Minas Tirith Battle Report

(Above show post deployment dispositions with Minas Tirith at the bottom of the image. Before them are the houses that Daddy Denethor said need a tad of flame.) 

Last week's wargame was again MESBG, I game I am loving atm. I was back with a vanilla Minas Tirith force this week. I knew my friend Nick, the mastter of Isengard, had changed his allegience. I also knew he was bringing Iron Hills. I listened to a podcast describing Iron Hills and I wet myself ... and the yellow river of trepidation kept flowing when Nick arrived and confirmed ...

 Dain was leading his troops! 

However, I did have a plan and a theme ... Faramir riding to re-take Osgiliath (the movie version not books.) As we know this didn't end well but Faramir was not facing dwarves. 

Nick suggested we play a scenario from the War in Rohan book (?) mainly to put his new terrain on the table. And didn't it look a treat! Shame my role was to set it afire (to wood this time not a fire 'in our flesh!) The Iron Hills would be stoutly defending against the arson of man. 

Early in the battle, the initiative mainly went to the men and I enacted my strategy. This consisted of riding about quickly to stretch the Dwarves and set fire to anything I could. In the meantime, I would pepper the dwarf line with arrows ... not in hope of actually killing anyone but trying to goad them into precipitous action. The only dwarves I really wanted dead were their crossbows who were a significant danger to my horsemen. 

(Above, a picturesque rural setting ... better introduce it to wood and oil! Then, Faramir will be able to go home with his head held high.)

Here my riders hold back behind a line of shields cautious of the Dwarf crossbows. My rangers press forward as a skirmish line ready to target the crossbowmen. 

The Iron Hills used their shield walls to plug the gaps between the buildings and focus on protecting the rear buildings. Eagerly I sent brave riders forward to commit arson against the homes of the innocent. 

In the centre, I pushed forward my only battle line that I thought could vaguely match combat with the Iron Hills. This was led by Ingold. My plan really involved not engaging with the dwarves and just praying to Manwe that Dain didn't kill too much. As the game developed, Dain Pig-rider struggled to decide where to commit. I tried to use cavalry to give him multiple threats. He could only crush one at a time! 

Please note ... at the top of the above image two Gondorian knights are riding into an unoccupied centre. This would enable them to fan out and set alight several dwellings. One was Faramir, who I only narrowly managed to extricate when Dain charged on his pig of massive conflict. I was very nervous I would lose VP's by having Faramir killed (by Dain.)

Another slightly smaller battle line advanced to just beyond dwarf charge distance. Their job was simply to hold the main enemy battleline in place. 

The Iron Hills shield wall ... or bloody scary formation. And this was the smaller one! 

And then I didn't take any more photo's. Don't know why, but the theme of the battle has already developed. The Iron Hills were hindered by low movement and multiple threats. The Gondorian knights could ride about seeking the gaps in the centre and rear of the enemy while the shieldwall and rangers threatened the Dwarf line just enough to keep them in place. I did get embroiled in combat in one area and lost 5 ot 6 soldiers to the Iron Hills. 

But this was all irrelevant, as the buildings were alight. It was easier to set a fire than extinguish one and the Iron Hills rolled a couple of ones to engulf the buildings in catastrophic flame. In the end all buildings were alight and Minas Tirith had the speed to keep out of range of the dwarfs. We did try some combat and the result was as expected ... a nasty gash caused by beardy warriors. I just couldn't time striking from the front and charging from the back. The Iron Hills heroes on pigs/goats were good enough defence to snuff out this attempted threat. 

A very tactical game with not a lot of combat but it was a drubbing on points - Minas Tirith 10 to Iron Hills nil. 

I retrospect, I should have bragged a lot ... as I think I'll be taking some vicious hits from the Iron Hills in games to come. (I need to speed up my Mordor painting!) 

 

Gondor trims the hedge

 

(Above shows most deployment. At bottom is my command with the knights.)

After few weeks of anticipation, it was back to MESBG. My Minas Tirith was complete (30 infantry, 10 rangers and 8 cavalry + heroes) and ready to fight. My good friend Nick had decided to take Fangorn! 

I was slightly trepidatious ... I mean having a garden is a wonderful thing but when not monitored it can so easily get out of hand. I thought those big ents would smash my little shieldwall apart. 

I thought long and hard and selected the following - 

Ingold + 10 shieldwall, banner and 2 rangers, 

Captain of MT plus 8 shieldwall + 2 rangers + 2 knights, 

Anborn + 3 rangers 

FINALLY a Herald of the Dead + 8 warriors of the dead. 

I was up against 4 ents with Treebeard, Quickbeam and two others. 

Early on the ghosts would face off against Treebeard, 1 woody pal and 2 hobbits. My Dead of Dunharrow were (I thought) my main chance to kill ents. 

Another Ent stood proudly atop a hill, minding a objective and throwing large rocks from the top. 

My rear command, these would plug holes, shoot ents and send my knights around the back to steal the rear objective. 

And it was on! Treebeard smashed into the Dead quickly killing 3-4. My Herald was staying alive but weren't winning fights against the ents high FV. 

On my right, Quickbeam held off a shieldwall led by Ingold. Even with the banner I struggled to gain an edge in duel rolls. 

Then the hobbits descened. I peeled off 4 from Ingold's command to slay them. I killed Merry then Pippin scurried back to safety. 

Ranga Ent turned out to be an abysmal shot and my knights rode for their lives around the back of the table. They were not out of danger yet. This ent was the target of all my fire (I had 8 bows including Anborn.) His ability to add might to a arrow shot would be key soon. 

Unsure of what else to do, I swarmed the ents in the centre, trying to keep in shieldwall. Treebeard responded by swinging my warriors around like a club. However, there were few deaths sustained on the Minas Tirith side. Things were starting to swing against the walking shrubbery. 

I saved might almost exclusively to score wounds on the ents. This began to work. With their fate falling, wounds were starting to mount. The ents might was also being drained. When Minas Tirith finally did win the duel rolls, we were rolling 8 or even 10 dice at a time to wound. The sixes were eventually rolled (and then the 4's too.) Throw enough dice, and luck will eventually follow. 

Then ranga ent fell to shooting. Quickbeam followed soon after succumbing to the sheer amount of hits. My Captain of MT, Ingold and the Herald of the Dead were beginning to score wounds. And despite the size, ents only have 3 (plus a little fate to aid longevity.) 

Before we knew it, Treebeard stood alone. It really didn't matter at this stage. Fangorn was broken and Minas Tirith stood on every objective marker. It was a matter of time before the sheer amount of blows falling would fell this mighty ash/oak/pine/elm ... whatever he his. 

Whenever Treebeard drove us back ... we swarmed back in. The blade of the Herald was a constant threat if unsaved. Enraged, Treebeard surged toward the pesky rangers who had started all the wounds by killing ranga ent. However, this was short lived. Surrounded, the dice rolled were just too many. 

The hedge was trimmed ... the bushes were pruned. 

Certainly not what I had expected, but it was essentially what I had planned for. 

The cavalry were great - as they couldn't be ignored. Minas Tirith defence is high as was the Dead of Dunharrow. The ghosts' wounding against courage - not defence - and the Warden's sword was a twin threat. The bows - while weak - eventually landed wounds. The number of shots over time felled an ent. Anborn's lethal aim was also effective and threatening for the ent player. The ents were fearsome with high FV and Defence BUT they just didn't have enough wounds or sufficient killing ability to get through the larger force. Also, with good courage in both Minas Tirith and Dead of Dunharrow, the ents's terror did not play a significant factor in the game. 

In conclusion, all ents died for the loss of 5 ghosts and 1 Gondorian soldier. 

Was it fun ... hell yes! I especially liked riding for my life as the knights dodged falling boulders racing for the rear objective. Very tense and a funny situation to imagine in the battle. 

Man Sized MESBG

(Saxon dispositions - heavy foot line protected by skirmishing bow)

After a long hiatus, a post about my new gaming passion - Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game. Although I had sworn off GW (again), I was lured back by my love of Tolkien and the promise of some oddly good rules. I've played about 10 games and decided to use to represent the Dark Ages. This is a period I love - and I have a sizeable figure collection - but have struggled to find good rules. 

(Viking line - behind trees - that would prove an obstacle to forming a line)

In any case ... I used MESBG and one of my 40x40 mm bases represented a single figure. Three mounted models represented one mounted figure. One 40 x 20mm base with 2 miniatures represented bowmen or javelinmen. I increased the table size to 6x4 feet - which ended up being a little too large. I made up my own stats - based on Dunlendings with some tweeks.  

The game was off ... Saxons versus Vikings around 865 AD - ie: the Great Heathen army period. It was 500 points of MESBG and the scenario was I forget. There was a back objective that had to be picked up and run back ... seemed impossible to me from the outset - maybe not MESBG's best scenario. 

The Saxons formed a solid line of fyrd and moved up, planning to win by destroying their enemies. 

The Viking objective was in a walled area. This would prove too hard ... or really it looked too hard and I didn't try. 

The Viking right which would surge straight into the Saxon main line. 

The Saxon left with 3 mounted bases and 4 javelinmen. 

The main Saxon line stomped ahead maintaining their shieldwall. 

It was a glorious sight ... mail glittered in the morning sun like ice ... 

The Viking could see the superior force advancing on their left but felt comfort behind their wall and the sheer distance needed to be travelled. 

The Viking right moved up with significant numbers by in a long column rather than a line. This was due to pacing as they rounded the small wood but also due to potential harassment by the Saxon horse. 

The first Viking force marched into the Saxon fyrd wall. Northman bases arrived piecemeal and were met in depth. Another Saxon force moved into their flank and rear. Vikings fell like leaves. 

Then the Saxons fell to indecision in their main attack. The King ordered half this force to march toward their left that would eventually be overcome by superior Viking forces once their huscarls arrived. Meanwhile, the Saxon king and his huscarls (and banner) moved toward the objective confident in their high defense. 

A furious melee developed as the Vikings funneled more men into the fight as their column dispersed into line. This line was weakened by earlier losses and the Saxon numbers and better formed shieldwall ground down the attackers. 

After a period of indecision, the King ordered at all out attack on the Viking left and toward the objective. The Saxon elite warriors sliced up their enemies for no losses. The King was briefly outnumbered but his armour held for a turn until his fyrd plunged into the fray. Vikings again fell ... their losses were mounting. 

The Saxon centre has dispatched the first Viking force then pressed forward against the final elements of their attack column. Superior support was winning out. 

In the background of the above and below photos the Viking elite huscarls can be seen. These approached in a wide arc - their flank threatened by cavalry. They had also been tasked to prevent the horsemen from riding onto the objective. However, this robbed the Vikings of their best troops in the battle line. 

The Viking line was breaking up. Everywhere the Saxons held a numbers advantage in the centre. 

On the other flank, the Saxon elite was pressing the Vikings hard. Pinned against the wall, Vikings were dying and their banner was threatened. 

Bondi faced fyrd near the small wood. The Saxons had pressed across the table and battle the last of the Vikings. The Saxons could not breach the defenders manning the wall (this seems very tough in MESBG) but the Vikings had broken. Their elite force had managed to pick up the Saxon objective but the game ended at that time. It was a narrow victory 0-1 but losses in men told a very different story. It would have been interesting to play another turn or two and see the effects of courage rolls on the Vikings. 

In any case the game worked well - good rules - and I would play this again .. but I need to have fewer profile types as the armies look very similar in this period. This makes base identification tricky amid swirling and confused melee. I'd even plan a more traditional combat oriented battle rather than a fetch the objective scenario to better suit the period. I'd also reduce the table size as while the bases were bigger, movement was the same - making this particular scenario a hard task to master. 

Blucher 1815

After some time, I returned to Blucher. I still prefer this set of rules to any other Napoleonic set - even Lasalle 2. They allow rules to operate in the background while players focus on the game. 

My good friend Nic played the Prussians while I played the French. It was a 200 point game. The French had 11 units of foot, three foot batteries, 3 units of heavy cavalry and one horse battery. 

The Prussians were fielding 1 Grenadier unit, 4 line, 6 landwehr and 3 reserve units. Along with this they had 3 foot batteries, 1 horse battery, 3 light cavalry and 1 landwehr cavalry units. Quite a large force. 

The French units were the attackers and moved first. They also had a glut of MO points allowed them to take several key positions in the terrain. 

Unfortunately, rumours of the Emperor put the Prussians into a stupor of inactivity. They had very few MO in the first three turns of the game.

They did push one corps up onto a hill that held the objective ... 

... and march into a town where the other lay. 

By this time the French infantry were well down the field, especially on the left and in the centre. 8 of their 11 infantry units were aimed at taking the objective on the hill. By pressing up they could also command a narrow gap between a marsh and forest that reduced the Prussian ability to deploy forces into the centre of the table. 

French fire was withering while Prussian cannons seemed unable to make a significant dent into the French. The MO drought led to a piecemeal advance on toward the French right. This led to the loss of one infantry to French cannon and the isolation of a reserve infantry brigade. 

Into this gap the French heavy brigade pounded forward ... 1 dragoon followed by 2 cuirassier and a horse battery. 

In the centre, 2 French infantry units advanced down from the hill to plug a narrow gap in the terrain (mentioned above.) The Prussians could not easily deploy their cavalry and certainly not in force. 

The French decided to hold spending MO on their left. Three infantry units and one battery would hold this side with their flank anchored on a wood. Little action would occur here other than the isolated Prussian reserve unit was whittled away by accurate skirmish and cannon fire (especially when forced into prepared - or square - formation.) This is also show below from a soldier's view. 

The Prussians needed their MO elsewhere and these troops were never really utilised in the game ... at some times they marched forward then back again. 

The French heavy cavalry column pushed into position. Two were sent further forward, riding over a battery before turning and attacked the rear of the Prussian centre. 

French troops formed up and laid a withering fire upon the Prussians who held the hill. Soon these retreated ... 

To be replaced by reserves which were hurriedly moved from the centre. 

The Prussians surged forward relying on their numbers to sway the battle through repeated bayonet charges. They were unwilling to engage in shooting against the French. 

After several charges the French stood firm then released scything volleys into the Prussians who stood staggered directly to their front. Losses were mounting. 

Above shows the result of French heavy cavalry movements. The dragoons and one cuirassier were behind Prussian lines. The Lithuanian Dragoons (blue centre right) had stood up to two direct charges from French cuirassiers but had been hurled back by infantry not in square. 

Now they faced a terrible decision ... to ride forward or turn to face the cavalry attack. 

The French again pressed forward with their centre ... now a little battered but in quite good condition. One headed through marshy ground to flank the Prussian held hill and, ultimately, threaten the objective. 

The French right was now a scene of inactivity. Note the yawning gap on the upper left of the image where the heavy cavalry had rode. 

The game was called at this point. The Prussians were dangerous close to break point and the French units in the rear of the line had begun to rout more units from the field. French infantry were still vital enough to press the attack while the Prussian had almost no units that had not taken at least a third or more of the hits. The French had won the day!