The Trolls of Mordor have been bred by Sauron so that they can withstand the light of the sun without turning to stone like other Trolls. Even bigger and stronger than their subterranean kin, these monsters are amongst the most lethal troops in the armies of the Dark Lord.

Easterlings are amongst the most fanatical followers of the Dark Lord and the best equipped of all the warriors at his command. Unlike the rabble of Orcs that spew forth from the Black Gate, the armies of the East are well-trained and disciplined warriors that will fight fiercely for Sauron, who they view as a vengeful deity.

Minas Tirith's armies are the greatest of all the realms of Men - disciplined, superbly equipped and led by veterans of the wars with Harad and Mordor. Each warrior in Minas Tirith's army is trained to wield a variety of weapons, from the humble sword or bow, to the deadly knight's lance.

A stronger strain of Orc has appeared within the armies of the Black Gate and Barad-dûr - the Morannon Orcs. Their armour is thick and strong, providing them additional resilience. This enhanced wargear, coupled with the Morannon Orcs' increased strength, makes them ideal shock troops for Sauron's war against Minas Tirith.

Orcs are the foulest creatures to walk Middle-earth. They are evil-hearted monsters that rejoice in slaughter and destruction. The Orc's natural aggression makes them the perfect tool of evil intent, their numberless hordes forming the core of the Mordor army. While they're individually cowardly, they gain strength through numbers - a mass of Orc warriors can be a terrifying sight for any enemy of the Dark Lord.

If Orcs are the foulest creatures to walk Middle-earth then the Uruk-hai are the most dangerous perversion of the breed. Where ordinary Orcs are crook-limbed and timid, the Uruk-hai are strong, muscular, upright warriors of greater skill and courage.

Sauron never turned his gaze completely away from the northern kingdoms – even during the close of the Third Age, the forces of Evil closed in on Dale, Erebor, Mirkwood, and Lothlorien. Across the lands of Rhovanion, the forces of Good rallied to defend their homes, their acts of heroism tying up armies Sauron so badly needed as the War of the Ring raged to the south.

Borne aloft on soft and silent wings, the host of Great Eagles hunt far and wide in the valleys around the Misty Mountains.

Many years after Sauron was cast from Middle-earth at the Battle of the Last Alliance, he returned in the form of the Necromancer to corrupt the realm once more. Building the fortress of Dol Guldur, his influence spread throughout the Greenwood and slowly began to twist it into a dark and cursed place – until the arrival of Gandalf and the White Council shone a light on Sauron's ambition.

Battle Companies is an expansion to the Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game that enables you to assemble small groups of Warriors that, over the course of several games, will progress and develop into your own unique warbands.

Thorin Oakenshield is a Dwarf of noble birth, the son of kings and heir to the treasures of Erebor. If he is to lead his kinsmen safely to The Lonely Mountain and reclaim the incalculable wealth that lies there, he will need every ounce of his considerable cunning and skill to triumph.

It was in Rivendell that Frodo made the decision to carry the Ring to Mordor and cast it into the fires of Mount Doom, thus ending its power forever. With him went eight companions, and collectively they were known as The Fellowship of the Ring.