Face-off 2013 1st round Moria Vs Theoden's Host

Well do I have a small late Christmas present for you, I hope you had a good one either-way.

Erkenbrand has a miniature legion of Rohirrim, to face off a small number of goblins and a troll. The advantages the goblins have is that they could be able to use their numbers sooner than the Rohirrim, who may end up waiting for all of their models to enter the board, and the troll will be able to outfight Erkenbrand. Once they have all entered, the goblins should be at a 33% number disadvantage, so securing the objective will be much harder even when they could be at half strength.

Moria Vs Theoden's Host (Take and Hold)

Deployment:

7 Rohirrim, 3 goblins and the troll enter the board

Four of the Rohirrim move towards the objective,
while the goblins and troll fight the others

One warrior falls to the tiny creatures

2 more Rohan warriors and all the other Goblins enter play

One is speared before he could even move

The goblins move towards the secured objective

Then Erkenbrand arrives

The Chaotic melee ensues 

And two are killed on either side

Erkenbrand tries to trap the troll, while more Rohirrim come to their aid

Yet the troll smashes the straw heads aside, and squashes two,
The goblin captain also claims one, breaking the Rohirrim

Yet the battle doesn't end to the Rohirrim's relief

The captain enters the main battle for the objective

The troll lands a blow to Erkenbrand's helm, which was left cloven,
and the veteran captain barely alive. The Goblin captain gets another,
and a single goblin is killed elsewhere breaking the Goblin force

The battle continues further!

One goblin flees

The Troll finally grinds Erkenbrand into the ground

And the battle ends

However the troll misses the 3''/8cm zone!

With two models of both sides within 3''/8cm of the objective, It's a Draw!

Since it's a draw the sum of all points earned will be the decider, such that:

Moria = 7pts(drawing scenario) + 3pts(killing leader) + 5pts(Breaking Rohirrim) = 15
Theoden's Host = 7pts(drawing scenario) + 5pts(Breaking Goblins) = 12

Therefore Moria shall progress to the next round, Leaving the Rohirrim feeling hard done by.

Ironically if Erkenbrand had used both might points to win the fight, the troll would have been within 3''/8cm of the marker, and given the Goblins a victory.
However losing the fight made the points difference smaller, clever Erkenbrand.

Next time will be the final first round battle between The Easterlings and Isengard Raiders in Seize the Prize. 

Until then

Fish

Face-off 2013 1st round the Cirith Ungol Vs the Fiefdoms

Cirith Ungol have numbers a banner and an extra might point to their advantage, however will that make up for the fact, that the gondorians are better fighters, and have better armour. Duinhur has a task on his hand, since if the Gondorians are broken he is as good as an orc captain to rally his men, which could prove to be his downfall...

Cirith Ungol Vs the Fiefdoms (Storm the Camp)


Deployment:

Gorbag issues his minions forth from their camp
while Duinhur holds his ground

One of Duinhur's arrows finds an orc heart

Closing in

..........

The orcs attack the hedge and wall

Duinhur claims another orc

Gorbag smashes his blade through the Gondorian's helm,
One orc manages to defeat the defending the hedge
then clambers over it

The orcs attack the defences again

Duinhur rushes to the spear-orc,
who levels his spear to find a chink in the Gondorian's armour,
Duinhur steps back, grabs the orc's spear and shoves it through his neck
Another Clansman is downed by a nearby orc

Duinhur reorganises his defences

Gorbag guts the knight attacking him(-1might) meanwhile two orcs
attacking the hedge defenders are cleared from the line

Duinhur swigs his spear in an arc across the edge of the hedge
cutting the throats of two orcs who had just lowered their guards(-1might)
The orc force is now broken!

Gorbag rallies his orcs and attacks into a seemingly one-sided melee

Another orc crushed

Duinhur orders another attack on the orcs

Where he claims another kill, and removes the banner bearer

Gorbag rallies the orcs a final time and charges the bright eyed men

Save the orc at the camp who loses heart and flees!
Moving a single Gondorian into this camp would give a victory

The Gondorians take light of this butchering a shield-orc and Duinhur even
manages to wound Gorbag which is then saved by fate(-1fate)

Gorbag has had enough so takes flight!

Giving the Gondorians a major victory!(15-4)

Fiefdoms = 10pts(winning scenario) + 5pts(breaking orc force) = 15
Cirith Ungol = 4pts(losing scenario) = 4

Well the orc gave a good game even though they were thoroughly out-skilled, mostly down to Duinhur's kills from afar that levelled the constituents, the orcs then couldn't handle a force with better fighting skills, higher defence and having a barrier on their side. Banner or no banner.

Next time is Moria Vs Theoden's Host in Take and Hold. 

Until then, have a merry merry Christmas!

Fish

Face-off 2013 1st round Erebor Vs Rivendell

The dwarves are favourites with better numbers, defence and more bows. the elves have better fighting skill, longer ranged bows, greater move rate and the ability to support with spears. The dwarves need to get to the hill which could be a challenge, as last time they faced this scenario the Haradrim beat them.

Erebor Vs Rivendell (The High Ground)


Deployment:

Both sides approach the hill

And ascend it's slope

The dwarf archers volley, arrowing an elf in the chest. The elves fail to respond

The elves try to play it smart,
however the dwarf captain attacks his opposite number with support

And two dwarves move to flank the elf line

The high Elf cast the dwarf attacks aside and pierces the dwarf mail

The elves look outnumbered, yet charge into the dwarf ranks

Preparing to fire, fires and fails to hit...

The Elf captain dodges the dwarf's attack and pokes him in the eye-hole,
leaving him prone on the floor.
The elves beside manage to spear a dwarf in the throat.

The dwarves swarm the elves

And neither sides proves to be the victor

The elf captain charges into the fray,
with his support seem to be gaining the upper hand elsewhere

The Captain splicing another dwarf

Same again but with one fewer dwarves

And the Captain downs the second to last dwarf archer

The elf archers punch the shield-dwarf to death

It's now a clean-up operation, on turn 9

The dwarf succumbs despite his high defence

This dwarf has seen enough

And the fate of these two seems sealed

And the dwarves are eradicated from the board, in a total massacre

Giving the Elves a major victory!(18-4)

Rivendell =10pts(winning scenario)+5pts(breaking the dwarves)+3pts(Killing dwarf captain)=18
Erebor     =4pts(losing scenario)=4

A thoroughly surprising game, as I thought the dwarves would be dominant throughout. the elven fighting skill proved more influential to the outcome. 
Next up is Cirith Ungol against The Fiefdoms in Storm the camp.

Until then

Fish