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Isengard Assault! 600 pts
Combatants:
jdizzy - Gondor- Leader: Gandalf the white
chiefhugh- Isengard Leader: Uruk Capt
Scenario: hold ground!
Turn 1
Priority: jdizzy
As agreed the night before, Boromir, Captain of Osgiliath and Faramir along with his men (8 veterans and 3 rangers of osgiliath) enter from the North side of the field. Gandalf the White, atop Shadowfax entered from the west. The wizard attempted to cast a blinding light but the anxiety he felt overwhelmed his ability to cast. He could feel the spell fizzle before he uttered the magical words.
Emerging from the Isengard encampment came the Uruk Capt from the east. On the southend of the field by the water wheel, emerged Sharku and his warg riders. Along their side marched Verasku and his regiment of crossbowmen along with a handful of Feral Uruks to support them. The uruks looked around as if they were expecting someone else, but no one arrived.
Turn 2
Priority: jdizzy
Gandalf closed his eyes and focused. He attempted to conjure up a blinding light. Again, his nerves bested him and his spell failed. Despite his lack luster efforts, the wizard spurred his horse onward. Faramir and his men (F company) begin heading southwest.
The uruks begin to mobilize, despite their missing ally. Varasku and his men (V company) converge near the guard tower while Sharku and his lads (S cavalry) charge forward. Again, the missing warband fails to arrive.
Turn 3
priority jdizzy
F company splits their ranks and the 3 rangers step forward. Along side Faramir, they draw their bowstrings. All four archers loose their arrows into Sharku's warg. Faramir takes a moment and takes careful aim (uses 1 might) and fires. The creature writhes in pain, throws Sharku to the ground (who lands unscathed) and dies. Boromir turns and flashes a smile at his brother. He then counter charges cavalry S. Gandalf races forward preparing to cast a spell. Again, his rising anxiety impedes his ability to conjure up a terrifying aura.
Amongst the hustle and bustle Faramir turns his head to see an additional company of Uruks approaching from the rear! Lead by a shaman the uruks form ranks. V company and S cavalry close in.
Turn 4
Priority: chiefhugh
The Shaman raises his staff above his head. In the black tongue of mordor he utters a vile incantation (Channeled fury). The members of his company feel vitalized and confident knowing their master has graced them with his protection. The uruks race forward and engage Faramir's Osgiliath Veterans. The pike bearing uruks form ranks, stacking 3 deep against the few veterans. Fear grips them, but thy summon their courage and stand strong, protecting the rangers who take aim at the charging wargs.
From afar Gandalf spies his companions in peril, "Ride Shadowfax, show me the meaning of haste!" he says. The white wizard raced across the plains. Fearing for the life of his companions he mustered up the will to cast a blast of arcane energy. As a Maia should, he released a solid blaze of arcane energy. It tore through the uruk ranks knocking down foe and friend alike! Six uruks fly back. What should have been a lethal blow only kills 1 uruk. Gandalf casts a glance to the shaman. The uruk flinches as he absorbs the pain inflicted upon the uruks. Two veterans found themselves on the ground as a result of Gandalf's blast. They quickly get up from the ground and prepare to fight. Among the fallen uruks, F company begins to work death among them. Despite their best efforts the Shaman's shield absorbs blow after blow. Only 1 uruk perishes, along side a courageous Veteran.
Turn 5
Priority: jdizzy
Formations regroup. Faramir falls in with his veterans, leaving the rangers to hold off the wargs. Despite their best efforts their arrows find no marks. From afar the uruk crossbowmen loose bolt after bolt only to miss their marks. Among his veterans, Faramir of F company clashes with an uruk, dispatching it quickly. Likewise the uruk shaman, supporting a swordsman, finds strength from the banner of the white hand behind him and with a twisted spear, skews another veteran, "We can not lose any more men. Fight on!" says Faramir.
With a grin on his face Boromir charges 2 warg riders. Not to be left out of the skirmish, two additional warg riders change the vector of their path and junction with boromir's thirsty blade. Boromir lets loose a blast from his mighty horn. It's effect seems nullified by the din of battle. Despite this set back, Boromir begins to deal the work of death. With a *mighty* strike (uses 1 might), Boromir thrusts his blade into 2 wargs, throwing their riders. The first orc drops his shoulder and rolls to his feet. The second, caught off-guard by Boromir's ferocity, loses his balance, falls from his dying warg only to be crushed under its hulking mass. "FOR GONDOR!" shouts Boromir.
Turn 6
Priority: jdizzy
F company falls back to regroup, these veterans have faced many foes, but none so strong as the uruks. Even with their greatest efforts two more of their ranks fall. From behind the line of F company, the rangers loose another volley of arrows, felling another warg. In a fit of rage Varasku looses 2 bolts and downs one of the rangers. Beneath a puddle of blood, the ranger slips beyond the halls of Mandos. Still surrounded by the warband of warg riders under Sharku's leadership, Boromir strikes furiously at the horde. Another blast from his horn fail to shake his foes.
With valor to burn, Boromir strikes again and again (burning 3 might) dealing death at every stroke. Two more wargs fall to his blade. The fallen wargs throw their riders, one lands on the ground but quickly rebounds. The second falls from his mount but fails to tuck in his shoulder. The orc lands on his neck at a sharp angle, his body goes limp.
Turn 7
Priority: jdizzy
With the converging uruks and their mounting strength, Gandalf raises his staff. Feeling the powers of the Valar flow through him, the wizards blasts the uruk ranks again sending another uruk reeling into 3 of his companions. The blast proved too much for two of the uruks who shake off the otherwise deadly blow. The shaman shutters in pain as he absorbs the uruks pain. However, the other two are not as fortunate, falling prey to gandalf's blast, they lay lifeless on the ground. This provides F company with the time they need to regroup and move closer to the objective. From below the guard tower Varasku and his crossbowuruks release a volley, their bolts find their mark. But again, fate intervenes and Faramir, who should have died, is only wounded. Seeing F company's desperate situation, the rangers fall into formation to lend their blades. The shaman's uruks still on their feet engage with F company. In a bloody retreat two veterans fall.
Boromir, closer to the objective, but still too far to make a difference, is heavily engaged with Shaku's lads. Varasku's feral uruks have joined the fray. Their ferocity nearly overwhelms the bold warrior. But fate steps in, three times. Boromir emerges unscathed. "I will not fall while the white tower stands!" he yells.
Turn 8
Priority: chiefhugh
In a desperate attempt to take the objective, Faramir calls heroicly, "with me!" (1 might) He attempts to move, only to see the Shaman raise his vile spear, "Don't let them escape!" (1 might) The uruks charge and clash with F company in a bloody mess, more of the veteran's fall. From Faramir's trained eye, he can see, the Veteran's will not last much longer. Gandalf, occupied by supporting F company he failed to notice a warg rider coming to close. The orc engages, but with the Foehammer in hand, gandalf dismounts the orc and slays the warg. "Impressive for a wizard!" hisses the orc. Boromir, fighting for life and limb drops another orc and a feral uruk.
Turn 9
Priority: chiefhugh
"I must protect Faramir and his men!" Gandalf (Heroic move) races away from his orc pursuer and releases another sorcerer's blast. The blast of arcane energy knocks back 4 uruks. The Shaman's Shield protects three of them. One uruk falls lifeless to the ground. F Company regroups and falls back (heroic move). Faramir squares his shoulders and prepares for the next assault. The uruks charge and crash into F Company. A ferocious clash ensues, Faramir and his troops swing and fight. With great effort they prevail. All but one. The second ranger falls, and with that goes the Gondorian's will to fight. Now broken, Faramir fears the assault has failed. From afar, Boromir's rage knows no bounds. With great force Boromir crosses blades with another volley of uruks. With great skill and finesse, Boromir downs another orc and an additional Feral Uruk.
It was then from over the field the Gondorians heard their demise. Their time was up. They had a small window for success, but their window closed. The uruk reinforcements arrived and the Gondorians were captured.
Yes, I rolled a 2 which ended the match after my force broke. Unfortunately, I was distracted by the shaman and his uruks who flanked F company. Instead of running, I engaged them and it cost me the match. I failed to reach the objective before breaking and once the points were tallied, chiefhugh walked away with 6 points and I held 0.
Awards:
- For battle prowess and force of arms. The offensive award is given to Boromir, Captain of Gondor.
- For skill in defensive magic, the Defensive award goes to the Uruk Shaman, whose Channelled fury saved the lives of 6 Uruks.
- For situational awareness and great battle tactics, the Tactical Award goes to Gandalf the White for the use of his Sorc blast which saved F Company for 6 rounds allowing them to move closer and closer to the objective.
Lessons learned:
- Osgiliath Veterans are good, but your WMT type soldiers should always have spear support.
- Gandalf on a horse = Awesome mobility and spell superiority!
- Boromir, Captain of Gondor (Hvy Armor boromir) is a force to be reckoned with. He is extremely powerful and for 180 points you will be hard pressed to find a better power house. For nearly the entire match he took on an entire warband, by himself! His horn only worked once, but even still he killed 2 or more baddies every turn! Yes Gorn could do this too, but at a much higher point value.
- Channelled Fury is worth the extra will to cast. It saved 6 uruks which is the equivalent of 60ish points (IE 6 extra uruks on the field) for 1 will, or 5 points.
This was a great match to play and even though I lost, I finally got to play boromir and gandalf together.
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