The Battle of Five Armies – based on the climax of JRR Tolkien's novel The Hobbit – pits the hosts of the Elvenking; the Dwarves of Dain Ironfoot; and the Men of the Lake led by Bard the Bowman against a horde of Wolves; Goblins and Bats led by Bolg; son of Azog. Will Gandalf turn the tide for the Free Peoples? Will the Eagles arrive; or Beorn come to the rescue? Or will Bilbo the Hobbit perish in a last stand on Ravenhill?

The Battle of Five Armies features a game board representing the Eastern and Southern spurs of the Lonely Mountain and the valley they encircle; and a number of plastic figures representing troops; heroes and monsters.

The Battle of Five Armies is a standalone game based on the rules for War of the Ring; which is from the same designers; but with the rules modified to function on a tactical level as they describe a smaller battle rather than the entire war. Ares Games plans to expand the Battles game system in the future; releasing expansions depicting other battles from the Third Age of Middle-earth narrated in The Lord of the Rings; such as the Siege of Gondor and the assault of Saruman against Rohan.