In the far north of Middle Earth from the old Fortress of Cairn Dum Orc’s pour into the Borderlands, the small hamlet of Weisterham had barely time to get the children to safety when the raiding party struck.

As is the way of things in these opening rounds the forces of man are heavily outnumbered and face off against an attack force twice their number. The scenario was a village raid with the human forces having to defend the main house from the orc war party.

The local militia grabbed their shield, spear and bow and packed together in a tight formation, they knew their shield wall would protect them as long as they kept in formation.

From out of the early morning mist Orc skirmishers appear, loosing arrows into the dense formation. The sneaky Orc commander had already infiltrated the barn and out house before the militia had time to get into position.

The Orc main force was huge in number the Orc commander going for mass, groups of angry Urak- hai, ranks of archers and crossbow and packs of Warg hounds snarling and snapping and ready for blood.

The Warg riders were fast and flanked the main warband looking for an opening.

The massed Rohan archers darkened the skies but the arrow shower was not as effective as he had hoped. The old gods were not with the men of Rohan today.

On the left flank the village militia had managed to rush to protect the farm house the Warg riders charged in but were repulsed having been unable to penetrate the closely packed shields, but frustratingly no casualties merely shock. Perhaps the best chance to break the Orc force morale was gone.

Before the militia were able to draw breath berserkers rushed from the massed warrior ranks, clattering into the militia sheltering behind their oak shields. They held the line but were unable to drive back the fanatics who were desperate to break the human line and reach the defenders.

More warg riders skirted the main battle finding a path through the bog, the Rohan commander could do little to stop this flanking move as the Orc’s were closing across the enter front.

Rushing troops from the centre he had to watch as his militia who were holding their own against the fanatics were attacked in the rear, the inexperienced warriors fled in panic, they were ridden down.

The Weisterham militia their force morale broken fled the table…. The route to the shires was open.

A great game with a touch of the Battle of Thermopylae about it, the shield wall gave the orcs some real trouble, cavalry into close order infantry is not a good idea. But the mobility and sheer numbers of mounted units made it difficult for the human defenders. You really need to watch your flanks in Infamy Infamy…

One more game to go in this round…. although I suspect it may not be until December due to flaming Covid…..