Let The New Bolg Hunt In Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game
February 14, 2025 by brennon
Amid a new designer's commentary post for the new edition of the Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game, we got a new miniature preview. As if from nowhere, a new miniature will be coming out soon for Bolg, Spawn Of Azog who you might remember from The Hobbit movie trilogy.
Bolg, Spawn Of Azog // Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game
Anyone who is a bit of a Hobbit nerd will know that Bolg went through a few changes in the film and as part of the tabletop game. There's a bit of weirdness going on behind the scenes because whilst this became the version of Bolg that a lot of folks remember, he was also a lot hairier and at one point looked like he got killed by Dwalin during a flashback in the first movie THEN later pops up as the Torturer Of Dol Guldur.
This was the original miniature (which was much better in my opinion) which eventually got renamed to Gundabad Orc General and then the Torturer as mentioned above. Games Workshop are therefore making sure everything is correct and up to date with the new miniature above.
Original Bolg // Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game
The new plastic miniature (below) comes with a mounted version as you can see and mirrors the look of the character from the final film.
Bolg, Spawn Of Azog // Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game
He also now matches the base size for the miniature as noted in the new edition rules (an oversight which has been highlighted in the new designer's commentary). For a lot of folks, this won't have mattered at all but now Matched Play folks can rest easy knowing this is the intended way for the character to be played.
The new miniature is nice enough and mirrors the movie version. I'm glad that it's also plastic. I still prefer the old design for Bolg because it relied on practical effects rather than CGI but having some certainty with the new edition range is always a plus.
What do you make of the new miniature for Bolg?
"The new plastic miniature comes with a mounted version and mirrors the look of the character from the final film..."
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What do you make of the new miniature for Bolg?
“Poopy!”
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They only did it because they had to. The old one was on a giant pill base that caused so many problems.
It’s just … worse, though.
I don’t like the design. It’s got that AOS style. Junk. Keep Lord of the Rings looking like LOTR.
Agreed. This is not the way.
They are really cool models, Does Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game have a really good Game Mechanics, could it be adapted to a sci fi game?
It is probably the most fun GW game, mechanics wise. Unlike most GW games, both players take smaller turns, instead of waiting for half an hour while the other player does everything. The chance to interrupt your opponent and react is also unique to Middle Earth.
Sure it could adapted to a sci-fi setting.
I would have to hunt it down but I know someone adapted MESBG for Star Wars. It’s a sci fi fantasy mash up more than hard sci Fi but it worked.
It’s hands down GW’s best game system ever. Before it launched they used a barebones version of the rules to do Cowboys in a game call ‘Legends of the Old West’. In one expansion book they scales it up for larger games which might work as a springboard for sci-fi.
I reckon I would probably wait for the Hobday and Hicks Orc Warg Riders. The pose in that Warg looks odd