We like to have a large battle to end our year on. But December was rammed so we decided to begin this year on it instead.
We've done a few now, including Battle of Fornost, Siege of Edoras and I have found the best are sieges and also that 'What if?' Battles are the most fun. So we had a brainstorm and eventually settled on the fact that Tom notoriously hates elves. So let's give him a shot.
What if...we saw:
Rivendell Under Siege
What if...Sauron decided that a good strategy would be to try and destroy Rivendell. This would theortically remove a big player (Elrond) from any influence that he could provide, make the North-West of Middle-Earth entirely defenceless and also give him the opportunity to seize the shards of Narsil. This siege was based between the Fellowship leaving Rivendell and Elrond taking Anduril to Aragorn.
The Rules
I should specify that this was a chilled game, so we were very flexible with rules and would allow random moments of inspiration to influence new rules to be added mid game, if they seemed cool.
Deployment
The three evil armies would deploy first 12" away from the walls or river.
The two elven armies would then deploy anywhere within Rivendell and behind the river.
The Armies
The Elves (900pts each)
Me
Will*
Total force size: 82
*We wanted a mass of cavalry for the rule of cool, so elected to say that our knights were melee only units.
The Attackers (800pts each)
Tom
Vince
Josh
Total force size: 123
Objectives
- Each opposing leader (Elrond/Glorfindel/Razgush/Muzgur/The Dragon Emperor) being wounded is worth 1VP. If they are slain, they are instead worth 3VPs.
- Break the enemy force for 3VPs.
- If you have more allies within the ford, you gain 1VP. If you have more than double your opponent's numbers, you instead gain 2VPs. If you have triple or no opposing models to contest yours, you instead gain 3VPs. (The ford is the tile with the islet on, the other two tiles are both deep water.)
- If you have more allies within 6" of the gateway, you gain 1VP. If you have more than double your opponent's numbers, you instead gain 2VPs. If you have triple or no opposing models to contest yours, you instead gain 3VPs.
- Evil may attempt to burn down a scenery piece inside Rivendell (supplies, woods, the elven bridge), by ending in base contact with it. If they have not fought, shot or been incapacited e.g. by a Transfix, they may roll a D6. On a natural 5+ it removes a wound. Each building has two wounds, once it runs out, the building is set alight. They get 1VP for each house alight at the end of the game, to a maximum of 3VPs.
- The Shards of Narsil are a light object. They are deployed at the beginning of the game. Evil may try to steal them by picking them up. Good may only retrieve them from an evil model and attempt to return them to where they started. If they are in their deployed spot by the end of the game, Good gain 2VPs. If they are in the possession of a Good model, they gain 1VP. If Evil is in possession of them, they gain 1VP. If they have them and are outside of Rivendell (across the River/outside the walls) they instead gain 2VPs.
Armies will not break; Good has their backs to the wall, and Evil is under instruction to destroy Rivendell or not return!
Evil may call Heroic March for free in turn one with every hero that they wish, but this will only affect infantry units.
A Time of Heroes; Each time an enemy hero is slain in combat, a friendly hero from that same combat may regain a might spent earlier in the game.
All army bonuses from the playing armies were in use. Because of Assault on Lothlorien, this means the battle is fought at night.
There was a gentlemanly agreement, not to shoot at heroes.
We didn't set a turn limit, but a time limit, seeing how far we could get in that time.
Before we began, Tom made a vow; he would buy a model of any enemy hero that he slew, and dissect them into a banner effigy for his elf hating army!
Turn 1- Good Priority
We rolled for Elrond's Foresight points and got two. Will and I agreed that we need solid defence at the ford, since we would be exposed and not have the protection of the walls. But we could get some covering fire from our archers for assistance. So we sent Elrond and both sons to do so, alongside Lindir, hoping that the Wrath of Bruinen casts in water would be devastating.
Erestor stood behind the gate with a unit of elves, in case it broke early. Bilbo was above him to the right upon the wall and Arwen, we had decided would be the most thematic assigned guardian of Narsil. So she stood beside it, in case anything broke through. Glorfindel, finally, stood in the courtyard with the cavalry
Evil calls their Heroic Marches and the wall of darkness surges toward the elves. Rutabi heads down our left flank towards the ford with the Dragon Knight. While the Emperor joins the assault on the walls. Razgush is to our far right, heading towards Bilbo's wall.
In the shooting, the elves showcase their deadly bowfire; slaying an orc, a prowler, two easterlings and a spider. Evil returns fire and kills an elf at the river.
Turn 2- Evil Priority
Evil ladders hit the walls and quickly the attackers climb up and begin their assault, the elves beside Bilbo have the enraged face of Razgush appear before them, the courageous hobbit rushes in to help. The first ram also reaches the gate, with the Orc Captain giving the orders to start breaking it down.
The elves reach the river and form a shieldwall across it, bracing for the easterling attack.
Evil opens fire and kills a couple of elves upon the walls. As the attackers wandered into range, the elves above the gate tipped their pot of boiling oil over the side. It directly hits the orc below, killing him and another, as well as wounding the Captain! Their archers pick off another handful of goblins and orcs after.
The oil sends evil into a frenzy and already the first cracks in the defences are shown. An easterling is the first up as he slays an elven bowman. Before Razgush, giving in to Tom's insanity, spends two might to beat the two elves he faces and then slew both! Heaving himself onto the walls and staring down Bilbo!
Turn 3- Good Priority
Rutabi leads a mass charge of easterlings over the river, personally charging Elrohir. Evil then reveals one of their great gambits, as the Spider Queen climbs onto the wall and rushes along it, over the river! Suddenly, our flank is under grave threat from the a huge threat! What's more, she releases her first broodling, which appears behind our line and charges Elrond, preventing our Wrath of Bruinen cast!
In the shooting, several elves are killed by the marauders bows, but one is wiped out by return fire.
During the fighting, Rutabi and Elrohir cross blades and although the Eastern general comes off better, she fails to wound the elf. Elladan stops the Marauder's charge and kills the warg and a rider. However, the Spider Queen announces herself by picking up the elf she faces and hurling him at Elladan, bringing him to 1w, 2f.
Razgush is stuck upon the wall as our elves moved the ladder to keep him back. He doesnt fare so well as he faces another elf on the wall, loses the fight and also takes a wound, after failing his fate roll. Tom is apopleptic, HOW DARE THEY!? Bilbo doesn't calm him down as he smashes his red book into the head of an orc on the ladder and sends him falling to his death.
Turn 4- Evil Priority
Heroic Moves: Lindir and Rutabi (Master of Battle (MOB)). Lindir wins.
Elrond manages to launch his Wrath of Bruinen, scoring a 6! But Rutabi rolls two dice to resist and matches with a 6 of her own! Saving several easterlings from being washed away. He then rushes into the Spider Queen, wanting to end her threat quickly! Elrohir re-engages Rutabi and Elladan charges the goblin that he'd dismounted.
At the walls, Razgush furiously attacks the elf that wounded him. His orcs fly up the ladders and push to make headway.
In combat, the Orc Capt uses two might and the gate is shattered to splinters. Erestor prepares to hold it. Razgush and his orc slay two elves and the ladder up is cleared. But the plucky hobbit on the end holds his own and the orc he faces slips to his death. Vince's goblins and orcs have spent the last two turns attacking and falling to their deaths, trying to break through to the oil, with a malicious plan to upend it over the defenders at the gate. But the elf holding it is stubborn.
At the ford, we made a mistake...we hadn't realised just how close the batswarm had come, and it rolled an eleven on its courage test, swarming Elrond as he faced the Spider Queen. The instant kill had now become a fight for survival. Elrond called a Heroic Defence and braced. Rutabi mimicked (MOB), just to wind him up. Elrond was then hurled at Elladan and slammed into his son, knocking him flat. Rutabi seized the opportunity and stuck her blade in his twin in the commotion. Elrohir had been slain!
Turn 5- Evil Priority
Heroic Moves: Elladan and Rutabi (MOB). Elladan wins.
Elrond is incensed at the death of his son and throws another Wrath of Bruinen into the river, scoring another 6. But once again it was foiled as the Spider Queen resists on a 6 in return! He then charges into Rutabi, in an attempt to cut down the easterling general. Lindir pins down the batswarm and Elladan faces the goblin again. Ashrak compels the elven banner away.
In the combat phase, Elrond calls a Heroic Combat, sensing another elf would be hurled at him by the Spider Queen. Rutabi obviously can't let the free Heroic Strike pass up and calls it. She wins, but fails to land a blow on the elven Lord. The Spider Queen also calls a Heroic Combat but can't reach Elladan as hoped, so kills another elf instead. Elladan valiantly kills his goblin nemesis, using the rage of Elrohir's death.
At the walls, the Orc Shaman casts Fury and the now berserk orcs charge through the gate into the wall of elves. Muzgur then attempts to Wither Erestor, but the elf manages to resist the spell.
Glorfindel hears the elven horns sounding in distress from the river and dispatches several riders to go to their aid.
A bloodbath then began in combat, easterlings on ladders, killed a couple of elven defenders and broke onto the walls. The defences are now looking very fragile. Erestor tries to heroically inspire his allies, as he brutally slashes the burnt Orc Captain to death. But a wail is heard as the red book is smashed from Bilbo's hands by Bonebreaker, and Razgush follows it up with one brutal swing, killing the hobbit before he even falls. 'THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR SIDING WITH ELVES!' Yells Tom, heroically.
Turn 6- Good Priority
Heroic Moves: Dragon Knight and Elladan. Dragon Knight wins.
The easterlings get their edge and surge into the elves at the river. In the combat phase, the Spider Queen calls a Heroic Combat and hurls the elf she is fighting at Elrond, knocking him prone. She then rushes into Elladan. It looks worrying but the enraged twin swings and wounds the beast. Elrond manages to overcome Rutabi's onslaught and gets back to his feet.
At the gate, Erestor leads by fearsome example, he throws a knife at the orc before him, slaying it...
Then rushes into the gateway, trying to fight his way outside like a madman.
He manages to kill both the orcs before him, clearing the gate, under the gaze of the Dragon Emperor, who bides his time.
Razgush descends down the ladders and quickly kills the two elves at the bottom. He is joined by two batswarms, one had landed in the watchtower and slew the elven archer inside.
Turn 7- Good Priority
Heroic Moves: Dragon Knight and Elrond. Dragon Knight wins.
The Easterlings slam into the cracking elf frontline. Rutabi fights Elrond again and the Spider Queen rushes Elladan.
In a beautiful display of perfect equilibrium, Vince fires his 2 warg marauders at the wall, rolling four 6s to hit, then promptly restoring balance with four 1s for his in the way rolls.
In combat, Elrond manages to defeat Rutabi, but she was too agile and leaps back before he can land a blow. Elladan has more luck as he overcomes the Spider Queen and scores three wounds! The beast is slain in Elrohir's name! More elves fall however, and the defence of the river is getting desperate.
At the gate, Erestor charges into another two orcs and promptly slays them both in combat, opening up the way for the Dragon Emperor himself.
Tom's orc trackers have settled onto Bilbo's wall and draw their bows as Glorfindel comes in like a force of nature at Razgush.
They fire into the combat, and score one wound...on Razgush... Glorfindel overcomes the malicious orc and scores a single wound...because of the wound caused by the archers, Razgush falls! Tom wails like Gollum with elven rope round his neck.
Turn 8- Good Priority
Heroic Moves: Ashrak, Orc Shaman and Elrond. Ashrak wins.
Elrond is jumped by Rutabi again and his son is stopped from assisting by a goblin. The elves are struggling as they see the reinforcement cavalry come out the gate and towards them to help. Elrond overcomes Rutabi and causes a wound, showing that she can bleed and can be killed.
The walls defences are sorely struggling as gaps appear and the mass of spiders climbs up and over! Arwen rushes underneath one and launches a Wrath of Bruinen, wounding a spider and knocking both prone. She'll now have to prove her worth defending the shards of Narsil. While most of the remaining elves upon the wall fall or climb down the ladders to defend the courtyard, one (Seen in the pic) bravely holds the ladder against the masses. Disasterously for good, a couple of Easterlings manage to get down the ladder and set the supplies alight, scoring their first burning VP. Suddenly, the courtyard is filled with bright light from the flames!
At the gate, Erestor is pounced upon by the Emperor himself, both call Heroic Strikes, and while Erestor reaches F8, the Emperor gets up to F9. He wins the fight and brings the elf Lord to within inches of death (1w, 0f). Above them, Vince still sent his orcs and goblins desperately trying to steal the Boiling Oil pot, by this point he must have lost 5/6 of his troops attempting this.
Glorfindel, meanwhile, attempts to slay two of the three remaining batswarms. But Tom, undisturbed by the consequences of his last volley, or simply too blooddrunk to care, fires again. This time they have more luck, and Asfaloth is slain! So Glorfindel is stopped from harming them, but the nearby elves wound the third batswarm.
Turn 9- Good Priority
Heroic Moves: Muzgur
Muzgur seeing that the gate was threatened, redoubles the assault, tring to widen the cracks that now show. The Emperor pushes to break Erestor and Glorfindel tries to get forward to stop him. The elves all fight the bats again, trying to end the threat. Erestor manages to overcome the Emperor's onslaught, but only removes two fate points after a flurry of blows, as his spearman is occupied by an orc.
The easterlings manage to flood the walls and force Arwen to act.
She orders her knights to charge, and they hit like a tsunami, killing several spiders and easterlings in the courtyard. She herself, returns near to Narsil (6 objective marker) and slays another spider with her spearman.
The knights finally hit at the river and try to turn the tide. Elrond pulls away from Rutabi to try and kill some of the swarming troops, but loses the fight, narrowly avoiding wounds. Elladan instead squares up to her and calls the Heroic Challenge that he wishes for to avenge Elrohir. Rutabi accepts and they cross swords. It quickly becomes apparent that Elladan has underestimated his foe, as she gains the upper hand and with a couple of brutal slashes as his guard is down, he is slain! Elrond has now lost both of his sons to her!
Turn 10- Good Priority
Elrond's wrath is now at it's peak, his force is broken and he invokes the Bruinen (Rivendell force special rule). The water rises up and strikes the easterlings with the wrath of nature itself. Four easterlings are washed away and the Dragon Knight is knocked from his horse and wounded. Elrond then takes on Rutabi as his elves try to rally into a cohesive defence.
Alas, while his elves put up a good fight and kills some more attackers, in a brave attempt to retake the ford. Elrond is overcome and Rutabi plunges her blade into him as well. Claiming the father as well as the sons and ending the Lord of Rivendell!
In the courtyard, the last surviving member of the house of Elrond, Arwen, bravely holds the line against the waves of spiders pouring over the walls. She slays yet another of the beasts as her knights keep the momentum going.
While her efforts are heroic, the undefended walls are allowing many enemies to replace each fallen one.
At the gate, the defence is clinging on. An elf rushes up the ladder at the Orc trackers and engages a couple to prevent shooting, he fails to kill one but will try again.
Meanwhile, those trackers shoot again at Glorfindel (it had slipped Tom's mind that we had made a gentlemanly agreement not to shoot heroes, but he was incensed 😂). They missed anyway and killed the batswarm that he faced.
Erestor faced the Emperor one final time, but exhaustion had taken its toll. He leapt in for a deadly strike, but was swept aside by a parry from the Glaive and killed by the Black Dragon bearers. Above them, Vince's orcs STILL try desperately to get to the Boiling oil, but it's surviving defender simply isn't having it!
Turn 11- Evil Priority
Having slain Erestor, the Emperor pulls back to allow the Marauders to rush in. Glorfindel jumps into the breach to hold them back. They manage to dismount one with his assistance. The elves inside, depsite both bats being on a single wound each, fluff their dice and let them escape! The elf on the ladder manages to bring down a tracker and get elven feet back onto the walls!
Arwen keeps up the fight for the courtyard as the last dregs of the spiders come over the ramparts. She manages to kill yet more with her troops and seems to be holding the tide back.
Elrond's surviving troops at the ford, led by Lindir keep up the resistance that he wanted. But the weight of numbers is against them and Lindir is knocked down by a warg marauder and mauled to death!
Turn 12- Evil Priority
Arwen feels like there is still hope as she flow of beasts ebbs, but her numbers are also falling. The last of the spiders in the courtyard are taken down. But Rutabi's warband, now almost victorious at the ford, sets up yet more ladders and climb up the walls.
Glorfindel ends up facing down the Emperor over the body of Erestor. The Emperor spends his last might on a Heroic Strike and wins, but fails to cause any injury to Glorfindel. The last two bats are finally dispatched by the elves, after causing havoc for most of the battle! Another of Vince's orcs is STILL at the top of the ladder screaming 'LET ME HAVE THE GODDAMN OIL!!!!' I have long since lost count how many have died for it to this lone elf.
Turn 13- Good Priority
As the fury of battle starts to settle into a conclusion, Glorfindel faces the Emperor again. He wins but it's a swing and a miss in his attempt to wound.
Arwen is almost spent as she takes a wound from an easterling she blocks. Some others are trying to burn the elven bridge, but a knight is rushing over to stop them. And a sneaky Acolyte climbs down from the walls and makes a break towards the shards of Narsil.
A great cry of joy echos over the battle, as an easterling runs along the wall and impales the elf, who has caused Vince so much grief in his saga to steal the oil! His orc leaps excitedly onto the wall and eagerly grabs the pot for next turn!
Turn 14- Evil Priority
As our time limit approaches, the elves at the ford are forced to endure another charge as they lose priority, and the dream of saving the ford is dead. Many are cut down brutally by Rutabi and her victorious men.
At the gate, easterlings run over from the courtyard to contest the gateway. Where Vince is bouncing like a Looney Toons character with excitment to finally throw the oil over the elves! He rolls, they hit! It goes over Glorfindel and multiple elves at the gate....and kills one...Glorfindel wasn't even harmed.
Josh and Tom erupt, 'YOU SPENT FIVE HOURS FIGHTING FOR THAT!! AND WHEN YOU FINALLY GET IT, YOU KILL ONE!'
The elves try to cut down as many orcs as they can, but they are finally outnumbered!
Arwen after a heroic stand, is finally surrounded and slain by a horde of easterlings. Her knights rush the Acolyte, who has run in and snatched Narsil. But unbelievably, all three lose to him and he keeps it!
And with that, the Siege of Rivendell came to a close, and it had been bloody!
End Result
- The elves had slain Razgush (3VP) and Evil had slain Elrond (3VP).
- Both forces were broken (1VP).
- Evil held the ford with no elves present (3VP).
- Evil held the gateway with double the number of elves (2VP).
- Evil had burned one of the three targetted buildings (1VP).
- Evil held the shards of Narsil at the end (1VP).
Good had a total of 4 to Evil's 11VPs
In the end, Rivendell fell to the forces of Evil, Elrond and his family all lay slain in and around the settlement. Glorfindel lives, but escapes to go into the West. With the last homely house gone, the North-West of the free peoples are left vulnerable to Sauron's machinations to come!
*Remember that vow of Tom's? Well, this means he only has to make a banner out of an elderly Hobbit and Asfaloth that he slew with great valour! So if anyone has a spare old Bilbo for him, or a horse, get in touch!
