Friday, June 29, 2012

Lords of Battle: Moria vs Arnor & Rivendell


Moria vs The Kingdom of Arnor and Rivendell

Scenario: Lords of Battle

Good:

Arvedui, Last King of Arnor
1 Warrior of Arnor /w Banner
9 Warriors of Arnor
2 Hobbit Archers
Malbeth the Seer
10 Warriors of Arnor
2 Hobbit Archers
Formegil, Captain of Arnor
6 Warriors of Arnor
4 Rangers of Arnor
2 Hobbit Archers
Erestor
2 High Elf Warriors /w Elven Blades
6 High Elf Warriors /w Spears & Shields
4 High Elf Warriors /w Elf Bows
Sulglaw, Great Eagle

798pts, 53 models, 7 might

Evil:

Balrog
12 Moria Goblin Prowlers /w Shields (using Moria Goblin Warriors /w Shields)
Ashrak, the Spiderkin (using Moria Goblin Shaman 2)
12 Moria Goblin Warriors /w Orc Bow
Krazgar, Moria Goblin Shaman
12 Moria Goblin Warriors /w Spears
Gartok, Moria Goblin Captain (using Durburz)
12 Moria Goblin Warriors (using Orc Warriors)

799pts, 52 models, 4 might


Somewhere along the North-Eastern borders of Arthedain King Arvedui of Arnor, Erestor of Rivendell and Sulglaw the Eagle are leading their forces to a ruined city. Reports had reached them that a great evil had taken up residence inside, and the Men of the West and the Elves resolved to see the threat removed. Little did they know just what awaited them...




Battle Report
Intial Warband Deployments:























Completed Deployments:

Turn 1 – Priority Good
In the opening act of the battle, the archers of the Army of Arnor loose a sheet of arrows. A Hobbit Archer and a Ranger of Arnor perched atop a large ruin each fell a goblin, an archer hiding in a small ruin, and a goblin swordsman who plucked feebly at the shaft in his chest before falling heavily from the ruined city wall. In return, a black feathered goblin arrow finds a chink in a Warrior of Arnor’s armor, bringing him to the ground. With a great bellow of rage, the Balrog charges into Malbeth’s escort, the warriors forming a double rank in front of the aged counselor. In a shower of sparks and dripping flame, two of the brave warriors are slain by the demonic beast.
Elsewhere, Sulglaw flies north, parallel with the crumbling wall, Erestor and his elves begin their advance on the goblin infested tower, King Arvedui leads his men towards the open ground of the crumbled street and Formegil directs his men to block the entrance to the lower floor of their ruined building.
Gartok and his goblins atop the wall begin to walk along the battlements with several goblin archers taking up perches atop one of the gate towers. Perhaps not wanting to be left behind, the prowlers race after the Balrog, approaching the ruin that sheltered the warriors from Cardolan and the archers perched above.






























































Turn 2 – Priority Evil
Seizing the initiative, Krazgar shouts beseechingly to the Dark Lord, and weaves his crooked fingers in intricate patterns. Suddenly the goblins seem possessed by a frenzy; screeching, raging and snarling. Cackling mindlessly, the first rank of prowlers begins to climb the walls of the ruin, seeking to claw their way face to face with the archers on the upper story. Unperturbed by the climbing horde of evil below him, a ranger carefully knocks an arrow and lets fly, striking down a goblin amidst the small ruin near the walls. To the east, Erestor and his elves continue to advance, skirting the balrog but drawing ineffective fire from the goblin archers perched on the upper story of the tower ruin. Outside the walls, Sulglaw wheels around to attack one of the goblins in the gate tower but finds himself on the defensive instead, though he avoids harm. Back inside the city, Formegil and five of his men emerge from the ruin to strike at the flank of the prowlers outside. Despite their fearsome (for goblins) fighting prowess, two of the vile creatures are pierced by the spears of the Arnorians. At the opposite side of the building, the balrog again unleashes his fiery rage, nearly consuming two more warriors, but both are saved by a timely warning from Malbeth.







Turn 3 – Priority Good
Mustering all his courage, a Warrior of Arnor charges the flaming demon, shouting a challenge and fixing its fury on himself. Sulglaw attempts to attack the goblin archer in the tower, but again is forced to retreat. Gartok and a supporting spear goblin hold the doorway of one of the gate towers, but are defeated by two Warriors of Arnor. Only the timely intervention of Fate saves him from death, and he falls back, wounded. Reaching a breach in the wall of the small ruin, Arvedui’s warriors slay a goblin archer, while a Prowler is skewered by Formegil’s men. Formegil himself engages a prowler, but is defeated, though his skill at arms saves him from injury. A third prowler is slain, while two prowlers turn the tables on a lone warrior, killing him. Vaulting over the ruined walls, several prowlers complete their climb and throw themselves at the rangers and hobbits atop the ruin. Despite their savagery, the fight goes poorly for the cave dwellers, two of their number being dispatched by the skill and desperation of the defenders. On the ground below, the Balrog lays waste to the brave warrior, his armor proving no defence against the great creature. Atop the city wall, a goblin bursts forth from the door of a tower to find his target (a pair of Halfling archers) protected by a pair of Arvedui’s guardsmen. He manages to drive them back, but is unable to cause any wounds.







Turn 4 – Priority Good
Despite what he had witnessed in the previous turn, a Warrior of Arnor gathers himself and charges the Balrog screaming his defiance. With a soft whistle, an arrow fired by a ranger strikes a goblin atop the gate, killing him. Another arrow, this time fired from an elven bow slays a goblin archer perched on the rickety third floor of the ruined tower. Sulglaw changes his course slightly and decides to try killing a different goblin on the tower. However it is not to be. One of the other goblin archers, perhaps confused by the wild flight of the eagle, or perhaps for other, darker reasons, shoots an arrow which instead slays the very goblin that Sulglaw had intended to skewer. The two warriors guarding the hobbits at the other end of the wall manage to defeat a goblin, but are unable to inflict fatal harm. Below, Gartok is also defeated, but avoids death. King Arvedui casually slays a goblin archer at the tumbled ruin, while Formegil slays a prowler. The cries of the valiant Warrior of Arnor are quickly turned into a brutal sizzle as the Balrog ends his charge. Atop the ruined building, a Hobbit Archer and Prowler are each slain, while an elf chops at the tower gate but is unable to create an opening.







































Turn 5 – Priority Good
Both Arvedui and Krazgar shout for their warriors, but the goblins respond the quickest, running to engage the larger men and to shield their captain. Next, Krazgar again channels the power of the Dark Lord and gestures at the warrior at the entryway to the ruin. The Arnorian feels a strange condition come over him, where he is reluctant to move, or even defend himself. Over in the center of the city two more warriors steel their resolve and charge into battle with the Balrog. A Hobbit Archer on the wall looses an arrow which fells a goblin archer on the tower across the street. Nearby atop the city wall, two Warriors of Arnor slay a goblin, kicking his twitching body to fall with a thump to the ground. Gartok’s luck finally runs out as steel spearheads find a chink in his armor. Muttering goblin curses to the last, he slowly falls to the ground. At the small ruin, Arvedui dispatches a goblin with a slash from his sword. The future looked dark for the transfixed warrior as two goblins converged on him, but he miraculously shook off his stupor and defeated both. Formegil and two of his warriors attack one of the few remaining prowlers but the prowler fights with an expertise rarely seen among his kind. Drawing all his reserves of Might, Formegil wins the battle and ensures that the creature will not get an opportunity to improve its skills further. The remaining Hobbit Archer along with a ranger and warrior slay the last climbing prowler in the ruin. Below them, a Warrior of Arnor is killed by a prowler on the ground, with the Balrog contemptuously slaying both warriors who had charged him. Unfazed by the elven warriors storming into the tower, Ashrak kills one, with another defeating his opponent, but being unable to bring the goblin down.











Turn 6 – Priority Good
One of the High Elf archers gracefully draws back his bowstring and shoots down a goblin archer on the tower. Having slain the goblins trying to reach their hobbit companions, the two warriors on the wall charge through the tower to attack the goblins above the gate, killing one of them. Outside of their vision, a goblin who had been hiding on the gate tower clambered down the outside of the tower to attack the hobbits. The hobbits managed to defend themselves, but are unable to kill the slavering beast. At the base of the other gate tower, the goblin who had been supporting Gartok is slain. Nearby, Arvedui and company slay several goblins, with Sulglaw attempting to aid them, but barely managing to avoid death himself. Additionally, one of Arvedui’s warriors is slain by a goblin. Formegil kills the last prowler as the Balrog kills another of Malbeth’s dwindling warband. At the ruined tower two elves are killed for the loss of no goblins. Following the conclusion of the melee, the evil army is now broken!










Turn 7 -
A two is rolled and the game ends!
Final Casualty figures:
Good                                                                  Evil
11x Warriors of Arnor                                     Moria Goblin Captain
3x High Elf Warriors /w Spear                       7x Moria Goblin Archers
 1x Hobbit Archers                                           5x Moria Goblins
                                                                            3x Moria Goblin Spearmen                                         
                                                                            12x Moria Goblin Prowlers

Victory Points:
Good – 33pts
Evil – 15pts


Post Battle Thoughts:
The Balrog is a Beast! It was in combat from turn 1 on, and never failed to roll at least one six. I think of all my casualties, close to half were from the 'Rog alone. Fortunately for me, the rest of the evil army proved less nasty. It was a fun battle, I especially liked the ruined city theme of the board. If only I had had a chance to make a road/street terrain piece, it would have gone through the center of the board to the gates.


A few gratuitous pics from the end of the battle: