GORGOROTH he north of Mordor is a barren and dusty ‘wasteland, coated with the euinous debris scattered by the voleanie Mount Doom that sits inthe centre of the giant plateau of Gorgoroth, By all standards, the plateau of| Gorgoroth is vile plac air is poisonous fume, prolonged exposure 10 ‘which ean sp a man of his health and wil Accordingly there are very few of Sauron's creatures that choose to live in tis place. Indeed, only those Ores assigned to garrison duty inthe strongholds of the Morgai spend Ore of Gorgoroth seg SoD) Ore of Gorgoroth 24+ 3 4 Wargear Gorgoroth Orcs wear erude armour and carry shields and spear. Th items atthe following cost: Hand weapon or two-handed weapon free Bow Ip Ip Spear Special Rules Recaleitrant. Ifa Gorgorth Ore cannot draw line of sight to an enemy model atthe start of its becomes Good model forthe est ofthe turn Move phase, ‘any time inthis land, Most only passthrough fn their way to the slavefelds inthe south, or the Merannon in the non, dvelling in small ‘makeshift towns of rough tents for no more than a few days at atime. Unsurprisingly perhaps, the temper of the Ores forced to live fn the plateau is fouler than normal. IF there is ro identifiable enemy’ close by, only the iron control of an Ore captain ean ensure thatthe Ores of Gorgoroth continue about their business without attacking thir fellows Points value: 6 > Re may be given additional Shield Heavy armoure 1S D Mat Ward expands the rules presented in last month’s article, “Points Match’, with rules for playing competitive games in Mordor, the Land of Shadow. eA - ING auron’s chief stronghold for many thousands of years, Mordor lies in the 3 of Middle-earth, bordered by Gondor inthe west and by Khand and Rhdn in the east Aland that has endured too long under the shadow, Mordor is a ruined and evil place, History docs not tell of Mordor before at the start ofthe Sauron began to dwell ther Second Age ~ no name from known. In the years of Sauron’s power it became the most feared realm in Middle-earth, ‘shadow that could stretch aeros the face of the world. Even its mame = literally translated Black Land’ —is a tile bestowed as a resiltof the Dark Lon’s evil nature “Mordor itslFs split into wo distinct regions by branches of the Ered Lthui and Ephel Diath, The northern region of Gorgoroth isa baren plateau where litle rows, and that which does grow is twisted by the vile fumes that emanate from the dominant feature of Gorgoroth: Orodruin, Mount Doom, tis her, in the mountain's voleanic fury, that Sauron forged the One Ring ~ an act that would bind Mount Doom to the fate of Midale-earth itself. In contrast, the plain of Narn could almost be considered a fertile land is soil enriched by the many rivers that ‘empty into the inland sea of Nomen, but even here there is something unwholesome about plains of Nam a the ait Th crisscrossed Ge ee THE LAND OF SHADOW Playing a game in Mordor ‘with a great network of roads that ultimately lead out ofthe lack land, tothe vassal nations in the east and the south. Day after day great ‘convoys bearing slaves and supplies journey to the camps along the sea of Namen, where ‘countless slaves toil to support the armies of| the Dark Lord Mordor is ringed on three sides by forbidding mountains. Though primarily they fem auron’s frst line of defence, these open the disloyal and unwilling amongst his servants, as well the innumerable slaves and prisoners interred in the dungeons of Mordor. These silent borders ate almost unassailable, for in addition to the substantial natural barier presented by f 1 spires of rock, many fll and foul creatures inhabit the tun beneath the peaks Ores dt ‘of Mordor can only be breached at to points = two cursed and desolate chinks inthe armour of Mordor The first, the pass of Cirith Ur through the Eplel Déath to link the green land Js and caverns creatures that even the 1d an encounter with. The mountains ol, winds ‘of liilien with the dusty wasteland that isthe plateau of Gorgoroth. Though the route is uge through Cisth Ungol is by no means easy oF safe. Ores will not enter portions of the pass, fearful of the bloated presence of Shelob last child of Ung This giant spider-creature preys upon anything that she pleases, afraid of nothing, Not even Sauron's power is sufficient to cow her, ‘though in truth he weleomes her presence in that forsaken place, guarding as she does the cetrance to his land The second rad into the Black Land is irith Gorgor, the haunted pass, located inthe ‘extreme north-west of Mordor, at the junction of the Ered Lithui and the Ephel Déth, Cirth Gorgor isthe only road down which an army can easily travel and isthe only true weak point in Mordor’s westem defences. This, vulnerable spot is reinforced by the Morannon, the Black Gate of Mordor ~ a massive bastion ‘of iron and steel that averlooks the morass of the Dead Marshes far below: As the only true entrances to Mondor, both passes are watched with cea glance Above Cirith Gorgor st the twin towers of Narchost and Carchost, whilst another tower ‘whose name has been long forgotten rests, beside Cirith Ungol. Ironically, ‘were built by Gondor in years past after ‘Sauron fell beneath the Last Alliance (Originally intended to watch Mordor and prevent the Dark Lord from rebuilding his been taken and corrupted. Now infested with (Ores they have been turned toa new purpose — to defend Mordor against theie creators.PLAYING SCENARIOS IN MORDOR Mordor isan oppressive and bleak land, rife ‘with danger. With your opponents approval, you ean play the Points Match scenarios from White Dwarf 288 (or any other scenarios) within Mordor I you do so, the following roll one D6 on the following table to determine which special rules special rules ean be used (Grany) ae 1 be used each ~note that multiple rolls oF the same rues do not stack (you coud ot end up with two Rogue Trolls For example). Alternatively players ean before the rules they are usin ame begins, Dice Result 1 Unnatural Darkness 2 The Very Air You Breathe isa Poisonous Fume 3 Tangled Thoms 4 The Gaze of Sauron 5 Rogue Troll 6 Roll ewice more on this table Rogue Troll: A lone maddened Trol is ‘wandering this part of Mordor and will attack Whoever comes close At the stat of the gam: place a Mordor Troll inthe eenre of the boar, Both players then soll « D6 ~ the player ‘wih the highest may move the Troll 206"/4D6em in any direction, For the im, the Trol is contolled remainder ofthe by the player who has Priority in exactly the same way’ as Gollum, GLOOM CHART Dice Res itch Black The darkness is so total that their face, let alone other warriors. Each time « model wishes to charg ster than or equal tothe distance in inches that for shoot an enemy, he mua first roll separates them on & D6 (or 2D6 ifm sulfcient, then the model can instead cha rolled, Might may be used to influence this 2-5. Oppressive Darkness ~ Some light penetra See far in such poor light Elves, Dwarves, Tolls, Ores ad Moria Goblins can only see other models up to 12"/28em avvay and targets outside this distance, Al other ere and may not charge or shot at targets outside this distance 6 Ample Light ~ A hazy light breaks though illumination to fight by warriors can barely see hand infront of cast a spell at in centimetres) Ifthe dice rol is not a different enemy within the distance may’ not charg, eas a spel of shoot at tures ean only se 6"/L4em into the darkness i the veil and, though weak, provides ample Unnatural Darkness: Mordor is oten ‘covered in a pall of darkness that even the sun of ceannot pierce. At the start ofthe the Gloom chart to determine the le visibility: The Very Air You Breathe is 1 Poisonous Fume: The noxious gases that ven! from Mount Doom blanket the air, making it difficult and deadly to breathe, At the start of player has deployed, ‘every model in both forces takes a single Strength 1 hit to represent the elfets of the Poisonous atmosphere Tangled Thorns: Very litle plan life thrives ‘on the plateau of Gorgoroth and those Few species that do are dark, twisted things and covered in all manner of thoms and razor sharp spines. To represen this, any models that move into an area of efficult terrain will suffer a Single Strength 1 hit as they enter the tera, ‘The Gaze of Sauron: The Dark Lon!’ eye wanders hither and hither his, arch forthe ‘One Ring, bat where it focuses upon his servants they fight with a greater ferocity. To represent this, all Evil modes re Courage forte remainder of this same, 2-41 bonus to theirJorD > SRIIN S ? THE DARKNESS DWELLS IN DURIN’S HALLS ‘New rules for fighting games in Moria Moria was once a mighty underground realm of the Dwarves. All that dwells there now are Ores and older and fouler creatures best left unnamed. Mat Ward provides full rules for playing scenarios in the darkness of Moria. ‘ria was founded inthe First Age of the world. long before the forging of the Rings of Power and even before the children of menor landed on the shores Of Middle-earth. In the east ofthe Misty ‘Mountains did Darin, the father of the Dwarves, make his home, far below the peaks of Zirak-zigil, Barazinbar and Bundushathot. He and his folk fashioned a mighty underground realm, and Khazad-lim (asthe Diarves name it) became a testimony to Dwarvish skill and proud splendour. As the ‘numbers of Durin’s folk grew, so did they fashion new balls from caverns, span bottomless chasms with bridges of stone and fashion sturdy gates from the very skins of the mountains themselves. Deep below the ergs, Moria may have been a place of strength, but it was nota place of darkness. Great windows were let into the Sides ofthe mountains and carefully erafted channels brought light to the halls below. For Tong years and through the lives of many kings, Moria was a mighty ealm. Amidst he pillared hall, several generations of Dwarf kings sat on the carved throne of Duri, and the realm grew rich through te skills of his fol. ‘Moria was wealthy beeause the mountains ‘were wealthy, and the Dwarves delved deep in search of ron, gold, and gemstones of all kinds, ‘These were the toys and servants of the ‘Dwarves, wrought with great skill and cunning to produce all manner of wondrous artefacts tht ‘were the envy of the other kingdoms in Middle cart, Even 50, the tre riches of Khazad-dim ‘were notin gold o ion, but in what was called mith bythe Elves or known as Truesitver in the C no one knew, fr the a substance of wonder, As hard as dragonscale, nnon tongue. What the Dwarves called it ver told, but mith was ane it could be polished like silver and wrought like iron, The Elves adored mith fr is beauty, and soon a great trade route between Moria and the reighbouring land of Eregion ws establish (Over time a great friendship grew up between the two peoples, nowhere more deeply signified than on the west gate of Moria where the emblems of Durin sat alongside those of the High Elves ‘Alas to all moments of happiness there is a end, and the days of Moria were numbered. con came to Eregion. He did not come for mithil, but instead, with the aid of the Elven-smiths of Eregion, he forged the Rings of Power. He came in disguise to the Eves and with his aid and knowledge were forged nine rings forthe kings of Men and ngs forthe Dwarf lords. The friendship between Moria and Eregion was such that of the seven rings forged forthe Dwarf lords, one was gifted to the king of Moria, Sauron left Eregion fora time and in the far land of Mordor he forged the One Ring, a too! through which he could bend to his own the will ofthe other ring-bearers. Through their wisdom, the Etves of Eregion perceived Sauron’s intent and hid from him the three rings they had forged for their people. His intent discovered, Sauron revealed his true nature, ad his forces crushed the people of Eregion, The west door of Khavad-