Wednesday 27 February 2013

Hobbit SBG - A Starter Battle


The Hobbit Strategy Battle Game Logo


"...No other mortal men could have endured it, none but the Dunedain of the North!"          
                                                    - Return of the King, The Lord of the Ring          

Lord of the Rings beginners battle report Hobbit SBG - Arnor v Morannon, Mordor circa 750 points

The Hobbit Strategy Battle Game Rules
The Hobbit Strategy Battle Game Rule Boo
This week I managed to persuade my son to finally play a game of The Hobbit SBG. It was roughly 750 points each with me leading Gothmog and 3 warbands of Morannon orc against the Army of Arnor.

We are playing the new Hobbit SBG rule from Games Workshop. 

I used a simple grey painted board with ruins in the middle.  The aim was a point for any hero/banner killed and a point for each figure on the centre rubble. Confident in my fully painted Mordor Army I set up ready to show my 9 year old son how to play - Strategy Battle Game.


Below are the pictures from the battle.  Please remember this is a starter battle and we tried to follow the basic rules without getting too tied up in details as I wanted to encourage him to play, and not put him off through boredom!

Hobbit SBG - Ruins of Arnor
The Ruins of Arnor - with the centre objective

Hobbit SBG - Mordor and Arnor
Mordor and Arnor deployment

Hobbit SBG - The ruins of Arnor
Arnor Ruins

Hobbit SBG - Morannon Captain and warband
Morannon Captain and Warband

Hobbit SBG - Morannon Shaman and warband
Morannon Shaman and warband

Hobbit SBG - Morannon Shaman and warband
Hobbit SBG - Morannon Shaman and warband

Hobbit SBG - Gothmogs Morannon orcs with Banner
Gothmog and Morannon Banner and warband

Hobbit SBG - Gothmogs Morannon orcs with Banner
Gothmogs Morannon orcs go for objective with Banner

Hobbit SBG - Rangers of Arnor
Rangers of Arnor

Hobbit SBG - Morannon orcs Charge ruins
Morannon orcs Charge ruins

Hobbit SBG - Arnor engage Morannon orcs
Arnor engage Morannon orcs

Hobbit SBG - Arnor rangers attack Morannon orcs
Arnor rangers attack rear of Morannon orcs

Hobbit SBG - Arnor rangers attack Morannon orcs
Hobbit SBG - Arnor rangers attack Morannon orcs

Hobbit SBG - Arnor beat Morannon orcs
Arnor punch through Morannon orc flank

Hobbit SBG - Arnor beat Morannon orcs
Rangers flank attack

Hobbit SBG - Aragorn and Arnor beat Morannon orcs
Aragorn leads Arnor against Morannon orcs

Hobbit SBG - Arnor beat Morannon orcs
Arnor beat Morannon orcs

Hobbit SBG - Aragorn wounds Gothmog Morannon orcs
Aragorn wounds Gothmog and beats Morannon orcs

Hobbit SBG - Rangers in Ruins
Rangers take high ground

Hobbit SBG - Malbeth and Arnor
Hobbit SBG - Malbeth pushes Arnor forward to take advantage

Hobbit SBG - Malbeth and Arnor Morannon orcs
Malbeths Arnor overwhelm Morannon orcs

Hobbit SBG - Arnor push back Morannon orcs
 Arnor take the advantage over the Morannon orcs

Hobbit SBG - Arnor push back Morannon orcs
Arnor push back Morannon orcs

Hobbit SBG - Arnor push back Morannon orcs
Arnor rangers rush in to the fray and beat back Morannon orcs

Hobbit SBG - Arnor push back Morannon orcs
Hobbit SBG - Arnor clear last Morannon orcs off of the objective

Arnor hold flank and push back Morannon orcs



Final Thoughts
Well, I was impressed with my son ability to pick up the rules and how easily he beat me, killing a captain, shaman, wounding Gothmog and having 5 troops on the objective... I had 2 on the objective and so lost 8-2.

I loved the Arnor and really need to get round to painting them, the recent entry on to the Tale of 4 Gamers on the Onering forum should give me the opportunity to do this.


Hobbit SBG - Aragorn
Aragorn - Man of the match
Man of the Match
This was easy, and was never going to be in much doubt.  Aragorn was simply unstoppable!
He was easily able to handle Gothmog and any Morannon I threw at him.  i will definitely be using him in my future Arnor warbands.


So a win for Arnor and my 'new to the game' son.

Thanks I hope you enjoyed it!






We are about to start playing The Hobbit SBG - both skirmish battles LotR/Hobbit and walk through the books/films as well as the odd WotR on club nights.

We welcome anyone interested in playing The Hobbit, Lotr SBG, WotR or any warhammer/40K battle - why not let us know so that we can arrange some starter battles, like the one above, or if you/your club want to challenge us. We have all the LOTR SBG figures and LOTR scenery from the Mines of Moria to the siege of Helms Deep ready and waiting.  

Feel free to email us to come along or arrange a game.

East Grinstead War Gaming club 
Sussex

Sunday 24 February 2013

Hobbit SBG Dwarves v Cirith Ungol


The Hobbit Strategy Battle Game Logo


"...There is one dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath!"          
                                                    - Gimli Son of Gloin, The Lord of the Ring          

Lord of the Rings battle report
The Hobbit Strategy Battle Game Rules
The Hobbit Strategy Battle Game Rule Book
Hobbit SBG - Dwarves v Cirith Ungol, Mordor Uruk Hai 750 points

This week was a battle between Craig and myself each leading a 750 point army  between good, the dwarves of Moria v Mordor's Cirith Ungol army led by Khamul the Easterling, with Shelob.

Again, we are playing the new Hobbit SBG rule from Games Workshop. 

We set up on a 6 x 4 battle field with the clubs desert board to represent a desolate region between Moria and Mordor, where the battle between good and evil would be fought.

This is the latest SBG battle report from East Grinstead Wargamers, which sees a battle for points - killing heroes, banners, captains and breaking an army will earn points

Deployment was simple - same as last week, place your troops in your third of the field and fight if out. 

I took the northern end of the board positioning the Drar Hunter Dwarf Rangers on the hill, while Gimli led the rest of my army to cover the rest of the field.

Craig and Adrian, spread their Cirith Ungol Mordor Uruk Hai, with Shelob across the battlefield.
My plan was simple, wait for them to get to me, shooting what I can before they get here then smash them hard and fast (as fast as dwarves can be).

The Hobbit SBG
Hobbit SBG: The Deserts of Middle Earth

The Hobbit SBG - Dwarf army
Gimli, Son of Gloin leads the Dwarf army

The Hobbit SBG - Dwarf Khazad Guard
Gimli The Dwarf General Leads the feared
Khazad Guard

The Hobbit SBG - Dwarf Rangers
Drar's Hunters, an elite unit of
Dwarven rangers

The Hobbit SBG - Dwarf Floi Stone Hand
Floi The Stonehand, Lore Master of Moria
command the dwarven axes.

The Hobbit SBG - Dwarf Mardin Guard
Mardin's Guard, shielded Royal Dwarven Guard


The Hobbit SBG - Shelob
The Mordor Army from Cirith Ungol, 
Led By Shagrat and featuring Shelob

The Hobbit SBG - Mordor Uruk Hai
The Mordor Uruk Hai with Captain and Banner

The Hobbit SBG - Mordor Uruk Hai
Shagrats Tower Guard army with deadly weapons!

The Hobbit SBG - Mordor Cirith Ungol
The Mordor Army Deploys in Warbands
covering either side of the board

The Hobbit SBG - Mordor Cirith Ungol
Shagrat's Tower Guard prepare to assault the hill
and the Dwarven Rangers led by Drar

The Hobbit SBG - Rangers
Ready and waiting the rangers open fire and start to kill Uruk Hai...
Shagrat, falls back behind his cannon fodder troops

The Hobbit SBG - Dwarf Deployment
The main dwarf army holds firm in the middle, nothing will move them

The Hobbit SBG - Dwarf Deployment
Gimli calls out to the Uruk Hai and calls a challenge,
"Come and get me if you think your hard enough...!"

The Hobbit SBG - Dwarf Deployment
Meanwhile Floi, manages to avoid the orcs bow fire,
 which given suffers a -1 to hit with movement.

The Hobbit SBG - Dwarf Rangers bows
Drar readies his Hunter Dwarf rangers 
who will hold and fire together

The Hobbit SBG - Mordor Uruk Hai
The Mordor Uruk Hai march across the field...

The Hobbit SBG - Mordor Uruk Hai
Forward you maggots

The Hobbit SBG - Mordor Uruk Hai advance
Mordor advances onto the slopes as the
sun shines onto the Dwarven rangers - there is still hope

The Hobbit SBG - Drar shoots
More casualties for Mordor as the
rangers continue to punish their every step

The Hobbit SBG - Khamul the Easterling
Khamul the Easterling leads his warband of
Mordor Uruk hai

The Hobbit SBG - Floi Loremaster of Moria
Still Floi laughs at the orc bows who are focused on
trying to take him out

The Hobbit SBG - Gimli
The Mordor army reaches the dwarven line and battle starts

The Hobbit SBG - Shelob, spider pass
Shelob pounces onto Mardin and his guard
have to muster their courage to attack the huge bulking beast of 

spider pass - Cirith Ungol

The Hobbit SBG - Shagrat
Mordor Uruk hai, reach the hill and Floi sounds the advance -
time to save the rangers

The Hobbit SBG - Shelob
Surrounded, Shelob is suddenly alone and feeling the pressure

The Hobbit SBG - Battle lines
 Craig's Mordor Uruk Hai charge Drar and the dwarven rangers

The Hobbit SBG - Battle lines
"Protect the Banner" Craig cries as his
Uruk's punch into the rangers

The Hobbit SBG - Mordor
The rangers, spurred by Drar and the support of
Floi and his axes get the upper hand on the Mordor Uruk Hai

The Hobbit SBG - Dwarves
 "KHAZAD!!!!" The dwarves are now outnumbering and beating
 the Mordor Uruk Hai

The Hobbit SBG - Dwarves
Fighting is tough for Mordor as they fail a few desperate dice rolls

The Hobbit SBG - Dwarves
Shagrat rallies his troops as Floi prepares to move in for the kill,
meanwhile a stray arrow actually kills a dwarf!

The Hobbit SBG - Dwarves
Shelob, fights on, using will and might to stay alive, while the
Khazad Guard and Gimli surround her again

The Hobbit SBG - Shelob
 The beauty of fight values and rolling a "6"
Shelob wins and knocks the guard to the ground

The Hobbit SBG - Dwarves
Drar takes a well aimed shot and gains a point by slaying
a not so hidden Mordor banner bearer

The Hobbit SBG - Dwarves Rangers
Mordor Flank is failing, they are now heavily outnumbered!

The Hobbit SBG - Dwarves Rangers Drar
The Dwarf rangers and Drar again lead the attack
to kill the Mordor Uruk Hai

The Hobbit SBG - Dwarves Rangers Drar
Hobbit SBG: Down goes the Mouth of Sauron and now there is
only a small gathering of Mordor on the hill - this was almost the end for Mordor.
 

The battle ended 5-1 to the dwarves
Shagrat, 3 x banners and a Captain were killed as well as only two troops from being broken
Gimli suffered a wound from rolling a fate roll of "1"



Final Thoughts
This Dwarven army was fantastic, it looked and performed better than I thought and literally took the Mordor army to pieces.  The bow fire was good and I picked of 5 Uruk Hai before they even got to the fight.

Shelob, despite always being surrounded by 6-8 Khazad Guard just wouldn't die! Clearly she had preyed to the dice gods and secured her survival - this didn't prevent the dwarven army from taking the Mordor army apart - the Uruk Hai were simply no match for the dwarves and at every fight they got a bloody nose.

Craig was unfortunate as he didnt take any shields to aid his defence and lack spear support which is often cheap for Mordor. He also played into my arms and was forced to cross the field and attack my strongly defended lines.

Man of the Match
This was hard, Gimli never seemed to get into a fight, Shagrat held off Floi several times, but really this has to be "GIRL OF THE MATCH" Shelob soaked up the bearded ones and spat them out... yeah she didn't really kill anything, but she could have swung the tide of the game had the Mordor army been able to perform better.

Yeah, she costs a bit, but she worked well and looked very beautiful on the battle field.

A lesson for Craig - Take spear support, those extra dice rolls will be worth more than those banners and will give you more troops!

So a win for Moria's Dwarves and Gimli .

Thanks I hope you enjoyed it!






We are about to start playing The Hobbit SBG - both skirmish battles LotR/Hobbit and walk through the books/films as well as the odd WotR on club nights.

We welcome anyone interested in playing The Hobbit, Lotr SBG, WotR or any warhammer/40K battle - why not let us know so that we can arrange some starter battles, like the one above, or if you/your club want to challenge us. We have all the LOTR SBG figures and LOTR scenery from the Mines of Moria to the siege of Helms Deep ready and waiting.  

Feel free to email us to come along or arrange a game.

East Grinstead War Gaming club 
Sussex