The forces of Isengard may not have broken Helm's Deep, but they still hold the important strategic passing of the Fords. As the White Wizard reorganizes his legions along the riverbank, King Theoden's riders strike forth to rid their lands of the hated enemy...

The Story Up To Now

War has been raging across the western plains of the lands of Rohan for some time now, starting with the Second Battle of the Fords and escalating into the Siege of Helm's Deep.

Having fallen to a shower of bow fire during the siege, Saruman's hatred of the Eored and their meager existence has only increased ten-fold. The ceaseless industry of Orthanc had produced a frightening array of siege equipment that the Uruk hordes put to deadly use, but even as the banner of the White Hand waved from the walls of the Hornburg, victory slipped from his grasp. The late arriving riders of King Theoden and his allies - Radagast the Golden & the Three Hunters - crashed into the forces of evil, who could not reorganize their lines quick enough to deliver the crushing blow.

Now the White Wizard gathers his forces, anticipating the predictable, brutish minds of man would endeavor King Theoden to sally forth from the keep and attempt to expel the forces of Isengard for good.

Armies Involved

Forces of Good

Grimbold's valiant garrison, having fallen at the Fords and retreated back into Helm's Deep, has been thoroughly decimated, losing the majority of it's foot troops, King's Huntsman, and dead-eyed captain Elfhelm. They band together with the survivors of the Garrison of the Hornburg, prepared to march forward and avenge the losses they have already endured.

The shattered foot troops of Rohan have but one light to follow in the dark days that have come to pass - the fair golden locks of their King. His forces timely arrival outside Helm's Deep saved the lives of his overwhelmed forces, but are they enough to deliver the follow-up punch needed for the knockout?

Binding themselves to the fate of Rohan, Radagast the Golden, Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas ride forward to crush Saruman's forces, and possibly, bring him back to some semblance of sanity. Radagast's arrival at Helm's Deep came after Saruman's defeat, but now he will need to contend with the threat of the great Istarii leader face to face.

Forces of Evil

Mauhur's Marauders and the Army of Dunland were the first to step foot in the lands of Rohan, and are not eager to leave it. After crushing Grimbold's force at the river previously, they are hoping for another victory to come quickly.

Saruman's Legion of Isengard delivered pain and death to the doorstep of the vaunted fortress of Helm Hammerhand, but saw their fortunes reversed by the late charge of the horselords. The Deeping Wall was won at the cost of many Uruk lives, and the hordes are eager to extract a final revenge.

The Scenario

The Third Battle of the Fords of Isen is being contended on a very similar battlefield to the 2nd, with the river cutting across the center of the board and a ford as the only form of safe passage to the other side. The battle is fought using the To The Death! scenario, with an added objective of maintaining a higher number of models on the actual ford when the game ends.

The forces of Isengard, having strategic control of this area, began the battle deployed anywhere along the ford or their half of the board. The forces of good would begin within 12" of the southern board edge, riding out from Helm's Deep to the ford.

The Battle

After Action Report

Final Result:

Saruman's forces were pushed to the brink, but managed to maintain their foothold on the Ford, repelling the Rohan counter-attack. Maintaining the majority of troops on the Ford and breaking the Rohan forces was enough to secure victory over the men of the Westfold, who are forced to retreat back to Helm's Deep at a heavy cost.

The armies of Isengard faced some of their heaviest casualties yet, as the Rohan shooting and combat prowess of Rohan's fiercest captains and the Three Hunters depleted the evil forces.

Hero Attrition

Big thank you to Chris W. (@thecatemperor) for many of the photos!

As the clatter of shields and swords rang out over the plains of Man, the same horrid song of war could be heard in the streets of Bree to the west. This was no echo, however, conflict had come to this sleepy town on the edge of the Shire. Reports of ghastly spirits, orcs, and trolls have roused the nearby Hobbits, who send their roughest and rowdiest to secure Bree's pubs and pints....