Games Developer Adam Troke reveals more new rules for equipping the members of your Battle Company

with
additional combat tools and for adding allies to your Battle Company.

Battle Company Equipment

As Battle Companies progress in Middle-earth, the warriors within them become expert fighters. One of the things that
sets the real veterans apart from the greenhorns is equipment. A true veteran has accumulated not only lethal weapons
and sturdy armor but a slew of useful items, from climbing ropes and grapnels to healing balms and carefully drawn
maps. The tested warrior has an item for every eventuality and is never caught flat-footed, as he can fall back on his
carefully maintained wargear and years of experience to see him through.

The rules on the next few pages allow players to

personalize their Battle Companies and provide
ample opportunities for conversions and modeling
projects. Every item that has an effect in your games
should be modeled onto the miniatures so that your
opponent can see what he is up against. Some of the
items (like healing herbs) have an effect after the
game, so you don't have to worry about showing
them on your models (although you can if you like).

To gain these items of equipment for your Battle

Company, simply spend the number of Influence
Points indicated in their profiles. You can have
multiples of many of these items of equipment in your
Company if you wish, but no one model can have the
same item more than once.

Some of the items of "equipment" are actually new members for your Battle Company in the form of Scouts, Dogs, and
the like. You may recruit these models into your Company regardless of its size (potentially taking your Company over
the 15-model limit). Remember, however, that there is still a 33% limit on the number of models in your Company that
may carry bows. You can give these new members bows only if your Company will still adhere to this restriction.
Climbing Ropes & Grapnels
1 Influence Point
Ropes and grapnels are standard kit for any adventurer in Middle-earth, and many warriors
find use for them in their travels. A model with a climbing rope and grapnel may add +1 to
any Climb test it is required to make. Additionally, the warrior may leave his rope behind
where he has climbed. If he does so, mark the location with a counter — he may not use it
any further in that game, but any model that uses the same route to climb also receives the
bonus. At the end of the game, if he is still alive, the bearer recovers his rope. A paper clip and a length of thin
wire formed the basis of this rope
and grapnel.
Dwarven Courage (Hero only)
2 Influence Points
It's a common ploy among officers to ply their warriors with ale in the hope of emboldening
them for the coming fight. Dwarves often use this tactic, although with their prowess in battle,
they do so more for the love of ale than for the "courage" it provides. A Hero that has a bottle
of Dwarven Courage can allow the members of his Battle Company to drink it before the
game. All members of the Company have their Courage increased by 1, and their Fight value
decreased by 1. The effects wear off after the game.
You can add a jug like this one
by sculpting green stuff.
Concealing Cloak
2 Influence Points
Rangers and ambushers of all types have made use of camouflaged items for thousands of years. Any
model that has a concealing cloak may start the game in hiding as long as it is placed within an area of
cover, such as a rocky outcrop or woodland. As long as the model remains stationary, it remains
concealed and receives the benefits of wearing an Elven Cloak (see the rulebook for more). As soon as
the model moves or shoots, it is revealed and the effects of the cloak are lost for the remainder of the A bit of green stuff also forms the
game. concealing cloak for this sneaky
Goblin.

Map (Hero only)

3 Influence Points
There are few individuals in Middle-earth with both the skill and the inclination to make maps
of the land. Those few maps that are made are valuable and can provide the bearer with an
advantage when choosing where to fight. After both Companies have deployed, but before
the 1st turn, a Battle Company with a map may redeploy D6 models in
normally "legal" positions. If both Companies have a map, then neither force
benefits from this rule.

Similarly, you can add a map just Blade Poison

1 Influence Point
by shaping some modeling putty.
The Evil creatures of the world have mastered all manner of poisons. Whether
they are extracted from dangerous plants or venomous creatures, their effect is the same. Any Evil Warrior
or Hero may coat his close combat weapons in poison. For models using Blade Poison, any rolls of 1 to
Wound in a fight must be rerolled. Small strips of green stuff
painted green represent
corrosive toxins.
Burning Brands & Torches
1 Influence Point
The warriors of Middle-earth make use of all manner of burning objects to light their way in
the world. A burning brand or torch illuminates an area 6"/14 cm around the bearer. Any
models within that area can be seen as though they are in daylight.

Models that carry these items can use them to set buildings (and other appropriate
objectives) alight in scenarios that permit it. In addition, any model defeated by an enemy
bearing a burning brand must retreat D6"/2D6 cm. Warriors must hold the burning brand in
one hand; thus, a model bearing one must either forgo the use of a shield or fight with the
same penalty as a model that is unarmed (again, see the rulebook for more).
This burning brand comes from
the Besiegers boxed set.

Rallying Horn
3 Influence Points
Maintaining communications between warriors that are spread out during a search can be
extremely difficult, and many Battle Companies adopt rallying horns to overcome this
problem. If a model bearing a rallying horn is on the board, the controlling player may add 1
to any D6 roll when rolling for reinforcements.
Again, green stuff serves as a
Rallying Horn.
Arrow Poison
1 Influence Point
The art of poisoning arrows has been mastered by the Haradrim, but there are other Evil creatures willing to stoop to this
tactic. An Evil Warrior or Hero with arrow poison must reroll 1's to Wound when shooting, just like Haradrim armed with
bows.

Whip
1 Influence Point
Among the Evil armies of Middle-earth, whips are often used to force unwilling
warriors into action or to encourage slaves to work harder. Any Evil model may
be equipped with a whip. A whip has a Strength of 1 and works exactly as
described in the SBG rulebook.

Wandering Elf
8 Influence Points
There are many Elves that roam Middle-earth for reasons of their own. It is not
unheard of for one of these Wandering Elves to join with Men or Dwarves, as
long as their paths and goals are similar. A Good Battle Company may add a Several Elf Hero models are
The Orc has "borrowed" a whip Wandering Elf to its ranks. After each game, the controlling player must spend
from one of Sharkey's Ruffians. appropriate for use as
1 Influence Point to retain the Elf's services. Wandering Elves. In this case,
we used a Gildor model painted
to look suitably rustic.
The Wandering Elf is a Hero and will roll on the Hero Injury table, though other members of the Battle
Company may not benefit from his Stand Fast! rule or heroic actions, nor may he increase in Experience like other
Heroes. The controlling player is free to buy the Elf additional equipment from the Battle Company Equipment list and the
Wandering Elf Equipment list if he wishes but cannot take it away from the Elf afterward.

F S D A W C Might: 2
Will: 1
Wandering Elf 6/3+ 4 4 2 2 6 Fate: 1

Wargear: Hand weapon

Special Rules
Woodland Creature. See the main SBG rulebook.

Local Scout
4 Influence Points
A Scout who knows the lay of the land can be an invaluable asset to any Company. If a
Battle Company hires a Local Scout, he counts as a Warrior who cannot earn Experience or
be promoted (although he rolls on the Injury Table as normal). The controlling player is free
to buy the Scout additional equipment from the Battle Company Equipment list or buy the
Local Scout a short bow at a cost of 1 Point but cannot take it away from the Scout
afterward. This Ruffian armed with a bow
represents a Local Scout.

F S D A W C
Scout (Man) 3/4+ 3 3 1 1 2

Wargear: Hand weapon

Special Rules
Local Knowledge. A Battle Company that has a Scout in its ranks can often choose to fight in an ideal location. After
players have determined their table edges but before any models are deployed, each player with a Local Scout may
move an item of terrain D6"/2D6 cm in a direction of his choice. If both players have a Local Scout, dice off. The lower-
scoring player moves a terrain piece first.

Loyalty Is Fleeting. After each game the Scout survives, roll a D6. On the score of 1, the Scout has either excused
himself and returned home or escaped. The controlling player can prevent the Scout from leaving by spending 1
Influence Point.

Hunting Dog (Hero only)

3 Influence Points
A fierce Hunting Dog is a huge asset to any soldier, and many Heroes choose one to
accompany them. A Hunting Dog moves 8"/20 cm, has the following profile, and must be Farmer Maggot's dogs make
ideal Hunting Dogs.
assigned to a Hero (the owner). The Hunting Dog is treated as a Warrior who cannot gain experience or be promoted.
The controlling player rolls for its injury as normal.

F S D A W C
Hunting Dog 3 3 3 1 1 2