Good morning gamers,
We're revisiting a scenario from Fantasy Fellowships in our custom Helm's Deep campaign today. Despite the amazing explosions of the last scenario, the Uruk-Hai have managed to blow a hole in the wall. Can we keep them out while keeping our heroes alive?
The Deeping Wall Is Breached (War in Rohan, p. 30)
We're using the actual scenario participants in this scenario - and we forgot to boost one of the Captains to the Uber-Captain, so . . . sorry - it may have changed a few things in the scenario but might not have as well:
- Forces of Good: Mostly The Defenders of Helm's Deep
- Aragorn - Strider with armor
- Legolas Greenleaf with armor
- Gimli, Son of Gloin
- Haldir with Elf bow and heavy armor
- 4 Warriors of Rohan with shields
- 4 Warriors of Rohan with shields and throwing spears
- 4 Warriors of Rohan with bows
- 4 Galadhrim Warriors
- 4 Galadhrim Warriors with shields and spears
- 4 Galadhrim Warriors with Elf bows
- Forces of Evil: The Assault Upon Helm's Deep
- 3 Uruk-Hai Captains
- 10 Uruk-Hai Warriors with shields
- 10 Uruk-Hai Warriors with pikes
- 8 Uruk-Hai Berserkers
This scenario is cool because we're playing for seven VPs: Good has four named heroes, each of whom is worth 1VP to Good if they're alive and 1 VP for Evil if they're slain. Good gets 2 VPs if they can avoid losing more than 13 of their 28 models (so, don't break) and Evil wins if Good loses more than 14 models (so, breaking the Good army - note that losing exactly 14 models is a draw on this VP category). Finally, if there are more Uruk-Hai outside of the water at the end of ten turns, Evil scores a VP. If there are more Good models than Evil models (not counting anyone on the walls) outside the water, they score a VP.
The board is a 24"x24" setup. My Rohan units are all on the walls prone, Legolas and Haldir are with them, the Elves are far off, Aragorn is prone in the center of the board, and Gimli is at the edge of the imaginary 6" water. Thirteen Uruk-Hai (a captain, two Berserkers, and ten Warriors) are entering:
Turn 1: Priority Good
Because Aragorn is prone and WAY out of position, Aragorn declared a Heroic March (free). After engaging who I could (safely) with Gimli (and standing up with everyone on the walls, then advancing with the Elves behind Aragorn), Evil responded and brought on both of the undeployed Captains and 2 Berserkers. I forgot how much I hate the reinforcements rule in this scenario . . .
In the Shoot Phase, Legolas killed 2 pikemen and a Galadhrim Bowman killed another pikeman - that should help Gimli not die!
Gimli won his fight after boosting his dueling roll (1/3M) and wounded a Berserker, who failed his Oblivious save.
Kill Count: Legolas 2, Gimli 1.
Turn 2: Priority Evil
Aragorn called a Heroic Move (free) and he and Gimli charged into the fray.
Evil responded and got full reinforcements: 5 more Berserkers and 3 Pikemen. I responded as best I could.
In the Shoot Phase, Legolas killed another pikeman after boosting a To Wound roll (1/3M) and killed a Berserker (who failed his Oblivious save).
Gimli killed an Uruk-Hai with shield in his fight (despite having a bonus To Wound), while Aragorn decided to two-hand and then proceeded to roll an absolutely GARBAGE dueling roll . . . in the face of a LOT of S4 dice, he escalated with all his Might points (3/3M), then proceeded to wound a single Berserker once, who passed his Oblivious save (BOOOO!!!! DIVA!!!!!!)
Kill Count: Legolas 4, Gimli 2.
Turn 3: Priority Evil
Aragorn called a Heroic Move (free) - getting the Elves into position should allow me to manage Aragorn's match ups this round!
Evil responded, getting an extra Berserker and 4 Pikemen (they ran out of space to deploy anyone else).
In the Shoot Phase, Legolas killed a pikeman, Haldir killed a pikeman after boosting the To Wound roll (1/3M), and a Rohan bowman killed a Berserker (who failed his Oblivious save). This is really taking the heat off my heroes on the ground!
Two of the Uruk-Hai Captains declared Heroic Combats (1/2M each). They both killed their guys, but one had to burn a Might point to do it (2/2M).
Gimli wounded one of these Captains twice (2/3M), but one of the wounds was saved by Fate (1/1F, 1/2H). In the other fights, two Galadhrim bowmen wound one of the Heroic Combatting Captains twice, one of which was saved by Fate (1/1F, 1/2H).
Kill Count: Legolas 5, Gimli 2.
Turn 4: Priority Good
The Uruk-Hai Captain who is still hale called a Heroic Move (1/2M) and after I finished reacting, Evil brought on a full complement of 2 Berserkers, 3 pikes, and 3 shields.
In the Shoot Phase, the Elves were at it again: Legolas killed 1 pikeman (2/3M) and Haldir killed another pikeman.
Aragorn and one of the Uruk-Hai Captains called Heroic Combats (free, 2/2M). Aragorn won, killed his foe, and moved on while the Uruk-Hai Captain lost, tripped, but wasn't wounded.
In the other fights, Gimli killed a Berserker (who failed his Oblivious save), while Aragorn killed another Berserker (who also failed his save) and a pikeman.
Kill Count: Legolas 6, Gimli 3.
Evil got to bring on a Berserkers and 4 pikes - there wasn't much reason to alter my positioning this round, so I didn't bother calling a Heroic Move with Aragorn (I might need the Might to boost a dueling roll or something).
Legolas and Haldir each killed a pikeman in the Shoot Phase - I'm really getting the work out of those guys this game!
Gimli killed a Berserker in the Fight Phase (who failed his Oblivious save). Also, the Galadhrim bowmen gronked the Captain they had trapped.
Turn 5: Priority Evil
Evil got to bring on a Berserkers and 4 pikes - there wasn't much reason to alter my positioning this round, so I didn't bother calling a Heroic Move with Aragorn (I might need the Might to boost a dueling roll or something).
Legolas and Haldir each killed a pikeman in the Shoot Phase - I'm really getting the work out of those guys this game!
Gimli killed a Berserker in the Fight Phase (who failed his Oblivious save). Also, the Galadhrim bowmen gronked the Captain they had trapped.
Kill Count: Legolas 7, Gimli 4.
Aragorn declared a Heroic Move (free), while Evil got +3 pikes for their ranks. They're a bit choked up at the breach right now.
Legolas kills a pikeman and Haldir kills a pikeman, while a Rohan bowman managed to deal a wound to an Uruk-Hai Captain (1/2H). This shooting thing is really working!
In the Fight Phase, another Captains dies, along with a lot of Berserkers - frankly, things are going pretty well for me and I'm mitigating my losses across the board!
Turn 6: Priority Evil
Aragorn declared a Heroic Move (free), while Evil got +3 pikes for their ranks. They're a bit choked up at the breach right now.
Legolas kills a pikeman and Haldir kills a pikeman, while a Rohan bowman managed to deal a wound to an Uruk-Hai Captain (1/2H). This shooting thing is really working!
In the Fight Phase, another Captains dies, along with a lot of Berserkers - frankly, things are going pretty well for me and I'm mitigating my losses across the board!
Kill Count: Legolas 8, Gimli 4.
I don't know what to say here - Evil gets some guys, we're still fighting where we always do, the game goes on.
A Rohan bowman managed to kill a pikeman, but the Elf heroes weren't having any of it this round (they've done a lot so far, to be fair).
Aragorn calls a Heroic Combat (free), kills his guy, and then finds other fights.
1 bowman kills a Berserker, who passes his Oblivious save and someone killed a pikeman. The shooting is still working to help us win the number-of-bodies-in-the-fortress objective!
Aragorn calls a Heroic Combat (free), wins the fight, and as you can see from the roll . . . he absolutely flubbed the wounding roll (DIVA!!!!!!).
The other fights were as you see - some Uruks are dying and Gimli is still alive and kicking.
Turn 7: Priority Evil
I don't know what to say here - Evil gets some guys, we're still fighting where we always do, the game goes on.
A Rohan bowman managed to kill a pikeman, but the Elf heroes weren't having any of it this round (they've done a lot so far, to be fair).
Aragorn calls a Heroic Combat (free), kills his guy, and then finds other fights.
The hale Uruk-Hai Captain loses his fight, takes a wound, and fails his Fate (1/1F, 1/2H). Otherwise, a few guys died here and there.
Kill Count: Legolas 8, Gimli 5.
Turn 8: Priority Good
Gimli kills a pike with a throwing axe, Evil gets some guys - you know the drill!
1 bowman kills a Berserker, who passes his Oblivious save and someone killed a pikeman. The shooting is still working to help us win the number-of-bodies-in-the-fortress objective!
Aragorn calls a Heroic Combat (free), wins the fight, and as you can see from the roll . . . he absolutely flubbed the wounding roll (DIVA!!!!!!).
The other fights were as you see - some Uruks are dying and Gimli is still alive and kicking.
Kill Count: Legolas 8, Gimli 6.
Gimli kills a pike with a throwing axe, a throwing spear guy kills a Berserker, Evil gets some guys, no shooting kills this round
Gimli wins his fight (3/3M), wounds one Berserker, who passes his Oblivious save (NO!). Some other Uruks died on my left flank, which is great for me.
Turn 9: Priority Good
Gimli kills a pike with a throwing axe, a throwing spear guy kills a Berserker, Evil gets some guys, no shooting kills this round
Gimli wins his fight (3/3M), wounds one Berserker, who passes his Oblivious save (NO!). Some other Uruks died on my left flank, which is great for me.
Kill Count: Legolas 8, Gimli 7.
Evil gets some guys and we're rapidly trying to force them to stay in the breach. I'm trying to double-up or wrap-and-trap the remaining Uruks in scoring area.
Haldir boosts a shooting roll (2/3M - use it or lose it) and wounds a pikeman
In the Fight Phase, Gimli loses his fight and dies! Thankfully, we did kill off a few more guys, so the center is looking pretty clear. We finished Turn 10 and now we're checking the scores!
Turn 10: Priority Evil
Evil gets some guys and we're rapidly trying to force them to stay in the breach. I'm trying to double-up or wrap-and-trap the remaining Uruks in scoring area.
Haldir boosts a shooting roll (2/3M - use it or lose it) and wounds a pikeman
In the Fight Phase, Gimli loses his fight and dies! Thankfully, we did kill off a few more guys, so the center is looking pretty clear. We finished Turn 10 and now we're checking the scores!
Kill Count: Legolas 8, Gimli 7.
Post-Game Scoring:
- Evil gets 1 VP for killing Gimli, while Good gets 3 VPs for keeping Aragorn, Legolas, and Haldir alive;
- Good gets 1 VP for having more models (not on the walls) outside of the water area (6" from the center of the top board edge); and
- Good gets 2 VPs for not losing 14+ models.
Conclusion
Scenario play is a lot of fun - and this one takes a while to play, but also feels very interesting. Gorgowrath had to step in for Centaur (time constraints and such) in controlling the Evil models and noted at the start the points difference between the armies. There is a difference, for sure, but with Berserkers and pikemen (and maybe some shield guys) able to come back as the game goes on, the points levels are actually pretty comparable in the end. Good doesn't have to face them all at once - and if they can make a chokepoint (as I did), they'll never have to face the whole enemy at once. This usually results in winning, not just in scenario play, but also in Matched Play.
One other thing I wanted to highlight, though: this scenario did show off how dangerous Uruk-Hai are to heroes in general. Yes, I cleaved through a lot of Uruk-Hai (and Legolas is devastating to pikemen), but I had to use my Might to win fights because I knew that if I ever failed, the weight of attacks (and possibly +1 To Wound against my models) would have absolutely destroyed my guys. I've lost plenty of heroes to Uruk-Hai hordes in the past and if they can get the dice multiplication going, they're absolutely brutal to fight against. In the end, Gimli went down (and Aragorn would have certainly went down early if he'd not burned 3 Might points to win a fight early in the scenario). Uruk-Hai are strong and solid models - underestimate them to your peril!
Hopefully you enjoyed this battle report - we'll be back in two weeks with the next scenario in the campaign. Until then, happy hobbying!
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