I have been working on a narrative campaign recently for Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game. It’s a fun series of linked scenarios set in and around the Shire. The scenarios start with a small number of models building up to larger battles and ending with a siege against the forces of Angmar! Can Gandalf and Aragorn protect the Hobbits from the evil Orcs and their master?

I am going to post an overview of the campaign below and also each scenario in a separate post. PDFs also available for download.

A Case of Mistaken Identity
A Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game Narrative Campaign

It is some years since Bilbo Baggins has returned to the Shire and settled down to his old life. The shadow in the East has stirred again and has been looking for news and rumours of the ring. It has heard a rumour of the ring being in the north and its spies say that the ring is with someone called Bagginses.

The campaign is a series of small linked battles.

The forces for each battle are detailed in each scenario description —it is assumed that any injuries are healed etc. However, if any heroes are killed then they return to the next battle they’re in but with 1 less Wound. If they survive the next scenario they are then returned to full Wounds.

Lost in the Old Forest

A Shire militia patrol is ambushed while beating the bounds by a party of Hunter Orcs on Fell Wargs. Only the quick actions of Aragorn can save them.

Aragorn finds a scribbled note on one of the Orcs written in the Black Tongue – they are looking for Bagginses!

Attack on the Hamlet of Hamlingden

The Orcs believe they have tracked down the location of a Baggins, so send a larger party of Orcs to attack the hamlet of Hamlingden where they believe a Baggins to live – in fact it is a distant relative of Bilbo, Lobelia Sackville-Baggins

Forewarned Aragorn is waiting with a group of militia and has sent word to Gandalf for help. Gandalf arrives part way through the battle.

Escape Across the River

The Shire is too dangerous for anyone called Baggins. While Gandalf goes to make sure Bilbo is safe, Aragorn leads Lobelia Sackville-Baggins and the surviving militia across the river to try to reach the old Arnor fort of Edding Moor. They are pursued by a new Orc warband sent to finish the job the other Orcs failed.

Searching the fort of Edding Moor

Gandalf is alarmed to hear where Aragorn has taken the hobbits – he believes it is a trap and that forces of evil live in the fort. He goes in first to clear it out.

Within the ruins Gandalf must battle Barrow Wights, Spiders and Bats!

Attack on the fort of Edding Moor

Once Gandalf has attempted to clear the interior of the Fort Aragorn and the hobbits enter to seek refuge. They are joined by a group of Dúnedain to aid in their defence. But the Enemy has sent one of his lieutenants with a large army of Orcs and Trolls to seize the hobbit and destroy Aragorn and Gandalf.

A Case of Mistaken Identity Campaign Overview PDF Download

Scenario one from the A Case of Mistaken Identity Narrative Campaign for Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game.

PDF Download: Lost in the Old Forest

Lost in the Old Forest

A group of Hobbit archers and militia are beating the bounds of the shire, a mysterious fog descends, and they become lost in the woods.

Unbeknownst to them a pack of Warg Riders has been tracking them – hoping to take a Hobbit prisoner so that they can gain information as to the whereabouts of a certain Bilbo Baggins.

LAYOUT

There is an old ruin near the centre of the board consisting of a ruined house and bushes.

Woods, bushes and rocks are placed around the rest of the board.

STARTING POSITIONS

The Good player deploys the hobbits within 6 inches of centre of the board near the old ruin.

The Evil player may then deploy the Warg Riders anywhere on the long edges of the board up to two inches from the board edge.

Alternatively, if you have a square board then the Warg Riders start from North and South.

OBJECTIVES

The Hobbits’ objective is to escape off the board and avoid capture. They can escape can be off either of the East or West board edges. Half the Hobbits must escape.

The Warg Riders’ objective is to capture one hobbit and remove him from the North of South board edges (see special rules).

SPECIAL RULES

A Ranger of the North – Aragorn has been tracking the Orc Warg Riders and although on foot has now caught up with. He comes to the aid of the hobbits.

Every turn after the first there is a chance that Aragorn will appear. On a roll of 4+ at the start of the Good player’s turn Aragorn appears on either the North or South board edge.

Capture a Hobbit

The Warg Riders’ task is to capture at least one Hobbit. They will do this by reducing one Hobbit to zero wounds and then carrying them as a Heavy Object away to either the North or the South board edge.

Hobbits count as a Heavy Object and maybe carried by Warg Riders (an exception to the normal rules). Warg Rider’s movement is halved. The Good Player may not shoot at a Warg Rider carrying a Hobbit as this may risk injury, but melee combat is allowed. The prisoner is freed if the Warg Rider is slain. The prisoner remains prone for the rest of the game and cannot move.

PARTICIPANTS

Good
4 Hobbit Archers
8 Hobbit Militia
Aragorn

Evil
6 Warg Riders on Wild Wargs