For this Scenario, I wanted to test out some rules for compelling or forcing a model to go somewhere, along with the option of knocking an opponent unconscious. As such, the story developed roughly as this:
A group of children of men staying with the elves had snuck out to a village to the north. To the horror of the elven guardians, a strong force from the north was moving into the town on its way to their stronghold a few days journey on.
Fearing their young charges would be taken captive by the evil men, a lesser force of elves lead by Elrond and Glorfindel set out to retrieve the disoriented children before they were stolen away by the evil men of the north. Victory was to be achieved by moving the children to within 6” of the edge of the board controlled by either player.
Army lists:
The elves formed assault 3 teams anchored in the center by Elrond with an extraction team of heavily armoured elves with glaives. Glorfindel on his mighty steed held the right flank with a ballanced force, while a captain with a heavily armoured troupe with glaives held the left flank. Taking up the rear was a large force of Archers lead by Legolas and Haldir, both lethal with a bow.
The plan was to move Elrond as quickly as possible and if need be Glorfindel could rush in with his horse to beat the foot race. The flanks would hold while the extraction team retreated with the children to the archers rear guard.
Total points: 1100
The Evil men positioned their critical leadership in the center with a banner, a king (Denethor with sane mind) and one of their mighty men represented by Boromir. They were supported with a guard of their trusted veterans and a block of archers. On their left was another of their mighty men represented by Isildur and a band of evil men with shields (MON) and a few mounted men. (KOMT). The undead with teir king moved ahead of the command squad and the right flank was made up of a captain and two companies of evil men, some armoured (MOM) and some not (MON). Horses offered them a pincer movement as well.
The men’s strategy was to envelop the children and use brute force on the left flank to push Isildur through to cut off any possible retreat for the elves.
Total points: 1400
Special Scenario Rules:
Of the four children, the evil men were only interested in 1, a descendant of Isildur. The other three children could be expendable but the one could not be killed or no one wins.
Each turn the players would roll off to see who could move the children, they had to move as one unit and could not charge or throw stones or fire bows. This represented their cunfusion. The children also moved first before either player, each round.
If models were in contact with the one child, in order to compell or force the model to move, the players models in contact had to have a total fight value higher than all enemy models in base contact as well. If so, the controlling player could move the children as many inches as difference in fight values, up to a maximum of the movement of the model in contact. ie, a man can move up to 6” if there is sufficient difference in fight value.
If there are no enemy units in base contact, the child takes a courage test. If passed, he resists the evil side and they can only move half their distance, or he moves full distance with good models. If failed, he moves the full distance with the evil models and half distance with good.
Due to this movement benefit, the Evil men were given a 300 pt lead on the elves.
The Battle:
The first few rounds of the battle saw volley fire that was mostly ineffective from both sides while the armies positioned themselves in response to one anothers movement. The children on the other hand ran towards the evil force, making the job of the elves that much harder. Seeing the advancing men, Glorfindel put the spurs to his horse and rushed into the town to slow the children from certain doom.
Glorfindel caught up to the children but soon found himself outnumbered and alone, but fortunately the mounted models closing in were cut down by the lethal elven archers. Elrond was also near enough to inflict natures wrath, knocking several models down.
The Elven flanks then came under attack in force by superior numbers and they knew they could not hold long. Elrond again buys them time with natures wrath but must use all of his will to do so. The effort is rewarded however with several kills with the extraction team and swords on the left flank able to charge the fallen men. Glorfindel in a dramatic battle succeeds in cutting down first the king of the undead, and then the evil men’s king, leaving only a captain and Boromir to hold the center aagainst Elrond and his team.
At this point however they suffer a blow when Haldir is cut down by the enemy bolt thrower now found in the town’s tower.
The next round sees several casualties on both sides, including the loss of Legolas and the initiative. Glorfindel uses the opportunity to scoop the single remaining conscious child onto his horse and bolts for the outskirts of town, but Elrond and his men lose their captain and position, finding themselves surrounded by the men’s encircling maneuver on the elve’s left flank. Additionally, Glorfindel finds his retreat cut off by Isildur’s defiant form standing in the middle of the road.
The elven rear guard steps in now, dropping their bows, they charge into Isildur’s unforgiving blade, buying Glorfindel time as they win the crutial priority to rush past and down the road to safety. Realizing the purpose of their fight is lost, and with their force cut in half on the prior turn, the men retreat into the town, allowing the encircled elves to retreat and gather their wounded heros and men. It was a hard won victory leaving the elves only a single model from half their initial force, while the men suffer a bitter defeat losing several heroes and most of their army.
Thanks for reading, I hope you’ve enjoyed this battle report. Sorry for the lack of photos, many of the troops were unpainted and even some of the buildings only partially finished and so not included as it is a poor sight indeed.