Dragon Rampant: Uruk-hai flee the battle, Fornost knights are wiped out

Both leaders seem to have ended up on the southern side of the battlefield, where Duke Earald is slowly bringing his heavy foot along a lane, and Talion is basically waiting for him. Most of the action was on the opposite side of the field this time.

Eriador militia rally

The Battered Eriador militia managed to rally while to their right the Cardolan light cavalry emerged from the woods. They again used the Skirmish order to advance into the open and shoot some more arrows at the armoured orcs in front of them. They inflicted some more losses, forcing the orcs to take a morale check, which they failed.

Orcs falling back under hail of arrows

The orcs were now down to under half strength. Under the rules they HAD to try to rally at the start of their turn, and they rolled a snake eyes. This was enough for them to rout from the field. This was good news for the army of Fornost, which had their elimination as a 2 VP victory condition. It was a blow to Talion, as it left him with just two units of unreliable Gundabad orcs and some unsettled wargs.

The wargs were still on the field, but they were classified as battered too, and while they did not rout, one of their number did slink off. For the time being they remain battered and unable to do anything else than gradually retreat in the face of the enemy. The wind seems to have been taken out of their sails.

Wargs effecting a 'tactical withdrawal'

The Angmar army now started its fight back. First off, the orcs on the north side started shooting arrows at the Cardolan cavalry and drove them back, emptying one saddle. The horsemen were forced back into the trees and are now battered themselves.

Cardolan riders get driven back by the orcs' shooting

The knights of Fornost had moved forward towards Talion and his orcs. Talion tried to cast power bolt against them, but failed to activate the spell, ending the evil turn. The knights were now in close proximity to the sorcerer and his orc bodyguard and decided to charge. Big mistake as it turned out - the dice went against them and the orcs managed to wipe them out in the melee. There were three of them against 11 orcs and they only managed to kill one.

Last charge of the knights of Fornost

The rangers have crept forward through the trees, but ultimately the battle still hangs in the balance. It won't be long, however, before we see some form of resolution.