So, a friend of mine built the Deeping Wall with the intention of using it in WOTR (no one in our group likes the SBG, but a good number of us play the larger scale). We were trying it out tonight, and realized fairly quickly that the rules, as laid out in the rulebook, required a bit of tweaking to get it to work in the idea of an actual siege. I know the SBG has a siege ruleset, but, as I said, we want to stick with WOTR. So, we started brainstorming, as we were playing, some changes/additions to the game, and we were hoping we could get some input from other people.

So, in no real sense of organization, here's what we came up with-

-Attacker gets priority every turn until 25% of formations have a presence on the wall (only one company is needed to count for this).

-All attacking infantry formations are assumed to have ladders to scale the wall with. In order to use the ladders, the formation must have a company in base contact with the wall at the beginning of the Charge Phase. Roll 2d6 for each company in base contact with the wall- for each roll of 10 or higher, one ladder is put up, allowing one company to get into base to base. Standard supporting company attacks will apply for the attackers. You can attempt to get more ladders up the following turn, but any companies that try to will not be able to support the main attack.

(Special Rule related to this- Goblins can, instead of using ladders, charge directly up the wall. Roll for the charge as normal.)

-Two companies of defenders will get to retaliate against any 1 company attempting to get up the wall. While the attacker is scaling the wall, defenders will get a +2 bonus to their Defense.

-At the end of combat, take a Panic check as normal. If the Defenders won, use the standard chart. If the Attackers won, replace the 'Courage test or suffer hits equal to margin of failure' with 'Courage test. If failed, one company of Defenders is driven off the wall, and Attacker can immediately replace it with one company.'

-Once on the wall, Defenders and Attackers can charge one another as normal. However, to make things simpler, if a Defender and Attacker company are touching flanks, they can charge and are considered to be attacking to the front. While on the wall, there is no penalty for flanking.

-Walls can be attacked by artillery, monsters and sappers. Walls have a defense of 8, a Fight of 0 and a number of hits depending on the scenario (we did 15 hits for the Deeping Wall). Monsters attacking a wall in close combat will get their full number of attacks and bonuses for Fight Value. If a section of the wall is destroyed beneath a company of defenders, the company is destroyed as the rubble falls on them. The pile of rubble is counted as difficult terrain.

-Gates can be attacked by everyone, have a defense of 5, and 10 hits. Heroes can restore 2 hits to a gate by burning 1 Might point.

-The Balrog, Stone Giant and Ents can climb up the wall to attack the defenders directly. Smaller monsters (Trolls, for example) can only attack the top of the wall if they go through a siege tower.

What do you think? Any suggestions or tweaks you would make?

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The secret to Elves being Terror causers, isn't that they're scary. They're so shiny they blind you.

Looks great!
I'd be interested to see how it works out. Me and Bairchoro have been experimenting with different objective based scenarios, so this kind of stuff sounds like a lot of fun.
One thing you could add if the gates are going down too quickly is to say that the gates have thrown weapons. By that I don't mean the gates themselves, but the defenders above them. They can throw rocks, spears, or whatever they can get their hands on at the attackers, kind of like what you see in the second movie. Might make assaulting the gate a little more interesting.

Interesting ideas.

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TO9G - 2010 Isengard

Actually I am waiting for next month's White Dwarf. In the second part of the Blood and Sand campaign, they were talking briefly about a Haradrim fortress for the big campaign finale, so I'm guessing they have to incorporate a basic siege rule somehow.

Should gates be a bit tougher, but is brought down quicker with battering rams?

In any case, I like you ideas and I too want to play a siege when I have enough models.......and a complete fortress to fight over!

I like your writeup of the alternate rules. It sorta captures the spirit of the SBG ones and tries to apply them to companies instead of individual models.

As for gates being able to be attacked by everyone, I'm doubting it. Sure people can "ram" or "force open" the doors, but I'd try to go more for a STR vs STR contest of sorts similar to what's in SBG. If you combined STR of the companies in contact with the gate is equal to or greater than the defender's, you force the gate open.

Obviously a single company of strong guys could hold up an attack indefinately so this might not be a properly game designed suggestion.

I just find it weird that with hacks and slashes, some lowly infantry could "destroy" a gate.