Rivendell & Gwaihir vs Mordor & Isengard. 800 Points To the Death!

Finally managed to get another MESBG game in! Feels like it had been forever. Initially, I planned to run Galadriel, Lady of Light in our game tonight... but her Fortify Spirit ability felt like too hard of a counter to Andrew's list, and so I decided instead to try Gwaihir for the first time. Andrew was running a fun combo of Mordor and Isengard, leaning heavily into two of the best spellcasters in the game with very decent infantry.

My list. I don't super favor Gil-Galad but, despite having owned him for forever, I rarely put him on the table. So, when better than a fun friendly game with your homie? I don't hate the Rivendell list, but I really wasn't sure about Gwaihir. Andrew's been running him a bit and seems to like him a lot.

Andrew had a pretty interesting combo; but obviously the point was to lean into some of the best evil spellcasting in the game while retaining a respectable 40 models.

We modified our usual "roll 3 missions" veto system, opting to instead roll for a pool and veto within it. We rolled Pool 4, the "Kill All the Things" pool. I Veto'd first, and opted to get rid of Contest of Champions. I felt like A- I didn't want to start so close, and B- Gil-Galad might wind up transfixed all game. Andrew next veto'd Lords of Battle, fearing an early big hit from Gil-Galad, not to mention Gwaihir being all in his grill on turn one. That left To the Death! Just a good ol' fashioned death match.

Elf deployment. Keeping my Knights spread out to help defend a bit against sorcerous blast. Andrew is not thrilled at crossing a battlefield under fire from elf bows.

Isengard on Andrew's right flank and all of Mordor on the left.

The bad guys begin their advance! Rivendell stays put and shoots bows- duh. I will point out here that I forgot Misty Mountains was yellow and so I should not have gotten my Rivendell bonus. In all that maybe accounted for one extra orc kill. Oops! 

Andrew's first use of really clever magic goes off. First, he compels the front rank elf out of the line.. and then with the opening created by that, he compels my banner out into the open! Not great as this scenario rewards having a banner.

Over the following turn, Andrew black darts my banner and the lines clash. I killed 2 Warg riders and 7 orcs with bowfire as Andrew closed, giving me the numbers advantage when the lines locked. Gwaihir gets transfixed by the Witch King, and stays put waiting to strike.

The opening combats are bloody with many orcs falling to elf blades. Elf casualties are nonzero, but they definitely give better than they get.

Gil-Galad commits on the right flank on a turn where I lost priority and let Andrew take it. It's likely the only time Gilly G will charge on his horse (and, as he's ever so slightly in woods, doesn't even get his charge bonus!)... I know sorcerous blast is just around the corner.

Andrew decides he needs to go in with the Witch King to get some kills.

And so he dives into my back rank... but Gwaihir is able to fit on a Morannon along with Gil-Galad and a few elves. Gil-Galad calls a heroic combat... And with his 3 dice and lord of the west, 2 elves, and a charging Gwaihir I roll a 4 high. Gil-Galad says "C'est La Frickin' Vie" and spends 2 might (his remaining) to win the fight...

Ensuring Gwaihir is able to charge the Witch King. Now, the Witch King saw this coming and did a heroic strike... but so did Gwaihir since he can piggy back off Gil-Galad's heroic combat. In #Andrewdice fashion, he strikes up to 7...

And Gwaihir and a host of elves eliminated the Witch King. Gwaihir spends one point of might, leaving him on 1.

Now, I've neglected to talk much about Erestor... and that's because he's just a reliable, coldblooded killer. Love him. Similarly, Goroth has ended many an elven line at the end of his big ol' beat stick... but evil is now broken having taken so many losses across the board.

On the following turn, Andrew wins priority, but Gwaihir is in Saruman striking distance. I spend his last point of might for a heroic move, Andrew does the same with Saruman and the rolloff goes to me. Now Gwaihir is all out of Might, but his Fight value still wins it after rolling 2 6s.

And... a dead Saruman. At this point the game is a foregone conclusion as evil careens to 25%.

Rivendell score 3 VPs for killing the Witch King. They score 5 VPs for breaking the evil alliance without being broken. Finally, they score an additional 2 VP for quartering evil.

Evil scores 2 VPs for having a banner remaining at the end of the game making the final...

10-2 for Rivendell.

Closing Thoughts: Well, I am a believer in Gwaihir. I know he can fail spectacularly rolling so few dice, but I feel like I never overextended him and used him sparingly this game. It's hard to resist the temptation to go flapping about with stabby-feet and chompy-mouth but he's definitely more of a scalpel. Gil-Galad was... whatever. Erestor is bae, as usual.

I dug Andrew's list, but I'm not sure Saruman and Uruks are worth giving up the Mordor army bonus. I think Andrew's planned revision to this list look much scarier; stay tuned and I'm sure it'll show up here soon!