LOTR Campaign #9 Out of the jaws of defeat....

A crunch battle on the approaches to the Gates of Moria.

For several turns both sides had faced each other knowing that whoever blinked, fought and lost would open up the gate way to either territory.... The Orc's blinked first and advanced head long into the defending human forces.

The scenario is rolled and the forces of Rohan and Gondor have to pack up the wagon and escort it from the table before the Orc's can break the line and capture or destroy the wagon....

Shielding the wagon was a collection of ruins which gave some vital cover but hindered any swift movement. True to form the Warg riders lead the advance seizing the high ground looking to flank the defenders. The Riders of Rohan charged forwards to counter the advance but were beaten back.... 

Standing in the Wargs way was a poorly trained militia unit, who hurdled together hiding behind their shield wall... The tricky Orc's parted ranks and out poured berserkers.. dirty trick.....

What a shock for the attackers the militia not only stood, but defeated the attackers twice...... in a row...

Switching tactics the mass ranks of Urai kai advanced forwards, the light troops in the ruins were slowly been worn down by missile and magic fire... they would not stand if attacked by the dense mass of foot troops.....

More Berserkers rush into the ruins..... With the wagon still not moving the badly beaten Rohan scrambled to screen the wagon and escort.

The men of Gondor entered the fray to counter the approaching Orc's.... It was now a race to the finish line as finally the wagon was packed and finally under way.

With a single Force Morale Point left the wagon is off... The alliance of men held on for a rare victory.

A bloody affair for both sides with each force losing around 25% of their starting force.... with two more rounds before reinforcements what would be left to take to the field???

Up next map moves.......

Old Hammer Chaos Knights.... Excalibur

The last sword and shield outings got me thinking about revisiting my own medieval type encounters.

Thanks to good friend of mine - I am now the proud owner of 6 additional Chaos Knights a perfect addition to the dark knights for Excalibur project which first landed on the table a year ago.....

I suspect these were from the original Citadel Miniatures range from the 1980's. Which morphed into Games Workshop, the rest as they say is history.

These were a pleasure to paint and look suitably evil armed with large axes and huge broadswords, with very few skulls and like which later GW sculpts went on to add on to many of the range.

Merging them with the others Mordred now has quite the force. 

Time for some proper eavy metal.......

LOTR Campaign #8 Battle of Silver River.....

Having been beaten back in the previous turn the battle weary human forces have fallen back to Weathertop on the Great East Road but the Orcs had followed up giving them no respite. Outnumbered 3:1 they had one chance to strike the Orc's before they could get organised.

Orc forces were escorting a the wagon of supplies across the table, if the human forces could capture or destroy the wagon they could strike a blow to the attackers. however a poor terrain roll split the table with a river through the centre and the allied forces were pinned on the left bank.

Sauron made an appearance launching fireballs at the Elven defenders on the left bank, the Orc wagon had entered the table but far away from the defenders. The Orcs were attempting to turn the good guys flank.

The Warg riders were becoming a real pain in the rear, the sneaky riders burst from the deployment point able to appear on the far bank, the Eleven defences were broken before they had a chance to defend the river bank.

Rohan Rangers were thrown into the defence of the hill top but the Wargs were snarling and winding themselves up for a charge. A brief skirmish and the defenders were forced from the ridge.

Not content with driving back the Elves, the Warg riders rounded the house to attack the flank of the Rohan Rangers who had fallen back from the ridge line, lightly armoured they were no match for the aggressive riders.

Help was on hand and a detachment of Rohan riders caught the Orc riders in the rear.

What was left of the Elven defenders were in real trouble bursting out from amongst the snarling fur... was a group of fbeserkers. The Elves were slain where they stood.

Revenge for the fallen Elves, the Warg riders were wiped out. A brief respite. However the berserkers rushed forwards breaking the Gondor Archers. 

All was lost the Riders of Rohan charged into the remaining fanatics to cover the retreat of the retreating human alliance.

The shattered remains of the defenders fall back into the Old Forest.

A bloody affair with the losses of 38 Points to the Human Alliance and 24 points for the forces of Sauron. Another territory falls.

Vichy French in Sun Hats.

Back to the desert and more Vichy French hit the table...

Following of the principle of no mini left behind, this is a mix of the remaining Perry miniatures and Warlord figures, I wanted this batch of French to have a more colonial feel, so 'borrowing' some commonwealth British bodies and some German Sun Helmets these feel like a good mix.

What do you think? Looks good to my eye.

The Perry Miniatures castings are a little slimmer than the chunkier Warlord figures but they look ok once based up.

Next up German support elements.

The Magnificent Eight......

The Internet is awash with - What a Cowboy....

Jumping aboard the stagecoach.... The return of the “Cinderella Cattle Company”.

Having recently reclaimed some of your stolen cattle from the Federales in a vicious fight at one of their strongholds the CCC head east towards Laredo to resupply. Tired and weary they are surprised to discover that the town has hardly any men and no law to look after those that remain. The townsfolk tell of the Mexican Federales who constantly cross the border and raid Laredo for food, supplies and men to work on the newly constructed railway near Santa Maria. They are due back any day now and without any protection the townsfolk are at the Federales mercy. Laredo’s bank has been turned into the towns store where all supplies needed to survive the coming months has been hidden. The Federales will attempt to take it.

The CCC are the towns only hope. Tom Keifer agrees to help. Barking orders telling his men to make preparations to defend the town. In true Magnificent Seven fashion - the Cinderella Cattle Company deploy across the town covering the potential entry points and the approach of the Mexican wagons.

On with the game.

The Federale troops were many and the cattle company few.... but they they had a few tricks up their sleeve. Lighting a cigar and tossing a stick of dynamite from an upstairs window into the street below - BOOM. 

Larry Mazar...strikes the first blow......

Hiding out in the jail, Jody Cortez and Drew Hickey ready themselves as a number of Federals fill the street.

The wagons stripped of their escort rush into town how Tom Keifer was waiting for them and from a window in the store takes out the wagon drivers. Lucky the dog leaves his mark.

Despite taking down a number of the Mexican's the Cinderella Cattle Company were being push backwards and were running out of options by moving they had kept the Mexican army on the back foot, but they where starting to pinned in place by the superior numbers.

The clash in the Jail, full of smoke and lead - in an echo of Davey Crocket at the Alamo many years before  Jeff Lebar was gunned down in a cell unable to hold off the attackers any longer.

In the East of the town the Mexican Captain draws on the Cowboy leader and ducks back one of his men taking the bullet that was meant for him.

In the North of the town the attackers were closing in on the bank and it's stores. Stinky Pete let's fly gunning down another Mexican. But was unable to hold back the Federales.

With half their number down or out of the fight the Cinderella Cattle Company head of the hills. Little to show for their efforts in the way of Gold, but valuable experience in the on going campaign.

Roll the credits........ 

LOTR Campaign #7 Battle of the Borderlands

Why not ease ourselves in to the campaign with a significant mass battle... when we have not picked the rules up for over 2 years. With wide open spaced available the dice of fate forced both commanders to cram in the Northern most end of the table.

With very few points between us the forces of good and evil faced off against each other in the Borderlands with both players having sent significant armies into the territory to thwart each others plans. 

In a seesaw encounter the Warg Riders were first out of the blocks rushing forwards shut down the Human deployment points. 

A detachment of Elves, recently recruited stood in their way loosing a volley of arrows which only served to anger the mounted Orc's as they charged into the Elves who were forced backwards.

It took an Elven Cavalry charge down the hillside and drive off the nasty Warg riders, but the riders were shattered and forced backwards.

On the western flank the cream of Rohan launch a surprise attack crashing into the Wraith Riders who had dismounted and were sweeping across the table looking to flank the defenders. The Wraith broke and ran. Things are looking up for the Rohan.

The riders ride on chasing down and catching a detachment of Orc archers.... 

To the shame of the horsemen they are beaten back..... To make things worse Orcish Crossbows were knocking chunks out of the horsemen their light armour unable to stop the heavy bolts. The men of Rohan fell back to regroup, bloodied and having lost half there number. 

The clock struck midnight neither side being able to force a victory - If it was not for that 5.15am train who knows when the game would have stopped.... 

Both commands fell back and tended to their wounded for the people of the Borderlands my sense is that this will not be the only battle of the campaign. A score draw with the forces of men losing 33 points vs the forces of evil losing 28 points. Frustrations for the Human commander as they are losses they can really not afford, but similarly for the Orc commander the path to the fertile western lands is blocked.

Next up the Battle for Weathertop famous for its watch-tower overlooking the Great East Road, out numbered 3:1 can the human's survive?

LOTR Campaign - Back from the annuals of time.

Two years have passed since the last game but Lord of the Rings Campaign is back.....

My secret Wargaming Friend has been amassing more troops for both sides and is keen to throw them into the battle for Middle Earth.

Using the map from the LOTR Risk game and a mechanism lifted directly from the Classic Diplomacy orders are given for each of the forces in play. Each counter represents a maximum of up to 200 points within the Infamy Infamy rules.

Reinforcements are mustered every three months, with each territory worth 10 points and a bonus 50 points if you hold all of a region.

At the moment the good guys (Red) are under pressure on all fronts. In the south the Rohan have been pushed back into Helm's Deep as Orc armies mass to their front. Remnants of Human and Elven forces dodge larger Orc forces in Rhun and Rhovanion looking to clear them from the region and gain bonus points.

We have three battles to fight this round.

• Orc's pour out of Moria attacking Eregion where the defenders take to the field to hold their advance. (Red 195 v Blue 200)
• The Orc's in the Borderlands follow up attacking the remnants of the previous round regrouping at Weathertop. (Red 88 v Blue 177)
• Further Orcs advance into the Borderlands to be met by reinforcements coming out of Eriador (Red 195 v Blue 200)

Let's hope that 2 years coming out of Covid has helped the good guys win a game....

First up the clash in the Borderlands.