest of Champions scenario, what happens if the Hero is chosen to be the Champion, and that Hero does not normally deploy at the start of the game, such as the Watcher in the Water or a Goblin Mercenary Captain? (p.27) A: In these situations, the Hero chosen to be the Champion will deploy as described in the Scenario, rather than using their special rules for arriving later.

There are other scenarios that award VPs for killing the most expensive model your opponent has - but there are several "models" that come as a team of guys (e.g. the King's Champion, Murin and Drar, Elladan and Elrohir, and the new kids on the block, Shank/Wrot/the Snow Troll). If you want to get the VPs for killing this unit (assuming it costs more than any other profile in the enemy force), you have to kill . . . all members of it . . . yikes, but also "makes sense":

Q: In scenarios that award Victory Points for killing the most expensive model, what happens if the most expensive model was part of a pair or a group, such as Shank & Wrot, Orc Scavengers? (p.16-39) A: In these instances, all models that are part of the points cost will need to be killed in order to score the Victory Points. So in the example of Shank & Wrot, Orc Scavengers, the player would need to kill Shank, Wrot, and the Snow Troll to score the relevant Victory Points. 

As we pivot to deployment, there was a question about where the Great Eye marker in the Army of the Great Eye army list is deployed when you don't have a deployment zone . . . and it turns out, you pick a board edge to be yours (like you would for a siege engine) and it is deployed touching that board edge - this is an elegant and consistent ruling in my book:

Q: Where does the Great Eye Marker deploy in Scenarios that don’t have a specific deployment zone, such as Recconoitre or those that use the Maelstrom of Battle special rule? (p.160) A: In these instances, the Great Eye Marker will be deployed touching its controlling player’s board edge. In Maelstrom of Battle scenarios, determine which board edge is the controlling player’s in the same manner as if they had a Siege Engine as described on page 139 of the Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game Rules Manual.

Moving on to movement (see what I did there), we usually have models move one at a time, but there are some situations where you might have to carry a heavy object (like in some scenarios). If you happen to have two models working together to carry a heavy object at full speed and they have to perform a movement test (Jump, Leap, Climb, or Swim), they'll need to take a single test that affects both models . . . but there's nothing saying that a "Venerable" model that would normally have to roll twice and take the lower result has to be the one making the test, so that's good:

Q: What happens if two models that are carrying a Heavy Object together need to take a Jump, Leap, Climb or Swim Test? (p.134) A: In these instances, once both models are in the relevant position, make a single roll for the required test and apply the result to both models. They may then continue their Activation as normal. 

The Eagles army list "Piercing Cry" special rule has had people in a tizzy since the new edition dropped (less so now than when things first began - but it's still pretty oppressive at lower points levels). There is a timing clarification that bears noting: the prohibition on moving when you're "near Gwaihir" is tied to when your units activate - if Gwaihir hasn't moved yet, then those within 6" of him when they start their move will be affected, but if Gwaihir moves first and flaps off somewhere, then anyone he leaves behind (and are still beyond 6"of him) will be unaffected and can move as normal. This probably means that if you're trying to time the shutdown "properly", you charge towards the person you want to shut down, call it on the next turn, and then don't go far if you have to move first:

Q: When Gwaihir uses the Piercing Cry special rule, is it the models that are within 6" of him when he declares the use of this rule, or the models within 6" of him when they activate, that are affected? (p.133) A: Only the models that are within 6" of Gwaihir when they are activated. Models that are within 6" of Gwaihir when he declares the use of the rule, but are not within 6" when they activate because Gwaihir has since Moved, are not affected.

Finally, there was a very interesting question about how many whips can be used to "incentivize" a free heroic action . . . it turns out that the answer is one:

Q: If a Hero declares a Heroic Move, Heroic March or Heroic Shoot whilst in range of multiple models with the Whips of the Masters special rule, do they get to roll a D6 for each of these models, or just a single D6 regardless of the number of models with this special rule they are in range of? (p.149) A: A single D6, regardless of the number of models with the Whips of the Masters special rule the Hero is in range of.

I will admit that this is a rule that I've never tried to abuse, but I'll really not try now. :) Okay, that's the easy stuff out of the way - let's get into . . .

The Long Train of Errata

We're going to start off with the big dogs: the Depths of Moria, the Eagles, and the Army of the White Hand. The Depths of Moria has been a favorite of mine (though I haven't taken it to an event yet this edition) - mostly for the Balrog. The Balrog, I'm happy to say, is completely unchanged. His buddies, however, are going to be a lot less effective most of the time:

Page 235 – Depths of Moria – Drums in the Deep Change the special rule to read: Once per game, at the start of any Move Phase, a Depths of Moria player can declare they are using this special rule. If they do, until the End Phase of the turn, enemy models suffer a -1 penalty to any Courage Tests they are required to take, whilst friendly Moria Goblin models gain a bonus of +1 to any Courage Tests they are required to take. Additionally, until the End Phase of the turn, friendly Moria Goblin models count as being in range of a banner.

This is easily the best army list rule that the Depths of Moria has - yes, they have a lot of good rules, but this one makes those cheap, spammy Goblins that help you win the scenario much more resilient against enemy attacks, especially if you can get 1:1 fights or 2:1 favoring you! You can get a Drum at the standard cost, but the free drum is now once-per-game.

The Eagles army list Piercing Cry rule saw a slight change as well - models can't charge, but can otherwise act normally (like moving to objectives or getting off the board):

Page 133 – The Eagles – Piercing Cry Change the last sentence to read: If he does, then enemy models within 6" of Gwaihir cannot Charge during that turn, but may otherwise act normally. 

The Army of the White Hand was expected to get some kind of nerf-bat treatment and . . . they took a lot of hits, but golly does it seem like they got off easy. For starters, Saruman can't use his Conjure Lightning ability anymore while the target point is within 12" of Grima (which may or may not make a difference - I usually target someone sitting on a far objective to force a VP shift, and Grima is usually lurking somewhere far, far away):

Page 219 – Army of the White Hand – Conjure Lightning Change the first sentence of the bullet point to read: Choose a point on the battlefield at least 12" away from any friendly model (including Gríma Wormtongue). 

Grima has long been one of the best options for Army of the White Hand and he saw two big changes - he had some movement-related rules changed and he cannot be chosen as a hero to kill or protect in sceanrios like Fog of War or Assassination:

Page 160 – Gríma Wormtongue – A Traitor Within Change the fourth paragraph to read: Whilst Gríma is considered a friendly model, he does not have a Control Zone and may ignore the Control Zones of enemy models and may Move through enemy models as if they weren't there. When Gríma Moves this way, he cannot end his Move overlapping or in base contact with an enemy model. Additionally, whilst Gríma is considered a friendly model, enemy models may Move through Gríma in the same manner as described above. Gríma can choose to Charge an enemy model as normal if he wishes.

Page 160 – Gríma Wormtongue – A Traitor Within Change the fifth paragraph to read: These restrictions immediately end if Saruman suffers an unsaved Wound, if Gríma Charges an enemy model, if Gríma destroys an enemy Siege Engine, or if Gríma interacts with an Objective Marker (such as destroying a Supply Marker or picking up an objective), at which point Gríma is treated as a normal enemy model and can be Charged, shot and slain like any other model. Additionally, Gríma can never be chosen as a target in Scenarios that require players to select friendly or enemy Hero models, such as Fog of War or Assassination.

Moving on to the only other army list to get a face-lift: the Army of Thror can now take 50% throwing weapons - this will make Rythbyrt happy, but honestly, they should have just made it 100% instead as that would make the list feel really different compared to the Erebor & Dale list:

Page 85 – Army of Thrór Add the following additional rule: An Army of Thrór Army may have up to 50% of its Warrior models armed with throwing weapons rather than the usual 33%.

As we move into the erratas for profiles, Tom Bombadil's song that allows someone to get +3" of movement and ignore all difficult terrain can, in fact, only be sung once on a model . . . I wonder who discovered that they could get 33" of EXTRA movement on Turn 1 that got this rule change made:

Page 27 – Tom Bombadil – “Hop along, my hearties!” Add the following to the end of the bullet point: A model may only be affected by this song once per turn. 

Dragons also had a change made to their fire attack . . . now everyone near the target isn't killed outright, but will probably still die because a S9 hit and recurring S5 hits do work? Frankly, I wonder why everyone isn't just Set Ablaze and we do away with the unsaved-auto-kill thing altogether:

Page 122 – Dragon – Breathe Fire Change to read: The Dragon can Breathe Fire as a shooting attack during the Shoot Phase; treat this as a bow with a range of 12". If the shot hits, then the model that is hit suffers a Strength 10 hit and if they suffer a Wound from this hit, which is not prevented, they are automatically slain. Additionally, all other models (friend and foe) within 2" are immediately Set Ablaze – though they will not be automatically slain if wounded. This is a firebased attack. 

We also saw a change to the Barge Brutal Power Attack - there's a clarification that just because the engaged models need to move 3", not everyone who Makes Way needs to move the full 3":

Page 90 – Barge Change the final sentence of the first paragraph to read: Models may still Make Way for losing models (which will be decided by the Monster model’s controlling player) and, if they do, may Back Away up to 3" rather than usual 1", in a direction chosen by the Monster model’s controlling player. When a model Makes Way in this manner, it will only do so the minimum amount it needs to in order to allow the model Backing Away to Back Away 3"; it won’t be forced to Make Way a full 3" if only Making Way 1" would suffice to allow the Barged model to Back Away 3", for example, and won’t be automatically knocked Prone if it is able to Make Way the required amount.

Finally, we wrap things up where we began by talking about scenarios. The Escort the Wounded scenario (which may trigger that Heavy Object FAQ from earlier) got two clarifications: you rescue wounded allies by having a friendly model and the ally wholly within one of your designated sanctuaries and you score 2-4 VPs based on whether or not you rescue your "uncontested" allies:

Page 36 – Escort the Wounded – Wounded Allies Change the third sentence to read: If, during the End Phase of any turn, a friendly model is in base contact with a wounded ally and both the model and wounded ally are wholly within a friendly Sanctuary, the wounded ally is removed from the battlefield and has been rescued.

Page 36 – Escort the Wounded – Scoring Victory Points Change the first bullet point to read: You score 2 Victory Points for each of your wounded allies that is in base contact with a friendly model, and no enemy models, in your opponent’s board half. For each wounded ally that has been rescued, you instead score 4 Victory Points.

And that's it, right? Well, that's all the stuff that was written, but there was (at least for me) a pretty big omission from the documents that dropped . . .

And The Big Winner Is . . .

The strangest thing for me is that there was one profile that I was CERTAIN was going to be updated in this FAQ release: crebain (which, oddly enough, shares 86% of the letters in the word "certain" and has those letters in nearly the same order . . . I've been playing a lot of MinuteCryptics recently, can you tell?). Crebain have been all over the meta recently - and the most academic question that has been asked about them isn't "should you take them," but "how many is too many?" Crebain appear in none of the FAQs and the only change to the Army of the White Hand list has to do with the lightning-zap ability that Saruman has (something that I usually use to knock someone off an objective that Grima isn't stalking anyway, so the 12" radius from Grima isn't likely to do that much to change how I play).

Should Crebain have gone up in points? Should they have gotten the Elite keyword and a tight rein of characters who could field them? Should they have 3 Wounds instead of 4? How far can you actually push this? I don't know. It just seems odd to me that the competitive community hasn't been quiet about how broken Crebain are and yet there's no change. As someone who's painting up Crebain right now, I'm not going to object . . . until someone shows up with some that I need to face. :-)

Conclusion

And that's the February 2026 FAQ! All in all, I feel like the balances were good, the clarifications made sense, and while I might not have minded a bit of a curve being put on a feathered profile, I think the changes overall have been fine. If you disagree (or if you agree - that's fine too), let us know in the comments below! We'll see you in six months for the next balance update (though our regularly-scheduled programming for Mondays and every-other-Thursday will continue, don't you worry) - but until then, happy hobbying!