It’s Hobbit Day, the annual celebration of all things Middle-earth in honour of the eleventy-first birthday of a certain Bilbo Baggins.
We couldn’t let such a prestigious day pass by without an appropriately bumper gift, so we sent our very best burglar into the lair of the games developers to retrieve a copy of the brand new The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim™ – Battle of Edoras starter set.
What’s in the box?
Based on characters and events from the upcoming The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim™ movie, this boxed set pitches the forces of Rohan against the Hill Tribesmen.
There are 56 all-new plastic miniatures in the box, including mounted and on-foot versions of four heroes from the film, as well as some classic Rohan Houses and a 3’x3’ playmat.
Let’s have a closer look at the armies:
The Rohirrim
The men of Rohan are hardy folk, raised in a harsh land of moors, hills, and endless grassland. At this point in the history of Middle-earth they are ruled by the legendary Helm Hammerhand.
There are 28 Rohirrim miniatures in the starter set led by Helm’s sons, the princes Haleth and Háma.
Haleth, Prince of Rohan
Haleth is the eldest son of Helm Hammerhand, and heir to the throne of Rohan. Like his father, he is a strong and skilled fighter who is willing to put his life on the line to defend his homeland. Few who stand against him can hope to match his martial skill.
There are two versions of Haleth included in the starter box – one on foot and another on a rearing armoured warhorse.
Háma, Prince of Rohan
Háma is the youngest son of Helm, and something of a warrior poet. A capable fighter in his own right, he is particularly adept with a bow, and rides to war alongside his father and brother in defence of Edoras.
You’ll find two versions of Háma in the box, one on foot and one mounted.
Warriors of Rohan
You get 24 all-new Warriors of Rohan miniatures in the starter set. They follow the same design aesthetic as the classic models from years gone by, but have been brought up to date with the latest sculpting wizardry.
Armed with a range of spears, swords, shields, and bows, they’ll be the backbone of your Rohan warhost. And if you already have a Rohirrim army for Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game then these will make perfect reinforcements.
The Hill Tribesmen
Wulf, Leader of the Dunlendings
Wulf was banished from Rohan after his father was slain by Helm Hammerhand, and has since sworn vengeance on the king of Rohan and his bloodline. Now, Wulf prepares to unleash his warriors on Edoras.
We revealed Wulf’s mounted and on-foot miniatures last month, but it’s worth taking another look at these ferocious sculpts.
General Targg
General Targg has long been a trusted advisor of Wulf and his father Freca, and is skilled in the ways of strategy and warfare. He is a ruthless commander and a fearsome fighter who shares his liege’s disdain for the Rohirrim under Helm’s rule.
There are both mounted and on-foot versions of General Targg, clad in a fur cloak and wielding a brutal-looking hand weapon.
Tribesmen of Dunland
In the hills that surround the lands of Rohan dwell gruff tribes – the descendants of the Dunlendings, who were driven from their ancestral lands by the Rohirrim. With Wulf to lead them, these fractured communities have become a fearsome army capable of threatening Edoras itself.
The counterpart to the Warriors of Rohan, the Hill Tribesmen carry a variety of spears, swords, axes, and bows into battle, as well as flaming torches with which to burn to Edoras to the ground. There are different weapon options for many of the models, so your force can be as varied as it is deadly.
If you wish to build your army around the events of The Lord of the Rings™ Motion Picture Trilogy, the Hill Tribesmen have been sympathetically designed to serve as Wildmen of Dunland as part of an Army of the White Hand under the sway of Saruman.
What else is in the box?
As if all those miniatures weren’t enough, there’s also a feast of other goodies in the box.
First up, your armies will need something to fight over!
Included in the box is a 3’x3’ paper playmat featuring the rolling plains of Rohan. This mat is double-sided, with one side showing objectives for your Rohirrim and tribesmen to fight over, while the other is uninterrupted grassland.
You’ll also get two of the classic Rohan Houses to start your own settlement with. This modular, multipart plastic terrain kit gives you plenty of building options including a dormer window and porch, and also includes a number of fences, barrels, and ropes.
With miniatures and terrain in hand, the board is set and the pieces are moving. You’ll also need the rules.
The box includes a 176-page rules manual, with the fully updated rules for the new edition of Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game. There’s also a Scenarios & Profiles booklet, with the updated stats for all of the miniatures in the box so you can get started with the game straight away, and a quick reference guide to help you out in your first battles.
Need dice and range rulers as well? They’re included too!
We’ll have more about The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim™ – Battle of Edoras starter set and the new edition of Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game as we get closer to its release, so stay tuned to Warhammer Community for all the latest news.