After the first attempt of the wraiths, failed to sneak past the Dunedain defending the border of the Shire, a more concerted effort was required and where stealth had failed, brute force would be tried...
This time it's 9 Dunedain vs 9 Ringwraiths, though they are all still at a weak level of power...
The Dunedain start with 6 on their side of the table, representing the Shire Border. The other three are in hot pursuit of the wraiths, heading up from Sarn Ford. They will arrive on the opposite board edge, the same one as the wraiths start entering from... The wraiths come on D3 at a time, per turn.
The wraiths must get more than half their number, at least 5, past the Dunedain and off the western board edge to win. They lose if they fail to achieve this...
The board is set, the pieces begin to move...
The brave men of the Duendain have pushed themselves to the limit to track the wraiths and warn their brethren at the shire border, actually getting past the wraiths and all arriving ahead of them... (Chris rolled well!)
The first wraith also arrives, deciding to skirt the rocks to the north... (just out of shot)
Sensing dark forces approaching, with the warning from their compatriots, the border defenders advance, and not a moment too soon as three more wraiths arrive behind the first...
Their warning conveyed, the Sarn Ford Dunedain move across through the rocks to engage the wraiths, but the first is a little too eager and suddenly finds himself assaulted out of the gloom by 3 wraiths at once... as another 3 wraiths arrive led by the Witch King of Angmar!...
However with skill and pluck the Dunedain bests his foes, and strikes one down! (Chris won the fight roll, despite my 3 dice to his one, and then rolled a 6 to kill the wraith!)
Not deterred by this surprise loss, the wraiths press on and engage the Dunedain who have now surrounded their approach. Two wraiths together manage to strike down one ranger, as yet another strikes down his ethereal foe ( Another 6 from Chris!)
The last two more wraiths arrive, as the wraiths to the fore press forward again...
But the Dunedain will not be deterred and keep the pressure on the wraiths, trying desperately to keep them from the Shire, even at the cost of their very lives...
..a further ranger has arrived from Sarn Ford ( Dunedain get to recycle their casualties), who is promptly charged and pinned against the rocks by the last 2 newly arrived wraiths!
And yet the Valar must truly be shining their benevolence upon these doughty men... as those wraiths who manage to defeat their foes, fail to inflict any harm upon them ( I keep rolling 1's to wound), and yet another wraith is dispelled to the ether...
The wraiths are sorely pressed, and their hopes of forcing a way past the blessed Dunedain, are rapidly slipping away...
Brave men continue the fight against their shadowy foes, and one more fell creature falls to their dancing blades and righteous might!
Beaten back once more, the Witch King retreats his remaining forces into the gloom. Unable to force a way directly into the Shire, the Witch King will have to find other means, and will canvas his other spies in the area to learn what he may... perhaps another chance will come to find the current bearer of The One Ring... and perchance catch up with him on some dark and lonely path...
-----o0o-----
Well that turned to custard pretty quickly! Chris got full reinforcements immediately (rolled a 6) and almost every dice he rolled thereafter turned to gold. I tried lashing off a few Drain Courages and Transfixs but for the most part they failed or were resisted. I think I managed to kill 2 Rangers all game, despite only needing 4s to wound... and they recycled back into the game almost immediately.
I didn't try 'Cry of the Nazgul', as the Dunedain in this mission could re-roll failed courage checks and forgot to use it in the first game, where it might actually have been useful; if I could have 'frozen' out the rangers for one turn I might have got past them... [Edit: Actually just double checked - they don't get 'Cry of the Nazgul' in this scenario, presumably because they are all there!]
I am also thinking rather than trying the easier to cast but less effective wraiths spells, I may as well have just tried firing off Black Darts... 9 goes at getting a 5 each turn, should see some success...
Oh well, back to the drawing board for the Witch King... and a gleeful son smiling at two solid defenses in a row... those Dunedain are a tough nut to crack...
I am not sure how well balanced these scenarios are, but they are fun and themed nicely to the tale...
