Monday 20 March 2023

Not a Battle Report - Middle Earth Battle Strategy Game - Charge of the Rohirrim

Afternoon #WarHamFam and #WarhammerCommunity I've been playing #MESBG again. I genuinely wish I had more time and was more organised. It frustrates me that I can't get these battle reports properly recorded but they just take too long. Even if it was just for my own records it would appease my tortured soul. Instead you'll get some photos I'm compelled to share with limited context, uderming any effort to bother going through them!


Anyway, Otty and I decided to play the Charge of the Rohirrim from the Two Towers a few weeks back. He's been playing this scenario a lot, adding elements to both factions to create a more film accurate game, but still keep some balance between the two factions. I ended up with the Rohirrim and he was the Uruk Hai.


I think you can guess how the first few images are going to look. The Horse Lords move forward, closing the gap. He has no ranged weaponry, while I have bows and some throwing spears. With no terrain to worry about this comes down to positioning, judging distances, who gets turn priority and then how you go about taking advantage of heroic moves, combat and charge tactics.


Otty moved the Uruk Hai forward, soI was probably within firing range here and started to take some pot-shots with my archers. 


I then decided to move over to the right flank, forcing Otty to make decisions about what to do.


His line shrank back and started to condense into the top right corner. I kept out of charge range, but in throwing spear range while a group of archers halted their charge to take aimed shots at the orcs as they fell back. I wanted Gandalf to sorcerous blast one of the Uruk Hai off the board, but we couldn't find if it was possible in the rules. 😔


As I reformed, Otty fell back to the edge of the battlefield, which put me out of range for my throwing spears.


But what arrows did find their mark were true and 8 Uruk Hai were slain before our lines had even met.


More repositioning, I was convinced that corralling him into this corner was going to allow me apply overwhelming force when they charged in.


Charge!


Unfortunately I misjudged the charge and only half my force made it into the Uruk Hai to take advantage of Gandalf's blinding light.


After my dice had been running hot there was a sudden swing in fortune and Otty managed to bring down quite a few horse and riders. He was even able to reach my back line.


I reformed and charged again but the forces of evil started to swamp my cavalry.


Otty's dice rolling was brutal, with his banners being particularly effective about bringing about changes to the outcome of our combats.


At this stage I think I was broken and Gandalf was consigned to skirting the background rallying the troops so they didn't run away but the outcome was almost inevitable now.


The slow demise of the great horse lords


A few Uruk Hai fall, but more Rohirrim run for the hills. Going...


...going...


...gone! Eomer falls and with the second character gone I lose the game.


It's amazing how much fun I can have from a game I have no 'investment' in. That seems misleading as I've bought Moria Goblins, but I mean this is a random scenario, these aren't my figures, I've not brought them with me. It's just freeing to see what happens. If I lose I don't feel bad, if I win I don't feel amazing - it's just the experience and admittedly it's random dice roles that define the outcome but it's those outcomes that create the drama and humour. I love it to bits I just wish 40k  was so straightforward and engaging, because I've invested so much in that.


3 comments:

  1. That looks absolutely EPIC! Shows what a big difference it makes to play on a proper gaming board with painted minis. I wish I had the time to branch out and play more games like this. At the moment it is all just work, work, work.

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    1. Well it has such a straightforward entry point with the Battle Companies option. But then you'll regret sending us what you already had...

      Otty is not a fan of neoprene mats, all his boards are flocked, textured and contoured. They're also modular which creates options in how they're used. It's amazing how just a flat board with no other scenery can create an interesting game.

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    2. Nah, I am under no delusions that I would have ever had time to paint those LotR figures. BattleTech is a greater priority for me! I like neoprene because it is gentler on the old school models ;-)

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