Rivendell vs Helm's Guard in Hold Ground at 600 points.

Sorry it's been so long readers! Busy season of life- part of which included a total game room overhaul, which I'll post about in a separate post! But today you're here for a hot n' fresh battle report between Helm's Guard and Rivendell. We have forgone the veto system, and instead entrust the cubic fates to dictate our mission... except in today's case where we immediately rolled "Heirlooms of Ages Past" and both groaned. So, we moved down the chart one to Hold Ground.

The lists: 

Andrew's Rivendell + Galadriel list

My Helm's Guard with hunters list

Lists generated with Tabletop Admiral.

I "won" initial priority, having Helm and one of the huntsmen arrive. The other Hunstman (the Huntswoman) rolled a 2 and spent 1 might to turn it into a 1.

For Andrew, Elrond and the boys showed up in the middle while Galadriel also rolled a 1 and thus would be arriving late!

Helm n' the boys. I am rusty and completely forgot to set Helm up for his free point of might march next turn. Gotta shake out the cobwebs! editor's note- I am even rustier than I thought! Helm doesn't even have March; why on earth did I think he did?? Too much Battletech lately I suppose.

The board at the bottom of 1.

The thundering hooves of Rivendell cavalry!

Andrew wins priority on turn 2 and Galadriel runs on from the edge. My huntswoman and her warband harass Galadriel and score a cheeky wound!

In the center, the forces close. Andrew puts a bit of a hurt on me in shooting... but on the subseqeunt turn I continue harassing Galadriel- stripping all of her fate and scoring another wound! Galadriel is now left on one wound...

But Elrond seizes the initiative with a rockin' Wrath of the Bruinen, eliminating all of my horsies.

At this point Andrew has taken zero casualties while I am 11 dead. It seems like a bit of a foregone conclusion, but Helm has a chance to go nuts and catch us up. 

With most of Andrew's cavalry gone, my great hope is Helm!

We manage to trap Elrond and put 4 wounds on him.. he passes 2 of his fate rolls and is left, like Galadriel, with one wound!

It's gonna be an uphill fight for me as I cross the broken line. If the game can go on, Helm has a good chance, but it's looking grim.

We do, however, finish off Elrond, freeing Helm up to do his thing.

Unfortunately, Helm really does not do his thing. In fact, I don't think he scores any further kills the whole game...

Galadriel gets into the fray.

The game goes on for 2 or 3 more rapid turns, but Helm whiffs every single fight...

And so, the game comes to a close! Andrew has exactly double the scoring troops for 5 points. Further, he has broken be without being broken for another 3 points. (I was ONE kill away!)

I score my 2 VPs for killing Elrond, making the final score an 8-2 victory for Rivendell!

Closing Thoughts: This was a fun game, even if it felt a bit like a foregone conclusion... all of my throwing spears? MUCH less useful with Galadriel. Helm being amazing?? Fight 5 and elven blades makes that a lot less tasty. STILL, there were a few moments that felt like the game could swing my way, and honestly had Helm gone off even a bit the game might have swung my way. REALLY dig Galadriel, Lady of Light paired with Elrond.