The GREAT BATTLE of our time

The combat had been really GLORIOUS… after WEEKS we finally finish the game. My personal thoughts about this great battle is that it’s been a pleasure and a different experience from a normal game. I am a person that normally enjoys the game without considering If I am losing or winning… but in this case, such a philosophy was completely needed.

So, althought I have to admit that there were some tense moments, in the end what it really made us happy was just to have a good show, to see that wonderful battle develop in front of us, to enjoy every corner, every small maneuvre, every single fight, every anonimous soldier…

BUT… If I had to recreate again that kind of battle I would for sure change a couple of things for the sake of gameplay…

We really didn’t like what happened with reinforcements getting from the bottom, and having to move across a board SO long. We should have placed the fortress on the longer edge, and the reinforcements would have arrived more close and so would have arrived more regularly. With that size of gaming mat, and considering how many turns were required, the reinforcements finally were completely useless… except for the second wave of wargs, that managed to capture the Rohan cavalry from the back. OR we could have allowed the reinforcements to appear from the flanks, so that they could get quickly to the walls…

So the BIG escalade and the BIG fight for the walls we hoped for, never happened… so I lost every possibility to win…

Anyway, the damage done to the light side army had been really impressive. There were more than 230 minis when the game began… by the moment I conceded, only about 50 soldiers were alive… while the dark side had only lost about 150 minis!!

Of course, the fact that the light side army was divided, and that a great part was somewhat helpless outside the fortress,  was the reason for such an slaughter. And we have to take into account that the more expensive units (Mûmakil, Nâzgul…) potentially more difficult to destroy, were on the dark side.

If I had to choose a MVU (most valuable unit) of my army, it has to be for sure the Mordor Catapult… there were countless times that it hit in the middle of the enemy’s ranks, killing two, then killing four, killing a couple more… its destruction ratio was very high!! This and the destruction of the trebuchet on the first turn, made that catapult the best unit!

I have to recognize that the most funny part of the game has been the front assault of the dwarves to the middle of the dark army… it’s been a glorious charge!! I really didn’t expect such a movement, thinking that every enemy unit would search for shelter behind a wall or between the battlements. So that brave -and completely crazy- move blew my mind. The sight of those sons of Durin ramming my army and preventing my siege tower from advancing was very inspiring… it is exactly what one would think a group of dwarves would do!!!

Well… I really don’t know what else to say. If you have read the whole project, congrats! it’s really a tour de force, specially considering my lack of proper english vocabulary and grammar, I am sorry for the spelling and expression mistakes, I’m sure there are many!!

And of course I have to thanks my cousin, for A LOT of things.

For encouraging me to make this battle…

But also for showing me for the first time, when I was a child, a Tolkien book… and for telling me that D&D was not a clothing brand… thanks to him I still love fantasy, science fiction, and even I owe him the wonderful job I am dedicating my life to.

And of course, special thanks to the beasts of war… for the good company, for the great and inspiring contents, the projects, the articles… and the golden button! and the runner-up at the anual competition!! to me these prizes are priceless!!! Thanks for encouraging me when the world tells me that I am just a freak…

And very special thanks to Warren Johnston, my special person there, my favorite among favorites.

Rickyard.