Road block melee - round 1

[tomcat]

Situation: The company is waylaid by a group of hired swords - 5 block the road, while 5 others sought to lay ambush

Situational Modifiers: Round 1 initiative will go first to all characters that are fighting with ranged weapons and then to PC's fighting with melee weapons.

NPC Hit Points will be standard.

Physical Modifiers: The snowy ground is slippery and will impose -3 penalty to ALL physical actions (except archery). Combat from atop a mount will provide an advantageous position bonus of +2 to any PC that is fighting against a non-mounted opponent, but understand that fighting while on horse back requires the animal have the Steady ability otherwise there will be an additional -2 penalty to ALL combat actions.

Initiative (for round 2):
Dirnhael (+5) 14
Pethron (+2) 13
Fengel (+3) 10
Mercenaries (+2) 10



Archers (5) fire on the PC's
TN Dirnhael 11, Fengel 11, Pethron 11 RC +8, Specialty +2, Accurate +3, Range (short) +0, Shield (small) -3, Targets in motion -3 (-5)*, Tree cover -2
*archers X1-X3 suffer -3 motion penalty; X4-X5 suffer -5 motion penalty
-------------------------
Archer X1 vs Dirnhael
Action 1 - Roll(2d6)+5: 4,3,+5 Total:12 COMPLETE SUCCESS [damage if not parried Roll(2d6)+0: 4,5,+0 Total:9]
Action 2 - Draw arrow

Archer X2 vs Fengel
Action 1 - Roll(2d6)+5: 5,1,+5 Total:11 MARGINAL SUCCESS [damage if not parried Roll(2d6)+0: 5,3,+0 Total:8]
Action 2 - Draw arrow

Archer X3 vs Pethron
Action 1 - Roll(2d6)+5: 4,6,+5 Total:15 COMPLETE SUCCESS [damage if not parried Roll(2d6)+0: 3,2,+0 Total:5]
Action 2 - Draw arrow

Archer X4 vs Dirnhael
Action 1 - Roll(2d6)+3: 1,3,+3 Total:7 FAILED
Action 2 - Draw arrow

Archer X5 vs Fengel
Action 1 - Roll(2d6)+3: 2,5,+3 Total:10 FAILED
Action 2 - Draw arrow

Arrow attacks may be dodged, but the PC must apply the slippery ground penalty.

The PC's may attack the archers, but he 5 horsemen are paused by your actions and will not act until round 2.



Dirnhael and his companions raced off the road, to the right, charging down the highway men that lay in ambush. Still, arrows were loosed from bow as the companions closed the range and some found a mark.

Somewhat startled by the Company's reaction, the five horsemen that blocked the road sat a moment longer before making any move of their own.

[tomcat]

The archers that could attack, have, so you guys are now welcome to give me your actions.

I am going to cost each of you 1 action to ride your horses into melee.

[BrianM]

The arrow sliced through Pethron's outer clothing. It still stung even though his mail shirt was able to absorb the bulk of the impact. The scribe spurred his horse forward, straight at the archer, to prevent a second shot. He veered slightly left to force the man to avoid being trampled by moving directly into Pethron's drawn sword.


Action 1: ride towards his attacker
Action 2: swing his sword if the opportunity is there

Pethron's horse is not combat trained, so it's kind of useless. After this first pass (just to close the gap) he will dismount and enter melee with the archer.

[tomcat]

Pethron attacks Archer X5
TN 11 AC +7, Specialty +2, Snow -3, Advantageous Posit +2, Non-steady horse -2 = +6
-------------------------
Action 2: Roll(2d6)+6: 4,3,+6 Total:13 SUCCESS [dmg if not parried Roll(2d6)+5: 4,5,+5 Total:14]

Archer cannot dodge and takes the damage - Injured -3

[Palandil]

Archer X2 vs Fengel
Action 1 - Roll(2d6)+5: 5,1,+5 Total:11 MARGINAL SUCCESS [damage if not parried Roll(2d6)+0: 5,3,+0 Total:8]
Action 2 - Draw arrow

Arrow attacks may be dodged, but the PC must apply the slippery ground penalty.

Evade arrow
Dodge+3,Evasion +d6
Roll(3d6)+3: 2,1,6,+3 Total:12  Does the slippery penalty apply when mounted?

Action 3:Attack archer
AC+13,Specialty +2, Snow -3, Advantageous Posit +2=14
Roll(2d6)+14: 5,6,+14 Total:25

Action 4:Attack Archer
AC+13,Specialty +2, Snow -3, Advantageous Posit +2=14
Roll(2d6)+14: 4,4,+14 Total:22

Fengel leaned to avoid the arrow, however the archer had the upper hand for the moment and his aim was unavoidable.  With the distance now closed Cerduil took vengeance upon the ambusher.

[tomcat]

The archer is unable to defend against Fengel's attack and falls to the savage blows from Cerduil.

Not far away from where the battle had begun, two companions sat enjoying the morning, eating some cooked meat before packing their things and moving on. Mithnar was a man of Arthedain, but had spent many of his days in the Elven lands to the west. Under the tutelage of the Eldar, he had been trained in many of the Arts of that folk - Círdan thought it a wise move to train the young Dúnadan for all would need to be skilled to fend off the aims of the Witch-king.

Across from Mithnar was a stranger to the lands of the North Kingdoms, as strange as Fengel of the Éothraim, for he was of his kin. Vidugavin was his name and he was born of a chieftain of the Men of Rhovania but had taken leave of his people and duty to explore into the lands across the mountains. Like Fengel, he now found himself meeting with new friends and making the lands of the north his own.

The two had chanced upon one another and what started out as a companionship for strength of numbers alone, wandering in the empty lands, had become a friendship.

Both men sat silent listening to the pop of the small fire between them, when the first cries and clangor of battle was heard in the distance.



The two new PC's will not be able to get to the melee until round 6, if it is still going by then. Still, you may commence giving me narrative and dialogue.

[Palandil]

  Cool, new players!  Welcome!

[ZehnWaters]

  Thank you.

IC  Vidugavin's ears pricked up at the sound of metal on metal.

"Do you hear that?" Vidugavin asked his friend, standing up.

[BrianM]

  Thanks for making the attack roll for me Doug. Question: Are there any other penalties if Pethron remains on his horse? I see he gets -2 for Non-Steady Horse, but +2 for the height advantage, so these negate each other. If there is no other detrimental effect, he will likely remain on his horse and attack from there. If, however, Pethron has to make riding checks, then he is at a disadvantage and will likely hop off.

BTW Another welcome to new players!

[tomcat]

Not a problem, Brian.

As far as penalties, you'd gain no more benefit from being off your horse due to the environmental mods, but I can't promise you that some form of attack might not require a Ride skill of some sort. So, you may want to make Pethron's stance based on his skill ranks.

Shawn is still unavailable so I am going to post this rounds actions to move things on...



Dirnhael does not bother with dodging the archer's arrow and feels it strike him, jabbing through his chain coat. 9 - 5 (armour) = 4 damamge

Dirnhael attacks Archer X1
TN 11 AC +17, Specialty +2, Snow -3, Advantageous Posit +2, Non-steady horse -2 = +16
-------------------------
Action 2: Roll(2d6)+16: 6,4,+16 Total:26 SUCCESS [dmg if not parried Roll(2d6)+7: 2,5,+7 Total:14]
Action 3: Roll(2d6)+16: 2,2,+16 Total:20 SUCCESS [dmg if not parried Roll(2d6)+7: 1,5,+7 Total:13]
Action 4: Roll(2d6)+16: 6,4,+16 Total:26 SUCCESS [dmg if not parried Roll(2d6)+7: 4,3,+7 Total:14]

Archer cannot dodge and is cut down.