This battle report was written some weeks after the event and is therefore inadequate ...
This weeks battle was Cirith Ungol, fresh from a beating, limped out for another. There was 700 points of them. They were up against Minas Tirith led by Mad Daddy and the inferior brother.
It seems we were fighting in a market place. Clearly some sort of fight over the last roll of toilet paper co-vid lockdown style. The Orcs moved to close the gap quickly concerned about the fire from the citadel guards.
And up them came a creepin' ...
Both Shagrat and Ballbag ran up ahead of the line and paid. Ballbag was peppered with shots and died. Out of 6 shots five wounded. Assumedly, Orome was doing all the shooting.
To explain my folly ... I just didn't think that the shooting would be that impressive and ... I just wanted to keep both together in combat.
And the fighting started ... battle lines clashed while Shelob ran up a building and lurked on a walkway to guard the flanks and rear against Minas Tirith knights led by Faramir.
I was reasonably happen to engage the citadel guards as they have a lower defence. My chances of killing them woul improve especially with my uruk-hai present (with higher FV and strength than an ordinary Orc.)
A stand off happened. Orcs and Men jeered at each other unwilling to engage in the gap - or poke through and expose themselves to lapping about.
Orcs shouting and gesticulating.
Shelob bides her time ...
And ... pounces! Her target was Faramir. Surrounded he lost the duel roll and died soon after. Shelob strikes!
Minas Tirith prove unwilling to engage. I was happy to see the outcome of the battle with the citadel guard. I also had some cavalry to deal with.
The bastards charged me ... not nice. But I had a few orcs hanging back who now made their way into the frey. Also, the citadel guard numbers had dwindled. So had the orcs but these were slightly more numerous.
Above shows the Minas Tirith battle line. They had only engaged on their right, had held in the centre and refused their left. There was probably a reason for this but as I have no idea what scenario we played, any explanation is lost on me.
The orcs were dealing with the citadel guard nicely and Shelob had frightened away the cavalry or moved closer for the KILL!
Ah yes! Objectives! There were objectives. On brave knight rode entirely around the Cirith Ungol army, then dismounted then approached the objective. He was under a hail of Orc bow fire but as orcs held the bows ... it was also for nothing. The little bastard even picked up the objective.
To protect their objective, Minas Tirith had fallen back to form a defensive semi-circle. Their line relied on a wall and that bastard Denethor just refused to go mad and help the orcs out.
The orcs hurled themselves in. Shagrat and a couple of orc captains leading the way. In the distance orcs moved around the rear ... that gate looks unguarded.
Then Shelob arrived. She moved into the line. Minas Tirith was reluctant to surround her as this would ruin their defensive formation. Shelob's charge hurled warriors aside then she slammed in again.
The orcs mopped up any stray soldiers. Minas Tirith numbers were falling.
Swiftly goes the swordplay ... ('Broken Sword' reference)
Shelob bit again and again ..
The Minas Tirith line dwindled ... orcs moved through the gate - forcing warriors out of the line to guard their rear. Also, I sent orcs jumping over the wall to attack the rear.
The little knight on the objective mission was surrounded. He had 100 arrows sticking from his shield and a hundred scimitar slashes to his hauberk ... but still he would not die.
The end of the end. The orcs stole the objective (i think) and had cut the Minas Tirith defenive line apart. The higher strength of uruks, orc captains, Shagrat and Shelob were all paying off to gain kills even through the high defence value troops. Their losses mounted and then the little knight died. The game ended soon after. Cirith Ungol had not broken but the forces of Men were quartered (routed?)
Shagrat was a champion ... maybe killed 8-9 warriors. Shelob was the absolute beast she can be. The lowly rank and file orcs and uruks also kicked on. Evil had triumphed. They would bear the last of the toiletries and paper products of Osgiliath back to the tower. Sauron could use the shitter with confidence again. The battle of the marketplace was decided.
