Act One - First Assault on Cair Andros

Saurons's forces march northwards towards the only other major crossing of the Anduin. The two keeps and the stone ring wall protect Cair Andros from invaders. But after centuries of warfare and decay, all that remains is an impressive wooden palisade and one of the keeps to prevent Sauron from controlling the rivers crossing points. Faramir must prevent the orc captains from gaining a foothold in the defences.

Objectives: Secure as many objectives before either force is broken.
                  : Palisade gatehouse, Keep gatehouse, Road to Palisade, Courtyard well, Ruined keep
 

The Gondorians guard the palisade very thinly

Several orcs arrows whistle over the palisade
one catches one of the defenders

The orcs find a way through the line gaining a foothold in the defences

Three orcs fall prey to the spiky barrier

Two-pronged attack on the sparsely numbered men

Not able to get through the gate

Everyone engaged

The attack slaughters the defenders in the south

Faramir, sets an example, although no-one seems to notice

The only place where orcs are being killed, and four more

One captain manages to kill his way across with a warrior
while the other takes a vicious stab wound but stays standing

four orcs trip amongst the spikes and a dozen fall over completely
Though five more break through the line.

Faramir prevents the gate being opened
however is surrounded by orcs

The defences here are barely holding

Getting over the palisade is half the trouble
as the defenders put up a brave fight

Faramir slays another orc

Three orcs get impaled as Damrod and the ranger are cut down

The Gondorian captain strikes twice against his foes
while another comrade falls under orc blades

Another orc to the palisade, as the defenders are surrounded

More orcs making their way across

Preparing for the assault on the keep walls, 
only a third of the orcs are lying prone

The orcs moving to secure the courtyard objective
As Faramir fights the tide of orcs

Two more orcs speared by the barrier, four make it across though
One of the captains hurries to the second keep objective

Two orcs are felled near the gatehouse

One fatality either side, but this puts the orcs in favour

More movement in transporting the ladders

Further traffic through the inner defences

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Faramir retreats with a warrior, only for him to be cut down by orcs
yet Gondorian archery claims one orc

With the Palisade gatehouse secure, the ladders
are being moved towards the main keep

But some orcs haven't got the message, still unable to vault the barrier

Faramir is surrounded

With the captain retreating, the archer prepares to open the gate

The other archer faces three orcs and their captain
still unable to pierce their armour

Faramir succumbs to the weight of orc bodies around him

And the orcs preparing to take the keep move into place

This archer takes up a defensive position

Still trouble at the palisade

The captain is but footsteps away from the gate, simply needing to 
hold off the attacks, and prepare for the final orc assault on the keep

But the orcs couldn't let that happen this day, 
crushing both men underfoot

The Gondorian bowman bolted the gate closed. Preventing the orcs on the other side through the fortified door, which is when the orc general called off the attack. Cursing themselves, the remaining orcs jogged back behind the palisade.
The remaining bowman looked beyond the natural barrier to see fire. Brands marching towards the isle with machines of war. The Isle was now besieged.

A ragged Faramir and a handful of men returned through the gate. He spoke to the captain briefly before leaving with Damrod and some rangers. The captain gathered the last of the men and prepared the defences, for what he knew was the last battle before Sauron's forces made it across the Anduin...

Until then

Fish