It's the final months of the 3rd Age and the once peaceful Shire has been invaded by the infamous Sharkey and his band of ruffians. They've torn up trees and tortured many hobbits, even killing a few. Worst of all, they've confiscated the great stores of pipeweed (is there no escape). What's more, bandits and wolves prowl the edges of the Shire with ever-increasing daring. Most hobbits have followed in the footsteps of Ted Sandyman, who cowers in the recesses of his mill.
Who will come to the rescue - will it be the legendary Brandybuck or Took families...will old Gaffer Gamgee cane them into submission...will the Bullroarer return from the dead...perhaps Gimli will lead a charge of dwarves...and where are those 4 adventurous hobbits who left so long ago? When will they return?
Special notes:
(1) Bombadil's Haunt, Michel Delving, The Hill, Buckleberry Ferry and Longbottom have special abilities (see below) and each has a max unit count of 20 units.
(2) Bombadil's Haunt can attack anywhere in Buckland (standard border) and can also attack anywhere in the lower East Farthing (as artillery border). It is worth a +2 bonus.
It also has view-only borders to the other special locations.
(3) Michel Delving is worth a +3 bonus...it also defends with advantage due to the rock formations throughout it's area. Due to it's size, it can hold a unit max of 30 units.
(4) The Hill is worth a +2 bonus and attacks adjacent locations with advantage due to the high terrain affording a panoramic view. It also has a +1 artillery bonus attack at locations a radius of 2 from it.
(5) Buckleberry Ferry, besides being very important as a connection between the rest of the Shire and the key Buckland and Bombadil locations, is worth a +1 bonus. Most importantly, it can attack at penalty all water-bordering locations (other than Brandy Hall and adjacent locations in which it attacks with no penalty).
(6) Longbottom, the infamous home of the longbottom leaf, is worth a +1 bonus; it also contains a location (the enclave) which has the ability to launch a limited artillery attack on other bonus locations with +2 offensive dice. This is because the leaf has the ability to tug at the heartstrings of hobbits from all corners of the Shire.
(7) The enclave can only be attacked or units placed on it. It cannot be fortified to. It acts as a factory generating 1 bonus to Longbottom if a player owns both locations at the start of his/her turn.
(8) The max unit count for all other locations then the special ones mentioned above is 25. The longbottom special enclave has a max unit count of 6.
9) Players are allowed to hold units in reserve - this amount is unlimited.
10) The map employs medium fog - however, strongholds such as Michel Delving, the Hill, Longbottom and Buckleberry Ferry have view-only borders for all non-adjacent territories in their respective Farthing.
11) Attacking across a bridge is done with defender receiving +1 bonus
12) Card sets are 6,8,10.
13) Dice are 8-sided.