by Uthoroc
People you're gifting me with some great games lately. Today it was Steva (sixtoedcat) who's Shadow challenged my Free Peoples (we rolled for sides).It was looking pretty grim for the Free as after a Will of the West in turn 1 I failed to roll another until turn 6. But I got lucky in getting the right reinforcement cards and gave the first assaults on Lorien and the Woodland realm both bloody nose (without breaking the sieges though).
The Shadow took Erebor and Dale instead and then came back with his surviving forces to take another stab at the Woodland Realm. With my first WoW in turn 6 I faced a hard decision .... and mustered Gandalf the White in the besieged elven stronghold.
The following siege was prolonged and brutal, but the wizard could not stave off the end. The Witch-King was triumphant with 4 regulars left. But a small force of Northmen had gathered in Carrock (2 elite, 1 regular) and now marched to free Dale and Erebor which stood empty.
The WK ambushed them on the Old Forest Road, but was himself led into a trap. A sudden strike killed two regulars and the normal combat round another two... the Lord of the Nazgul was no more and the North was free again!
A hastily assembled force of easterlings managed to subdue the rebellious dwarves, northmen and elves again, but it took long enough for the Fellowship to reach Mordor. While Lorien fell and Rohan was invaded the Fellowship struggled across the plain of Gorgoroth. A desperate assault of Wargs and Uruks tried to take Helm's Deep at the close of turn 12, but the defenders were too strong.
In turn 13 the Fellowship, still led by Legolas and Pippin, managed to destroy the ring, reaching 11 corruption on the last move. Only 1 of the 10 tiles in the pool (The Ring is Mine!) would have prolonged the
game, but a normal eye was drawn.
Result: Free ring victory in turn 13
Point difference: 53 (higher score wins, +/-14)
Uthoroc
Shadow 554
Free 495 +14 > 509
Games 36 > 37
Average 525 +7 > 532
sixtoedcat
Shadow 442 -14 > 428
Free 484
Games 28 > 29
Average 463 -7 > 456
Thanks Steva for a great game!