The Lord of the Rings: The Mines of Moria Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Introduction
  • What's it like?
  • Bigger battles
• The Models
• Setting Up a Game
  • The Playing Area
  • Terrain
  • Good and Evil
  • Models
  • Making Notes
• Starting to Play
  • Turns and Phases
  • Measuring
  • Moving Models
  • Warriors "Seeing"
  • Rolling Dice
  • Using the Wound Chart
  • The Profile
• Scenario 1 - Into the Dark
  • Starting Positions
  • The Forces
  • Winning the Game
  • Priority Phase
  • Move Phase
  • Shoot Phase
  • Fight Phase
  • End Phase
• Scenario 2 - Ambush!
  • Starting Positions
  • The Forces
  • Winning the Game
  • Priority Phase
  • Move Phase
  • Shoot Phase
  • Fight Phase
  • End Phase
• Scenario 3 - Surrounded!
  • Starting Positions
  • The Forces
  • Winning the Game
  • Priority Phase
  • Move Phase
  • Shoot Phase
  • Fight Phase
  • End Phase
• Scenario 4 - Battle in Balin's Tomb
  • Starting Positions
  • The Forces
  • Winning the Game
  • Priority Phase
  • Move Phase
  • Shoot Phase
  • Fight Phase
  • End Phase

Introduction

All you need to do is find a suitable place to play and an opponent to challenge. Everything else is in the box:

• Plastic miniatures of the Fellowship and their enemies
• Plastic terrain to represent the Mines of Moria
• This booklet, which explains how to assemble your models and teaches you the basics of how to play
• The rules manual containing the full rules for the game

You will learn the rules a little at a time through a series of encounters in the mines. Each game is slightly more involved than the previous one, culminating with the battle in Balin's Tomb, when the heroes face a monstrous Cave Troll.

What's it like?

In a game of The Lord of The Rings, each player controls a force of miniature warriors, either the Good or the Evil side. The players roll dice to fight and shoot, trying to outwit each other and win the game.

• Dice rolls. A dice roll at the beginning of each turn determines who gets to act first during that turn. Dice are also used to determine whether a model warrior succeeds or fails at shooting or fighting. Each model in the game has a profile, which lets you work out the dice scores needed to perform different actions. For example, a dice roll of 3 would be too low for a Goblin to hit his mark but is still high enough for a formidable archer like Legolas to hit the same target.
• Moving your models. The game has a board of sorts, but it can be any large, flat surface, such as a kitchen table or even the floor. You can use all your models at the same time and move them anywhere you want; a framework of simple rules keeps the game orderly and makes sure both sides have an equal chance of winning.

Bigger battles

Once you have played through the scenarios in this booklet, the rules manual provides advanced rules that add more weaponry, creatures, characters and magic, as well as allowing you to play full-scale battles.

The Models

• Gandalf, Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin make up the Fellowship (the Good side).
• Moria Goblins (armed with spears, bows or shields) and the Cave Troll are the Evil side.
• Gandalf, Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, the Hobbits and the Goblins can be assembled as shown in the booklet. The Cave Troll can be assembled with either the spear or the hammer.

Setting Up a Game

Each The Lord of The Rings game recreates a scene inspired by, or taken directly from, the book or films. This is known as a "scenario". The scenario rules tell you what models are used, what the playing area looks like, and give you any special information that you need to play it. The scenario also tells players what they must do to win the game.

The Playing Area

You can play on any flat surface. Battles are played on an area of a specific size, stated in each scenario. It is important to measure the right size and mark out the edges of this area, since models may not normally leave the playing area. You can use masking tape or just lay out rulers to mark the space.

Terrain

Models may not move "through" scenery in the game, and must move around it. Terrain also provides warriors with valuable cover from missile fire.

Good and Evil

Each scenario is a battle between the Free People of Middle-earth (the Good side) and the forces of Sauron and his allies (the Evil side). Throughout the Mines of Moria scenarios, the Good side is represented by the Fellowship of the Ring while the Evil side has the foul Goblins of Moria and the Cave Troll. Agree with your opponent which side you will each control. Once you have finished, you can swap sides and play the scenario a second time to see who does best.

Models

The playing pieces for the game are all mounted on round bases. There are two types of base in the Mines of Moria: 25mm and 40mm. The Cave Troll is mounted on a 40mm base while all the other models have 25mm bases. Each base represents the space that the model needs to move about and fight.

Making Notes

It is always handy to have some scraps of paper and a pencil or two to make notes on, and to record important information as the game progresses.

Starting to Play

These pages cover a few general principles that apply in all your battles. It is not important to commit it all to memory; just give it a read and then check back whenever you need while you play.

Turns and Phases

A battle is played out in a series of turns, until one side is the winner. During each turn both players move, shoot and fight with their models, as described below. This is called the "turn sequence". Each part of the sequence is called a "phase".

The Turn Sequence

1. Priority phase. In the first turn, priority automatically goes to the Good side. In each turn after that, both sides roll a dice to establish which side has priority that turn. The Ring token will remind you who has priority each turn.
2. Move phase. Both sides move their models. The side with priority moves all its models first. Once the side with priority has finished, the other side moves.
3. Shoot phase. Both sides shoot. The side with priority shoots first. Once the side with priority has finished, the other side shoots.
4. Fight phase. All models in base contact with an enemy fight. The player with priority decides the order in which combats are fought.
5. End phase. The turn is over. Begin a new turn starting with the Priority phase.

Measuring

You work out how far a model may move each turn using measuring sticks or tape measures. Two plastic measuring sticks (also called "range rulers") are provided in the box for this purpose. All the measurements in the Mines of Moria are made in centimetres (cm) as marked on the blue range rulers.

During a game, players are free to measure whenever they wish. This can be very important, allowing players to see how close models are together, or how far a warrior is from an objective.

When measuring from one model to another, do so from the nearest edges of the base. The distance between models is important during a game: measure the space between the bases.

Moving Models

Models may not move through each other. They are assumed to need at least the space that their base provides, so be sure to leave space between models so that they can pass each other as you play. This means that models may not overlap their bases with each other, and that if a model cannot fit into a space, it cannot go there.

Warriors "Seeing"

During a game, you need to be able to tell what a model can see. The best way to do this is to stoop down over the table so your eye is in line with the model, to get a "model's-eye view". Do not worry about which way the model is facing: all models are assumed to be able to see all around them, all the time.

Rolling Dice

The game uses dice to represent the chance elements of close combat and shooting. Legolas might be the best shot in all of Middle-earth, but there is always a chance that he will miss his target; thus dice rolls are used to determine the effects of shots, to establish the winner in a fight and for a number of other purposes throughout the game.

Using the Wound Chart

During your games, you will often want to see if an arrow or a strike from a weapon has wounded its target. The stronger the attacker, the more likely he is to cause a wound. Conversely, the more resilient and heavily armoured the target is, the less likely they are to be harmed.

To work out the result, find the Strength of the attack and the Defence of the target. A Moria Goblin has a Strength of 3, and Aragorn has a Defence of 5. By comparing them on the Wound chart we find the minimum score that the Moria Goblin will need on a dice to wound Aragorn, in this case 5. So a score of a 5 or 6 will wound him.

Each wound inflicted reduces the warrior's Wound value by 1. If any warrior, Good or Evil, is reduced to 0 wounds, then they are slain; remove them from play.

Sometimes the score needed, as shown on the table, will be 6/4, 6/5 or 6/6. This means that the character is especially hard to wound. The attacker must first make a roll to wound and score a 6. If the dice score is a 6, then the player must roll again. If he can score either a 4, 5 or 6 as shown by the second number on the chart, then a wound has been caused.

Wound Chart. Compare the Strength value of the attack (down the left-hand side) with the target's Defence value (across the top). The number shown is the minimum dice score needed to wound.

Strength \ Defence	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
1	4	5	5	6	6	6/4	6/5	6/6
2	4	4	5	5	6	6	6/4	6/5
3	3	4	4	5

The Profile

Each model has a "profile" of characteristics. All the profiles are found on the summary sheet on the back page of the booklet (reproduced below).

• Move (M): how far a model can move in its turn. The faster a model is, the higher its Move value.
• Fight (F): a warrior's skill in close combat and ability to overcome his enemy in a fight. The higher a warrior's Fight value, the better he is at fighting. Warriors that are armed with a bow also have a second number shown after the dividing line. This is their Shoot value, and shows how good they are at firing their weapon. The number shown is the minimum dice score needed to hit a target on one dice (for example, Aragorn's 6/3+ means Fight 6, Shoot 3+).
• Strength (S): how strong a warrior is and therefore how powerfully he can strike his enemies.
• Defence (D): a measure of how tough and resilient a warrior is. If a warrior is particularly tough or well armoured this value will be higher.
• Attacks (A): how swift a model is with his weapon in combat, and how much damage he can deal out. Most warriors only have one Attack, although mighty Heroes and dangerous monsters might have two or even three.
• Wounds (W): how much injury a warrior can suffer before he is slain. Most man-sized figures will have a single Wound, while some Heroes and larger monsters may have two, three or possibly even more.
• Courage (C): how brave a warrior is amidst the chaos of battle. The rules for Courage are not used in the Mines of Moria. They are explained in the rules manual.

Profiles (summary sheet)

Model	Move	F	S	D	A	W	C	Bow
Gandalf	14	5	4	5	1	3	7
Aragorn	14	6/3+	4	5	3	3	6	Bow: Strength 2
Boromir	14	6	4	6

Scenario 1 - Into the Dark

Trapped in the darkness, Gandalf leads the Fellowship into the ancient Dwarf mine. The heroes must race through the gloomy corridors as swiftly as possible, avoiding the black arrows of the vile Moria Goblins.

The first scenario focuses on moving and shooting. The rules for fighting are introduced in Scenario 2.

Starting Positions

The nine members of the Fellowship all start this scenario in the Good starting area, as shown on the map in the booklet. The four Moria Goblins with bows are each placed behind one of the pillars. The playing area is 42cm by 28cm.

The Forces

• Good: Gandalf, Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin.
• Evil: 4 Moria Goblins with bows.

Winning the Game

The Good player wins this scenario if every member of the Fellowship can escape through the doorway without any of his models being slain.

The Evil player will win if his Goblins can kill any member of the Fellowship with their bows.

The game ends as soon as one player completes their objective.

Priority Phase

Once the gaming area is set up and all the pieces are in place, it is time to start the game with the Priority phase.

In the first turn, priority goes to the Good side, meaning that the Good player may move and shoot before the Evil player.

Each turn after the first, players roll for priority. Both players roll a single dice; the player that scores highest wins priority. If the dice roll is a draw, priority always swaps over to the player that did not have it last turn. Pass the Priority marker (the Ring provided in the box) to the player with priority to help you remember.

Move Phase

This phase is where models can move about, take up better positions, run for cover or charge headlong at the enemy. In the Move phase, the player with priority moves his models first. Once the player with priority has finished his moves, the other player may then move any of his own models that he wishes.

The Fellowship do not have time to stop and fight, while the Goblins are content to shoot with their bows. This means that enemy warriors will not move too close to each other. In this scenario, no model may move to within 2cm of an enemy model.

Once a Good model moves into contact with the doorway, it has escaped the Moria Goblins, and plays no further part in this scenario; remove it from the board. Remember, to win, all of the Fellowship must escape through the door.

Good movement. In the Good Move phase, the Good player can move the Fellowship models. Models do not have to move, and they can move less than their full rate if they want to. If Aragorn and Legolas wish to fire their bows in the Shoot phase they must not move more than half their total movement (explained further in the Shoot phase). Gandalf can move up to 14cm in the Move phase. Gimli, like all Dwarves, is a little slower than Men and Elves; he can move up to 12cm. Hobbits are even slower, so they may only move up to 10cm in the Move phase.

Evil movement. In the Evil Move phase, the Evil player can move the Goblin models. Like the Good models, Moria Goblins do not have to move, and can always move less than their full rate. It is often a good idea to move models armed with a bow at a slower rate, as you will see in the Shoot phase. A Goblin that has moved 6cm can fire his bow in the Shoot phase; if he moves further, he may not fire this turn.

Shoot Phase

This phase is when models armed with missile weapons may attempt to loose arrows on their victims. The player with priority may shoot with his models first. Once he has fired with his models, the other player may shoot with theirs.

Good shooting. Aragorn carries his sturdy ranger bow, whilst Legolas carries a finely crafted Elven bow. Because it takes a little time to ready an arrow and steady a bow, Aragorn and Legolas must "give up" half of their move to shoot. This means that, if they wish to fire their bows, they may only move up to 7cm instead of the normal 14cm. They can both fire one arrow each turn.

Firing a bow is worked out in stages. Select a model to fire and follow the stages:

1. Choose a target
2. Roll to hit
3. Roll to wound

Choose a target. Aragorn and Legolas may shoot at any Evil model they can see, regardless of how far away it is. They must be able to see their target entirely, however; this means they cannot shoot at models that are obscured by scenery or other models. (Example: a Goblin in cover cannot be shot at; a Goblin with Gimli in the way cannot be shot at; a Goblin with another Goblin in the way cannot be targeted; a Goblin in the open makes a perfect target.)

Roll to hit. Once the Good player has decided on a target, he should roll a dice to see if the arrow finds its mark. Use the Shoot value on the character's profile and compare it. Aragorn's Shoot value is 3+, meaning that a roll to hit of 3, 4, 5 or 6 is needed for his shot to hit his target. A roll of 1 or 2 will miss.

If the dice roll is high enough to score a hit, then the arrow has found its target; roll to wound as described below. If it is not high enough, then the arrow misses; we imagine it has flown wide of the mark and struck the wall, a pillar or the floor and bounced harmlessly away.

Roll to wound. If the shot is a hit then we need to see if it causes any damage. The arrow may simply glance off its target, be deflected by armour, or it might pierce the target and inflict a deadly injury.

First compare the Strength of the bow to the Defence of the target using the Wound chart; the number shown is the minimum score needed to wound the target. Aragorn's bow has a Strength of 2. Legolas' bow has a Strength of 3.

Next, roll a dice to see if the shot wounds its intended victim or not. If a model suffers a wound, reduce its total number of wounds by one. If this brings its wound score to zero, the model is slain. This means that Moria Goblins will be killed by the first arrow that wounds them. When a model is slain, remove it from play.

Evil shooting. The Moria Goblins are armed with bows. These murderous Goblins are content to fire at their enemies from a distance, keeping away from the swords and axes of their foes.

Evil models with bows may shoot in the same way as the Good models. A Moria Goblin with a bow can only fire if it "gives up" half of its move. This means a Moria Goblin can only shoot if it moves 6cm or less.

• Choosing a target. In this scenario Moria Goblins must choose a target in the same way as Aragorn and Legolas. The target must be clearly visible with no terrain or other models (Good or Evil) in the way.
• Roll to hit. Roll a dice and compare it to the Shoot value on the Moria Goblin's profile. If you roll this number or higher then the Goblin's shot hits. The Goblin's Shoot value is 5+, meaning that a roll to hit of 5 or 6 will strike his target.
• Roll to wound. If the shot hits, then make a roll to wound. Goblin bows have a Strength of 2. Compare this to the Defence of the target using the Wound chart; the number shown is the minimum required to inflict a wound. Because most of the Fellowship have more than one Wound on their profile, the Good player will need to keep a record of how many wounds each hero suffers. As soon as a hero's last wound is lost, he is killed and the model is removed from the game; the Evil side has won!

The rules for shooting used here are a simplified version of those in the full rules, so this makes them ideal for learning the basics of the game. Once you have mastered the rules found in the Mines of Moria, you may wish to look at the full rules found on page 22 of the rules manual to enhance your games even further.

Fight Phase

The Fight phase is not used in this scenario, so proceed straight to the End phase.

End Phase

The turn is over. Begin the next turn, starting with the Priority phase.

Scenario 2 - Ambush!

Having outrun the archers, the Fellowship rests for a moment, while Aragorn scouts ahead. But more Goblins ambush the brave ranger, who must fight his way clear of the trap and get back to his companions.

In this scenario we introduce the Fight phase to the game, allowing your warriors to fight face-to-face.

Note that if a model warrior is "killed" in one scenario, it does not prevent them being used in the next. If one of the Fellowship was removed from play, you can assume they were badly injured or knocked unconscious and could not continue the fight, but have now recovered. In the case of Moria Goblins, there are thousands of the creatures infesting the mines; the model now represents a different individual.

Starting Positions

Aragorn is placed as shown on the map in the booklet. Two Moria Goblins with shields and two with spears are placed touching the trapdoor. Two Moria Goblins with shields and two with spears start in the Evil starting area, as shown on the map. The playing area is 42cm by 28cm.

The Forces

• Good: Aragorn.
• Evil: 4 Moria Goblins with shields, 4 Moria Goblins with spears.

Winning the Game

The Good side wins if Aragorn can fight his way clear and move through the doorway.

The Evil side wins if the Moria Goblins can slay Aragorn before he escapes.

The game ends as soon as one player completes their objective.

Priority Phase

In the first turn, priority goes to the Good side, allowing Aragorn to seize the initiative. Each turn after the first, players should roll for priority as described in scenario 1.

Move Phase

In this scenario, models are able to charge their enemy. This allows them to get to grips with their foe, and fight them face-to-face.

Control zone. In a battle situation, a warrior will not stand idly by and allow an enemy to approach him without attacking. To represent this, we have a rule called the "control zone". A control zone is an invisible area that is 2cm wide and exists around every model. A model may only enter an enemy model's control zone if it intends to charge that model. This means that sometimes models must "skirt" around enemies to get past them, and sometimes may find their path blocked entirely and have no choice but to engage them in close combat and kill them if they wish to get past.

If the charging model does not have enough movement to reach his target, he must not enter its control zone (he must stop outside it).

Charging the enemy. In this game, a model may only fight an enemy that it is in base contact with. Moving into base contact with an enemy is called "charging". If one model has charged into base contact with another, they will fight in the Fight phase.

Any model may charge in its Move phase provided that it can see its target before it starts to move, and is close enough to reach him.

Once a model has moved into base contact with an enemy, neither model may move any further in that Move phase; they are locked in combat. A model that is charged before it has had a chance to move is therefore unable to do so that turn; it is already fighting for its life.

A particularly brave warrior may charge two enemies at once, providing that his move allows him to reach them both, and that his base can touch both of theirs. A less confident warrior can always choose to engage just one opponent.

Shoot Phase

In this scenario Aragorn needs to get back to his friends as quickly as possible, so will not slow down to shoot his bow. The Evil player has no Moria Goblins with bows, so cannot fire in this scenario. This means you can skip the Shoot phase.

Fight Phase

In the Fight phase all models in base contact with an enemy model will fight. Each fight has the following steps:

1. Roll attacks
2. Determine the winner
3. Loser backs away
4. Winner rolls to wound

Roll attacks. This stage represents the warriors cutting and thrusting in combat, and trying to gain the upper hand. Each model in the combat rolls a number of dice equal to the "Attacks" characteristic on their profile to see who wins. Aragorn has three Attacks, so rolls three dice when determining the winner. All Moria Goblin Warriors have one Attack, so roll one dice each.

Determine the winner. To work out the winner of each fight, take the single highest scoring dice from each side and compare them. The side with the highest score is the winner. (Example: one Goblin scores a 5, which beats Aragorn's best score of 4; the Evil side wins the fight.)

Sometimes the scores will be tied. In this case the model with the highest Fight value wins the fight for their side. Aragorn has a Fight value of 6, compared to the Goblins, whose Fight value is only 2, so Aragorn will always win a tied fight against Moria Goblins.

Loser backs away. Once the winner of the fight is determined, the losers of the fight must back away 2cm, moving out of base-to-base contact. This represents the losing model desperately backing off, trying to escape the enemy as they slash and stab at their foe.

Winner rolls to wound. After the loser has backed away, the winner can attempt to strike him. The winner should roll one dice for each Attack that they have. Using the Wound chart, compare the Strength of the winner, and the Defence of the loser to determine the minimum score needed to score a wound. Note that every model on the winning side gets to make strikes, not just the one that rolled highest to win the fight.

(Example: Goblins that have won against Aragorn compare their Strength of 3 to Aragorn's Defence of 5; they need a 5+ to wound him. One scores a 3, which does nothing, while the other scores a 6, inflicting one wound on Aragorn.)

Because Aragorn has 3 Attacks on his profile, if he wins a fight, he may strike three times. For each attack, choose one enemy model that has been pushed back by him, and roll to wound it. You can work out the result of the attack before rolling for the next.

Any Moria Goblin that suffers a wound is killed and removed from the game. If Aragorn is wounded the Good player must make a note; the Evil side must cause three wounds to win.

Trapped! Sometimes a model will lose a fight, and not be able to back away 2cm as required because other models, scenery or the board edge are in their way. In this situation, the retreating model is trapped. Any strikes made against a trapped model count as doubled, so a model with one Attack (such as a Goblin) will make two strikes, a model with two Attacks makes four strikes and so on.

The defeated model must still be moved apart from his attackers as far as possible, even if it means moving the enemies instead. If the trapped model survives their attacks, the attackers must back away, so that the models are separated.

End Phase

The turn is over. Begin the next turn, starting with the Priority phase.

Scenario 3 - Surrounded!

With Aragorn still not returned, the rest of the Fellowship is assailed from all sides by Moria Goblins. Boromir, Legolas and Gimli must lead the defence of the Hobbits. Will Aragorn arrive in time to help his friends?

In this scenario we combine all the rules that went into scenarios 1 and 2, allowing your warriors to shoot and fight.

Starting Positions

Legolas, Gimli, Boromir, Gandalf and the Hobbits are placed between the four pillars (see the map in the booklet). Two Moria Goblins with bows, three Moria Goblins with spears and three with shields are placed touching each trapdoor as shown. Aragorn and the rest of the Goblins may arrive later. The playing area is 42cm by 28cm.

The Forces

• Good: Gandalf, Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin.
• Evil: 8 Moria Goblins with bows, 8 Moria Goblins with shields, 8 Moria Goblins with spears.

Winning the Game

The Good player wins if both trapdoors are sealed.

The Evil player wins if four or more Good models are slain.

The game ends as soon as one player completes their objective.

Priority Phase

Because of the swiftness of their attack, the Evil side starts this scenario with priority.

Move Phase

Both Good and Evil models move as described in scenarios 1 and 2.

Control zones. Scenario 2 explained control zones and showed how they work. When both sides have more than one model, there is another rule that affects how control zones work. When a model is already in base contact with an enemy, he loses his control zone. We can imagine he is so busy fighting for his life that he has little awareness of what is going on around him. This affects other models moving nearby.

Splitting off fights. A model may only be in one fight each turn. This means that sometimes you need to divide the fights up to work out exactly who is fighting whom. This is always done at the end of the Move phase, and is always done by the player with priority. Remember: all models who charged or were charged must be included in a combat somewhere.

(The booklet illustrates this with photographs: Goblin B charges Pippin while Frodo and Merry are in base contact with Goblin A, so they must fight Goblin A and Goblin B fights Pippin alone; and where Goblin B touches both Boromir and Gimli, Goblin A touches only Boromir and Goblin C only Gimli, so A and C fight them and the player with priority decides whom Goblin B fights. Goblins that have charged Boromir and Gimli lose their control zones, leaving their comrades free to dash through the gap and charge Frodo.)

As the player with priority splits off the fights, it is a good idea to move the models apart slightly, so that models only remain in base contact with models that they are fighting.

Blinding Light. Gandalf is a powerful wizard and knows a number of spells. One of these is the ability to make the end of his staff shine brightly in the dark. Not only does this spell help the Fellowship to see their way in the murky dark of Moria, but it can also dazzle the eyes of the Moria Goblins, who are accustomed to the gloom.

In the Good Move phase Gandalf may cast this spell on the score of a 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6. Once cast this power lasts for the rest of the game. Because of the light's brightness any Goblins shooting at Gandalf or at a target within 14cm of Gandalf will require a roll of 6 to score a hit, instead of a 5 or 6 as normal.

Gandalf may only cast this spell if he is able to move; if he has been charged before getting to move, then he may not cast Blinding Light.

In the main rules manual, Gandalf has additional magical powers that he can use to help the Fellowship on their journey. Once you have mastered the scenarios in the Mines of Moria, check out the full rules within the rules manual for more information.

Shoot Phase

Shooting works exactly as described in scenario 1. Models may not shoot if they are in base contact with an enemy. Additionally, models may not risk hitting their friends, so may not fire at enemies that are involved in fights.

Fight Phase

The Fight phase works as described in scenario 2. The player with priority decides in which order the fights are resolved.

End Phase

In this scenario there are some special rules to use in the End phase.

Strider. Aragorn has ranged ahead of the rest of the Fellowship to scout the way, but hearing the sounds of battle is rushing back to join them. In each End phase, the Good player should roll a dice to see if Aragorn arrives. On the score of a 6 place him touching the doorway. He can be controlled by the Good player in the next turn as normal. Once Aragorn has appeared, there is no need to continue rolling.

The trapdoors. Throughout Moria there is an extensive maze of trapdoors and tunnels used by the Moria Goblins. Each turn, in the End phase, roll one dice for each trapdoor; on the score of 4, 5 or 6 place a Moria Goblin with a bow, shield or spear (the Evil player may choose) on the relevant trapdoor. Newly arrived Moria Goblins can be controlled by the Evil player in the next turn as normal. Once all of the Goblins have made it onto the table, stop rolling.

A new model may only arrive on a trapdoor that does not already have a model stood on top of it (whether friend or foe). You can imagine the Goblin hammering on the doorway, trying to get through so that he can join the battle!

Closing the trapdoors. To close a trapdoor and stop more Moria Goblins climbing out, a Good model must end the turn on a trapdoor. If any Good model is stood on a trapdoor in the End phase, he is considered to have sealed it (jamming it shut with a broken spear, or sword handle). When a trapdoor is sealed, remove it from play; it plays no further part in the scenario.

Scenario 4 - Battle in Balin's Tomb

The Fellowship find a stone chamber where Gimli's cousin Balin met his tragic fate. Their grief is interrupted by the booming of drums and the arrival of yet more Goblins, this time with a monstrous Cave Troll. Can the heroes survive?

This scenario combines all the rules you have learned so far, and adds the deadly Cave Troll to the game!

Starting Positions

Gimli is placed touching the front of Balin's Tomb. The Hobbits must start in base contact with the well, and Gandalf starts in contact with the open book. Aragorn starts in touch with one rusted axe, Legolas touching the treasure chest and Boromir the other rusted axe.

The Evil player may place 6 Goblins within 8cm of the doorway and two Moria Goblins touching each trapdoor (the Evil player may choose between bows, spears and shields for these models). The remaining Moria Goblins and the Cave Troll do not start the game in play, but will become available later. The playing area is 56cm by 42cm.

The Forces

• Good: Gandalf, Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin.
• Evil: 8 Moria Goblins with bows, 8 Moria Goblins with shields, 8 Moria Goblins with spears, and the Cave Troll.

Winning the Game

The Good player wins if the Fellowship slays the Cave Troll.

The Evil player wins if any four members of the Fellowship are killed.

The game ends as soon as one player completes their objective.

Priority Phase

The Fellowship are ready for the Goblins to break through the doorway, and have priority in this scenario as normal. Each turn after the first, it is important for both players to pay particular attention to the dice rolls for priority.

In this scenario, the Cave Troll arrives in the first turn that the Priority roll is a tie. The Troll appears at the end of the turn, so to help you remember, it is a good idea to place the model ready beside the doorway (but off the gaming area). In the End phase the Troll can be placed on the table (see below).

Move Phase

All models, both Good and Evil, move as described in scenarios 1, 2 and 3. Remember that Gandalf can attempt to cast his spell, as described in Scenario 3. Make sure the player with priority splits off the fights at the end of the Move phase.

Moving the Cave Troll. The Cave Troll is an enormous monster, capable of defeating even the most skilled warriors with his awesome bulk and brutal strength. The Cave Troll may move up to 14cm in the Move phase.

Shoot Phase

The Shoot phase works as described in scenario 1. Remember that no models may shoot into combat.

Fight Phase

The Fight phase is worked out as described in scenarios 2 and 3.

Fighting the Cave Troll. The Cave Troll is deadly in battle, and easily a match for any member of the Fellowship one on one. Like Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas and Gimli, it has a Fight value of 6 (see the reference sheet on the back of the booklet). If the result of a fight involving one or more of these heroes and the Cave Troll is tied, the player with priority determines the winner by rolling a dice. On a 1-3, the Cave Troll wins. On a 4-6 the Good side has won instead.

End Phase

The following special rules apply in the End phase, allowing more Evil models to move onto the table.

Trapdoors. Just like in scenario 3, the Moria Goblins that did not start on the board move on later in the game. The rules for the trapdoors are the same as before. Roll one dice for each trapdoor and on the score of 4, 5 or 6, a Moria Goblin appears. The model can be controlled by the Evil player in the next turn as normal. Remember, a new Goblin may only arrive on a trapdoor that does not already have a model stood on top of it.

Closing the trapdoors. Again, a Good model can shut a trapdoor by ending the turn on top of it. If any Good model is stood on a trapdoor in the End phase, the door has been sealed and can be removed from the board.

The Cave Troll arrives. The Moria Goblins have coaxed a mighty Cave Troll towards the battle, where its enormous bulk can help them win the fight. If the dice rolls for priority were a draw this turn, or all the Goblins have been slain, the Cave Troll has arrived. The Evil player should place it in base contact with the doorway. The Cave Troll can be controlled by the Evil player in the next turn as normal.

The Door. The bulk of the Moria Goblins are storming into Balin's Tomb through the doorway. Unlike the trapdoors, the doorway cannot be sealed. Each turn, in the End phase, the Evil player may roll a dice. The score is the number of Moria Goblins that he can place in base contact with the doorway. The Evil player may choose whether they are armed with spear, shield or bow. If there is not room to place these newly arrived models then any models blocking their entry must be moved aside to allow the new model to be placed touching the door. Newly arrived Moria Goblins can be controlled by the Evil player in the next turn as normal.