A Cruel Seas Adventure

Some of us have been playing this fun naval rule set for nearly a year now, and I finally recorded one engagement. The Germans (with two E-Boats, and two R-Boats) with their Italian allies (with four MAS Boats) are striking against a British force consisting of a Flower corvette, a Fairmile D, and two MTBs escorting two small freighters and one LARGE Frieghter. The British have to get at least one of the escorted vessels across the board.

The British get the first play and move their MTBs towards the Axis Powers and launch their torpedoes.

After moving all the ships, the torpedoes make their run. We've gone on to allow the torpedoing of shallow vessels but forcing a roll for success. The first 'fish' misses while the second passes under the E-Boat!

But luck runs out for the Germans as the third strikes home...

E-Boats are getting strikes on both MTBs, but not before another 'fish' goes into the water...

One MAS Boat is laying down smoke as her compatriots approach for their own torpedoes attacks...

The remaining E-Boat along with one of the Italians get their first torpedoes into the water...

Two more MAS Boats add their torpedoes to the mix...

After playing her torps one MASMTB Boat attempts to flee, but numerous gun hits end her mission...

But the Brits failed to stop much of the torpedoes attack and now they pay the piper...the E-Boat gets one 'fish' into the Corvette as well as one of the Italians. The situation for first small freighter doesn't look good either with three Italian torpedoes looking like good strikes...

And it isn't good as all three strike home...

Then it gets worse as one of the MTBs goes down under a hail of fire from the R- and E-Boats...

A MAS Boat takes hits, but so does the Fairmile...

Axis torpedoes are heading at the large freighter...

...they are striking home, while more torpedoes are heading for their targets. British gunfire is not wrecking the Axis attack!

The damaged MAS Boat is laying smoke and escaping while disaster strikes the British...

With two freighters lost, the British lose their only hope as the Fairmile goes down from a severe pounding of gunfire...

With no one left to protect her, the last British ship goes down. At the cost of one German E-Boat, the British force was annihilated! This was arguably the worst defeat we've seen playing this game. It also goes w/o saying that large ships don't last long...they are torpedoes magnets! But still we all had a "blast"...even the Brits!

Morgoth Unleashes His Monsters!

Easterners (lower left), Wargs and Wargriders (lower center), yet more orcs, Balrogs with Troll Guard (right center), and finally, dragons (lower right)! Oh my...

The Elven Captain from Falas still holds out, and smites yet more orcs...

Even after losing two of their remaining archers, Fingon, Hurin and the other heroes are more than holding their own...

Looking northward near the Fens, the remaining orcs are be destroyed...

found just to the east of the Elves from Gondolin, the Sons of Feanor are destroying the treacherous men of Ulfang and his sons...

Glaurung (in black) and its brood smash into the the Eastern Army...

Gothmog, Lord of the Balrogs with its Troll Guard, attack King Fingon (upper right)...

The Dragons are smashing through the Dwarfs, Elves and Men!

Gothmog and a Troll (and one lone crazy orc) take on Fingon and his last surviving Guard. The Second Balrog has finished off another Guard...

And then its just Fingon against Gothmog and his entourage...

Morgoth's Wargs are falling to the Sons of Feanor, while Glaurung's brood is taking some hits...

With the men of Ulfang destroyed, but seeing rising casualties (inc some of Maedros' brothers suffering wounds themselves, the Eastern Army is ordered to retreat...

Glorfindel, Beleg, Gablung, Turgon, and Ecthelion have all reached the Fens, following Fingon's order to retreat...

Huor is killed trying to come to Fingon's aid...

And finally, Fingon himself is brought low by Gothmog and a second Balrog...

Azaghal orders his Naugrim to retire after the Sons of Feanor have left he and his men behind!

And so it has come to its end...Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Battle of Unnumbered Tears. Played, literally over several months of meetings, I want to thank my numerous players for recreating this incredible struggle form the Silmarilion. Til another time...

The Eastern Army Finally Arrive!!

The battle having gone on for quite some time, the Sons of Feanor and their army come up from the south, swarming around the Himring stronghold (my very old brick castle I put together decades ago filling in). The Noldor Elves of Maedros and his bothers in the front ranks, supported by their human allies, Bor and Ulfang, along with Naugrim from Belegost, and a small Elvish contingency from Ossiriand.

Back with Fingon and his allies, the orcs still attempt to crush their enemies...

Further on the south side of the battle, Turgon and his forces are linking up with the Easter Army...

Fingon (top-left of center), Hurin and brother Huor (top-center), backed up by Mablung and Beleg, are just about all that is left of the Western Army! Only a few elves and men stand with them...

 The Eastern Army moves forward to attack the Orcish hordes. At the bottom, are the Naugrim of their King, Azaghal; above them, men of Bor (and perhaps if you look very carefully to the lower-left, you can see some greenish banners. There are actually three Polish Winged Hussars I never used back in the 80s, but they looked to neat not to finally bring out to the table); then the Sons of Feanor...

To return to our friends before the gates of Angband, the wounded Captain of Hithlum, and the Green Elf are still laying their enemies low!

Orcs finally break through to reach Mablung (left of center)...

Treachery!! (Surprise!) The Men of Ulfang now attack the rear ranks of the Eastern Army (from the left edge of the photo)...

The Elvish heroes continue to strike their enemies down...

Fingon and two of his remaining bodyguards (left) with Mablung and Beleg backed up by some bowmen from Falas. Hurin, Huor, Ecthelion, Glorfindel and King Turgon, are holding the right flank...

The Naugrim are outflanking what is left of the orcs at the extreme southern edge of the battlefield...

to be continued...

Turgon and Gondolin arrive!

The view of the battlefield looking south towards the Fen of Serech and the forces of Turgon (upper right)

At the northern edge, the few remaining Elves of Falas and the Green Elves, continue their fight...

The two remaining Green Elves are still standing their ground!

With their backs to the mountains and the gate to their homeland, the Elves and Men of Hithlum and For-lomin fight desperately against the oarfish hordes...

This fight continues southward towards the Fen...

The Elves of Gondolin fight their way on either side of the Fen as their attempt to link up with Turgon's brother Fingon...

And still, the two Green Elves still stand, dropping orcs...

The Elvish/Mannish line is barely holding...

The Elves of Gondolin are making their presence felt...

One of the Elves from Falas goes down as his fellows continue their fight...

The orcs are beginning to flank the Elves as well as piercing the center!

Turgon has just about broken trough to his brother (lower left)...

And still, the surrounded Falas' and Green Elves hold on! This has been an incredible feat (at least in a gaming universe)...

With their lines flanked and split, Fingon's men need the assistance of Turgon, Ecthelion, and Glorfindel arriving from the right...

Men of Gondolin are smashing down those orcs...

A wounded Captain from Hithlum (green cap), two Green Elves, and one from Falas prove to be a very tough nut to crack as they down three more orcs...

Hurin (center) and his brother Huor (to the right), are on their own!

Glorfindel reaches Fingon's men (upper left), while a couple of stubborn orcs are surrounded...

to be continued...