Blood Moon Raiders - opening volleys

[tomcat]

The hunt for the raiders took them through the night, once the companions began.

They rode away from the western edge of Mirkwood crossing the long swath of green plains that stretched before them. The sun had faded and dusk lay over the vale, but it would be a clear night and soon the stars would shine brightly above. The companions kept apace with Geirbald and his folk, who ran alongside the horses, never seeming to tire.

The land rolled up and down, but more the latter as it slowly fell towards the banks of the Anduin River. Copse of trees, outcroppings of rock, or the occasional thick, mud-bog from spring melts intervened in their path, but the hunt continued. They took a number of breaks in their trek, resting and then moving so as to conserve their strength. Geirbald and his men had led them first in the direction that they had seen the raiders flee, but now the path was clear - even in the meager light of the stars. A large band of heavy-shod runners had passed before them.

The sun rose at last and was poised just over the forest to the east and the quarry was found. The Company came to a stop on the top of a round hill that rose like a bump on the face of the plain. Below them, to the south and west, the companions could see a small group of individuals moving around - hastily encamped. In the distance, the grey forms of the Misty Mountains, marching north and south, could be seen watching over all. A rich, blue sky blanketed the view with thin, wispy white clouds floating lazily along.

They needed to make their attack before the raiders took up their march once more.

[tomcat]

Situation: The company has hunted a group of Blood Moon raiders through the night. Battle is engaged with the coming dawn...

Blood Moon Raiders

Combat Advantage dice:
• Arbogast - 2 dice
• Esgalwen - 1 die
• Grimbeorn - 1 die
• Rorin - 2 dice (used 1/3)


Situation Modifiers:
• The Company has initiative [TBD]

Physical Modifiers (complications):
• none

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) 6/9 [giant strength] (shield +4) 4 (shield n/a)	2d (headgear +1) 1d (headgear n/a) 1d (headgear n/a) none (headgear +1) 5d (headgear n/a)	14/16 16/18 10/12 12/12 9/10	0/26 0/22 0/27 7/31 0/34
Raider commander (man) Raider archers (men) 1 Raider archers (men) 2 Raider archers (men) 3 - 5 Raider warriors (men) 6 Raider warriors (men) 7 - 8 Raider warriors (orcs) 9 - 15	5 (shield +3) 3 4 4 (shield +2)	3d (headgear +4) 2d 3d (headgear +1) 2d	4/4 1/1 2/2 3/3	5/19 1/14 DEAD 14/14 7/14 14/14 16/16

STANCE	TN (+parry)	PC / LMC	Options...
Forward - action order 1 Close combat	TN 6+	Esgalwen	Forward Stance maneuvers
Open - action order 2 Close combat	TN 9+	Idunn, Bandy	Open Stance maneuvers
Defensive - action order 3 Close combat	TN 12+	Rorin, Grimbeorn. Arbogast	Defensive Stance maneuvers
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	Rearward Stance maneuvers
Any Escape combat Must start in Rearward or roll TN 10 + highest attribute level of opponents		none	May safely flee from the scene of combat

MASS COMBAT
	One of the Woodmen is slain. If rolled again in the following round, Geirbald is gravely wounded.
1, 2	The allies are hard-pressed to hold the enemy back. One of the Woodmen is wounded – or, if any are already wounded, then that one is slain. The defensive circle is being pressed - if this is rolled again, the raiders also slay a horse.
3 - 5	The Woodmen hold their line and keep fighting.
6, 7	The allies fight bravely, pushing the enemy back. Black raider blood spills across the field. If this result is rolled twice in a row, then the allies slay one of the raiders!
8	One of the raiders is slain.
9	Two of the raiders are slain.
10	Three of the raiders are slain.
	Four of the raiders are slain.

[tomcat]

Company Battle rolls for advantage dice:

TN 14 battle by PC

Arbogast 1d12 : 4, total 4
Rolled 3d6 : 5, 5, 6, total 16

Bandy 1d12 : 7, total 7
Rolled 1d6 : 1, total 1

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

Grimbeorn 1d12 : 6, total 6
Rolled 2d6 : 3, 5, total 8

Rorin 1d12 : 12, total 12
Rolled 3d6 : 6, 4, 6, total 16

[tomcat]

Wow! Incredible roll for Rorin!

I am updating the PC sheets based on successes.  

Advantage dice will be listed in the header of each round as usual.

Let me know what your approach is and we will determine if there will be opening volleys.

[Telcontar]

  My tought is to move a shield wall behind them to the west, then fire arrows on them from the rising sun and crush them from two sides.

[Eclecticon]

That would work brilliantly in a larger battle, but I don't think there are enough of them to hem each other in and funnel them towards a prepared position.  I think they'll just break and scatter when it's clear that they can't win. 

I'm also assuming it'll be clear at some point that they can't win, which is often a foolish thing to assume, but there you go.

[Telcontar]

  if the archers fire from the rising sun they wont know how many there are, and if there are fighters to the rear of them al they have to do is advance into them after we get our volleys off. Mechanically there is little difference but it will affect the narrative. If we ambush with arrows either way we should be able to get two shots off.

[Eclecticon]

Sure - I have no objection to that.  Just working on the principle of KISS.

[Telcontar]

Bandy spied out the encampment with the other assembled men. They crouched behind a ridge while the hobbit stood.

"My skill with a sword does not match that of the bow, but tell me where to stand and 'afore the brutes or behind you will find me living or dead when the battle is ended were the wall was."

[Eclecticon]

Arbogast nods his approval.  "Shoot straight, my friend."  To the assembled body of Men (and Rorin) he says "some should remain here, lest the battle come too close to the archers.  The rest of you, follow Esgalwen and I."



Doug, do we need a stealth roll to get around behind the raiders?  If so, mine's below. 

1d12 : 1, total 1
Rolled 2d6 : 4, 2, total 6

[Eclecticon]

So, we don't need to roll, right?

[Telcontar]

  LOL. Dougs board hates players, in the years I have been here I learned to not offer rolls. 

[disench4nted]

Rorin nodded and said, "You lead the attack, I will stay here and defend the archers. I do not have the skill to walk as quietly as you Woodmen and Rangers. But should the battle turn against you, I will come."

[tomcat]

Sorry guy, I was busy with the weekend - my brother came to visit.

Anyway, I spent last night reading up on the Ambush and Opening Volley rolls and here is what is happening:

The Company (including Geirbald's people) will need to make a Stealth TN 16 roll to get everyone in position to Ambush. Any Great Success rolled allows a character to assist another (meaning an auto-success), an Extraordinary Success allows a character to assist two others.

If successful, the enemy will not be able to return opening volleys.

There will be two opening volleys against TN 12 +Parry +Shield

If unsuccessful on the Ambush, the enemy will be able to double the shield modifiers and return opening volleys.

Arbogast rolled a 7 - but this may not matter based on results below. Rorin and Grimbeorn do not have the skill, so they will either run into combat once the skirmish starts, or are aided into place by the results below.

So, here are the Stealth rolls:
TN 16 stealth by PC

Bandy 3d 1d12 : 5, total 5
Rolled 3d6 : 6, 3, 1, total 10

Esgalwen 2d 1d12 : 12, total 12
Rolled 2d6 : 3, 3, total 6

Geirbald 5d 1d12 : 6, total 6
Rolled 5d6 : 4, 1, 1, 3, 1, total 10

Geirbald's folk 4d 1d12 : 11, total 11
Rolled 4d6 : 6, 5, 5, 4, total 20

Geirbald's folk 4d 1d12 : 10, total 10
Rolled 4d6 : 4, 4, 4, 2, total 14

Geirbald's folk 4d 1d12 : 5, total 5
Rolled 4d6 : 3, 3, 1, 3, total 10

Geirbald's folk 4d 1d12 : 8, total 8
Rolled 4d6 : 6, 1, 3, 1, total 11

Geirbald's folk 4d 1d12 : 5, total 5
Rolled 4d6 : 5, 2, 3, 6, total 16

[tomcat]

Okay - results:

Bandy 15 (failed)
Esgalwen   (success)
Geirbald 16 (success)
Geirbald folk* 20 (great success)
Geirbald folk* 24 (success)
Geirbald folk* 15 (failed)
Geirbald folk* 19 (great success)
Geirbald folk* 21 (great success)

*each of these rolls represented two NPC's


We have three (3) great successes which means PC's that either didn't make a roll or failed their roll may be given an auto-success - one of these three has to be for Geirbald's Folk, as they do not have Hope to spend - that leaves two

So, you guys need to tell me what you want to do about Bandy, Rorin, Grimbeorn, and Arbogast.

Bandy can spend hope and clear his success - the other two freebies can go to the characters you want, but know that if Rorin (or Grimbeorn, or whoever) stays back from the Ambush, they will not be able to engage in combat until round 3. They will be running to cover the distance during those rounds to get into melee.

Also, the hilltop is too far a distance to fire from and put arrows on target, so Bandy can't stay behind and shoot.