More Middle Earth Sellswords

I decided to take a break from painting and writing, to get another game in. As they hadn't been on the table for a while, I dug out my Middle Earth party for Sellswords and Spellslingers as Hallas, the knight of Arnor, continues his watch on the Northern borders.

In the last game I played, Hallas and his men had rescued a wounded Arnor captain and now they had to get him to safety whilst pursued by orcs. As a lack of tabletop magic in Middle Earth (especially the offensive kind) can present challanges in Sellswords, I give the party two free soldiers (1HP no combat bonuses) who can be attached to a character and activate when he does, with the same number of actions. In this scenario Hallas attached one soldier to Doltalagan and the other to the wounded captain.

 Not a brilliant start! Doltalagan activates first, 2 fails and his first card is an ambush. A hidden snaga (goblin) rushes from a nearby bush and attacked the priest, but he quickly kills the creature. His second fail id Monster Frenzy, so all the foes start moving towards the party.

 Iavasonnen also fails two activations, but his cards are better, he narrowly avoids stepping on a poisonous snake and his second card brings the nearest foe, a snaga lurking hehind some rocks, into the open. With his one action he takes a shot...20! Hit between the eyes the snaga drops like a stone.

 Hallas and Hannar move forward, screening the wounded captain from any lurking dangers.

 But now a hill troll joints the foes!

 A horde of three snaga charge Doltalagan and the soldier, but are swiftly dealt with.

 Whilst Hannar charges anorher hore of 3 snaga single handed, cutting down the first with his axe.

 More snaga turn up behind the party.

As well as 3 snaga archers on one flank......

 And another Uruk (orc brute) on the other. This had not been a very good turn for rolling activations or drawing cards.

To top it off a Monster Frenzy card brings all the foes closer to the party on the eastern side of the table.

 On the western side the snaga in contact with Hannar activate, and die, and an uruk charges Hallas, who parries the beast's attack and deals him a wound in return.

 The next card is an Ambush and a lurking snaga rushes the wounded captain, but the trusty soldier kills the attacker.

 Hallas fights on against the uruk, who knocks Hallas' sword aside and cuts him across the chest, but the man's armour stops the blow. In return he wounds the uruk a second time, so the creature is down to 1 HP. But now the wounded captain fails an activation and draws That's A Big One, putting the uruk's HP back to 2!

 More snaga appear behind the party.

 There is now a gap in the middle of the table, so the soldier drags the wounded capotain forward for 4 actions!

 Which put then clear of the enemy and within sight of the table edge.

 But then an angry bear turns up. And where does he arrive.....

 ...right at the point of escape of course!

 This must of really upset Hannar, because he charges the uruk blocking his way.

 And split's the monster's helmet and head with a single blow! (2 HP for 2-handed axe plus a bonus HP for rolling a 20, all 3 HPs in a single attack).

 The foes are closing in on Doltalagan and Iavasonnen and snaga archers move into range.

 Iavasonnen draws a Horde Actives card and is struck by 2 arrows. His buckler offers no protection so he is down to 1HP.

 Hannar is charged from behind by 3 snaga, he kills one but the other 2 both strike home. His armour turns one blade but the other bites deep into his side.

 He turns around and cuts the two presumptuous snaga down.

 Finally the wounded captain reaches safety. Now the rest of the party can make their escape.

 Doltalagan's loyal soldier is struck down by an arrow, but the priest thorws his still body over his shoulder and continues on.

 Almost at the table edge, Iavasonnen is now charged by a snaga mounted on a wolf! He scores a hit with his bow and the pair charge him, then finishes them off in close combat.

Now everyone has escaped except Hannar, who has now attracked the attention of the bear. He passes all his activation rolls for his next round as escape to join the others. Exit Dwarf, pursued by a bear!

The final tally, Hallas has 1 wound, Hannah and Iavasonnen have two each and the loyal soldier did not survive. It was a fun game, with some tense moments. I was lucky the hill troll never made it into combat or things might have been different.