Fans of JRR Tolkien's iconic and ubiquitous fantasy series, Lord of the Rings have a certain anniversary coming up. This upcoming December will mark the 20th anniversary of the theatrical release of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. For many modern fans, this was their introduction to the world of Middle-Earth, Now, thanks to Games Workshop, you can relive one of the more thrilling set pieces of that film with Lord of the Rings: Battle in Balin's Tomb.
Battle in Balin's Tomb was announced through a post on Warhammer-Community.. As the name implies, the game is based on a battle where the Fellowship is attacked by goblins and a cave troll while exploring the Mines of Moria. The titular tomb is what tips the Fellowship off that the Dark Lord Sauron's forces have already occupied the dwarven stronghold.
The game is fast-paced and meant for two or more players in the roles of the Fellowship. The objective is simple, fight your way out of the tomb and escape. Battle in Balin's Tomb will include a total of 22 multipart plastic miniatures, which include all 9 members of the Fellowship (Gandalf, Frodo, Aragorn, etc.), 12 Moria Goblins, and the Cave Troll, as well as a game board, dice and cards needed to play the game. Furthermore, the game is designed to be simple to just pick up and play with friends and family. Given that the holidays are right around the corner, it wouldn't be a bad gift idea for diehard Lord of the Rings fans.
However, if you are a fan of the more in-depth Middle-Earth wargame that Games Workshop produces, the post has something for you as well. They have officially announced a Rohan Stronghold terrain kit. This kit will include eight Rohan Houses, used to form a settlement, followed by a pair of Rohan Watchtower & Palisades sets in order to protect that settlement. Given how pricey some of these pieces are separately, this is a must-have for players wanting to save some cash.
Battle in Balin's Tomb and the Rohan Stronghold terrain kits do not have a concrete release date, but Games Workshop insists in their post that it will be "coming very soon." Given the allure of both the holiday season and Fellowship of the Ring's 20th anniversary on the horizon, there's a good chance it will be arriving sooner than later.
Given the world of Middle-Earth is one where good and evil can easily be identified, it stands in contrast to one of Games Workshop's other franchises: the grimdark sci-fi universe of Warhammer 40,000. The company recently spoke out against hate groups who have begun appropriating the explicitly xenophobic and fascistic iconography of that world's Imperium of Man, stating that they are meant to be a dark satire, not something aspirational. In addition, they encouraged the community, both those running tournaments and casual players alike, to turn away such toxic figures from their games and events.
