An alternative battle

So apart from actually completing the face-offs, albeit three months later than intended, there is something I had thought up, which I hadn't had the time until recently to post up...

- Historical Background
In the closing stages of the third age, Sauron unleashes his armies against the strongholds of the free peoples of Middle-earth. 

In the north Lothlorien and Erebor, and in the south Minas Tirith. With the bulk of his legions headed for these strongholds, the free peoples have rallied towards these strongholds and so the other regions are left relatively un-defended. Small contingents of his forces have made their way across the Anduin and into Rohan to pillage and loot.

However Rohan outriders report the movements of orc warbands in the Wold. A company of men are already stationed in an outlying village to protect the remaining women and children and allow them to retreat safely southwards.

Erkenbrand is patrolling within the area to help protect the retreating women and children. When he learns of the orc warbands attacking a nearby village he summons his guard, a company of riders and hastens to the village.

Rohan Vs Mordor - Seize the Village
Have more models within the village at the end of a turn to secure it. Evil must secure it to win, Good must prevent this from happening to win, any other result is a draw.

Setup

The orc commanders order the orcs towards the village, 
seeing the oncoming Rohirrim riders in the distance.

And Erkenbrand shouts "Forth Eorlingas!" as the riders 
approach the village.

The riders split to allow them to flank the advancing orc line.

There is a brief exchange of arrows and spears, 
leaving two orcs screeching on the ground.

The orcs scurry towards the village barriers in the hope they can 
breach the defences sooner rather than later.

But the defenders rush on them, in particular a captain of Rohan slices
through an orc and stabs the orc banner bearer.

Although the orcs brace, Erkenbrand and his companions crash into 
them. The orc captain swings at him, only to find his head 
and shoulders parted by Erkenbrand's sword.

But an orc captain and one of his warriors manage to vault the 
village defences after killing the warriors in front. Elsewhere
two more orcs fall to either sword or spear.

A orc commander orders the orcs to charge the defenders again, one
orc was too eager in doing so and was knocked 
unconscious as he falls over the wall.

The orcs also surround the Rohan captain and stall the riders that 
had previously charged them to detain them.

A vicious melee ensues around the village centre with blood
split from four Rohan warriors. 

But over on the other flank: Erkenbrand swings his sword in a mighty arc
cutting depth into two orcs, his other captains take down three orcs 
between them and also the riders manage to spear three more into the dirt.

With the defenders wavering Erkenbrand and the riders rush to aid, 
charging and vaulting where they must.

The remaining orcs inside get charged in very close quarters.

Yet both manage to knock away their opponents with ease and two 
more Rohan warriors fall to crude orc blades.

The mounted Rohan captain gets rebuffed by the orcs he was facing, 
Erkenbrand manages to slice through an orc, and the other captain
defeats two. While the warriors and riders manage to take 
down three more orcs, breaking one of the orc forces resolve.

With their forces mostly broken the orc captain rallies his supporters and
engages the surrounding Rohirrim before they can take any advantage.

Meanwhile, outside the village Erkenbrand is asserting his dominance 
and surrounding the remaining orc followers.

The detained Rohan captain breaks through his enemies and shoves 
them into the ground, cutting leg and limb as he does so.

Erkenbrand decapitates another orc, and an orc captain matches him.
Elsewhere two orcs and a Rohan warrior succumb to multiple wounds.

The Rohirrim Charge the remaining orcs again!

More fighting inside the village centre as one orc flees the field in terror!

Erkenbrand is able to pierce the cold heart of his orc opponent.

The riders then turn their attention to the village and an orc commander
sees this so rallies his warriors to charge again.

Erkenbrand rides down yet another orc...

Meanwhile one orc captain rushes towards the Rohan captain, taken 
unawares, and stabs him in the throat. The other captain
brings down a rider and two more orcs fall...

Two riders are sent around to flank the orc forces as
more aggressive charging occurs.

Two more Rohirrim are cut down by the orc forces, and the remaining
Rohan Captain is cut deeply, but not enough, by the orc captain.

With the riders forces reduced, the charge fro the royal guard comes in.

The Rohan captain slices through one of the orc captains and two orcs,
although one royal guard falls an orc falls in his place.
Thus the orc warbands are all broken.

Erkenbrand charges the orc defending the wall again, and the remaining 
orc captain charges the riders and royal guard alike.

Erkenbrand finally breaks through the orc defender, the other two captains
also take one each and another orc succumbs to a Rohirrim spear.

The last orc captain calls his last supporter to hold his ground, and he
does only to be swiftly cut down by the other captain, although this allows
the orc to punch a royal guard from his horse. He doesn't get back up.

The last orc captain is then promptly surrounded...

And Erkenbrand cleaves his skull in two!

So the orcs are either killed or scattered from the field, giving the Rohirrim the victory!

The Rohirrim managed to easily break through the warband sent up to halt their progress, so that they might have to travel further around the village, this meant it was not too difficult to flank and charge the back of the orc line as it assaulted the village barriers. 

There was limited resistance to the riders and also to the orcs attacking the walls, but as the Rohirrim were killing more per turn which prevented the orcs from having too much of a numerical advantage over them.

Rohan = 5(Breaking all enemy companies) + 10(Killing all enemy heroes) + 5(Winning scenario) = 20
Mordor = 5(Breaking all enemy companies) + 1(Killing one enemy hero) + 1(Losing scenario) = 7

The orc forces were driven from the outskirts of Wold. Whether they were sent as a distraction from another target, or simply landed on the West bank further South than they intended is unsure; if Sauron's forces will return to mount a more serious assault on Rohan remains to be seen.

This, unfortunately, was the main and only thing I got around to over Easter as those months were particularly hectic. However over this summer I have a few things that I want to go through like some orc painting, But more on that later on...


Until then

Fish

Face-off 2016 Final Théoden's Host Vs Rivendell

And finally the Face-off 2016 Final! The elves defeated the Serpent Horde from a heroic duel between the elven captain and Suladan, after a very close encounter with the Mordorians which also resulted in a heroic duel that the captain got the better of the orc from. The Rohirrim, meanwhile took a close, but deserved, victory over Moria in the first round from Erkenbrand's special rules, then a well fought victory over the Fiefdoms.

Rivendell Vs Théoden's Host (Domination)
Whoever claims more of the five objectives after one side is broken and a 1 or 2 is rolled on D6 (in end phase). Objectives are claimed by having more models within 3''/8cm when the game ends.


Setup

The elves fan out, and the Rohirrim concentrate on their left flank.

One of the elves gets caught in the bush and his brains are dashed
across the floor! The elves advance un-phased.

The Rohirrim stand off their adversaries, who simple charge them. 

Then both captain call a counter charge...

There is tremendous crash of steel as the sides clash, the elven captain
slices through two royal guards, who were looking at Erkenbrand stab
an elf in the face. Also another Rohan warrior falls to an elf spear.

Erkenbrand calls another charge allowing them to surround the elves,
and an elf is speared from three foot away.

Initially the elf captain took a deep leg cut from a throwing spear and
as he bent over to grab it Erkenbrand clove him in twain.
Another Rohan warrior gets speared too. 

Things are looking bleak for the elves, who have been broken,
but they stand fast hoping the battle will turn in their favour.

And so two more elves fall beneath either spear or sword of the Rohirrim.

Erkenbrand orders his guard to claim the remaining objectives.

While he fights fiercely with an elf, but knocks aside his shield
and drives his sword into the elven warriors gut.

The last elf stands, and fights a royal guard, although
neither has the better of the other.



Erkenbrand hastens to remove the faithful elf.



But his guard manages without...

And so the Rohirrim remove all the pesky elves from the field, and claim total victory!!

Théoden's Host = 10 + 5(breaking elves) + 3(killing elven captain) + 5(number of objectives claimed) = 23 
Rivendell = 4

This victory was far too easy for the Rohirrim. Their throwing spears really gave them the edge, allowing them to effectively roll-to-wound on a 4+, not only that but the initially killed elf really meant that the elves had to charge into the Rohan line in order to win the well or the number of objectives would be against them once either side was broken.

Overall Hero Kills
Erkenbrand = 12 (16)
Elven captain = 9 (15) or 19 (27) inc. play-offs
Suladan = 9 (11)
Duinhur = 8 (8)
Shagrat = 3 (3)
Goblin captain = 3 (3)
Goblin Shaman = 2 (2)

There are some clear candidates for the person of the tournament, Sadly Suladan won't be taking it this time, as despite the number of kills he was too easily neutralised by other forces in the last two scenarios. Erkenbrand fought well in his three scenarios, getting a reasonable amount of kills, however a decent portion of his sides kills were from his bodyguard. The elf captain, however, has played a key role in the elven successes, destroying the dwarves in the play-offs, killing Shagrat and Suladan in the first round and the semis with many other kills along the way, although the final was  a poor showing from the elven force, he still earns himself the Elf of the Tournament award for carrying his warband to the final battle.

So this concludes the Face-off 2016, albeit 5 months later than intended. I have done some other things over the Easter break, and they will be put up in due course :)

Until then

Fish