Fellowship of the ring, first two scenarios for the Lord of the Rings strategy battle game (2005)

So, I have had this game just kicking around ever since it was first released, just never played it! Over the years I have picked up a fair amount of the miniatures, many at a significant discount, all with the plan to play out all of the scenarios in the three companion books to the main rules. Finally got around to it this past weekend.



The first game was played by two players, while we split up the forces in the second game so that four players could participate. No one but me had read the rules, and I had not fully 'digested' them so we learned as we played...

The first game

The first scenario pitted 9 Dunedain against three Ringwraiths/Nazgul. We played the Nazgul a little more under powered than written in the book, but it was still a good fight and could have gone either way. In the end, one Nazgul made it off the table, and a second very nearly did too before joining the other fallen Wraith.

Early on in the game, the Dunedain have come down off the hill to hunt for the enemy

The enemy advance along the eastern edge of the hill trying to avoid the hunters

Two on three sees one Wraith defeated, vanishing from the field

Things went much better on the other flank despite three to one odds here, the wraith held out for most of the game,

 The second game 

In this scenario the Nazgul arrived from the East, in random numbers each turn. The Dunedain start with six defenders, but have three held in reserve, arrival determined by the roll of the die. On top of that, any casualties can be recycled back into the fray, again based on the roll of a die.
 
We were better at the using the full rules this time, and the nine Nazgul, made a lot of use of the magic  that their will allowed them. Again very close battle, at one point the Nazgul formed a conga line down the board edge to put as much distance between them and the Dunedain. In the end it was yet another victory for the Dunedain, as the Nazgul simply ran out of time, will, and space.

The Nazgul arrived one at a time for the first few turns...

Hold the line!

The conga line!