Here’s a quick summary of the battle up to
this point:
·
Erestor has the ring
·
The Dwarves have killed 8 Elves
·
The Elves have killed 2 Dwarves
Turn 7:
Erestor,
deciding that his skills would be put to better use in the thick of battle,
passes the ring into the care of a trusted Elven warrior. The group moves
around the ruins to get a clear run to the other end of the battlefield.
The Elven archers exchange fire with the
Dwarves outside the ruin, but even the Elven arrows fail to penetrate the
Dwarves’ thick armour. Sniper Dwarf takes out another Elf!
Dain and two Elves fight each other to a
standstill, but Durin in his wrath takes out two Elves with a single crushing
blow from his axe.
Meanwhile, on the crumbling upper floor of
the ruin, two Dwarves push an Elf archer off the edge. The Elf landed headfirst,
and his neck was broken, much to the dismay of his comrades.
However this only served to spur on
Glorfindel and an Elven warrior who each chop down a Khâzad Guard with swift
and deadly slices from their Elven blades.
Turn 8:
Erestor
and his comrades are efficient warriors, and with flashing swords end the lives
of two Dwarves. In the opposite corner of the ruins, Glorfindel continues to
fight off surrounding enemies and kills another Dwarf. The axes of the Dwarves
are busy too, and Dain and Durin claim a victim each. The Great Eagle screeches
in pain and rage as cold Dwarf steel meets his flesh.
Turn 9:
One
of the Dwarves who pushed the Elf to his death jumped down from his lofty
position to join the combat, but his friend decided he would be safer staying
put.
With loud battle cries, Erurainon the Elf
Captain used all his might to bring a Khâzad Guard to his doom. The mysterious
power in Erestor’s Noldorin Daggers spelt death for an unfortunate Dwarf in close
combat. Durin also continued his killing spree as his axe split helm and head
of an Elf warrior. Truly the day was a day of heroes! (albeit rather foolish
ones to be fighting each other…)
Turn 10:
Finally,
the short legs of the Dwarves catch up with the Elf bearing the ring! One Dwarf
caught the Elf, raised his axe to strike and… bam! The foolish Dwarf lay dead
and the two Elves whose blades cut him down looked down with sad disdain. This
turn was bad for the Dwarves: the blood of another Dwarf was splashed on the
stones of the ruins by three Elves. Glorfindel killed yet another Dwarf, who
had leapt from a high position only to find a blade through his heart. Erestor,
while charging a Dwarf, threw a slender Noldorin Dagger into the Dwarf’s head,
and the Dwarf moved no more. The Eagle also swallowed a Dwarf (which was quite
crunchy). Other Dwarves fell as well. Only one Elf fell in return.
Fate was with Durin and Dain, however, and
Dain managed to keep alive even under five sharp spears.
Turn 11:
Erestor
the assassin kept up the deaths with another flying Noldorin Dagger in a
Dwarf’s face, and they cut down a Dwarf who had charged him in close combat
also. With a large gulp from the Eagle as Dwarf ranger was swallowed, the
Dwarves realized with dismay that their force was broken!
Another Dwarf fell to an Elf’s blade, while
Dain relied on his final fate point to survive the continuing onslaught of
Elven spears.
Turn 12:
The
Elven bowfire results in a Dwarf death, and Erestor and co. take out yet
another Dwarf. However, the Dwarves do kill another Elf. This was part of what
we called the Eternal Fight, as the Elf spearman and a Khâzad Guard had been
dueling for ages! Despite the Elf abandoning his spear and resorting to
clobbering the Dwarf with his shield, the Dwarf’s heavy axe eventually beat the
Elf into the ground.
Fate was on the side of the King’s
Champion, who continued to battle with Glorfindel.
Turn 13:
After
being broken, Balin had to use might to remain in the battle. The sneaky Dwarf
rangers, who had moved to intercept the ring-carrier along with Balin, now
caught up with the Elf. He was trapped against the board edge with two angry
Dwarves! He bravely defended the prize, but failed to deal any damage to his
attackers.
Meanwhile, Sniper Dwarf (who had managed to
avoid death unlike his fellows) was surrounded and cut down, despite his
valiant efforts.
Balin used his last might to strike down
the Eagle as it swooped towards him. With its final cry, the Elves chilled as
they realized they had lost half of their force. The Elves were broken!
In revenge for the death of the Elf in the
Eternal Fight, the banner bearing Elf stabs the Khâzad Guard who killed him and
stains the fabric with the Dwarf’s blood.
Turn 14:
Balin,
having defeated the Eagle, seemed to have tired of the battle, and promptly
fled! Much to the delight (and bemusement) of the Elf ring-carrier, his two
attackers swiftly followed! He took the chance to make a run for the board
edge.
One of the heralds suddenly had a panic
attack at the sight of Glorfindel on his powerful horse and froze in his
tracks. A Dwarf ranger, attempting to intercept the escaping ring-carrier, was
shot in the back of the head by a keen-eyed Elven archer. Dain, however,
managed to withstand a terrifying 16 attacks whilst surrounded and hence
prompted a rendition of “Dain, Dain-Dain-Dain, Dain-Dain, Dain-Dain, can’t
touch him…”
Turn 15:
At
last! The Elf exits the board, leaving the trail of woe behind him.
Elf minor victory!
The remaining forces:
·
Elves:
·
Dwarves
Dwarf of the Match Award goes to… Dain (can’t
touch him) for outstanding sturdiness!
Elf of the Match Award goes to… Erestor,
for expert assassination!
All in all it was a very enjoyable and
exciting match to play (helped by the fact I won). At the end of Part 1 it seemed that the Dwarves would
butcher their way to victory, but alas for them the tables turned and the Valar
were with the elves. If only Aulë had given the Dwarves longer legs, they might
have had a chance!
Thanks for reading!
