The High Seat
In the hill region of South Ithilien the Amon Lithui(Hill of Ash)stands an impressive crag of granite thrust up above the gently rolling grassy hills. From its top the surrounding area is visible for leagues around.
Company A of the 3rd Minas Tirith Watch is on one of it patrols in the increasingly contested region of S.Ithilien to climb to the High Seat and scout the region.
What the rolling hills don't show is a band of Neithranrims,cruel men from Nurn in service to Sauron who even now approach the rugged path to the High Seat.
The 3rd Game in the series was rolled up as a create your own Scenario. We rolled up a take the objective type game.
Victory is determined by who has troops within 3" of the objective(the path to the High Seat)at the end of the game. If both sides do its a draw.The game ends when one side goes over 50% casualties.
The Terrain Generator provided for Hill country plus the crag and a stream. The Board thus has a spring in its lower middle area with the stream flowing off the board in a westerly direction. The Craig is in the upper right area, the path ,the only way up is on its left side.
The Generator provided that the WoMT Company would start in an 8" deployment zone on the western edge of the board,while the Neithranrims will start in a 12" deployment zone just behind the Craig on the right on the Eastern edge of the board.We rolled off to see if the Craig or the Spring would be the objective & the Craig won, then Evil won the roll for the table edge that was closer to the Craig.
The Neithranrim are more ICE fluff,I use the plastic Orcs with picks & shields to represent & of course a human paint job.They have the same stats as a MoG.
The Sides:
Minas Tirith Company
Araglas-Sergeant-spear/shield Belm-spear/shield Cirion-spear/shield Damron-spear/shield Eillron-spear shield Finlas-bow Gelorn-bow
Nurn Company-Neithranrim
Arra-Ujak-war pick/shield Bega-war pick/shield Carn-war pick/shield Deekp-war pick/shield Emed-war pick/shield Fetta-war pic/shield Grtth-bow Hussa-bow
The Battle:(our random terrain & placement generators have deployed our Companies so they can't see each other,thus our home rule is that both companies must deploy in single file. Good within 8" of the West edge & Evil within 12"of the East edge)Good wins the roll & goes first.
Araglas felt the sweat roll down between his shoulders as the Company marched along in file in the warm sun ,South Ithilien was beautiful with its rolling hills but its gentle climate made marching in heavy armor a task. Still he knew the Company felt good to be out of Minas Tirith for a change.Well once they got to The High Seat on Amon Lithui it would be cooler.
Suddenly the point archer Finlas froze silent stopping the column,Araglas looked in the direction the archer pointed to see a column of troops already breaking into skirmish formation just to the right of the crag on which the High Seat stood. Araglas barked his orders & the Gondorian column broke into battle formation the spearmen forming up so as to support each other.
The Nurn Company Ujak,Arrz reacted quickly to the enemy troops ,he sent his rear bowman Hussa along with warriors Fetta & Emed to cover the path to the High Seat ,Deepk was ordered to get to the High Seat.The rest of the Company moved up to block the Gondor troops.His point bowman Grtth loosed on the Gondorian barking orders & hit true staggering the man but not stopping him. In turn Arrz had a return shot glance off his shoulder & watched another fall short.
Araglas saw the Nurn forces taking the path to the High Seat & the others screening its only approach but he couldn't help that now, he kept his troops in tight formation & advanced toward the nearest enemy forces.The archers on both sides now had their ranges but with armor & shields the hits were ineffective.
The Nurn forces were moving swiftly, Deepk was up up the path to the first ridge just below the High Seat,Hussa was following up the path,Fetta & Emed came forward to form a skirmish line in front of the enemy with Carn & Grtth, Arrz & Bega charge Finlas.Eillran supports Finlas who is now using his sword,the Archer is cut down & Eillran is forced back.
The melee is now joined as Arrz & Bega charge the archer Gelorn,Fetta & Emed charge Araglas & Cirion,Emed charges Cirion.Hussa joined Deepek on the ridge & Fetta & Grtth now fall back toward the path up the crag,Eillron charges Arrz. The resulting fighting sees Eillran pushed back,Gelorn pushed back,Emed cut down & Araglas staggered by Fetta but stays up(fate point)
Araglas now pushes the attack,charging Arrz supported by Belm,Cirion supported by Damron charge Carn,and Gelorn supported by Eillran charge Bega.Hussa makes his climb to the High Seat and Fetta charges Cirion to help Carn,Grtth begins to move up the path to the Craig. The combat is intense as Arrz is driven back by a mighty thrust from Araglas that just missed killing him(Fate Point) Cirion & Damron are forced back & Bega is pushed back.
Both sides have little room to move now Arrz & Fetta charge Araglas,Carn charges Cirion, Brga returns to the attack on Gelorn.This time Arrz is cut down by Araglas,Carn is thrown back & Bega meets his end.Nurn now is fighting to hold on, Fetta charges Araglas,Carn charges Cirion.The Gondorians with a little breathing room send Gelron & Eillran toward the path to the Craig both Fetta & Carn are again repulsed.
Grtth moves on to the first ridge with Deepk to defend the upper path while Fetta & Carn move back to cover the entrance to the path,Hussa & Grtth exchange shots with Gelron & Hussa is shot down from the High Seat.
Araglas moves his men up quickly toward the path,Gelorn & Eillran charge Fetta & he finally goes down....Now however the low sounds of Mordor battle horns are heard.Araglas can't afford to try to fight his way up the path against the stubborn Nurns.He orders a pull back & the area of Amon Lithui will remain contested.
A Draw.
Game follow up:
Gondor Company Soldiers get 4 Experience points? (3 for causalities,1 game) Araglas gets 3 Experience points 2 causalities + 1 draw.Company Influence 3-2 game+1 for Draw. Finlas fully recovered.
Our best game to date the armor & shields of both sides kept us hacking away. Actually once the Nurns got on the objective Gondor was lucky with a draw. If on turn 9 another Nurn was lost the game would have ended with no Gondor troops within 3" of the objective & a Nurn victory..
OD
_________________ Baruk Khazad!
Khazad aimenu!
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