Darkness Falls on the Shire

THE SHORT VERSION

Adam Troke and Mat Ward explain how the Scouring of the Shire supplement makes modest Hobbit courage matter against opponents who would be unremarkable elsewhere in Middle-earth. Its linked campaign draws on the returning Travellers and resistance to Sharkey, while earlier adventures broaden the peaceful-looking setting without turning its inhabitants into conventional warriors.

The designers discuss adapting sparse references into playable scenarios, including the Greenfields battle, the Fell Winter and smaller journeys beyond the Shire. Michael Perry describes rural clothing and improvised weapons, and the article connects accessible Hobbit terrain to a range designed around character and recognisable social differences.

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Find this article in White Dwarf 303, pp. 16–21.

This is an original summary. Refer to your magazine for the complete article, rules, images and painting steps.