Gents: The most detailed board game dealing with Middle Earth was the old SPI (Simulations Publications, Inc.) trilogy "Middle Earth." It had one large board game, 24" by 36" map, and two "folio" sized, (Small games with a 12" by 24" board). The three games were:
1) Large- "The War of the Ring." It was a full sized standard paper and cardboard counter game. It was an army based game with counters for leaders and troops. It had a card based character game, with the Nine, the fellowship, etc. The basic idea was that the free had little chance to win the military game but had to hold out until they could stuff the ring into Mt. Doom. The DS had to try and either nab the ring or win militarily before the ringbearer succeeded. It was a pretty good game with standard SPI "combat strenght- movement allowance" counters and an odds based CRT. It was closer to the actual book than our game in some ways. Certain characters, Galadriel, Elrond, etc., who did not leave their locations during the trilogy, could not move. Our "neutrals", who all went DS in the books, started DS.
Their was a "three player" option in which Saruman and the Dunlendings were a third side who could go either way so their was an option for a neutral player.
Fun Game all around.
2) "Minas Tirith." A straight military simulation board game, small folio sized, which covered the Pellenor Fields. Started with the attack on Minas Tirith and the Riders, Imrahil and the Knights of the White Swan, our SG, and Aragorn with the "post-dead" fleet from Pelargir all arriving as reinforcements. The DS, led by Murazor, basically had to try and take Minas Tirith before the reinforcements arrrived. Fun Game.
3) "Barad-Dur"- Another straight military game, with a bit of character action with "personal combat" allowed which coverd the "Last Alliance" siege of Barad-Dur at the end of the Second Age.
The problem is that it has been out of print for almost 20 years. It was released by SPI in the late 1970's and the company went broke in the early 80's. I have the game and have seen it for sale, used copies, at the occasional Con and/or game show.
If you see it, pick it up. Fun Game.
Luck to us all.
Jonathan Shushan
In a message dated Thu, 5 Jul 2001 11:02:09 AM Eastern Daylight Time, "Jeffery A. Dobberpuhl" <webguys@lakenet.com> writes:
<< TSR had a Battle of the Five Armies game as well...
From: Ray Devlin [mailto:hurly_burly_69@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2001 3:37 AM
To: mepbmlist@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [mepbmlist] Battle of the Five Armies Board GameI think Richard wants to know the film details like
director etc?Anyway, ICE once released a board game based on 5
armies and it was cool (unfortunately our postal
system lost the game when I posted it home from Uni).The map covered the area between the two southern
spurs of Erebor - the ruins of Dale were also
represented. The free player could set up the elves
on the Western spur and the men and dwarves (Khazad!)
on the Eastern spur. All the major characters are
represented, e.g. Thorin and co are based behind the
Erebor gate.The army of Bolg attacks in several waves (including
an attack from behind the mountain) until the Great
Orc himself appears with his elite guard. Beorn skins
him alive though.Nice game but very tactical, not grand strategy at
all.Ray
> -Well, I don't know if you count animated films, but
> there is a Hobbit
> -animated movie. I've got the tape myself, so I'm
> certain of this.
> -
> -RD: well, give us the details then, please!
> -
> -Richard.
>
> What details are you looking for? If you want to
> know who the 5 armies were, that's
> easily answered. I don't recall the names of the
> Kings, but the armies were...
>
> Dwarves (from Iron Hills)
> Elves (from Mirkwood)
> Men (from "Laketown")
> Goblins (from the north)
> Eagles
>
> I don't know how they counted Eagles as a separate
> army, but there you are.
>
> Mike
>
>
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