Painting - Isengard

Hello All,

Got a bit more painting done, another Isengard Warband. This time with a Uruk-Hai Captain hero and his command guys.

Troops, need lots of these guys, especially Pikes. This is the second half of the 2 towers starter set I got from Duncan. Plan was to move on to the Rohan guys next but I decided now to do some Crossbows, think I will be able to finish them before I leave for Fall-In so that is a bit better.

The command guys, Captain, Drummer and Banner. These are from the fine-cast set which is not bad, but the banner pole was really bent so I replaced it with a brass rod. I really like the drummer going with his big leg bone. Couldn't find any rules for that so he might be just hitting people in the face with it.

Group shot. Starting to get a good amount of Isengard stuff painted now.

Pledge Status, 2017:

Bought: 371
Painted: 360 
Total: -11

Thanks;
Mike

Battle Report - Roast Mutton!

Hello Hobbits,

Today we played the first scenario for the Hobbit movie, which has ALL of the dwarves and Bilbo trying to fend off the trolls, Bill, Tom and Bert who want to have them for dinner. It's random game length starting at turn 6 and the Dwarves have to kill all the Trolls, or the Trolls have to kill or put in sacks all the Dwarves, else Gandalf turns them to stone and the game is a draw. Full disclosure the dwarves are about twice as much as the trolls, like 800 points to 400.

I set up my best shot at the Troll Shaws including the pony pen as best I could, donkeys had to stand in for 15 ponies...

Turn 1 Kili advanced and all the except for Dori and Nori come running to the rescue. Bilbo hid behind a rock because he doesn't really fancy fighting a Troll by himself.

I advanced up a bit with BIll on the lfet and Tom on the right. Hoping to throw some big rocks and beat a fighting withdrawl, Bert stayed close to his roast.

Next the Dwarves called a heroic march to run in, and Bill and Tom both tossed some rocks, scaring the Dwarves but not hitting any of them.

Next turn I lost priority, so Tom called a Heroic move so he could fall back and put only Thorin in charge range, Thorin declined the challenge and they all just moved up, with Dori calling a Heroic march. Balin and Dwalin moved in close to Bill.

Next turn I won the priority so Tom did another fighting withdrawl calling out just Thorin, who went for the battle this time. Another Heroic march was called to again move them in. Bert then Charged Gloin hoping to get him in the fire, and Bill charged Dwalin. Tom won his fight against Thorin and tossed him down the line knocking down a bunch of Dwarves but doing no wounds. Gloin managed to fight of Bert and dealt him a wound. On the other side Bill charged Dwalin and won the fight, then used the Mince em Fine brutal power attack and ripped him to shreds. Ready for a nice pie perhaps. So far things going rpetty well for the Trolls, can they keep up the momentum?

 

Next round the dwarves had priority again, and allot of them came in, generally passing their courage tests. The knocked down guys getting up and advancing. Against Bert were Kili and Gloin, Bert sneezed on GLoin dropping his fight but Killi called a Heroic Strike upping his. Bert lost the duel and was cruely cut down. To bad I really wanted to put Killi in the fire maybe next time!

Poor Tom had to fight a few guys and lost but just took 1 wound so not so bad. Bill also lost his fight against Balin Nori and Bofur, and took 2 wounds. I supose they were not happy about Dwalin getting killed. So things really fell apart there!

On to turn 5. Needing to polish things of as turn 6 could be the end, really all of the dwarves surrounded Tom (Killi, Filli, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, Oin and Bombur that is allot!). I really wanted him to win so he could jump up and down on all their smug faces! But he lost and was cut down, no wonder Trolls hate Dwarves so much. Bill only had to fight Balin, Nori, and Bofur, I thought I had more of a chance here but rolled poorly on the duel roll. Nori is pretty good with his big staff it seems, they managed to take the last wound off Bill so it was a victory for the Dwarves.

But Dwalin at least is dead so there is that!

Was a pretty fun game, but a bit overwhelming with so many dwarf heros with so much might and special powers, probably would have been more fun if they had them come in a bit more staggered. The Trolls of course could play for a draw by running back into the corners bu that is just lame!

Hope you enjoyed it!

Thanks;
Mike

Painting Update - Trolls!

Hello All,

Time for some more painting! This weekend I did the Trolls set, after reading the scenarios in the Hobbit rules book I somehow decided that the 'Roast Mutton' scenario with the Dwarfs fighting the 3 trolls sounds like allot of fun. Also I knew they had the set at FDB so I had to get it. Turns out they are really great models and I love them so good win. They also had some other stuff it turns out so I got that to ah well that happens.

Bill:

First up is of course Bill the so called leader of the group. He is the biggest and strongest of the trolls so makes sense. I decided their bases are pretty big so I decided to add some bits I had around. Bill got a nice pile of skulls from the trolls previous meals, and a discarded sword. 

Tom:

Then there is Tom, the middle Troll, with his rusty eat'n spoon. He got a pile of gold coins, not bad. The book says that he is an angry Troll, he has to pick on Bert but also defer to Bill which confuses and angers him, hah,

Bert:

Last but not least, or I guess technically least, there is Bert, the chef of the group. His base got a skull and some plants (I like skulls full disclosure). As you can see I have painted them allot more brown then in the movie, and added some blood effects, thought it came off pretty well.

Normally I hate painting big models like this, so I thought 3 at once would be a huge pain. But they were a breeze to put together and fast and easy to paint really. Really happy I got this set they are fantastic.

They get fun abilities in the game like roasting people on the fire and sneezing on them so sure to be a laugh.

Group shot:

One with Gandalf for scale, oh and you also get the giant campfire to roast mutton on. Seems that Bill is not happy with what Gandalf is saying. Possibly will come to regret messing with wizards...

Pledge Status, 2017:

Bought: 371 (Some Rohan Heroes and the Trolls)
Painted: 348 
Total: -23

Thanks;
Mike

Battle Report - Ambush near Erebor

Hello Folks,

Time for another Wednesday Wargaming Battle Report! This week we are playing The Lord of the Rings / Hobbit Game and Stan has joined us.

For this weeks scenario we are doing a bit of the I guess Northern War of the ring. Saruman has sent some forces on a raiding mission to see if he can steal some good metal from towns around the lonely mountain to improve his forces. They have ambushed a plucky group of dwarves, can take the loot right off their corpses!

Basically we have some of Thorins company that have survived and a few iron hills dwarves being assaulted in a modification of the Ambush at Ithilien scenario, this time the good guys must escape. We have Dwalin, Bifur, Bofur, Nori and Dori, facing off against an Uruk Hai Shaman, an Orc Captain, an Dundelanding Captain and their respective forces. We decided that good guys get a point for escaping heroes, and bad guys get a point for dead heroes.

Starting positions, Dwarfs way back in the village happily walking down the road and baddies everywhere. Orcs on the left, eveil men on the right, and Uruk-Hai down the middle.

Don't take long for things to start happening, evil men and orcs flanking, and Uruk Hai coming down the middle. I kept them a bit back so the dwarves could have a chance for a break out, not reallying wanting to just forces a scrum in the middle really.

The dwarves strike hard, the evil men are just melting away, and the heavy dwarven army proves very tough to crack indeed.

The Net closing in, some dwarves are tying up the orcs while Dwalin and the fighty types are just routing the evil men. Get a few kicks in there now and then, but all the might and fate from the hero dwarves are keeping them healthy.

The Uruk Hai berserk actually got the better of Dwalin here I think and had a chance to make some strikes. Other Uruk Hai taking there time to walk down the road.

Dwalin decides he has had enough of the captain of evil men, and just absolutely murders him with his big hammer. The Uruk Hai starting to come in thou. At this point the Dwarves have achieved the break through on the evil men, so they can turn it into a running battle if they want.

But feeling pressured they decided to form a shield wall instead. I guess that is a pretty dwarvish thing to do.

The Uruk Hai try to break through, and get some murder going. Picking battles with the berserker and pikes. I got a good solid wound on one or 2 of the dwarves and killed an iron hills guy but not much. Defense 8 is a bit much!

The Orcs fair a bit better eventually killing 2 iron hills dwarves.

But our forces dwindle and are eventually broken along with our sprit, being evil they are not super courageous.

So it is not long before we are routed. But although none of the Heroes died, also none of them escaped, so by our set up I guess it was a draw, or maybe we can say a minor win for the dwarves since they broke us.

It's really tough it seems to make scenarios with Thorins company, they are just so many points and that is allot of really solid heroes. They don't have any real weak links in there, the lot of them are 840 points for all 13! Probably would be better if we took the normal versions instead of the champions of erebor as they don't all ahve the crazy high defense.

Hopefully I will get the 3 trolls for Roast Mutton done soon and we can try that which should be great, otherwise I guess they will have to fight the elven  alliance!

Thanks;
Mike

Painting Update - Isengard

Hello All,

Just a quick painting update, some Uruk Hai to preview before their first game tomorrow. I had to set up for the battle so picture is a bit rough but oh well.

Just a simple warband with 10 Uruk Hai 5 shield and 5 pike, plus 2 Uruk Hai Berserkers, and a Shaman. The new version of the game lets you ahve 21 warriors for hero, actually kind of a cool way to paint stuff. Hopefully they are good at killing dwarfs!

Pledge Status, 2017:

Bought: 357 
Painted: 344 
Total: -13

Thanks;
Mike

Battle Report - Prestonpans

Hello Folks,

So this past week a few of us gathered at Duncans for a bit game put off by Ed. It was to be the Battle of Prestonpans, the heroic Jacobites would get the opportunity to murder some English, who doesn't love that?

Me and Duncan ended up with the Jacobites, they have big axes and nice blue hats, and Stan and Bruce commanded the English. The cavalry is just for show they are guarding against off board stuff so we don't command them.

Here is the initial starting points, lots of Scots ready to fight somewhat less English. The English have a gun for every guy, but less commanders and are not well prepared. Our guys have lots of commanders and not so many guns, but axes swords and anger.

Not to waste any time we surged forward, and the English had to shake out and reform there lines to try and stand for the battle. With some many commanders it was allot easier for us to keep everyone moving.

Not interested in wasting time my guys surged straight into a great punch up. Duncan decided to take some time and deploy into a line. My thinking was that as guys die there will be space for the next lot so no problem.

The attacks went rather well for us, the fire during the charge did some damage, but half my units became aggressive and gave more then they took. Allot of the English units fell back in disorder. On the other flank we took some fire but nothing major. The yellow cubes seem stand out allot, they are bad.

Next turn I drew a 2 so we had a bit less commands to work with, Duncan kept working on his line, and I doubled down on charging. If anything this round went even better.Some of my units are getting worn down, but they are having good fun stabbing guys in the back!

I think at this point the English artillery woke up, and absolutely murdered a unit, and musketry was starting to add up. We then drew an event card that some English colonel was ok and helping the fighting on our flank so that was giving a bonus to the English on my side, but to little to late.

Next turn I kept pushing in, the red coats are really boxed in and trapped, even the bonne prince is starting to get into it. The grenadiers shot a volley and routed a unit outright, but no big deal, I just moved some less important guys in front of them. After the artillery fire the scots on the others side started to advance as well.

Now we have all the Scots in a big fight, I am kind of cleaning up if we are honest, but allot of my guys have died as well, so there is a big danger of loosing momentum and the grenadiers are still standing there dealing out death. We got another big event this turn that put the French observers into the game! Bad news if your wearing a red coat.

The battles on Duncan's side went pretty well, the weaker English militia was pushed back, but the lines did a good job of shooting and stabbing it seems and there was not a huge amount of Scots left. I am still chasing down the English and trying not to be in front of the grenadiers. Rolling consistently well so the damage is adding up. The artillery is plugging away at the french, but its close range terror is not repeated and they aren't doing so much at long range.

A low angle shot so you can really see the murder, allot of blue hats and no so many red coats. At this point I decided to charge the grenadiers with 2 units and the bonnie prince.

This went about as well as could be expected, basically almost everyone died in the fighting and the stragglers fell back, us into the field, the grenadiers into the town.  At this point we called it as almost all of the English except the grenadiers were fleeing or dead. But we lost quite allot of our best troops as well, mainly it's the weaker guys that we have left.

Was a very fun game, quite the production as usual. Enjoyed the play of the axes and swords and the more standard musketry army. The English players may have a more dim view though I guess hah. Leave for them to add their comments below.

Thanks to Ed for organizing things.

Quick Edit, special close up shot of the Bonnie Prince himself!

Thanks;
Mike

Battle Report - Lord of the Rings!

Hello Folks,

Time for another Wednesday wargaming battle report! This week we are trying out the Lord of the Rings game (Hobbit Strategy Battle Game). I got a couple of forces done now, so time to give it a go. I choose the Reconnoiter scenario and figure we have 2 forces trying to slip past each other in a pass somewhere in the Ephel Duath mountains. Faramir and his boys want to check out Mordor, and the Orcs want to probe into Ithilien, some time before things really kick off.

The Forces were:

Faramir, Madril, Damrod and Cirion with a bunch of Warriors of Minas Tirish for me. Serge Had a Nazgul, 2 Orc Captains, and a bunch of orcs, I was a bit short so added some from another game. Both forces are at 400 points.

I set up a mountain pass with a river, big rocks and rickety bridges. The scenario is to get people off the far edge, so there are a few different routes, but lots of places to defend also. Could try to fight or be tricky and try to climb around seems fun.

Madril, Cirion and Damrod have no trouble coming on, and the same for 2 thirds of the Orcs. I am sending Madril and his force up the left to go under the bridge, Cirion and his guys to climb the ladder and defend the bridge, and Damrod and his archers up the rock to provide cover. The Orcs come up both sides.

Next turn Faramir and his guys come on and take the middle.The Orcs keep advancing, but their third force is slow showing up. I am splitting my guys up more hoping that 1 force can slip through while the other defend.

Getting into position now, Damrod has the archers in place, Cirion about ready to climb the ladder, others just pressing forwards.

Under the Bridge Famair and co are about to engage a bunch of orcs including their captain. I have allot less guys but the pass is narrow so it is harder for them to bring the numbers.

On top Cirion charges the Wraiths troops as he would. The Wraith tried a black dart on Madril down below but it was resisted, made me nervous thou!

The battles are mostly a push, but Damrods archers got a guy, and Famairs boys killed one under the bridge.

Cirion and his guys are doing a good job holding the line, and are actually killing a few orcs with minor casualties. The wraith is trying his tricks, but after a lucky first shot he is having a real hard time getting a cast off. Madril is moving up to form a line between the hut and the river.

After a couple of turn Faramir is heroic and cuts down the Orc Captain! His small group is taking some casualties, but doing more.

Cirion still holding firm, I seem to be winning that fight, but am in danger of being out number so Damrod and a couple of Archers move in to help out. Down Below Some orcs have moved around the rock to flank Faramir, this causes some problems but he is holding strong. Madril is just holding the line, happy to not fight all those orcs, they are trying to get him in the open.

The Archers take a crack at the Wraith, and get 4 hits! But no wounds, they are pretty tough it turns out! Damrod and Cirion and mopping up those orcs thou, the forces of Mordor are starting to hurt.

Down below Faramir and his guys have proven to be winners so the orcs disengage, they are not accomplishing much by being there, so the 3 flankers run for the edge, which they are close to. The last of Damrods archers run forward as well, but by now the orcs are broken and that is not good with such low courage. The wraith has spent all his will and gotten in a fight as well and was vanquished.

In the end the orcs broke, they were defeated below by Faramir and his guys, and above by Cirion and Damrod. The captain was doing a good job of killing Madril and his guys thou. The higher defense of the men of Minias Tirith and some good luck held the day. No one got off the table but the orcs are broke and their leader (Wraith has died). Faramir was wounded but not killed and his force is not quite broken, so a 6 to 1 for good.

I thought it was a real fun game, but easier when you win hah. More games of this upcoming for sure. Hopefully will be doing the goat meat scenario soonish with Bill Tom and Bert the trolls vs Thorins Company!

Let me know what you think.

Thanks;
Mike