The Streets of Minas Tirith!
Following on from playing The Gate is Breached, Will and I decided to continue our adventure in Gondor and play the next scenario in Gondor at War, The Streets of Minas Tirith.
Denethor's madness is starting to take hold in the upper reaches of the city, but the battle rages in the streets. There is still a battle to be fought, and won, following the massacre at the main gate! Pippin has descended through the city and the warriors of Minas Tirith with their brave heroes must stop the horde of orcs overwhelming them before Gandalf can reach Pippin and stop Denethor's madness. Sauron's forces must kill as many men as possible to break their numbers and spirit, reducing them to a quarter of their starting numbers before Gandalf can reach Pippin.
The board is set up in a standard 4x4, with the whole gaming area a selection of stone buildings. As we had been playing on a 6x4 table, we decided to push the gate in the unplayable extra 2" to keep theme with the orcs advancing into the city, pushing past the gate and initial courtyard into the buildings beyond.
The defenders are led by Gandalf the White, with Perrin, Hurin, Ingold, Irolas and 36 warriors of Minas Tirith with an even split of war gear in support.
The hosts of Mordor look to continue their push into the city with Goroth at the head of the assault, supported by Zagdush, a Morannon orc captain with a shield and 36 Morannon orcs with an equal split of gear.
As seen above, deployment takes place in a very unique fashion with the board split into four 1 foot sections. Pippin deploys on the Western board edge, then Ingold and 12 warriors in the next 1 foot, Irolas and 12 more warriors in the next and finally Hurin and the final warriors, escorting Gandalf in the final foot, along the Eastern board edge.
To counter, evil sends forth the morannon captain to engage Ingold with 12 nasty morannon orcs in the second foot of board, Goroth and 12 more orcs to kill Irolas in the 3rd and Zagdush with the final 12 orcs to deal with Hurin and Gandalf in the forth foot of the board, the Eastern board edge.
There are however, some tricks that the good force have up their sleeves in this scenario. If any evil model wants to charge Pippin, they must roll a D6, only on a natural 6 may they charge. Pippin is also wearing his elven cloak.
We rolled for priority, and the battle began! Can Gandalf travel across the board, weave his way through the raging battle and meet Pippin without getting cut down? Can Pippin survive amid the host of orcs around him? Let's find out!
Gandalf begins his journey across the board to meet Pippin, with evil creating choke points to block his route
Turn 1 started with evil priority. The orcs decided to try and create choke points throughout the city, blocking Gandalf's path. They started with the detachment of orcs lead by the terrifying Zagdush turning to block off the path back towards the gate so Gandalf must push further into the city.
The middle band of orcs, led by Goroth charged straight into Irolas' warband and tried to overwhelm them immediately. However, Goroth himself peeled away to join the third group of orcs to try take out Pippin. This also doubled up as creating a second blockage, right in the centre of the board to stop Gandalf having an easy run to Pippin.
The final group of orcs, led by the rather large and imposing morannon orc captain, wanted to go right for Pippin. However, some clever deployment from the defenders of the White City meant they first had to cut through Ingold and his men.
Gandalf's first involvement was to raise his staff and make himself a terrifying aura of light, those nasty orcs wouldn't be charging him so easily for the remainder of the battle. He peeled into the city, with his escort of bowmen engaging Zagdush's orcs that had set out to block his route.
Combats hit, with several casualties on both sides. However, the middle group of warriors of the light could not hold out against the onrush of Mordor steel, with several of them being cut down, the blood running into the cobbles, thus giving the orcs a numbers advantage and more control in that area of the board going into turn 2.
Gandalf moves into the City, battle rages all around him
Turn two started with evil gaining the initiative, moving first following a heroic roll off. This was very important, it allowed the evil army to re-engage on their terms and block Gandalf's path between the ruined stables and lower city barracks seen above. Gandalf now must enter combat and wet his sword, or risk being trapped and cut down!
The remainder of the evil host screamed their war cry and engaged once more, with several smaller fights beginning as the battle spread out. Hurin, being the master tactician that he is, decided the best move was to make sure he was in range of Gandalf next turn, allowing any heroic moves if the need called. The battle around Pippin at the top of the board raged, with Ingold showing his value and cutting down several orcs as really starting to thin the orcs around Pippin as turn two combat kicked off.
Gandalf decided with Shadowfax charing this turn, Glamdring in hand and only a handful of lowly orcs to kill, he would call an heroic combat. However, orcs can be unexpectedly resilient in the face of such over confidence and beat back Gandalf, forcing him to spend all his remaining might to win the duel. With their blood rage up, not even Gandalf could kill both orcs and his combat failed.
More combats concluded with the Minas Tirith archers continuing to show their pluckiness and survive a second onslaught from the Mordor hosts on the Eastern edge, but the battle in the centre continued in the orc's favour with few men remaining following turn 2's completion.
Gandalf attempts to squeeze through some barrels to break through the centre of the board
Turn three starts with evil once again gaining priority. With Gandalf's might reserves depleted, Hurin's strategic brilliance in turn 2 really shows its value, allowing him to match Goroth's heroic move in the centre of the board. Winning the roll off, Hurin then proceeds to charge Goroth, allowing the men of the West a chance to get Gandalf away from the orc's grasp through the centre of the board, before barricading his way from any evil creatures wishing to charge him this turn.
The armies on the Eastern edge continued to pair up into combats, both numbers reduced. No matter how hard Zagdush trieds, he just couldn't motivate his orcs enough to break the archers ranks, freeing up a chance to support the fight raging in the middle of the board and attempt to cut down Hurin.
The orcs on the Western edge lead by the Morannon captain and attempting to kill Pippin, were becoming desperate. Their numbers reduced, the brave men of Gondor in front of them and Ingold standing defiant, attempted to engage in as many fights as possible despite being outnumbers. Two orcs remainder free from combats, rather than attempt to charge Pippin, both move as close as possible to stop him moving further away and setting up a chance next turn to charge.
Combats hit and with Gandalf slipping away, almost to Pippin, the orcs must win and kill almost all combats to stand a chance of blocking him next turn. Knowing their task is stretching beyond them, the evil host summons the might of Mordor and in a final effort, go about their task of cutting down as many of the remaining men as possible.
It starts well, the huge, lumbering beast that is Goroth cuts down Hurin. The orcs rally, a cheer goes up, however it's very short lived. Gondor's finest sense victory, they know if they can only hold this turn, Gandalf is almost certainly unhindered next. They proceed to cut down swathes of the remaining orcs. Having the numbers across almost the whole board outside the centre, the orcs are trapped in many places. As the turn ends, the only hope the evil force as is the two lowly orcs standing around Pippin. Can they summon Sauron's strength, kill Pippin and sound victory for Mordor...!
Hurin is trapped! Goroth swings his mace and puts down the son of Gondor
Turn 4 starts with good finally winning priority. The Morannon captain at the top of the board contests it, giving the evil side a last chance at snatching victory with the two brave orcs around Pippin. Good counter with Ingold, but Mordor summon their last reserves of strength and win the roll off. The two orcs attempt to charge Pippin, the first one screams and runs forward, but loses sight of the small Hobbit amid the houses. The second orc however has a keener eye than his compatriot, smashing into the Shirefolk and roaring his challenge.
The good side sense the danger, Ingold and several warriors of Minas Tirith branch away to counter charge the blood thirsy orc, trapping him around Pippin. Shadowfax bounds forward and carries Gandalf into combat with orc too, base to base with Pippin and ready to pull him into the saddle.
The remaining orcs and men break off into combats, although for evil the day is lost. Many more from both sides are slain as turn 4 combats play out, both sides are now reduced to less than 50% of their starting value.
So the final combat plays out, with the brave morannon who has charged Pippin, surrounded, outnumbered, outmanoeuvred. He rolls his dice, it's not enough, Gandalf swings Glamdring and takes his head in one clean sweep. Pippin then is pulled onto Shadowfax and Gandalf has the board edge in sight.
Evil can no longer influence the outcome, the final turn starts and Gandalf moves off the board edge. Denethor's madness will be stopped, Faramir will be saved. The light will remain in Minas Tirith!
Gandalf and Pippin leave the board
Thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings, the next plan is a scenario from a very old additional of White Dwarf!
All the best,
Ryan
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