In this instalment of the Middle-earth team’s The Road Goes Ever On and On series, we’re joined by rules writer Jay Clare to talk about another upcoming release for the Strategy Battle Game. Jay’s favourite Hero is none other than Bard the Bowman, so there’s no one better to reveal Bard’s descendants at the time of the War of the Ring – and to find out how they perform on the battlefield…Jay: When Sauron sent his armies northwards to wage war upon the Free Peoples of Middle-earth, it wasn’t just the kingdom of Erebor that was thrust into turmoil.
Alongside the Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain stood the city of Dale. It was renewed after the Battle of the Five Armies, and Dale became a place renowned for trade and prosperity once more.
After being refounded, Dale was ruled over by the heirs of Bard the Bowman, who himself was descended from Girion, the last king of Dale before Smaug brought ruin to the city.
The upcoming additions to the Middle-earth range allow you to create an army of Dale from the time of the War of the Ring. On the way are King Brand of Dale, his son, Bard II, and the Knights of Dale, who are the most elite warriors the city can call upon in times of war.
Let’s take a look at each of them in turn.
King Brand was the grandson of Bard, the legendary bowman who slew Smaug with a Black Arrow. During the War of the Ring era, Brand ruled over Dale. The king was an ageing man then, well past his prime, though he was still a resolute and defiant fighter who stood alongside his Dwarven allies in the war against Sauron’s armies.
Yet, much like his old friend King Dáin Ironfoot, the Battle of Dale would ultimately claim Brand’s life, and he would fall defending his beloved city.
On the battlefield, Brand is an exceptional commander. As a Hero of Legend, Brand can lead up to 18 followers into battle, providing him with plenty of aid, should he require it. He also has a 12″ Stand Fast! which is ideal for helping his allies stick around longer should the battle go ill.
Much like his ancestor, Brand is a skilled warrior. With a Fight value of 5 and 3 Attacks, he can certainly hold his own in combat.
His martial prowess is even more true when his back is against the wall. His Stoic Fighter special rule means that if he is Trapped should he lose a Fight, he can re-roll a single D6 to win the Fight and a single D6 when rolling To Wound. Surrounding the King of Dale will actually make it all the more likely that he’ll win the combat.
Fighting at the side of King Brand was his son – Bard II, Prince of Dale. Bard II was the leader of the Knights of Dale, the city’s finest warriors (more on them shortly).
When King Brand died at the Battle of Dale, the rulership of the city fell to Bard II and, alongside Thorin III Stonehelm, he led the final push from Erebor toward victory.
Bard II is a natural fighter – a Fight value of 5, 3 Attacks, and the ability to Heroic Strike makes him a fantastic combat Hero and a tricky prospect for your opponent to deal with. What’s more, he’s just as good at defending himself as he is on the attack. With a Defence of 7, 2 points of Fate, and access to Heroic Defence, Bard II certainly won’t be an easy kill for your opponent.
Armed with a spear and shield, Bard II adopts the fighting style of the Knights of Dale – speaking of whom…
The Knights of Dale are the city’s elite guard, founded by the ancestors of Girion and reinstated following Dale’s rebuilding. These warriors protect the royal line of Dale on the battlefield and are led by the Prince of Dale himself.
The Knights of Dale are clad in heavy armour and wield both a spear and shield. They use their weapons of choice to great effect, lining up in formation and forcing the enemy to risk being impaled upon their razor-sharp spear tips when rushing to engage them. This is represented by the Knights of Dale’s Wall of Blades special rule, which gives them a bonus of +1 To Wound when making strikes with their spears against a model that charged them that turn.
King Brand and Bard II are both Heroes for a Garrison of Dale army. That being said, as the timeline has moved on somewhat by the time of their reign, there are restrictions on the models that can be in the same army – Girion is long dead by this point, for example, so cannot be included alongside them.
If you want to build a Dale army focused around the time of the War of the Ring, then there’s no better place to start than with Brand, King of Dale, Bard II, Prince of Dale, and some Knights of Dale.
Thanks, Jay! We can’t wait to see these models hit the tabletop to fight the armies of the Dark Lord. All these models are available to pre-order from Friday the 6th of August, so pick up some Warriors of Dale today in preparation for the arrival of their king.