The Lay of the Land: Object Scenarios

On to the next scenario pool, we look at the Object Scenarios found in Pool 3 of the Match Play Guide. As the name suggests, all the scenarios include the tactical addition of VPs based on objects on the battlefield. With two of the three scenarios being new additions to the list of SBG options, we see how they compare to their scenario brethren.

Seize the Prize

Within Middle Earth, an ancient and mysterious artifact has awoken. Its power has drawn two opposing armies to claim it, hoping to use its secrets for their own ends. Both forces will stop at nothing to possess it. - Matched Paly Guide (pg.17).

Seize the Prize, the OG scenario of the three in the pool, is proof that new isn't always better. The scenario holds its own when compared to its newer cousins and proves to be an interesting, tactical mission. With the vast majority of VPs up for grabs relating to an object, placed in the centre of the battlefield, both armies are forced to focus their attention on the middle of the board. You can't afford to be a passive player in Seize the Prize and it is common to see both armies call Heroic Marches in the first turn to inch closer to the object. However, simply having the object isn't enough as that may only give you a paltry 3VPs. You are pushed into your opponent's army in order to gain more VPs, 5 for holding the object within your opponent's board half or a game-winning 7 if you escape from your opponent's board edge. This tactical decision (do you stick with 3 and hold out, push for 5 or go gung-ho for 7?) creates an interesting dilemma, especially considering VPs are on offer for breaking and killing the enemy leader. 

So how do you turn the scenario in your favour? Mobility. The object is 12" from you at the start of the game. Cavalry with a Heroic March make that up on the first turn and most standard infantry will be their turn 2 (poor dwarves, goblins and especially hobbits). If you don't have built-in mobility in your list, bring a captain or another hero with March. They are invaluable for so many scenarios. Now there are a handful of models who are game changers for Seize the Prize: flying infantry. If you have eagles, crebain or bat swarms, you are playing the scenario with cheat mode activated. If you bring Gulavhar, things get even better! (It's quite possible to win by turn 3 with a lucky roll when picking up the object and a couple of well-place Heroic Combats!) The only thing getting on your way is luck. With the object needing a 4+ to be plucked out of the ground, if you have offended the dice gods, no amount of mobility will save you. 

A fun, tactical scenario which encourages positive, aggressive tactics. Sounds good to me.

Scenario rating: 5/5

Destroy the Supplies

By destroying the supplies and rations of their enemy, once force can gain an immediate upper hand in the battles between the two armies. - Matched Play Guide (pg.27).

A recent addition to SBG, Destroy the Supplies is a classic attack and defend scenario. With VPs spread across a range of objectives (for each destroyed enemy supply marker, banners, breaking and leader kills), it provides a real tactical challenge for the generals upon Middle-Earth's battlefields. Each side has 3 objective markers, placed evenly at the edge of their 12" deployment zone, which represent their armies stash of goodies. The scenario creates the conundrum of having to protect your own supplies whilst simultaneously looking to burn and pillage your opponent's. The best thing about Destroy the Supplies is that it allows a huge range of tactical approaches to be employed in search of victory. If you have an army suited to a defensive war of attrition, you can castle around your objectives and outlast your opponent. You could be aggressive and pin your opponent back whilst pressuring their objectives. Do you abandon 1 objective to keep the two others safe? The choice really is yours! Numbers are going to be helpful, allowing you to more easily attack and defend, as will having some mobility in your army. However, that can be said of most of the scenarios and Destroy the Supplies doesn't feel like an instant loss if you are outnumbered or outmanoeuvred, unlike some scenarios, but rather an challenging uphill struggle. There is a growing trend in that I rate scenarios which promote players getting stuck-in and being proactive and Destroy the Supplies continues in that vein. 

Scenario rating: 4/5 

Retrieval

Both forces have claimed something of value from their enemy, and both will fight to reclaim what is rightfully theirs. - Matched Play Guide (pg.25)

Retrieval is, to all intents and purposes, 'capture the flag: Middle Earth edition'. Both players are attempting to take hold of the opponent's objective whilst making sure they keep the enemy's filthy mittens off of their own. The premise is simple, promotes positive gameplay and forces each player into clear tactical decision. However, for me, the execution is poor. The scenario suffers from a strange diagonal deployment zone, with essentially a 6" deadzone separating the two armies. The 'flags' are placed 15" from each players corner and VPs are scored largely by retrieving the objective (up to 7 in total) but can also be gained by the usual breaking and leader kill opportunities. The issue is, it takes so long to traverse the map diagonally for a large number of armies that it is often easier and quicker to just focus on destroying the opponent's army. If you put enough pressure on you can break your opponent, and start the subsequent game ending rolls, before the objectives ever come in to play. This is further compounded by the fact that, in order to get significant points from holding the objective, you really want to return the object to your deployment zone or look to escape from one of your own board edges. For some armies this is but a pipe dream. I can't see many a situation where a Moria army or a dwarf army ever achieves that before the game comes to an end. Now Rohan and other cavalry heavy armies love this scenario, particularly if they have a couple of Heroic Marches available, as do flying infantry (where bat swarms become Moria's only hope of retrieving the object). I love the concept but can't help but feel that the traditional horizontal deployment would have worked better. If you overlook the distances involved, it is another scenario which promotes a good old scrap but one which can often devolve into a mini 'To the Death' for lots of armies.

Scenario rating: 3/5

The Object missions offer fun, aggressive games but clearly are skewed towards more mobile armies. When you have set of missions focussed around reaching objective markers, this is somewhat unavoidable. However it is clear that the missions are well-balanced enough to make sure that any army composition is at least viable, helping make Pool 3 a welcome sight at tournaments across the world.