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A hill for our grim dark sci fi games .

Tainted Grail

Back to board games again .

Our first meet up since lockdown . We played Tainted Grail. We had not played before but went in full for the first scenario using 4 players . Phil hosted. Mike, Michael and Bruce joined in. The first scenario is quite a gentle start so you can learn the rules and especially the card play for encounters so we focused on those with the three player settings. Went well and the app was a nice addition with the voice actors. Hopefully we can play again some time and be stricter on our second play through .

Then we played a great new dice game that Mike brought along which Michael won .

Was great to see everyone again!

In this mini game Link switched and played as Gollum. Sam did not move once and Gollum made it all the way to Frodo very rapidly. True to the movie! Sam now has to save Frodo from the clutches of Shelob before it is too late.

In this scenario Frodo has to get off the board safely whilst the defenders of Osgiliath and the Orcs fight it out to control 3 ruined buildings.

A Nazgul appears on a fell beast on turn 3 to help in the fight or chase down Frodo.

As the battle continues the Orcs took heavy fire from the Rangers. It reached the point where the only safe place was in combat! Also the Rangers kept on coming back with the reinforcement rule whereas the cowardly orcs seemed to continue to flee.

However the Nazgul turned its attention to Frodo who resisted Transfix and survived the combat thanks to Fate. Madril and his Rangers rushed to the rescue inspired by the Banner of Gondor! They were able to distract the Nazgul who then twice broke away using the Barge rule and still reached Frodo! Once again he survived and with the Nazgul dwindling away and all the buildings now in Gondor’s control after some fierce fighting Good achieved their victory!

The Haradrim archers begin to find their targets, no longer protected by stalk unseen after turn three. Still the rangers are in cover and the Haradrim of course cannot fire from a stampeding beast. So it is hard to hit the rangers but with several on each beast any that are targeted are at risk. Now the casualties on the good side begin to mount from sustained fire and combat to their flanks as they try to concentrate their archery fire on the beasts.

Which is what happens again. Just as it looked like the beasts might get off the table one stampeded into the other inflicting three wounds causing the other to turn and return the favour. Finally one took its final wound causing all but one of its crew to die from falling damage.

Gollum helped by holding off the Haradrim whilst Sam hid behind a rock and Frodo put on the Ring when it looked like the spearman were closing in on him.

With just moments left and very much aided by the free point of might to get a successful wound roll Good finally managed to take out the last Mumakil for the win.

Faramir and his rangers set out to ambush the haradrim as they make their way to join forces with the dark lord.

This was a fun scenario that pits two Mumakil and their escort against a strong force of rangers who lie in ambush.

Good set out his forces equally split between the north and south edges with Faramir and the hobbits to the north. The Haradrim need to travel across the board with the Mumakil whilst the escort are free to engage the ambushes.

This was a good way to learn the war beast rules.

In the first turn there was a free ambush attack. This had little effect because the Mumakil have thick hides and the two captains driving them have good courage so avoided a stampede.

More to come….

Having completed the tower I began crafting a hill using foam. Something I have never really done before. I made it more complex by then creating woodland scenic rocks with Link and then cutting gaps in the foam to glue them into.

My glue took a long time to set which might be why after adding the woodland scenic plaster cloth it has warped slightly underneath and one rock has slipped down vertically needing some correction. I have now glued a card base underneath to see if I can achieve a more flat look when it is on the table.

I have sprayed it black then dry brushed some household grey paint I have leftover onto the stones. I am then going to make my own nuln oil wash and apply that. Just need to sort out this base issue first.

Our two hobbits are sleeping after the breaking of the fellowship. Gollum sneaks up to them and attacks Frodo who is prone but survives using heroic defence. Then they both attack the next turn having won priority and inflict three wounds thus subduing Gollum.