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  #337  
Old May 12th, 2021, 07:05 PM
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TAF's Customs RETURN OF THE KING - SIEGE OF GONDOR (1)

THE RETURN OF THE KING
1/5 - Siege of Gondor (Defenders) - 1/5


"So Gandalf and Peregrin rode to the Great Gate of the Men of Gondor at the rising of the sun, and its iron doors rolled back before them.

'Mithrandir! Mithrandir!' men cried. 'Now we know that the storm is indeed nigh!'

'It is upon you,' said Gandalf. 'I have ridden on its wings. Let me pass! I must come to your Lord Denethor, while his stewardship lasts. Whatever betide, you have come to the end of the Gondor that you have known. Let me pass!'" -Return of the King




"You are soldiers of Gondor! No matter what comes through that gate, you will stand your ground!" -Return of the King

Soldiers of Gondor are strong infantry when bunched together, the combination of Shield Wall and Spear Wall 18 (a slightly nerfed version of Braced Spear) giving them solid defensive capabilities. As long as their infantry squares hold they make the walls and streets of Minas Tirith impassible. Apart their 2 defense makes them liable to be routed by the numerically superior orcs.



"On they came, reckless of their loss as they approached, still bunched and herded, within the range of bowmen on the wall. But indeed there were too few now left there to do them great damage, though the light of the fires showed up many a mark for archers of such skill as Gondor once had boasted." -Return of the King

Archers of Gondor have the only power they need: Archer Sighting giving their arrows extra attack from above. It gives them a whopping 5 Attack from extreme height, an easy bonus to achieve from the tall walls of Minas Tirith or the many-storied ruins of Osgiliath.







"And so the companies came and were hailed and cheered and passed through the Gate, men of the Outlands marching to defend the City of Gondor in a dark hour; but always too few, always less than hope looked for or need asked. The men of Ringlo Vale behind the son of their lord, Dervorin striding on foot: three hundreds. From the uplands of Morthond, the great Blackroot Vale, tall Duinhir with his sons, Duilin and Derufin, and five hundred bowmen. From the Anfalas, the Langstrand far away, a long line of men of many sorts, hunters and herdsmen and men of little villages, scantily equipped save for the household of Golasgil their lord. From Lamedon, a few grim hillmen without a captain. Fisher-folk of the Ethir, some hundred or more spared from the ships. Hirluin the Fair of the Green Hills from Pinnath Gelin with three hundreds of gallant green-clad men. And last and proudest, Imrahil, Prince of Dol Amroth, kinsman of the Lord, with gilded banners bearing his token of the Ship and the Silver Swan, and a company of knights in full harness riding grey horses; and behind them seven hundreds of men at arms, tall as lords, grey-eyed, dark-haired, singing as they came." -Return of the King

In the books the armies of Gondor are further reinforced by the different fiefdoms of the land, three thousand at the city and many thousands more later at the Battle of the Pelennor. The Clansmen of Lamedon among them are fearless warriors capable of the occasional Double Attack with Surround Takedown, though they are less durable than the other soldiers.

The Fiefdom Men-At-Arms excel at siege defense, as their Steadfast Attack gives them a buff when attacking without moving. Their Chainmail lets them shrug off weak attacks, automatically blocking hits that only feature one skull. They can hold against the weaker orcs with ease.

Knights of Dol Amroth are the elite of Gondor's troops, becoming 4/5's against any units weaker than themselves. Furthermore their Steadfast ability prevents fear from scattering their forces. Only Mordor's strongest troops can hope to dispatch them.



"So it was that Gandalf took command of the last defence of the City of Gondor. Wherever he came men's hearts would lift again, and the winged shadows pass from memory. Tirelessly he strode from Citadel to Gate, from north to south about the wall; and with him went the Prince of Dol Amroth in his shining mail. For he and his knights still held themselves like lords in whom the race of Númenor ran true. Men that saw them whispered saying: 'Belike the old tales speak well; there is Elvish blood in the veins of that folk, for the people of Nimrodel dwelt in that land once long ago.'" -Return of the King

Prince Imrahil is effectively Gandalf's second-in-command during the Siege of Gondor. He can rally scattered troops with Restore Order, allowing repositioning of Gondor Soldiers and Archers at the end of rounds where you lost initiative. Furthermore he can fight in the front lines with Warrior Prince, allowing him to stand in for another squad member during your attack.



"'He will not wake again,' said Denethor. 'Battle is vain. Why should we wish to live longer? Why should we not go to death side by side?'

'Authority is not given to you, Steward of Gondor, to order the hour of your death,' answered Gandalf. 'And only the heathen kings, under the domination of the Dark Power, did thus, slaying themselves in pride and despair, murdering their kin to ease their own death.' Then passing through the door he took Faramir from the deadly house and laid him on the bier on which he had been brought, and which had now been set in the porch. Denethor followed him, and stood trembling, looking with longing on the face of his son. And for a moment, while all were silent and still, watching the Lord in his throes, he wavered.

'Come!' said Gandalf. 'We are needed. There is much that you can yet do.'

Then suddenly Denethor laughed. He stood up tall and proud again, and stepping swiftly back to the table he lifted from it the pillow on which his head had lain. Then coming to the doorway he drew aside the covering, and lo! he had between his hands a palantír. And as he held it up, it seemed to those that looked on that the globe began to glow with an inner flame, so that the lean face of the Lord was lit as with a red fire, and it seemed cut out of hard stone, sharp with black shadows, noble, proud, and terrible. His eyes glittered.

'Pride and despair!' he cried. 'Didst thou think that the eyes of the White Tower were blind? Nay, I have seen more than thou knowest, Grey Fool. For thy hope is but ignorance. Go then and labour in healing! Go forth and fight! Vanity. For a little space you may triumph on the field, for a day. But against the Power that now arises there is no victory. To this City only the first finger of its hand has yet been stretched. All the East is moving. And even now the wind of thy hope cheats thee and wafts up Anduin a fleet with black sails. The West has failed. It is time for all to depart who would not be slaves.'

'Such counsels will make the Enemy's victory certain indeed,' said Gandalf.

'Hope on then!' laughed Denethor. 'Do I not know thee, Mithrandir? Thy hope is to rule in my stead, to stand behind every throne, north, south, or west. I have read thy mind and its policies. Do I not know that you commanded this halfling here to keep silence? That you brought him hither to be a spy within my very chamber? And yet in our speech together I have learned the names and purpose of all thy companions. So! With the left hand thou wouldst use me for a little while as a shield against Mordor, and with the right bring up this Ranger of the North to supplant me.

'But I say to thee, Gandalf Mithrandir, I will not be thy tool! I am Steward of the House of Anarion. I will not step down to be the dotard chamberlain of an upstart. Even were his claim proved to me, still he comes but of the line of Isildur. I will not bow to such a one, last of a ragged house long bereft of lordship and dignity.'

'What then would you have,' said Gandalf, 'if your will could have its way?'

'I would have things as they were in all the days of my life,' answered Denethor, 'and in the days of my longfathers before me: to be the Lord of this City in peace, and leave my chair to a son after me, who would be his own master and no wizard's pupil. But if doom denies this to me, then I will have naught: neither life diminished, nor love halved, nor honour abated.'" -Return of the King


Lord Denethor causes more harm than help during the battle, so he is actually controlled by your opponent. With Abandon Your Posts! he can cause terrible chaos, repositioning Einar Humans on his turn and forcing you to waste time moving them back to where you want them. Furthermore his Gondor Is Mine! power negates any sort of movement or attack bonding with your Einar units, save for when Denethor is within range of Gandalf's Light of the Valar ability. As he is immune to Einar units, Gandalf and Pippin will have to deal with him directly, or else Gondor's army will be in endless disarray.



"A Palantír is a dangerous tool, Saruman!"

"Why? Why should we fear to use it?"

"They are not all accounted for, the lost seeing stones. We do not know who else may be watching!" -Fellowship of the Ring


The Palantír is used by Gandalf and Aragorn to see the Enemy's plans and spurn Him into action, and it is also used by Denethor for his mythical farsight. With it the two opposing factions can see the other's designs, though a Wizard can choose not to use the seeing stone if it might reveal too much to his foes.


As always let me know what you think.

~TAF

TAF was the Storyteller...
in THE ENEMY'S LAST RETREAT


Last edited by TheAverageFan; May 26th, 2021 at 01:27 PM. Reason: "Return of the Kind"
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  #338  
Old May 12th, 2021, 07:27 PM
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Re: TAF's Customs RETURN OF THE KING - SIEGE OF GONDOR (1)

I love the Outclass power on the Knights of Dol Amrath.

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  #339  
Old May 12th, 2021, 09:00 PM
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Re: TAF's Customs RETURN OF THE KING - SIEGE OF GONDOR (1)

So much awesome stuff today! I appreciate the remix of some known abilities in different (better) ways.

Soldiers of Gondor - These are what the Cathar Spearmen should have been imo. A lot less toxic and great use of Shield Wall, it's evocative of the strength that Men are supposed to have in Middle Earth: numbers and unity. Very efficient unit at 60 points.

Archers of Gondor - Nice and simple, almost seems a bit light for their points but rolling 12 attack dice (3 figures, 4 attack each best case scenario) is nothing to sneeze at, that's pretty effective... or more in a scenario battle! Definitely an upgrade from Roman Archers.

Clansmen of Lamedon - High power offensive unit, pretty high ceiling here if I'm reading it correctly. These are units that would love to spread out and mass engage to try and thin out opposing Orcs commons. Potential for 6 attacks on a turn is awesome though it probably won't happen often.

Fiefdom Men at Arms - This seems like a solid squad, not priced low enough to be obnoxious or overly powerful but something i'd be interested in playing. They communicate the idea well that they want to dig in hard and punish the class "roll 3 dice for 1 skull" play very well so you don't have the unlucky whiff. Smaller units like blade gruts and arrow gruts will hate them.

Knights of Dol Amroth - I like their first power a lot, I wish Heroscape would reference more things like point totals or the massive amount of personalities, species and classes that are in the game. Outclass is a straight forward name and it helps to protect them against cheaper squads, a nice reward for your investment of 100 points.

Prince Imrahil - I think that breaking up movement and attack separate of turns creates some messy situations but I like what this does. You get a reward for those turns where you just suck on initiative (i'll be activating that first ability a lot) and Warrior Prince is a nice touch. This guy being valiant is interesting, but his interaction with only Einar Soldiers makes it so he will be moving my 10th reg around instead of my 4th mass

Lord Denethor - Pure Chaos, into the Lava with all of you, flee! This guy does some crazy stuff, pretty awesome for a LOTR scenario.
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  #340  
Old May 14th, 2021, 03:53 PM
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TAF's Customs RETURN OF THE KING - SIEGE OF GONDOR (2)

Thank you for your comments! I too like powers that toy with point values, though they border on too customy in others' eyes.


THE RETURN OF THE KING
2/5 - Siege of Gondor (Attackers) - 2/5


"In vain men shook their fists at the pitiless foes that swarmed before the Gate. Curses they heeded not, nor understood the tongues of western men; crying with harsh voices like beasts and carrion-birds. But soon there were few left in Minas Tirith who had the heart to stand up and defy the hosts of Mordor. For yet another weapon, swifter than hunger, the Lord of the Dark Tower had: dread and despair." -Return of the King





"All night watchmen on the walls heard the rumour of the enemy that roamed outside, burning field and tree, and hewing any man that they found abroad, living or dead. The numbers that had already passed over the River could not be guessed in the darkness, but when morning, or its dim shadow, stole over the plain, it was seen that even fear by night had scarcely over-counted them. The plain was dark with their marching companies, and as far as eyes could strain in the mirk there sprouted, like a foul fungus-growth, all about the beleaguered city great camps of tents, black or sombre red." -Return of the King

Orcs may not be as strong as Men, but they are more numerous and deviously clever. Mordor Orcs and Morannon Orcs are the Blades and Heavies of Sauron's Orcs respectively. With Mob Attack they are quite deadly should they be able to swarm an opponent's figure efficiently, and with Horde Attack they can continue moving up fresh units while still fighting, slowly overwhelming enemies with their numbers as the fight drags on. Disengage remains an Orc staple, further allowing easy repositioning of troops.



"Hard fighting and long labour they had still; for the Southrons were bold men and grim, and fierce in despair; and the Easterlings were strong and war-hardened and asked for no quarter. And so in this place and that, by burned homestead or barn, upon hillock or mound, under wall or on field, still they gathered and rallied and fought until the day wore away." -Return of the King

Easterling Warriors have been the deadliest of the west's foes going all the way back to the Nírnaeth Arnoediad. They come with a Shield Wall of their own, and coupled with Horde Attack and No Quarter prove to be both maneuverable and good at locking foes down. With 4 Defense while clustered, they are more likely to survive to utilize Horde Attack than their Orcish allies. 4 Attack makes them very dangerous.



"Even as the Nazgûl had swerved aside from the onset of the White Rider, there came flying a deadly dart, and Faramir, as he held at bay a mounted champion of Harad, had fallen to the earth." -Return of the King

Orc Archers may seem weak, but their Volley Attack can give them 3 Attack quite easily. Combined with height they can fell even the strongest knights reliably. However, with only 1 defense they themselves can be routed effortlessly should the enemy reach them, and they remain vulnerable against return fire.



"No matter what comes through that gate you will stand your ground!

...Run!" -Return of the King


Mordor Trolls are exactly the shock troops the Orcs need to clear away tightly packed defenders. With their Sweeping Club Special Attack, they can swing for 5 at multiple enemies at once. Furthermore their Shrug Off gives them extra defense against enemies with insufficient attack power, though Gandalf's Light of the Valar disables this if he is nearby. Being able to punish clustered enemies makes the Troll a necessity to scatter foes for the sake of the swarming orcs.



"Fear... the City is rank with it. Let us ease their suffering." -Return of the King

Gothmog ties the entire army together with his Mordor Command, giving Sauron's forces overwhelming numbers of activations. Being able to move with up to 12 units at once (should you choose the three 4-man squads), it won't matter how many fall to ranged attacks or Braced Spear 16. He also deals extra damage to wounded foes himself, as he prefers not to fight fresh heroes or squads and risk being killed.


As always let me know what you think.

~TAF

TAF was the Storyteller...
in THE ENEMY'S LAST RETREAT

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  #341  
Old May 16th, 2021, 01:22 PM
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Re: TAF's Customs RETURN OF THE KING - SIEGE OF GONDOR (2)

I honestly hate the word "customy" it sounds like a made up word that someone made to suit their specific preferences and stifle creativity because it doesn't align with what they want the game to be

Mordor Orcs - These guys are wicked dangerous, I like what they have going on in terms of reducing defense. Getting 7 move because of their class of Soldier is pretty awesome too, they make a great cheap option to field. Their horde attack is reminiscent of how orcs of this variety should be as well, crazed and animalistic.

Morannon Orcs - These ones being more heavily armored and armed is an interesting choice. I'll have to go back and look at the source material, I guess I always assumed that the orcs living in the depths of Moria would be less well armed than the ones directly in mordor. Regardless, it's good to see a contrast in stats to keep them apart.

Easterling Warriors - I like seeing the units across a lot of these figures, with the villians having horde attack and units with large shields making use of them for shield wall. No Quarter is a great way to re-invented coward's reward without making it seem the least bit heroic. I doubt a hero will enjoy trying to escape from a few of these.

Orc Archers - And like that you've re-invented the roman archers and made them a lot more relevant! I think this speaks more to what I would imagine a volley being like, it also does good to represent the hoard of orcs being ideal without putting hoard attack on them.

Mordor Troll - An absolute Unit. For 150 points the swinging attack of 5 seems pretty fair or at least on par with some other options. I like the ability to shrug off weaker attacks, it represents not only the armor very well but the natural tough hide that middle earth trolls are known for. Warrior is an interesting choice for the class, I expected it to be beast because of their mannerisms but there is no reason it can't be warrior as well.

Gothmog - Definitely priced appropriately in order to get the actual feel of middle earth battles. It seems like any real conflict from Lord of the Rings was huge in scope and I think this figure does a good job communicating that, I'd love to see some scenario put together to deal with Gothmog because it'll be a nail biter for the forces of good.
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Old May 17th, 2021, 03:51 PM
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TAF's Customs RETURN OF THE KING - PELENNOR FIELDS

Thank you for the feedback as always, Shiftrex! To answer your queries, the Morannon is the region of Mordor nearest to the Black Gate, and so the specific Orc army that issued from there are referred to as Morannon Orcs. They can be distinguished in the films for their red and navy uniforms.

As for the Troll's class, I guess I wasn't really thinking much about it. I could've easily gone with Brute like I did for the Cave Troll, but since these Trolls are specifically for fighting and do so without needing to be prodded or threatened by the Orcs, Warrior seemed fine enough for me. Juggernaut maybe? There's a few good choices



THE RETURN OF THE KING
3/5 - Battle of the Pelennor Fields - 3/5


"After a while the king led his men away somewhat eastward, to come between the fires of the siege and the outer fields. Still they were unchallenged, and still Théoden gave no signal. At last he halted once again. The City was now nearer. A smell of burning was in the air and a very shadow of death. The horses were uneasy. But the king sat upon Snowmane, motionless, gazing upon the agony of Minas Tirith, as if stricken suddenly by anguish, or by dread. He seemed to shrink down, cowed by age. Merry himself felt as if a great weight of horror and doubt had settled on him. His heart beat slowly. Time seemed poised in uncertainty. They were too late! Too late was worse than never! Perhaps Théoden would quail, bow his old head, turn, slink away to hide in the hills.

Then suddenly Merry felt it at last, beyond doubt: a change. Wind was in his face! Light was glimmering. Far, far away, in the South the clouds could be dimly seen as remote grey shapes, rolling up, drifting: morning lay beyond them.

But at that same moment there was a flash, as if lightning had sprung from the earth beneath the City. For a searing second it stood dazzling far off in black and white, its topmost tower like a glittering needle: and then as the darkness closed again there came rolling over the fields a great boom.

At that sound the bent shape of the king sprang suddenly erect. Tall and proud he seemed again; and rising in his stirrups he cried in a loud voice, more clear than any there had ever heard a mortal man achieve before:

Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden!

Fell deeds awake: fire and slaughter!

spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered,

a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises!

Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor!

With that he seized a great horn from Guthlaf his banner-bearer, and he blew such a blast upon it that it burst asunder. And straightway all the horns in the host were lifted up in music, and the blowing of the horns of Rohan in that hour was like a storm upon the plain and a thunder in the mountains.

Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor!

Suddenly the king cried to Snowmane and the horse sprang away. Behind him his banner blew in the wind, white horse upon a field of green, but he outpaced it. After him thundered the knights of his house, but he was ever before them. Éomer rode there, the white horsetail on his helm floating in his speed, and the front of the first eored roared like a breaker foaming to the shore, but Théoden could not be overtaken. Fey he seemed, or the battle-fury of his fathers ran like new fire in his veins, and he was borne up on Snowmane like a god of old, even as Oromë the Great in the battle of the Valar when the world was young. His golden shield was uncovered, and lo! it shone like an image of the Sun, and the grass flamed into green about the white feet of his steed. For morning came, morning and a wind from the sea; and the darkness was removed, and the hosts of Mordor wailed, and terror took them, and they fled, and died, and the hoofs of wrath rode over them. And then all the host of Rohan burst into song, and they sang as they slew, for the joy of battle was on them, and the sound of their singing that was fair and terrible came even to the City." -Return of the King




"Then Théoden was aware of him, and would not wait for his onset, but crying to Snowmane he charged headlong to greet him. Great was the clash of their meeting. But the white fury of the Northmen burned the hotter, and more skilled was their knighthood with long spears and bitter. Fewer were they but they clove through the Southrons like a fire-bolt in a forest. Right through the press drove Théoden Thengel's son, and his spear was shivered as he threw down their chieftain. Out swept his sword, and he spurred to the standard, hewed staff and bearer; and the black serpent foundered. Then all that was left unslain of their cavalry turned and fled far away." -Return of the King

Théoden returns in mounted form, able to command the Riders of Rohan to attack with his Forth Eorlingas, or to move in greater numbers with Reform The Line. The hosts of Mordor generally have low defense, making it possible for Théoden and his riders to kill up to 10 units a turn should Trample Charge work successfully. His powers can also work with the Knights of Dol Amroth, which is fine as their army leads a sortie out into the fields of the Pelennor to do battle as well.



"Then the Black Captain rose in his stirrups and cried aloud in a dreadful voice, speaking in some forgotten tongue words of power and terror to rend both heart and stone.

Thrice he cried. Thrice the great ram boomed. And suddenly upon the last stroke the Gate of Gondor broke. As if stricken by some blasting spell it burst asunder: there was a flash of searing lightning, and the doors tumbled in riven fragments to the ground.

In rode the Lord of the Nazgûl. A great black shape against the fires beyond he loomed up, grown to a vast menace of despair. In rode the Lord of the Nazgûl, under the archway that no enemy ever yet had passed, and all fled before his face.

All save one. There waiting, silent and still in the space before the Gate, sat Gandalf upon Shadowfax: Shadowfax who alone among the free horses of the earth endured the terror, unmoving, steadfast as a graven image in Rath Dinen.

'You cannot enter here,' said Gandalf, and the huge shadow halted. 'Go back to the abyss prepared for you! Go back! Fall into the nothingness that awaits you and your Master. Go!'

The Black Rider flung back his hood, and behold! he had a kingly crown; and yet upon no head visible was it set. The red fires shone between it and the mantled shoulders vast and dark. From a mouth unseen there came a deadly laughter.

'Old fool!' he said. 'Old fool! This is my hour. Do you not know Death when you see it? Die now and curse in vain!' And with that he lifted high his sword and flames ran down the blade." -Return of the King


The Witch King of Angmar is a terrible force to be reckoned with. His Aura of Terror renders all around him too weak to attack as effectively, making him difficult to kill. If that weren't enough, his Do You Not Know Death When You See It power can render a single hero completely inert and hapless. Combined with his high attack value, he can make short work of most anyone.



"'Begone, foul dwimmerlaik, lord of carrion! Leave the dead in peace!'

A cold voice answered: 'Come not between the Nazgûl and his prey! Or he will not slay thee in thy turn. He will bear thee away to the houses of lamentation, beyond all darkness, where thy flesh shall be devoured, and thy shrivelled mind be left naked to the Lidless Eye.'

A sword rang as it was drawn. 'Do what you will; but I will hinder it, if I may.'

'Hinder me? Thou fool. No living man may hinder me!'

Then Merry heard of all sounds in that hour the strangest. It seemed that Dernhelm laughed, and the clear voice was like the ring of steel. 'But no living man am I! You look upon a woman. Éowyn I am, Eomund's daughter. You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him.'

The winged creature screamed at her, but the Ringwraith made no answer, and was silent, as if in sudden doubt. Very amazement for a moment conquered Merry's fear. He opened his eyes and the blackness was lifted from them. There some paces from him sat the great beast, and all seemed dark about it, and above it loomed the Nazgûl Lord like a shadow of despair. A little to the left facing them stood she whom he had called Dernhelm. But the helm of her secrecy, had fallen from her, and her bright hair, released from its bonds, gleamed with pale gold upon her shoulders. Her eyes grey as the sea were hard and fell, and yet tears were on her cheek. A sword was in her hand, and she raised her shield against the horror of her enemy's eyes." -Return of the King


Éowyn serves as the perfect counter to the Witch King, able to defend against his powers with her Fearless personality and One Shield Defense. She also gains bonuses against Terrifying figures as well as Large/Huge figures in general, giving her a serious boost against any Mûmak or Fell Beast.



"But they had not yet overthrown the siege, nor won the Gate. Many foes stood before it, and on the further half of the plain were other hosts still unfought. Southward beyond the road lay the main force of the Haradrim, and there their horsemen were gathered about the standard of their chieftain. And he looked out, and in the growing light he saw the banner of the king, and that it was far ahead of the battle with few men about it. Then he was filled with a red wrath and shouted aloud, and displaying his standard, black serpent upon scarlet, he came against the white horse and the green with great press of men; and the drawing of the scimitars of the Southrons was like a glitter of stars." -Return of the King

Haradrim Cavalry are faster than their Rohirrim counterparts, being more suited for light cavalry skirmishing than direct attacks against bunched-up defenses. Their Skirmishing Attack lets them move after attacking, allowing for easy hit-and-run tactics, forcing foes to give chase rather than fight on ground of their choosing. Disengage is deadlier than ever given their 8 Move. Luckily their 3 Defense makes them rather expensive units to lose en masse.





"fortune had turned against Éomer, and his fury had betrayed him. The great wrath of his onset had utterly overthrown the front of his enemies, and great wedges of his Riders had passed clear through the ranks of the Southrons, discomfiting their horsemen and riding their footmen to ruin. But wherever the mûmakil came there the horses would not go, but blenched and swerved away; and the great monsters were unfought, and stood like towers of defence, and the Haradrim rallied about them." -Return of the King

The dreaded Mûmakil are terrifying to behold, boasting serious Move, Attack, and Life stats. Nothing hinders their movement thanks to Huge Trample Stomp, allowing them to pass over smaller figures and potentially crush them underfoot. But their true threat lies in Howdah, allowing them to house Haradrim on top of them. Wherever the Mûmakil go, their riders go with them with free access to Extreme Height Advantage on any enemies below.

Haradrim Archers are lackluster by default, but with their Extreme Archer Sighting they can get a bonus while attacking from atop their Mûmakil mounts. Three attacks for 5 is quite a bargain for 40 points, although their 1 Defense ensures that even with Extreme Height they'll fall easily to ranged fire.


As always let me know what you think.

~TAF

TAF was the Storyteller...
in THE ENEMY'S LAST RETREAT


Last edited by TheAverageFan; May 18th, 2021 at 07:07 PM.
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  #343  
Old May 18th, 2021, 12:29 PM
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Re: TAF's Customs RETURN OF THE KING - PELENNOR FIELDS

Danggggg, these are all so cool!
Love the Haradrim and the Witch King, not to mention Treebeard, Shelob, and Watcher in the Water, keep up these awesome customs!
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Old May 19th, 2021, 07:34 PM
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TAF's Custom RETURN OF THE KING - UNDEAD ARMY & CIRITH UNGOL

I'm glad you approve, Splash. The more feral monsters were a lot of fun to design


THE RETURN OF THE KING
4/5 - Paths of the Dead & Cirith Ungol - 4/5


"'The Sun may shine here,' said Gimli, 'but there are memories of that road that I do not wish to recall out of the darkness. Had I known what was before me, I think that not for any friendship would I have taken the Paths of the Dead.'

'The Paths of the Dead?' said Pippin. 'I heard Aragorn say that and I wondered what he could mean. Won't you tell us some more?'

'Not willingly,' said Gimli. 'For upon that road I was put to shame: Gimli Gloin's son, who had deemed himself more tough than Men, and hardier under earth than any Elf. But neither did I prove; and I was held to the road only by the will of Aragorn.'" -Return of the King




"Sauron will not have forgotten the Sword of Elendil... The blade that was broken shall return to Minas Tirith."

"The man who can wield the power of this sword can summon to him an army more deadly than any that walks this earth. Put aside the ranger. Become who you were born to be. Take the Dimholt road." -Return of the King


Andúril, Flame of the West gives Aragorn a boost to his offense and defense, making him far more dangerous than before. It also makes him a King, as legendary swords are oft to do. With it he leads the army of the dead, the grey company, and fresh Gondor reinforcements into the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. We will give Aragorn Andúril here instead of at Rivendell like in the books, since that seems too early for the sake of the sword as a power-up.





"'For my part I heeded them not,' said Gimli, 'for we came then at last upon battle in earnest. There at Pelargir lay the main fleet of Umbar, fifty great ships and smaller vessels beyond count. Many of those that we pursued had reached the havens before us, and brought their fear with them; and some of the ships had put off, seeking to escape down the River or to reach the far shore; and many of the smaller craft were ablaze. But the Haradrim, being now driven to the brink, turned at bay, and they were fierce in despair; and they laughed when they looked on us, for they were a great army still.

'But Aragorn halted and cried with a great voice: "Now come! By the Black Stone I call you!" And suddenly the Shadow Host that had hung back at the last came up like a grey tide, sweeping all away before it. Faint cries I heard, and dim horns blowing, and a murmur as of countless far voices: it was like the echo of some forgotten battle in the Dark Years long ago. Pale swords were drawn; but I know not whether their blades would still bite, for the Dead needed no longer any weapon but fear. None would withstand them.'" -Return of the King


Dead Men of Dunharrow are dreadfully powerful for their cost, being a fast four-man squad of 4/4s. With Horde Movement, they can easily overwhelm their foes. However, they can only operate should your entire army feature their kind (should the three hunters have to fight their way through the paths of the dead), or if Aragorn has the reforged Andúril. Being isolated and secretive, Xenothea seemed the right choice of General.

The King of the Dead brings with him a vast aura of despair for his enemies. With Dreadful Aura, all foes within his range lose Defense and Disengage if they have it. Combined with the undead's Horde Movement, it can turn any battle into a rout even for more normally slippery foes.



"He listened; and as he did a gleam of hope came to him. There could not be much doubt: there was fighting in the tower, the orcs must be at war among themselves, Shagrat and Gorbag had come to blows." -Return of the King

Meanwhile Samwise the Brave must fight his way through Cirith Ungol while the two captains' forces duke it out. Shagrat's Mordor Uruk-Hai carry both Uruk Ferocity and Shrug Off, turning them into 4/4s quite easily. They are fewer in number but stronger than Gorbag's Mordor Orcs.





"'I'm not going down those stairs again,' growled Snaga, 'be you captain or no. Nar! Keep your hands off your knife, or I'll put an arrow in your guts. You won't be a captain long when they hear about all these goings-on. I've fought for the Tower against those stinking Morgul-rats, but a nice mess you two precious captains have made of things, fighting over the swag.'

'That's enough from you,' snarled Shagrat. 'I had my orders. It was Gorbag started it, trying to pinch that pretty shirt.'" -Return of the King


Shagrat and Gorbag are the two captains of Cirith Ungol. Shagrat is stronger, especially so against foes carrying trinkets with That's Mine!, but Gorbag is more slippery with his Quick Stab Special Attack. Both bolster their respective breed of Orc.

For a special scenario for Cirith Ungol, I'd recommend having Sam's player choose either Gorbag's Orcs or Shagrat's Uruk-Hai. Those respective units join Sam's army for the battle for the Tower, taking the Hobbit's Point Value into consideration.


As always let me know what you think.

~TAF

TAF was the Storyteller...
in THE ENEMY'S LAST RETREAT


Last edited by TheAverageFan; May 26th, 2021 at 01:23 PM.
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  #345  
Old May 21st, 2021, 04:52 AM
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Re: TAF's Customs RETURN OF THE KING: UNDEAD ARMY & CIRITH U

Shagrat and Gorbag have some truly interesting and fun abilities.
They are awesome thematically and you're forcing me to start reading this thread from the beginning again. Very cool work.

Think I kept up for the first 14-15 pages but lost time somewhere and lost track of the thread. You have some awesome customs but these last two truly stand out.

Just when you thought it was all right, someone made it alright.

Good trades with - Porkins / xraine69 / mac122 (x2) / frylock / Ztimster (x2) and probably others I forgotten to mention...sorry.

Last edited by AMIS; May 21st, 2021 at 05:28 AM. Reason: And yes I borrowed Vel-Ra-Xi for my Drudge...didn't help my game out but that's me not the unit
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Old May 21st, 2021, 01:40 PM
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Re: TAF's Customs RETURN OF THE KING: UNDEAD ARMY & CIRITH U

Quote:
Originally Posted by AMIS View Post
Shagrat and Gorbag have some truly interesting and fun abilities.
They are awesome thematically and you're forcing me to start reading this thread from the beginning again. Very cool work.

Think I kept up for the first 14-15 pages but lost time somewhere and lost track of the thread. You have some awesome customs but these last two truly stand out.
Thank you for the praise! I can't imagine the formatting of the thread has held up especially well, but if nothing else you can always find all the cards, text, erratas, and FAQs in the OP.

Also I'm impressed that you lost with Vel-Ra-Xi: he's completely broken. Since he doesn't bond with your Drudge I assume OM management proved to be the deciding factor. I patched the Drudge and Groks via a sledgehammer, and he's even more ludicrous with the Hounds as he makes them 4/6's. The C3V's Re-Tak-Shi is likely the more fair fix for the Drudge

~TAF

TAF was the Storyteller...
in THE ENEMY'S LAST RETREAT

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  #347  
Old May 22nd, 2021, 02:41 PM
AMIS AMIS is offline
 
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Re: TAF's Customs RETURN OF THE KING: UNDEAD ARMY & CIRITH U

I can lose with any unit...broken or not LOL.

Just when you thought it was all right, someone made it alright.

Good trades with - Porkins / xraine69 / mac122 (x2) / frylock / Ztimster (x2) and probably others I forgotten to mention...sorry.

Last edited by AMIS; May 22nd, 2021 at 02:41 PM. Reason: And most times I do!
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Old May 24th, 2021, 07:20 PM
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TAF's Custom RETURN OF THE KING - SCOURING OF THE SHIRE

Here we are, at the end of all things...


THE RETURN OF THE KING
5/5 - The Cracks of Doom & Battle of Bywater - 5/5


"'Are you in pain, Frodo?' said Gandalf quietly as he rode by Frodo's side.

'Well, yes I am,' said Frodo. 'It is my shoulder. The wound aches, and the memory of darkness is heavy on me. It was a year ago today.'

'Alas! there are some wounds that cannot be wholly cured,' said Gandalf.

'I fear it may be so with mine,' said Frodo. 'There is no real going back. Though I may come to the Shire, it will not seem the same; for I shall not be the same. I am wounded with knife, sting, and tooth, and a long burden. Where shall I find rest?'

Gandalf did not answer." -Return of the King




"Sméagol knows what it's like to loses..."

Upon the Cracks of Doom Sam and Frodo must still defeat Gollum after he bites the Ring from Frodo's finger. To make the battle against the 20-point villain a bit more interesting they must defeat him by pushing him into the lava below. Doing so may prove difficult, but with Samwise The Brave's Double Attack and with Sméagol's Eternal Hatred being a factor, it can be done.



"The leader looked round. He was trapped. But he was not scared, not now with a score of his fellows to back him. He knew too little of hobbits to understand his peril. Foolishly he decided to fight. It would be easy to break out.

'At 'em lads!' he cried. 'Let 'em have it!'

With a long knife in his left hand and a club in the other he made a rush at the ring, trying to burst out back towards Hobbiton. He aimed a savage blow at Merry who stood in his way. He fell dead with four arrows in him:

That was enough for the others. They gave in. Their weapons were taken from them, and they were roped together, and marched off to an empty hut that they had built themselves, and there they were tied hand and foot, and locked up under guard. The dead leader was dragged off and buried." -Return of the King


In the books there is one final battle yet to be had at the Shire itself. Bounder Archers follow Frodo and the other hobbits into battle. They can get a defense buff when adjacent to the Hobbit Heroes, making them hardier folk. Armed with clubs and axes, they are also dangerous close up with Melee Attack 1.



"This was too much for Pippin. His thoughts went back to the Field of Cormallen, and here was a squint-eyed rascal calling the Ring-bearer 'little cocka-whoop'. He cast back his cloak, flashed out his sword, and the silver and sable of Gondor gleamed on him as he rode forward.

'I am a messenger of the King,' he said. 'You are speaking to the King's friend, and one of the most renowned in all the lands of the West. You are a ruffian and a fool. Down on your knees in the road and ask pardon, or I will set this troll's bane in you!'

The sword glinted in the westering sun. Merry and Sam drew their swords also and rode up to support Pippin; but Frodo did not move. The ruffians gave back. Scaring Breeland peasants, and bullying bewildered hobbits, had been their work. Fearless hobbits with bright swords and grim faces were a great surprise. And there was a note in the voices of these newcomers that they had not heard before. It chilled them with fear.

'Go!' said Merry. 'If you trouble this village again, you will regret it.' The three hobbits came on, and then the ruffians turned and fled running away up the Hobbiton Road; but they blew their horns as they ran." -Return of the King


Bywater Ruffians are weak but dangerous in large numbers. With Leaderless Attack they are quite strong against Small figures as long as no Heroes are nearby. However their Lumbering Bully ability can cost them on any whiffed roll: it's a far deadlier power for squad figures than it is for the Ogre Pulverizer.



"There standing at the door was Saruman himself, looking well-fed and well-pleased; his eyes gleamed with malice and amusement.

A sudden light broke on Frodo. 'Sharkey!' he cried.

Saruman laughed. 'So you have heard the name, have you? All my people used to call me that in Isengard, I believe. A sign of affection, possibly. But evidently you did not expect to see me here.'

'I did not,' said Frodo. 'But I might have guessed. A little mischief in a mean way: Gandalf warned me that you were still capable of it.

'Quite capable,' said Saruman, 'and more than a little. You made me laugh, you hobbit-lordlings, riding along with all those great people so secure and so pleased with your little selves. You thought you had done very well out of it all, and could now just amble back and have a nice quiet time in the country. Saruman's home could be all wrecked, and he could be turned out, but no one could touch yours. Oh no! Gandalf would look after your affairs.'

Saruman laughed again. 'Not he! When his tools have done their task he drops them. But you must go dangling after him, dawdling and talking, and riding round twice as far as you needed. "Well," thought I, "if they're such fools, I will get ahead of them and teach them a lesson. One ill turn deserves another." -Return of the King


Saruman The White is the final obstacle the hobbits must face in their journey, and as one of the Maiar he is a mighty foe. With Dominating Presence he is stronger against Common figures. His Voice Of Saruman further bolsters his defense, giving him the chance to dodge or redirect attacks with his magically-enhanced charisma. Lastly he can command Ozirael or Ragnar squads instead of attacking, making him a dangerous commander for the forces of evil in the battle for the Shire.



"'Wormtongue!' called Frodo. 'You need not follow him. I know of no evil you have done to me. You can have rest and food here for a while, until you are stronger and can go your own ways.'

Wormtongue halted and looked back at him, half prepared to stay. Saruman turned. 'No evil?' he cackled. 'Oh no! Even when he sneaks out at night it is only to look at the stars. But did I hear someone ask where poor Lotho is hiding? You know, don't you, Worm? Will you tell them?'

Wormtongue cowered down and whimpered: 'No, no!'

'Then I will,' said Saruman. 'Worm killed your Chief, poor little fellow, your nice little Boss. Didn't you, Worm? Stabbed him in his sleep, I believe. Buried him, I hope; though Worm has been very hungry lately. No, Worm is not really nice. You had better leave him to me.'

A look of wild hatred came into Wormtongue's red eyes. 'You told me to; you made me do it,' he hissed.

Saruman laughed. 'You do what Sharkey says, always, don't you, Worm? Well, now he says: follow!' He kicked Wormtongue in the face as he grovelled, and turned and made off. But at that something snapped: suddenly Wormtongue rose up, drawing a hidden knife, and then with a snarl like a dog he sprang on Saruman's back, jerked his head back, cut his throat, and with a yell ran off down the lane. Before Frodo could recover or speak a word, three hobbit-bows twanged and Wormtongue fell dead." -Return of the King


Gríma Wormtongue is a danger to both sides. Alone he has good stats for a 10-point Hero, but his Eternal Hatred and Backstab Special Attack make him extremely dangerous to your own Heroes. He can easily deal half of Saruman's Life in a single blow.


That ends the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I may make more lesser-known units or do further patch notes, but otherwise let me know what you think of my efforts. And thanks to you all for tuning in!

~TAF

TAF was the Storyteller...
in THE ENEMY'S LAST RETREAT

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