Christmas

Profiles

Christmas
Hobby

A Christmas
Miracle

December
2019
A Middle-earth fanzine by the fans - for the fans

nt
Adve
a le n dar
C
p e c ial!
S

Yule in Dale
On the night before Yule, two mysterious strangers
come to Balin’s aid as he is attacked by Fell Wargs
whilst attempting to deliver presents around Dale
 EDITORIAL
SBG
Ho ho ho! Meeeeeeeeeeerry
Christmas and welcome to our
Advent calendar special edition!
A Middle-earth fanzine by the fans - for the fans
Christmas is a special time for
everyone and wargamers are
Advent Calendar Special no exception, exciting boxes
December 2019 of plastic goodies lie hidden
beneath the Christmas tree, time away from work allows us to get stuck
into more hobbying than normal and, if you're not watching the various
Created and Edited by:
Tom Harrison Middle-earth films whilst tucking into all manner of Christmas grub, then
Damian O’Byrne there's something wrong!

Layout & Design: Of course, before the big day itself, we have the whole festive season
Damian O’Byrne
of Christmas music, mince pies, classic movies and frantic shopping
Copy Editor: to prepare us for the big day. For many of us, this countdown is given
Tom Harrison physical form by our Advent calendars - each day, we race downstairs,
giddy with excitement to rip open the next door and discover which
Principal Photography: new treasure lies beyond! Advent calendars have been around for
Jim Muller
hundreds of years and have moved far beyond the simple card doors
Article Contributors: concealing a picture to now include whisky, cheese and even Lego
No peeking - you'll find out! variants. Of course, the majority of us will settle for the humble
chocolate Advent calendar, each morning ripping open the foil cover to
discover a delicious chocolaty treat in the shape of a snowman or a star
(perhaps even a favourite seasonal frog?) and gobbling it up outrageously
early in the morning, at a time that no-one would dare to suggest eating
chocolate in November.

However, there is a flaw, as we stand there nibbling at our chocolate,

Merry Christmas! we often find ourselves with nothing to do and desperately wishing we
had something to read whilst we indulge ourselves. Well, no longer! This
Contact us: Advent, SBG Magazine has you covered - each day until Christmas Eve,
sbgmagazine@gmail.com we will upload a new article to the Great British Hobbit League Facebook
page for you to read as you eat your chocolaty treat. The 24 pages
cover a vast range of topics including tactics, opinion pieces, painting
guides, a new scenario, a battle report and two new profiles... We must
say a huge thanks to all of our authors for contributing to the issue, we
won’t reveal them here but you’ll find out over the next 24 days.

As ever, we are indebted to Jim Muller who agreed to an unexpected

bonus photoshoot and took many of the gorgeous pictures throughout
the special. The support for SBG Magazine from the community over
the last six years has been incredible and this is a little gesture from us
to say thanks to everyone who has picked up a copy. We hope you enjoy
this seasonal special and that it offers you a little bonus hobby content
in the build-up to the big day.
Enjoy the articles, and Merry Christmas!
Damian & Tom

SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 1

The nerdy christmas gift guide
It’s the start of December, we’ve missed Black Friday, and now we’re all panicking about
the perfect gifts for those crazed Tolkien fans in our lives. Fear not, team SBG is here
with our top Christmas gift ideas for those last minute Middle-earth themed purchases!
Gift Givers Note: It’s probably
a safe bet that if you’re reading
this then you’re a big fan of the
Middle-earth Strategy Battle
Game. For the purposes of this
article, we’re going to assume
that you already own every
model, rulebook and accessory
produced for the game to allow
us to concentrate on non-gaming
gifts for a bit of variety. Let’s face
it, the top gift ideas for most of
us this Christmas are War in
Rohan, the Rohan scenery, and
Saruman and Grima!
Books
Let’s start by assuming that your
beloved nerd already owns The
Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The
Silmarillion. Fortunately, there is a vast
range of Middle-earth themed books
available - here are our top three:
1) The Atlas of Tolkien’s Middle-earth
- a wonderful book full of gorgeous
maps that allows you to journey into
Middle-earth with Bilbo and Frodo.
2) The Letters of J.R.R.Tolkien - over
350 letters written between 1914
and 1973 which offer a fascinating
look into Tolkien’s thoughts on
writing, religion, love, England, and
just about everything else.
3) The six WETA Chronicles books
[Ed - I guess this is actually a Top 8...]
are full of beautiful photography and
illustrations and offer a fascinating
look ‘behind the curtain’ at the
development of The Hobbit trilogy.
In the heart of the Shire
Funko Pops
lies the Mathom House, a
museum where Hobbits
leave anything they have
“no immediate use for”.
Funko Pops certainly fit
into this category - they
can’t be used for games
and they won’t make you
a cup of tea, but they sure
are pretty. There is an ever-expanding range of Middle-earth themed
Pops available, with more appearing all the time and they make perfect
stocking fillers.You can currently pre-order adorable Gandalf riding
adorable Gwaihir, ready to fly into your stocking this Christmas!
Games
For many people,
Christmas is synonymous
with playing board games;
there really is no more
magical feeling than
gathering round a board
game with rarely seen
family and having a series
of heated arguments. There are plenty of great Middle-
earth board games available, including the wonderful
Middle-earth Quest shown here. So why not wrap up a
lovely big box for your loved one and have a great big row.
When we published Tom’s Top
Tauriel Tauriels in our Tauriel special
edition back in April, the new
Tauriel of the Woodland Realm
statue from WETA was just about
to be released. It’s now been
available for seven months and
rumour has it that some people
still haven’t picked up their copy.
At a mere £270.65 (excluding
applicable taxes) this is the perfect
gift for any fan of Tolkien’s writing.
However, be sure to move fast, it’s
a limited edition run of 800 and
Damian already has 700 of them...
SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 2
 climbing the mini
mountain
We're all likely to get some lovely new models from Santa Claus over the festive season,
making our mountain of unpainted miniatures that much higher. Kieran Street is no stranger
to this problem and is here to offer a few tips on how best to manage your collection!
I once owned every model in
all the armies of Elves, Men and
Orcs. If only I could have got
around to painting them all...
The thing about collecting
wargames miniatures is that it can
sometimes get a little addictive.
One cool model leads to another
and, before you know it, you’ve
got a backlog of toy soldiers on
the paint queue large enough to
storm the walls of Helms Deep.
So how does one go about
managing a large model
collection? Well, while I’m still
on the road to working that one
out myself, I thought I’d share a
few things that I do to motivate
myself when I’m working my way
through my own ‘mini mountain’.
Get organised - Once you
collect a certain number of minis,
it’s easy to start wasting time
trying to find the particular model
you want to work on in the midst
of your personal dragon’s hoard.
Getting everything organised
so that you know where to find
both your minis and painting
tools means you spend less time
looking for things and more time
painting them.
Make a plan - Even if it’s just a
short scribble about what you’re
going to work on over the next
few weeks or a stage-by-stage
breakdown of how you’re going
to tackle every mini in your
collection, having a plan gives
Deciding whether to spend three months painting sixty models or
three months painting one model is the sort of dilemma that most of
us know all too well when trying to scale our own mini mountains!
you something to focus on and
helps make the task feel more
achievable. Be realistic, set enough
time for each project and don’t
let setbacks kill your motivation.
Time management - Real life
happens and, unfortunately, being
able to paint models can’t always
be the highest priority on your
schedule. Utilising the free time
that you do have is important if
you want to make headway on
those armies and, as Gandalf said
“All we have to decide is what
to do with the time that is given
to us”. Even doing five minutes
each day or a few short painting
sessions each week tends to be
more productive than one big
heroic effort once a year. The
consistent practice will also help
to keep your hobby skills sharp.
Dragon sickness - Ever buy
a model which you never feel
enthusiastic enough about to
paint? It’s easy to get carried away
SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 3
and buy things just for the sake
of completing a collection, but to
get them looking gorgeous on the
tabletop, you need to like them
enough to want to spend the time
painting them. If you’re holding
onto things just to own them, it
might be time to consider cutting
down the collection, giving you
more space for the minis you do
want to finish.
Form a fellowship - Frodo didn’t
make it all the way to Mordor
alone. Team up with a friend or
two, share pictures of progress
and help to keep each other on
that painting journey.
Ultimately, it’s a lot quicker to
buy models than it is to paint
them and getting through a big
collection takes time, effort and
determination. However, no
matter how big the task, it begins
with a single step and as Sam
would say “It’s the job that’s never
started as takes longest to finish.”
 Making a list and
checking it twice
Will Champion is a top-table terror on the UK tournament scene and has been competing at
the highest level for several years - here he discusses his top tips for building a competitive list.

Writing the perfect army list is
one of the most fun challenges of
attending events, especially if you
are shooting for podiums. Listed
below are a few factors I always
consider when writing a list.
Will works out how many models should be in his army
by dividing the points limit of the tournament by 20 and
then adding 1 for every 100 points over 500 the points
limit is. For example, in an 800 point list he would want
43 models - SCIENCE!

Scenarios - If the tournament

has listed the scenarios, pay close
attention to what kind of army
will work best. Many objective
scenarios favour hordes, so either
bring your own or something
that can efficiently despatch them
in swathes! If the scenarios are
random, make sure you have the
flexibility to deal with any of the
scenarios that may come up.
Leader - The Heroic Tier system
means that the enemy Leader is
often a mega-Hero. This can pose
a problem if there is a chance of
Contest of Champions coming
up. As such, make sure that your
Leader can go toe-to-toe with
opposing Heroes, or instead make
sure you have a contingency plan
such as defensive magic.
Model Count - This will vary
with the faction and play-style
you prefer - you’re obviously not
going to have the same number
of models in an all-Hero list as
you would a Goblin Town swarm.
I follow a home-brew points-
omatic (see picture) to make
sure I have enough models, as
there’s nothing worse than being
hopelessly outnumbered in an
objective scenario!
Extras - Consider any
additions that could give your
army a boost. For example,
war horns massively increase
an Evil army’s staying power
in the late game, war drums
give Evil armies mobility to
close on the famously effective
Good shooting and, in my
experience, there isn’t a single
army that doesn’t benefit from
including a banner (if available)
- who doesn’t want a free
re-roll?
Might - It’s no secret that
Might wins games but there
is no one correct amount of
Might to have. However, having
12 Might on four choppy
Heroes isn’t necessarily 12
disposable Might, as those
points will likely be needed for
boosting combat rolls. As such,
try to have a cheap support
Hero for calling pivotal Heroic
Moves without depleting the
stores of your killers.
Know Thy Enemy - If you want to
win a tournament, you need to plan
for the forces that you are likely to
face in the crucial final games. By
knowing roughly who I am likely to
face at the business end of an event
and what they are likely to be taking,
I can ensure that I have the tools to
beat those armies at any scenario.
Good vs. Evil - This format adds
an extra layer of complexity as
you need to write two lists. As Evil,
expect to face magic and bows;
as Good, expect to face hordes,
monsters and wraiths - make sure
you add the correct tools to your
lists to mitigate the impact of these
expected threats. In good news, you
can at least discount some grim
match-ups before they happen!
And that’s it! I hope you have found
this whistle-stop tour of my list
building considerations useful and
that it helps you to walk away with
some tournament silverware - just
not Bilbo’s spoons!

SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 4

Gonna find out who's
naughty and nice
Rob Kron hails from Washington DC and is here to offer his top tips about
how to stay on Santa's good side whilst playing games this festive season!

As Christmas approaches, many

of you will be eagerly awaiting
the judgement of a high-carb, We’ve been nice Oh no we hasn’t,
red-clad Gandalf, as he weighs the this year Precious Smeagol has been
scales of our actions and sorts NAUGHTY
us onto either the coveted ‘nice
list’ or the dreaded ‘naughty list’. Not listening, WICKED,
Reflecting upon my own chances NOT LISTENING! TRICKSY,
of dodging a lump of coal in my FALSE!
stocking, I got to thinking: what if
it was our conduct at the gaming
table that determined our fate? after all. This gamer thrives in the Ultimately, depending on
We often discuss what people play, ‘gotcha’ zone - should you attempt whether you see the game as
but less often how people play. something out of sequence or make a battle of tactics or a battle of
What is proper gaming etiquette? a minor rules mistake (however minds, you will have a differing
Put more simply, when it comes inconsequential in the grand scheme perception of just how naughty
to the Middle-earth Strategy Battle of things) they will be quick to these three Spirits of Gamers
Game, exactly what is naughty? pounce. Past are. After all, reminding
your opponent to use their
To begin, we can obviously The Smoke and Mirrors banner is not required, just
eliminate any behaviour that is Mastermind - We all know the type... polite. And asking to review
unquestionably unacceptable. When it is your turn, this player will your opponent’s measurements
Clearly, deliberate cheating of require hyper-precision, giving no is not illegal, it’s just annoying.
any kind - manipulation of dice, benefit of the doubt and reviewing So, when it comes to deciding
purposeful misrepresentation of every move and placement to the what skirts the ‘naughty zone’,
rules, egregious slow-play - is a millimetre, all the while happy to and what lands squarely within
one-way ticket to the naughty list. chat away as you think in an effort to it, everyone is entitled to their
However, beyond that, I believe distract, erode focus and, ultimately, own judgement.
that there are three particular force gameplay mistakes.
player behaviours that occupy But sometimes it bears
something of a grey area, yet are The Timepiece Warrior - As we’ve reminding that in our wonderful
sure to put you on a fast track to already established, deliberate slow- community, the outcome is
the naughty list this festive season. play is straight-up naughty. But we rarely more important than the
have all encountered the player that journey, and your opponent’s
The Gotcha Gamer - This has made weaponising the clock an enjoyment should always be a
player is the patient hunter of the art-form. This player never quite consideration. So in the spirit of
Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game. rises to the level of clear foul-play, the holidays, as you prepare to
They will be quick to pre-empt but will find a way to make sure that throw some dice, I urge all of
and slow to remind. Should you their turns run just to the cusp of my fellow Middle-earth Strategy
forget to use a banner, or neglect acceptability, while also being quite Battle Gamers to channel your
to ask for a Terror test, they will happy to ‘encourage’ you along in inner Bill or Ted, and just be
remain silent.Your loss, their gain your own time management. excellent to each other.

SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 5

 a dvent-ure
going on an
Dan Entwistle has been part of the Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game community since the age
of 10. In that time, he’s attended countless events across the world and forged many lasting
friendships. Here, he shares his tips on how to get started on your wargaming event journey!
So, you’re thinking about taking
the plunge and going to your first
event, but don’t know where to
start? No problem! Read on for
my tips on how to prepare for
your first adventure...
There are a number of reasons
why you should head to any of
the countless Middle-earth Strategy
Battle Game events around the
world. For a start, you get a
chance to play against new people
who you have never met before,
meaning that you get a new
challenge in each round which
helps to develop your skills. Not
only that, many of the community
are happy to sit and reflect on a
good game over a cup of tea or
a beer and these opponents can
very quickly become new friends.
Over the years I’ve had some
fantastic weekends away and
some of these opponents, from all
over the world, have turned into
some of my closest friends.
So, once you have committed to
attending an event, what’s next?
Well it’s time to muster a force
to bring with you! When choosing
a force there are a few things
for you to mull over, the first
is what do you want from the
event? Are you looking for a no
holds barred competitive list to
try and conquer the top tables,
or something more focused on
theme and spending time having
a laugh? Or perhaps both! You
should also consider what models
you actually have battle-ready and
SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 6
Lunch/Snacks Latest FAQs
For sustenance For answering
during the day those tricksy
(Pink Floyd queries
lunchbox optional)
Army List
2 printed copies
of your army list
is the standard,
one to show to
opponents and
one to hand in
to the TO
Dice
A selection
of different Your Army
coloured dice is Rather crucial this one
invaluable - don’t forget it!
if you have time to paint anything
else. If time is not on your side,
then I would advise sticking with
something that you have used a
few times in the past so you have
it already painted and prepared.
However, if time is no object
then there’s nothing better than
painting up something in your
collection and rolling up to the
event with shiny new toys!
After selecting the faction you
want to play, be sure to read the
tournament rules pack carefully
to ensure that your army fits the
specifications of the event. There’s
nothing worse than turning up
to an event with an illegal army
because you missed a ruling about
army size or composition.
Pen and Paper Rulebooks
For tracking For in-game
and note-taking reference
in games
Tape
Measure
For...
measuring
with tape
Superglue
For
emergency
repairs!
Tokens
Super handy for
marking in-game effects
Finally, make sure you pack
everything you will need. Any
tournament veteran will tell you
that they still forget crucial things
when heading to events, from
dice and tape measures to, in rare
cases, the army they are playing
with [Ed - this genuinely happened
to me a few years ago!]. Check the
picture above for a list of things
you should consider bringing with
you to ensure you have a smooth
tournament experience.
Perhaps most importantly, head
to the event with an open mind
and a good sense of humour,
the Middle-earth community is
incredibly warm, friendly and
welcoming and once you get
started, you won’t look back!
 the 12 days of
mesbgmas
James Long is a name well-known to readers of SBG. In
this article, he swaps dice for repetitive, maths-based songs
and sets you a tricksy challenge to ponder as you furiously
nibble away on today’s delicious Advent calendar chocolate.

The question of exactly how many On the fifth day of Mesbgmas

presents the elusive “true love” buys
for “me” is a common festive puzzle
to mull over whilst enjoying your
mulled wine and listening to Mull of
Kintyre. BUT, what if this benevolent
true love had not delivered the
traditional and hugely impractical
menagerie of people and animals
but rather a fine selection of toy
soldiers - just how much would they
have to pay? All the items below are
currently available on the Games
Workshop webstore, the first person
to write the correct total outlay in
British pounds in the comments on
today’s post will win the chance to
buy themselves a Freddo! Good luck
and Merry Mesbgmas!
On the first day of Mesbgmas my
true love gave to me: a Hobbit who
lives under a tree.
On the second day of Mesbgmas
my true love gave to me: 2 Barrow
Wights and a Hobbit who lives
under a tree.
On the third day of Mesbgmas
my true love gave to me: 3 Osgiliath
Vets, 2 Barrow Wights and a Hobbit
who lives under a tree.
On the fourth day of Mesbgmas
my true love gave to me: 4 Uruk
Crossbows, 3 Osgiliath Vets, 2
Barrow Wights and a Hobbit who
lives under a tree.
my true love gave to me: 5
Erestors, 4 Uruk Crossbows, 3
Osgiliath Vets, 2 Barrow Wights
and a Hobbit who lives under a This hobbit, who lives under
tree. a tree, costs £4 from Games
Workshop and forms an excellent
On the sixth day of Mesbgmas starting point for your task!
my true love gave to me: 6
Haradrim Raiding, 5 Erestors, On the tenth day of Mesbgmas
4 Uruk Crossbows, 3 Osgiliath my true love gave to me: 10
Vets, 2 Barrow Wights and a Warriors Khanding, 9 Wraiths
Hobbit who lives under a tree. a-Ringing, 8 High Elves Spearing, 7
Rohirrim Outriding, 6 Haradrim
On the seventh day of Raiding, 5 Erestors, 4 Uruk
Mesbgmas my true love gave Crossbows, 3 Osgiliath Vets, 2
to me: 7 Rohirrim Outriding, 6 Barrow Wights and a Hobbit who
Haradrim Raiding, 5 Erestors, lives under a tree.
4 Uruk Crossbows, 3 Osgiliath
Vets, 2 Barrow Wights and a On the eleventh day of
Hobbit who lives under a tree. Mesbgmas my true love gave to
me: 11 Sons Eorling, 10 Warriors
On the eighth day of Khanding, 9 Wraiths a-Ringing, 8
Mesbgmas my true love gave High Elves Spearing, 7 Rohirrim
to me: 8 High Elves Spearing, 7 Outriding, 6 Haradrim Raiding, 5
Rohirrim Outriding, 6 Haradrim Erestors, 4 Uruk Crossbows, 3
Raiding, 5 Erestors, 4 Uruk Osgiliath Vets, 2 Barrow Wights and
Crossbows, 3 Osgiliath Vets, 2 a Hobbit who lives under a tree.
Barrow Wights and a Hobbit
who lives under a tree. On the twelfth day of
Mesbgmas my true love gave to
On the ninth day of Mesbgmas me: 12 Ruffians Ruffianing, 11 Sons
my true love gave to me: 9 Eorling, 10 Warriors Khanding, 9
Wraiths a-Ringing, 8 High Elves Wraiths a-Ringing, 8 High Elves
Spearing, 7 Rohirrim Outriding, Spearing, 7 Rohirrim Outriding,
6 Haradrim Raiding, 5 Erestors, 6 Haradrim Raiding, 5 Erestors, 4
4 Uruk Crossbows, 3 Osgiliath Uruk Crossbows, 3 Osgiliath Vets, 2
Vets, 2 Barrow Wights and a Barrow Wights and a Hobbit who
Hobbit who lives under a tree. lives under a tree.

SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 7

A ll aboard the terrain train
Rick Fryer will be a familiar face to regular readers of SBG having created our
stunning Azanulbizar, Dale and Mirkwood boards for Issues 2, 5 and 9 respectively.
Here, he discusses what sets a terrainiac apart from most players and how to
go about making your first forays into the wonderful world of terrain building.

Most people who regularly play
the Middle-earth Strategy Battle
Game paint their own figures.
However, I guess that far fewer
players make and paint their own
houses, roads, fields, hills, walls,
trees and ruins to help to bring
the gaming table to life. In general,
anyone who can paint a miniature
can paint a house, but gamers
often feel surprisingly daunted
when faced with the prospect.
Whilst many people will buy
and paint the Ruins of Osgiliath
or Lake-town House from
Games Workshop, I suspect that
not nearly as many will try the
Hobbit-hole Upgrade Set from
Forge World as this involves a
serious commitment in time,
considerable mess, and additional
parts not included in the kit. Even
fewer players will make their own
houses entirely from scratch, let
alone undertake a monumental
project like Meduseld - I, however,
am one of the few who loves
getting stuck into terrain! So,
what makes me different from the
rest? The answer is simple; I have
the time, opportunity and, most
importantly, the desire.
However, it’s more than simply
“I can so I will”, and the ultimate
difference between most players
and a terrainiac like me, is that
playing the game is actually
secondary to building the terrain.
Not many players have been all
but single-handedly defeated by a
Mordor Orc Catapult as I was in
a recent game against Damian [Ed
- Sorry about that...] but, equally,
most people don’t get to play
across a completely unique board
and the fact that it happened on
a lovely looking table made it
somewhat more bearable!
Work in progress (top) and
Ultimately, my desire to make complete (bottom) shots of the
terrain comes from a desire stunning Gate of Erebor that
to recreate Tolkien’s world. Rick made for Issue 5 show
I normally base my designs exactly what you can achieve
on the Middle-earth of Peter with just foam and patience!
Jackson’s movies so that players
immediately recognise what it is It’s far easier than you might think
that I have made. For me, there to make effective custom terrain
is no better feeling than when from scratch so why not jump
players say they love a piece I in and give it a go? However, if
have made. Over the years, I’ve you really don’t have the time or
built everything from Bag End, inclination, then just get to know
to Corsair ships, to the whole your friendly local terrainiac so
of Dale [Ed - thanks Rick!], I only you can play on a table worthy of
wish I had enough time to make kings - just like Damian and Tom
the whole of Middle-earth! did!

In a recent game, Damian’s However, Rick claims

catapult rolled a 6 to that the fact that it
score a direct hit was all played out
in the middle of over this beautiful
Rick’s pike-block, farm board
spelling doom made it that
for his little bit
Fiefdoms easier to
force. take!

SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 8

 H you r dr ag on
ow to terrain
Devin Moreno has been running the Middle-earth events at the NOVA Open for five
years. Here, he discusses some of the tricky challenges that terrain poses for tournament
organisers when balancing stunning thematic aesthetics with dragon-friendly playability.
The ultimate dream of most
Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game
tournament organisers is to
host events filled with beautiful
boards covered in elaborate
terrain to accurately recreate
the scenes of the movies and
books in an entirely immersive
playing experience. However,
while these boards might be
visually wonderful, they can also
lead to some unexpected in-game
consequences...
Now it should be remembered
that most boards will never be
100% balanced for both players
and nor should they be! Part
of the challenge of the game is
overcoming any terrain obstacles
even if they slightly favour your
opponent. The game is written
so that Elves have a natural
advantage in Mirkwood, while
Goblins excel in Khazad-dûm and
this should be embraced as part
of the game. Casual players will
enjoy their games more if they
feel like they are in Middle-earth
(it is Tolkien’s world that brought
us here in the first place after
all!) and competitive players will
enjoy out-thinking their opponent
with clever use of the terrain.
However, some armies are more
heavily penalised by scenery-heavy
boards than others; anything
with a large base like a Mûmak
or, even worse, Smaug will find
these elaborate boards incredibly
frustrating and, in some cases,
impossible to actually play across.
Boards with beautiful and elaborate terrain make for a fantastic
spectacle but can be impossible for some of the larger beasties in
our game to play over. Will no-one think of poor Smaug?!
Even worse, there are certain these problems are easily avoided
set-ups that will create frustrating by simply asking experienced
conditions for everyone. Too many players for their input and advice.
chasms beneath the narrow
walkways on your Goblin Town I’ve found that thematic terrain
and Lake-town boards will is one of the best ways to attract
create an overly linear game-play new players - as such, the true
experience and enhance already value of thematic boards really
powerful abilities like Barge and comes into play at conventions
Hurl. Sloped hills cause models to and events with lots of different
fall down frequently if the slope isgame systems, where many new
not gradual enough and multiple faces are ready to be drawn
large buildings placed too closely in! Showing off boards with
together will create bottlenecks elaborate and unique terrain
in which only a few of your can leave people yearning
models can actually fight! to play over the terrain they
recognise from the movies and
Tournament organisers who do ultimately cause your player
not analyse their boards from a base to explode! Regardless
competitive standpoint can easily of whether you’re trying to
fall victim to a number of these attract new players or give
problems if aesthetics are the only experienced gamers a challenge,
consideration when setting up. I would certainly encourage any
Even narrative-centric players will tournament organisers to use
find themselves removed from elaborate Middle-earth terrain in
the experience as they deal with their events - just hope that your
these issues. Fortunately, many of attendees don’t all bring Smaug...
SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 9
 A Yule Carol
In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Yule
Damian O'Byrne
(with substantial help from Charles Dickens)
Elrond was dead. Or at least Frodo wished he was, Frodo was pretty sure that he had formed this
fellowship just so that he didn’t have to take the ring to Mordor, “One of you must do this”, he had decreed,
why couldn’t he do it? After all, if he’d shoved Isildur into the fire way back when, then they wouldn’t be in
this mess. If this crazy plan worked out then he’d probably take the credit as well, not to mention the fact
that he was making them set out on Yule morning. Frodo was in no mood for merrymaking.
“A Merry Yule, Frodo! Eru save you!” cried a cheerful voice. It was the voice of Boromir.
“What right have you to be merry?” said Frodo
“What right have you to be dismal? What reason have you to be morose? You’ve got The Ring!”
Frodo having no better answer ready on the spur of the moment, said, “Bah! Humbug.”
“If you’re upset, I could help. There are other ways, Frodo, other paths that we might take,” said Boromir.
“You’ll want The Ring, I suppose?” said Frodo.
“If quite convenient.”
“It’s not convenient,” said Frodo, “and it’s not fair, it came to me, it’s mine, my own, my Precious.”
“I ask only for the strength to defend my people!” said Boromir “If you would but lend me the Ring...”
“Let me hear another sound from you,” said Frodo, “and you’ll defend your people by losing your place
in the Fellowship!”
Seeing that it would be useless to pursue his point, Boromir withdrew, slamming the door as he left.

The bell struck One as Boromir’s footsteps faded away, and they were succeeded by a clanking noise,
deep down below; as if some person were dragging a ring on a heavy chain over the casks in Elrond’s cellar.
The noise grew much louder, on the floor below; then coming up the stairs; then coming straight towards
his door. Then, without a pause, it came on through the heavy door, and passed into the room before his
eyes - it was a ghostly apparition of Bilbo! Bilbo wore a blue coat, he was younger than Frodo remembered
and Frodo realised that he was seeing an image of Bilbo shortly after he first found The Ring, the ghost
seemed mischievous, having not long possessed The Ring and showing no signs of its evil influence.
“Who are you?” asked Frodo.
“I am the Ghost of Bilbo Past. Rise! And walk with me!”
As the words were spoken, they passed through the wall, and stood in a city of white stone. As Frodo
gazed upwards, he saw Boromir on the battlements, an image of the splendour of the kings of men in glory,
calling out to the men below him of a great victory.
“Let the armies of Mordor know this: Never again
will the land of my people fall into enemy hands,” cried
Boromir “The city of Osgiliath has been reclaimed. For
Gondor!”
The chant of “For Gondor!” was taken up by thousands
of men below and Frodo saw Boromir in a new light, as a
mighty leader of men, born to defend his country and his
people. He felt wretched for the way he had treated him.
“Spirit!” said Frodo in a broken voice, “remove me
from this place.”
“These are shadows of things that have been,” said the
Ghost. “That they are what they are, do not blame me!”
“Remove me!” Frodo exclaimed, “I cannot bear it!”
Frodo with the Spirit of Bilbo Past
To be Continued...

SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 10

 A Yule Carol -Part 2

Suddenly, Frodo awoke in his bed. The bell had struck Two, gazing up, another spirit stood before him,
it was Bilbo again, but Bilbo as he looked now, older, grey haired, holding his book, for the first time Frodo
saw the effect that possessing The Ring had had on the old Hobbit - he looked old and frail.
“I am the Ghost of Bilbo Present,” said the Spirit.
“Spirit,” said Frodo submissively, “conduct me where you will. I went forth last time on compulsion, and I
learnt a lesson which is working now. If you have aught to teach me, let me profit by it.”
“Touch my fancy waist-coat!”
Frodo did as he was told, and held it fast, the room, vanished and they stood in the courtyard of
Rivendell on Yule morning. Boromir, was there, pacing back and forwards, speaking to himself of the fall of
Gondor and seemingly wracked with conflict.
“It is long since we had any hope,” said
Boromir “Our people lose faith. I would see the
glory of Gondor restored. If only Frodo could see
the White Tower of Ecthelion, glimmering like a
spike of pearl and silver. Its banners caught high
in the morning breeze. One day, our paths will
lead us there and Frodo will be held in glory and
in honour by all in Minas Tirith! I love that little
Hobbit so much, I just wish he’d let me help him.”
“Has he no refuge or resource?” cried Frodo.
Frodo with the spirit of Bilbo Present “Have you no Ring?” said the Spirit.

Before Frodo could reply, the bell struck Three. Frodo looked about him for the ghost of kindly old
Bilbo but instead beheld a hideous creature crawling towards him. It was Hobbit-like in size but twisted into
something else, with long grasping fingers and pale bulbous eyes.
“I am in the presence of the Ghost of Bilbo Yet To Come?” said Frodo.
The spirit turned its eyes toward him - the eyes! They were Bilbo’s, unmistakably Bilbo’s - what had
happened to him? And then Frodo realised - the Ghost of Bilbo Yet To Come - this was the fate of Bilbo, or
indeed anyone, if he kept The Ring for too long.
“Ghost of the Future!” Frodo exclaimed, “I fear you more than any spectre I have seen. But as I know
your purpose is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another Hobbit from what I was, I am prepared
to bear you company, and do it with a thankful heart. Will you not speak to me?”
The Phantom moved away as it had come towards him. They scarcely seemed to enter the forest; for
the forest rather seemed to spring up about them, and encompass them of its own act.
“Lead on!” said Frodo. “The night is waning fast, and it is precious time to me, I know. Lead on, Spirit!”
The spirit stopped in a clearing in the forest; confused, Frodo stared around and then he saw Boromir.
He was sitting with his back to a great tree, as
if he was resting. But Frodo saw that he was
pierced with many black-feathered arrows; his
sword was still in his hand, but it was broken
near the hilt; his horn cloven in two was at his
side. Many Orcs lay slain, piled all about him and
at his feet.
“What new devilry is this?” cried Frodo.
The spirit did not speak but somehow Frodo
knew, as if he had been there, that this was the
result of his selfish decision to take the Ring to
Mordor. Gandalf was dead, Merry and Pippin
were captured, Legolas had run out of arrows,
and Boromir, who had so much good to offer the
Frodo with the Spirit of Bilbo Yet To Come world, was dead.
To be Concluded...

SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 11

 A Yule Carol -Part 3

“Answer me one question.” said Frodo “Are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they
shadows of things that May be, only? Hobbits’ courses will foreshadow certain ends, to which, if persevered
in, they must lead. But if the courses be departed from, the ends will change and even the smallest person
may change the course of the future. Hear me! I am not the Hobbit I was and I will not be the Hobbit I
must have been but for this intercourse. Why show me this, if I am past all hope!”
The hand of the spirit appeared to shake.
“Good Spirit,” Frodo pursued, as down upon the ground he fell before it: “Your nature intercedes for
me, and pities me. Assure me that I yet may change these shadows you have shown me, by an altered life!”
The hand trembled.
“I will honour Boromir in my heart. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all
Three shall strive within me. Oh, tell me I may erase the horrors of this glade!”
In his agony, he caught the spectral hand. It sought to free itself, but he was strong in his entreaty, and
detained it. The Spirit, stronger yet, repulsed him.
Holding up his hands in a last prayer to have his fate reversed, he saw an alteration in the Phantom’s
bulbous eyes. It shrunk, collapsed, and dwindled down into a bedpost.
Yes! And the bedpost was his own. The bed was his own, the room was his own. Best and happiest of all,
the time before him was his own, to make amends in!

“I don’t know what to do!” cried Frodo, laughing and crying in the same breath, “I am as light as lembas,
I am as happy as Tom Bombadil, I am as giddy as a drunken Hobbit. A merry Yule to everybody! A Happy
New Year to all the world. Hallo here! Whoop! Hallo!”
Frodo leapt from his bed and rushed downstairs into the courtyard where he found Boromir pacing
backwards and forwards muttering something about folly, exactly as he had been in his vision.
“Boromir! Hey dol! Merry dol! Ring a dong dillo!” said Frodo, “I am not going to stand this sort of
moping around any longer. And therefore,” he continued, leaping into the air, and giving Boromir such a dig
in the coat that he staggered back “and therefore I am about to give you The Ring!”
Boromir trembled, and got a little nearer to his sword-hilt. He had a momentary idea of knocking Frodo
down with it, holding him, and calling to the people in Rivendell for help and a strait-waistcoat.
“A Merry Yule, Bozza!” said Frodo, with an earnestness that could not be mistaken, as he clapped him
on the back. “I’ll give you The Ring, and endeavour to assist your struggling family, and we will discuss your
affairs this very afternoon, over a pipe of Old Toby.”

Frodo was better than his word. He gave

Gandalf and Elrond weren't convinced about Frodo's
decision to let Boromir take the ring to "Mordor" alone...
Boromir The Ring and Boromir headed off
to Mordor, much against the protestations
of Elrond and Gandalf. Frodo never asked
how he got on but he assumed it all turned
out alright in the end. Some people laughed
to see the alteration in Frodo, but he let
them laugh, and little heeded them; for he
was wise enough to know that nothing
ever happened on this globe, for good, at
which some people did not have their fill
of laughter in the outset. His own heart
laughed: and that was quite enough for him.
He had no further intercourse with Spirits
but ever afterwards it was always said of
him, that he knew how to keep Yule well.
May that be truly said of us, and all of us! Eru
bless Us, Every One!
The End

SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 12

 The spirit of mesbg
community present
Adam Chandler is a core member of Canada’s Ontario Strategy Battle Game League and
has attended many Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game events all over the world. Over
the past few years, he has discovered a unique and wonderful community spirit at work.
Gamers start playing the Middle-
earth Strategy Battle Game for
many reasons - the thrill of
competition, the love of the
setting, or maybe even by pure
happenstance. No matter how
you start playing the game, there
is one thing that is common
amongst all of the groups of
players across the world -
community spirit. Here in Canada,
like many countries, we have built
a thriving community devoted to
the Middle-earth Strategy Battle
Game, completely infused with a
community spirit that has allowed
me to forge some wonderful
friendships.
I regularly attend local
tournaments and, whilst I
thoroughly enjoy getting games in,
what I enjoy the most is hanging
out with various community
members. These get-togethers,
which happen at Middle-earth
Strategy Battle Game tournaments
all around the world, help to
develop the bonds of friendship
and camaraderie between
players to the heights of the
friendship shared between Gimli
and Legolas. This unique spirit
is something that I have not
experienced in other competitive
systems and will allow our
community to stay strong and
thrive for many years to come.
The relationships formed by this
community spirit have allowed
SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 13
Over the last three days, the three spirits of Bilbo encouraged Frodo
to act in a generous and positive manner, just as the spirit of the
Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game community does to all of us!
me to form lasting friendships
with many people from across
the world. Amongst many others,
I have extremely fond memories
of late nights playing board
games with friends new and old
at the Nova Open in America, of
wandering the pubs and curry
houses of England, and even of
being put up as a guest in Mr
and Mrs O’Byrne’s residence
having flown halfway across the
world [Ed - Tea is at four.You are
welcome any time. Don’t bother
knocking!]. This has only been
made possible by uniting our
various communities through our
love for the Middle-earth Strategy
Battle Game, and has afforded me
opportunities that I would never
have had if it was not for the
many great people that I share
this hobby with.
Through both joyous times
and times when shadows and
darkness have descended, the
strength of the community has
prevailed and proven to be one
of the most supportive groups in
the world. Members frequently
lend models to fellow gamers
who have forgotten a pivotal
model for an event, sometimes
even to complete strangers who
have crossed oceans and travelled
through distant lands and have
no other option. I’ve seen this
community bond together to
assist fellow members in times
of personal need or distress,
or unite and stand tall against
reckless hate. When Gondor
called for aid, Rohan answered
and so too does our community
when others are in need.
And so, this holiday season, I once
again see the community coming
together in various wonderful
ways, such as the MESBG Secret
Santa, community events around
the holidays and even this Advent
calendar! I would like to take
the time to wish you all a happy
holiday season, may it bring cheer
and merriment to all of our
wonderful community!
 noobtuber
Ben Bowles is a relatively new face in the Middle-earth Strategy Battle
Game community. However, by joining Top Table Gaming, he has found
that his own hobby and knowledge of the game has taken an unexpected
leap forwards. Here, he reveals all on how to ‘fake it ‘til you make it’.

When I was asked to write an

article by the SBG Magazine lads,
I was absolutely thrilled and I
gladly agreed without hesitation.
With no restrictions on what
to write about, I started flicking
through the pages of previous
issues for inspiration. I discovered
a vast collection of articles from
master tacticians, Golden Demon
winners and tournament winners
[Ed - and Tom] - a fine collection
of admirable Hobbits if ever I
saw one! What was I going to
write about that would in any
way measure up to previous
contributors, being neither
counted as a particularly talented
player (coming in 10th place at
the Desolation of Stockport 2018
is the pinnacle of my tournament
participation to date) nor a prize
winning hobbyist?
I decided to reflect on my own
hobby journey for a glimmer of
inspiration. I played the game a
lot in my teens but, after a few
years out, I only returned to the
game just under three years ago,
so I have had a much shorter
career than many others in the
community and I neither play
nor paint as much as I would
like. However, what sets me
apart from many others in the
community is that, just under a
year ago, I was asked by Steve
Crowe and Jay Finnegan to
join Top Table Gaming - a well-
established YouTube channel - and
this has since become the primary
focus of my hobby.
Ben and Steve ready to deliver one of their regular Top Table Gaming
live streams - Ben is even starting to know what he’s talking about!
I was initially hesitant to join And now to the point of this
Top Table Gaming - I felt horribly story. There have been times
under-qualified to be taking on where I’ve felt like a fraud, like an
such a venture. I knew nothing imposter, even like I’m ‘playing’ a
about filming or editing (in fact, GBHL Podcast host but, as time
with the exception of some has gone on, I’ve started to feel
crudely filmed hobby vlogs, being like I’m stepping into the role and,
on camera was entirely alien to bizarrely, I think my hobbying has
me), my knowledge of the game actually improved as a result of
was far from encyclopaedic and pretending to be good at it!
my hobby skills were average at
best. What did I have to offer Researching topics for videos has
the channel that others couldn’t forced me to think about profiles
deliver better?! and tactics, playing in battle
reports has made me check and
Rather than immediately diving in, re-check rules, getting better at
I tentatively dipped my toe into remembering them in the process,
YouTube with a couple of videos and painting up miniatures to be
with other hosts. Suddenly, both shown on camera means that
in ‘real life’ and on the various I’ve had to up my game. In other
community pages, there was an words, as the aphorism goes,
expectation that I knew what ‘fake it ‘til you make it’. In fact, by
I was talking about, that I was portraying a positive, confident
some sort of authority on the and optimistic approach, I’ve
game, even that I was a, whisper actually come to realise some of
it, expert... Well, as I’ve said already, my hobby goals and aspirations.
this couldn’t be further from the I’m still not a master tactician,
truth. I was just a passionate but a Golden Demon winner or a
mediocre hobbyist doing what he tournament winner, but I feel like
loves! I’m getting that little bit closer.

SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 14

christmas trimmings
Matt Davies of GenerationShift fame has been converting models for as
long as we can remember. In fact, many of you will remember the fantastic
custom Nazgûl that he converted from a wide selection of models for
Issue 3 of SBG. In this article, Matt offers his tips to anyone thinking of
taking the plunge and trying their hand at converting this festive season.

By far my favourite part of

this hobby is, well... the hobby
part - assembling, painting and
converting my models. Converting
and/or sculpting your first model
can seem very daunting or even
impossible so, rather than give
you some actual sculpting advice,
I thought it would be better to
try to encourage you to give it
a go! It’s a really fun part of the
hobby that you can do as little or
as much of as you like; however,
be careful, it’s very easy to catch
the conversion bug and, as Bilbo
famously said,“If you don’t keep
your feet, there’s no knowing
where you might be swept off to.”
Going on an adventure - It’s
important to not put too much
pressure on yourself, so start
your conversion journey with
small things like hand or head
swaps - don’t try to sculpt a
miniature from scratch or convert
Smaug on your first try! Try to
use suitable models to make your
life easier - plastic and resin kits
are your friend because they are
easy to cut and reposition.
The Fellowship - I love going to
events and seeing other people’s
armies/conversions and talking
to them about their process and
techniques. After all, you only
know what you know but you
don’t know what they know, so
just ask - who knows you might
forge a fellowship of your own
along the way.
Patience, my love - Developing
sculpting is developing patience -
it’s all about building things up in
layers. It’s far, far easier working
on a model in stages than trying
to go from start to finish in one
session. Regardless of your skill
level, working in stages will ensure
the best possible finish to your
model. Conveniently, the gap
between each stage also gives you
time to think and, if something
is not working, don’t be afraid
to remove it! I’ve started many
conversions again from scratch
because they weren’t working -
yes it can seem a waste, but it’ll
be worth the extra time when
you see the final result.
What do your Elf eyes see?
- Many of my conversions have
originated by me looking at a
model and seeing something
different, so don’t be afraid to look
outside of the box. Could this Elf
Warrior be a Black Númenorian
Marshal? Look past the current
Some brief
snapshots of
Matt’s long
converting
journey, from
one of his
earliest attempts
(far left) to one
of his more
advanced and
favourite pieces
(near left).
detail on the miniature and dive
into your bits box to create
something unique. One of the
conversions I’m most proud of
is my Mordor Uruk-hai banner-
bearer - I always looked at the
Uruk-hai Shaman model and saw
a banner-bearer, so I covered/
removed all of the Isengard bits
and matched his gear with that of
his Mordor counterparts. I could
have easily given him an existing
orc banner but I wanted to
stretch myself, so I sculpted a new
banner from scratch instead and
I’m really happy with the result.
The road goes ever on and on
- Ultimately, there are no right
ways or wrong ways to convert
miniatures, so don’t be afraid to
do your own thing and develop
what works for you. I hope this
article has encouraged you to
make your hobby a little more
your own, so just give it a go - dip
your toe in and you might get the
dragon sickness for converting!

SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 15

THE BEACONS ARE LIT Whilst the weather outside during the festive season
GONDOR can be frightful, the fire is so delightful and Dave
Fredericks, the Flame half of Shadow & Flame, has
BEACONS turned his hand to recreating the beacons of Gondor
ready to be lit and burn bright this Christmas!

1. Begin by cutting five sets 2. Arrange each

of four matchsticks. The set into a square
first set should be 35mm as shown in the
long and each set thereafter picture. Glue the
should be 5mm less than matchsticks in place
the previous one to allow but leave each
1 you to eventually build a 2 square as a sub
pyramid shape. assembly for now.

3 4
4. Cut some bristles from an old brush and lay them across the
3. Darken the matchstick squares by squares and glue them in place. Don’t throw away your offcuts,
staining them with Agrax Earthshade. they make for great scatter terrain in a barn or stable.

5. Once the glue 6. Stack each

And that’s it - a
is dry, trim the square up
wooden beacon
bristles to be the from largest
ready to be lit when
same length as to smallest,
necessary! I’ve chosen
the matchsticks, fixing them
to put mine on a
then turn the with glue as
5 square over and you go.You
40mm base as an
objective but you can
repeat the bristle should end up
laying process. Complete this process 6 with a pyramid
add them directly to
terrain if you prefer.
for all five of your squares. shape.

The other half of Shadow &

Flame has also been busy, with
Kev painting this gorgeous
version of Balin for us (can’t
think why we asked him to paint
someone in a red coat and white
beard). Kev will be revealing
his techniques for the stunning
beard and coat tomorrow!

SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 16

PAINTING MASTERCLASS An issue of SBG without Kev Lawrence is as unthinkable as
BALIN Christmas without turkey and there was no way Kev was missing
out on the Advent calendar action. With his bushy white beard
and bright red coat, Balin was the obvious choice for Kev’s latest tutorial. So, why not
dig out your Balin model and give it a go? Who knows, you might need him tomorrow...

1. Paint the coat and 2. Add Wazdakka Red and five

Clothing
undershirt with equal
parts Rhinox Hide,
Doombull Brown and
Wazdakka Red, followed
1 by a wash with Agrax
Earthshade.
3. Highlight the undershirt and undershirt and sleeves again. Once complete, wash all of
sleeves with pure Evil Sunz
Scarlet with three drops of
medium added. Add one drop
of medium to Abbadon Black
3 and carefully paint the criss
cross pattern.
4. Wash the coat and
undershirt with a 90:10
mix of water and Agrax
Earthshade. Once the
wash has dried, highlight
4 the undershirt and sleeves
with Evil Sunz Scarlet with
three drops of medium added. Add Fire Dragon
Bright to Evil Sunz Scarlet for a final highlight
on the uppermost areas. Make a 60:40 mix of
Doombull Brown and Ushabti Bone and edge
highlight the trim on the clothing and the armour
area under the collar.
drops of medium to the mix from
Stage 1 and highlight the clothing
with the exception of the trim. Add
more Wazdakka Red and three
2 more drops of medium for a second
highlight. Add Evil Sunz Scarlet and
a further three drops of medium, and highlight the
the trim areas of the clothing with Agrax Earthshade.
5. Wash the clothing trim with
a 50:50 mix of Ogryn Flesh and
Agrax Earthshade with two drops
of water added. Make a 40:30:30
mix of Wazdakka Red, Rhinox
Hide and Doombull Brown and
5 add three drops of medium and
highlight the coat again. Add a tiny
amount of Ushabti Bone to the mix along with another
three drops of medium for a final highlight on the coat.
6. Add a little more Ushabti Bone
to the mix used in Stage 5 and
highlight the collar and uppermost
areas of the coat. Finally, use a
50:50 mix of Doombull Brown
6 and Ushabti Bone to highlight the
armour area under the collar.

2. Wash the hair

Beard
1 2
1. Paint the hair and beard with
equal parts Dawnstone and
Administratum Grey, going over
the hairline slightly.
and beard with
a 90:10 mix of
water and Agrax
Earthshade. Once the
wash is dry, highlight
the hair, beard and 3
eyebrows with
Administratum Grey 3. Highlight the hair and 4
and then highlight the beard with a 50:50 mix
eyebrows again with of Administratum Grey 4. Highlight the hair and
White Scar. and White Scar.   beard with White Scar.
SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 17
The Night Before Yule
The year is 2984, Dale is now thriving under
the rule of Bard’s son, King Bain. Forging a new
trading relationship with Erebor, negotiated
with Balin, has been critical to this success.
One of the clauses in this partnership was that,
every Yule, Balin would deliver presents from the
toy market of Erebor to all the children around
Dale. So, on the night before Yule, Balin set off
with his sleigh full of presents. Suddenly, howls
filled the air - wargs! Just as all looked lost for
Balin, two mysterious figures emerged from the
snow, but were they friend or foe?
participants
Good: Balin, Champion of Erebor on Sleigh of
Erebor (works as the Champions of Erebor Chariot
with only Balin remaining), Elsarielle, Annarielle.
Evil: 6 Fell Wargs.
layout
The battle takes place on a 3’x3’ board representing
the streets of Dale. There should be nine buildings
arranged in ‘streets’ with enough space for an Iron
Hills Chariot to pass between them. The buildings
may not be entered - it’s the middle of the night!
starting positions
Place the Sleigh of Erebor touching the south-west
table corner and Elsarielle and Annarielle in the
centre of the north table edge. In addition, place
three children of Dale within 6” of the centre of the
board but not within 6” of each other. The Good
side has Priority in the first turn.
objectives
Balin is attempting to deliver toys from Erebor to
all the children around Dale, the Good side wins if
Balin is able to deliver a present to all nine buildings
on the board whilst at least one of the three
children is still alive. The Evil side wins if they are
able to kill all three of the children of Dale, or Balin!
SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 18
special rules
Balin’s Clause: As per the fine print in the trade
agreement, each Yule, Balin needs to deliver presents to
all the children around Dale. At the start of the game,
the Good player places nine present tokens in the
Sleigh. Once per turn, if Balin himself is within 6” of
a building in the End phase, he may deliver a present
by placing one of the tokens on the building.
The Wolves of Winter: The noise of the Sleigh
has drawn the attention of savage Fell Wargs who are
swarming around Dale! At the end of the first Evil
Move phase, the 6 Wargs will move onto the board
via the Maelstrom of Battle rules. Any time a Warg is
killed, place it aside and roll for it again next turn.
No Peeking: Three cheeky children have snuck out of
bed to get a glimpse of Balin on his sleigh. The three
children use the profile for Tilda from the Armies of
The Hobbit book and follow the normal rules for
Sentries under the control of the Good player, with
the exception that the alarm can never be raised. If
one of the children moves into base contact with
the Sleigh of Erebor then the sleigh can neither
move further nor deliver a present that turn (as
Balin asks the awestruck child what they want for
their Yule present!). In addition, regardless of who
is moving the children, they may never charge. You
will quickly realise that both players can use the children
to help win the game.The Evil player will want to move
them towards the Fell Wargs and/or use them to hold up
Balin, whilst the Good player will be trying to keep them
safe but away from Balin!
The Sisters of Ice: Two of the most mysterious
inhabitants known around Dale are Elsarielle and
Annarielle, two orphaned sisters who keep themselves to
themselves for unknown reasons. Rumours abound that
Elsarielle, the elder of the two, has some form of dark,
magical power and keeps herself locked away to avoid
hurting anyone. Even their names provoke discussion
given their suggestion of an elven influence, some say
this is because the sisters actually have elven blood,
others suggest that their names are simply drawn from a
story their father was reading when they were born. The
full rules for using Annarielle and Elsarielle in your
games will be in tomorrow’s article.
 elsarielle and annarielle -the sisters of ice

elsarielle..............................................120 points annarielle...............................................80 points

Woman, Dale, Infantry, Hero - Hero of Legend Woman, Dale, Infantry, Hero - Hero of Valour

Elsarielle conceals a dark secret, Annarielle is a courageous

she was born with the magical young woman who is
power to control and create desperate to reconnect with
ice! Her parents told her that her sister and help her come to
her power was something to terms with her power. Despite
be hidden away but her sister spending her whole life in and
is attempting to help her see around Dale, Annarielle longs
that love, rather than fear, is the to leave the confines of her city
more powerful force. and explore the world.

M F S D A W C M W F M F S D A W C M W F

6” 5/3+ 4 3 2 3 6 3 0 3 6” 4/3+ 4 3 2 3 6 2 3 3

wargear wargear
Elsarielle carries no weapon but is not Unarmed. Annarielle has a hand and a half staff.

heroic actions heroic actions

Heroic Defence, Heroic Channelling Heroic Resolve, Heroic Accuracy

special rules special rules

Conceal, Don’t Feel (Active) - Elsarielle is constantly
battling to control her powers and there is always a risk
that she will lose control with terrible consequences.
Each time Elsarielle successfully casts a Magical
Power, she must then pass a Courage Test; if this test
is failed, her powers have gone out of control and
the opposing player can nominate a Good model to
be the target of the power!
I Said Enough! (Passive) - Elsarielle’s ability to control
her powers reduces as she is attacked or angered.
Elsarielle causes Terror; in addition, every time
Elsarielle loses a wound, improve her casting rolls
by 1 up to a maximum of 2+. If she is ever reduced
to a single wound and zero Fate, her spells are
considered to be the Channelled versions.
Throw Snowballs (Active) - These are a Throwing
Weapon with a range of 8” and a Strength of 2.
Snowball Mistress (Active) - Annarielle is an expert
shot with a snowball and can hit a Snow-monster from
a great distance. Each turn, Annarielle may spend a
single point of Might without reducing her store
(even if she has none remaining) to modify either a
To Hit roll, an In The Way roll or a To Wound roll
when throwing a snowball.
An Act of True Love (Passive) - Annarielle will do
anything to protect her sister, even sacrificing herself. If
Elsarielle is within 6” of Annarielle, she can use her
Fate points and Wounds as if they were her own.

Let It Go (Passive) - Elsarielle is learning to embrace elsarielle's magical powers

her power and channel it into powerful magic. Elsarielle Immobilice (12”, 4+)
can expend a single point of Will each turn despite Paralice (3”, 5+)
having none in her own store. In addition, Elsarielle Sorcerice Blast (12”, 4+)
can re-roll the dice when attempting to cast one of Chilly Soul (6”, 5+)
the Magical Powers to the right. Call Icy Winds (6”, 4+)

army composition
Elsarielle and Annarielle can be included in a Garrison of Dale force that does not contain Girion.

SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 19

Battle After drinking far too much eggnog and creating a scenario that
involved Balin Claus and Elsa and Ann... Elsarielle and Annarielle,

Report
we simply had to give it a go in a battle report. Damian screamed
“I painted the girls, I get to use them” leaving Tom to try and eat
the children of Dale with his Wargs. Time to go into the unknown!

turn 1 Balin would have to

Balin raced north from the south-west corner
towards the centre of the board, delivering a present
to house 7 as he shot past. After their Sentry rolls,
Charwen and Lildir stood frozen to the spot, whilst
Tom was able to move Eomma towards house 6, far
from safety. As four Wargs rushed on from the east
towards the isolated Eomma, Annarielle and Elsarielle
hurried towards Charwen and Lildir in the centre
of the board. Annarielle hurled a snowball into the
nearest Warg and, after rolling a 4 To Wound, used
her Snowball Mistress Special Rule to kill the beast.
turn 2
Tom won Priority and Annarielle called a Heroic
Move to help Lildir and Charwen. Elsarielle cast
Sorcerice Blast successfully with the aid of a Might
point, killing both of the Wargs threatening the
children. Tom was able to move Eomma and Lildir
towards a Warg in the east and Charwen towards
Balin’s sleigh. Things got worse for Damian when five
more Wargs rushed onto the table, four of them near
Eomma and Lildir and one to ‘block’ Balin’s path. Balin
urged his sleigh into the foolish beast but, much to
Damian’s horror, failed to kill it with the impact hits!
Whilst Balin was able to kill the creature in combat, it
had served its purpose - the sleigh was frozen in place
for a turn. Elsewhere, Annarielle killed another Warg
with a snowball and Eomma was charged by a Warg
but was unharmed despite losing the combat.
1 2 3 deliver presents to the
nine houses before
Tom could kill the three
4 5 6 children who we entirely
randomly dubbed Lildir,
Eomma and Charwen -
7 8 9 the race was on!
turn 3
Tom won Priority again and Lildir and Eomma were
both charged by two Wargs each! Elsarielle and
Annarielle counter-charged the Wargs fighting Lildir
and, in a bid to help Annarielle and Lildir, Elsarielle
cast Sorcerice Blast on the Warg they were now
fighting but, much to Tom’s amusement, failed the
Courage Test for her Conceal, Don’t Feel Special
Rule! Tom instantly chose Annarielle as the target
and the Blast caused a wound - Annarielle’s hair
turned white, she was frozen through and through
- she had ice in her heart! The whole combat was
knocked down and Damian was relieved to see
that, whilst it did no damage to Lildir, the Warg
was killed. Clearly still enraged, Elsarielle killed the
Warg she was facing but Eomma was cut down by
the two Wargs she was fighting! Balin was able to
deliver a present to house 4 as he raced north but
this did little to conceal the fact that this had been
a disastrous turn for Damian, he would need a Yule
miracle to turn this around!
To be Continued...

Annarielle and Elsarielle defend Lildir and Charwen from vicious Wargs as Balin rushes past!

SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 20

 The night before yule battle report -Part 2
Damian was pleased that he got first
pick of the Christmas hats...
turn 4
Tom won Priority for the third turn in a
row by rolling his second 6 in a row! A
Warg passed its Courage Test to charge
Elsarielle, although she easily killed the
beast. A second Warg charged Annarielle
and Lildir but was similarly dispatched.
Two more Wargs rushed on to the table
and, worryingly for Damian, Tom was
able to move Charwen to within 2” of
a slavering Warg - Charwen was frozen
with fear! Balin screeched around house
4 and turned east towards the centre of
the table, delivering a present to house 1.
turn 5
Tom won Priority again but as he had
only rolled a 3, Damian used Balin’s
Longbeard ability to win it back! Tom
was able to move Charwen still closer
to the Warg but Lildir moved back
towards safety in the centre of the
board. Determined to do the next right
thing, Annarielle charged the two Wargs
closest to Lildir; she lost the fight, but
took no damage. Elsarielle killed the
Warg threatening Charwen with a
Sorcerice Blast but things looked bleak
as three more Wargs rushed onto the
board to surround the child, who was
frozen in fear. Balin shot east along the
top of the board, dropping a present at
the door of house 2 in the process.
SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 21
Elsarielle and Annarielle fight back-to-back to protect their
city’s children from the ruthless and un-festive Wargs
turn 6
Tom won Priority again but Balin stole it back again with
Longbeard - Tom was frozen with fury! Tom moved Lildir to
within 1” of Balin, threatening to hold him up with tedious
chatter about how she wanted a set of Army of the Dead
dice for Yule. Elsarielle and Charwen rushed towards each
other as Elsarielle Sorcerice Blasted one of the three nearby
Wargs through another, killing the blasted one and knocking
the second Prone. Despite Elsarielle’s best attempts to protect
Charwen, the Prone Warg then stood up and, along with
another Warg, charged the child! Charwen lost the fight and
took a wound, which she avoided with her first Fate point,
whilst Annarielle charged and killed a Warg near Lildir. One
more Warg rushed on from the north behind Balin, as the
dwarf continued to race east across the board, running down a
Warg and delivering a present to house 3 as he went.
turn 7
For the first time in forever, Damian won back Priority, allowing
Balin to head east, around the back of the square of houses and
deliver a present to house 6, safe from Lildir’s prattle. Annarielle
charged the Warg threatening Lildir but couldn’t kill the beast.
Elsarielle used her final Might point to cast Paralice on the other
Warg threatening Lildir, leaving it frozen solid, before charging
into both of the Wargs that were closing in on Charwen.
Perhaps unexpectedly, Elsarielle lost the combat and took a
wound, Tom was ecstatic until he realised that, thanks to her I
Said, Enough! Special Rule, her casting values had now improved
by 1! Even worse, Damian got to place the two Wargs that re-
entered play, meaning that they would be out of the action for
another turn. It felt as though the odds had swung in Damian’s
favour but there was still everything to play for!
To be Concluded...
 The night before yule battle report -Part 3
Balin rushes towards the last few houses on his list, but would he be able to deliver his presents in time?
turn 8
Tom won Priority on a 3, so Damian used Balin’s
last Will point for a re-roll but was still unable to
win! Tom was then able to charge a Warg into each
of Lildir, Charwen, Annarielle and Elsarielle. Both
Annarielle and Charwen lost their fights but they
didn’t take any damage; however, Elsarielle wasn’t
so lucky and took another wound - she was close
to death but would now get a +2 bonus on all of
her casting rolls! Worst of all for Damian, Lildir
was killed by the Warg after failing both of her Fate
points! Balin rushed down the east board edge and
turned back west in front of house 9, delivering a
present as he shot past. The game was poised on a
frozen knife edge, Balin had only two presents left to
deliver but Charwen was the only child left alive!
turn 9
Much to Damian’s relief, Good won Priority, allowing
Annarielle to rush back to within 6” of Elsarielle and
Charwen. Balin followed her west down the street
towards the centre of the frozen city, delivering a
present to house 5 and moving into range of the
last building he needed to get to! Damian was able
to move Charwen back towards Balin (although,
crucially, he kept her over 3” away in case Tom got
to move her next turn!). Elsarielle killed one Warg
with Chilly Soul and then charged and killed another
in combat. Throwing caution to the wind, Tom
charged two Wargs into Balin’s sleigh - Balin won
the Fight but failed to kill either of the beasts. Balin
only had one present to deliver but there were now
three snarling Wargs around Charwen!
SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 22
turn 10
Evil won Priority but Annarielle used her last Might
point to call a Heroic Move and killed a Warg with
a snowball! Charwen stared up in slack-jawed
amazement at Balin’s sleigh, frozen to the spot after
rolling a 1 on the Sentry table. Balin moved up to the
door of the final house, protecting Charwen from
two more Wargs in the process by forcing both
of the beasts to charge the sleigh and both died
in the subsequent combat! Elsarielle Paraliced one
of the Wargs threatening Charwen (she was now
casting the spell on a 3+ with a re-roll!) and then
charged the final two Wargs, keeping Charwen safe
for another turn. However, despite her spellcasting
Heroics, Elsarielle lost the fight and the Wargs
caused two wounds! To Damian’s horror, Elsarielle
only passed one Fate roll; However, as Tom leaned
over gleefully to remove her as a casualty, Damian
used Annarielle’s An Act of True Love Special Rule!
Annarielle dived in front of Elsarielle, giving up her
penultimate wound and saving her sister! Balin
then delivered his last present to house 8 - he had
completed his rounds just in time, with Charwen the
only child left alive and Elsarielle on 1 Wound and
no fate! Victory had gone to Good although,with the
bodies of two children lying dead in the streets of
Dale, it was something of a pyrrhic victory.
Elsarielle held her sister tight, Annarielle had risked
her life to save her and Elsarielle realised that love,
not fear, was the more powerful force - and if that
heart-warming Christmas message isn’t enough to
thaw a frozen heart, then I don’t know what is.
The End
Will you guide my sleigh,
One last time?
Each year, Balin delivers hand-crafted toys to the children of Middle-earth and Tom set out
to create a scenario to allow you to recreate this seasonal event at home this Christmas Eve!
Playing our The
Night Before Yule bat-
rep, in which Balin
delivers presents
to the children
around Dale, got
Damian and I thinking - would it
be possible for Balin to deliver
presents to all the children in
Middle-earth on Yule Eve on
the Sleigh of Erebor? We could
think of no better way to spend
Christmas Eve night than by
playing a game where we deliver
all of the presents with our Balin
on sleigh model! With our goal
set, I set about using SCIENCE to
work out the logistics...
In SBG Issue 9, Damian worked
out that the population of both
Dale and Erebor was around
50,000. Using this logic, and after
scaling up or down the various
habitations across all of Middle-
earth, we get to a population
of around 1 million. Assuming
approximately one in every five
people is a child (bear in mind
there aren’t many Elf-children!),
this means Balin has to deliver
presents to 200,000 children.
Assuming an average of two
children per house, this means
that he needs to deliver gifts to
100,000 houses. Middle-earth is a
pretty big place and the distance
SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 23
he’ll need to travel is around 1000 too dissimilar from our normal
miles in total! MESBG miniatures gaming board size - progress!
are roughly 60 times smaller For now we’ll just ignore the fact
than they are in ‘real life’, so 1000 that we’re going to have to move
miles divided by 60 leaves us with Balin’s sleigh 10”, one hundred
16 miles for our Balin model to times, every single minute of the
travel on a gaming board. 16 miles night.
is roughly 1 million inches, which
means the distance between each All that remains is for us to adapt
of our 100,000 houses would the Balin on Chariot profile and
need to be about 10 inches. model to suit our Yule Eve needs.
Assuming each child (naughty or
If we’re wanting to play a “casual” nice!) receives one package, we’ll
game over the course of a night, need to cram 200,000 presents
which is actually 16 hours of onto the chariot! To make this
darkness (this is going to make for work, the chariot would need to
a dreadfully nap-heavy Christmas expand to fit on a base around
day), Damian and I can likely cover the size of 100 Smaug bases! It’s
one turn per minute. This should probably best to assume just that
allow us to get through 1000 Gandalf has magically shrunk all
turns over the course of the night, the gifts, otherwise this game is
meaning that we’ll need to deliver going to get darn impractical very
to 100 houses every turn [Ed - quickly. [Ed - y’know, more so...].
feels like a lot to fit into a minute...].
Clearly, we can’t make a to-scale As for rules, we need to increase
Middle-earth gaming board, so the chariot’s Movement to 1000”
we will just have to use the same and also add one new Special
board for every turn, basically Rule: Pivot, PIVOT! - Once Balin
going back and forth to represent has moved 10”, he may pivot and
the journey (we’re going to need move on another 10”. He may do
a lot of eggnog to make this this 100 times per turn.
fun... at least we’ll have earned
our Christmas meal with all the And with that, we’re raring to go!
trimmings). If we arrange our 100 Wish us luck and why not play
houses in a 10x10 grid (each 10” along with us tomorrow night
apart), our gaming board would [Ed - I can think of a few reasons...]?
need to be around 8’x8’ - not Merry Chuffing Christmas!
Merry Christmas!
Well, here at last, dear friends, on the Eve of Christmas comes the end of our Advent calendar
in Middle-earth. Go in peace! We will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil.

IT’S CHRISTMAS EVE! Actually, as we’re writing this, it’s November 25th
but for you guys, IT’S CHRISTMAS EVE!

We hope you’ve enjoyed this little experiment over the last 24 days, it’s
been lots of fun to work on and hopefully that’s come across in the articles
you’ve been reading as you nibble away on those delicious Advent calendar
chocolates. We want to say a huge thanks to all of our contributors, Rob,
Ben, Devin, Adam, Will, James, Dan, Kieran, Matt, Rick, Kev and Dave all gave
up a lot of time and energy to keep you entertained over the Christmas
break and we’re sure you’d like to join us in thanking them for their efforts.
We’d also like to say a huge thanks to Steve and Ben of Top Table Gaming
for getting into the Christmas spirit in late November and recording a
battle report of our The Night Before Yule scenario; if you haven’t seen it yet,
be sure to pop over to their YouTube channel for a seasonal treat!

In related SBG Towers news, lots of people have been asking about the
much-delayed Episode 100 of our YouTube programme The Palantir, and
all we can say is that it is coming. We’ve often mentioned that we only
have time to either work on an issue of the magazine or regularly record
The Palantir and, whilst we were really hoping to start recording again in
November, we decided to make this Advent calendar instead, we hope you
think it was worth it [Ed - as far as I’m concerned, it was worth it just to see
how creepy Tom looks in a Christmas hat...]!

However, whilst we are hoping to get back to regular YouTubing, we’re also
working away on the next issues of SBG proper! We’re hoping to release
two issues again this year, both focusing on The War of the Ring. The first,
Issue 10, will feature the biggest battle report we’ve ever included along
with a tenth issue celebration looking back at the last six years of working
on the fanzine (has it really been so long?!). Meanwhile, we’re not sure
exactly what Issue 11 will include but let’s just say that’s primarily because,
as we’re writing this, we’ve yet to read a certain exciting supplement that
most of you will have read about two weeks ago!

Right, we’re off to spend the

Christmas break hoovering
snow off Dale and are
looking forward to starting
our Advent calendars...

Merry Christmas!

These guys will all feature in Issue 10 of SBG! Hopefully joined by a few
hundred friends and a fair few animals, in fact, a whole pack o’ dem! Damian & Tom

SBG Advent Calendar 2019 - Day 24