Morgoth Bauglir drawing, Christopher Tolkien, Rings of Power, Telchar & Angrist

"Morgoth Bauglir"

 "That crown he never took from his head, though its weight became a deadly weariness."

-          The Simarillion, Of the Flight of the Noldor

 An ink drawing illustration for the "Wars of Beleriand" game.

Telchar’s notorious knife Angrist broke when Beren tried to take a second gem from the Iron Crown. What can one say about a blade that wounds the King of the World? Is there another?

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The Silmarillion is one of my favorite books. Few works of fantasy literature can compare in terms of epic scope and completeness of vision. I think it's safe to say it's as much Christopher Tolkien's as it is his father's: a beautiful collaborative effort, a true labor of love.

Recently, there's been yet a new generation of Tolkien fans brought into the fold, for good or ill, by the Rings of Power series. I admit I haven't seen any of it and I can't say I've heard good things. No need to go into all that, but we know how Tolkien felt about a great many things and what he thought and I know he wouldn't have been particularly pleased with how his creations have been treated by media these latter years. Telling that these projects were only greenlit after Christopher's death...

 

 

Wars of Beleriand, Game Artist Nate Dray's wargame design based on Tolkien's "The Silmarillion" Update

Wars of Beleriand Update.

Still on it or back on it, really. 

Typing up the rulebook. Tweaking some graphics. But that about wraps it. There were some things - still are -- in the endgame latter stages of play, situations that only arise during the endgame part of the game, that weren't thoroughly played through before. Unique situations and things. The last few Turns are the most mechanically complex parts of the game. I'm sure there are things I missed, but...it should work and we'll correct as we go from here on.

Probably just release the rules online, post a link somewhere, something. 

 

Wars of Beleriand rulebooks. Only two exist. They are different from each other and unique. 

 

 

Wars of Beleriand game Control Display. Players keep track of different Force types they control on this chart.

Players can have Complete or Incomplete Control of different Force types, or some Forces may be Controlled by a rudimentary AI algorithm unique to each class of Force.

 

 

 Wars of Beleriand game Dragon Maturation Track. The Morgoth player tracks the development of Dragon units Inside Angband with this. Dragons must be mature before they can be deployed and used against the Noldor Player.

 

 

 Sample Game of Wars of Beleriand in progress.

Note the Eagles counter, City Markers, and Ents and Green Elves in Taur-Im-Duinath. 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wars of Beleriand The Silmarillion Wargame by Nate Dray

Wars of Beleriand 

The Silmarillion Wargame. 

Or is it the Silmarillion board game?

Anyway, tweaking and testing continues, but it's done in all its essentials and then some. Been trying out some different chrome-ish bits lately to spice up combat, but it's really just cosmetics and theme at this point and could be wholly abandoned without any significant effects on the whole.

The pic above here...One planned map edit is to take that Northward kink out of the Narog near Nan-Tathren. Should dip South. There WAS a reason earlier for it to kink North that way, but I can't remember what it was...something in the text, I think.

And here below:
This is a HIGHLY unusual and rare occurrence: a Silmaril laying unclaimed out in the open just outside Eithel Sirion.
Many heroes and villains died terrible deaths to make this possible...