well i had a great time with 3 of my friends yesterday and i just had to write a battle report about it. its my first proper battle report so enjoy
i was controlling my good old uruk hai
dave was controlling the elves
joe was controlling rohan
and nathan was controlling the goblins
we played 500 pts each
most of us are pretty experienced at lotr
we decided we were splitting the board down the middle for the first few turns
so basically having 2 seperate 500pt on 500pt battles to begin with at least until we'd annihilated each other. with the losers being the first to have both armies reduced to 25% or under.
on the left of the table started me with my isengard against the elves, (dave wanted revenge for a previous fight against me)
and on the right hand side the goblins lined up against rohan.
army lists:
isengard
1 uruk captain
5 zerker
18 uruk sword
10 uruk pike
8 crossbows
elves
glorfindel lord of west
8 high elf bow
8 high elf sword
8 wood elf bow
8 wood elf spear
8 wood elf elf blade
rohan
8 rohan sword+shield
8 rohan bow
8 rohan throw spear
8 Riders with throw spear
gamling with banner
eomer on horse
goblins
durburz
gob cap
goblin drum
cave troll
16 gob bow
16 gob sword + shield
16 gob spear
deployment
the elves deployed with a frontline of hE bows infront of the WE bows with half on each side of their board half and in the centre the classic WE sword front line and spear support, with the HE sword deployed 4 on each side of it just inside the bowmen and glorfindel just behind.
My uruk hai deployed in a standar phalanx dead centre with the wood elf line. first line uruk sword to protect the phalanx front line and the same on the flanks. I had 4 bezerkers and a captain as the front line of the phlanx supported by the pikes. Then the crossbows were placed on the right flank with a line of swords in front to protect them.
the goblins frontline deployed in 3 small groups with the centre having the captain of 8- 4 sword 4 spear at the front, behind on the right flank were the bowmen and then moving across was the cave troll next to the drum, durburz's squad and then another small squad on the left flank.
rohan deployed with the entire cavalry to their right flank and then a battle line of frontline throw spear and 2nd line swords, and then finally on their left flank were placed the bowmen.
1st turn
everybody just pushed forward at max speed possible, the only exceptions were the goblins who had decided they were the only ones that coould volley fire and so they would pick the enemy off at range. Also the rohan cavalry moved from the flank to behind the main rohan force.
the first loss of the game was a lone rohan bowman picked out by the goblin volley fire.
2nd turn
again this was just movement, in fact it was the only turn of the game when nothing was killed, my uruks x-bows and the elven bowmen and the rohan all moved into postions to fire on the next turn. The rohan cavalry had now switched onto the left flank and was preparing to start charging towards the goblin bows
3rd turn
this turn was all about the bowfire with a heated exchange of fire between the elves and the uruk hai crossbows with the elven bows only managing to score 2 deaths one of the phlanx's flank and one defending the crossbows. The crossbows however managed to kill 2 hgih elf bowmen. On the other side again the goblin bows failed to prove their worth while rohan bowmen picked off 2 goblins. The rohan cavalry began surging down the left flank towards the goblin bows and would be ready to charge the next turn.
4th turn
the battle lines were beginning to draw close and this turn saw the sides getting ready for the combat to ensue. this turn saw elven bowmen pick another 2 uruk sword and a crossbow from the formation while the crossbows managed to kill only one solitary high elf bow.
one the other side the goblins reformed just in time on their right flank sending in the cave troll and an extra squad of goblins and even managing to set up the goblin drum just behind the main battle line.
the rohan cavalry undeterred charged straight into the formation protecting the bows and promptly saw half the formation disappear mainly thanks to eomer.
5th turn
the uruk phalanx crashed into the middle of the wood elf line but only the front covering uruks actually in combat so there was no pike support meanwhile the elves began to flank around the phalanx's left flank. The elves on the left flank began to charge towards crossbows hoping to tie up half the formation at least for a few turns. This suceeded in distracting the crossbows as they all fired at this force and managed to kill a solitary elf while the elven bowfire ripped another 2 corssobws off the other flank of the crossbow force.
the goblins charged headlong into the rohan front line but some counter charges from the rohan with throwing spears accounted for some goblin losses. Overall the goblins had the better of the combat some help thanks to the drum. mean while the rohan archers had sneaked by the rukus and 3 of them managed to target the goblins drummers but only one found their mark and this didn't hurt the goblin as he danced out of the way at the last second during his tribal drumming.
Meanwhile the cavalry continued to charge through the goblins force on the flank and eomer broke through to attack the first line of the goblin bows. eomer again wading through the goblin force accounted for another 2 goblin deaths as the cavalry had the better of the turn and took only one loss.
6th turn
with the phalanx still unable to get it's frontline of bezerkers into combat due to the uruk's high defence meaning they weren't killed so easily even by being struck at by between 2 and 4 strikes a turn. The elven bowmen and high elf swords on the right flank swamped into the phalanx from it's side and glorfindel lead so spare elves to begin flanking the opposite side of the phalanx. This all led to the uruks being stuck in a block while half of them couldn't even get into combat. The elves heading for the crossbows got to combat and managed to get all but two of the force in combat. The remaining crossbows fired at the elven bow team causing 2 more wounds leaving the formation with only 3 elven bowmen left and this failed to manke an impact. 2 of the elves were taken care of in combat while the third was forced back.
Meanwhile the cave troll entered combat with the cavalry on the far side supported by half of durburz's sqaud that had left durburz and the squad to take care of the rohan bowmen. again eomer charged at the regrouping goblin bowmen and managed to defeat a whole 6 in combat and slay 4 of them. The rohan main line however was not faring so well with the support of spears and sheer numbers of the goblins beginning to overwhelm them.
7th turn
the uruk phalanx was finally able to get it's frontline exposed so that they could get the bezerkers into combat, the only trouble was by this time the phalanx was surrounded on the sides and even slightly at the rear with most of the pikemen now in combat. The elves combined higher fight value,number advantage and the presence of glorfindel was something that was near impossible to stop, this was the point when i realised that i was going to d osomething extra special to beat the elves now. On the other side exchanges of bowfire caused on losses on either side while the few uruks sword still couldn't take care of the the lone high elf sword.
Meanwhile the goblins were heavily outnumbering the main rohan force and they were shielding just to survive. The cave troll proved more than it's points as it took down gamling single handed and the goblins lead by durburz ripped through the remaining cavalry and bowmen. eomer for the first time lost a combat and was forced to use all his might and fate to live through the combat.
Turns 8 and 9
the uruks were finally completely surrounded and spread very thinly the first turn they managed to regroup and had a decent combat killing as they regrouped around their tired wounded leader. The 2nd of these turns saw the elves resurround the uruks and forced them literally into a fighting circle. Turn 8 finally saw the end of the pesky swordsman that had plagued the crossbows and their cover, while the crossbows that could fire failed to do anything. Turn 9 had seen the uruk force broken but the uruk captain rallying his forces in what was left of the phalanx. the crossbows without a leader half of them decided they had had enough and ran off with what was left of their cover. The elven bow force meanwhile saw it's oppportunity and had 2 turns of firing at goblin drummers but failed to make an impact.
These turns saw the goblins completely crush all of the rohan force with only eomer surviving because he had charged deep through the goblin line, and in turn 9 he rode off across the battlefield towards what was left of the crossbow force.
turn 10 and 11
the uruk captain had again bravely marshalled his force but being surrounded he was the only member of the phalanx to see out turn 10. The crossbows again decided they had enough and fleed leaving only 2 crossbows which were cut down the same turn by the scared but rampaging eomer. All this meant that the uruk captain was the only uruk to see turn 11. Facing off against 11 dice rolls of the elves unfortunately the captain lost and being surrounded suffered 22 rolls to wound 4 of these succeeded which was more than enough to see off the last of my force
the goblins picked up their drum and most of their force headed off to face glorfindel and his elves. while durburz and his squad with cave troll in tow went off to finish eomer.
ironically it was this same turn that eomer had to spend all of his will to stop him failing his courage test which had the goblin drum been still playing he would have failed.
some of the elves were beginning to regroup and the last of the bow force and them entered combat with the goblins led by the captain. This combat ended pretty evenly wiht no substantial losses on either side
durburz and company were still heading toward eomer and he turned and rode back to meet a slightly spread out force.
turn 12
all of the elves turned towards the goblins and glorfindel and a few elves entered the combat with this decent sized goblin force.
the combat went badly for the goblins and the elves managed to cut down 6 goblins 1/3rd of those killed by glorfindel, while the goblins managed to kill 2 elves.
durburz and co were still hunting eomer and neared down on him as he turn ended.
turn 13
at the start of this turn both of the forces had just been reduced to under half strength so began to take half force tests. Durburz and the captain passed easily and held both squads firmly together. Whereas 2 of the elves abandonded the battlefield. Glorfindel though held the elves near him very well. This turn saw some of the bloodiest combat of the game as the goblin captain and glorfindels squads clashed and there were many wood elves and goblins slain but the goblins certainly had the better of the combat.
meanwhile eomer had charged the goblin drum team hoping to take them out before they could use it again, but only to have durburz counter charge and beat him in combat.
turn 14
with goblin priority durburz cave troll and all charged into eomer and finally ripped him apart and caused an amazing 6 wounds on him from 8 strikes. Durburz had again held his company fimly together.
with the goblins heavily outnumbering the elves ready to charge into combat victory looked all but wrapped up for the goblins, then sudennly the capatain failed his courage test and fleed and with him went over 3/4's of his force, he had failed his roll by 1 had the drum been playing he would have passed. This left about 5 goblins out of about 16 left to face the elves. These few brave goblins charged into the few elves that were left.
With 12 elves left going into the turn the elves were only 2 models away from going down to 1/4 force. one of the elves failed his test and ran. Glorfindel held the few around him together easily. a party of 4 elves on the far side all passed 3 of which rolled 5 which again would have meant they would have failed had the drum been playing.
the few goblins in combat faced off against the last few elves hoping that they could kill one of the elves to force a draw after all, alas luck was not on their side as only 2 of the remaining 5 goblins won and rolled a one and a three and so to wound their high elven opponents. So after all of that the elves commanded quite well by dave managed to win by one model- all i can say is well done to him and he was damn lucky.
it probablly gave me a few more ideas to think about regarding my uruk hai tactics, a bit of advice may help
but i have to say nathan wielded the goblins brilliantly for the most part and i believe probablly deserved to win it. I also learned quite a bit about how to beat rohan and cavalry more easily and learned more about swarm tactics. I think i probablly performed alright but maybe was a bit unlucky and if only dave had targeted the front of my phalanx so it could get into combat properly and my crossbows had been a bit more lucky it could have been a huge evil victory. But it's all what ifs
In the end though it was a good game played in great spirits involving over 150 models and was one of the blooiest battles i've ever played or seen and is one i will remember for a while.
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