This week we’re back with Part 1 of my most recent Fantasy Fellowship campaign. Themed around kingship, its backstory and design can be found here if you’re interested. If not, I guess contextual clues will help!
We played through the series without any major tweaks, but
with a couple of little house rules. For one, we awarded bonuses for winning
previous scenarios, because those rules are already written in and seem fun, so
why waste them? A few battles had slightly tweaked participants, and
Rule-of-Cool allowed a few unorthodox things, but we by and large went from the
book. The big exception is that we played the expanded versions of Amon Hen and Pellenor Fields, again because we just wanted to. We didn't do that for Helm's Deep though, because a few of those scenarios are a bit busted and don't feel great to play (plus I didn't have time to build the whole Hornburg).
Without any further ado, let’s jump into our first scenario…
Flight to the Ferry
With a fairly powerful group of Hobbits, this scenario
rapidly turns into a game of ‘Gank the Ringwraiths.’ To limit that, and because
it’s more cinematic, we decided to give the Ringwraiths horses. The models just
look cooler anyway.
The Wraiths began spread out over the map, while the Hobbits
deployed close to the leftmost in an effort to take it out of the picture
quickly. The first turn of movement saw it trot towards them and into charge
range, but not yet spot them. On the next turn they hurtled into combat and
Trapped it, but were shown up by a surprise 6 and a lost roll-off. A Heroic
Move aimed to pin down both of the closest Ringwraiths, but a failed Courage
test from Haleth allowed one to charge into him and inflict a Wound. However,
the left Rider was smashed from its saddle by Farmer Maggot, who hits
shockingly hard with his two-handed scythe. The centre Wraith was dispatched by
Éowen on the next turn, leaving the final Rider in Black to launch a daring
assault in an effort to get to Frodo. But the critical Black Dart failed to
kill the Dog guarding the Ringbearer, leaving the Nazgul stalled and
vulnerable. As Good surrounded the Wraith, Maggot’s scythe added another notch.
Bravest Companion: Maggot
Fool of a Took: Haleth
All stats recovered at the house of Bombadil.
Fog on the Barrow Downs
As the fog descended on the Hobbits, they decided to huddle
closer to a barrow, deploying right on top. This left its annoyed occupant
nowhere to deploy outside of their reach, and they were able to dispatch it and
alert Tom on the first turn. While Tom failed an infuriating number of
Banishment attempts, the remaining three Wights were simply no match for the
Hobbits when every Wound dealt could be healed back in the next turn. Good’s
massive Might advantage was particularly useful, allowing them to shut down the
Barrow Wights and prevent them from casting. Bombadil cheerfully restored all
missing stats, and the Hobbits were through to Bree.
Bravest: Haleth (but really my deployment)
Weathertop
With Strider out foraging, the Ringwraiths thought that this
was their chance to slaughter the Hobbits. But this gang of companions had seen
the Nazgul before, and were quite looking forward to getting to grips with them
again. Indeed, on the very first turn Éowen, Grip and Haleth piled into the
Witch King, with the Shieldmaiden announcing her feminity a little early and
sending him packing. Maggot had been forced to burn Will and Might to ward off
a magical barrage, and ended up taking on two Wraiths and being Wounded while
Grip and Fang tore apart another. Frodo darted around the corner to race down
the hillside, while the Nazgul let loose a terrifying scream of fury (or
perhaps fear, given that they were about to be charged by an angry pile of
‘Hobbits’). It was enough to force a couple of failed Terror checks, but they
were still pinned in combat and unable to do more than burn through Maggot’s
Fate points. Good called yet another Heroic Move as Aragorn arrived, but the
Ranger was frozen in place by dark sorcery (actually just an embarrassing
failed Courage test), leaving Éowen to cut down the third Ringwraith. Obviously
inspired or embarrassed by this, Aragorn hurtled into combat on the next turn,
chasing off one Wraith with a flung burning brand and the second with daring
swordplay. With that, the group had nothing more to do than work out where
Frodo had run off to and finish their trek to Rivendell.
Bravest: Éowen
Fool: Aragorn
That's it for part one of my Fantasy Fellowship playthrough. So far the Maggot/Éowyn/Haleth combo has done a great job of keeping Frodo safe. Next time, it will be up to the whole Fellowship as they face the long dark of Moria.
Have any great stories from your own Fantasy Fellowships playthroughs? I'd love to hear them!
Until next week, may your Hobbits always outduel Ringwaiths!
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