Goblin menace - round 1

[tomcat]

Situation: The village of Mountain Hall has come under attack by a horde of goblins out of the mines...

GOBLINS

Combat Advantage dice:
Arbogast 0
Bandy 1

Situation Modifiers:
• Company has initiative

Physical Modifiers (complications):
• Early evening - low light (moderately hindered) - TN's all increased by +2

PC/NPC	PARRY	ARMOUR	HOPE [HATE]	ENDURANCE
Arbogast Bandy Esgalwen Grimbeorn Rorin	6 (shield +3) 9 (shield n/a) 6/9 [skirmisher] (shield n/a) 6 (shield +4) 4 (shield n/a)	1d (headgear +1) 1d (headgear n/a) 1d (headgear n/a) none (headgear +1) 5d (headgear n/a)	14/16 16/18 11/11 11/12 10/10	0/26 0/22 0/25 2/31 0/34
Goblin Archers Goblin Raiders	2 for all	2d for all	1 for all	6 left 19 left

STANCE	TN (+parry)	PC / LM-NPC	Options...
Forward - action order 1 Close combat	TN 6+	Esgalwen	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+	Arbogast	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+	Bandy	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+	none	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

[GandalfOfBorg]

  are we all engaged in combat or are some of us too far away for close combat?just trying to understand the lay of the land and options.

[Eclecticon]

Seconded.  I assume most of the population is heading towards the Burg.  We might do well being a rearguard. 

[tomcat]

Twenty (20) goblin raiders are exiting the mine entrance at area 6 on the map.

The original nine (9) goblin raiders that are the distraction are at area C on the map.

The PC's are on the map where their first letter of their name is located. Arbogast is still down by the Hall, as he said he was going to don his armor.

The better part of the company can engage in melee with the goblins in area C, or rush back down the switchback to assist in the defense of the town. Understand that many of Hartfast's men, in their brashness, were fooled to follow the ruse.

I will be using a mass combat system to control the Mountain-men, while you guys melee one-on-one.

[GandalfOfBorg]

In a rush to save the rash Woodmen from themselves, Grimbeorn found he miscalculated when he heard the feral cries coming from the caverns. "Oi, let the this lot go, we must protect the hold!" he cried before beating a retreat back to engage the goblins' main thrust.

  Grimbeorn will move to engage the goblins in the Open stance as soon as he's able.

[Telcontar]

  Doug, Bandy should be down below as well. He did not pursue, but drew and fired from down below. His narrative actions support this as well as he is worried that his companions will not make it back to the burg.

[Eclecticon]

Arbogast finds himself caught in the open as the goblins burst forth from the mines.  Instinctively he looks for the wounded man beside him but sees him dragging himself in the direction of the burg, leaving a trail of blood in his wake.  The man's pace is slow, and the goblins will be on them long before he is safe in the Mountain Men's fastness.  The Fire-Watcher hears the call of Grimbeorn and sees the tall man turn back towards the Great Hall.  He hopes that the others are with him, for he cannot make out Rorin or Bandy, and even Esgalwen's bright hair is lost in the evening shadows of the mountains. 

He sees no other option, for now - like the raid at his home many weeks ago, he must hold fast until enough are gathered to throw the goblins back down into their holes.  He raises his axe, and his voice begins to echo from the sides of the cleft.  "TO ME!  TO ME, MEN OF FIRIENSELD!"


In case it's not clear, my plan is to rally the Fellowship (and as many spear-carriers as I can) to form a rearguard while everyone who can gets into the burg. 

If you need it, here's a Song roll for the rallying attempt:

Rolled 1d12 : 5, total 5
Rolled 2d6 : 5, 1, total 6

[Telcontar]

Ooc: I'll give him my advantage die for the attempt. +d6

[Eclecticon]

That's very generous of you, but keep it.  I've got my own (thank you, extra point of Battle!). 

Rolled 1d6 : 3, total 3

I'm guessing that I need to spend this turn in Open stance.  I'll shift to Defensive next turn and stay there until backup arrives, giving ground where necessary.  Heroism is admirable.  Pointless, self-destructive heroism less so. 

[disench4nted]

Rorin realized what was going on just moments after Grimbeorn halted and called for a retreat. He yelled out to relay the orders to any who were still pursuing the initial raiding party. "Fall back! Forget these creatures, they were but a distraction! Defend your homes!"

As he began making his way back, Rorin heard the Arbogast's rallying cry and ran towards it as quickly as he could.

 
Rorin is moving to stand side by side with Arbogast and Grimbeorn. He'll take the Defensive stance if possible.

[tomcat]

Grimbeorn will move to engage the goblins in the Open stance as soon as he's able.

Matt, you can engage the orcs at the mine entrance next round

Doug, Bandy should be down below as well. He did not pursue, but drew and fired from down below. His narrative actions support this as well as he is worried that his companions will not make it back to the burg.

Tom, cool - I moved you on the map and you are now near Arbogast.

In case it's not clear, my plan is to rally the Fellowship (and as many spear-carriers as I can) to form a rearguard while everyone who can gets into the burg.

Paul, with the use of your advantage dice, you are successful and Rally the troops. I will allow these effects to be used on a future round, meaning if any PC suffers Endurance loss, the first two point lost are ignored due to the Rally. For the Mountain-men, the first two killed men of Mountain Hall are ignored. Any questions, let me know.

Rorin is moving to stand side by side with Arbogast and Grimbeorn. He'll take the Defensive stance if possible.

Steve - like Matt, you can get back and attack in the next round.

[tomcat]

The men of Hartfast's guard seeing the ruse played upon them and hearing the shouts of Grimbeorn and Arbogast, stomped their feet at how they had been fooled, but then quickly turned in pursuit of the two companions. They needed to get back down the switch back so as to bring their weapons to bear upon the invading goblins.

Only Esgalwen now stood alone on the high cliff path and before her were the remaining goblins. The Ithilien Ranger drew her sword up into a two-handed attack stance and then she charged her enemy. The others could stop the raiders below. She would slay these foul creatures that surely had done no good this night.
Esgalwen takes a Forward stance and attacks the Goblins.
She gains +1d6 Success die for her Shadow-bane virtue
TN 13 longsword ♦♦♦○○○

1d12 : 1, total 1
Rolled 4d6 : 1, 1, 2, 5, total 9

7    edge: 9    injury: 18

Mass combat roll

Rolled 1d12 : 8, total 8

[tomcat]

What a fucking terrible roll! It is a hit, because I forgot to recalculate her TN after changing my post from Open to Forward.

So, she does 7 Endurance loss to one of the Goblins, killing #3

The mass combat roll places a goblin at risk of death

Here is the Allies in battle table for what I rolled above:

MASS COMBAT
	One of the Mountain-men is slain.
1, 2	The allies are hard-pressed to hold the enemy back. One of the mountain-men is wounded – or, if any are already wounded, then one of them is slain. The bastion of Mountain Hall is being pressed - if this is rolled again, the goblins set another building on fire.
3, 4	The Mountain-men hold their line and keep fighting.
5, 6, 7, or 8	The allies fight bravely, pushing the enemy back. Black Goblin blood spills across the stones. If this result is rolled twice in a row, then the allies slay one of the goblins!
9, 10, or	One of the goblins is slain.

[tomcat]

  Bandy may still make an action this round

[tomcat]

Goblins attack...

Esgalwen (forward)
TN 15 jagged knife 1d

goblin 4 1d12 : 8, total 8
Rolled 1d6 : 3, total 3

goblin 5 1d12 : 5, total 5
Rolled 1d6 : 1, total 1

3    edge:      injury: 14

Rorin (defensive)
TN 16 bow of horn 2d

goblin 6 1d12+4 : 1 + 4, total 5
Rolled 2d6 : 1, 4, total 5

4    edge: 10    injury: 12

Grimbeorn (open)
TN 19 bow of horn 2d

goblin 7 1d12+4 : 11 + 4, total 15
Rolled 2d6 : 4, 5, total 9

4    edge: 10    injury: 12

Arbogast (open)
TN 18 bow of horn 2d

goblin 8 1d12+4 : 3 + 4, total 7
Rolled 2d6 : 4, 6, total 10

4    edge: 10    injury: 12

Bandy (defensive)
TN 21 bow of horn 2d

goblin 9 1d12+4 : 2 + 4, total 6
Rolled 2d6 : 2, 3, total 5

4    edge: 10    injury: 12