WOTR Batrep - 25/01/11 'Attack of the Corsairs' vs Jason

More WOTR fun for the TTG (Traditional Tuesday Game). I am considering using GWs new 'Attack of the Corsairs' mission a run at NATCON WOTR, so we gave it a little test. The aggrieved warriors of Carn Dum were to fend off yet another raid from those Cattle-thieves - the Raiders from Rhohavian!

The setup is below.

Carn Dum (from the Angmar list) has deployed three formations of warband, led by two Nazgul, amongst the farm and ruins of the center 'North' of the board. We have also deployed two units of siege bow artillery in the ruin and the farmhouse. Lurking about somewhere is Buhrdur - the ambush troll. The Raiders have bowmen to the bottom 'East' of the board, Royal Knights on Foot to the left 'South' and some more bowmen to the top 'West'. Infantry will not benefit from replenishing troops in this game, Cavalry will. Theoden's ancestor leads the Royal Guard, Eomer's ancestor leads mounted Knights in reserve and the Brown Wizard Radagast has joined the Riders in their depredations of the peaceful pastoralists of Carn Dum.

The Raiders got priority and pushed their heavy infantry forward. Radagast called upon the dark arts to cave in the walls of the farm on some artillery, killing a couple of crew. In response the Wraiths attempted to cast guiding magics to lead the fearless warriors forward, but failed, their efforts dispelled by the Brown Conjurer so wisely chose to lead the foolish Raider infantry further into the trap. The cowardly raider bow struck other warriors from the flank, but their perfidy was more than repaid by return siege bow fire from both defending positions. Yet more evidence of their yellow nature (as if it were needed!) was provided both by the arrival of some Riders skulking behind the hill, and the Raiders' general unwillingness to close for honest close-combat.

In the next turn, the Raiders once more stole the march but chose to hang back and let the brave defenders have priority. Their King did shrilly attempt to challenge the Nazgul leader - as if he were a foe worth of notice. The defenders possessed none of their opponent's craven nature and, led by their heroic Nazgul, surged forward to engage the bowmen to the East and occupy the walled field to the center. In response, the Raiders ran away (see!) with their bow into a nearby wood, while Radagast flattened an artillery piece, as well as the homes of women and children, with his accursed conjurations. The Raiders also brought on some of their cattle-rustling light cavalry, at a safe distance, back behind the trees to the East.

Turn three gave priority to the doughty defenders and, as one, they surged to meet the Raider line. The Raider's King was still babbling, attempting to taunt the Dwimmerlaik into combat who did not deign to notice a mere bandit chief at this time. The raiders were at least steely, or greedy, enough to stand their ground and meet the resurgent defenders, though the bowmen cowered fearfully in the woods. Perhaps the arrival of Eomer's Ancestor, and his mounted Knights gave some steel steel to their spine. Blinded by the Nazgul's power, the Foot Knights and their adjoining Riders were unable to prevent charges by the Carn Dum warriors.

The battle lines separated, the warriors caught their breath, and then the Raiders took priority for the fourth turn. The ambush was revealed to the Raider rear. The Brown Conjurer was unnerved by the proximity of his counterparts and fled to the safety of Eomer's Ancestor's Knights. There, he began vandalising a ruin, part of the cultural heritage of the peoples of Carn Dum, in order to slay some of the artillerymen inside. Beset by enemies, the Foot Knights in the centre readied themselves to take on the defenders in the walled field. Eager to be rid of the opposing "King's" pitiable bleating, the the second Wraith accepted his challenge. The Raider Cavalry was still yet to fully swing around the western (right) flank, and he could afford to settle this matter now. No more Riders arrived this round and some warriors cunningly withdrew to the walled field. In the centre, the Nazgul strode forward and laid the Raider 'King', Theoden's Ancestor, low in single combat. His followers then defeated the rest of the Raider foot-Knights, leaving them shattered and disordered. 

Despite their setbacks, the Raiders remained in a strong position to exploit their priority for turn five. The brave defenders had fought furiously, but their numbers became thinner as the ranks of the Raiders were swelled by ever more reinforcements. Even on the bitter fought East (left) flank, the Raiders had been able to stand against the Carn Dum counterattacks. Now, Eomer's Ancestor led his mounted Knights around to finally threaten the Western (right) flank of the Carn Dum line. One Nazgul sent his men to garrison the farm, lest the uncouth raiders molest women and children, while the Dwimmerlaik cast confounding magics upon the lurking Riders, then went forth to finally deal to the bowmen in the wood. Hide as they might, the hoped for sanctuary of the woods to the East (left) proved a deathtrap for the bow, who were charged and slain to a man. So too fell the Riders, while the foot-knights watched on, magically prevented from assisting. Looking about, the defenders cheers of victory were still-born in their throats as they saw the low hedge-wizard had seen to the last artillery piece and the Western flank of their position was laid open.

On the sixth turn, the second NazgulDwimmerlaik gathered the other battle worthy warband about him and set to the task of containing the foot-knights. Their plans were undone. What deviltry was this? The Brown trickster led the Knights over the ruins, as if they weren't there at all. Now the defenders found themselves flanked by a long line of Knights. They stood firm though, ready to do their part. The Conjurer dispelled the black cloud about the Knights then sought to use his sorcery's and hexes upon the warriors in the farm, but failed. Then, with a wild cry, the Knights went in. Their targets were not dismayed though, to their left they saw a roaring Buhrdur pin a unit of Riders between himself and the Dwimmerlaik's men. If they too were to hold, help would soon arrive. Eomer's Ancestor called a heroic fight and then sought out the Wraith in one-to-one combat. Foolishly, he did not expend his full effort in his blows (the Wraith had also already used his might to finish Theoden) and actually lost the duel. Seizing the moment, the Wraith then sent five more Knights to join their ringleader in the afterlife. The remainder exacted a bitter toll on the remaining warriors, who lost over half their strength, though they gave good account in turn. When it came time for the Knights to charge once again... they failed (for want of Eomer's last might point to seal the deal). Elsewhere, the Dwimmerlaik and Buhrdur had finished the Riders, and now the tables were turned on the Raiders.

 At the death of the battle, the Raiders found themselves surrounded but lacked the wit to understand their defeat. Having priority, the Foot Knights sought to pin the Nazgul's warriors between themselves and the mounted Knights, led by Radagast. However, they were closely pursued by the Dwimmerlaik and his men, who charged their rear, leaving only seven of the Raiders standing, while their fellows finished off the Knights and Radagast. At the close of battle, the Defernders remained, bloodied but not yet defeated. They had seen off many foes, and all their leaders... but there were still reinforcements to come.


That was a great game and Jason played his cavalry army well. It is a testament to his tactics that it was my infantry , not his horse, who were being attritted. In fact, I freely admit that while I was in a comfortable lead at the end, it was only because Jason was cruelly robbed of Eomer at the critical juncture. He had done the right thing and held back his might to ensure the heroic fight occurred, only to lose him to fluke dice-rolling in the duel followed by the '1' for his charge. You can only be fairly expected to plan for so much bad luck! The battle probably should have ended with his mounted and foot Knights, still with their Epic Heroes alive, joining up with reinforcements to drive Buhrdur and the Dwimmerlaik's men back under bow and spear fire, then ending them with charges from two directions.  But things don't always go how they should.

I was inspired to write this in the Eastern-Block propaganda tone by a couple of today's newspaper headlines.I think the media has given up even pretending.