There aren't a great many Hobbits in the Shire that can claim a better reputation than Farmer Maggot, and it's not just because his crop is the most sought after in the Four Farthings, either. He's one of those good dependable sorts, the type of Hobbit you know you can rely on. That's why when his lad rode in this morning with a tale of trespassers on his land last night, we all paid heed. Some of his corn was trampled he reckoned, and there's few enough Hobbit folk who'd dare such a thing. Scrump a mushroom or two, certainly, but trample his crop? Not likely. He's told me that Maggot is putting those hounds of his out tonight. Grip, Fang, and Wolf. There's not a lad in the Shire that doesn't live in mortal fear of those beasts. Sure as sure, I'm glad it's not me that'll be found wandering on his land tonight. Maggot is not a Hobbit I'd be keen to cross.

Farmer Maggot and his dogs confront Sharkey's Ruffians.

Sharkey is slowly building up his forces in Hobbiton, sending more and more of his Ruffians to empower Lotho and his plans. Most such men travel up the Greenway, but a few, travelling from Bree, cut across Buckland and across Farmer Maggot's land on their journey. It is a rainy and windswept night, and Maggot is seeing to things elsewhere on his farm, having left Grip, Fang, and Wolf to watch for intruders. When dark shapes explode out of the night and, in panic, attack his dogs, Maggot is less than inclined to let them pass, whether they claim to have business in Hobbiton or not.

PARTICIPANTS

Good Farmer Maggot with Grip, Fang, and Wolf

Evil 1 Ruffian with bow 4 Ruffians with whips

LAYOUT

This scenario is played on a board 48"/112 cm long and 24"/56 cm wide. One half of the board (the Bree edge) is covered with a great many trees, though does not count as difficult terrain (as a rough guide, you should probably have a least 20 or so trees in this part of the board). The remainder of the board is a portion of Farmer Maggot's farm and should represent a series of fields separated by hedgerows interspersed with trees (see map). There is a scarecrow 12"/28 cm in from the Hobbiton board edge, as shown on the map.

Scenario Map for Maggot's Farm.

STARTING POSITIONS

The Good player deploys Grip, Fang, and Wolf anywhere within 6"/14 cm of the scarecrow - Farmer Maggot is kept to one side at the start of the game but may be available later. The Ruffians move onto the board from the Bree table edge during the Evil player's Move phase in the 1st turn.

OBJECTIVES

For the Evil side to win, at least three Ruffians must escape by exiting the board from the Hobbiton board edge (see map). The Good side wins if Farmer Maggot prevents this escape.

SPECIAL RULES

On the Prowl. Maggot's dogs have been left in the field to ease the Farmer's concerns about interlopers but are not yet aware of the Ruffians that have trespassed. At the start of the game, the Good player does not have control of Grip, Fang, and Wolf - the player with Priority may move them a number of inches equal to his Priority roll (or twice that distance in centimetres). If at any point a Ruffian is within 6"/14 cm of one of the dogs - or if one of the dogs is shot at and not wounded - Grip, Fang, and Wolf immediately revert to the control of the Good player for the rest of the game. The dogs do not move at all in the 1st turn - effectively, the Evil player moves first.

A Stormy Night. The deluge, while good for Maggot's crops, is not helpful to those trying to fire bows. Shooting attacks will only hit on the roll of a 6 in this scenario. In addition, the Ruffians are not the bravest of souls, and the rain and thunder has already eroded much of their courage. What little resolve remains to them is likely to disappear when faced with a large snarling dog. Grip, Fang, and Wolf cause terror in this scenario.

Farmer Maggot. As he is elsewhere on the farm, Maggot will only arrive once the dogs have spotted an intruder and start barking (see On the Prowl above). To determine when Maggot arrives, the Good player rolls a D6 at the start of his Move phase in every turn after the one in which the Ruffians have been spotted. On the roll of a 5 or more, Maggot has arrived and may move onto the board from any point along the Hobbiton board edge. He may not charge on the turn he arrives, but may otherwise act normally.

PART OF A LARGER BATTLE

Each scenario in The Scouring of the Shire is written as part of a linked campaign. Victory in one scenario for either side will effect future scenarios.

Good Victory. If the Good side wins at Maggot's Farm, then the Good player may use Farmer Maggot and his dogs in any one subsequent scenario (excluding Bywater) chosen by the Good player.

Evil Victory. If the Evil side is victorious, any Ruffians that moved off from the Hobbiton board edge are available for use in addition to the listed forces in the "Beating the Bounds" scenario.

'I don't care who they claim to have been sent by. This is my land and no foreign ruffian sets foot here without my permission.'
- attributed to Farmer Maggot

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