Don't panic-buy a sketchy PDF just yet! Games Workshop released a new Armies of The Hobbit hardback in 2022 for the current Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game.
While the 2015 PDF is lost media, the 2022 hardback is the definitive version. It includes:
The Verdict: If you are a player, do not chase the 2015 PDF. Hunt for the 2022 hardback. If you are a historian or a completionist collector, the 2015 PDF is a digital white whale—a fascinating snapshot of a transitional era in GW’s design.
Size: Approximately 500 heavily armed Dwarves (in the book; film adaptation expands this greatly)
Leader: Dáin II Ironfoot
Armor & Weapons:
Tactics: The Iron Hills Dwarves are master siege-breakers and heavy infantry. Their signature tactic is the shield-wall – a dense, interlocked formation that advances slowly while the rear ranks hurl throwing spears. Once the enemy is disordered, the front ranks charge with mattocks, breaking armor and bone. At the Battle of Five Armies, Dáin’s forces arrive mid-battle, crashing into the Goblins’ flank, momentarily turning the tide before the Goblins’ overwhelming numbers press them back. middle earth armies of the hobbit pdf
Command Structure: Dáin commands directly, with each hundred-man unit led by a “Captain of the Iron Guard.” The army is noted for its discipline, able to reform ranks after a charge within minutes.
For those who have never seen a scan or flipped through a second-hand copy, here is the treasure map of its contents:
Here is where the blog post gets frustrating for collectors.
Games Workshop does not sell this PDF.
Unlike Warhammer 40k, where most codexes are available digitally on Warhammer Digital or via subscription, the Hobbit range has been poorly supported in PDF form. The official Armies of The Hobbit PDF was pulled from sale around 2018 when GW rebranded the game as Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game (dropping "The Hobbit" from the main title).
The book covers 11 distinct army lists, including:
Games Workshop is slowly migrating all Middle-earth content to a new edition. Rumor has it that Armies of The Hobbit will be absorbed into a larger Armies of Middle-earth compendium by late 2025. If that happens, a legitimate, purchasable eBook might finally arrive via the Warhammer Digital store.
Until then, the "Middle Earth Armies of the Hobbit PDF" remains a hybrid resource: part myth, part necessity. For the casual gamer, the official physical book is the gold standard. For the budget-conscious player, Battlescribe and Tabletop Admiral are lifesavers. And for the dedicated tournament player—buy the book, scan the pages you need, and keep a printout in your bag. Don't panic-buy a sketchy PDF just yet
Size: Approximately 50–60 Great Eagles (under the Lord of the Eagles, unnamed in The Hobbit but later called Gwaihir in The Lord of the Rings)
Armament: Beak, talons (can crush iron helms and lift Wargs), and aerial maneuverability
Role: Not a conventional army, but decisive intervention force. At the Battle of Five Armies, the Eagles arrive late, diving from the sun to disorient Goblins, snatching Warg-riders and dropping them onto rocks, and striking Bolg’s command post. They coordinate with Beorn (see below) to break the Goblin center.
Tactics: The Eagles never fight in open formations. They strike key targets – leaders, siege weapons (though none are present here), and Warg packs. Their presence alone often causes Goblins to break and flee.
Before Sauron openly declared himself, he was the Necromancer. This list includes Azog the Defiler, Bolg, and the Keeper of the Dungeons. The PDF features the terrifying Mirkwood Spider swarms and the "Hard to Kill" & "Monstrous Charge" rules for the Were-worms. The Verdict: If you are a player, do not chase the 2015 PDF