Little Wars Melbourne 2015

Little Wars again. These photos were taken from the Little Wars Facebook page and posted in the future. Magic. The first game was a sci-fi game using a lot of Ground Zero Games' (GZG) figures and vehicles. Was fast-paced and fun from memory. The second game was a trench raid game run by Mark and played like a dungeon crawl game full of team members determined to undermine(!) their teammates to get to grips with the Turks.

A Saga Begins

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be Saint Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and call'd them by name:
"Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen!
"On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Donner and Blitzen!"

Lost Battle of Barad Duin Between Elves and Orcs

[Note - this post was published in May 2021 after I came across the photos from May 2015 in my phone. I had no background in my emails, etc of what the scenario was, but after talking to Bruce he found his notes.]

Bruce and I got out our Lord of the Rings miniatures to play a large scenario of Games Workshop's War of the Ring rules. He fielded his trusty elves, I the orcs and trolls of Mordor (with some of Bruce's orcs).

As this game was played when the League of Ancient meetings were still held at the German Club Tivoli on Dandenong Road I decided to name the battle in honour of that time. Dandenong is likely to mean "high" or "lofty" in the language of the indigenous Boon wurrung and Woiwurrung people of the Kulin nation, and translating "Lofty River" into Tolkien's Sindarin language I came with the appropriately sounding 'Lost Battle of Barad Duin' for this encounter. The ruined tower could also fit that name as being a "water keep".

We played using a modified Hold the Line scenario (from the third edition of the Flames of War WWII rules).

The details of the scenario were:

1. Game length is eight turns.
2. There are three objectives. Winner is the side that controls 2+ at the end (objectives are a ruined tower, wooded hill and bridge).
3. Elves deploy first, occupying two of the objectives (ruined tower and wooded hill), which are defensible terrain.
4. Third objective (bridge) is just outside of the orc force deployment zone.
5. Half of the elf force is in reserve. From turn one, the elf player must throw 4+ on a D6 to receive reserves (1 formation per successful throw). Elf players adds 1D6 each turn for the reserves roll.
6. Apart from any formations that may deploy in ambush as part of their description, the elf player may have half of their formations deployed in ambush. 
7. Elf ambushers must be outside of 24 inches if in open, outside of eight if in cover. 
8. Orcs deploy entire force.
9. Throw as usual for initiative.

Terrain was as per the War of the Ring rulebook, except for the stream and road. The stream did not slow formations crossing but prevented the ability to double move when crossing, and formations had to be adjacent to it at start of their turn to be able to cross it. The road allowed formations to double move, even if they did not have a captain/hero, but they must have been on the road for their entire move and be in column.

This game represented a small skirmish to defend the borders of Lothlorien from an orc incursion. Those elf formations were not as flimsy as they look. One was led by Galadriel. Also, there were a lot of them (the first photo doesn't have all the formations in reserve and in ambush).

From what I can remember I charged forward, Bruce tried to stem the tide, but five trolls are hard to stop. Eventually he did though and the elves were able to win the day, in particular when an ent strolled in and killed the last troll holding the tower.

Talking to Bruce six years later he also isn't sure how I lost but is it a quirk of the rules that Monsters can't hold objectives (but they can obviously clear them).

Bruce - I will happily go for a rematch any day. With less trolls too.