Defending Erebor: Dwarfs vs. Mordor Campaign. Part 1
“But Dáin Ironfoot was a worthy successor. And now we hear that he fell fighting before Erebor again, even while we fought here. I should call it a heavy loss, if it was not a wonder rather that in his great age he could still wield his axe as mightily as they say he did, standing over the body of King Brand before the Gate of Erebor until the darkness fell.”
Gandalf, Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-Earth
Part 1: The signal fire
Welcome to the first part of battle report about the struggle between dwarfs of Erebor and one of Sauron’s armies during the War of the Ring. Will Erebor withstand the attack of Mordor? How much will be paid for the survival of free peoples in north?
The campaign is based on series of linked battles, each one with special scenario, but also with some restrictions – no Dáin Ironfoot or khazad guards in the first skirmish! Victory gives certain minor advantage in the following battle, for example first priority, some kind of re-roll etc.
The first battle was a skirmish between orc scouts and dwarf patrols at the foothills of Erebor. The dwarfs spot the enemy and try to fire the signal bonfire (placed in the middle of the board) to warn their kinsmen in Erebor. Saurons’ minions need to stop them! We modified the Domination scenario from the Hobbit rulebook for this game:
- The bonfire is the only objective in the game.
- Models cannot start closer than 6“ to the objective.
- The player who has more models in 3“ from the bonfire at the end of the game wins. In case of a draw wins the force which remains unbroken. If both armies are broken, the player with surviving leader wins.
- The battle is small skirmish (300 points on each side) with no named heroes (just plain captains etc.), nor standards and heavily armored warriors. The edges of the hill with bonfire were counted as difficult terrain, as we didn’t want to make the warg riders useless.
The battle starts! Both forces are deployed. Captains Tír and Dárin lead two warbands of dwarf rangers, while three orc captains command a group of orc warriors, raiding party of warg riders and mounted trackers, and a bunch of trackers on foot. The last detachment is hiding in the forest on the upper edge of the picture.
Warg riders fear the eagle-eye bowmen on the other side of battlefield and quickly hide behind the hill. Dwarf arrows hit several targets on the other side of the hill.
Tír and his men can hear howls of wargs and approach carefully.
Soon, fierce fight starts on the central hill and around it.
Orc trackers spent most of the battle with unsuccessful shooting.
Tír is attacked by orc captain on warg. They exchange many blows while their warriors clash all around them.
The orc warband on foot was almost annihilated by Dárin and his rangers. Dárin attacks orc captain and two of his men join the fray with him. Yet, their blows cannot penetrate crude armor of their opponent...
The second orc captain attacks to help his kinsman (or rather kinsorc?).
Situation of dwarfs on the other side of the battlefield is much worse. Teeth of orc captain's warg torn Tír’s neck and the dwarf leader falls to the ground...
Both sides suffered heavy looses and are broken. The dwarfs are almost on 25 %, which means the battle will end very soon!
After one turn of courage tests and several duels between the remaining dwarfs and orcs, the situation around signal bonfire looks like this – not good for the defenders of Erebor!
The game ends with Mordor victory. No warning will arrive to king Dáin’s hall today!
The scenario worked really well and the battle was exciting to the very last moment. It was extremely close! The dwarfs had some luck with shooting, but lost almost every priority phase. This was crucial, as Mordor was able to get the most out of the warg riders.
Next time we will fight on more points and with more powerful heroes as well. Stay tuned
The nazgul flies back to his master to tell him about the defeat. Sauron will not be pleased this time!
. I am very much looking forward for the third in the series.