Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game Journal: The Treachery of Gollum Expansion

The Treachery of Gollum is an expansion supplement for the Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game, a tabletop wargame set in J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy universe. This 48-page softcover publication focuses on narrative gameplay, allowing players to recreate pivotal scenes from The Lord of the Rings involving the corrupted creature Gollum and the giant spider Shelob. It expands upon the core game systems to tell a connected story, moving from the Dead Marshes to the winding tunnels of Shelob's Lair and the ruins of Osgiliath. The book contains nine detailed narrative scenarios that form a linked campaign system, where the outcome of one battle directly influences the setup and conditions of the next. Alongside the scenarios, it provides comprehensive hobby content including full painting guides for Gollum and Shelob miniatures, designed to match their appearance in The Return of the King film. Step-by-step tutorials also show how to construct thematic terrain pieces like boggy marshes, stone sewers, and spider-infested tunnels to enhance the tabletop experience. This expansion is aimed at players who enjoy story-driven games and collecting forces from The Lord of the Rings era. It requires the Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game Rules Manual and the Armies of The Lord of Rings sourcebook to use fully. The focus on narrative play makes it particularly suitable for gaming groups looking to run a connected series of battles with lasting consequences, rather than one-off competitive matches. It serves as both a gameplay expansion and a detailed hobby guide for modellers and painters.