In celebration of completing painting my Gondor army, and that two of my friends turned 50 late October, I hosted a game last weekend. My friends aren't regular players, so it was up to me to organize the game, design the scenario, determine the armies, and play referee. I'm on a quest with these guys to get them comfortable with the main rules, and start introducing some basic magic, so it was mostly martial forces, and one generic wraith with a mission.
The scenario was based on Lords of Battle, but with twists. Some of the twists are whimsical, just to add some humour to the game. I'll outline the scenario twists in this post, and follow up with a report and pics in another.
Here are the scenario treatments for each side. Each side kept their treatments and special objectives secret from the other team:
Gondor:
It is well known among the troops, but rarely mentioned, that the Lord Denethor wrestles with the Great Enemy from atop his lonely tower, and the strain has caused him to become unstable. Gaining wind of a nearby orcish incursion, Denethor has decided to lead troops to crush it. It is a rare move for him to take to the field, and special care must be taken to preserve him, as he is prone to acting rashly.
Mordor:
The Great Lord Sauron, whose flaming Eye sees all, knows that the Steward of Gondor is on the verge of madness. He has offered a great reward to anyone who facilitates this madness. As an extension of his very Will, you arrange an incursion into Gondor to goad the Steward to react. Word soon reaches you that the Steward is coming in person, and he brings his sons. Sauron the Great will surely be pleased when you gift the realm of Gondor with a Steward not fit to dress himself in the morning.
Special Rules for Gondor:
If Denethor is within 12” of your banner, he is Resistant to Magic.
Denethor loves his sons. If Faramir is killed first he can handle it. If Boromir is killed first, he loses a point of Courage permanently. If Faramir is killed after Boromir, Denethor loses a second point of Courage permanently.
Special Objectives for Gondor:
1) Control the tower: 15 points. Have three more models, or twice as many models, whichever is less, inside the tower than the enemy. (Note: it was worth this much because it was in enemy territory.)
2) Each turn in combat with the Ringwraith: 2 points, in addition to any Wounds caused. A wraith loses 1 point of Will for each turn in combat.
3) For Gondor! Each Wound suffered or Fate point spent by the enemy within range of Gondor's banner counts double.
4) Spike the head: 5 points. The head of an enemy model that is killed within range of Gondor's banner maybe passed to the banner bearer at the end of the turn. For the next turn only, the banner bearer and every Gondor warrior in its range causes Terror.
5) Dispel the Ringwraith by taking its last Will in combat: 5 points.
Special Objectives for Mordor:
1) Fail to hold the tower: -5 points. You may deploy on the first floor of the tower, and may move or climb normally from there. To hold the tower, have at least three more models, or twice as many models, whichever is less, inside the tower than the enemy.
2) Kill Boromir and Faramir: 5 points each, or 15 total for the right order. These points are in addition to their Wounds and Fate. It is known that Denethor loves his sons. It may be that their deaths, and the order of them, will push him over the brink.
3) The Mad Steward: if Denethor goes mad for a turn and you can make him kill his own troops, you gain double points for each Wound caused or Fate point spent.
4) Toss one body down the well to poison it: 5 points. You must declare a potential body when it is killed, and no more than 2 bodies may be “in play” at a time. You may use a model to drag a body at ½ movement if the model is not in a fight. Two models can carry a body at full move.
5) On the turn the game ends, the Ringwraith is still alive, and Denethor is under your control: 10 points.
Here's a preview of the initial deployment for Gondor. The rangers were some of the first models I ever painted, so they aren't great, but Faramir and the rest are new:
). I wanted to get as much Gondor onto the 6x4 board as possible.
Thanks for sharing.