....And The Game.

I played through my second Middle Earth Sellswords and Spellslingers scenario over the weekend. Hallas decided an aggressive approach was the best defence, trying to kill the orcs' leadership as quickly as possible. Sitting on the river crossings would allow the orcs to concentrate in greater numbers and give the archers a static target.

Here is the set up in the early stages of the game, Hanar has just failed two activations and moved the nearest orc horde closer to the ford. I was lucky in that the orcs with bows deployed right on the northern edge of the table if they had been in range of the ford I would have been in big trouble straight away!

The orcs start to advance whilst Hanar reties his shoe laces.

The Orc Leader (with battle horn) and his bodyguard.

Hallas charged across the river and cuts down two of the orcs.

Closely followed by his soldier who finished the last orc off. On the other side of the table the plan was for Doltalagan and his soldier to advance across the bridge whilst Iavasonnen hung back to give covering fire from the southern bank. Iavasonnen tried to take a few pot shots at the orc brute nearest the bridge, but 2 failed activations sent the orc charging towards Doltalagan. Doltalagan leapt on the bridge to meet the brute.

The orc swung at Doltalagan, who dodges aside and inflicted two wounds on the orc in return.

The soldier rushed up to aid in the attack, but took a wound before finishing the beast off with a spear thrust.

Another orc appeared close to the bridge and rushed forward, as he grew closer he seemed to grow in stature (3 failed activations for Iavasonnen, Reinforcements, Monster activates and That's a Big 'Un!).

Doltalagan moved into the attack, inflicting a wound on the orc, but receiving one in return. As the soldier plunged into the fray, he also took a savage cut from the orc before he finally fell.

As Hanar moved across the river to join Hallas, where they kill an orc brute foolish enough to chalange them unaided. One of the Orc Leader's bodyguard broke away and charged towards them.

But Hallas' soldier took him down, but suffered a wound himself.

Now the Leader and his 2 remaining guards rushed forward. Hanar dispatched one of the orcs, then swung at the leader, missed and took a nasty blow that drew blood.

The soldier took out the other bodyguard, but again missed the leader and took a viscous slash across the chest. Hallas charged into the fray, cutting the Leader across the leg, but taking two heavy blows in return, fortunately stopped by his armour.

Now a second group of refugees arrived.

The melee continued with Hallas almost slipping on the blood-soaked grass, taking a cut that sliced through his armour before stabbing the orc in return.

The soldier now attacked the orc, who parried the attack and felled the valiant man with his axe.

Iavasonnen tried a couple of long range shots at an orc brute, but missed as a sudden downpour made shooting even more difficult.

The epic fight continued with Hallas taking another wound before Hanar finished the orc off with a mighty blow of his axe. With the orc leader dead at least there wouldn't be any more orc reinforcements to come.

By now the orc archers were in range and as arrows started to fall around them, Hallas and Hanar fell back towards the ford. As the ran back, the dwarf took an orc shaft in the shoulder.

Iavasonnen decided it would be best to cross the river and close the range, but was ambushed by a sneaky as he started to move.

In the meantime Doltalagan and his soldier were engaging another horde of orcs.

Iavasonnen killed the ambushing orc, then rushed across the bridge, just as an orc brute started to move behind Doltalagan.

On the other side of the table, the orc archers moved forward to try and get eyes on Hallas and Hanar.

As the orcs close in of Doltalagan,  Yavasonnen gets his eye in and sticks the brute with 2 arrows.

The brute charges Doltalagan, who spins and cuts him down. Then, with the soldier's help, finishes off the last of the horde. Only one of the orc leadership, the last orc brute, remains on the table. Iavasonnen hits him with an arrow as Doltlagan moves forward, supported by the soldier.

The first group of refugees reach safety.

As the third group start their dangerous journey.

An orc rushes up behind Hanar, but Hallas intervenes and kills the orc.

The last orc brute charges Doltalagan, who deals a mighty blow that knocks the orc backwards.

Then the soldier thrusts with his spear, piercing the orc's armour as he crashes to the ground. The last orcs turn and flee, wailing in fear.

But a final volley of arrows strikes Hallas, two bounce of his armour but the third strikes home and he collapses in the middle of the ford. Hanar drags his body onto the bank as Doltalagan rushes over to utilise his healing skills.

A victory for the good guys, but at a heavy cost!
6 Experience Points for the party to split and 4 Renown. Doltalagan gets 2 RP (2 brutes), Hallas gets 1RP (brute) and Hanar also gets 1 RP (orc leader).

What of the fallen leader? Rolling on the Out of Action table he was "comatose but alive", so I playing it that Hallas is too badly injured to take part in the third scenario. That is going to make things difficult for the party next time!