TURN FIVE

With the assault in full swing, the Evil force stole the initiative and the Easterlings stormed onto the walls in earnest, pinning all the defenders on either flank in place, while Shagrat fearlessly charged into another cluster of defenders, roaring furiously. Below where Gandalf surveyed the battle, the two Trolls managed to move close enough to batter the gate, whilst the Uruk-hai once more raised the Battering Ram from the ground. As the defenders moved to contain the Easterlings as best they could, Gandalf attempted to cast an Ultimate Sorcerous Blast on the Troll and, with a point of Might used to boost the roll, managed to thrust the brutish creature away from the gate, though its thick hide protected it from damage. The Catapults once more flung their payload at the crew of the Avenger Bolt Thrower, but not a single shot hit home. With many of the defenders now engaged in combat with either Shagrat or the Easterlings, there was little bowfire unleashed upon Mat's forces and the armour of the Evil warriors defended them against the strikes. The Avenger faired better once more, culling a single Morannon Orc from the base of a ladder. Changing tactics, Alessio directed the Trebuchet to fire upon the Mordor Catapult crewed by the Troll. The shot hit home, dealing a massive blow to the war engine and robbing it of half its Batter Points. The Fight phase proved to be favourable for the Evil side once more, with an Easterling Captain using a single point of Might to slay a defender, whilst another spearman of Gondor fell to the sword strike of an Easterling warrior. Though the Mordor Troll failed to damage the gate, Pippin's section of the wall was now in serious trouble, with only a single archer remaining beside the Hobbit, whilst the Easterlings continued to pour onto the walls.

The left rampart falls to the Easterlings

TURN SIX

Priority returned to Alessio this turn, and the defenders now rushed to reinforce the endangered flanks of the defences with Gandalf moving into the tower on his overwhelmed left flank and Beregond leading a sally on the right. As he did so, Shagrat and the Easterlings once more barrelled into the dwindling defenders – though one Easterling Captain was pinned in place by a successful Effortlessly Immobilise from Gandalf – and the fallen Troll stumbled to his feet to join the other. As the Warriors of Minas Tirith began to fire upon their foes once more, one of the Mordor Catapults burst into a shower of matchwood as a second shot from the Trebuchet slammed into it. Once more, the thick armour of the attackers kept them safe from the sporadic bowfire atop the walls, though a single Morannon Orc fell to the Avenger Bolt Thrower as a shot from the remaining Orc Catapult whistled harmlessly overhead. The Mordor Trolls attempted to smash the gate, but failed. On the battlements, the heroic efforts of a total of four defenders managed to fend off Shagrat's attacks and pin his lifeless body to the parapet, but not everything went Alessio's way. On the defenders' far right flank, Beregond's brave counter-attack stumbled and he was hacked to pieces by the skilful Easterling Captain.

TURN SEVEN

With Beregond's death, the Evil force attempted to press home their momentary advantage, and wrested Priority from the forces of Good, the crew of the destroyed Catapult setting out to join the remaining engine. On the defenders' left flank, the Easterling Captain launched himself from the back of the wall with the intention of attacking the Trebuchet crew. He survived the precipitous fall, suffering only a single wound in the process, only to be set upon by a handful of defenders. Abandoning the Battering Ram, the remaining Uruk-hai headed for the ladder so recently carried by Mordor Orcs. As the Easterlings closed with their foes, a single Morannon Orc climbed onto the walls into the spot where Shagrat had fallen. Gandalf attempted to cast another Ultimate Sorcerous Blast on the Easterlings, but failed. The remaining Mordor Catapult took aim at the Avenger's crew once more, but missed. Alessio's shooting was only a little more effective, with both the Avenger and the Trebuchet missing their targets – the forces of Good were redeemed only by a single arrow shot by a Citadel Guardsman which slew an Uruk-hai. As the sound of sword upon sword rang out in the Fight phase, the Easterling Captain on the right flank had to expend a Fate point to stay alive. Elsewhere, Mat's forces, though managing to win their fights, were unable to pierce the armour of their enemies. Similarly, the two Trolls were once more unable to damage the fortress gate. Though there were Easterlings on the walls and Trolls at the gate, the battle was not over yet...

TURN EIGHT

Mat retained Priority this turn and, seeing that things were reaching a crucial moment, Alessio had Pippin call a heroic move, allowing the defenders on the left flank to close with their assailants and, more importantly, giving Gandalf the opportunity to cast another Ultimate Sorcerous Blast. As the roiling tide of energy swept across the battlements, it knocked no less than six Easterlings to the ground – three of them slain in the process. This was a drop in the ocean compared to Mat's remaining forces, however, and soon the defenders were set upon once more at either end of the wall by a tide of vengeful Easterlings. The Shoot phase was brief, with both the Mordor Catapult and the Gondor Trebuchet missing their intended targets and, with all but two archers engaged in combat this turn, no more Orcs or Easterlings fell to arrows – though the Avenger did reduce the ladder held by the Uruk-hai and Mordor Orcs to splinters. Once more the Fight phase favoured the Evil side, for though the Trolls still failed to damage the gate, no less than three defenders were slain by Easterlings, including one of the Trebuchet crew hacked down by an Easterling Captain at the cost of a Might point. In return, four of the defenders finally managed to slay the Morannon Orc who had reached the battlements, hacking him down in the very spot where Shagrat had fallen.

Next: Turns Nine to Twelve
Previous: Turns One to Four