LOTR Campaign Game - The fall of Fangorn.

The Lord of the Rings Campaign is back.... my wargaming buddy has been investing heavily in bad guys so to accommodate the larger forces we have switched to Dragon Rampant, amending the point values and reinforcements to keep the balance of the game.

In the south of Middle Earth, the Forces of Men have been looking to dodge the evil Orcs' but have finally ran out of room, chased by 4 armies the battered force moved into Fangorn only to be blocked by a far larger enemy force, pinned in on all sides They need to win the day or be wiped from the map.

The plan is a simple one, await the evil horde and hope to batter them as they crest the hill. I picked a largely archer force, paying for the sharp shooter skill to try hold them back and break their morale.

With approx. 100 points to field Sauron's forces were not short of impressive units chase down human forces, Trolls, Heavy Pike and lots of cavalry....

The heavy cavalry swept forward facing off against the Riders of Rohan who fired their bow and evaded the initial charge, some of the cavalry were felled as they charged into the skirmishers in the tree line losing their advantage... the evil guys would only fall for that once. The Trolls and skirmishers rushed forwards to clear the wood.

The men of Gondor refused their flanks as the enemy cavalry regrouped as their infantry pushed around the left flank.

On the right the enemy infantry advanced, throwing their crossbows forward to be greeted by a hail of arrows.

On the left the Infantry braced themselves for the heavy cavalry charge, they could perhaps stop one unit, but four might be a challenge. 

The hammer blow fell. Holding off the horns left nothing to hold off the charging Trolls who swept through the rough terrain and smashed into the formed ranks, pushing them backwards.

The Human General was killed in the melee, Victory was complete for the evil army.

With nowhere to retreat the good army was removed from the board. Things were going to get harder before they got better in this campaign. Nice to know switching rules made no difference to the outcome of the game :-)

One more battle to fight this turn..... hopefully not a year before the next outing...

Dispatches from the front XXXVI - A rare double header.

A little bit behind on posts of late, hopefully things should calm down in a couple of weeks once year end is out of the way, this real life stuff can seriously hinder hobby time.

Last weekend saw a rarity on the hobby front, a show and an all day game..... I suspect I will have to make up for that in the coming weeks, lets kick of with Hammerhead. A great show as always from Paul and Sally at Kallistra the hall was packed with plenty of games to chose from and most traders 2-3 people deep. I was reflecting on traders that were missing and the number that now concentrate their efforts on perhaps 3-4 shows a year, you can't blame traders given the cost of overnight accommodation and travel costs. That's a lot of margin to make up before you have even sold a pack of figures.

I did my bit with a nice haul from the show. I am trying to be more proactive so on the evening started to prep them before they disappeared into the draw of things I really must get round to finishing, it might allow me to get a little bit of prep across the week.

The haul Pendragon for the AWI Project with a number of additional buildings and phase three of the project, with more Militia, British Cavalry, Indians and more casualty markers. The under cloth hills from Kallistra will give me more options on the tabletop.

Finally a a couple of packs from Perry to bulk out the Christian forces for the Crusades, separating the Footsore Mini's from their larger cousins. The next game is scheduled for early April so no pressure to get them complete.

With barely time to recover Sunday saw a Wyre Forest all dayer with a dry run for the Alumwell show at the end of the month, I won't give the scenario away but it sees German mechanised forces take on Russian defenders.

Having a dry run gave us the opportunity to tweak the forces and ensure that the scenario moves at pace and gives a balance of troops for each side.

A big shout out to Howard from the club, knowing my Crusades project is underway he very kindly gifted me his "to do" pile... Very generous.... but wow the list of things to do is growing day by day....

Meanwhile back from hibernation the LOTR's campaign is back, over a year has passed since the last posting - Dust, Tears & Dice: LOTR Campaign - Back from the annuals of time. New purchases from my wargaming buddy has perhaps pushed Infamy to it's limits so we discussed switching to Lion/Dragon Rampant it will certainly give a faster play and both rule sets have enough characteristics for the various troops types. We will need to tweak the points for each campaign force but it should not take long to convert.

A greater tester game saw a win for the good guys.... shame it did not count. It was great to be able bring the campaign back to life, as always so many games, so little time.

Lord of the Rings Easterlings.

Hot on the heels of a rare human victory.... just what the forces of Sauron needed..... Some reinforcements. :-(

These GW Easterlings were a Christmas gift which finally made their way to the top of the painting queue. Not the best photo's but coming to a battlefield soon........

The box set gives me two units for the table top, in a change to my usual style I undercoated in gold to try in speed up the process.

Frustratingly unlike other plastic sets from the likes of Perry and Warlord that come with multiple weapon options these contained a fixed set of 4 pike, 8 sword and 8 bow - An excuse to buy another box just to make a unit of 8 pike --- hhhmmmm.

An 8 man archer unit, within our Infamy variant these would better quality than some of their Orc counterparts these are drilled warriors with medium armour. A new challenge for the men of Gondor and Rohan.

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.......

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.

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.

LOTR Campaign Game #6 Into the valley of death rode the 6 Warg Riders.

It's been months but face to face gaming is back and so too the LOTR campaign and the concluding game of round 2 We are both a little rusty but it does not take long to take off the dust sheets and remind ourselves of events so far.

The Orcs were pressing their advantage bypassing Helm's Deep they drove North through he Gap of Rohan and into the wide and empty land of Enedwaith. The forces of men were out numbered on many fronts looking to delay the advance whilst their forces mustered in the West.

A simple patrol game the dark forces number 200 points facing off against 100 points of human forces. The Uruk-Kai had simple orders visit 4 terrain pieces in 4 sectors of the table, the humans had to stop them.

Outnumbered the Rohan defenders hide from the patrolling creatures. The Warg riders dart here and there seeking any sign of the humans. The Humans were deep in country and soon the Warg riders had out stripped their accompanying infantry. Rohan archers snipped at the riders and drove a number of the scouts backwards.

As the riders fell back the Orc commander called forwards his Berserkers rush charged from the massed ranks. The men of Rohan scattered.

But some men held firm the men of Gondor veterans of numerous encounters formed a square a loosed their arrows into the Warg riders driving them backwards.

Heavily armoured warriors filled the valley advancing north. light troops and scouts were one thing for the Rohan Militia but these would be a different challenge.

A lone figure stepped forwards from the Marsh looking halt the attackers advance.

Quickly followed by more Rohan militia who rushed to plug the gap as the Orc's poured through.

The grey haired warrior was able to destroy the first set of berserkers but a second group rushed forwards aiming to destroy the old man in the swamp.

The Warg Riders had recovered and slipped past the thinly spread defenders.

Unsurprisingly the Rohan were beaten, but they had inflicting a number of casualties on the Urak-Hai. But were too few in number to stop the patrol reaching it's objective.

Enedwaith. had fallen to the Orc's. 

Roll on Turn 3.