“He has dwelt in the West since the days of dawn, and I have dwelt with him years uncounted; for ere the fall of Nargothrond or Gondolin I passed over the mountains, and together through ages of the world we have fought the long defeat.”
— Galadriel, The Fellowship of the Ring
I am a quite casual wargamer (I’ve played a game… maybe two, but not many more due to schedules) and a lifelong admirer of JRR Tolkien and his works. I have long been steeped in Tolkien’s world — his translation of Beowulf the books of the Lord of the Rings and the History of Middle-earth, the films, their many adaptations, even (yes) the musical, etc. Alongside that affection runs a parallel love for wargames and role-playing games in all their scales: a desperate handful of scouts in the wild, a wandering fellowship, or a clash of banners upon an open plain. I never warmed to Westeros or the Forgotten Realms, which never seemed quite as real as Middle-earth. So I have chosen to combine those interests — wargaming and Tolkien — and, rather than consign scattered notes and half-remembered sessions to oblivion (my de facto state), I shall gather them here.
I know my own disorganisation and schedule will make this effort, inevitably, a kind of long defeat; yet through that long defeat I intend to persevere by gathering my notes on a blog. This is neither manifesto nor guidebook, but a record — part diary, part design laboratory, and part gentle goad to keep painting, writing, and, above all, playing.
So, wargaming in Middle-earth — what might that look like?
“War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend: the city of the Men of Númenor; and I would have her loved for her memory, her ancientry, her beauty, and her present wisdom.”
— Faramir, The Two Towers
There is a quiet irony at the heart of this pastime. Tolkien, who wrote so movingly of the sorrow, pity, and futility entwined with war, has nonetheless inspired decades of games in which brightly painted hosts march across tabletops or flicker across screens. He once remarked: “I do not expect ‘history’ to be anything but a ’long defeat’ — though it contains, and in a legend may contain more clearly and movingly, some samples or glimpses of final victory.” This journal is my attempt to inhabit that tension honestly.
I expect to move between several systems that either align with Tolkien’s world or can be adapted to it. Most I have not yet played, but a little research suggests they may suit the setting:
Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game, with particular focus on Battle Companies — originally devised by Games Workshop, now continued by fans, and offering narrative skirmishes with the slow growth of small bands.
Five Leagues from the Borderlands, adapted with muted magic and names drawn from Eriador, for procedural hardship and the texture of lonely travel.
The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying (5e) and The One Ring 2e, both from Free League, with explicit mechanics for journeys, hope, and corruption; Strider Mode, in particular, lowers the logistical barrier to play.
Warmaster Revolution, to ask whether great hosts may meet in swift-moving play yet still bear the sombre flavour of Middle-earth’s wars.
Midgard Heroic Battles, adjusted to calm its mythic exuberance, for those moments when a single heroic stand sways — but does not eclipse — the fate of companies and cohorts.
Ironsworn mebbe….
And perhaps others not yet discovered.
I may add the occasional custom rule, though it is not my inclination: perhaps a tracker of hope and weariness to temper reckless play, or aftermath tables that make casualties linger in memory — reminders that cost and courage walk hand in hand, as they do throughout Tolkien’s world.
If you read along, take what serves your own table and leave the rest. My aim is simply to tread the line between tragedy and play, between the long defeat and the joy of fellowship, without losing sight of either and maybe play a game. Or two.
More soon.