Situation: Their ambush successful, the companions fight a desperate melee on the bank of the Anduin River.

Combat Advantage dice:
• Arbogast (2d)
• Esgalwen (2d)
• Grimbeorn (1d)

Situation Modifiers:
• The companions have sprung their trap, and now have the initiative.
• Hathcyn, Esgalwen and the Goblin archers are all finding keeping their footing difficult, and will be at -2 to their Parry ratings this round. 

Physical Modifiers (complications):
• combat near the river's edge may be hampered due to mud - all PC's will give me an Athletics roll at the beginning of each round. On a failure, they will suffer a -2 penalty to their PARRY rating.

I will make one roll for the entire Orc group.

PC/NPC		PARRY		ARMOUR		HOPE		END		STANCE
Arbogast Esgalwen Grimbeorn Hathcyn		6 (Shield +3) 6/9 (in Close) (4/7) 4 (Shield +4) 7 (5)	• • • •	2d (helm +3) 1d (helm n/a) 2d (helm n/a) 2d (helm n/a)	• • • •	14/16 14/14 8/12 10/13	• • • •	18/26 23/27 23/31 29/29	• • • •	Defensive Rearward Open Open

ENEMY		PARRY		ARMOUR		HATE		END		NOTES
Orc commander Orc 1 Orc 2 Orc 3 Orc 4 Orc 5 Orc 6 Orc 7 (archer) Orc 8 (archer) Orc 9 (archer)	• • • • • • • • • •	4 (shield smashed) 4 (+2 shield) 4 (+2 shield) 4 (+2 shield) 4 (+2 shield) 4 (+2 shield) 4 (+2 shield) 2 2 2	• • • • • • • • • •	3d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d	• • • • • • • • • •	5/5 3/3 3/3 3/3 3/3 3/3 3/3 1/1 1/1 1/1	• • • • • • • • • •	0/20 7/16 0/16 16/16 0/16 11/16 16/16 0/8 8/8 8/8	• • • • • • • • • •	[DEAD] Facing Grimbeorn [DEAD] Facing Hathcyn [DEAD] Facing Arbogast [DEAD]

STANCES

Forward - action order 1 Close combat TN 6+ parry Forward Stance maneuvers

Open - action order 2 Close combat TN 9+ parry Open Stance maneuvers

Defensive - action order 3 Close combat TN 12+ parry 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+ parry Rearward Stance maneuvers

From any Stance Escape combat Must start in Rearward or roll TN 10 + highest attribute level of opponents Athletics roll. On success, may safely flee from the scene of combat

Preparatory rollage:

Athletics to keep footing in the mud
Arbogast



Esgalwen


Grimbeorn



Hathcyn


Orcs



Goblin archers



Battle for Advantage dice

Arbogast


Esgalwen



Grimbeorn



Hathcyn

Seeing her companions engage, Esgalwen knew that keeping the orc archers harried would be the best aid she could provide. She drew her bowstring to her cheek, aimed and loosed.

---

I am undoing the negative to the archers - I was just wanting a roll for the whole orc group. So the first roll applies.

Esgalwen fires on an orc archer 7

TN 14 bow 3d

1d12 : 3, total 3
Rolled 3d6 : 4, 2, 6, total 12

7   edge: 10  injury: 16

"Yrrkkk!" was the sound that escaped the orc as Esgalwen's arrow struck it squarely in the eye. It toppled over dead.

---

Esgalwen scores a 15 success and causes 13 loss - orc is slain

Sufficiently laying the fear of death in them, Grimbeorn continues his rampage, making his way tto engage the archers, dealing with whatever is in his path.

 
Stance: Open
Action: Standard Attack

 

Axes -  1d12 : 3, total 3
Rolled 5d6 : 5, 2, 5, 4, 3, total 19

Darting to one side, Arbogast slips past an orc to stand at the side of Hathcyn as the Longspear struggles to keep his footing in the muddy ground.  He raises his shield just in time to block an arrow, the meaty 'thock' sound blending with the grunts of effort and orcish cries as the soldiers of the Misty Mountains begin to rally. 


Arbogast will shift into Rearward stance and use Protect Ally on Hathcyn.  In the meantime, he'll attack the orc soldier he wounded last round. 

  What's the penalty on blowing the footing roll?

you suffer a -2 to your Parry stat

It's already reflected in the stats in the opening post.

Hathcyn saw Arbogast move to shield him as he lost his footing in the muck and mire.

"Who needs a shield when you have friends!" Hathcyn laughed admist the melee.

He attempted to pivot to the side and plunge his long two handed spear into another orc.

Open stance:

RESULTS

• Grimbeorn from an Open stance rolls a 22 success against a TN 15 for 9 loss
• Arbogast shifting Rearward rolls a 12 fail against TN 18
• Hathcyn from an Open stance rolls a 15 success against a TN 15 for 14 loss and a KILL

The orcs attack...

TN 18 bent sword 3d

Orc 1 v Grimbeorn 1d12 : 5, total 5
Rolled 3d6+4 : 4, 4, 4 + 4, total 16

Orc 6 v Grimbeorn 1d12 : 7, total 7
Rolled 3d6+4 : 3, 4, 3 + 4, total 14

Orc 3 v Hathcyn 1d12 : 1, total 1
Rolled 3d6+4 : 2, 2, 4 + 4, total 12

Orc 5 v Arbogast 1d12 : 11, total 11
Rolled 3d6+4 : 1, 6, 2 + 4, total 13

4    edge: 10  injury: 12

TN 18 bow of horn 2d

Archer 2 v Esgalwen 1d12 : 4, total 4
Rolled 2d6+3 : 2, 2 + 3, total 7

Archer 3 v Esgalwen 1d12 : 9, total 9
Rolled 2d6+3 : 1, 2 + 3, total 6

4    edge: 10  injury: 12

I messed up by not putting the TN's in right...

Arbogast was TN 21
Esgalwen TN 16
Grimbeorn TN 17
Hathcyn TN 14

Also the archers have Denizen of the Dark so their Attribute level is doubled for being in the gloom.

So...

• Arbogast is hit with an success for 8 loss and a piercing blow; Orc uses his Cruel Stroke enhancement and will spend 1 to increase his weapon's injury to TN 16
• Esgalwen is struck by an arrow from Archer 3 with an 18 for 4 loss
• Grimbeorn is hit twice with two 21 results for a total of 8 loss
• Hathcyn is missed

The companions were finally met by the cruelty of their foes, as the orcs returned the attack.

Arbogast threw himself into a position to defend Hathcyn and by so doing, caused the orc to swing wide with his sword. Unfortunately for the Fire-watcher, another skulking shadow sneaked up on his flank and stabbed with its weapon, but the Woodman's armor was well-made and the blade skittered off.

Grimbeorn and Esgalwen, too, felt the bite of the enemy's weapons though the injuries were mild.

Arbogast's Protection test

TN 16 armour 2d+3

1d12 : 12, total 12
Rolled 2d6+3 : 4, 4 + 3, total 11