Rivendell vs Angmar in Breakthrough. 620 points.

 

Dear readers, today I have a doozy for you! Hot on the heels of our last Rivendell vs Mordor game, Andrew and I ran it back with Rivendell vs Angmar; both of us trying out some newer models and approaches. I wanted a Rivendell Knight focused list and Andrew wanted a heavy monster presence. I think this made for a heck of a great game! We rolled up "Breakthrough" for the scenario.

Editor's note- I forgot my banner was a Mounted Knight, so took him as a foot model in our game. Oh well!

I won the table edge roll off and went for the edge with slightly more wooded areas. I also rolled Elrond's Foresight points and got a 6... pretty sweet.

Initial deployment. 

Lindir and his warband deploy on the right of my line.

While Elrond's massive company deploys on the left. 

Gulavhar's orcs and spectre ready to march on the elves. Note that my Gulavhar is a proxy but we remember how huge the actual model is when it comes to checking LOS.

The Witch King atop his Fell Beast along with the Troll Boi.

As is the elven way, the Elves hold and take potshots at the approaching enemy. 2 orcs and the dead marsh spectre go down, as well as 1 lucky wound on Gully.

Lindir joins the main force, but his warband sets off on a secret mission to go for objectives.

Then Gulavhar rushes in and sets up an excellent hurl and heroic combat! He knocks Elrond and one of my Knights off their horses and slays his original target.

With his original target dead, he catapults into 2 Rivendell Knights...

And feasts upon them both, restoring himself to full health and punching a hole in the Rivendell flank.

On the following turn, the lines properly clash. But Andrew is clever and avoids being in range of Elrond counter charging Gulavhar. The Witch king charges one elf and calls a heroic combat.

Elrond does, however, get just within 3" of Gulavhar and manages to call in a Wrath of the Bruinen with the free will from Lindir and one of his own. Gulavhar attempts to resist but fails. He does, however, predictably win his fight against the knights, and stands back up.

The Witch King heroic combats into the elves fanning out for the objectives... but loses the fight taking no wounds.

On the following turn, Gulavhar calls a heroic move and pulls back letting the lines get properly entangled. The Witch King compels the banner out of the line and annihilates him.

Elrond finally finds himself engaged and keeps trying for Wrath of the Bruinens. Both lines start thinning.

Heading into the late game. Angmar is near broken and elves are now fanning to 3/5 objectives. Gulavhar is in a good spot to counter-pounce so I have to be careful about leaving my heroes protected.

Elves pushing objectives and taking the occasional pot shot. They score one wound on Gulavhar, who is now back to 3 remaining wounds.

Gulavhar pounces, and feasts upon another model sticking himself in the midst of the fray.

The Witch King pulls back, running now dangerously low on Will.

The Witch King swoops by and attempts to transfix Elrond... to no avail. Elrond triggers Wrath of the Bruinen and charges a prone Gulavhar.

Monsters everywhere- but they're all prone! Elrond even lands a cheeky wound on the Cave Troll from the WotB.

Elrond spends his last remaining might to Strike up. It's now or never... Elrond rolls 3 sixes in the duel roll.

And thanks to his sword, Hadhafang, he slays the terror of Angmar. First time it's been killed for us, I believe.

With the Witch King down to 1 will, and Gulavhar slain, the game firmly shifts towards Rivendell. Andrew fights for the break and the rear objective...

Elrond goes in for the Cave Troll kill...

And that plus other fights across the scattered remnant sees the Angmar forces reduced to 25%.

The state of the board at the end (minus one elf on the central objective who failed a courage check for being broken).

At the end, Rivendell won a 10-3 victory over the forces of evil. 4 points for 2 objectives in the center at 2 VP each. 1 point for posessing the rear most objective. 4 points for completely controlling the far objective, and 1 point for breaking Angmar.

Angmar scores 3 points. 2 for holding a central objective, and 1 for breaking Rivendell.

Thoughts: Man, another amazing game! My Knights didn't perform super well here, but I probably could've done more with them. I have lots of cav experience from Rohan, but Andrew did a good job of gutting them early. 4 words though. Wrath. Of. The. Bruinen. My word, with Lindir I probably got it off 4 times. It absolutely is what allowed me to kill Gulavhar reliably, as well as the cave troll. I haven't used Elrond a TON, but I am definitely a believer now.

Gulavhar is SCARY, but I gotta say.... the Witch King on a Fell Beast doesn't do it for me. Still, I think Andrew played them both very smart and a few dice differently and this could've ended in a much worse spot for Rivendell.