Tame the Beast - MESBG Battle Companies Game 3

We just finished our third game, and it was great fun, if short. We rolled Tame The Beast, where both Battle Companies are trying to slay a rampaging Cave Troll*. There are some nice benefits for the Troll slayer and their warband.

We both have heroes suffering from Old Battle Wounds, but both were well enough to fight.

Both Battle Companies face off, warily eyeing the Troll

A Dol Amroth pike block advances while the Haradrim form a loose line to contain it. The Troll has already taken wounds from both sides' archery, and Sayaad has shot the Blackroot Vale sergeant

The Troll charges Qayid. One of the spearmen is too scared to help, but another one joins sergeant Shawish in melee.

The Troll is victorious, taking out the bold spearman (Tise in his first engagement) and nearly killing Qayid (a lucky Fate roll saved him)

Both sides pile in against the Troll, but before the melee begins a lucky shot from Sayaad fells the beast

This was an amazingly fun game, and proof that good scenarios really make a difference.  I was certainly lucky with my dice rolling, even losing Priority for all but the last turn helped, as I was able to move the Troll towards my Battle Company (though it is an absolute beast in melee, costing me a warrior and nearly my Leader, but for a Fate roll). The best rolling had to be the sergeant's shot against the Troll, needing to hit (a 6), then avoid hitting any friends (another 6!) and finally needing a 6 to cause the final wound on the Troll.

Post battle neither of us lost any troops, though my son very unluckily rolled an arm wound for his Blackroot Vale sergeant. He did gain some abilities, but these are of limited use to a one armed archer.  Adding insult to injury, his one reinforcement roll turned up nothing.

My leader Qayid is now a Master of Poisons, Sayaad has both Point Blank Shot (which merely replicates his poisoned arrows) and is a Master Shot, allowing him to shoot twice in the Shooting Phase. Very nice. I did have one warrior who rolled for promotion, but didn't get anything, never mind.  I ended up with 6 Influence Dice, which I spent to roll two warriors with bows. My Battle Company is now ten strong, five bowmen and five spearmen, and both and are a bit better.

I'm looking forward to the next game, but I must get some more minis painted.

The Fiefdoms have to decide if they should retire the one armed sergeant. On the one hand, he gained an extra point of Might, and still has some use, especially calling Heroic Actions, on the other hand, he can't shoot any more, and is a lot of points. Retiring him would certainly give the Fiefdoms an underdog bonus, which could be very helpful.

*I couldn't find my Cave Trolls, so an undercoated Mordor Troll stood in for it. We kept the Cave Troll stats.