Orcs in the Woods - opening volley

[tomcat]

Situation: The company has been engaged in combat by a group of eight orcs.

Combat Advantage dice rolls:
Arbogast rolled a 9 - fail
Bandy rolled a 2 - fail
Rorin rolled a 17 - 1 die
Grimbeorn rolled a 10 - fail
Orophin rolled a 4 - fail
Esgalwen rolled a 10 - fail

Situation Modifiers:
• Company has initiative.
• Rorin combat advantage - awarded one (1) success die.

Physical Modifiers (complications):
• none

PC/NPC	PARRY	ARMOUR	HOPE [HATE]	ENDURANCE
Arbogast Bandy Esgalwen Grimbeorn Orophin Rorin	9 [woodcrafty] (shield +2) 9 (shield n/a) 9 [skirmisher] (shield n/a) 7 (shield +2) 7 (shield +1) 4 (shield n/a)	1d (headgear +1) 1d (headgear n/a) 1d (headgear n/a) 0 (headgear +1) 1d (headgear n/a) 5d (headgear n/a)	15/16 17/18 11/11 11/12 10/10 9/10	0/26 0/22 0/25 9/28 0/24 0/32
Black Uruk [Slurg] Orc Guard [Kor] Goblin Archer (1) Goblin Archer (2) Goblin Archer (3) Orc Soldier (1) Orc Soldier (2) Orc Soldier (3)	5 +2(shield) 4 +2(shield) 2 2 2 3 +1(buckler)	2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 3d 3d 3d	4/4 3/3 1/1 1/1 1/1 1/1 1/1 1/1	20/20 16/16 8/8 8/8 8/8 12/12 12/12 12/12

STANCE	TN (+parry)	PC / LM-NPC	Options...
Forward - action order 1 Close combat	TN 6+	Esgalwen, Grimbeorn	Intimidate - may forgo attack and make Awe or Battle roll to remove 1 or more Hate from enemies on success; fail PC loses 1 Hope
Open - action order 2 Close combat	TN 9+	none	Rally - may forgo attack and make Inspire or Song roll, restore 1 or more Encumbrance to all PC's on success; fail PC loses 1 Hope
Defensive - action order 3 Close combat	TN 12+	Rorin	Prepare Shot - spend an entire round aiming shot, if your attack succeeds in the next round, you achieve a Called Shot
Rearward - action order 4 Ranged combat Must be 2 other PC's in Close Combat May not use if outnumbered 2:1	TN 12+	Orophin, Bandy	Protect Companion - choose a companion in Open or Forward, if they are hit you may spend 1 Hope and become the target of the attack instead

In her rage at the death of her friend, Esgalwen heard the orcs draw weapons and she immediately pulled her sword and charged.

She saw the greater number of well armed orcs before her, but still she raced in - the blood of the West burning hot in her veins.

Behind her, Orophin nocks an arrow to his bow string and jumps out from behind his tree to offer aid to his friend. Around him, the other companions went into action.

[GandalfOfBorg]

A cry escapes one of his companions, "Esgalwen, wait!" Grimbeorn, heir to his father's blood, hefts his axe and rushing in after the Dunadan, giving a great battle cry.  In his ferocity, the youth seems to grow in stature and feral in nature engaging the enemy.

  Grimbeorn takes the Close combat stance, which I believe makes a total parry bonus +10 <== 4 base +1 helm +2 armor +3 Giant Strength).

 

Rolled 1d12 : 3, total 3
Rolled 3d6 : 6, 1, 3, total 10

[tomcat]

Hey Matt, I am not sure what your roll is for, but first we need to do opening volleys for both sides.

Second, I need you to tell me which close combat stance you want: Forward, Open, or Defensive?

As for your Parry score it is +9 (base +4 shield +2 Giant Strength +3) - armor and headgear protect when you are actually hit.

I have more to add to this regarding the combat in just a second...

[disench4nted]

Rorin winced at the loud noise as he snapped the branch under his feet. Almost before he could process what was happening he saw Grimbeorn and Esgalwen rush headlong into battle. Realizing that the company was outnumbered and fatigued from their journey, Rorin looked for any way to gain an advantage and knowing that orcs weren't the brightest of creatures yelled out, "KOR! Let us smash these maggots between us, FIGHT!"

I will roll Inspire to try get Kor to fight against the second party of orcs that he already distrusts.

Rolled 1d12 : 4, total 4

Rolled 2d6 : 3, 2, total 5

Rorin will take the defensive stance.

[GandalfOfBorg]

  Sorry, meant Forward... word was missing.  The roll was for attack in case I miss doing it later.

[Bandobras]

Seeing Esgalwen race forward with Grimbeorn close behind, Bandy bends his bow and takes aim at a bandy-legged orc near his friends. With battle joned, he feels a strange sense of calm, and releases the arrow.

ooc: Bandy is in rearward stance. He has fair shot allowing him to roll two feat dice and three skill levels for bow.

Rolled 1d12 : 11, total 11

Rolled 1d12 : 11, total 11

Rolled 3d6 : 1, 2, 3, total 6

[Bandobras]

  You got to be kidding

[GandalfOfBorg]

  Are we sure we're not the bad guys in this story?

[disench4nted]

  I think the dice roller is the real bad guy here....worse than Sauron himself.

[tomcat]

Okay...since I do not see a spear in Arbogast's equipment list, I am going to go ahead and roll opening volleys.

Jamie - I will go ahead and take your terrible roll for your volley and once I resolve these, you may attack again in the first round.  

Matt - cool about your roll. I will place it into the combat when its time.

Rorin - the 9 is a fail on the inspire, but I am not going to count it as a Rally, so you do not lose a point of hope.

Here are the opening volleys. I will roll random for the orc archers' targets:

Orophin will target two goblin archers; he may attack twice due to his Mirkwood bow
TN 14 Bow ♦♦♦○○○
This dice roll has been tampered with!
goblin archer 1 1d12 : 12, total 12
Rolled 3d6 : 6, 6, 6, total 18
This dice roll has been tampered with!
goblin archer 2 1d12 : 4, total 4
Rolled 3d6 : 4, 1, 1, total 6
{:dmg:} 5; edge 10; injury 14

Goblin Archer 1 and 2 will target Grimbeorn (close combat modifier to parry does not yet pertain)
TN 20 Bow ♦♦○○○○
This dice roll has been tampered with!
goblin archer 1 1d12 : 6, total 6
Rolled 2d6 : 1, 3, total 4
This dice roll has been tampered with!
goblin archer 2 1d12 : 2, total 2
Rolled 2d6 : 3, 3, total 6
{:dmg:} 4; edge 10; injury 12

Goblin Archer 3 will target Orophin
TN 20 Bow ♦♦○○○○
This dice roll has been tampered with!
goblin archer 3 1d12 : 5, total 5
Rolled 2d6 : 6, 6, total 12
{:dmg:} 4; edge 10; injury 12

[tomcat]

WOW! Orophin rolled the VALAR shot! The dice say tampered because when I posted, one of you had posted before me and it goes into auto-edit mode. Anyway, based on that roll, I am giving everyone an additional Advantage dice due to being inspired.

Otherwise, the results are as follows (remember, opening volleys are simultaneous):

Goblin Archer 1 is dead

All other shots missed

I am opening a NEW thread for us to now start to conduct combat...Matt, I don't care if you make a new roll for the first round.
The companions all charged, following Esgalwen's lead.

The sound of Orophin's Mirkwood bow sang and the arrow flew straight and true, cleaving through one of the goblin's eyes and killing it instantly, even as arrows from the others whistled back and forth. The company was inspired by the amazing shot and felt their hope rise as they engaged.