Battle Report - Harad vs Corsairs

The pirates were coming again.  Nuradan knew how to beat this old enemy.  He had fought them often enough, after all.

The Corsairs approach.

Nuradan had not been home in over a year.  He hoped his sons were growing stong.  His master's war in the north had kept him busy, season after season.  He had marched his warband to the far north and back to the south.  He had fought elves, the men of Gondor and even his own kin.  There were only one or two of the men left who had first marched north with him.  His ranks had been re-filled again and again with new levies from his tribe and from the city of Abrakhan.

The battlefield.  Domination game with a point in the house (top), one near the sign in the center and one next to the ruins (bottom right).

Nuradan cursed the day he had been noticed by the Nazgul.  The wraith had made him a personal follower, whether he wanted it or not.  Now, again, they were on some mission that only the Wraith understood.  They were near a coastal village, looking for something of value.  The rising sun had revealed the dark sails of the Corsairs of Umbar.  There was no love lost between Nuradan's tribe, from near Kharna, and the city dwellers of the pirate haven.  His people had spent more time over the years battling their neighbors than they had the steel clad men of Gondor.

The enemy draws near.

The Wraith had indicated that the prize for which they searched was either in the abandoned building to the left, or the ruins to the right.  Nuradan drew up his warband with one group set to explore the building and the other two in the center.  Moving up from the beach, Nurdan saw his enemy, rushing to snatch his prize away.

The great chieftan's heart sank as he realized that the Corsairs had brought their own Nazgul.  The pall of darkness around the enemy force made it clear that the Shadow Lord led this band.  When Nazgul contest, men's lives are spent like water.  Nuradan knew it would take all of his guile to survive the day.

Through the gloom he saw a massive troll as well has heavily armored horsemen moving towards a flank.  The Nazgul looked over at Nuradan and nodded.  At least his master trusted him to fight this battle.  He thanked his ancestors for the small boon, and ordered his men into action.

The knights prepare to charge my handful of infantry.

On the left Allawhi led his men towards the house, only to see Morgul knights come charging around the edge of the house.  Bracing himself, he met the charge, hacking down the armored foes.  The knights broke on the small knot of men following Allawhi, and died on the points of their spears.  They had managed to slow the movement to the building, however, allowing the Black Numenorian infantry a chance to climb through the windows and hold the building.  Allawhi knew that his uncle would not be pleased.

The Haradrim form a line to receive the Corsairs in proper desert fashion, with poisoned arrows.

In the center Nuradan led his men forward, placing some behind a fence and the rest back from it.  He placed himself directly opposite the troll.  There were times when being a Chieftain meant taking the greatest risk.

The Corsairs break through the line but are unable to capitalize on it properly.

As Nuradan's archers fired blindly into the cloud of darkness, the Nazgul began a magic duel.  Nurdan's hair stood on end.  No matter how often he had seen this, he could never get used to this dark magic.  The troll charged in, to be met by Nurdan, the Taksmaster and their men.  To the left the Corsairs cut down the sons of the desert, forcing a hole in the line.

Nuradan and his men killed the troll with a shout.  Vaulting the huge corpse Nuradan rushed forward to try to hold the corsair's back.  His right wine was unengaged and had crossed the fence, some moving to secure the ruins, the rest moving forward to engage.

The haradrim swarm through the unguarded windows.

On the left Allawhi led his men around the building, with a shout they crowded through the unguarded windows, meeting the steel of the fallen Numenorians with their spears.  The battle was fierce in the crowded room, men pushing back and forth but Allawhi and his men eventually gained the upper hand.

Failed courage checks everywhere.

In the field Nuradan and his men had finally killed enough of the enemy that their will broke.  The loss of their Nazgul, the brutal death of their troll.  The never ending flights of arrows, were all too much for the raiders.  Their preferred method was a quick raid, in and out before their victims could muster a defense.  They had met a prepared enemy and been dealt a bloody nose.  The Captain's cursed as their men turned and ran back to the ships.

Tony and I had a great game.  It was his first time using the troll, and my first time fighting a monster with the new rules.  We both learned a lot, I think.  As always when there are two Nazgul on the table, they spent most of the game trying to get rid of their mirror image.  By the time mine had won the duel Tony was too close for my shooting to do much and I was mostly out of will.  The Nazgul are definitely less over powered now.  I think it is a huge improvement.