The Black Gate MESBG

Tonight's match, was MESBG with Black Gate vs Osgiliath Reclaimed. Following Nick's suggestion we dipped into the Saga 'Book of Battles' for the scenario 'Prized Possessions.' Evil was the defender and had to drag two heavy wagons across the field and off the far table edge. As it turned out, it would be an edge too far ... 

(Above is the real reason I chose the Black Gate ... I had finished painting my Mouth of Sauron earlier that day ... its nice to be on holiday. ) 

Evil broke into three groups. My right would try to rush up and flank the defenders and forge their way toward the wagons. One wagon and guards went up the centre ... 

... while the other wagon tried to sneak down the side. 

Two groups of Gondor awaited. They could shift to either side to block the wagons. I hoped that being an all Morannon Orc force, up against Men, would help me. Oh, how foolish I was ... 

The centre wagon approached by had to halt. They waited for the flanking force to do away with their opponents and threaten from the side. The wagon on the table edge inched its way along as yet without opponents. However, Gondor had a reasonable cavalry force to oppose this quickly. 

The Troll Chieftain led the attack. The Gondor heavy soldiers climbed the hill - using their Mountain Dweller rule to help - and a small force of rangers (and Faramir) stayed to slow them. 

Ha! I thought ... not trouble for 12 Morannons and a big Troll. Again ... what a fool! 

The ranger's archery was proving deadly. It killed around 5 orcs including the banner. However, as my flanking troops hadn't arrive I still had to hold to avoid being overwhelmed. 

Orcs battled Men on the cliff tops ... yeah .. the Men won there too. 

It looks like the Orcs are winning here doesn't it ... they're really not. Evil's losses were mounting. I couldn't get a duel roll win. Evil had lost around 8-9 models for no result. 

I could hold no longer and surged out. I was winning many priorities in this phase of the battle but it was only holding me in the fight. I was losing troops steadily. 

Both Boromir and Faramir tackle the troll trying to fell the beast. The Troll was doing a little damage but only to consumable points. Might and Fate were falling for the brothers fast but they were unscathed and so was the Troll. 

The Gondorians try to shift a few men over the threaten the far wagon. What a dramatic action shot!

Numbers are thinning now ... Men outnumber Orcs everywhere. The sun had broken through the clouds hampering the Orcs, heartening the Men. Their blades struck true and the forges of Mordor had produced chinked and brittle armour and scimitars. 

Now Men were streaming across the battlefield in all directions as Orc losses were over half their force. I think I'd lost about 12 Orcs before even a single Gondorian died. Boromir's magical banner than lets his troops win draws was absolutely stunning. Also, the deadly attacks of the normal Men were just too good on this night. Despite having equal FV, better strength, +1 to wound if outnumbering and defence that was almost the same (unless shieldwall was in effect) ... the Morannon Orcs were just woeful. 

It was even Boromir and Faramir killing the Orcs .. both those guys were busy fighting the Troll ... it was just rank and file troops absolutely murdering everything before them. 

Boromir seems more powerful as a support piece by utilising his banner and acting like a might battery for Faramir the Expendable. 

The above fight started with more Orcs than men fighting around the second wagon but it didn't stay that way for long. After a long run in the centre of the game where evil had controlled priority, Good now took control in the same manner. With this advantage, and falling Orc numbers, the massacre became a (what's bigger than a massacre?) catastrophe. 

Finally, some Men did fall ... I think about 10-11 and Faramir was killed by the troll. But the Orcs had only 8 troops left on the field. In the final moment of the game, a single Gondorian soldier rolled the 6 he needed to put the second wound onto a wagon and knock it out of the game. I feel this was actually very apt as it was the martial skill of the rank and file soldiers, rangers and cavalry than carried the day today. The Men of the Osgiliath were deadly opponents. 

Morannon Orcs ... I hear they are supposed to be good troops ... I'm finding it very hard to see this (and I think my opponent has a similar view.) Over-priced shit is another way to put it. The extra points for their +1 FV vs men was totally blunted by Boromir's banner. I was paying points for absolutely no benefit at all. As I couldn't win duel rolls then other two good points about Morannons also became useless - S4 and +1 to wound if fighting outnumbered. Their bad side also shines through with courage 8+ (the same as any other Orc) when they ran for the hills near the end of the game. 

Please don't ask me what I think about Morannon Captains either ... should the word 'refuse' suffice?

The scenario worked well. I think I know what I'd do next time ... needless to say I didn't see this tactic this time. Also, I need to play an army more than once (although tonight's force was VERY similar to my Riddles comp army - so I should be figuring something out by now.) I'm coming to the conclusion I'm pretty bad at MESBG. I think in the last 8-9 games (maybe more) my Mordor army has been quartered in every game. I know you can win even thought quartered but you don't need a palantir to understand something is seriously wrong. 

Playing the same army and scenarios would be of benefit. When you keep playing a different one each week, its hard to learn anything really. 

On the down side for me, I really liked playing this army. D6 Morannons should have stood up to a lot more punishment from S3 strikes and S2 bows (yeah, dickhead ... keeps telling yourself that ... self-delusion is a powerful force!) I also liked the Mouth of Sauron and that big fuckwitted Troll Chieftain is also growing on me (even though any model could tie him up easily - just rope-a-dope.) 

Guess, I'm a sucker for punishment.