The Umbar force reaches just out of range of the walls and deploy companies of Raiders with siege ladders at increments along the walls. Behind them are archers, and behind them, are rearguard.
Elites apporach the sallyport stealthily, and begin hacking at hinges with axes
So, I've been told that I have 250 MWE of infantry and 50 MWE siege weapons. That sound right? If so, here's my list:
*The elites find no hinges, only a sturdy wooden door opening inwards.* *Sentries spot the massed army and raise the alarm. Almost all troops move to the walls facing your troops.* *A few soldiers hear the presumed hacking at the sallyport, and several Dwarves move to investigate and prepare for combat.* *As your ladders come in range, the scorpions (operated by the sentries) start sniping the troops carrying said ladders. The mangonels launch various small projectiles at your massed forces.*
The Umbar force reaches just out of range of the walls and deploy companies of Raiders with siege ladders at increments along the walls. Behind them are archers, and behind them, are rearguard.
Elites apporach the sallyport stealthily, and begin hacking at hinges with axes
So, I've been told that I have 250 MWE of infantry and 50 MWE siege weapons. That sound right? If so, here's my list:
*The elites find no hinges, only a sturdy wooden door opening inwards.* *Sentries spot the massed army and raise the alarm. Almost all troops move to the walls facing your troops.* *A few soldiers hear the presumed hacking at the sallyport, and several Dwarves move to investigate and prepare for combat.* *As your ladders come in range, the scorpions (operated by the sentries) start sniping the troops carrying said ladders. The mangonels launch various small projectiles at your massed forces.*
IC: *The Port Rogues (aforementioned elites) use their chemistry kits to make a small explosion where hinges would be.*
*The rain causes trouble for the scorpion and mangonel tensions, causing many projectiles to miss at first. The ladder groups charge the walls. If raiders holding the ladders fall, others take it up.*
*Archers send a hail of arrows over the walls, though the rain affects their accuracy. However, the steel bows of the Narn u'Aru are unaffected, and their deadly accuracy is shown as they snipe scorpion teams, and other exposed units on the battlements.*
*The elites find no hinges, only a sturdy wooden door opening inwards.* *Sentries spot the massed army and raise the alarm. Almost all troops move to the walls facing your troops.* *A few soldiers hear the presumed hacking at the sallyport, and several Dwarves move to investigate and prepare for combat.* *As your ladders come in range, the scorpions (operated by the sentries) start sniping the troops carrying said ladders. The mangonels launch various small projectiles at your massed forces.*
IC: *The Port Rogues (aforementioned elites) use their chemistry kits to make a small explosion where hinges would be.*
*The rain causes trouble for the scorpion and mangonel tensions, causing many projectiles to miss at first. The ladder groups charge the walls. If raiders holding the ladders fall, others take it up.*
*Archers send a hail of arrows over the walls, though the rain affects their accuracy. However, the steel bows of the Narn u'Aru are unaffected, and their deadly accuracy is shown as they snipe scorpion teams, and other exposed units on the battlements.*
For some reason it all is in jammers, so just read it
*The elites find no hinges, only a sturdy wooden door opening inwards.* *Sentries spot the massed army and raise the alarm. Almost all troops move to the walls facing your troops.* *A few soldiers hear the presumed hacking at the sallyport, and several Dwarves move to investigate and prepare for combat.* *As your ladders come in range, the scorpions (operated by the sentries) start sniping the troops carrying said ladders. The mangonels launch various small projectiles at your massed forces.*
IC: *The Port Rogues (aforementioned elites) use their chemistry kits to make a small explosion where hinges would be.*
*The rain causes trouble for the scorpion and mangonel tensions, causing many projectiles to miss at first. The ladder groups charge the walls. If raiders holding the ladders fall, others take it up.*
*Archers send a hail of arrows over the walls, though the rain affects their accuracy. However, the steel bows of the Narn u'Aru are unaffected, and their deadly accuracy is shown as they snipe scorpion teams, and other exposed units on the battlements.*
They're fun. As I have.
I'm assuming that your ships are all out of range.
I hate to tell you this, but explosives are illegal.
*Quickly realizing what they're up against, the scorpion teams relocate as fast as they can into the insides of the towers, and then proceed firing through arrow loops. Having likely lost too much time to slow the ladders much, they switch to firing on the Narn u'Aru.* *Archers also relocate into the walls and the empty loops in the towers, firing from there. They focus fire on the troops that will inevitably be climbing the ladders (firing generally at your troops until then).* *If possible, the mangonels bombard your Narn u'Aru. Otherwise they fire on other troops (specifically the most tightly-packed group by worth).* *The golfers and Dwarves wait at the top of the wall, behind cover (not including the Dwarves at the sallyport).*
IC: *The Port Rogues (aforementioned elites) use their chemistry kits to make a small explosion where hinges would be.*
*The rain causes trouble for the scorpion and mangonel tensions, causing many projectiles to miss at first. The ladder groups charge the walls. If raiders holding the ladders fall, others take it up.*
*Archers send a hail of arrows over the walls, though the rain affects their accuracy. However, the steel bows of the Narn u'Aru are unaffected, and their deadly accuracy is shown as they snipe scorpion teams, and other exposed units on the battlements.*
They're fun. As I have.
I'm assuming that your ships are all out of range.
I hate to tell you this, but explosives are illegal.
*Quickly realizing what they're up against, the scorpion teams relocate as fast as they can into the insides of the towers, and then proceed firing through arrow loops. Having likely lost too much time to slow the ladders much, they switch to firing on the Narn u'Aru.* *Archers also relocate into the walls and the empty loops in the towers, firing from there. They focus fire on the troops that will inevitably be climbing the ladders (firing generally at your troops until then).* *If possible, the mangonels bombard your Narn u'Aru. Otherwise they fire on other troops (specifically the most tightly-packed group by worth).* *The golfers and Dwarves wait at the top of the wall, behind cover (not including the Dwarves at the sallyport).*
Yes, quite. They're in the mouth of the greyflood. MLB also apparently has 1800 other troops somewhere, but They might be on ships or going to tharbad.
Pity.
IC: *The Port Rogues try axes instead. If holes form, mini crossbows are shot through*
*On the advance to the wall, many raiders fall, but once they reach the wall, the arrow loops/slits are not a threat, and 10 ladders are raised in several places. Belegaer Guardsmen are the first up in the ladder rush.*
*Narn u'Aru intermix with the other archers to conceal their locations, and focus their skills to sniping golfers and dwarves near the ladders just before they are raised. Normal archers continue sending volleys.*
I'm assuming that your ships are all out of range.
I hate to tell you this, but explosives are illegal.
*Quickly realizing what they're up against, the scorpion teams relocate as fast as they can into the insides of the towers, and then proceed firing through arrow loops. Having likely lost too much time to slow the ladders much, they switch to firing on the Narn u'Aru.* *Archers also relocate into the walls and the empty loops in the towers, firing from there. They focus fire on the troops that will inevitably be climbing the ladders (firing generally at your troops until then).* *If possible, the mangonels bombard your Narn u'Aru. Otherwise they fire on other troops (specifically the most tightly-packed group by worth).* *The golfers and Dwarves wait at the top of the wall, behind cover (not including the Dwarves at the sallyport).*
Yes, quite. They're in the mouth of the greyflood. MLB also apparently has 1800 other troops somewhere, but They might be on ships or going to tharbad.
Pity.
IC: *The Port Rogues try axes instead. If holes form, mini crossbows are shot through*
*On the advance to the wall, many raiders fall, but once they reach the wall, the arrow loops/slits are not a threat, and 10 ladders are raised in several places. Belegaer Guardsmen are the first up in the ladder rush.*
*Narn u'Aru intermix with the other archers to conceal their locations, and focus their skills to sniping golfers and dwarves near the ladders just before they are raised. Normal archers continue sending volleys.*
I'll wait for him to tell me what I can do with those.
Yeah, I kind of wish I could just blow Mt. Gundabad into the sky.
*Their bolts get stuck in the ground a several yards away.* *The nearby Dwarves wait quietly, out of sight.*
*Your archers either miss or else hit the wall (as the troops on top of the wall are completely behind cover, and I kind of doubt any of your archers can calculate trajectories above forty-five degrees with sufficient accuracy under stormy conditions).* *As the ladders are placed, Dwarves strategically place themselves in front of them (still behind the battlements).* *On the contrary, a number of arrow slits provide at least some view of the adjacent wall. Archers use these slits to fire on the corsairs as they climb their ladders, as do a few scorpions.* *Just before the first corsair climbs over the top of the wall, a "missed" arrow hits the side of the crenelation he's about to climb through. The Dwarf below responds by swinging his sword behind him while standing up and turning around (hitting either the corsair's head or shoulder), and then immediately raising his shield. The other Dwarves position themselves similarly, holding their shields at an angle above them, leaving just a small gap between said shield and the top of the wall to see/strike through. Golfers position themselves on either side of each Dwarf (still behind cover).* *Other ranged units generally fire upon your army.*
Yes, quite. They're in the mouth of the greyflood. MLB also apparently has 1800 other troops somewhere, but They might be on ships or going to tharbad.
Pity.
IC: *The Port Rogues try axes instead. If holes form, mini crossbows are shot through*
*On the advance to the wall, many raiders fall, but once they reach the wall, the arrow loops/slits are not a threat, and 10 ladders are raised in several places. Belegaer Guardsmen are the first up in the ladder rush.*
*Narn u'Aru intermix with the other archers to conceal their locations, and focus their skills to sniping golfers and dwarves near the ladders just before they are raised. Normal archers continue sending volleys.*
I'll wait for him to tell me what I can do with those.
Yeah, I kind of wish I could just blow Mt. Gundabad into the sky.
*Their bolts get stuck in the ground a several yards away.* *The nearby Dwarves wait quietly, out of sight.*
*Your archers either miss or else hit the wall (as the troops on top of the wall are completely behind cover, and I kind of doubt any of your archers can calculate trajectories above forty-five degrees with sufficient accuracy under stormy conditions).* *As the ladders are placed, Dwarves strategically place themselves in front of them (still behind the battlements).* *On the contrary, a number of arrow slits provide at least some view of the adjacent wall. Archers use these slits to fire on the corsairs as they climb their ladders, as do a few scorpions.* *Just before the first corsair climbs over the top of the wall, a "missed" arrow hits the side of the crenelation he's about to climb through. The Dwarf below responds by swinging his sword behind him while standing up and turning around (hitting either the corsair's head or shoulder), and then immediately raising his shield. The other Dwarves position themselves similarly, holding their shields at an angle above them, leaving just a small gap between said shield and the top of the wall to see/strike through. Golfers position themselves on either side of each Dwarf (still behind cover).* *Other ranged units generally fire upon your army.*
*The rogues continue to hack the door away, pleased that they are still unseen ( )*
OOC: I assume the castle is just a rectangle. I guess arrow slits in Turrets and towers could do something, but not all that much.
*The first corsair likely falls. The next Belegaer Guardian leaps on top of the wall with a trust from his large pavise shield, hoping to knock the dwarf off the back side of the wall. He uses his bident to probe for gaps in the dwarf's defenses. This happens above most ladders*
*On the backside of the castle, away from the fighting, grappelling hooks silently find their way into crenels in the battlements.*
*Archers rain arrows into the courtyard, not aiming for anything in particular.*
I'll wait for him to tell me what I can do with those.
Yeah, I kind of wish I could just blow Mt. Gundabad into the sky.
*Their bolts get stuck in the ground a several yards away.* *The nearby Dwarves wait quietly, out of sight.*
*Your archers either miss or else hit the wall (as the troops on top of the wall are completely behind cover, and I kind of doubt any of your archers can calculate trajectories above forty-five degrees with sufficient accuracy under stormy conditions).* *As the ladders are placed, Dwarves strategically place themselves in front of them (still behind the battlements).* *On the contrary, a number of arrow slits provide at least some view of the adjacent wall. Archers use these slits to fire on the corsairs as they climb their ladders, as do a few scorpions.* *Just before the first corsair climbs over the top of the wall, a "missed" arrow hits the side of the crenelation he's about to climb through. The Dwarf below responds by swinging his sword behind him while standing up and turning around (hitting either the corsair's head or shoulder), and then immediately raising his shield. The other Dwarves position themselves similarly, holding their shields at an angle above them, leaving just a small gap between said shield and the top of the wall to see/strike through. Golfers position themselves on either side of each Dwarf (still behind cover).* *Other ranged units generally fire upon your army.*
*The rogues continue to hack the door away, pleased that they are still unseen ( )*
OOC: I assume the castle is just a rectangle. I guess arrow slits in Turrets and towers could do something, but not all that much.
*The first corsair likely falls. The next Belegaer Guardian leaps on top of the wall with a trust from his large pavise shield, hoping to knock the dwarf off the back side of the wall. He uses his bident to probe for gaps in the dwarf's defenses. This happens above most ladders*
*On the backside of the castle, away from the fighting, grappelling hooks silently find their way into crenels in the battlements.*
*Archers rain arrows into the courtyard, not aiming for anything in particular.*
OoC: Same. I'm assuming a square castle with a gatehouse and then a round tower on each corner (slightly jutting out from the walls), with one tower being substantially larger and more heavily fortified to act as the keep. The towers of course have arrow slits all around them, including ones looking along the face of the wall (allowing troops climbing said wall to be fired upon).
*The door starts to give out, as numerous holes are put into it.*
*Archers and scorpions in the walls continue picking off soldiers climbing the ladders, causing them to go tumbling back down, crashing into those climbing below them.* *The corsair's shield hits naught but air, but only serves to throw him off-balance. As he tumbles forwards onto the Dwarf's shield, a golf club hits his head on his way down. The Hobbits then promptly slide the rest of him off the shield and shove him over the back of the wall.*
OoC: Just to clarify, in case you aren't sure, the Dwarves are still sitting pretty low. Really, only the top half of their heads peek above the crenels where your ladders are, and then their shields are held up above their heads at a very steep angle (almost horizontally), so only a small gap is left between them and the upper edge of the crenel. For troops climbing over the wall, the shield is at their feet, and they could realistically walk straight onto it.
*The Hobbit sentries nearby (because only a fool would ignore his flank, even in the heat of a siege) notice the clinks of metal hitting stone and then scraping as the hooks slide into place. After signaling to troops closer to the main front (i.e. hitting the wall right next to someone with a stone), they silently slip over to where the hooks are. After testing tensions and waiting a few moments, they take their knives and slice the ropes.*
*The rogues continue to hack the door away, pleased that they are still unseen ( )*
OOC: I assume the castle is just a rectangle. I guess arrow slits in Turrets and towers could do something, but not all that much.
*The first corsair likely falls. The next Belegaer Guardian leaps on top of the wall with a trust from his large pavise shield, hoping to knock the dwarf off the back side of the wall. He uses his bident to probe for gaps in the dwarf's defenses. This happens above most ladders*
*On the backside of the castle, away from the fighting, grappelling hooks silently find their way into crenels in the battlements.*
*Archers rain arrows into the courtyard, not aiming for anything in particular.*
OoC: Same. I'm assuming a square castle with a gatehouse and then a round tower on each corner (slightly jutting out from the walls), with one tower being substantially larger and more heavily fortified to act as the keep. The towers of course have arrow slits all around them, including ones looking along the face of the wall (allowing troops climbing said wall to be fired upon).
*The door starts to give out, as numerous holes are put into it.*
*Archers and scorpions in the walls continue picking off soldiers climbing the ladders, causing them to go tumbling back down, crashing into those climbing below them.* *The corsair's shield hits naught but air, but only serves to throw him off-balance. As he tumbles forwards onto the Dwarf's shield, a golf club hits his head on his way down. The Hobbits then promptly slide the rest of him off the shield and shove him over the back of the wall.*
OoC: Just to clarify, in case you aren't sure, the Dwarves are still sitting pretty low. Really, only the top half of their heads peek above the crenels where your ladders are, and then their shields are held up above their heads at a very steep angle (almost horizontally), so only a small gap is left between them and the upper edge of the crenel. For troops climbing over the wall, the shield is at their feet, and they could realistically walk straight onto it.
*The Hobbit sentries nearby (because only a fool would ignore his flank, even in the heat of a siege) notice the clinks of metal hitting stone and then scraping as the hooks slide into place. After signaling to troops closer to the main front (i.e. hitting the wall right next to someone with a stone), they silently slip over to where the hooks are. After testing tensions and waiting a few moments, they take their knives and slice the ropes.*
IC: *the sallyport door is thrown open and four Port rogues shoot a volley of bolts through the archway.*
*Few of the arrow slits are in optimal position to hit the climbing corsairs, and none are able to hit the ones on the central ladders. The Guardians actually step onto the dwarf's shields, and spring off of them to either side, coming down on the golfers, shield in front, bident aiming straight for the enemy. This continues until corsairs are able to engage the Dwarves, and overwhelm them with numbers.*
*The first couple rogues on the grappling lines fall, then the next group spread out all along the wall throwing hooks to the walls, much more numerous then they are. This sudden hook rush would cause the defenders to believe a larger attack is coming than they anticipated, and draw men from the front side of the wall in order to combat it. Some rogues hang a few feet from the ground to create false tension.*
*Ranged troops continue firing, but some turn to face the advancing enemies along with the Phazan and the cutthroats.*
OoC: Same. I'm assuming a square castle with a gatehouse and then a round tower on each corner (slightly jutting out from the walls), with one tower being substantially larger and more heavily fortified to act as the keep. The towers of course have arrow slits all around them, including ones looking along the face of the wall (allowing troops climbing said wall to be fired upon).
*The door starts to give out, as numerous holes are put into it.*
*Archers and scorpions in the walls continue picking off soldiers climbing the ladders, causing them to go tumbling back down, crashing into those climbing below them.* *The corsair's shield hits naught but air, but only serves to throw him off-balance. As he tumbles forwards onto the Dwarf's shield, a golf club hits his head on his way down. The Hobbits then promptly slide the rest of him off the shield and shove him over the back of the wall.*
OoC: Just to clarify, in case you aren't sure, the Dwarves are still sitting pretty low. Really, only the top half of their heads peek above the crenels where your ladders are, and then their shields are held up above their heads at a very steep angle (almost horizontally), so only a small gap is left between them and the upper edge of the crenel. For troops climbing over the wall, the shield is at their feet, and they could realistically walk straight onto it.
*The Hobbit sentries nearby (because only a fool would ignore his flank, even in the heat of a siege) notice the clinks of metal hitting stone and then scraping as the hooks slide into place. After signaling to troops closer to the main front (i.e. hitting the wall right next to someone with a stone), they silently slip over to where the hooks are. After testing tensions and waiting a few moments, they take their knives and slice the ropes.*
IC: *the sallyport door is thrown open and four Port rogues shoot a volley of bolts through the archway.*
*Few of the arrow slits are in optimal position to hit the climbing corsairs, and none are able to hit the ones on the central ladders. The Guardians actually step onto the dwarf's shields, and spring off of them to either side, coming down on the golfers, shield in front, bident aiming straight for the enemy. This continues until corsairs are able to engage the Dwarves, and overwhelm them with numbers.*
*The first couple rogues on the grappling lines fall, then the next group spread out all along the wall throwing hooks to the walls, much more numerous then they are. This sudden hook rush would cause the defenders to believe a larger attack is coming than they anticipated, and draw men from the front side of the wall in order to combat it. Some rogues hang a few feet from the ground to create false tension.*
*Ranged troops continue firing, but some turn to face the advancing enemies along with the Phazan and the cutthroats.*
*They again hit naught but air and the ground.*
*Those ranged units properly positioned, though, keep a steady fire on the outer ladders.* *As more corsairs climb to the tops of the ladders, the Dwarves thrust their swords through the small gaps in the shields, stabbing the pirates on the last few rungs.* *The guardians who make it over the wall overestimate the Dwarves' torsional strength. Those who do not step far enough onto the shield drop straight to the floor of the wall while the shield rotates forwards and the top slams into the corsair' head or upper-body. The unexpected drop and rather poor landing stuns them long enough for the Hobbits to thoroughly club them before they get dumped over the back of the wall. Those who step too far onto the shield (or those who step just right, as the Dwarf tips the shield back) also find the ground to be not-so-solid as they slip forwards and tumble over the back of the wall (with the help of the Dwarf and Hobbits if necessary) for a not-so-comfortable landing.*
*As the hooks start flying up, the Hobbits quickly move to address them. Any hooks not found under tension are flicked over the back of the wall, while those that are tight are quickly cut (the hooks themselves are of course left at the top of the wall).* *A few archers from the main front move to the rear, but not enough to significantly effect the forward defense. These troops keep their bows at ready to fire at anyone who climbs over the back wall as they move, and then assist the Hobbits in dealing with hooks once they arrive.*
*Ranged units continue attack.*
*The main force moves towards your main army. Bree guardsmen make up the front line, while the Dwarves, archers, and Dunedain lay behind them.* *A small detachment of cavalry moves towards the back of the castle, while the rest harass your main army. The ranged cavalry dart back and forth, firing arrows at your troops.*
IC: *the sallyport door is thrown open and four Port rogues shoot a volley of bolts through the archway.*
*Few of the arrow slits are in optimal position to hit the climbing corsairs, and none are able to hit the ones on the central ladders. The Guardians actually step onto the dwarf's shields, and spring off of them to either side, coming down on the golfers, shield in front, bident aiming straight for the enemy. This continues until corsairs are able to engage the Dwarves, and overwhelm them with numbers.*
*The first couple rogues on the grappling lines fall, then the next group spread out all along the wall throwing hooks to the walls, much more numerous then they are. This sudden hook rush would cause the defenders to believe a larger attack is coming than they anticipated, and draw men from the front side of the wall in order to combat it. Some rogues hang a few feet from the ground to create false tension.*
*Ranged troops continue firing, but some turn to face the advancing enemies along with the Phazan and the cutthroats.*
*They again hit naught but air and the ground.*
*Those ranged units properly positioned, though, keep a steady fire on the outer ladders.* *As more corsairs climb to the tops of the ladders, the Dwarves thrust their swords through the small gaps in the shields, stabbing the pirates on the last few rungs.* *The guardians who make it over the wall overestimate the Dwarves' torsional strength. Those who do not step far enough onto the shield drop straight to the floor of the wall while the shield rotates forwards and the top slams into the corsair' head or upper-body. The unexpected drop and rather poor landing stuns them long enough for the Hobbits to thoroughly club them before they get dumped over the back of the wall. Those who step too far onto the shield (or those who step just right, as the Dwarf tips the shield back) also find the ground to be not-so-solid as they slip forwards and tumble over the back of the wall (with the help of the Dwarf and Hobbits if necessary) for a not-so-comfortable landing.*
*As the hooks start flying up, the Hobbits quickly move to address them. Any hooks not found under tension are flicked over the back of the wall, while those that are tight are quickly cut (the hooks themselves are of course left at the top of the wall).* *A few archers from the main front move to the rear, but not enough to significantly effect the forward defense. These troops keep their bows at ready to fire at anyone who climbs over the back wall as they move, and then assist the Hobbits in dealing with hooks once they arrive.*
*Ranged units continue attack.*
*The main force moves towards your main army. Bree guardsmen make up the front line, while the Dwarves, archers, and Dunedain lay behind them.* *A small detachment of cavalry moves towards the back of the castle, while the rest harass your main army. The ranged cavalry dart back and forth, firing arrows at your troops.*
*The Rogues enter slowly, lighting a few torches.*
*The corsair's shields prevent attacks from dwarven sword thrusts. The Corsairs landing on the shields would instead push the dwarf backwards in the blunt falling on their shields, and even if the corsairs fell to the ground, they'd use their large shields to protect themselves from clubs until they can rise and give battle with their bidents. Using this method of kicking down on the shields as they come over the ladders, the corsair shock troops quickly begin winning the battlements. Wall defenders are forced back into clusters, and slain.*
*With only 250 MWE defending the fort, even a few units drastically alters the defense structure in the front of the fort. Rogues shoot minicrossbow bolts at defenders peering over the battlements and through crenels.*
*The skilled Phazan form as shieldwall with pikes sticking through. They are seasoned warriors who begin shouting blood curdling battle cried at the approaching breemen, who become apprehensive to take on the regimented formation. The rain makes the enemy even more terrifying*
*Once they are in range, Narn u'Aru and archers fire upon the guardsmen and advancing troops.*
*Those ranged units properly positioned, though, keep a steady fire on the outer ladders.* *As more corsairs climb to the tops of the ladders, the Dwarves thrust their swords through the small gaps in the shields, stabbing the pirates on the last few rungs.* *The guardians who make it over the wall overestimate the Dwarves' torsional strength. Those who do not step far enough onto the shield drop straight to the floor of the wall while the shield rotates forwards and the top slams into the corsair' head or upper-body. The unexpected drop and rather poor landing stuns them long enough for the Hobbits to thoroughly club them before they get dumped over the back of the wall. Those who step too far onto the shield (or those who step just right, as the Dwarf tips the shield back) also find the ground to be not-so-solid as they slip forwards and tumble over the back of the wall (with the help of the Dwarf and Hobbits if necessary) for a not-so-comfortable landing.*
*As the hooks start flying up, the Hobbits quickly move to address them. Any hooks not found under tension are flicked over the back of the wall, while those that are tight are quickly cut (the hooks themselves are of course left at the top of the wall).* *A few archers from the main front move to the rear, but not enough to significantly effect the forward defense. These troops keep their bows at ready to fire at anyone who climbs over the back wall as they move, and then assist the Hobbits in dealing with hooks once they arrive.*
*Ranged units continue attack.*
*The main force moves towards your main army. Bree guardsmen make up the front line, while the Dwarves, archers, and Dunedain lay behind them.* *A small detachment of cavalry moves towards the back of the castle, while the rest harass your main army. The ranged cavalry dart back and forth, firing arrows at your troops.*
*The Rogues enter slowly, lighting a few torches.*
*The corsair's shields prevent attacks from dwarven sword thrusts. The Corsairs landing on the shields would instead push the dwarf backwards in the blunt falling on their shields, and even if the corsairs fell to the ground, they'd use their large shields to protect themselves from clubs until they can rise and give battle with their bidents. Using this method of kicking down on the shields as they come over the ladders, the corsair shock troops quickly begin winning the battlements. Wall defenders are forced back into clusters, and slain.*
*With only 250 MWE defending the fort, even a few units drastically alters the defense structure in the front of the fort. Rogues shoot minicrossbow bolts at defenders peering over the battlements and through crenels.*
*The skilled Phazan form as shieldwall with pikes sticking through. They are seasoned warriors who begin shouting blood curdling battle cried at the approaching breemen, who become apprehensive to take on the regimented formation. The rain makes the enemy even more terrifying*
*Once they are in range, Narn u'Aru and archers fire upon the guardsmen and advancing troops.*
*After the first few rogues walk through, the Dwarves make their move. The first two rogues go down with throwing axes in their backs, and the others are attacked from both sides by about half a dozen Dwarves who were laying against the wall on either side of the sallyport.* *The torches quickly cause everyone in the fort to become aware of the rogues' exact location. A handful of archers from the courtyard fire at the rogues from a short distance away (too far to immediately engaged, but close enough that they can avoid shooting the Dwarves).*
*Several of the corsairs find climbing while holding a shield in front of them to be less than ideal. As they get to the top and use one of their hands to hold the shield, they're forced to completely let go of the ladder at times with their other hand too. The Dwarves take advantage of this and use their swords to give a little push on the corsairs' shields, causing them to go tumbling backwards down the ladder.* *In those instances where a corsair does reach the top successfully, the Dwarves' kneeling stance keeps their bodies steady, though their shields are much less so due to being held up by naught but the Dwarves' arms. However the corsairs kick the shields, very little of the energy is transferred to the Dwarf's body, and the readily-tilting shield means that the corsair finds little substance to push off of. Those that kick to far ahead continue to get dumped off the back of the wall by their own momentum, while the others continue to find themselves landing poorly (often ending up on their side on the ground), with little space to maneuver between a shield and the wall while being attacked from both sides (head and foot) by Hobbits using either clubs or knives, as most appropriate.*
*As the only change is a few archers less firing volleys at your general force, the effect is minimal.* *Knowing that they enemy has some very skilled archers, troops do everything they can to avoid exposing themselves. By the time the mini-crossbows' bolts reach the top of the wall, they pose little real threat to the arms sticking out to cut the grappling hook ropes.*
*The cavalry moving around the back of the castle spot your rogues at the foot of the walls and at the sallyport. The hunstmen open fire on them.* *The cavalry at the main front continue to dash around, firing arrows.* *While the Bree men are at first wary of engaging, the presence of the Dwarves quickly reassures them, and they press forwards. The guardsmen hold their shields up at an angle, deflecting most of the arrows. They and the Dwarves approach your Phazan.* *The archers stay back, spreading out and firing volleys at your archers.*
*The Rogues enter slowly, lighting a few torches.*
*The corsair's shields prevent attacks from dwarven sword thrusts. The Corsairs landing on the shields would instead push the dwarf backwards in the blunt falling on their shields, and even if the corsairs fell to the ground, they'd use their large shields to protect themselves from clubs until they can rise and give battle with their bidents. Using this method of kicking down on the shields as they come over the ladders, the corsair shock troops quickly begin winning the battlements. Wall defenders are forced back into clusters, and slain.*
*With only 250 MWE defending the fort, even a few units drastically alters the defense structure in the front of the fort. Rogues shoot minicrossbow bolts at defenders peering over the battlements and through crenels.*
*The skilled Phazan form as shieldwall with pikes sticking through. They are seasoned warriors who begin shouting blood curdling battle cried at the approaching breemen, who become apprehensive to take on the regimented formation. The rain makes the enemy even more terrifying*
*Once they are in range, Narn u'Aru and archers fire upon the guardsmen and advancing troops.*
*After the first few rogues walk through, the Dwarves make their move. The first two rogues go down with throwing axes in their backs, and the others are attacked from both sides by about half a dozen Dwarves who were laying against the wall on either side of the sallyport.* *The torches quickly cause everyone in the fort to become aware of the rogues' exact location. A handful of archers from the courtyard fire at the rogues from a short distance away (too far to immediately engaged, but close enough that they can avoid shooting the Dwarves).*
*Several of the corsairs find climbing while holding a shield in front of them to be less than ideal. As they get to the top and use one of their hands to hold the shield, they're forced to completely let go of the ladder at times with their other hand too. The Dwarves take advantage of this and use their swords to give a little push on the corsairs' shields, causing them to go tumbling backwards down the ladder.* *In those instances where a corsair does reach the top successfully, the Dwarves' kneeling stance keeps their bodies steady, though their shields are much less so due to being held up by naught but the Dwarves' arms. However the corsairs kick the shields, very little of the energy is transferred to the Dwarf's body, and the readily-tilting shield means that the corsair finds little substance to push off of. Those that kick to far ahead continue to get dumped off the back of the wall by their own momentum, while the others continue to find themselves landing poorly (often ending up on their side on the ground), with little space to maneuver between a shield and the wall while being attacked from both sides (head and foot) by Hobbits using either clubs or knives, as most appropriate.*
*As the only change is a few archers less firing volleys at your general force, the effect is minimal.* *Knowing that they enemy has some very skilled archers, troops do everything they can to avoid exposing themselves. By the time the mini-crossbows' bolts reach the top of the wall, they pose little real threat to the arms sticking out to cut the grappling hook ropes.*
*The cavalry moving around the back of the castle spot your rogues at the foot of the walls and at the sallyport. The hunstmen open fire on them.* *The cavalry at the main front continue to dash around, firing arrows.* *While the Bree men are at first wary of engaging, the presence of the Dwarves quickly reassures them, and they press forwards. The guardsmen hold their shields up at an angle, deflecting most of the arrows. They and the Dwarves approach your Phazan.* *The archers stay back, spreading out and firing volleys at your archers.*
*The 5 MWE Port Rogues specialize in close quarters combat, and dispatch the enemy dwarves in mere seconds using a wide variety of knives and mini crossbows. Now within the wall, they storm the arrow loops, slaying archers and scorpion teams, and commandeering their equipment. A few men stand at the sally port exit behind cover to make the hobbits think they have the enemy pinned down.*
*Climbing a ladder with a shield is no feat, and has been done on many historical occasions. The Crenels are about three feet high, the merlons six. The average dwarf is about 4 feet or so. In a crouched position, closer to three. So the crenels and dwarven shields would be level. If the corsairs simply stepped on the side of the shield nearest the battlement, the shield would tilt, the corsair would easily leap to the ground, and would shield bash the dwarf off the backside of the wall, and still have his bident or axe to defend himself from clubs. The corsairs behind the lead would hook and stab hobbits with their long bidents, keeping them at bay. Once the dwarf is dispatched, the others would hop onto the wall, storming it absolutely.*
OOC: Perhaps it's that you don't understand what I'm doing, because there is next to zero way that these swarthy dwarves could withstand this assault.
IC: *The rogues who are not yet within the fort cast their hoods and cloaks about themselves and vanish into the dark and wet night.*
*As these dwarves are just the Swarthy Dwarves bereft of nobility or stature (I know, I made the bree troop list), their presence means nothing to the men of bree, who think themselves even grander. The Phazan phalanx and shieldwall begins a slight march forward. The Cutthroats behind them let out huge and angry shouts (They are skilled at that) making the phalanx seem even larger in the dark of night. The Bree Guardsmen simply will not advance further, and their formations are sloppy. Arrows shred the guardsmen, as they do not have shields (Again, I designed them )*
OOC: Now that I check the A&U page, the dwarves themselves don't have shields either, which would render the business on the wall null. I'm not going to press on that, as without shields I would have already stormed the keep. So how about we just agree that the move I just made works for the walls, and the dwarves can keep the shields.
