The End of Balin's Colony

The Saturday Afternoon Wargame™ returned to Stately Couterpane Manor this month with an interesting, if brief, game of Song of Blades and Heroes.

Our scenario was designed to use my recently completed dungeon sections and Jamie’s Tolkienesque Dwarves and Goblins.  The excellent tolkiengateway.net provided the background.

Foreground, right, the eastern corridor.
Background, the central hall and exit to the north. 

For five years from 2989 TA, the colony of Dwarves led by Balin was able to expand its control over the previously lost mines of Moria.  It seemed the Dwarven city could be returned to its brilliant heyday but then, in 2994, Balin was killed by an orcish arrow in a battle near Mirrormere.  Balin’s kin recovered his body and fled into the city, barring the East Gate behind them against hordes of orcs.

Using entrances unknown to the Dwarves, vast numbers of golblins swarmed through Moria capturing the bridge of Khazad Dum after a fierce battle that left many of Balin’s kin dead.

Oin led a group west to attempt a break-out by way of Durin’s Doors but he was killed by the Watcher in the Water.  

In our game the remnants of Oin’s party are now making their way back to the Hall of Mazarbul where the last of the colony, now led by Ori, are likely to make their final stand.

We had 400 points of Dwarves entering by way of the western corridor. Their aim was to cross the central hall and exit via the staircase at the northern end.

The northern end.

They consisted of:

Froni

Q3+,  Cbt 5

Hero, Fearless

Four Dwarf axemen

Q3+,  Cbt 4

Heavy Armour

Three Dwarf archers

Q3+,  Cbt 3

Shooter: Medium

200 points worth of Goblins started in the central hall with the aim of preventing its passage by the Dwarves:

Goblin Leader

Q2+,  Cbt 3

Leader, Fearless  

Three Goblins

Q5+, Cbt 3

Gregarious

Three Goblin Archers

Q5+,  Cbt 3

Shooter: Medium, Gregarious

Another 400 points of Goblins enter from the eastern corridor, also with the aim of cutting off these Dwarves.  They have a Cave Troll!  No, in fact they have two Cave Trolls!

Goblin Leader

Q2+,  Cbt 3

Leader, Fearless  

Two Goblins

Q5+, Cbt 3

Gregarious

Four Goblin Archers

Q5+,  Cbt 3

Shooter: Medium, Gregarious

Two Cave Trolls

Q3+,  Cbt 5

Big, Savage, Tough

First clash - Froni meets a Cave Troll

Orc archers appear on a ledge...

... whence they can shoot at Dwarves crossing the bridge

Froni knocks down the first Cave Troll!

But it's tough and gets back up.

Crossing the bridge is proving hard.

Suddenly Gus gets a 5:1 and Froni is pinned to the
ground by the Troll's spear - a Gruesome kill!

At last a use for my dead Dwarf figure!

With the Dwarves in retreat, the Orcs claim victory!