General Ballroom and I convened for the next iteration of our ongoing campaign. After the last game Gen. B's encouraged his daughter to have a look at this blog thereby doubling my usual number of visitors. Hello Ms. Ballroom!
The Fellowship, still reeling from the loss of Pippin and Gandalf must cross the bridge at Khazad-dûm to escape Moria. Barring the way are yet more pesky goblinses, and behind them some rather loud footsteps are getting closer and there's a burning smell in the air...
The Fellowship started some distance from the bridge, with goblins lining their passage to safety. (When we began the campaign Gen. B and I had high hopes and ambitious plans for modelling all the various bits of scenery. Old age, feeble-mindedness and general apathy mean we've not quite achieved that - vinyl floor tiles and black paper give the effect we need. We have done all the soldiers though!)
Legolas and Aragorn we're looking over their shoulders at the thundering footsteps.
Archers started pinging arrows at the Fellowship.
Whilst their combat orientated brethren raced to cut off the bridge.
Boromir ran in front, tootling his horn as he went.
Gimli waded in to his ancestral enemies.
Conga dancing broke out in the goblin ranks.
Bravely Legolas stood alone to face down the demon.
Unfortunately he stood a bit close and one fiery whiplash was enough to deal with a weedy elf with one wound.
The goblins started mobbing the Fellowship fighters.
Gimli did stout (ho-ho!) work defending the hobbits.
While Boromir attempted to drive a path through the goblins blocking the passage.
He needed a few frantic toots on the Horn of Gondor.
Aragorn was getting slowed down by feeding him one goblin at a time.
Sam went toe-to-toe with a goblin captain, and flattened him with a frying pan.
Boromir was still waist deep in goblins.
And the big fiery guy was getting closer.
Desperate to buy time Gimli and Aragorn charged the monster (Aragaorn to try and win the fight, Gimli to do big hits with his axe)
And they did manage to push the beast back.
Sam and Frodo began to run to the corner of the cavern - away from the bridge that could lead to safety!
Bormomir broke free of the goblins and raced after the halflings.
Again the heroes fought the demon whilst Sam held off pressing goblins...
...but alack it was to no avail. Once again a lucky goblin arrow pierced the Mithril armour of the Ringbearer and Frodo fell to the ground!
Victory for the forces of evil.
That was a tough battle for the good guys. Even at full strength with Gandalf in the mix I think they'll struggle to get through the goblins. If they've lost the previous scenario there's a good chance the Balrog will turn up early and, as we discovered he's as hard as nails,
In the post game campaign wash up Legolas and Merry were discovered to have again survived with a single wound left (third game in a row for both of them).
Then General B. rolled for Frodo.
For a moment it looked like he'd rolled a one, the Ringbearer was dead and the campaign over. However, following a recount we discovered that he'd very definitely actually rolled a two and Frodo had in fact survived with a single wound left.
One more battle against the pursuing goblins and the Fellowship will get to rest up in the Wood Elf kingdoms and recover their strength.