The issue’s “Guide to Middle-earth” introduces us to the
Rohirrim and the situation in Rohan. Given the clash between Rohan and Isengard
is both one of the major battles of the War of the Ring and the main focus of
an entire movie, it’s sensible to focus on the fight between Rohan and the
Uruk-hai early in the Battle Games in Middle-earth series. Both Rohan and
Isengard will see larger coverage in the issues ahead. The two pages following
this issue’s “Guide” offer a sneak preview of future issues’ topics—including
rules for various weapons, special fighting rules for Heroes, cavalry, a battle
report of an actual game, new painting techniques, instructions for modelling
trees and buildings, and look at the upcoming models to be included in these
issues. Boromir, an Uruk-hai Captain, and Riders of Rohan are all headed our
way!
“Playing the Game” covers rules for defending barriers,
which will come in handy when Rohan decides to hold Helm’s Deep against
Saruman. In short, any model standing on one side of a crossable obstacle, be
it a wall, a ditch, a fence, or so forth, has a great advantage over any other
model trying to cross it. The defending model is never moved back 1” if it
loses a Fight roll, and it can Fight against multiple models in one-on-one battles
if it’s holding the barrier. Models trying to strike a defender have to make
in-the-way rolls if they win the Fight, meaning that each roll to wound has a
50% chance of hitting the barrier rather than the defender. In all cases, the
best way to deal with a model defending a barrier is to send someone over it at
an unprotected point and attack the defender from behind. This not only has a
better chance of wounding the model, it might also move him away from the
obstacle, allowing allied models to cross over.
Up next is this issue’s “Battle Game” section. The scenario
is “Repel the Marauders!” and as can be imagined, it puts the rules for
defending barricades to the test. The scenario pits a group of Rohan warriors
against marauding Uruk-hai intent of killing defenseless Rohan villagers. The
Rohirrim warriors must hold the walls and fences surrounding the village from
the merciless servants of the White Hand long enough for the villagers to flee.
The “Painting Workshop” provides the reader with a guide on
how to paint this issue’s included models: 12 Warriors of Rohan. These models
balance out the Uruk-hai we received back in issue #4 and, like the Uruk-hai,
will serve as the core of a growing Good force for the reader’s collection of
minis. Given the Warriors uniform color and limited palette, getting these guys
ready for the gaming table should be a cinch.
The issue closes out as always with the “Modelling Workshop”
section. It should come as no surprise that walls and fences are the topic of
this issue’s workshop. Instructions are provided for creating stone walls and
wooden fences. A total of four of each will be needed for the “Repel the
Marauders!” scenario, but with balsa wood and thick card as the main materials,
making them will be both easy and cheap.
The final page of this issue takes a look ahead at the next
installment of BGiME. We’ve got a Legolas model coming our way, making our
collection of Fellowship minis a third of the way finished, rules for ranged
weapons such as crossbows and throwing axes, a scenario where Legolas fights
Moria goblins to rescue Frodo, and instructions for creating trees and forests
on your tabletop. If you like elves, this sounds like the issue for you!
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