EA plans to release the public beta test of The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II this week, and in preparation for this real-time strategy game, we've got the details on the game's two single-player campaigns. Like its predecessor, The Battle for Middle-earth II will let you play as either the good or the bad guys as you attempt to lead your forces to victory. Below, we've got the details on the 16 missions in both campaigns. In addition to the campaigns, there's a Risk-style metagame that will let you try to conquer the whole of Middle-earth as you like. The Battle for Middle-earth II will ship in early 2006.

　　The good campaign will take you all the way to Dol Guldur.

Good Campaign

　　Mission 1--Rivendell

　　As shown in the first movie, the Council of Elrond convenes at Rivendell, and the Fellowship of the Ring heads south to destroy the source of Sauron's power. Our story begins as senior elven and dwarven leaders--including Elrond, Glorfindel, and Gloin--stay behind to plan the defense of the Northern Lands. As they deliberate, Rivendell is attacked by a goblin army that has descended from the Misty Mountains. You must rally the elves and defend Rivendell from the invaders.

　　Mission 2--High Pass

　　After the attack on Rivendell, Elrond sends his most powerful warrior, Glorfindel, and the dwarven leader, Gloin, to fight the goblins and then unite the elves and dwarves against Sauron. The heroes face their first challenge high in the Misty Mountains where they must retake High Pass Road from a goblin army. This is a difficult battle on forbidding terrain.

　　Mission 3--Ettenmoors

　　The culmination of the war against the goblins pits you against hordes of goblins, trolls, powerful mountain giants, and a terrible new goblin ruler who takes his orders directly from Sauron. The setting is the ice, snow, and barren rock of the desolate Ettenmoors and the ancient ruins of the witch-king's fortress of Angmar.

　　Mission 4--Blue Mountains

　　Our heroes have a chance to deal a blow to Sauron and earn goodwill from the tribe of the Blue Mountain dwarves. The mission is as simple as it is terrifying: Fight your way deep into a goblin-infested mountain cave and kill a huge dragon in its lair.

　　Mission 5--Grey Havens

　　You must defend the elven port city of Grey Havens against a combined land and sea invasion by the corsairs of Umbar.

　　Mission 6--Celduin River

　　The focus of the campaign now shifts east of the Misty Mountains. Sauron sends a vast army from his northern fortress of Dol Guldur to attack the surrounding elven and dwarven lands. One early target of the huge force is a human settlement on the banks of the River Celduin. These are allies of the dwarves of Erebor, so dwarven warriors join forces with the human defenders to try to drive off the gigantic army bearing down on them.

　　Mission 7--Dale and Erebor

　　Sauron's armies lay siege to the city of Dale and the dwarven mountain fortress of Erebor. The dwarves and men of Dale fight a massive battle with the attackers in the city of Dale, then fall back into the mountain for a last stand against the Mordor host. This is the pivotal battle of the War in the North.

　　Mission 8--Dol Guldur

　　The combined armies of elf and dwarf lay siege to Sauron's dark fortress on the edge of Mirkwood. This evil place is the source of Sauron's power in the Northern Lands. If Dol Guldur falls, the War in the North will end.

Evil Campaign

　　The path of evil starts at Lorien and ends at Rivendell.

　　Mission 1--Lorien

　　Sauron's War in the North begins with an assault on the elven tree city of Lorien, deep in the enchanted Fangorn forest. You'll drive out the elves, set fire to the forest, and claim this ancient haven of the elves for the Dark Lord.

　　Mission 2--Grey Havens

　　The corsairs of Umbar and the goblins of the Misty Mountains attack the elven port city of Grey Havens. By capturing a port on the western coast of Middle-earth, Sauron can use it as a base to pour in forces from elsewhere and open a new front in the war with the elves. You'll fight an epic battle on land and sea as goblin forces descend from the mountains and the corsairs assault the harbor using a huge fleet of ships.

　　Mission 3--The Shire

　　The time has come for the forces of darkness to sack the Shire and bring the War in the North to the hobbits.

　　Mission 4--Fornost

　　With the lands west of the Misty Mountains falling under Sauron's control, dwarves and dunedain make a stand in the ancient ruined city of Fornost. The goblin army from the Shire moves north and lays siege to the human and dwarven fortifications.

　　Mission 5--Mirkwood

　　Sauron's focus turns to the wood elves of Mirkwood. A force from Dol Guldur marches north into the forest and attacks the elven defenders. The stealthy elves stage a fighting retreat with their ent allies--but you have overwhelming force on your side.

　　Mission 6--Withered Heath

　　Before taking on the dwarves of Erebor, Sauron's army moves northeast into the desolate lands of the Withered Heath. The mission: Destroy a dwarven outpost in this remote region and recruit the native dragons as allies.

　　Mission 7--Erebor

　　This is the climactic battle against the dwarves. You command a vast army as you lay siege to the city of Dale and the imposing dwarven mountain fortress of Erebor. At stake is control of the lands east of the Misty Mountains.

　　Mission 8--Rivendell

　　The climactic battle in the evil campaign is a siege of the sacred city of Rivendell. The Fellowship and the remaining forces of the Free Peoples will make a defiant last stand in this iconic location. You have a huge army to command, but you should not underestimate the will of your enemies.