MESBG Gondor vs Angmar

This week the game was again MESBG but the scenario was 'The Fugitive' from the Lion Rampant skirmish rules. In this scenario, the defenders searched terrain features to locate a fugitive that has escape the castle of their enemies. My Angmar list were the defenders searching for an elusive hobbit. 

It was first time with Angmar who had always intimidated me with their huge amount of rules. Spirits, Witch Kings, Barrow wights ... all has things to caste each turn. Would I remember all? Sadly, no. 

My opponent, Nick of the Tower, fielded his Osgiliath Reclaimed list. In this Boromir and Faramir led the forces of good. It was 600 points a side. 

The drone shot shows the five terrain pieces that could house the fugitive hobbit. 

Evil ran forward not just to search but to infest the narrow spaces on the board. Their ploy would be to search, then hold up the Men while the model with the fugitive spirted him from the board edge. 

The Witch King stood in the centre with the banner and barrow wight. In the background, several Orcs who had searched the far wood had been caught out. These would be sacrificed to stick to the plan. 

On the other side few foes stood before Angmar. In the distance several rangers peppered the line. However, the Witch King had despatched a warg rider and werewolf - the newest recruit to my forces - to silence their bows. 

Boromir flanked the forces of evil riding quickly for the rear. He and his knights hoped to bypass the blocking force then strike at the rearward figures with the hobbit. 

Only one or two orcs delayed the forces of men. Beyond, a more solid battle line awaited. 

Then the Witch King struck. Having drained Boromir's will with transfix spells, he now unleashed his black dart. The fetid missile struck, killed Boromir's horse. This proved vital as it drastically slowed the advance of good. But now the Witch King was within the powerful hero's reach. 

The orcs before the dark one began to quail but terror stayed them. 

Meanwhile, the fugitive was in the hands of a warg rider and moved slowly to the table edge kicking and screaming for rescue. A second werewolf guarded the warg rider. I also sent an orc captain who had retained a might point for a heroic move or march. 

At the front, battle lines clashed. Although inferior in fight value and defence, the orcs held on due to the terror causing spirit and barrow wight which bolstered their line. 

Behind, more orcs and warg riders tried to harry the foe ... but quickly the tables were turned. 

Boromir surged toward the Witch King felling orcs in heroic combat. But, even his vast stores of might ran low. 

The two did clash - and I was too enthralled to take a photo - with Boromir winning the duel but fate saved the foul overlord. This duel win was lucky for Boromir, as the Witch King was wielding a morgul blade. 

Guarded by the werewolf, the hobbit was manhandled toward the table edge. Gondorian knights were held at bay by the werewolf's long movement and being able to launch a charge without seeing the enemy. 

Now, Faramir leapt the wall (see background in the ruined building) and charged into the flank of the Angmar front line. His magic resistance made the barrow wight's paralyse useless. But, Angmar still had the numbers to hold out. 

The Witch King attacked Gondorian knights but their defence held. Angmar's offensive power feels quite limited but they have lots of tools to delay and frustrate the foe. Few Gondorians had fallen but the fugitive had been secured. Higher numbers, terror and blocking the narrow board spaces all told on good reducing their ability to threaten objective. 

We both thought the scenario had been pretty good and we think we'll try more. I have some problems with the GW scenarios - especially when these require securing non-descript objective markers or making being quartered or broken a benefit to bring about an early game end. The Fugitive felt like a real medieval situation to resolve. (Although I doubt Angmar would have been able to wrest the objective from the high defence + FV Gondorians.)We also learnt that werewolves, despite not killing much, were threatening with their long move, terror and ability to charge without line of sight. Also, the widespread Angmar terror (when orcs are within 3" of a spirit) works wonderfully well with the Witch King's harbinger of evil radius. I just need to look for opportunities to engulf foes when they charge piecemeal and better utilise my warg riders. Maybe these should just shadow the werewolves giving much needed support, protection and bolstering the attack dice numbers. 

Oh, and Faramir is much more threatening in the new edition. Boromir is a monster as always but I feel he is vulnerable to magic. His brother is not ... but does have reduced killing power. Oh, and the WK is really not much chop at the chop chop. 

 

MESBG Tournament - The Riddle of Fun

With a shrinking sense of enthusiasm, I played the Riddles in the Dark II tournament for MESBG. It was held locally and was a 500 (or 550) pt day with 4 intended games. I took Mordor ... almost Black Gate. The rules concerning army lists were a bit confusing with making up your own heroes - and lists too really as it turned out. Just think of a list, and a thinly veiled reason, and take it along. 

I only invested 15 points on upgrading my heroes and, as it turned out, I was alone in doing this. 

14 people played the day. Game 1 was against an all hero list ... the type of thing I just don't like in wargames. The game lasted an hour and much to everyone's surprise ... I won. I won't lie - the game just wasn't fun as my opponent had designed a list where he rolled dice each turn to get more abilities and might. There was a slight chance something 'bad' would happen but even these were things like 'charge the enemy' which he was going to do in any case. 

It didn't bother me too much as I don't view such situations as actual games. It was more just for my opponent to kill some figures. I was just there to paint and supply an army for him to defeat. My input was not required. He stomped the shit out of my army BUT I had decided to run enough orcs at the objectives and well ... Sucked in hero-hammer dude, I won! (By the skin of my teeth but still ... my victory was a result tactics and actually investing in troops not heroes!) 

These images are all game 1. Just try to spot the opposing army .. its fucking hard when you only deploy 4 figures and they're all heroes. Needless to say, I don't think I'll play a game like that again. 

The game just wasn't fun as my opponent used boundless stores of might to totally control all priorities and heroic moves. Even if I won a roll, I then lost initiative due to some rule that he created for his over powered hero army. My only action of any note was my general killing just one of his models in the final turn of the game. This game illustrated the bad side of MESBG. However, this was not the rules but in the application of the lists. The result of a victory driven approach to gaming. 

Game 2 was a Mordor grudge match. This was my favourite game ... and another lucky win. Why was this the best? Because I played against someone who took a fucking army and not heroes! My opponent was also very nice and knowledgeable - while I was rules careless and hung over. I got smashed with my army being 'quartered' which is MESBG speak for routed or broken in every other wargame ever written. This game showed the true limitations of trolls in MESBG. Not enough attack dice to win roll offs and too easy to simple tie up with one model. 

My aim for the day was to try and work out how to use trolls. What did I discover? Trolls are shit. 

The base size is too big and the wounds and attacks are too few. But, I listened all day to my opponents saying how scary they were. The experienced MESBG players seemed to know exactly how to blunt trolls on the battlefield. 

(NOTE: In this game, my opponent also fielded a Mordor troll. He agreed, trolls are not worth the points.)

However, their trepidation prevented a serious threat to 'Vark the Insertor' my leader - all day! He saved this game by repeatedly throwing enemies at the opposing general until he died. Got me the win as my opponent didn't press the victory conditions. That's twice now a more knowledgeable opponent didn't press the objectives. They were just mesmerised with killing my troops. 

MESBG is a very odd wargame that often involves getting a positive benefit from your army being routed at the right time. If you're ahead in the game, putting your figures in poor positions to die in combat, or fail a courage test, is actually good tactics. Who could invent such bullshit? Only Games Workshop. 

But fun does lie within this game. The clash of battle lines (as I experienced in Game 2) really scratches a medieval itch. Game 2 was tactical and felt fun as it appeared I actually had a chance to win. 

(I really didn't as my opponent was a lot better at MESBG than me - and I didn't have enough heroes. His three heroes cut a swathe of death through my army.) 

And then Game 3 came along ... 

Why the fuck would you put a river across the centre that was incredibly difficult to cross and only had one narrow ford and one single file bridge? 

Answer = you want the small elite and/or missile heavy armies to win. 

And guess what? That's what happened! 

I used every might point I had to heroic march and rush the ford and get across. Then I lost 3-4 priorities losing the initiative OR had it ripped away when might was used. I tried using might too but I was seriously outclassed by an army that had 4 times the might I did. 

Yep, I was facing another hero heavy force. 

The smaller army formed a ring around the ford and just hacked the shit out of my army as it limped across piecemeal ... And my opponent talked about how threatening my trolls were as he won every fight and killed my whole army (except Vark the Insertor) for only 2-3 models lost. I didn't kill a single model until the last turns of the game. 

Unfortunately, I felt like a useless appendage again. After those first turns of movement, I lost all player decision making ability. I stood trapped on the ford - my only large crossing point and died. 

This game didn't even have the manners to end. It went on and on with only Vark the Insertor (my general) left. And still my opponent still had the might to rip any priority wins away. 

But, somehow I walked away still enthused. My opponents were all nice guys - two of which just loved to create elite armies that robbed their opponents of the ability to take a turn. Everyone was helpful throughout the games (its easy to be positively disposed when your massacring the enemy.) 

I still like MESBG. Despite being quartered in every game (I lost about 25 models out of 29 in all games) I won two games. I had spent the least on characters out of all players. The day also revealed that I still don't comprehend how to move my troops effectively especially when lines meet. 

What does the day tell me? In MESBG, heroes matter far more than I would like and Trolls are shit. 

I have a better understanding of troll use and limitations but I'm not sure the other games provided the learning experiences for troop tactics I was hoping to gain. It didn't seem to matter what I did - especially in game 1. 

 

An MESBG Trollskin Blanket

After several weeks away from gaming, and with a tournament fast approaching, Nick and I finally got a game in with our intended lists. 

It was Isengard vs Mordor at around 500 points. 

My army consisted of a Troll chieftain, leading 14 Morannon Orcs, and a Morannon Captain, leading a Troll and 8 Mordor orcs. There was one warg rider - who might try to grab and objective. 

Both Nick and I thought the double trolls would be very hard to stop ... oh how wrong we were. 

This game really showed the strength of Isengard ... or my continued tactical inability to make decent decisions in MESBG. Also, my lack of understanding in just how trolls worked. 

We played a scenario with objectives .. but I'm damned if I remember what it was. It really didn't matter in the end. There were actually two games this evening ... both were very short. 

My Mordor forces were absolutely massacred each time. 

The above game was so short, I didn't get any snaps past deployment. My trolls were smashed by Uruk heroes, beserkers and pike support. With all these models, Nick was rolling 6 or so dice in the duel rolls. Trolls roll only three, so I basically had to roll a six each time to be in the race. 

I wasn't in any race ... 

The second game, I tried to deploy up in the grill of Isengard to get away from the nasty STR 4 crossbows. It didn't work either. 

My Troll chieftain was out-rolled in duels (again - the enormous troll base size means smaller models can pile in and gets lots of dice in the duel.) Most often, the small models get a six and the troll doesn't. 

There are my trolls - above and below - looking menacing and doing absolutely fucking nothing. 

I think one of them killed an orc. WOW! Thats 240 points for 10. What a trade!

The beserkers are very deadly as well as the high fight, strength and defence of the uruks. My Mordor Orcs and Morannons are outmatched in every category. 

This game also ended very soon. But I quite like two games in one night. I do enjoy smaller points games. But, it was pretty sobering getting boxed so emphatically in both games. Isengard are tough, Nick positions his troops better than I do, and I can't use trolls. 

This didn't bode well for the coming weekend of the Riddles in the Dark 2 competition. 

MESBG Minas Morgul vs Gondor

 

This week was a return to MESBG. Osgiliath Reclaimed vs Minas Morgul. The evil side was on a one game streak with Minas Morgul looking like a very powerful list. This was primarily due to the 'Blades of the Dead' rule. This smashes through defence values and laughs at the shieldwall rule. 

We played the Scenario 3 Hold Ground. Armies were 600 points - which is a level I quite like for a weekday evening game.  

The evil forces included the Witch King, a troll, only 4 Morannan Orcs then around 30 or so Mordor Orcs. I went for two Mordor Orc Captains to take advantage of the Blades special rule. Included in the force were 4 bows and 1 banner. The total was 44 models and 6 might. 

Osgiliath included both brothers (Boromir and Faramir), 5/6 knights of Minas Tirith, around 5 rangers and the rest 'tin-cans' with either sword or spear and board. Total models was in the low 30s. 

It was a malestrom set up with one evil warband off the table. Both armies began near to the corners and crabbed across toward the centre in the first few turns of the game. 

Minas Tirith knights were sent out wide of their right to flank Mordor. These worried me as I knew I'd need all my numbers in the main battleline to take apart the strong Minas Tirith shieldwall. 

Battle lines moved up - crabbing into the centre as stated. At top right of the above image, Boromir and 3-4 knights shelter behind a large ruined section of terrain. The bow Orcs waited them to come out as did the Troll who waited to see which way they would ride.  

The Witch King used his speed to ride across to the Mordor left and compell the flanking knights. This worked very well and I managed to surround and kill both with little loss of Orcs. 

The lines grew closer around the objective. Ranger arrows dropped an Orc or two. With only defence 5, the Orc front line feels a little exposed. Numbers are important. Perhaps I should have pressed my Morannon Orcs into the front with their defence 6? But, I was hoping their +1 FV against Men might be very helpful when the combat began. I tried to shelter them. 

The Troll and Witch watched for a flanking move from Boromir. They would eventually move into the centre fight. 

Above, the Witch King shifted across to deal with the flanking knights. He then tried to put as many Orcs between himself and rangers arrows as possible. 

Then, in a few turns, it was over to full melee. Boromir rode his knights into the centre. The Witch King transfixed one knight - leading to his death in combat - and lucky rolls saw the felling of Boromir's steed and the death of the other knights for little orcish loss. 

Boromir used several heroic combats to rack up kills. He can easily slay 3 or four Orcs in a single round. I responded by trying to mitigate such losses. Unfortunately, the WK was less than successful in trying to Transfix Boromir - and lost quite a few will and might in these attempts. 

The main lines closed. Minas Tirith had funneled 6 warriors over to support Boromir - who didn't seem to need much help (unless he strained an elbow snicking the heads off more Orcs) - which shortened their main battleline. The Troll was eager to cave in the end of this line. 

Boromir cleaned up the other flank. The 10 or so Orcs on the Mordor right were being cleaned up quickly. I tried to slow this. Without his horse, Boromir had a tough time in shifting back to where the action was in the centre. 

The above shot shows Boromir's distance from the centre objective. 

The main battle happened quite fast. It was extremely brutal melee with Orcs falling quickly - as their defence 5 really doesn't help (and D4 spear orcs are even worse) - but the Blades of the Dead special rule is devastating. Warriors of Minas Tirith were falling everywhere. Their army broke leading to a couple fleeing due to courage failures. 

In the above shot, two Orcs continue to fall back on the right of the image as the group of Men, led by Boromir, continue to clean up this flank. But their progress was slowed. 

The main battleline was decimated by the Mordor Orcs. There were enough to simply swamp the Men. The Troll did a little work - but I need to learn to make better use of this destructive weapon. I did attempt to compel a warrior out of the line into the troll but my spell dice (after initial significant success dealing with the cavalry) turned sour. This would have enabled the troll to slingshot itself into the line potentially causing carnage. I think I did manage to transfix Boromir once???

At games end it was a sorry tale for the forces of good. Neither brother was harmed but nor was the Witch King. Osgiliath Reclaimed was broken and the 2nd or 3rd roll of the dice ended the game on a 1. 

Evil was triumphant. It had not broken and only Minas Morgul models were within 6 inches of the central objective. The game ended in a score of 15-0 to Minas Morgul. 

What can I type in review? Wow! Blades of the Dead is a great special rule ... 

... that would be a succinct summary. But, you do need to choose sufficient Mordor Orcs for it to work and ensure you get them into combat in sufficient number. The low Orcish defence value means you do trade kill-for-kill but the higher number of bodies in Minas Morgul means this is an exchange thats in your favour. The Witch King is really growing in my estimation and I think (just a little) I'm finally understanding his uses. The troll is also a great favourite. A gigantic ball of violence to roll into the enemy. Placement for him is everything to jusify his 100 point costs. I do very much like this army. 

I also really like this game - MESBG - especially when playing (like we did tonight) with a more traditional battle ... with lots of troops, shieldwalls, archers, flanking cavalry and a sprinkle of magic + heroes. I very much enjoy when fantasy games actually value the role of ordinary troops in a game and, indeed, make their use central to the outcome of the battle. 

I guess my Grognard heart remains true to its historical roots despite the fact I play a GW game.