It's been a while since I've shared anything about Sunday gaming and Middle-earth on my blog. Recently, Alasdair and his son invited us to participate in a major battle using the War of the Rings rules. This time, the conflict would involve humans, and magic was unlikely to play a significant role, with one minor exception. Gondor, commanded by Boromir, faced off against the forces of Rhun and Khand, led by the Dragon Emperor.
UMPIRING: Alexander Watson
1. Forces.
2. The game.
If I remember correctly, we played the scenario "The Field of Swords," which involved eliminating as many officials, captains, bannermen, and similar figures as possible. It would be helpful to keep the objective of the game in mind. We probably didn't succeed, but here's what happened: On our side, Gordon commanded the Minas Tirith infantry, along with Boromir and a Bolt Thrower. I took charge of the cavalry and another Bolt Thrower, while Michael led the forces of Dol Amroth and the Archers of Minas Tirith. On the opposing side, Alasdair fought with the forces of Khand, Tim commanded the cavalry, and Alexander controlled the infantry, including the Emperor himself.
We accepted the initial deployment, which turned out to be a significant mistake. The cavalry was positioned in the centre of our lines, facing the picnickers, and this was not an ideal choice. We should have changed this setup, but we didn't, which would later backfire on us. Meanwhile, the forces of Evil had a plan that we lacked, except for perhaps the expectation that Michael would break out on the flank opposite him and support me as I charged the enemy infantry formations. Our main goal, of course, was to kill the Emperor.
Let's begin by discussing what was occurring on our left flank. Michael initially opened fire on the enemy, then charged in with his knights. After a few turns, the enemy's right flank was shattered. In truth, this was aided by the retreat of most of their cavalry, who were following a poor strategy. Michael was prepared to support my troops!
Tim's cavalry repositioned some of its forces to our right flank, effectively splitting the Minas Tirith infantry into two separate formations. One unit, under Boromir's command, successfully positioned itself in the centre of the battlefield. In contrast, the second unit was first targeted by archers and then surrounded by Tim's cavalry, resulting in its destruction. Both Bolt Throwers made a valiant attempt to support fighting Gondor infantry. Although Gordon managed to land some hits with his, I unfortunately didn't score any throughout the game!
In the centre, my cavalry made desperate attempts to charge the enemy formations. While they succeeded in destroying the Khand chariots, the infantry equipped with pikes proved to be much more challenging. Additionally, the War Priest employed magic during the battle, but I cannot recall the outcome, although I did suffer some losses. Soon after, I received support on the left from Michael and on the right from Gordon.
The Emperor found himself in a precarious situation, but his warriors surrounded him, shielding their lord with their bodies. Boromir and his troops charged fiercely against the forces of Rhun, leading to a brutal battle where countless lives were lost on both sides. Tragically, Boromir fell during the fight, marking the end of the skirmish. It became clear that focusing on the game's objective was crucial; rather than merely counting the number of enemies killed, the goal was to eliminate key officers of the enemy forces, which we didn't and therefore we lost. Despite this realisation, it was rewarding to engage in something different. We will undoubtedly return to the fields of Middle-earth again.
3. Links.
SESWC:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/631841809210352
FLICKR:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/asienieboje/albums/72177720332302109
Brak komentarzy:
Prześlij komentarz