Spider Siege! - round 8

[tomcat]

Situation: Holed up in the Millfort, the company plans to deal a wicked sting to the Spiders of Mirkwood!

Attercops
Hunters
Tauler

Combat Advantage dice:
• Esgalwen 0 / 2
• Rorin 0 / 2


Situation Modifiers:
• The Company has initiative
• Front door is at 20/60
• Back door is at 26/60
• The Floor is at 6/20


Physical Modifiers (complications):
The Millfort is impregnable save for five locations.

A) Each door has been successfully repaired and has 60 END points each (FRONT 60/60; BACK 55/60). No spiders can get in them until they reduce the doors to 0 END and then roll a Piercing attack that overcomes a 3d armor rating.

B) Each window is a vantage point that allows an attack out (and in). Ranged weapons may be fired out and the defending archer gains the Rearward DEFENSE, but may use the Open ATTACK TN. Overwhelming numbers of enemies do not affect ranged combat while the defenses hold. Melee weapons may be used to attack out (and in) but the defenders gain the Defensive DEFENSE TN rating, but may use the Forward ATTACK TN. Attackers from the outside may return a melee attack through a window, but may NOT enter the fort.

C) The hatch has been successfully repaired and has 40 END points. No spiders can get through it until they reduce the hatch to 0 END and then roll a Piercing attack that overcomes a 2d armor rating.

D) The floor has been successfully repaired and has 20 END points. No spiders can get through it until they reduce the floor to 0 END and then roll a Piercing attack that overcomes a 1d armor rating.

E) The stone roof of the fort is compromised - there is a large hole here. The second floor offers little defense and any PC that decides to fight on the second floor will not be eligible for vantage defenses once spiders come through the hole in the roof. Ranged combat WILL be affected by overwhelming numbers, if the archer positions themselves here, instead of on the first floor.

IF the first floor defenses are compromised, vantage benefits are lost as the spiders enter the room. There will be NO opening volleys, as the things coming in the night are invisible in the trees.

PC/NPC	PARRY	ARMOUR		HOPE		ENDURANCE
Arbogast Bandy Esgalwen Grimbeorn Rorin Bofri	6 (shield +3) 9 (shield n/a) 6/9 [skirmisher] (shield n/a) 6/9 [giant strength] (shield +4) 4 (shield n/a) 4 (shield +2)	2d (headgear +1) 1d (headgear n/a) 1d (headgear n/a) none (headgear +1) 5d (headgear n/a) 3d (headgear n/a)	• • • • • •	11/16 16/18 10/12 8/12 7/10 n/a	• • • • • •	4/26 [Weary - 1,2,3 on success dice are considered a 0] 6/22 [Weary - 1,2,3 on success dice are considered a 0] 27/27 3/31 [Weary - 1,2,3 on success dice are considered a 0] 18/34 0/21 [Unconscious]

COMBAT STATUS by PC

PC	ENEMY	PARRY	ARMOUR	END	HATE	NOTES
Bandy	Hunter 4	6	3d	20/25	2/3	• on first floor, spiders must match stance
Esgalwen	Hunter 3	6	3d	25/25	3/3	• on stairs of first floor, spiders must match stance
Arbogast	Hunter 6 Attercop 16	6 4	3d 2d	25/25 8/12	3/3 2/2	• on stairs of first floor, spiders must match stance
Rorin	Hunter 1	6	3d	2/25	2/3	• on stairs of first floor, spiders must match stance
Bofri	Hunter 5	6	3d	25/25	2/3	• on first floor, spiders must match stance
Grimbeorn	Tauler	8	3d	41/60	5/8	• in melee on second floor with Tauler coming through roof, spider matches PC stance

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+	none	Open Stance maneuvers
Defensive - action order 3 Close combat	TN 12+	Arbogast, Bandy Grimbeorn, Rorin	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 Athletics roll		none	May safely flee from the scene of combat

[tomcat]

Wham!

Again the doors were slammed from without, as the spiders tried to break through the sturdy defenses. The need was no longer there since Tauler had led her minions up to the top and through the roof. Now the hunter spiders were pressing the attack in the lower chamber of the Millfort.

Bandy was taken by surprise when one of the things appeared at the hatchway and then leapt at him, biting as it did. The hunter's companion followed suit and the Hobbit heard the crashing sound of Bofri, as the Dwarf hit the floor underneath a mass of legs and hair. The new road warden gave a cry when fangs entered him and then he said no more.

Rorin, too, felt the pain of the terrible fangs penetrating his armour. Arbogast and Esgalwen were next to him on the stairs, but their attackers could not find a weakness to capitalize upon.

To her horror, Esgalwen watched the hatch become covered once more with the strong silky web, after the last of the Hunter spiders had passed through. Grimbeorn was alone to stand against the monstrosity that was Tauler. The Beorning gave out a cry as the giant spider pushed more of its form through the roof to deliver a terrible bite.

The horses and ponies that had been stabled within began to whinny and rear with terror. The chamber was filled with a terrible din and the chaos of battle.

The night was stretching on and the companions now wondered if there would be a dawn.

[disench4nted]

 

So, mechanically speaking, if I were to attack the second story floor from the first story to try to destroy it or just poke a man-sized hole in it, how would that work? What's the TN to hit?

2 maneuvers specifically that I'm looking at. Open Stance Twin strike to maybe do the END damage then get a piercing blow in the same round. And Forward Stance Smash Shield, if it smashes a wooden shield, could it work against a wooden floor?

[GandalfOfBorg]

  What is going to be needed to get Grimbeorn through the hatch to the next level down?  Will it take multiple rounds?  I'm sure he can clear the webs but not sure on whether he'd be allowed to open hatch and get below before being attacked again.

[Telcontar]

The spiders were upon them. The Hobbit could no longer use his bow with so many of the beasts upon them and with a spider upon him the Hobbit no longer was afforded the luxury to view the battle. For him the combat closed in to a personal battle with a single foe. The dirty hand of the Hobbit fell to his belt and it gripped the hilt of the blade he had received from Mountain Hall. The gilt wire wrapped hilt provided a sure grip and the bright blade swung smoothly from the scabbard, hungry to be part of the battle. The little Hobbit knew that he had no armor, he knew that his skill was not so great, but he also knew that his friends needed him.

"FOR THE SHIRE!" Yelled the diminutive Hobbit as he swung the ancient blade at the Hunter Spider.

  Moving to a defensive Stance and attacking. I'll spend the point of hope on a great success to inflict a piercing blow if I get it.

Rolled 1d12 : 12, total 12

Rolled 3d6 : 3, 5, 3, total 11

[tomcat]

What is going to be needed to get Grimbeorn through the hatch to the next level down?  Will it take multiple rounds?  I'm sure he can clear the webs but not sure on whether he'd be allowed to open hatch and get below before being attacked again.

TOR is not very good at describing an action economy like other games we've played. I have been interpreting the rules as move or attack rather than attack and move. Thus the need to have someone else sweep the webs away to get through. That said, I have been open to you guys adding some simple actions into your rounds (i.e. change weapons, pick something up and run, etc.)

So in keeping with what we have been doing, the best thing would be for Rorin to sweep the webs for Grimbeorn and then the Beorning moves. Understand that Grimbeorn will need to make an Athletics roll to get out of combat with Tauler per the Escape Combat rule.

Steve - the floor is too sturdy for you to bust it with one hit. The webbing would be the easier path - but understand if you attack it, you cannot also attack a spider (unless you perform a Twin Strike - or another combat maneuver).

If anyone disagrees with my interpretation of the rules, feel free to chime in - I like everyone's input.

[GandalfOfBorg]

  I'm good with that.

[disench4nted]

Rorin finished his swing against his assailant and saw that his fury had taken a huge toll on the beast. Looking down he saw that the fight was starting to turn against the company, and looking up through the webbed hatch Rorin saw Grimbeorn locked in deadly conflict with the massive Tauler. Hoping that one of the others could finish off the wounded spider Rorin turned towards the hatch and began poking at it with his hammer, trying to clear the way for his friend to escape to relative safety.


Rorin switches to Defensive Stance and will sacrifice one die to add to his parry while he clears the webs.

TN 10 Defensive Fighting - Hammer
This dice roll has been tampered with!
Rolled 1d12 : 6, total 6
Rolled 3d6 : 6, 1, 2, total 9

[GandalfOfBorg]

In a last ditch attempt to escape the hordes pressing down on him, Grimbeorn rolls attempts to roll through the opening made by Rorin.

Will use Hope to succeed if necessary.

Athletics -  1d12 : 5, total 5
Rolled 3d6 : 4, 3, 2, total 9

[Eclecticon]

A Hope point puts you just over the line, and I suggest it's a point very wisely spent. 

[Eclecticon]

Arbogast barely has the strength to keep his shield raised, while the Fellowship's foes attack tirelessly.  He hears cries from Bandy and Bofri as the hunters fall upon them, from Grimbeorn and Rorin as the Dwarf clears a path for the son of Beorn to escape, from Esgalwen as she desperately tries to keep the fire in her friends alive.  All about him there is cacophony and confusion, but through it all, he hears the deep, chittering voice of Tauler.  "FEEEAAASSST OOONNN YOOOUUU!" 

Dire is the hour indeed for the Fellowship of the Helm, but he has pledged his strength to his companions, and will not have it said that his oath was broken.  As he descends the stairs, he passes the half-crushed spider that, a heartbeat ago, stood against Rorin.  Summoning what strength remains, he aims a swift strike, hoping to once more cut through one spider and end another. 



Arbogast will attack the spider that's up against him, and will Cleave the one wounded by Rorin, if possible. 

1d12 : 11, total 11
Rolled 4d6 : 5, 3, 3, 4, total 15

[Eclecticon]

Guess not.    In the books, this would be about when the eagles showed up.  Not that they'd be much help to us in our current position.  And if there are some sort of mole-eagles living in Mirkwood, I would suggest that we disregard them as potential allies.  

[GandalfOfBorg]

  There is always a Wizard to appear as well, but they only come when they want to.

[tomcat]

You guys - someone is getting into the GM's notes!! 

I will have a post up in a bit.

[Telcontar]

OOC: Deus Machina is usually only used when the dire straits are not of the PCs making, we pretty much signed up for this one. Bandy promises not to egg everyone on into a battle...for at least the rest of this season.

And we have a new record for longest battle....