The Battle of Bicklethorn Farm

Queenie growled low in her throat. Bert Tealeaf petted his faithful herd dog to calm her as they watched from the hill as the column of pillaging goblins approached Minto Bicklethorn's farm in the valley. Old Tom the shepherd, wearing his weather-stained cloak squatted beside him, leaning on his ancient hunting spear.

"The other's is in place like" he said. "We'll keep 'em from leavin' t'valley."

"Aye that's right." Bert looked at the rest of his little band, detailed to harass the goblins and protect Captain Merry's spear hobbits flank. "Ned. Nod. You lads ready?"

The boys stopped their gathering of decent stones for throwing and looked at each other and then at him. "Aye dad, we are."

"Good lads. You stick close to Old Tom and Halfast here." Halfast, hood pulled over his eyes, nodded silently as he checked his bow string.

"Yes dad." The boys were clearly excited. He hoped they wouldn't take any risks. They hadn't been out on a wolf hunt yet, and here they were hunting goblins!

They heard a clear horn call and saw the band of hobbits lead by Captain Merry start advancing towards the big, prosperous farm. "Right, let's go." 

Goblins escorting the baggage past my Faller HO scale German farm, which I think makes a very nice hobbit sized building. If any orcs or goblins had gone in they would've suffered a -1 activation to their rolls. But the evil side stayed mission oriented.

 

Table set up Thursday night. Orcs with plunder in lower right corner have to escape via the upper left corner. Hobbits have to deploy at least 5 points in each of the other three corners.

Goblin Archers leading, followed by the two units of Uruks. The Orc Captain is in the unit furthest from the camera.

Wolf Riders guard the flank

Captain Merry and his spear hobbits

Bert Tealeaf and his household

More hobbit skirmishers

Angry Villagers. Neighbours of the Bicklethorns.

Long range throwing of rocks knock a goblin off his mount.

Uruks charge in! Hobbits recoil, but don't break. Uruks are surprised by hobbit ferocity and recoil battered after taking unexpected casualties.

Wolf riders have taken some hits, but try to cover the Uruks who have been driven back. Captain Merry has also taken some casualties though

Other unit of Ururks press forward! 

Convoy keeps rolling

Skirmishers fail their evade roll and get slaughtered before they do more than kill a few goblins archers.

Merry is doing quite well all things considered. The Uruks keep flubbing their Courage tests. 

Uruks on Orcish right then charge Angry Villagers, routing them.

Wolf Riders sacrifice themselves covering the Uruks

Head of Orcish column approaching the Bicklethorn Ford

Hobbit archers rout the Uruks. Skirmishers rout the Goblin Archers.

The Convoy is now uncovered. Merry's band of spear hobbits is moving through the farmyard

Captain Merry charges in! But his gallant band have had too much and are repulsed by the Goblins guarding the baggage. I assume he's been knocked unconscious, explaining the failed Courage test as his faithful band pull him from the battlefield.

Doesn't help though. Hobbit arrows and rocks soon dispatch what is left of the baggage guards

End Game. Gashkul has kept failing Rally Tests and his Uruks have melted away as he approaches the table edge. Bert Tealeaf's band get the last hit with some long range rocks causing a final, routing Courage Test and the last orcs run away to be hunted down.

I played the Convoy scenario from Lion Rampant 2nd ed. The Orcs got 3 baggage elements which I decided to attach to one unit while the other 4 fought the hobbits. VPs would go to who controlled the most baggage at game's end.

The hobbits had to deploy their force in the other three corners, which created the narrative of diverse bands of hobbits gathering in response to an alarm beacon and then converging on the orcs.

Each force was 22 points:

Hobbits

• Captain Merry's Spears offensive light foot with SR missiles 6 pts
• Angry Villagers light foot with SR missiles 4 pts
• Archers light missile with sharpshooter 6pts
• Skirmishers x3 6 pts

Evil

• Uruks bellicose foot with shiny armour x2 (one with the commander) 12 pts
• Goblins light foot 3 pts
• Goblin Archers light missiles 4 pts
• Wolf Riders light riders with SR missiles 3 pts

Each commander got 1 reroll for a failed activation within 12 inches. Which wasn't much good for Captain Merry really, and the other elements were slow in getting into the fight.

I'm quite pleased with how well the Faller HO buildings work for hobbit sized cottages, which takes the pressure off to make Shire buildings. I am reminded about how my Medieval/Middle Earth baggage needs a renovation to bring the paint jobs and basing up to current standards. I also need some more hobbits.