{"id":9305,"date":"2024-08-03T10:00:43","date_gmt":"2024-08-03T09:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brigademodels.co.uk\/mws\/blog\/?p=9305"},"modified":"2024-07-16T23:05:05","modified_gmt":"2024-07-16T22:05:05","slug":"drums-drums-in-the-deep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brigademodels.co.uk\/mws\/blog\/2024\/08\/03\/drums-drums-in-the-deep\/","title":{"rendered":"Drums… Drums in the Deep"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Pete M describes an underground encounter in Middle-Earth.<\/em><\/p>\n

Background<\/h5>\n

The scenario is based on the encounter at the dwarf king Balin\u2019s tomb, where the nine members of The Fellowship are trapped while making their way through the old underground Dwarven Kingdom known as the \u2018Mines of Moria\u2019, a massive complex of caves, tunnels & chambers, hewn out of the living rock itself!!! Sorry, slipping into Pythonesque \u2018Tim The Enchanter\u2019 mode again there\u2026. Unfortunately, soon after discovering the tomb the party is discovered by the new tenants, namely a shed load of Goblins\/Orcs & orcs, assisted by the odd mountain troll and a very, very grumpy Balrog. The objective is simply to hold-off the hordes until Gandalf secures a means of escape \u2013 to the fateful Bridge at Khazad-Dum\u2026<\/p>\n

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The Game System<\/h5>\n

As with the previous outings (see credits), the home-grown system is partly based on the excellent but now sadly difficult to find Hasbro boardgame \u201cStar Wars Epic Duels\u201d (see links at the end). The key features of this design are that each player controls a small team, with one main character (say, Darth Vader), plus one or two little helpers (Stormtroopers in Vader\u2019s case). Normal movement is fairly standard, although some variability is introduced by means of a die roll. However, the design really scores because teams also get a dedicated pack of cards which are used for both combat and any unique \u2018special abilities\u2019 \u2013 such an elegant, simple way to reflect widely varying attributes, and without resorting to thick books of charts and +\/- tables!<\/p>\n

The use of the dedicated card packs adds so much to the \u2018period flavour\u2019 of the game, hopefully reflecting the different combat options and other unique actions of the various Fellowship, Goblins\/Orcs & the Troll. For example, the Goblins\/Orcs can gain advantage by deliberately sacrificing figures in massed attacks or simply \u2018shoving\u2019 (the \u2018active\u2019 group drags one or more adjacent ones with it); whilst the Fellowship archery and spear-throwing are deadly. And whilst your immediate choice of tactics may be affected by the cards in your hand, like any \u2018real\u2019 historical combat, victory will go to the side which can maximise their peculiar advantages whilst exploiting the weaknesses of the enemy.<\/p>\n

“Mines of Moria” was perfect for a straight adaptation of this team-based, low-figure count approach, with the four main players each handling one main character (Aragorn, Legolas, Boromir or Gimli) plus one Hobbit (Frodo, Sam, Merry or Pippin). As with previous games, having no cards at all left in your hand if confronted by a bunch of Goblins\/Orcs etc could be bad news \u2013 but the Hobbits could also prove useful given their special abilities. And unlike previous games, the action this time is very claustrophobic, taking place within the confines of the tomb chamber. But this this does not mean it is any less intense, as nuanced tactical considerations of blocking, retreating, counter-attacking are just as vital as any big battle.<\/p>\n

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Each turn consists of two phases per player, movement then two actions (Fellowship can do in any order, Bad guys must move then do one action). Normal movement uses a modified die roll to generate movement points, albeit with new variations to account for the slow-moving and incredibly dim but tough Mountain Troll. However some \u2018special moves\u2019 are also possible, such as Hobbits ducking between groups etc! Play alternates in a random manner between one Fellowship then one goblin group, so it can be that not everyone is quite in the right place at the right time\u2026<\/p>\n

But what about Gandalf, I hear you ask? Well, the basis of the scenario is that the four main players must buy time for Big G to work his magic on the (only) exit from the tomb. By placing some of their \u2018special action\u2019 cards in the Gandalf \u2018pot\u2019, at the end of each turn these can be converted (via die-roll) to magical protection points. <\/p>\n

The game ends when either:<\/p>\n