After being beaten several times by The Falcon and the Harad group, Etako's band is hot on his heels, but get lost wandering through Mirkwood. Finally in a clearing they stop to rest and then notice eyes peering out from behind web-shrouded trees. Uh oh.
Seeing how close a match it was for my brother I was quite despairing of this mission, I don't have cavalry and my high defense isn't as good against the strength 5 spiders, especially if they web me up! So it was with heavy heart that we set up the board for me, fortunately I have healing herbs still saved up, so hopefully there won't be too much mess afterwards!
Round 1. Byrnmor charges with Boggle at the purple spider, win the fight and they each score a wound against it, slaying spider number 1! Only a bazillion to go! I really wish I had horses to charge with!
Both archers let fly, Loki scores a hit on the green spider, which leads a pack of giant hairy legged creatures towards the stalwart dwarves.
Round 2. I forgot to take a photo! Brynmor killed the already bow-shot green spider and Loki shot and wounded the yellow spider.
Round 3. Boggle attacks the purple spider, who wins the combat (Boggle rolled double ones!) and wounds the dwarf twice (even though he has Heavy Dwarf Armour AND a shield! His fate saves one of the wounds so he fights on!
Hilda hunkers behind the massive Iron Shield and deflects the orange spider while Kara stabs past with her spear and wounds the monstrosity!
Etako charges in and uses his iron fist to pummel the yellow spider into a gooey patch. But not before it paralyses Loki!
Round 4. The green spider rushes in, paralysing Mighty Monty then taking him out of the game! The first casualty! The yellow spider spits web and paralyses Skodi!
Brynmor and Boggle team up to take out the purple spider while Etako uses a point of might to kill the orange spider after he, Kara and Hilda roll terribly!
Round 5. Boggle uses a point of will to overcome his failed courage tests and charges towards the green spider in an effort to help the poor, paralysed Skodi. His throwing axe thwacks into the spider and he and Rocky take it out a moment later. Unfortunately Skodi falls beneath the chittering yellow spider, unable to do anything while covered in sticky webs!
The rest of the troop rally around Loki, who has been paralysed for some time and clear the webs from him!
Round 6. At the start of round 6 calamity strikes! the purple spider kills both Hilda Greatshield and Archie, rolling four 6s in a row! The dwarves are falling rapidly as the spiders seem to only roll 5s and 6s! As a matter of fact, my brother swapped dice to try and save the dwarves!
Loki draws and shoots, hitting and wounding the oncoming green spider. Boggle and Rocky together take out the yellow spider. Brynmor and Etako use a point of might to take out the orange spider.
Round 7. By this stage I was tempted to run for the edge to escape rolling on the injury table! But the spiders are way faster than me!
Boggle uses a throwing axe as he charges in at the orange spider and wounds it, then Etako joins him in combat. The spider wins the combat and kills Boggle (dwarves rolled all ones, spider rolled a 6 to wound!)
Fortunately Loki kills the green spider in close combat, showing that he is quite a skilled dwarf!
Unfortunately the purple spider overwhelms Brynmor and Kara Longspear and kills Brynmor!
Round 8. Only four dwarves are left standing! Kara and Rocky take on the purple spider, who beats them back and kills Kara Longspear!
Meanwhile Etako and Loki attack the orange spider, win the combat and somehow manage to fail to wound it - even only needing 4+!
It's not looking good, the dwarves need two alive at the end of the game to win and there's only three of them left!
Round 9. Fortunately for the game, unfortunately for Rocky, three spiders are close to him so charge in and completely overwhelm him on his first ever game! However, his bravery is recognised by Etako and Loki who take out the orange spider.
It's victory, but at what cost!?!?
Actually we get off fairly lightly, Rocky, poor brave dwarf, is injured and will miss the next game. But the worst of it is that Boggle gets an arm wound and can no longer use a shield - even though that's his whole, you know, thing! As a dwarf, not being able to use any two handed things is pretty rough!
However, all those dead spiders make for quite a lot of experience and my rolls for rewards were pretty amazing so let me go through Etako's Expeditionaries now...
Etako Ironfist, a warrior with Heavy Dwarf Armour, a two handed axe and throwing axes, with fight 5, 2 wounds, Furious Charge and Parry
Brynmor Deepminer, a warrior with Heavy Dwarf Armour, a two handed shovel and throwing axes with fight 5, strength 4 and 2 wounds.
Boggle Bootmire, a warrior with Heavy Dwarf Armour, an axe and throwing axes, fight 5, Blademaster and Furious Charge and suffering from an Arm Wound.
Skodi Strongarm, a warrior with axe and shield.
Loki Lightfingers, a ranger with a dwarf bow.
Archie Longsight, a hero in the making warrior with dwarf bow.
Mighty Monty, a warrior with axe and shield.
Definat Diva, a warrior with axe and shield.
Hilda Greatshield, an Iron Shield.
Kara Longspear, a Foe Spear.
Rocky, a warrior with two handed axe.
and the newcomers...
Yet to be named Mirkwood Ranger who was so impressed by the dwarves that he/she has joined their team.
Yet to be named Iron Guard!
So it's a pretty cool squad now of 13 (there's a maximum of 15, so hopefully will still get some more cool guys, would really like a Khazad Guard =)
Anyway, that was quite a tough battle! Next time it'll be back to versus games against the Harad force!
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