Raising the Shire

 Tooks Are on the Move

Paladin leads the Tooks as they sally forth

Work continues on painting up more hobbits for the next part of the Shire campaign.

Rob 

Game 11 - The Big Game

The Burning of Woody End 

Pre-Game

So, I finally managed to play the ‘big’ game and against a real opponent, my son who was back from Uni.  We played game 11- The Burning of Woody End. With him taking the ruffians and me with the hobbits. We played using the standard rules with addition of two minor heroes to each side. 

For the Ruffians they used One-Eyed Ned and a new bully Odd John. And for the hobbits it was Alf Grubb, and the new local hero was Finnick the Smith. 

Rolling Dice

Baldo & Finnick await the ruffians

These ruffians have no respect for a fine vegetable patch!

The game started well enough for the hobbits as the archers found their mark and the ruffians swarmed forward. But as the ruffians started to get into combat things began to tip in their favour.

Turn 2 was a real turning point for the ruffians as they managed to get four ruffians against four different hobbit holes. And rolled…

Setting four of the hobbit holes alight.

Over the next couple of turns the hobbits managed to put a few of the fires out but not before one of the hobbit holes burned out of control.

A sneaky ruffian takes advantage of the confusion

The last few hobbits face difficult odds

But as the game progressed the hobbits simply run out of numbers to both mark the ruffians and put out fires. So, by turn 10, one hobbit hole had burned down completely and three others were ablaze giving the ruffians the win.

After Battle

Both Finnick and Alf were removed from play and rolled on the injury table, with Alf rolling ‘The Wounds of the Hero’ which give the hero a full recovery and extra D6 influence points (He rolled a six) and Finnick rolled then ‘Favour of the Valar’ and also made a full recovery and gained a Fate point.

Only One-Eyed Ned received enough experience to roll on the experience table and gained the Blade Master skill. 

Both sides used influence points to restore lost Might & Fate points.

This was another tricky scenario for the hobbits as they were outnumbered and there are plenty of places for the ruffians to hide whilst still setting fire to the hobbit holes. And very quickly all of the hobbits were tied up marking the ruffians or putting out fires.

Rob 

Not a Friday Night Post

Well Sort Of

With the Easter Bank Holiday weekend approaching (in the UK), I finally have a long weekend off. So, again this week has not been much time for hobbying but I finally managed to get some paint on a mini. This mini is progressing but I have now been distracted by the latest arrival of hobbits ready to defend the Shire. 

Its not Friday night and I didn't drink this on a Friday but it was a great beer anyway. And I am going to have a beer tonight anyway!

Rob 

Friday Night Painting - Just!

Still Painting

Not a lot of hobby time at the moment, so I have been steadily working on the Oldhammer Mouth of Sauron mini.

He looks pretty good with these zombies, so I think I will move him onto a smaller base to match in. That reminders me I probably need a few more zombies...

On a Friday night, still drinking...

Rob

Game 10 - The Bounders Strike Back

 The Tooks Keep Their Reputation

Finally got back to the Shire campaign after a busy week. I will go back to do the 'big' battle at Woody End. But tonight I fancied a quick game.  So, I played 'The Bounders Strike Back' which I did without any changes to the rules. I have played this scenario before and the changes between the 1st and 2nd edition seems to have balanced this one out. 

The bounders are attempting to sneak into Tookland but are repulsed by a band of Tookish Hunters. 

I am still using the trap counters, I made nearly twenty years ago. On an old inkjet printer and using MS Paint to draw them out. But it would just be too much effort to make a load of them for an odd game!

The ruffians attempt to move between the traps

And finally get to grips with enemy

Not all the ruffians find it that easy to avoid the traps.

Now the ruffians have a clear path, they attempt to the rush the hobbits. 

Despite getting through the traps, the Tooks prove they are no easier to deal once the ruffians get them into hand to hand combat. And the ruffians reached break point having only managed to get one ruffian off the board.

 

After the Battle

As there was no actual heroes starting the game, then there was no other experience points to allocate apart for a new hero. 

Clearly the hobbit of the match, having shot down three ruffians during the game and now promoted to local hero. And he gained an extra Wound.

And on a Friday Night

Still drinking the Brewdog Lost lager. 

Rob

A Ruffian Horde

 Over Twenty Minis!

Painted up the last few ruffians needed for the next scenario, this is for the first of the 'big' games with over twenty minis on each side. 

The whole might of Rowan Thistlewood's motley band assembled for mischief. 

And it is Friday Night

Rob 

Sunday Night Post

 Hobbit Archers

Painting continues on more hobbits and ruffians. For the next scenario 'The Burning of Woody End' both sides have over twenty minis! And finally the hobbit archers make an appearance. So, a few need to be painted before I can proceed. 

Back to Oldhammer

I picked up this Mouth of Sauron mini at Colours last year and I have finally decided it is time to put some paint on this mini. There is a ton of detail and I still need to work out a paint scheme. 

A  New Pic of Radagast 

Radagast fleeing a giant spider or two. 

Its Not Friday Night

But I still need (deserve?)a beer after painting a few more hobbits. 

Rob 

The Uprooting of Bagshot Row

Bill is in Trouble Again

This is another one of those scenarios that feels very unbalanced even with my standard changes  to the troops. The hobbits can only win by slaying Bill and he has no incentive to move. So, I also decided to the change the victory conditions. 

Like Bill's first scenario (Skirmish in Bree) he must  cause at least two casualties before the game finishes to prevent a draw. After all, Bill has to make up for being beaten off the bridge at the Brandywine river. 

With even numbers of minis on both sides, these scenarios are just too heavily weighed towards the ruffians. 

Prior to the Battle

The ruffians had a great reinforcements roll and managed to call two minor heroes - Brutus and Strong Armed Pete. So,  they decided to save their Influence points for later games. 

The hobbits managed to bring three hobbits armed with staffs, two had 'picked up stones' and a minor hero - Alf Grubb. Given the fierce opposition, Influence points were also used to bring Pip Proudfoot. 

The Battle

The ruffians are deployed around Bagshot Row and the hobbits are approaching from the south. The hobbits on the left flank attempted to use the cover to minimise shooting from the ruffians. While the Gaffer leads the bulk of the hobbits down the right. 

But eventually both sides met and battle was joined but not before the ruffians managed to stomp on all of the Gaffer's flowers*. The staff armed hobbits certainly helped the hobbits on the right flank. But Pete and Brutus were doing a successful job in beating down the hobbits on the left flank. 

* I am certainly glad I didn't spend a lot of time making them and they are £2-3 each for the official ones.  

Pip proving that he is not easily target for Sharkey's rogues and managed to score a wound on Brutus but he managed to save his Fate roll. The hobbits also wounded Bill (and he also  was saved by Fate) but the causalities were mounting up on the hobbit side. 

NB- The game ends when the hobbits are reduced to 25%. 

With eight casualties, the hobbits passed their Morale tests but one more casualty would finish the game. Bill had only caused one casualty, so he needed to cause one more casualty by the end of the turn.  

Pip was not so lucky facing Strong Armed Pete and fell to blows from the burly henchman. But Bill lost his combat and game was a draw. 

After the Battle

The Hobbits

After the battle, Pip made a full recovery and gains Fell Sight.

Alf lived up to his Nickname and gained a point to his Fight value. 

The Ruffians 

Strong Armed Pete proved that he becoming battle hardened and  gained a point of Courage. 

And finally Brutus gained a point of Strength which fits his giant stature. 

So, with the changes to the victory conditions and the enhancements to the troops, this was much a closer game than the original. With both sides having chances to win the game. And the first draw of the campaign. 

Rob