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MINAS TIRITH : Battle Of The Pelennor Fields

When JRR Tolkein wrote The Lord of the Rings and his middle earth he was telling a grand saga. And what do all sagas have - battles. Battles with unlikely outcomes, when good overcomes evil - for example. As a wargamer I have enjoyed many evenings playing an excellent SPI game - Sauron and the war of the ring and so I felt that it was time for Wargames Figures to step up and do battle on the bloody fields of middle earth.

I chose to detail the battle of the Pelennor Fields because it is a good team game which smaller clubs or groups could run.

Gandalf the Grey
Harlequin Miniatures

Background

Sauron's well-laid plan to assault Minas Tirith is going well. The army has invested the city and has just shattered the gates. "Siege over soon", start writing the despatches "Victory imminent … forces of good destroyed…" Hold on, up steps the troublemaker Gandalf and it's all to play for. Let battle commence. (PS No magic please this is a wargame).

To classify the troops I have used a mixture of DBM & Hordes of the Things. Use any rules system that suits you, I used this to give some sort of scale against which to measure the forces. I have not detailed how many elements in each army as this will be determined by what figures you have available. Also if you have the more experienced players against less experienced you may apply a handicap system, It makes it a real challenge to win either way.

The Protagonists

Forces of Mordor

Comprising :
1. Army of Harad (Southrons)
2. Legions of Mordor (Orcs)
3. Easterlings

Army of Mordor Command Structure :
Commander-In-Chief : Lord of the Nazgul

King of Harad, leading the Haradrim (c 18,000 troops): Medium Cavalry [Use Cav (I) and (O)]
Infantry, Varied - Light/Medium Spears, Swords & Bows
Mumakil (Armoured Elephants) [Use Elephants (S)]

Gothmog, leading the Legions of Mordor (c 40,000 orc troops): Soldier Orcs [Use as Warband (O) or Spears(I)]
Uruk -Hai [Use Blades (I)]
Ogres / Trolls [Use Blades (O) & (S)]
Lesser Orcs & Goblins [Use Rabble/Hordes]

Chieftain of the Wainriders, leading the Easterlings (20,000): Axemen - sturdy like dwarves [Use a Blades (O) or (S)]
Other Infantry, Mixture of Spears, Blades & Warbands

Reinforcements

Troops from Osgiliath "mustered for the sack of the city and the rape of Gondor". These troops will be a mixture of Easterlings, Haradrim, Ogres/Trolls, Elite Slaves & Orcs amounting to around 30,000 men (mostly poorer infantry used to mop up after the fight).

Gondor & her Allies

Comprising :
1. Garrison of Gondor
2. Riders of Rohan
3. The Army of Gondor

Forces of Gondor in Minas Tirith.
Commander-in-Chief : Lord Imrahil of Dol Amroth.

This army is a mixture of all types and classes from the surrounding areas. I have broken them into their descriptive terms used by JRRT (Return of the King). Some of the Quantities are somewhat speculative - change any that you don't like.

Lord Imrahil, leading the Forces of Gondor (c 10,000): Archers of Pinnath Gelin - 300
Men of Lossarnach - 200 Axemen
Light Infantry of Lebinnin - 700 irregular
Archers of Morthond - 500
Medium Infantry of Ringlo vale - 300
Heavy Infantry of Dol Amroth - 700 [Use as Knights (S)]
Rangers of Ithilien - 300
Garrison of Minas Tirith - 5000 mixed [mostly Archers/Spearmen]
Levy of Minas Tirith - 2000 Light infantry irregular
Catapults and Stone Throwers on Walls/Towers [Optional]

It does however give the Gondor player a good mixture to battle with. Generally the standard of troops will be good, this will give them a chance against the Hordes of Mordor.

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