Middle Earth Gaming - the Ringbearer sets out (but doesn't get very far)

Last weekend, Craig and Gord came over to join Arthur and me in a few scenarios from the Lord of the Rings 'Quest of the Ringbearer' narrative campaign for the GW Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game (M-eSBG).  I had not played much of the SBG since it had originally come out twenty or so years ago, concurrent with the Peter Jackson LotR movies.  To be fair, though, it was a refresher for Craig and Gord as well, especially as their (relatively) more recent experience had been with the Battle Companies variant, which used much less magic and special abilities than we encountered in the narrative scenarios!

We played three of the early scenarios in the game.  Arthur of course wanted to jump straight to the ambush at Amon Hen, but I overruled him, considering that we needed to start off with a smaller, simpler scenario to allow us to learn or relearn the rules!  We freely used proxy figures to fill out the numbers, so the board will have miniatures from many different sources, not just the 'official' GW figures.

The first scenario was a raid by the four hobbits (Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin) on Farmer Maggot's Farm.  This is considered to have occurred before the start of the story in the book or the film, before Frodo was given the One Ring and sent on his way.  It is supposed to be light-hearted, with the hobbits trying to rob poor Farmer Maggot, and Maggot setting his dogs to chase off the raiders and protect his crop.

The game starts with Maggot's farm in the background, and his crops stored in a small compound in the centre of the table.  The farm is not particularly Hobbit-ish, as I proxied in my Sicilian buildings for the farm, and crates of goods from the market.

The four Hobbits are supposed to gather goods from the compound and return them to their stash (the gabions in front of Arthur).  Meanwhile, Maggot's hounds will try to intercept the thieves!

Hobbits make a dash for the compound, while the hounds move round to intercept them.

This is a barrow-wight standing on a small lid to demonstrate the concept of 'zone of control'!  Meanwhile, to the left all the hobbits have been frightened off by the hounds.  Maggot never even came on the table!

Second scenario - Buckleberry Ferry.  The four hobbits are trying to get through the woods, past the Ringwraiths to reach Buckleberry Ferry. 

The ringwraiths set up a line to block the hobbits' advance.  The first ringwraith attacks Frodo, weakening him. After this, the other three ensure that they stand between the wraiths and the ringbearer!

However, the hobbits' heroics are for naught, as the ringwraiths wear down the resistance and finally capture poor Frodo!

Third Scenario - Fog on the Barrow Downs.  Another scenario inspired by the book, as the whole sequence with Tom Bombadil, the Old Forest and the Barrow Downs didn't make the cut for Peter Jackson's films (and for that matter, didn't get into Ralph Bakshi's movie either!).  Frodo and company must cross the Barrow Downs on their way to Bree.  However a fog comes up, in which the wights come from their barrows to try to capture the hobbits who have intruded on their territory!

Here we have the wights carefully stalking the hobbits.

All the hobbits have been paralyzed by the wights, one of them is being dragged back to a barrow to be sacrificed!

After far too many failed attempts, Frodo regains consciousness and summons Tom Bombadil to come to their aid.  

        Ho! Tom Bombadil, Tom Bombadillo!

        By water, wood and hill, by the reed and willow,
        By fire, sun and moon, harken now and hear us!
        Come, Tom Bombadil, for our need is near us!

Actually, the hobbits tried this song many times, but the summons failed again and again!

So regrettably, despite Tom's valiant efforts, the four barrow wights succeeded in capturing and sacrificing the four hobbits!

Not a great day for the hobbits:  they went 0-3 in the three scenarios.  Still, fun was had by all, and we look forward to trying again soon.