Isengard Invades Normandy…

Been a while since we played Hordes of the Things… Had an hour of free time this afternoon while alone at home with the lad..

SITUATION

A band of Orcs from Isengard has been sent to invade Normandy.

SCENARIO

Orcs attacking, Normans defending.

FORCES

Normans
1x Hero General – Duc Guilliam
1x Cleric –
1x Horde – Religious Rabble
7x Knights
1x Rider – Outriders

Orcs of Isengard
1x Magician General - Saruman
2x Blade – Orc Warriors
4x Spear – Orcs with Pike
2x Shooter – Orc Archers
1x Beast – Warg Riders
1x Warband

THE GAME

Finnegan decided to play the Orcs of Isengard and have Saruman directly lead them in battle. Lacking a complete Lord of The Rings army to oppose him I busted out the Normans – because they were “sort of close”. I suppose I could have called them “Rohan”. But… I didn’t…

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


The Normans ready for battle.

I had a nasty swamp in the middle of my deployment zone which was pretty annoying. The castle there was the fourth such castle built on that site. It has a really good foundation. Everyone thought they were daft to build a castle in the swamp…


Finnegan considers his options.


The armies of Isengard are deployed.


The Normans trying to maneuver around the swamp into some sort of line.

On Finnegan’s first turn he sent out stuff one the flanks:


Shooters and beasts on one flank…


…and the Warband on the other.


Continuing to maneuver and advance on those beasts. AT this point Finnegan realized his beasts were rather exposed and very likely doomed…


On his next turn he moved the mainbody ahead. He had sort of wanted to move the warband, but thought they’d get mauled by all the knights out in the open nearby, and he’d written off the beasts (perhaps not realizing they go just as fast in reverse!).


The Knights close with the Beast/Warg Riders.


And they were done.


Idengard’s battle line closes with the Normans

Finnegan rolled pretty high for PIPs through most of the game – never having to really decide between two crucial moves… I did okay on the PIP-rolls…

I was not anxious to close with the Magician stand with either the Hero or the Knights. Hero vs. Magician is one of those “instant death” situations – though the hero has a slight edge, and technically isn’t “dead” – they’re just “ensorcelled”, and if in a subsequent round at 6 is rolled for PIPs the hero escapes the dastardly wizards clutches and reappears on the table. However as it was also my General…

Knights also are not good to charge in against Magicians as they get that same “first turn charged quick-kill” just like Bow/Shooters.

So I moved in on one flank – hoping in further turns he’d break up his line trying to contact my other knights.


The first round was rather uneventful. My knights were thrown back and the Hero was fought to a standstill by the spear…


Another view of the same thing


Finnegan did break up his line and surge forward to contact my knights. The warband even came out of the woods (well, partly…)


My Hero General and Knights were thrown back on one flank – on the other TWO STANDS of Knights were destroyed!

Things were looking bad for the Normans!


On the following bound My General and his Knights on the left flanks charged home again – this time with the help of some flanking Knights.


Again the General was thrown back and the flanked Blade fought the two sands of knights to a standstill! I’d be nice to roll higher than a “2” on my combat dice as some point in the game…!?


Again the Hordes of Isengard surged forward…


Again another Knight was lost on my right flank.


Finally, however, the Knights on left of my line rode down the flanked Blade – I STILL only rolled a “2”… but Finnegan finally rolled a “1”!?


Isengards archers darkened the skies above the Religions Rabble (Horde) and they fled the field!


The next go I moved up the General against the Spear block – with the aide of some flanking knights… (also the Riders tried to go deal with the Archers up on the hill – who had been menacing them for a few turns now…)


The tables were starting to turn – the Orc Spear were destroyed!


Orcs surged forward again to surround a group of knights that had been driven back into the swamp – the the very gates of our stronghold!


And they were destroyed…


The situation was getting desperate – but I actually rolled a “6” fort PIPs and was able to back some knights out of the way and send the general in against Saruman along with some of his nights.


The wizard was ridden down and the Normans carried the day! Huzzah!

It was a very close battle – I’d lost Four Knights, the Riders, and the Horde (11 Army Points), Finnegan lost Two Spear, The Beast, a Blade and his Magician General (12 Army points)!!

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

Ah… I’ve been painting other stuff this week, trying to finish up the damned chicken… Actually I like the painting, it’s just that I’d sort of done it as a commission and then when I told my friend it was done they decided they didn’t want it… doh! Ah well, lesson learned: negotiate a price and get some cash before starting…

I plan to get the mounted version of the Warrior Woman finished up for Mikey K and then I’ll probably get back to painting some more pictures…