Morgoth Unleashes his Army!!

Suddenly, the Gates to Angband slam shut and Gwindor and his men pass from the Elven Army's view! Thangorodrim belches flame and smoke as countless orcs begin to pour out of numerous holes in the ground on either side of the Gates. Fingon's Army attempts to form a cohesive battle line to oppose the hordes!!

On the right flank (Elven Army), the men of Brethil (slightly left of center) are charged by the orcs, while Hurin and Huor  (center) move forward to support...

On the left, tragedy strikes as Cirdan is shot down by hundreds of orc arrows (and yes I know there is no real note of him being there, but I chose to have him command the Falas contingent in person), while the Elves of Falas and the Green Elves fight desperately...

The orcs continuing to rise from their pits in an attempt to cut Fingon off from his lands to the west (right)...

Three Green Elves are fighting an incredible defense (Lower left of center, standing alone after slaying numerous orcs!). They will show up further in the narration...

King Fingon, Hurin and Huor have withdrawn a small number of their men to the west, while the remainder of the army is locked in deadly combat (inc I might add those three Green Elves)...

One is cut off and surrounded, but he continues his fight!

In the center, Haldir (center) and his men from Brethil fight on with some of the men of Dor-lomin...

On the southern end of the battlefield, hordes of orcs are outflanking Fingon's Army...(oh, ignore the movement trays I use to move so many orcs!)

One of the Green Elves finally goes down after a tremendous stand, but the remaining two (upper right) fight on!

Those two Green Elves (just below center) destroy more orcs while they are being outflanked to the north...

The fighting intensifies on this portion of the field as numerous orcs and elves perish...

As more and more fighters go down, Haldir (top left of photo in red cape) is finally brought low by countless orcs and their own captains...

With Haldir gone along with many of his troops, men from For-lomin and Brethil become surrounded in their final struggle...

The last few Falas Elves (and those two Green Elves) are cut off (lower left) as well as their allies from Brethil and Dor-lomin (upper left). King Fingon, Beleg, Mablung, Hurin, and Huor have retreated with what is left of their army (upper right), pursued by ever more orcs...

Three Elves from Falas, and those two Green Elves, are all that remain on the northern flank...

Only a handful of men still stand...

The Army of Fingon forms what appears to be their final line (top center) in an attempt to protect their homes beyond the mountain pass (top left center)...

to be continued...

Nirnaeth Arnoediad begins!

Failing to restrain himself, Gwindor surprises everyone by singlehandedly charging the orc horde! He quickly cuts down the murdering orc (although he could have struck down two orcs if his rolls had been a little better) His men from Nargothrond quickly follow after. I chose to not permit any other warriors, either Fingon or Morgoth, to react to reflect their surprise...

Turn 2: Fingon holds the initiative and gets to move his forces first. (In GW Middle Earth Rules, there is a Narrative Game, this being an example, giving one side the initiative. One side moves, then the other; then the first side shoots missiles, then the second; and finally melee in the same order) Here are the armies after they move, and archers have shot...

Elven Archers down a stand and Beleg adds another, while the Men of Dor-lomin drop x3 more! The individual orc casualties represent a stand of orcs being eliminated! The orcs succeed in only one instance getting an Elf from Falas. The melee sees two orc stands failing against the Elves who lose one to the orcs. You can see Gwindor just about center of photo...

Turn Three: Fingon's army advances while the second and third ranks of the orcs withdraw, second rank, three inches so its archers can fire...

In the archery exchange, 4 orc stands are eliminated while 1 Elven and 1 Man is struck down. During melee, The Elves and Men get 2 more...

...while Gwindors slays his opponent...

Turn Four: Fingon's Army continues their advance...

 The Elven archers have a miserable turn and score no hits, but the Men destroy the last two stands that are in range. In melee, 2 more orc stands go down against no losses for Fingon. There are only two orc stands remaining from their first two ranks! However an orc captain not only stands his ground (center photo)...

...but fights off Mablung, and defeats a Noldor!

Turn Five: Gwindor and his men push on, but the rest of Fingon's forces use part of their move to reorganize and allow their archers catch up.

 An amazing turn for Morgoth's forces...not a single orc is destroyed! But x2 Elves are taken down AND Mablung (bottom of photo)is fought off by the orc captain!!

Turn Six: On the Elven Left Flank, Gwindor (center of photo) continues to charge after the orcs, followed  by his men (although they are falling behind his pace)...

The remainder of the Western Army begins its charge again with some left behind to finish several bands of stubborn orcs...

Mablung rolls three d6s to finish the orc captain...

Turn Seven: As Gwindor continues...

The archers from the Falas clear his way...

On the Right Flank, the Men of Dor-lomin and Brethil begin swinging to their left to link up with the Elves, while Mablung and Beleg (on the left edge) add their swords against one of the remianing orc bands

 Mablung and Beleg finish one of the three orc bands still resisting (although the other two still stand!)...

Turn Eight: The view southward across the whole battlefield with Gwindor at left center, and King Fingon seen in upper right. Yes, there are only five stands of orcs remaining!...

As in the previous turn, the Falas archer downed the orcs immediately to Gwindor's front...

King Fingon (left of center) moves forward, while one of the remaining orc stands finally goes down, leaving one which still stands...

Turn Nine: Nearing the gates of Angband itself, seen in background, Gwindor charges up to an orc stand. 

The Falas archers fail to bring any orcs down, but one of the Nargothrond Elves fall to orc arrows. Gwindor then destroys the orcs to his front...

And finally, the last of the orcs far to the rear of the Elves, is destroyed...

Turn Ten: The orcs try to cut off Gwindor from the entrance to Angband...

while King Fingon (left of center) brings up the rest of the Army (you can just make out the dark outline of Angband top center of photo)...

Elven archers (the Falas contingent on right edge) destroy x2 orc stands before they can reach Gwindor, while the remaining orcs drive back x2 Nargothrond soldiers...

Turn Eleven: Gwindor pushes on while the Elves of Nargothrond and Falas engage the last orc band...

...and the rest of the Western Army closes in on Angband...is this victory?

The Elves fail to destroy the last orc band, simply driving it back...

Turn Twelve: Gwindor draws nigh to the Gate of Angband, while the Elves Nargothrond race to catch up to their Lord...

Fingon and his men fast approaching...

Falas archers strike down one of the orc guards before Gwindor, while others destroy the last orc band!

Turn Thirteen: Gwindor charges the guards as his men continue to race up. and engage one of the orcs..

The remainder of the Western Army...

Success! His Nargothrond men dispatch the guard, and Gwindor destroys the remaining guards!!

Into Angband charges Gwindor and the men from Nargothrond! Victory!!!

(Or is it?