The defence of the ruins of Cair Andros

The year is 3017 of the Third Age of this world...

A sense of foreboding lies over the realm of Gondor, as if some great event is about to take place... Long has Gondor dwelt in the shadow of Mordor, its visceral threat evidenced by dark clouds over that cursed land, punctuated by flashes of flame as Mount Doom rumbles restlessly in its long slumber...

Ever have the borders of Gondor been tested, whether by foul orcs from Mordor itself, or the varied races of evil men of the East, in thrall to Sauron, the Dark Lord of Mordor.

On this fair summer morn, Faramir is north east of the great city of Minas Tirith, checking the northern borders with his company of rangers, around the ruined outskirts of Cair Andros. The small garrison here guards the norther crossings of the great river Anduin, which lie in direct course to the Gates of the Black Land, the Morannon...

It is not only Faramir, who is in the north that day, but Boromir, his brother, also has just arrived from Minas Tirith. Travelling with a company of the Tower Guard, he is inspecting the borders of Gondor, looking for weakness...

The meeting of the brothers is a joyous time, but their merriment is short lived as Faramir's ranger scouts bring in news from further north. Dust clouds herald the approach of a host of men on foot and horse, led by a great man borne in horse drawn chariot. The wainriders have come, once again!

-----o0o-----

Our second game at the KWC, saw Andrew and myself enjoying another game of LOTR/Hobbit. 

Andrew had wanted to bring his Eastern Realms force featuring Easterlings of Rhûn and Khandish troops led by a Khandish Chieftain in chariot. This would give me a good chance to try out my fledgling Gondor force that I have recently competed over the last month or so.

We decided to keep the points at 600 for the army size, as we have found this is a big enough size to include some decent monsters or heroes, without being too large that we cant get conclusion in a comfortable evenings playing time.

As I arrived at the club, Andrew had the table set up ready to play, having arrived earlier... a couple of dice throws later and we were playing 'Lords of Battle' and I won the first dice to choose sides and start deploying...

Lords of Battle is basically a kill fest where you score points for all the kills you achieve and points for wounds inflicted upon and fate points used up, by enemy heroes... Once one side breaks (down to 50%) you roll a die... on a 1-2 game ends, otherwise play on ... and check again next turn and so on...

-----o0o-----

Deployment:

Andrew had set the board up with his Gothic ruins set, depicting the outskirts of a ruined settlement.

I had Boromir, leading a warband of WoMT (Warriors of Minas Tirith), Faramir leading a mixed warband of WoMT and Rangers and a Captain of MT leading a warband of WoMT. An all infantry force, with strong armour for the most part backed by a few rangers.

Spying Andrews force I could see a mixed formation; solid heavily armoured Easterling foot troops and kataphract cavalry, in addition to lighter armoured Khandish foot and light bow armed hosremen. ( I love the look of these troops they have a real Mongol horde look about them, and I have started acquiring some to compliment for Mordor forces.) At their head was a very grand looking Khandish Chieftain riding his war chariot. Super job on this by Andrew - nice to see the extra effort to add reigns and even the addition of severed Gondorian heads!

As usual we deployed in alternating warband fashion, and I was wary of being caught in the open too much against the cavalry and chariot. So I deployed Faramir's warband first, holding the central ruin, with covering archer positions to the fore and flank. Andrew placed his Easterling foot centrally which I countered with Boromir's warband, centrally positioned. Andrew placed his Khandish foot reinforcing the Easterling foot, against which I placed my last infantry warband on my far left flank, led by my Captain. Finally Andrew placed his cavalry and chariot on my right flank, looking possibly to sweep through the weaker flank held by my rangers...

Battlefield deployment

"The board is set... the pieces are moving..." ... great line by Gandalf!

The brothers hold the Gondorian centre

Rangers hold the Gondorian right as the Rhûnic cavalry look to turn the flank.

-----o0o-----

Battle is joined!

I won priority for the first turn and charged forward with most of my troops, whilst the rangers continued to hold the ruin on my right flank.

The Khandish cavalry went up the flank as expected...

...but the Easterling kataphracts led by the Khandish chariot, swung in towards the centre and the end of the Gondorian line...

Initial bow fire from the rangers killed one Khandish horseman and unhorsed another. Two shots at the chariot instead hit the kataphract but failed to penetrate the armour.

The early part of the fighting showed the difference between the heavier armoured Gondorians and the lighter armoured Khandish foot troops. The Easterlings and Gondorians being a match for each other, in the centre, but Boromir made a slight difference here, though was making hard work of it...

Sensing the risk to his right flank, the Khandish warlord continued towards that flank escorted by two kataphracts...

The Khandish light horse galloped in towards the ruins the rangers were holding, bows twanging, trying to flush them out...

Battle was fierce all along the main battleline. Faramir had joined the fray against the kataphracts attacking the end of the Gondorian line. Boromir still tried to push through the Easterling centre, trying to get towards their captain.

The Khandish chariot rumbled into position now to reinforce the faltering Khandish flank, now just waiting for a gap to charge into...

The rangers feel the pressure as the Khandish light horse approach, they can wait for another round of shooting before they will have to retire...

The strong Gondorian armour continues to hold out against the Khandish foot...

The rangers pull back just in time as two warriors rush to help the now faltering Gondorian right, one ranger is too slow to react and caught...

Battle rages and the Khandish chariot rider makes his presence felt crashing into the Gondorian soldiery... as Boromir finally gets to the Easterling captain. Meanwhile the Khandish chieftain on foot finds himself surrounded for the second time...

Boromir fights on, urging his line to hold... Faramir at the flank battles on with the kataphracts...

The Khandish foot troops have been sorely beaten by the Gondorian foot, but now the gaps in their ranks are terribly exploited by the charging chariot and Easterling kataphracts, and brave Gondorian soldiers begin to fall...

The Gondorians continue to hold, with pressure on all sides now, but they keep battling and evil men of the East continue to fall...

A ranger has fallen in the ruins but the other light horsemen are fought off, and Faramir has felled the kataphract he was engaged with...

The Khandish chariot mounted chieftain continues to batter his way forward into the Gondorian line knocking men over like bowling pins... Boromir is too far away to help, being engaged still in the centre with the Easterling captain... The Gondorian captain will have to hold as best he can...

The battle rages on in the ruins...

Boromir battles on with the Easterling captain... the line thins as other troops pull back to help other positions...

 ...trying to hold the Easterlings, whilst greater numbers try to deal to the Khandish troops...

The chariot crashes on into several Gondorians... and the Khandish Chieftain on foot battles on having survived being surrounded twice!

The rangers see to one of the horsemen, but are beaten back by the other, the line against the Easterlings holds as more Khandish troops fall, but the chariot is unstoppable... felling the Captain of Minas Tirith!

The final Khandish light horseman is surrounded in the ruins and pulled from his horse, ending the pressure on the Gondorian right flank..

The khandish Chariot crashes on its trail on destruction, the Gondorian left now sorely tested and looking to crumble...

Boromir is still engaged with the Easterling captain...

... as Faramir fights off the last Kataphract on the Gondorian right... finally cutting him down from his horse...

The battle rages on... the flank ruin is secure and the rangers can now look to move to reinforce the centre... and Faramir can start to try and turn the Easterling flank... The remnants of the Gondorian left, having dealt with the Khandish foot troops, now look to withdraw to the centre... away from the chariot threat...

...if they can lure the chariot that way, Boromir may be able to deal with it, that is our slim hope...

A brave Gondorian trooper charges the stalled chariot, impeding its charging movement, Faramir is starting to turn the Easterling line, but a kataphract moves up to threaten this bold move...

Can Gondor hold on...

The brave Gondorian who charged the chariot is dispatched, but Boromir has finally managed to fell the Easterling Captain in the centre.

And at that point the fateful chance cube comes to rest, showing battle is over this day... dusk has come and both sides withdraw...

Boromir stands holding the centre, with his brother Faramir close at hand...

The two Khandish war chieftains have crushed the Gondorian left...

You have fought well this day little brother!

-----o0o-----

And so ends our battle, a most enjoyable and brutal game. The casualties shown below...

The final victory point tally shows a slim victory to Gondor with final scores for casualties inflicted, and wounds suffered and fate points used up, by heroes as, 28 - 22, in Gondors favour. At the end, both sides were broken.

A thrilling game and we look forward to our next installment.

Andrew wants to bring his beautifully converted Dol Amroth army so I will be fielding the varied foul troops Mordor has to deploy....

Join us in a fortnights time for the next thrilling encounter!

Boromir - Captain of the White Tower

Boromir, son of Denethor, Captain of the White Tower...

Boromir, mighty warrior of the Garrison city of Minas Tirith, the Tower of Guard. Long has it dwelt under the shadow of Mordor, and long have its defenses held the darkness in check...

"By the blood of our people , are your lands kept safe!"...
                                                                                                   ... he's got point!

Here in full armour and shield, leader of the defenders of Osgiliath...

"... the city has been reclaimed,... For Gondor!..."

He will be a fine hero to lead my Gondorian forces, in engagements themed prior to his fateful participation in the Quest of Mount Doom....

High Fight skill and Defense...3 Attacks and Wounds, bags of Might , Will and Fate... but a fairly hefty points investment. And as ever The Horn of Gondor... so he can automatically win fights where he is outnumbered if his opponents fail a courage check...

I have managed to source the mounted version with banner also, thanks to Michal in Poland. Just need to track down the foot version with banner... anyone got one they'd part with, drop me a line...

The Battle of Pelennoo...

Having recently finished a few companies of Gondorians, it got me thinking again about the germ of an idea I had some time ago...

What do you get if you cross Pelennor and Waterloo, you get "Pelennoo"! ;-)

I have long wanted to put on a grand titanic battle between the forces of Good and Evil, Gondor and Mordor...

Rather than focus on the Siege of Minas Tirith, or the defence of the ruins of Osgiliath, though they are no doubt interesting too... I have always had an interest in the defence of the Rammas Echor and the subsequent withdrawal across the Pelennor...

I think the Battle of, or for, the Pelennor, is ripe for a little elaboration...

Several years ago I also rather enjoyed playing the PC game "Battle for Middle Earth". What struck me were the images of the walled farms for the Gondorians... for some reason this immediately put me in mind of the defensive features at the Battle of Waterloo; Hougemont,  La Haye Saint and Papelotte...

Gondorians Farms from the Battle for Middle Earth by EA Games

And thus the idea germinated of running a Lord of the Rings themed "Battle of Waterloo"... I doubt the idea is original, but its been floating about in my gray matter for many years now...

The Pelennor, or Pelennor Fields, as it is also known, is described thus on the Tolkien Gateway:

"The Pelennor Fields lay just outside the city of Minas Tirith, on the west bank of the river Anduin. The land ran down toward the river in slopes and terraces. The City of Minas Tirith was located on the southwestern corner of the fields, at the foot of Mount Mindolluin.

A road ran northeast across the Pelennor Fields to the Causeway Forts on the river bank; a distance of 12 miles. The North-way led from the City through the fields to the Forannest, or north-gate, before turning westward to become the Great West Road to Rohan. The South Road came from the southern provinces of Gondor and passed through the Pelennor Fields on the way to Minas Tirith. A number of other paths also criss-crossed the fields.

The Pelennor Fields were home to farmers and herdsmen who had barns, pens, livestock, granaries, and kilns for drying hops and malt which were located on the Pelennor. The fields were fertile farmland, with tilled fields, orchards, and small brooks flowing down to the Anduin."

Unlike the movie depiction of a vast endless grassy plain, from this we can get an idea that the Pelennor was indeed quite a large area, some 12 miles across, and yet is dotted with assorted farms and orchards, woods and streams etc etc...

So to recreate this idea, all I need to do is build three Gondorian style walled farms...

La Haye Sainte - Grey slate roof and white walls - cant get much more Gondorian than that!

... something like this:

Picture courtesy of Blood, Fire and Death blog

... but perhaps made more 1:1 scale with the model figures, for the skirmish nature of the game... and obviously more Gondorian in theme with arches etc etc...

And then make up the Battlefield with assorted woods and streams, hedges, fences, fields of corn and other crops, and other buildings dotted about, and paths and roadways linking them up...etc etc...

In the game, the strong points can be garrisoned by a mixture of Warriors of Minas Tirith, Osgiliath Veterans, Ithilien Rangers and various Fiefdom troops. The other Gondor forces deployed as if rushing to relieve the beleaguered garrisons...

Mordor's force would of course include all manner of orcs and trolls, and other elements of the forces of evil, Easterlings, Haradrim, Khandish troops... all ready for a titanic clash...

The arrival of the Prussians could be replicated by the arrival of the Rohirrim on the flank... the possibilities are endless, depending on how much you wish to stick to or vary from the written course of the story...

How you choose to play out the game, may vary depending on your end goal. Is this a what-if? To see if the Gondorians could hold out here and push Mordor back, a la Waterloo.. or should we more follow Tolkien Canon, and theme the overall battle as a fighting withdrawal to the relative safety of the walls of Minas Tirith?

Either way it would be an epic game of Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game... and something for me to aim towards in my collecting and painting...