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NEWS: Totally Pawsome Policies for Interviews and Reviews - Thundermouser

  Hail Mighty Readers and Rollers of the Maths Rocks, We love to interview people in the TTRPG scene so if you are in one of the following r...

Thursday, 20 August 2026

LATEST NEWS: Warmachine: Fortress King, Drago and the Meat Thresher all March Forward - Steamforged Games




Hail Mighty Readers and Followers of the Luck Gods Rocks,

Steamforged Games have unleashed the big guns for Warmachine.  The Fortress King, Drago: The Beast Unchained and the STL of the Meat Thresher are all sillhouetted against the setting sun and here's what they have had to say in the latest post:


The Fortress King:

Available now, the Fortress King has officially stomped into the Southern Kriels Kithguard. This ancient, literal mountain of a troll carries fearless pyg crews and enough firepower to level, well, a mountain.

Check out the rules preview and bring some mountain-sized muscle to your Kithguard army.


Drago the Beast Unchained:



Bathed in gore and transformed by the primal fires of Urcaen and sorcerous cunning, Vladimir Tzepesci’s most loyal warjack returns as a living fusion of twisted metal, magic and savage fury.

Want to see what this super-heavy abomination can do? Catch up with the full reveal here.

Drago, the Beast Unchained is available to pre-order now, releasing September 1.


Meat Thresher:

Built from salvaged machinery, questionable engineering, and plenty of farrow ingenuity, the Meat Thresher is the Thornfall Alliance’s answer to heavy armour – build something bigger, cover it in blades, and drive it straight through the enemy.

Part armoured assault vehicle, part rolling nightmare, its massive bladed drum crushes anything in its path while the spinning hailer keeps the bullets flying. It’s crude, brutal and startlingly effective. In other words, peak Farrow engineering.

The Meat Thresher is now available to pre-order here on the Warmachine store. Got a 3D printer? Get the STL on Warmachine 3D and print yours at home.


App update – Army shifts and name updates

Prime armies for Convergence of Cyriss, Crucible Guard, Grymkin, Infernals, Dark Operations, and Thornfall Alliance have now moved out of the Armies of Legend section and into the Prime section of the Warmachine app.

That's because, unlike the other Armies of Legend, these armies are once again available either as STLs through Warmachine 3D, or from our online store. 

Moving them into the Prime section means you'll no longer see the "not in production" warning when viewing cards and building lists, which is less confusing for new players and makes it much clearer which armies are readily available.

Important bits:

Some army lists may be affected by this update and might need to be rebuilt (our apologies for the inconvenience)

Prime armies in the Armies of Legend section are still tournament legal

To further normalise things (boring word for a fun change), we’ve now bestowed names upon these newly-available armies! 

For example, whereas before ‘Infernals’ was the name for both the faction and the Prime army (confusing), the Prime Infernals army is now called the Nonokrion Order. 

In addition:

The Convergence of Cyriss faction’s Prime army is now Clockwork Legions, in an ode to a certain faction-defining warcaster’s old theme list

The Grymkin faction’s Prime army is Wicked Harvest

The Dark Operations and Thornfall Alliance armies both still sit under the Mercenaries faction, so no change there

It made sense to keep Crucible Guard as the name of the army, so the Prime Crucible Guard army now sits under the mysterious label of Three Crown Alliance… more on that in the new year.


Live preview – Fane of Nyrro: The Gathering Darkness


The Fane aren’t willing to relinquish their hold on Immoren (or the Warmachine roadmap) just yet. 

A fourth, promised leader lurks in the shadows along with his army, awaiting his moment. Which, as it turns out, will be tomorrow, August 20 at 4pm BST on the Warmachine YouTube.

Harasheth looms. Catch the live preview tomorrow (including all the rules!) ready for the pre-order launch next Tuesday, August 25. 

For the non-Fane of Nyrro players, tomorrow’s special stream guest is none other than Captain Barl “Demolisher” Dunax, mercenary for Gravediggers, Winter Korps, Kithguard, and Rhul Guard. 

If the eldritch can’t tempt you, perhaps the rules preview for this demolitions expert, trained by Durgen Madhammer himself, will tickle your fancy. Like The Gathering Darkness, Dunax will be available to pre-order from next Tuesday, August 25.



Upcoming Warmachne Events:

There are tons of excellent events coming up around the world for Warmachine, and you can find them on Longshanks

Just head to the dedicated Warmachine events page and filter by location to see what’s on near you.

UK Nationals 2026


Tickets for UK Nationals are available now! Hosted by the Warmachine team for the first time this year, it’s happening September 26–27 in Brentwood.  Find out more and get your tickets here.


Las Vegas Open
Roll dice in the world’s most famous dice-rolling city! 

Warmachine will be in full swing at this year’s Las Vegas Open from October 1–4, with multiple casual and matched play events happening throughout the weekend. 

Find out more and get your tickets here.

Warmachine World Team Championship
Teams around the world are gearing up for the Warmachine World Team Championship in October! 

An incredible community-run event powered by global players and committees, the World Team Championship is an epic annual showing of skill, sportsmanship, and community spirit.

This year, Poland has taken the torch and will be running this flagship event from October 10-11 in Warsaw. 

For the latest updates on solo events, streaming, and other ways to get involved, follow the Warmachine WTC page on Facebook or check out the committee website


US Lock and Load 2026:


Join the team behind Warmachine in St Louis from November 5-8 for three glorious days of Steamroller tournaments, Grand Narratives, Frontlines events, Iron Arena pick-up games, painting sessions, game development and lore seminars, live reveals in one of our legendary Warmachine preview streams, an Iron Gauntlet Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ), and the esteemed Iron Gauntlet US 2026 Finals!

To learn about the Swag and get your ticket please go here.

More news as we get it.

All the best,


ThunderMouser








Wednesday, 19 August 2026

MONTHLY MINIATURES: Lust Elves Reinforcements - Heroes Infinite

 





Hail Mighty Readers and Followers of the Luck Gods Maths Rocks,

Our friends at Heroes Infinite, have asked us to let you know about the miniature reinforcements for those who subscribe to their sovereign tier as they show off some of these beautiful additionals in a brand new video. Just before we go any further, these are not safe for work to view.


Nephix, the Death Dancer



As part of the Sovereign tier you are getting three new units that can be added to your Lust Elves army:
The Voluptuaries, in new formats as dual-sword fighters, on foot and mounted versions. And the superb Vexillaris unit riding the both majestic and terrible Lust Worms.

There is also other new sculpts of characters like Nephix, the Death Dancer (pictured above), a female sculpt of Syrel and of course two diorama's.

Lyrthana Tackles a Death Ghoul

As usual we wanted to also remind you of the other tiers and their cost so you can make your choice if these miniatures have tickled your fancy.

Blade Initiates
As usual there are three price tiers and this is what you get under the Leader Tier ($10)

9-10 Heroes
3 Dynamic Troopers
1 Epic Centerpiece
14+ Scenic Bases
2 Monsters

Whereas if you take out the Overlord Tier ($16) you will get in addition to the above:
Additional 15-20 new Troopers to create 5 different units
Exclusive alternative versions of Heroes and Monsters
Mind-boggingly extensive Modular / Scatter Terrain
Exclusive additional models for our Heroes Infinite Overlords, such as Mounted Heroes, Monsters, and more.


Orphyris: The Venom Bard
Finally there is Sovereign Tier ($24) where you'll also get:
Additional 15-20 new Troopers to create 5 different units
Exclusive alternative versions of Heroes and Monsters
Mind-boggingly extensive Modular / Scatter Terrain
Exclusive additional models for the Heroes Infinite Overlords,
such as Mounted Heroes, Monsters, and more.
And on top of this, you ALSO get 40+ models:
Additional 30-35 new Troopers to expand 6 existing units
Exclusive alternative versions of Heroes and Monsters
Exclusive additional models such as Mini Dioramas and more.
BONUS: Get special discounts up to 71% off past collections (until end of month)


Avatar of Vilyahna


We hope you'll love these as much as we do.  The paint scheme we think is pretty cool and has definitely given us some idea's for something a little different for some of our own troops.  Can't wait to see what others do with them.  


All the best,


ThunderMouser



NEWS: Wave two nearing Pre-Order Window and US Order Fulfilment for Wave 1- Archon Studio, Blizzard Entertainment




Our friends over at Archon Studio for the new Wave (wave 2) of StarCraft: Tabletop Miniatures Game.

Pre-orders will launch on 31st August 2026 and is expected to last for up to three weeks.

The new range includes everything in the graphic on the left and to be honest, they're all going to help bring something else to your battleforce  as you face down your foes, with us being especially enamoured with the option of the Ramp Terrain so that a little more verticality can be added.

Finally we wanted to let you know that with some new starter sets, and the super glossy rulebook, there has never been a better time to get into the game than now.


In addition to this, we've just had a quick update in regard to US order fulfilment.  Miniature Market, have received the products for fulfilment and are currently in the process of putting the orders to go out with some already having shipped.  Keep a close eye on your email for shipping information.  

To keep up to date with everything Starcraft sign up to the newsletter here on Archon's Miniature Game page


All the best,



ThunderMouser


Tuesday, 18 August 2026

NEWS: Perilous Frontiers Gamefound Campaign Launches in October - Dwarven Forge

 

Hail Mighty Readers and Followers of the Luck Gods Rocks,

Dwarven Forge have let us know that, their next STL campaign is going to be launching 27th October 2026, Perilous Frontiers is going to feature two distinct biomes: Desert and Arctic. Where they will be covering the basics with floors, banks, and a dune systems to capture the feel of expansive wastelands. These core sculpts will be the same pieces with alternate paint schemes, taking advantage of these biomes' similarities.


However, will also be plenty of unique sculpts for each biome! For example, the Desert will have modular Palm Trees, while the Arctic has Ice Floes that nestle together to make all sorts of unique shapes. 

You can follow the campaign for the Uncharted Territories on Gamefound here and we'll bring more news as we get it.

All the best,


ThunderMouser





FORTHCOMING RELEASE: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 5th Edition is on the Way - Cubicle 7 Games

 

Hail Mighty Readers and Followers of the Luck Gods Math Rocks,

Cubicle 7 Games have let us know that its not long until the 5th Edition of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is released.  Here's what they had to say:

"The next edition of the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Rulebook will be released in PDF and available to pre-order in hard copy later this summer.



The World of Legend is a place of countless paths and possibilities. The road ahead winds through haunted forests, mist-shrouded lands, and bustling ports where fortune and danger walk side by side. From shadowed reaches where old legends refuse to die, to windswept shores where wreckers and wanderers seek their fortunes, to great cities where secrets hide behind wealth and ambition, there are always new stories waiting to be uncovered.

Along the way, we’ll be sharing:

New previews and insights into the game

Answers to frequently asked questions

Behind-the-scenes looks at the development process

Release and preorder information.


More news as we get it, have a fab day,


ThunderMouser

Monday, 17 August 2026

NEWS: Announcement in regard to Reviews - Totally Pawsome

 


Hail Mighty Readers and Followers of the Luck Gods Math Rocks,

We wanted to get this out there so that people are aware, we love to cover the news for everything in the TTRPG, Miniatures and Wargame worlds and take great delight in keeping you all up to date, when people are requesting that we do an unboxing, or a painting video alongside a review of a product like everyone else, we only have a finite budget for items.  We understand that this may cause disappointment but we wanted to be upfront and let you know so that as and when items become affordable for us, or companies are able to donate them to us in exchange for a fair review, we can then move into that direction.


Where we can we will be including You Tube Video's as we've just updated our filming set up and have plans to do a few more unboxings of products we've purchased, if you're a company that wants us to feature your products please get in contact.  

Thank you for being understanding,


ThunderMouser

LATEST NEWS: Cyberpunk TCG: Online Celebration, Cardmarket Support, This Weeks Podcast - Weird Co



Hail Mighty Readers, Followers of the Luck Gods Math Rocks, 

WeirdCo's Cyberpunk TCG have sent us an update about whats happening in the games world this week.  Here is what they had to say:

Upcoming Online Live Celebration:

"A few weeks ago, when we updated you about additional opportunities to acquire our Rebecca: Having a Moment promo card, we announced an upcoming “digital convention”. Now, we’re excited to let you know that it's scheduled for September 4!

You can find all of the details about the event, including information about how to get your promo if you’re a Kickstarter backer, over on this week’s developer blog post.


Cardmarket gives full Support to Cyberpunk TCG:

Cardmarket is Europe’s biggest TCG marketplace, and we’re incredibly excited to say that this week it announced full ongoing support for Cyberpunk TCG.

Find out what that means for players and collectors in Europe and beyond in our midweek announcement blog.


This Weeks Podcast:

As Cree "Kawa" Gunning and PaweÅ‚ Burza prepare to go live as hosts for our Welcome to Night City Celebration stream on September 4, they’re chatting about the event, what viewers can expect, and more on the Cyberdeck podcast.

Get their thoughts and all of the latest Cyberpunk TCG news in episode 21 of the Cyberdeck podcast, premiering on YouTube today.


For more information join the Official Discord and have the latest sent to your implants.


All the best,


ThunderMouser

 


Sunday, 16 August 2026

LATEST NEWS: New Miniature coming for Lords and Legends: Voidshadow Requiem - Death Reaper Games

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Duncan Rhodes, from his painting academy fame, has released a new video for the next miniature that will be utilised in  Death Reaper Games forthcoming Lords and Legends: Voidshadow Requiem.  Its a really cool looking interpretation of a Troll, which is completely different from a lot of others out there today.   Enjoy the video and remember that you can
 keep up to date with their news if you sign up here for their newsletter.


All the best,



ThunderMouser


Saturday, 15 August 2026

NEWS: New Artisan Miniature for City States and New Army for The Hundred Kingdoms - Para Bellum Games




Para Bellum Games have let us know about some new mini's coming to their Conquest worlds for players.  First off is the mega exciting Terataur Prime, for the City States (well we had to announce this one first as we're going to be fielding a City States Army.)  As well as a brand new Hundred Kingdoms Orders Starter (both of which are coming towards the end of September 2026.)  Here is whats happening in Para Bellum Game's own words:

Terataur Prime:
At the center of the Terataur program stand the Terataur primes, possessing not only the unstoppable mechanical might of the Terataurs, but a fully human mind.When the mortal form of a commander or decorated hero is injured beyond even the ability of the City States chirurgeons to recover, they are given a choice: a hero’s death or the promise of external glory. The few brave, or foolish, souls who agree undergo a fiendishly complex surgery. Through the divine power of phlogiston, their conscious mind is ablated layer by layer onto thin metal sheets. The techne of the City States Theurgists allows them to reconstitute the mind, or those parts that have survived transcription, by layering these sheets with incredibly complex clockwork and crystal arrays, creating a copy of the mind that came before. 


Distant and other, these incredible artifacts are then fitted into the bespoke form of a Terataur, granting 
it a power and resilience it never possessed in life, a true and unstoppable fusion of metal, techne, will 
and phlogiston. 

As an Artisan Series release, the Terataur Prime is sculpted in Conquet’s premium resin tier, making it an amazing model for painting as well; as play, and a striking new addition to a collectors shelf or on the tabletop. First Blood fans will enjoy rules that make this play as either a Populist Hero or Scholae 
Masterwork unit, each with their own strategic advantage, and disadvantage to create a challenge both 
for the gamer using this, and their opponent! 

Look for the City States Artisan Series Terratur Prime coming in September to your LGS and on the Para Bellum E-Shop (not there at the time of writing this article but should be there shortly).


Hundred Kingdom The Orders One Player Starter Set:
Para Bellum Wargames, developer and publisher of the fantasy Regimental Miniature Wargame 
“Conquest: The Last Argument of Kings” and updated Skirmish system “Conquest: First Blood,” 
announces the Hundred Kingdoms One Player Starter - The Orders, a complete Orders-themed army ready for either gameplay system. These new items will be released on September 25, 2026. 

This one-player starter delivers a fully playable First Blood army and a strong foundation for TLAOK, including the new dual-kit St. Lazarus regiments, the new Order of the Sword Priory Commander, an Order of the Sealed Temple Cavalry Set, and a dual-kit Order of the Sword/Militia infantry set. Also included are quick start guides for First Blood II and TLAOK II , assembly instructions, a Path of Conquest guide, twelve 16mm dice, a 2D Terrain Set, an Ea Paper Map, and all necessary Command Cards, bases and stands. 


Leading the force is the Order of the Sword Priory Commander, a peerless swordsman who steadies his 
Brothers Militant in the thick of battle. He’s joined by the Penitents and Martyrs of St. Lazarus, a dual kit pairing an unbreakable defensive wall with a reckless, morale-breaking vanguard, and the Order of the Sword infantry, whose Silubaster-veined arms make them among the most feared infantry in the game.  These are brand new units to the Hundred Kingdom forces that further build the Orders sub-faction. 

The Hundred Kingdoms field good troops in great numbers, backed by cavalry second to none and a 
flexibility that keeps opponents guessing. From disciplined infantry lines to thundering charges to shrewd combined-arms tactics. Learn more at  para-bellum.com/the-hundred-kingdoms

The Hundred Kingdoms One Player Starter - The Orders is available for preorder now, with release on 
September 25,2026, at your favorite FLGS and the Para Bellum E-Shop (Not there at time of writing this article but should be up shortly.)


Now I don't know about you, but we're pretty excited for both of these releases and unfortunately for us, both of these boxes are going to be must purchases.  So whilst we were initially looking at a secondary army of W’adrhÅ­n, this Hundred Kingdom force is looking very likely to overtake it, especially when paired with the fabulous Trebuchet.


All the best,


ThunderMouser

Friday, 14 August 2026

NEWS: Recycling your sprues, A fabulous Axis Army and the forthcoming Konflikt 47 Invasion Amerika - Warlord Games



Hail Mighty Readers and Followers of the Luck Gods Math Rocks, 

Our friends at Warlord have announced that they've brought in a Dead Sprue bin at each of their locations, (But only for Warlords own Sprues.)

HQ Store: Nottingham
Warlord Games: Wigan


Where you can take your sprues for recycling where every ten you give them, they'll give you a random sprue of mini's.  For the full story go here.



Tom's Axis Army for Konflikt 47
Tom from the Warlord Games Wigan team shows off his awesome K47 Axis force!  For the full article please go here.






Konflikt 47: Invasion Amerika
Look what’s just arrived at their warehouse, ready to start shipping very, very soon!

Invasion Amerika is in, and there’s still time to pre-order your copy and be among the first to get your hands on the second instalment in the Rift War series!

If you're interested in what we had to think on the book please go here and just to let you know, its spoiler free so you don't have to worry about having your read through ruined.

All the best,


ThunderMouser

Thursday, 13 August 2026

NEW RELEASE: Descend into the Darktide World - Cubicle 7 Games

 

Hail Mighty Readers and Followers of the Luck Gods Math Rocks,

Cubicle 7 Games are asking you to descend into the depths of depravity as you take your players on a five part adventure deep into the Darktide world.

Darktide: Extraction brings Fatshark’s award-winning game to your Warhammer 40,000: Wrath & Glory table with a five-part adventure campaign.

​Descend aboard the lost cargo elevator E07 into the darkness below, following Inquisitor Grendyl’s orders into the Snakestack. What awaits your Agents is a mission that will take them deep into the underbelly of the hive, where the Moebian 6th, followers of Nurgle, and strange Mechanicus sects hold sway.

​This 112-page book expands the setting with the people and places of the Slung, the history of the Snakestack, Hive Encounters, and rewards of gear and status from Inquisitor Grendyl.

We hope you're as excited as we are,


ThunderMouser

Wednesday, 12 August 2026

NEWS: Warmachine: App updates, Events, Live Stream and more - Steamforged Games




Hail Mighty Readers and Followers of the Luck Gods Rocks,

Steamforged Games have given us a huge Warmachine update.  there's going to be some epic live action tomorrow, the Warmachine App is getting an update and some new features, and as well as a survey, Warmachine is getting some augmentation reality from Playseer Labs, here's how it all plays out in Steamforged's own words:


Warmachine and P3 Paints New Home

Warmachine and P3 Paints are settling into their new home, so please remember to update your tabs.  From now on, you can find them at Warmachine.gg, (Our links in this post are updated.)  For all the details please go here and to catch up on FAQ's.


Live Stream:

Join us for the full preview of Drago, the Beast Unchained, the returning super heavy for Khador Old Umbrey. Bathed in gore and baptized by the primal fires of Urcaen, Drago has been transformed into one of the deadliest and most unpredictable instruments of war the Iron Kingdoms has ever seen.

Catch the livestream tomorrow, Thursday 13 August at 4 pm BST. 


App Improvements and Fixes

We also know there’s been a pesky bug plaguing some users. Good news: we’ve squashed it in the latest version!

PC and Mac users can update to the latest version here, while mobile users can grab the update through the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.







Warmachine in augmented reality — Help shape it with Playseer and Survey



Playseer, built by Playseer Labs in partnership with Warmachine, brings augmented reality to physical games. Your real models and your real table, with true line of sight, range measurement and live unit stats overlaid onto the battlefield through augmented reality (AR/XR) glasses. Best of all, you can play a full game against an opponent anywhere in the world, each of you using your own physical miniatures and dice, with their army projected onto your table.

And this is where you come in.

Warmachine has partnered with Playseer to launch this new system, and we want the community to shape it from day one. The survey below takes under two minutes, and everyone who completes it will be entered into a draw to win one of three $100 Warmachine store credits*.

You can also let us know if you’re interested in priority access to the Playseer beta later this year.


Upcoming Warmachne Events:

There are tons of excellent events coming up around the world for Warmachine, and you can find them on Longshanks

Just head to the dedicated Warmachine events page and filter by location to see what’s on near you.

UK Nationals 2026


Tickets for UK Nationals are available now! Hosted by the Warmachine team for the first time this year, it’s happening September 26–27 in Brentwood.  Find out more and get your tickets here.


Las Vegas Open
Roll dice in the world’s most famous dice-rolling city! 

Warmachine will be in full swing at this year’s Las Vegas Open from October 1–4, with multiple casual and matched play events happening throughout the weekend. 

Find out more and get your tickets here.

Warmachine World Team Championship
Teams around the world are gearing up for the Warmachine World Team Championship in October! 

An incredible community-run event powered by global players and committees, the World Team Championship is an epic annual showing of skill, sportsmanship, and community spirit.

This year, Poland has taken the torch and will be running this flagship event from October 10-11 in Warsaw. 

For the latest updates on solo events, streaming, and other ways to get involved, follow the Warmachine WTC page on Facebook or check out the committee website


US Lock and Load 2026:


Join the team behind Warmachine in St Louis from November 5-8 for three glorious days of Steamroller tournaments, Grand Narratives, Frontlines events, Iron Arena pick-up games, painting sessions, game development and lore seminars, live reveals in one of our legendary Warmachine preview streams, an Iron Gauntlet Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ), and the esteemed Iron Gauntlet US 2026 Finals!

To learn about the Swag and get your ticket please go here.

More news as we get it.

All the best,


ThunderMouser








Tuesday, 11 August 2026

REVIEW: Over Hill and Under Hill Starter Set for Lord of the Rings TTRPG and The One Ring TTRPG - Free League Publishing

Before we go any further for full disclosure we were sent the PDF's for both sets from Free League Publishing in exchange for a fair review.

Release Date: 31/07/25

Publisher: Free League Publishing

SYNOPSIS:
‘Not far ahead were dreary hills, rising higher and higher, dark with trees. On some of them were old castles with an evil look, as if they had been built by wicked people.’

You are enjoying a rare, quiet evening at the inn in Bree when a hunter joins your table to share a tale about a dark threat looming over the North Downs. However, you are not merely simple guests at The Prancing Pony — you are members of a Company. It is your self-appointed duty to inquire about the bone-chilling dangers that might emerge from the houseless hills beyond. Are you ready to take the road to adventure?

This new and beginner-friendly starter set for The One Ring™ tabletop RPG, based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, provides all you need to embark on your journeys in Middle-earth. Immerse yourself in a world set between the time of Bilbo’s first adventure and the events of The Lord of the Rings™, exploring the Lone-lands of Eriador and taking on the roles of characters whose stories are yet to be told. This boxed set contains:

Condensed rules for action resolution, combat, councils and journeys.
The complete adventure Over Hill and Under Hill, bringing the heroes deep into the wild lands of northern Eriador to face a dark threat.
A large full-colour map of Eriador, with a combat diagram on the back.
Beautifully illustrated cardboard stand-up figures for Player-heroes and Adversaries.
Five pre-generated and illustrated Player-heroes.
Two D12 Feat Dice and six D6 Success Dice, all engraved with custom symbols.


REVIEW:

I really wanted to be able to review Over Hill and Under Hill, for the two different editions separately, however because its all the same (box contents with the only difference being the character sheets formats) just for alternate systems its best to tackle them together.  

Firstly, The Lord of the Rings game is set utilising the D&D 5e system whereas The One Ring uses Free League Publishing's own.  Both starter boxes come with all the same pieces including pre-rolled character sheets so that they players can jump right in, with character backgrounds, an image and are ready to play straight out of the box.  

You also get a fabulously designed Combat Diagram that allows you to easily keep track of where each player is, where the monsters are and alongside that, keeps it so that if you put it on a Lazy Susan, players can turn the area around to keep it easy to see from their characters point of view what they are fighting.  If you're playing it as the One Ring it does also have its own system that allows the player to be in different places/ranges on the map with the centre being close combat and the further away distance weapons like bows etc.  The only problem with that for The One Ring is that only one of the characters utilises a bow so feels a little bit flat.  (If you're using it in Lord of the rings, I feel that you might be better simplifying it slightly utilising the method that Dungeon Craft has done in their video here.  

Each aspect of the box brings the world more to live, with it also including a map of Errador (the Map of the World of Lord of the Rings,) a journey log so you can add details into the map alongside events that occur so no two adventures will be the same, a handout (which is a letter to get the players into the game,) a brief overview of the rules required to play by and the adventure book that will allow you to take your players on a journey (just make sure they sign the contract ala Bilbo in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.)

The other key thing that is included that I adore is a whole set of Stand-Up images so that you can place on the combat map to so you can see what you're facing alongside character placement, the only thing that worries me is that they won't produce more for all the various fauna that you may meet in the world.  (I really hope that they do, perhaps as a separate pack so that you have the option to create exactly whatever your story requires.)  However should this not be the case, you could always pick up miniatures from a certain UK Company that will add extra layers especially if you're using the Lazy Susan method which also allows you to add extra scenery around the mini's.

All round both of these starter sets are a great way to bring you into the world of Lord of the Rings, and if you're as tenacious as the people I usually play with they will be chomping at the bit to return.  So be prepared to get the full rules set from Free Publishing so you can return with new independent characters. As such, the only real flaw I found was to do with how the adventures ended, there was nothing wrong with it but to give players the full experience I felt that a level up would have gone a long way to helping people understand the full system.  That said, the adventure is a ton of fun, all skills are utilised (more for The One Ring system rather than the DnD one) and the flavour of middle earth is strong enough for a hobbit to want to stick it on toast.  Finally before we finish we need to address the price, which currently (at time of writing) is down for £23.84 (for whichever system you get it for) , which for everything you get within the boxes is phenomenal especially when you add the game time to it as well (which may, depending on your players, last anything from one to three sessions.)  Great fun.

Sunday, 9 August 2026

NEWS: Jagerholm Fortress Available as STL or Prints - Dark Fantastic Mills

 

Hail Mighty Readers and Followers of the Luck Gods Math Rocks,

Dark Fantastic Mills have let us know about their brand new addition to the Jagerholm set.

Here's what they had to say in their latest mail:

"We teased the first part of our new fortress in our last newsletter, and with surprising speed we actually have it ready for this one.  This new set (in store now) adds a bunch of new models to the Jagerholm township walls, including a proper gate and a tower for straight wall sections.


There's also a new Wall Mortar, which can be swapped out so you can use it as an extra wide battlement, perfect for placing artillery of your choice (yes, the Cities Cannon fits). 



You can find the Jagerholm Fortress in the new Castles & Keeps section of the Jagerholm store.  There'll will be a 28mm version in that store section very soon, and the STLs will be available next week.  As ever, it's 20% off for Launch Week :-)"


All the best,



ThunderMouser