The accessories. You get a scenario book, dice, bases, tokens, and range rulers. The scenario book gives you a series of scalable scenarios so you can play bigger games, from just a few models, to every model in the box! I doubt the range rulers will see much use, but they do allow you to have everything you need to play in the box. The tokens are nice and sturdy and will stand up to repeated game play.

Arguably the greatest warrior that resides in Rivendell, Glorfindel’s skill and swiftness with a blade was unmatched by any Elf in the Third Age, including Lord Elrond. Even the dreaded Nazgûl recoiled from the mighty Elf lord and dared not face him openly. That's largely because the featured campaign does such a good job of drip-feeding you the game's mechanics - you'll never bite off more than you can chew. Once you've got a handle on the basics, more elements are added until you're balancing everything the Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game can throw at you. It's very well done. Fowler: It’s always surprising (and nice) to see Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game get support. This has been a pretty spectacular year for the game, especially considering that at this point it feels as though essentially everything is covered (save for updating resin and metal models). 2022 saw a number of Forgeworld splash releases, a sizeable FAQ, plastic Elrond, a refresh for Glorfindel, a round of army boxes, and now… a new starter box.The centrepiece scenario of the box, this lets you bring out all the toys and use them, and has monsters and heroes running around. It’s asymmetric, but LotR is so often a narrative game.

This is the first scenario where a hero is introduced, and a good follow up to the first one, as Damrod is a minor hero and not going to heavily tip the game, but introduces Might and Heroic actions as a concept to the players. Faramir, Gothmog, Madril, and Damrod are getting new plastic miniatures for the first time in Battle of Osgiliath (Image credit: Warhammer Community)As a boxed product then, Battle of Pelennor Fields is a superb value proposition and an excellent game in its own right, with the potential to delight newcomers and please hobbyists looking to expand their collection considerable in one fell swoop. The quality of the miniatures is exceptional, whilst the written material is literally second to none in either its clarity or attention to detail. The inclusion of dice, measuring rulers and tokens proves that Games Workshop continues to refine its boxed offerings with each step. Overall, Middle Earth Strategy Battles is a superb system and Battle of Pelennor Fields is the best way to take your first steps into it. In this box set, you’ll find all the miniatures (no less than 84!) and rules you and an opponent will need to defend the city of Minas Tirith – or take command of the forces of Evil and wage destruction and war upon the kingdom of Gondor. Included: The sprue for King Theoden. This is a nice sprue and gives you options to use a helmeted head or bareheaded.

Players who simply wish to collect and paint the exceptional models that Games Workshop produce would do well to invest in a set like this if only for the sheer value for money. Likewise, anyone who is serious about setting themselves up with one or more armies in the world of Middle Earth Strategy Battle s will also feel that the best value can be found with Pelennor Fields . Personally, I think it’s also an excellent one versus one boxed game that doesn’t necessarily required expansion, having already far more in the box than the likes of Rune Wars or Star Wars: Legion . While you will have to wait until Christmas to get your hands on this new starter set, we don’t want to make you wait to jump into the game. Which is why our next reveals are the perfect preludes to the Battle of Osgiliath box… The armies of Gothmog in The Lord of the Rings Battle of Osgiliath include an impressive Mordor Troll (Image credit: Warhammer Community) As the sun begins to rise upon the fields of Pelennor, the great siege of Minas Tirith is all but lost… Yet hope has not faded and help is close at hand. Through the crisp morning air, the sound of horns can be heard ringing out, signalling the arrival of King Théoden and the Riders of Rohan. With the hosts of Mordor arrayed in their thousands, Théoden gives an impassioned speech and leads his men into the fray, riding for ruin and the world’s ending!It's a very simple system when you come down to it; each turn has clearly-defined steps, and the act of crossing swords is down to rolling D6 dice and comparing scores on an easy-to-read table. You don't need to worry about complex modifiers here, and even when 'Heroic' actions get thrown into the mix, they simply build on what's already there rather than making you juggle something more strenuous. Battle of Pelennor Fields: The Lord of the Rings is a starter set containing 84 miniatures. Prepare to enter the world of Middle-Earth and recreate battle scenes as King Théoden and the Riders of Rohan make their arrival. Defend the city of Minas Tirith and take control over the forces of Evil and cause war upon the kingdom of Gondor! Happily, the new additions fit into this lineup well despite making full use of modern advances for more dynamic poses. I was a particular fan of Faramir vaulting over ruins into action. In total, including the four characters, is a staggering 84 miniatures and a great start to any good or evil force.