The Battle of the Pelennor, Part 2.

A Headless Body Production

Venue:   Phil's Basement
Event:    Play-test run of the Battle of the Pelennor Fields
Players: Solitaire
                 
Game System: Modified L'Art de la Guerre, about 700 points per side.
Theme: Fantasy. 


The Forces:

Rohan, Lead by Théodin (brilliant), Éomer(competent), Elfhelm(competent)

12 Heavy Cavalry, Impact, Bow, 3 elite. 

About 162 points

Gondor, Denethor(deceased), Imrahil(brilliant), and Duinhir(competent).

16 Light Infantry Bow. 

6 Heavy Infantry Sword armor, (3 elite)

2 Heavy Knights, impact, (elite)

2 Heavy Cavalry, bow

6 Sword, missile support

4 Light Cavalry, bow

About  280 points

Mordor, Lead by Lord of the Nazgûl, Sorcerer King of Angmar, Ringwraith, Captain of the Hosts of Mordor, Wartburg, Gothmog, and Ignatz.

5 Trolls

12 Goblins Medium Spear, Missile support, (Mediocre)

4 Wolf Riders Light Cavalry Impact, Carnivore (Mediocre)

2 Cassowary Riders Light Cavalry Javelin, Carnivore (Mediocre)

Ignatz, Light Chariot

13 orcs, Medium Swordsmen

2 Warg Riders

2 Heavy Chariots(elite)

3 Orc Bow

2 Easterling Medium Sword 2HW

6 Easterling Bow

2 Easterling Foot, Javelinmen

2 Jugger Medium Knight Impetuous, Carnivore

  About 420 points

 Haradrim

 4 Medium cavalry impact bow (1 elite)

 4 Light cavalry bow 

 6  Mixed Medium spear, bow

10 Bowmen

3 Mûmakils Elite Elephants

about 240 points

    

No Break point.  Play till time limit is reached.

 

I have been working towards this for years.  I have started and stopped this project half a dozen times.  Most of the figures are re-purposed from various Ancients armies, others painted for this event, only to have them languish on the shelf for decades. 

Continued from last week. 

 
The Board:

8 feet of castle wall, but otherwise an unadorned field with a touch of the River Anduin in the south east corner.

The Scenario
At the end of the Third Age of Middle Earth, The Battle of the Pelennor Fields was the ultimate battle for control of the Planet.  The forces of Sauron were mustered to take the last great bastion of man, Minas Tirith.   

Sauron had every reason to expect success.  The forces of the west were divided on racial lines.  While Machiavellian schemes that had been set in motion for decades were bearing fruit.  The Steward of mighty Gondor was being driven insane by exposing his mind to the Palantir.  Théoden King was warped into premature senility.  Saruman the White, leader of the console of wizards was turned traitor.  Even though he was defeated, he served a purpose, as the forces of Rohan were now totally out of position to interfere. 

So with the entirety of the forces of east so arrayed, Mordor Orcs and Trolls, the Easterlings, the Haradrim and the Corsairs of Umbar, what chance does even the mightiest fortress  on middle earth stand?

The siege has started.  Black smoke fills the air, obscuring the view of the defenders.  

Deployment:

The Rohirrim have had a good romp over the first two turns.  Half of the Easterlings have been slain, and most of the rest have been flanked.

The Lord of the Nazgûl has taken flight on his hideous beast.  This increases his command range to infinity.  Gothmog, Wartburg and Ignatz are desperately trying to turn the orcs arround to fact the new foe.  

The Harradrim, who have the luxury of distance and better command structure, are forming up in an orderly line which should repel the Rohirrim should they get to the gate.
 
Orc Artillery is reaping a deadly harvest.  A full 9 units of wall guards have fallen to their fell missiles. 

With the Lord of the Nazgûl no longer at the gates, Gandalf has the luxury of  dealing with the insanity of Denethor.

Turn 3:

The Easterling dead so far.

Turn 3:

Elfhelm sends support and begin to turn the Goblin Wolf Riders back.

Théodin charges ahead, while his Eord cleans up the last of the Easterlings.

It was a good hit, not a great hit, as the Easterling bowmen hold.

Similar results in the front line, as the Easterlings hold for one more turn, giving the Goblins and Orcs a chance to prepare.

By the Wall the Easterlings not only hold, but push back!

Théodin meets Gothmog.

The Lord of the Nazgûl puts him self between the lines.  His radius of fear is 4 UD's.  (on retrospect we reduced that to 1 UD)

Wartburg and friends are running up the flank.  Behind them are 2 Mumikil.

Mumakil and Harradrim Light Horse.

Goblin Wolves are falling but Ignatz drives forward.

Turn 4:

Eomir charges forward, unsuppported, and rolls a bad die roll and is destroyed.  One Rohirrim General down.

Elfhelm runs over Ignatz's rickety chariot.  Wartburg positions himself to charge.

Turn 5:

With the attention of the Lord of the Nazgul divided, and the Rohirrim stalled, Imrahil leads a charge out the gate.  They destroy Grond, his great beasts, and a Troll.

Wartburgs Chariot, Supported by Warg and Boar riders have engaged Elfhelm.  All the dice roll flat and the result is ties down the line. 

At this point we called this one.  It was decided that the Nazgul's fear radius was just too powerful.  At 4 UD's that is like a 22" wall.  The Rohirrim charge was totally stalled.  The four Heavy Cavalry  not effected will be overwhelmed.  Ditto the forces at the Gate.  

Time for a rewrite and another game next week.