"LOTR SBG scenarios?" Topic

Guys, I need some help coming up with some generic scenarios for Lord of the Rings SBG skirmishes. I'm not looking to recreate any scenes directly from the movie, just play some scenes that would reasonably go along with the story.

I'm looking to use 25-50 men on each side, though we've used up to 100. That, or a few heroes vs. a similar valued force.

We've played the following basic scenarios:

1. Basic free-for-all in a ruined city, no objective.
2. Capture and hold a stone temple in the center of the table
3. Fight for control over a bridge
4. Protect Frodo from the hordes of orcs

I have at my disposal these troops…

Wood elves
Rangers
High elves
Dwarves
Uruk hai
Orcs
The Fellowship

I have these terrain pieces available…

A 3.5' x 6' table
2 medium sized hills
A river that spans the short width of the table
A bridge
About 10 forest pieces
3 Bree style houses
1 3.5' rocky table edger that goes along the end of the table
A round tower (nonfunctioning), that has an area up top that can hold 15+ men
The temple ruins I finished recently
And I'll soon have completed a dirt road system that will be available.

So get creative, guys! Help me out!

Thanks!
Bart

You seem to have played some of the more common victory conditions for games.

Others include…

Run the gauntlet. (Typically cross the board with inferior force.)
Multiple objectives (with different points for each).
Bidding for sides. (Fix the more complex side…say the Fellowship with complex victory conditions. Side to bid fewest points of orcs has the opportunity to thwart good.)
Treasure hunt…random points for each chest opened.
Holding/delaying action.
Fight unfavorable odds until reinforcements arrive.
Random force composition.
Elves and dwarves in uncomfortable alliance against orcs. Must defeat orcs and outperform the other race for victory. Possible three-way battle.
Ambush/trap scenarios. (Markers including red herrings strewn across field and triggered with proximity.)
Stringing battle together like the old GW "Battle Companies" free supplement.
Isengard and Mordor forces in uneasy alliance ready to betray one another against forces of good.
"Kill the Dragon Game" find a big evil monster (proxy?) and try to slay it.
Save the villagers amidst a razing of Bree.
Play a scenario featuring betrayal from Grima Wormtounge, the mayor of Bree, or some other party.
A temptation of the Ring scenario where Frodo tries to minimize use of the Ring but still survive. (Perhaps extra powers including combat powers in this scenario.)

If you can do caverns/tunnels – Lothlorien elves invade Dol Guldur (either before or after LoTR) orcs need to fight/escape.

Likewise orcs hunting down the remnants of Balin's Dwarves in Moria.

Orcs assault a Ranger stronghold in Ithlien (Henneth Annun was the last surviving of a number that had previously fallen).

The Nazgul taking the bridge at Osgiliath (pre-LotR) and heading off on the boss's business, then Boromir & co. recapturing and destroying it.

Orcs try to capture Gollum from the wood elves in Mirkwood, Gollum wants to get away from both groups!

For a sneaky one you could have a horde of orcs etc chase down stragglers in Rohan through your forest bits, then realise that the forest bits are really ents….

Another forest-y one – orcs invade Lothlorien, elvish scouts must attract them into an ambush. Probably need some hidden movement here.

Battle of Dale: Dain stoutly defends the gates of Erebor while Dale-men retreat inside.

Shagrat and Gorbag's orcs fight each other to the death in the tower over the plunder of Frodo's body, and Sam is wandering around invisible somehere too.

I like a fighting withdrawal game. Every turn a number of defenders will be removed as they fall back. The rest have to delay the attackers for a set number of turns. Having some choke points, like the bridge helps.

Another fun one is "hold until relieved". The attacker attacks with an overwhelming force, and the defender has to hold 1/2 of his force off. Every turn you roll, and can have some more defenders arrive. If the attackers capture an objective near the defender's side of the board, the game is over.

Another good one is escort villagers/supply train/etc. off of the board.

Thanks, guys! Your suggestions have been very helpful, and I've got several scenarios worked up and ready to go!

Bart

I like all of these ideas.

Thank you for posting!