The new board game in the War of the Ring line, The Battle of Five Armies, is now shipping to distributors and will be in North American stores starting on September, 8th. In Europe and other regions, the game is expected to be available before the end of September.

The Battle of Five Armies is a stand- alone board game, which recreates the fierce struggle witnessed by Bilbo Baggins at the end of his quest for the Lonely Mountain, as told in “The Hobbit” novel, the world-renowned masterpiece by J.R.R. Tolkien.

The game is based on the mechanics first used in the War of the Ring board game, merging action dice and event cards to immerse the players into the theme and setting. The system has been further enhanced by the addition of the “Fate Track” mechanic, detailed character abilities, and a completely new tactical combat system.

All the key characters in the battle – Bilbo, Gandalf, Thorin, Dain, the Elven King, Bard, Beorn, Bolg – are featured with powerful special abilities and unique sculptures.

More information about the game can be read in a serie of Designers' Notes articles, and the rules are available for download here.

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