Saturday 31 August 2019

Tolkien Roleplaying and Wargaming Part 1

This is the first part of Tolkien miniature figures, war gaming/roleplaying (RPG) systems and published scenarios (see also Part 2 and Part 3).

This does not include Ornamental Metal Figures (see seperate page).

Miniature figures can be metal, plastic or even card.

I'm not going to list all of the individual figures for most of these ranges, they are extensive and there are some excellent specific sites which do this, I will give some example figures. I will also try to give all the printed products and all the box sets.







This is an interesting article on Tolkien Roleplaying

Middle Earth
NEWA Courier Magazine 1970
Rules only
These are the earliest Fantasy wargame rules, they originated out of traditional wargaming rules and are based around Tolkien’s worlds.

Battle of the Five Armies
Rules only
Chain Mail Variant Rules
Panzerfaust #60 1973, “Fantasy Wargaming A’la Tolkien”
Battle of the Five Armies Rules Variant for Chainmail Wargaming system.
       

Chainmail system

SELWG
These are rules only
Based on the books
This is earliest specific rules relating to Tolkien, produced by the South East London Wargaming Group (hence the title).

Independents
During the early years of Roleplaying a lot of smaller, inpendenant producers of figures produced unofficial small series and individual figures based on very specific Tolkien characters and races.

There are a lot of these and I have only listed a few here.

Archive Miniatures (Middle Earth)
This is a very small series of individual figures
Example figures (see links for full list)

Minifigs (Mythical Earth)
Another small series of individual figures
Example figures (see links for full list)

Heritage/Elan Merch
Miniatures only
Based on the Bakshi movie
Playsets
Helms Deep
Mines of Moria
Diorama sets (full list)
Bilbo's Party, Prancing Pony Inn, Attack on Weathertop, Death of Boromir, Gollum Captured, Saruman Addresses his ArmiesConfrontation of Gandalf and Saruman, On To Helms Deep (no image)
Figure sets, examples only (see links for full details)
Painting Guide

Grenadier
Miniatures only
Based on the Bakshi movie
Originally produced for use with the MERP Roleplaying system (see below).
http://www.miniatures-workshop.com/lostminiswiki/index.php?title=Lord_of_the_Rings_%28Grenadier%29
Boxed sets (full list)

ICE (Middle Earth Role Playing (MERP))
Game playing system only
Based on the books

This Wiki page has some good magazine references.

This is a blog by one of the MERP artists

Boxed sets (full list)
First Edition
UK version
Revised
Second Edition (book only)
Accessory Pack
Spanish versions
Combat screen
Source books

Source books (2nd edition)
Campaign books
Alternate versions
Campaign books (2nd edition)
Fortresses and Citadels books
Alternate versions
Adventures books
Alternate versions
Independant Adventures
See also White Dwarf magazine
        

Middle Earth Games
The MERP System (see above) has been adapted into an online game.

Other Hands Magazine
The official magazine of MERP
   

ICE (Lord of the Rings Adventure Game)
This is a cut down version of the MERP gaming system (see above).
Based on the books.
Boxed gaming set, with card miniatures.
expansions

Citadel
Note: Citadel became Games Workshop (see below)
Miniatures only
Based on the books
Boxed sets (full list)
Blister packs, examples only (see links for full list)

Warlock Magazine #7 (January 1985) - Features the box artwork from The Fellowship of the Ring Boxed Set (by John Blanche) on the cover and a 1-page article by Rick Priestly describing the range on page 47. While something of a puff-peice, the article is significant as it discusses John Blanche doing concept drawings for Woses, Spiders of Mirkwood, Pukelmen, Variags, Rangers, Black Numenoreans, Galadriel, Celeborn, Wormtongue, Brand, Thingol and Radaghast the Brown, none of which were released (except the Rangers). As several of the Lord of the Rings miniatures do show up in later lines, it is entirely possible that some of this concept art was used to create non Lord of the Rings models after Citadel lost the licence.

Mithril
Miniatures only
Based on the books
This is the longest running series of Tolkien miniatures.
There is vast range of indivual figures, hundreds, produced in all sorts of releases (designer, limited, specials, blisters).
http://www.mithril.ie
Boxed sets (full list)
War bands boxed sets (Half-Orcs of Isengard and Iron Hill Dwarfs unreleased)
Designers and Specials, examples only (see links for full details)

Limited Edition figures, examples only (see links for full details)
Blister packs, examples only (see links for full details)

Harlequin
Mainly miniatures (a few publications with scenarios)

Rulebook

Miniatures (boxed sets), examples only (see links for full lists)
      

Miniatures (individual figures), examples only (see links for full lists)
Miniatures (blister sets), examples only (see links for full lists)
Alternative packaging's (blister sets), examples only (see links for full list)
One Ring magazine (only ever 6 issues), published by Harlequin with miniature details

Middle Earth Battles
Some published in Miniature Wargames magazine

Play By Mail (PBM)

ICE

Third Age
    

Fourth Age
    

Middle Earth Games
These games cannot be played by themselves but need subscriptions to the provider.
Most of these games are download only, only the following have printed/collectable items.

Battle of Five Armies
         

Magazines
Not a specific system or manufacturer, but magazine articles, enabling the above systems to be played by mail.

Flagship
#76
    

Paper Mayhem
Middle Earth PBM
#51
    
#57
    
#66
    


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