Journeys in Middle Earth: Villains of Eriador

I picked up a pack of evil characters for FFG's Journeys in Middle Earth. I painted them the same as their minions.

Villains of Eriador

Gulgotar is an orc chieftain.

Gulgotar

Coalfang is a warg pack leader. I like her arrows and scarred eye. I rebased her on a 40mm base. I literally gave her black fangs; does it work?

Coalfang

Atarin is an evil wight or wraith or some such. My colour scheme of metal and ghostly cloth is not a resounding triumph, being a bit bland.

Atarin

I've now played through two different campaigns of about a dozen scenarios each. I really appreciate the different scenarios; they are quite varied and interesting (certainly when compared to the repetitive grind of Blackstone Fortress). The underlying mechanic of card-based skills and tests is quite nifty.

I'm not a fan of playing 'as' Aragorn, Legolas etc. When you whiff an attack it doesn't ring true, unlike if you were playing as, say, a generic ranger or dwarf. I think Imperial Assault handled this better, when named characters could turn up and ask for your assistance.

I do look forwards to more campaigns, more heroes, and more villains.

Blackstone Fortress battle report 2/2: Into the lair of the beast

Following last week's adventure, our heroes returned to Precipice to recover and get new kit. They had enough clues to track the ambull, and have now battled their way to its very lair...

Saved by urghuls again?! In Blackstone Fortress, enemy reinforcement rolls are rare but often devastating. Here, some unexpected urghuls erupted from a portal right next to the ambull. I randomised who they would attack- and luckily, it wasn't the explorers! Then, I rolled the rare reinforcements again- and again. There was no way Pious Vorne was going to survive.

In another unusual twist, I subsequently rolled an event that allows an out of action adventurer to return! Pious Vorne is back, baby!

Unlike the previous mission, the ambull cannot recover and return, so I wasn't worried by it once we had taken it down. I did enjoy the drama of it tunnelling and then emerging halfway across the board.

With the successful raid on the nest, I can now open the special sealed envelope that comes in the game, and get the unique goodies inside...

Blackstone Fortress battle report 1/2: Tracking the Ambull

An odd match of adventurers have been tracking an ambull through the Blackstone Fortress. Finally, they met it face to face...

A precision strike- the adventurers were all able to hit it with their up-gunned weapons, and it took some serious damage from the urghuls. By the time it recombobulated, the adventurers were well on their way to the exit.

Next week: Into the lair of the beast.