700 Points Game of Hobbit SBG - Hold Ground!

Gandalf weary from his ride, but determined none the less burst through the door of Gimlis holdfast stirring Gimli, Captain Gloin and few other dwarves from their slumber.  ''The Golden King marches for Darrowdel!'' and with that Gimli was straight to his feet, Captain Gloin was issuing orders and a runner had been sent for Floi Stonehand.  The dwarves would march to battle once more!

Tonight we played a 700 point game of Hobbit SBG and the mission was Hold Ground, this would be mine and Matty's first game since 'I am Alpharius', with which a overview post will be soon to follow!  Matty brought his dwarves with an allied Gandalf along and I would use my Fallen Realms mix of evil men with lists soon to follow!  We rolled for mission and got Hold Ground!  we set up terrain; a ruined town and decided to use a statue as the objective.

Now no game is complete without a narrative so we decided that the town would be the ruined town of Darrowdel and that it was rumoured that a lost stash of magical elvish blades had been hidden under the statue of a long lost king.  Now such a great prize couldn't be ignored  by either force, so the race was on!

The objective of Hold Ground! is for each force to end the game with more models within 6 inches of the objective, points are also awarded for breaking your opponents force and killing its leader.  Now on to the participating forces:

The forces of Good

Gandalf the Grey

Gimli
9 Khazard Guard
1 Dwarf Warrior with banner

Captain Gloin (Dwarf Captain with shield)
6 Dwarf Warriors with shields
2 Dwarf Warriors with two handed weapons
1 Dwarf Warrior with banner

Floi Stonehand
5 Dwarf Warriors with bows
1 Dwarf Hornblower

The Forces of Evil

The Golden King

6 Half Trolls

6 Mahud with spear and shield

Rhadyr (Taskmaster)

6 Half trolls

6 Mahud with spear and shield

Manse (Corsair Captain with crossbow)

8 Corsair Arbelestors

The Game!

Gandalf and the Golden King had split up their forces in order to cover more ground and to find the fabled statue, resulting in several minor skirmishes and warbands loosing each other within the ruins of Darrowdel.  Regardless of the maelstrom of battle several warbands had the prize within their sights...a bloody fight was soon to ensure.

The Golden King's and Radyr's warbands arrived from the north west, quickly reorganising themselves for their advance on the hidden stash.  Floi's warband and Gandalf arrived from the north spying the Mahud to their right and advanced with caution.  Captain Gloin marched his warband in from the east with a clear run at the prize ahead of them.

Manse had received  bungled orders arriving isolated and to the south, Gimli had spied them long off and had his warband set an ambush for them.

Caught completely unaware and unprepared Manse and his men were rushed by the dwarves and in the ensuring fight one corsair was dragged low, fortunately their years of plying their trade as mercenaries has made them merciless fighters able to hold their ground against the noble dwarven fighters.  Elsewhere everyone was rushing desperately to get their hands on the statue, the dwarves even loosed a few arrows but were to hasty for any to make their marks.

Sensing that this fight wasn't going to go his way manse calls a heroic move and flees calling with me, bringing his warriors with him.  One of which was too slow, even the short legged dwarves were able catch him and slay him.  Gimli ordered half his warband to go for the statue, sensing that the corsairs would put up little resistance and that the prize was of greater concern.

Still both the forces of good and evil made with great haste for their much sought after prize, the dwarves were still taking pot shots at the mahud, however this time they found their marking placing an arrow through the neck and eye of a half troll, with a gurgling moan the half dropped to the ground all life gone from it.  The beasts fellows advanced on determined to avenge their fallen comrade.

Baying for revenge several Mahud split off from the main body with a burning desire to tear apart the dwarven archers who had slain yet another of their number.

Both sides had their weapons drawn and were advancing ready for a fight.  Gandalf expends some of his will power in order to conjure up a sorcerous blast, which proceeds to knock several evil warriors to their feet only for them to get back up.

The dwarves form a shield wall in expectation for the half troll charge, goaded on by their fellow mahud, the half trolls rush headlong at the dwarves preparing to put their full weight in to crushing body slams and charges.

The corsairs continue to fight a desperate retreat, they're outclassed by the heavily armoured dwarven opponents and another of their number is brought low.

The half trolls crash head long into the dwarven line, but they hold firm remembering the years of training.  The dwarves are inspired further by the inspiring presence of Ganadalf's counter attack, which he commenced with another a much more effective sorcerous blast which slayed 2 mahud warriors.

The mahud catch up the dwarven archers, keen for revenge!  The dwarves are going to have a desperate fight on their hands!

Gandalf calls a heroic combat alongside 3 dwarven warriors, they intend to trap the half troll and slay it between them before joining the fray elsewhere.  However the half troll proves to be a fearsome opponent fending them off but suffers a wound despite its effort.

Two of the archers were torn apart mercilessly by the mahud, the half trolls had tasted blood and were keen to taste further dwarf flesh.

The battle was now in full flow with two clearly opposing shield walls, the mahud appeared to be in control of the prize with the dwarves fighting valiantly to take it from them.  Gandalf continued to make himself feared and rightfully so as he killed an additional two mahud with a third sorcerous blast.

Both sides had taken heavy casualties and were drawing closer and closer to being broken.  In a stroke of genius and bravery on his part Captain Gloin called a heroic move and grabbed the prize from evil control.  Gandalf continues his rampage kill a fifth mahud with his magic.

The mahud that had split off earlier arrive to help claim the prize, the task master calls a heroic move in order to try consolidate the evil forces position and to keep a hold on the objective.  Gandalf keeping up magical prowess kills a half troll this time with his sorcerous blast.

The Golden King shouted desperately for his warriors to attend him but found himself cut off from the bulk of his followers.  Gimli and Gandalf see this and instantly take advantage of it calling heroic combats, they each slew a half troll before charging the Golden King dragging him down in to the dirt making short work of him and his attendants.

Radyr seizes command seeing his opportunity for glory and pushes the mahud onwards with his whip, the halfs trolls depraved and loyal to their dead master double their efforts anguish and rampage amongst the dwarves splitting skills and crunching bones underfoot.  Witnessing the devastation being wrought by the mahud and realising that too many of his comrades had fallen Gandalf sounds the retreat knowing it would be futile and a waste of good warriors to continue the fight.

With that both forces were broken we rolled for the game to end and it did at the first opportunity.  The forces of evil had emerged victorious with 10 models by the objective and an additional point for breaking the forces of good.  The forces of good had just 2 models left alive by the objective, they scored a third point for breaking the forces of evil and another 3 points for slaying the Golden King, the evil forces leader.

End Result

Forces of Evil - Forces of Good

11 - 6

 Luke's Thoughts

That was an awesome game with plenty of bloody fights!  Matty really got the drop on me at the start and i thought the corsairs were done for, I can't believe 4 of them survived in the end.  The half trolls really showed their worth this game pummelling the dwarven line and by succeeding in securing the statue for me.  It was a great move on Matty's part jumping the golden king and killing him outright.  Overall i really enjoyed the game and look forward to the next battle,

Matty's Thoughts

Oh man I thought I had that one, Luke's half trolls literally clawed it back for him!  They're really tough critters and my dwarves just couldn't kill enough of them.  I was really impressed with Gandalf , his spells were essential to reducing the evil forces in number and for disrupting their lines.  Luke's victory will be short lived for my name is Matthew Decimus Wilson, commander of the dwarven holds, general of Durins folk, loyal servant  to the free peoples.  Father to murdered son, husband to a murdered wife and I will have my vengeance in this life or the next!!....Alright I don't have a wife or a son, but you killed my favourite Khazard guard so ill get you next time!