Battle Companies First Campaign Game

Following the success of our trial game we got on with the campaign, here's a quick write up of the first game.

Pre Battle

After setting up a (slightly better) bit of terrain we rolled the Stop the Messenger scenario.  We already had a wood in the centre deployment areas, so we set up in around that.

The Opening Moves

The initial stages of the engagement saw both sides cautiously feeling their way through the wood, while a contingent of Haradrim made a break for the hills in the hopes that the higher ground would give them and advantage.  One of the Blackroot Vale Archers swung round the wood, as did a Haradrim bowman.

The initial moves before any casualties

Contact is made in the woods and the Harad Captain is downed.  In exchange, one of his bowmen takes out a Blackroot Vale Archer

Middle Phases

In the woods things get worse for Harad, though they do manage to take down one of the Men-at-Arms.  Even the bowman charging in fails to swing the melee, and soon only the contingent over by the hill is left. 

The Harad spearman looks on at his approaching doom

The remaining Harad forces

The Final Phase

The Haradrim retreat to the top of the hill.  They loose another man to remarkably accurate archery, and prepare for the Fiefdoms attack.  Fortunately the Dol Amroth knight falls at the cliff foot, but one of his Men-at-Arms makes the climb and pushes back the defender.  

The bow armed sergeant has had enough and flees, bringing an end to the engagement. The Blackroot Vale archer managed to carry his message back, but the Harad sergeant must have dropped his as he fled at the end.

The action on the hill

Aftermath

My captain picked up a lingering battle scar, meaning I'll have to roll before each game to see if he turns up.  The downed Man-at-Arms will have to miss a game, but my son gained another Man-at-Arms as a reinforcement.  The Dol Amroth Knight has got another point of Might, so that makes him even better in a fight.

This was great fun, and played very quickly.  In our trial game I managed to make the most of my superior numbers, in this game the need to keep my messenger out of the action, and provide him with some sort of guard, meant I split my force, so I lost the numerical advantage.

A Note on Minis

If you know the MESBG minis ranges you'll realise that we aren't always using the actual minis.  Since there's just the two of us it doesn't really matter, we are just using what we have, but to clarify, the Minas Tirith Citadel Guard are standing in for the Dol Amroth Men-at-Arms (much nicer minis, and metal rather than the resin official minis which reviews say have bendy pikes).  I'm using a plastic mini for my captain which I think is from the Mumak kit (alas I have no Mumak).  I think he looks suitably impressive.  I'll use an old assassin model for a Watcher of Kana, if I ever get one, and I'm looking around for something to use as the Abrakhan Guard.  He looks to be a stereotypical Hollywood eunuch guard, so if anyone has any suggestions,  please leave a comment.