We barely held our own in the Southfarthing, and what we had there weren't really anything more than a big fight. But if we had it hard, the Hobbits up in Bywater had it far worse. Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took seem to have rallied the Hobbits up there together and hatched a plan to show those oafs once and for all. They caught Sharkey's men on the Bywater road, between old man Tulpenny and Jasper Chubb's hedgerows, and trapped them in like chickens in a coop. Seems young Merry gave them fair warning, for he asked them to surrender themselves and put up their weapons. Sad fact of the matter is those vagabonds were hopping mad by then, and just charged the Brandybuck lad with a great shout. Well, some desperate fighting and a lot of courage saw us victorious, but not without a great many injuries and worse. All I can say is I am glad the Travellers were able to win that victory. It could have turned out so differently and no mistake.

The Hobbits of the Shire confront Sharkey and his Ruffians.

"Awake! Awake! Fear, fire, foes! Awake!" The rallying cry of the Bucklanders and the courage of the Travellers has spurred the Hobbits of the Shire into actions against the Ruffians once and for all. Throughout the night, Hobbits flock to the bonfire that the Travellers set ablaze. In the morning, Pippin leads a contingent of Tookish archers to the village, determined to end the violence in the Shire and see the Ruffians off. Like an army, the Hobbits set out from Bywater straight into the greatest, most terrible battle in Shire history.

FORCES

LAYOUT

The scenario is played on a board 24"/56 cm long and 36"/84 cm wide. The board in this scenario represents the Bywater road. Bywater is close to the heart of Sharkey's evil scheme. The buildings, Hobbit-holes ,and lands around it are utterly ruined, resembling a spoiled wasteland more than the beautiful place it once was. A 6"/14 cm-wide road should run across the center of the board from one edge to another. On either side of the road are hedges. These should run parallel to the road the length of the board and be 3"/8 cm from the road itself. A makeshift barricade should be constructed covering the width of the road 6"/14 cm from the Bywater board edge (see map). The remainder of the board should be scattered with trees, Hobbit-holes and other appropriate scenery.

STARTING POSITIONS

Scenario Map for The Battle of Bywater

The Evil player deploys all of the Ruffians on the road within 6"/14 cm of the Hobbiton board edge. The Good player then deploys Frodoand Sam in base contact on the road behind the barricade. Merry is deployed at the centre of the north board edge – he may be up to 6"/14 cm in from the edge of the board. Pippin is deployed at the centre of the south board edge – he may be up to 6"/14 cm in from the edge of the board. The remaining Hobbit models are divided into three groups of eight and deployed within 6"/14 cm of Frodo, Merry, and Pippin (see map).

OBJECTIVES

The Hobbits are determined to drive off the Ruffians and overthrow the "Chief." The Ruffians, spurred on by their master, attempt to quell the Hobbit uprising using whatever force necessary. The Good player wins if Sharkey is slain. The Evil player wins if all four of the Travellers (Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin) are slain.

SPECIAL RULES

Ambush. Merry has laid his trap well and has the Ruffians surrounded. Before the 1st turn begins, all Hobbit Archers may shoot once.

The Travellers. Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin have roused the Hobbitry and brought them to arms. Now they must lead them in battle against their oppressors. When a Hobbit is slain, the Good player may put it aside to use it as reinforcements. At the end of each of the Good player's Move Phases, he may roll a D6 for each of the Travellers (Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin) still in play. For each roll of a 6, one model from those set aside may move onto the board from any table edge. Newly arrived models may not charge in the turn that they arrive but may otherwise act normally.

The Mob. The Ruffians came trampling down the Bywater road like a great mob, and though some were cowed by the Hobbits' show of arms, the majority were undaunted and fought violently against the Shirelings. When a Ruffian is slain, the Evil player may put it aside to use it as reinforcements. At the end of each of the Evil player's Move phases, the Evil player may move D3 of the Ruffians put aside in this manner back onto the board on the Hobbiton table edge along the road. Newly arrived models may not charge in the turn that they arrive but may otherwise act normally.

Sharkey. Sharkey is now the master of Bag End and makes his last stand there. However, there is a chance that, drawn by the defiance of the Shirelings, he will arrive and lend his weight to the Battle of Bywater. On Turn 5, after moving new Ruffians onto the board, the Evil player should roll a D6. On the score of a 4+, Sharkey has arrived – move him and Worm onto the board along the road. Sharkey and Worm may not charge in the turn that they arrive but may otherwise act normally.

POINTS MATCH

This scenario recreates the desperate final battle fought in the Shire. If you wish to play this scenario with different forces, both players should select forces of roughly equal points.

The Good player must have four Heroes, none costing more than 70 points. These Heroes take the role of the Travellers.

The Evil player must select at least one Hero. The most expensive Hero on the Evil side takes the role of Sharkey. Note that only Warriors may return to play as reinforcements.

PART OF A LARGER BATTLE

The clearing of the Southfarthing and Battle of Bywater take place almost simultaneously. If playing these scenarios as part of The Scouring of the Shire linked campaign, the Good player may take any number of available Hobbit Archers from one scenario and use them in the other instead - he must choose how many before forces are deployed.

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