Same two forces as the previous battle. 500pts each. 1 hero per side.
This is more of a photographic documentation of the battle than it is a battle report. I had great intentions to log all movements and specific kills etc but once I began playing I just wanted to get into the game instead of breaking the flow with each event. I stopped detailing on turn 2 and took photographs at turn 4.
Battle Overview
The over all tactics where straight forward for each force, shot as much as possible then get stuck in. Things where looking good for rohan as the closed in on the uruks, lashing them out of it with spears and arrows. Rohan dominated the priority phase for the first half of the game while the evil mostly got it in the latter turns.
We played for at least 7 or 8 turns, didn't use courage tests and only used M\W\F to add to dice scores and dodge wounds, still just getting use to the rules.
I forgot about the knock down rule for riders and the two-handed weapons rule for the berserkers also forgetting pikes cannot back up berserkers which lead to fatal mistakes later in the game...
pictures aren't all that great either, anyway...
Deployment
Force Break Down
These where the basic moves between turn 1 and 3, could be 4. The Rohan force did well in the shooting by taking out a Berserker and a few Uruks with shields. The Uruk Crossbows took out 2 warriors and a few Riders.
This is the Riders group that split up to tackle the pikes and uruk crossbows on the right side of the field. In the back ground one Rider lost his steed. While 5 Riders trapped 2 berserkers. The group of warriors with spears and shields to the left of the riders at deployment engaged the same unit of pikes that where attempting to aid the trapped berserkers.
This is the warriors of rohan (whats left of them anyway) that charged the 4 corssbow uruks and Lurtz, they had previously killed the berserker with arrow fire along with a few shield wielding uruks. In turn they where charged by the uruks with shields and pikes, the made short work of the warriors while the rest of the shield and pike uruks made way for legolas and the archers. You'll notice one lonely warrior trapped by 4 crossbow uruks in the background...
...poor git.
2 riders died by the pikes while the remaining 3 riders won over the berserker but failed to wound..
Panning back a bit to take a look at the uruks that charged Legolas and the archers. A good few uruks got put down by the hail of arrows and spears which meant less in combat
After the 4 corssbow uruks mangelated that one warrior they turned to face the combat ahead. Lutz and the uruks battled the last few warriors with shields.
Crunch! The 3 riders went straight for the berserker while his pikey friends attacked the riders back. The Crossbows in the background killed a rider and a warrior.
3 rohan warriors left from that unit of 10.
Legolas and the archers are quick to surround the few uruks that made it through the spears and arrows ("fighting in the shade..haha")
Lurtz and his machines of hate are also quick to surround the remaining warriors of rohan.
The evil general's berserker wins the combat against 3 riders and opts to split the dice between the 2 and rolls double 6's! slaying them both and sending to that great "thatched barn" in the sky.
The 3 warriors hold out and stand their ground against the uruks. I see a Rider there, he must have charged the back line of the pikes attacking those 3 warriors while the 5 Riders where attacking the 2 berserkers.
Arrows in their eyes, spears in their knee caps, surrounded by archers with Legolas and their still going.
Lutrz and co. pound the warriors into the ground, a lone warrior prepares to go down fighting...
Back to the Berserker and after killing 2 riders with one swoop of his rusted weapon he goes mental and charges the remaining rider, pikes attack the rider also while the 3 corssbow uruks make their way toward the combat.
At the same time uruks turn around to face the charging rider...
...while the 3 warriors continue to hold the line.
Legolas and the archers swarm in again on the few (hardy out) uruks.
Lutrz changed his mind and with the corssbows turned his attention towards Legolas while he let the boys finish the one warrior off.
The rider that attacked the pikes from behind fled that battle by jumping clear over the side of the tree mound, opposite him the rider facing the berserker lost the combat and made towards legolas...
...who still has to take care of one last uruk while preparing the warriors for a last stand. As he does the Uruks draw closer as the pursue the fleeing riders.
The boyz go to catch up with lurtz after they'd finished with the rohan warrior...
A lot of shots exchanged here as Lurtz moves in.
Both riders are locked in combat with the uruks who where chasing them while Lutrz and his force crash into legolas and the last few warriors...
...who courageously charge Lutrz in a last ditch effort to at least kill him.
One of the riders falls to the pikes and crossbows
More uruks smash into the warriors as the continue the fall under a crushing forest of iron.
The last rider looks to see Legolas fading into darkness before a uruk hacks the horses leg off sending the rider towards the tip of a pike, his body sliding down slowly as the uruk roars in victory....
"Hail the victorious dead..." "Hail!"
Man of the match
Took on 5 horses, killed 2, ran the another and manged to make it across to have a go at legolas's last stand...
...In saying that an honorable mention has to be given to this single archer for beating the berserker back who destroyed those two riders with one chop and also for standing back to back with legolas before all turned to silver glass...