Common Scenario Rules
Some of the Scenarios presented in the Matched Play Guide share a variety of common special rules that represent different aspects of a battle. These range from armies drawing their weapons and facing off in the dead of night, to the malign influence of long-lost heirlooms corrupting those who find them, or even the powerful impact famous heroes and infamous villains have on the fate of Middle-earth. On these pages, you will find some of the more common special rules that feature in multiple Scenarios throughout the Matched Play Guide.
MAELSTROM OF BATTLE
At the beginning of the game, players must determine which direction is north - this is important for determining where and when Reinforcements arrive from. At the end of your Move Phase, roll a D6 for each of your Warbands not on the battlefield and consult the chart below (the Warband's Captain can use Might to increase this roll). Roll for each Warband separately, Activate the models in the Warband, then roll for the next. Warbands yet to arrive count as being on the battlefield for the purposes of determining if your Army is Broken.
| D6 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Warband does not arrive. |
| 2 | Your opponent chooses a point on either the north or south board edge at least 6" from a corner - the Warband arrives from this point via the rules for Reinforcements. |
| 3 | Your opponent chooses a point on either the east or west board edge at least 6" from a corner - the Warband arrives from this point via the rules for Reinforcements. |
| 4 | You choose a point on either the north or south board edge at least 6" from a corner - the Warband arrives from this point via the rules for Reinforcements. |
| 5 | You choose a point on either the east or west board edge at least 6" from a corner - the Warband arrives from this point via the rules for Reinforcements. |
| 6 | You choose a point on any board edge at least 6" from a corner - the Warband arrives from this point via the rules for Reinforcements. |
DARK OF NIGHT
Scenarios with this special rule take place at night, and therefore use the rules for 'fighting at Night' found on page 137 of the Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game Rules Manual.
A TIME OF HEROES
Each time your Army kills an enemy Hero in a Fight, you may choose one of your Hero models in the same Fight. The chosen Hero regains a single point of Might spent earlier in the battle. This cannot take a Hero above their starting Might Points.
HEIRLOOM OF POWER
An Heirloom is treated as a Light Object (see page 134 of the Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game Rules Manual). However, the dark powers that lie upon it may seep into the mind of its holder. Unwilling to give it up, a model carrying an Heirloom may not drop it or pass it on to another model. Additionally, at the start of each turn, before Priority is rolled, roll a D6 for each Heirloom that is being held. On a 1, the model holding the Heirloom is Transfixed as described on page 119 of the Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game Rules Manual. As the Heirlooms possess such great power, obtaining more than one of these items takes immense fortitude - in Scenarios where there are multiple Heirlooms, Warrior models may only hold one Heirloom, whereas Hero models may hold any number of Heirlooms.
UNCOVERING ARTEFACTS
The Objective Markers in a Scenario with this special rule represent artefacts and other valuable trinkets that must be uncovered. An Infantry model who is in base contact with an Objective Marker at the end of its Move may attempt to free it.
The model attempting to free the Artefact must take an Intelligence Test. If the test is passed, the Artefact has been freed and the model that freed it immediately takes possession of it: an Artefact is treated as a Light Object (see page 134 of the Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game Rules Manual). Might cannot be used to influence this roll. Only one model from each side may attempt to uncover each Artefact each turn. In a Scenario where there are multiple Artefacts, models may hold any number of Artefacts.