Osgiliath - the building of, Lord of the Rings

 Here is my "how to, in a month" from starting to build to 99% completed. 

In January 2024, a Pal and I organised a large Pelennor Fields battle which took five players at my local club in Wales The Carmarthen Old Guard, based in Five Roads, near Llanelli. 

Link: (1) Carmarthen Old Guard (C.O.G) Wargaming, RPG Tabletop & Board Gaming Club | Facebook

Down the pub after the game, Dan mentioned he had a couple of the Osgiliath buildings and what a great game that would be fighting over the ruins. I said OK. I have some buildings half built, let's do it in February and we got cracking. 

I had made two buildings which I purchased from ebay and another club member kindly donated four more unmade ones. I had a couple of Age of Sigmar ruins and I bought some extra bits from ebay:

Jawar3d | eBay Stores

First Job was wash all the buildings in soapy water, then undercoat an Earth Brown Aerosol, then paint all the woodwork and floors a medium grey. I use emulsion paints when painting scenery, as it is more hard wearing than model paints and does not require varnishing.

 I also dabbed large areas of the grey on the walls, to give depth when dry brushed. here you can see the grey "bleed  through" the white.

After the white dry brush, they all got based on 4mm plastic. 

Next job, PVA (straight) and glue wallpaper (floor slates), super glue any big bricks, used old 20mm plastic bases for pavement slabs (snipped and scored for damage) 

Then PVA 50/50 water mix then on with the builders Sand 

Some of the pieces needed ramparts, so coffee stirrers and some left over plaster bricks were on the agenda, then a coat of watered down Chocolate brown emulsion (avoid painting the wallpaper floors), when dried overnight, dry brushed white & greys.

Then flocked with an Ochre flock and dead vegetation tufts and all ready to go

Game pictures to follow! 

Nazgul- The Ring Wraiths, Lord of the Rings

 

“The Nine” and more. The eight Ring Wraiths with their Captain, The Witch King of Angmar in full garb or as a Wraith. I only have seven mounted at the moment. These are all metal figures, as I refuse to pay for Fail cast (Fine Cast) from GW, as metal is a lot more resilient. Only two of the Wraiths are mentioned by name and that is the Witch King and Kamuhl the Easterling.

My Palette for these fellows is as follows: Undercoat Black aerosol, next is a Purple Wash (Leviathon), then a Dark Grey (Humbrol 106) heavy drybrush, then a thinned down Black (Humbrol Matt 33) dry brushed (thin enough to allow some of the grey to bleed through. 

Next I paint the armour and weapons using Chainmail, then Agrax Earthshade (or any brown wash). I finish with a dry brush of a wood brown (Humbrol 110) and Varnish.

Painting the Army of the Dead- Lord of the Rings

 Here is just a little guide on how I painted the Army of the Dead from GW. The figures themselves are very crisp, not to many mould lines and go together well. 

Once the figures were cleaned in warm soapy water and left to dry overnight,  I used an off white aerosol undercoat (Citadel Wraith Bone), which I warm on a radiator and give a good shake, and you get a good coverage.

I work a bit backwards to others, I grit & paint the base next with the base colour and highlight. This way any of the base colour on the figure can be painted over before the washes go on! This customer anted the bases left just gritted.

The first thing to paint is any metalwork, Weapons, chainmail, armour. I use Chainmail by Foundry 35A 

Next I paint the characters cloaks as they need to stand out in the unit. I leave all the rest of the army white.I use pastel type colours as they seem more "Ghostly"

Next is a Wash by Wargames Foundry Leather/Metals Wash 47B, which is superb for "dulling" armour for that old, used, look. Make sure this is completely dry ( a good 6 hours at least or it will run off the model as the next wash reacts with it!)

Looks shiny below, but I think that is the lighting.

Next is to dirty up the cloaks. They are a few thousand years in the underworld after all. I use Humbrol 110 which their paint wood, but I think it creates a nice dusty effect.

Now I wash the figures with GW Coelia Greenshade, picking up any "pooling" off the figure with the brush.

  

Penultimate stage is the dry brushing. Any white is fine, but I use a number 8 semi- stiff brush. Be careful and brush in one direction, from the head down (this would be where the natural light would hit the figure) and brush along the weapons lengths from the weapon tip back. Also follow the flow of the cloaks. Remember this stage is not highlighting but Ghostifying the figures! 

Before and after the dry brushing.

  

Last process is Varnish, and flock base. As stated customer wanted bases left just gritted. And I am still waiting for the shields from customer.

Here is another unit I painted for someone else.

Repairing (not pre-paring) Rohan for war

 My Rohan army like all my Lord of the Rings project was a slow grow, not the painting, the building of the force. I had collected from Car boots, Jumble sales, Bring and Buys, I had been given a few! 

The one thing they had in common was, "battle worn", these had seen many tabletop battles and the very large majority were broken, missing parts, bases etc. Why would a "renowned" game producer have a horse that mounts to a base by only one leg, is beyond me. Anyway this was why I managed to get these as cheap as I did I suppose.

Now I had my 80 or so figures, it was time to sort and repair, then paint. Super glue, plastic glue and hot glue gun at the ready, I was on a mission.

I repaired them in batches of ten, which allowed the glue to go off as some /most needed multiple repairsto both riders, broken weapons and the horses. 

      I

I would recommend gluing all the LotR Cavalry like this to reinforce the horses feet. 

I even managed to get full sprues which helped

Here are some of the repaired, converted and finished Rohan.

Lord of the Rings using Sword & Spear Fantasy rules

 

Transposing troops in Lord of the Ring/ War of the ring to Sword and Spear is easy enough with any thing in middle earth except Mumaks. Are they Large Beast or Monsters, when they are actually Monstrous Beasts. For the game I made them Large beasts with some Monster traits.

Large Beasts:

• In Combat, the armour of the enemy unit does not count- Powerful attack.
  
• Never gain bonus dice due to Impetus when fighting skirmishers.
  

• Their Discipline is not improved by the presence of a commander.
• When they rout, all nearby friendly mounted take two discipline tests.       
  
  

Traits I took from Monsters:

• They never take Discipline tests.
  
• They suffer a hit when doubled, any other hit is ignored.
  
• They may not recover hits by commanders. Only a Rally/Heal Spell or, if not in contact with an enemy unit, as an action.
  

I also gave them (which you have to add as points) Amoured (thick hide), Thrown Weapons (Harad crew in howda), Impact, Undrilled and Causes Fear. I added the points for a Monster to make it a monstrous beast. They need to be hard to kill, but not impossible. It should total 120 points, I was 3 points out today.

I photocopied the pages that I would need for today's game, and kept them handy.

The game set up:   

Rohan & Level 3 Magic User

    

Easterlings &level 3 and Level 1 Magic Users:

 

As this was a solo game I could not "spoof" myself for scouting, so I rolled all the "unit" dice, which ever side rolled more 1s & 2s, won the scouting. All scouting dice were put to one side as the discard pile and will go back in the bag at the end of the turn 1.

Rohan will use white activation dice.

Easterling will use red activation dice.

Easterlings won scouting, Rohan deployed first.

Deployments

TURN 1:  The Draw of dice. I will show for the first turn, thereafter will refer to Red and white.

At the start of the turn the Magic Users (MU), roll for the Magic Points (MP). each MU rolls a dice and add his level to the dice but cannot go above 6.

Roll dice

Therefore Level 3 MU gets 4 MP for the turn.

Rohan Cavalry Shooting at Mumak

Two Group Moves, both sides

End of phase

Draw. Last dice in bag.

The Rohan Shot at the Harad, the Easterling MU gave the Harad a level 3 protect spell which is an additional 3 dice. Level 3 MU is in first band 4 DU (Distance Units) away and can give up to his level (3) in dice.

Waste of time

The Harad Cav take one discipline test and fail, and take a kill

I did this bit wrong I think.

Then the MU attacked the Rohan at under 8DU away, Which is 1 MP which should have left me with 2 MP to attack with (I used 3)

A non-physical spell- causes Discipline tests, which they failed one, so take a hit!

The Rohan MU Cast a level 3 heal spell, on the unit that took a hit, at a cost of 3MP. Rolls against the units discipline plus kills 4 + 1Kill, rolls 3, 5, 5, so kill is removed

End of turn 1

TURN 2: Draw - 4 Red & 3 White dice

In the Activation stage, the Level 1 MU lobs a level 1 spell, Non-physical spell (Discipline test) (A Level 1 MU can only use Level 1 spell, ie: 1 attack/ defence/ heal dice. Lvl 2 MU, 2 dice and Lvl 3, 3 dice. They can always use a level less, dependent on MP left).

As you can see, he is more than 4 DU but less than 8 DU Away, so this distance over 4 DU costs 1 MP and then 1 MP for the spell (2 MP used from his 5 MP )

The Rohan Discipline is 3, equal or better passes

The Rohan Impact Cavalry get to charge first. Lowest dice (better Discipline), goes first.

Rohan rolled well, The white 4 was a 5 but the armour of the Easterlings reduced it by 1, Still leaving three kills to the Easterlings (Impact Cavalry only have to beat the enemy dice to kill)

The Easterling Cavalry removed, the Rohan pursuit hits the Easterling Hero and a another melee takes place. Yellow dice is a "spare" to match combats.

The Rohan take a Kill.

1st Melee dice against the Mumak. Every dice drew.

2nd Rohan unit charges in, with almost same result.

Phase 2 Draw: 3 Red, 4 White dice.

Rohan Lvl 3 with 6 MP, Zaps the Easterling Lvl 3 MU. Under 8 DU away Lvl 3 Zap spell, 1MP for distance and 3MP for level of spell, leaves him with 2. Easterling defends with 3MP (his Level 3). Yellow dice are their lvls and White and Red dice are their rolls. Rohan doubles Easterling, so the Easterling MU Dissappears in a Puff of smoke!

Activation dice are allocated

A bit of shooting goes on, no real effects.

Harad charge Rohan Cavalry, Melee dice, casing 2 discipline tests, 1 fails, 1 kill. on the unit on the left.

The other Harad Cav charge home and cause 2 kills Blurry pic!

Rohan Royal Charge home. No Casualties caused, in melee, even with impact.

Melee

The Mumak is assisted by a unit of spears charging one of the Rohan cavalry units

Melee

Phase 3 Draw: 2 Red, 4 White dice

Hero Charges Mumak

Hero get 4 dice - 2 Strength, 1 Impetus, 1 other units in contact. Mumak get basic 3 Strength dice as it fought earlier in the turn. Only doubling dice kill the Mumak, one it saves (Armoured), so takes 1 Kill.

In the end phase the General moves over to save adjacent cavalry and the MU uses his last 2 MP to save the kill on the Cavalry unit next to him. Rolls 2 dice (remaining MPs left) and rolls 2 4s, so fails. Discipline 4 plus kill, needed a 5.

Easterling losses

Will now use Melee with additional parts to the historical rules. ie Magic, Monsters, oddities, etc.

TURN 3 Draw: 1 Red, 6 White (numbers are starting to tell 12 to 8 dice in the bag).

Dice allocated, straight to first action.

Rohan Cavalry were hoping to beat the Easterling foot. It was not to be. 2 Discipline test not req to take as the kill removed the Rohan. Also rolled for possible death of Captain, passed ok. All surrounding units tested for routing unit, all passed.

Easterling Spears hit the Minis Tirith bowman in the pursuit, and killed them straight off.

The Rohan Impact Cav vs the Easterling Hero was also not a good outcome for Rohan. Caused a kill on Hero but failed a required Discipline test from melee and routed (Yellow dice).

The pursuit of the Easterling Hero hit the Rohan Hero. Both would roll 2 dice. no results.

Melee with Mumak. The Lvl 1 MU gave the Mumak a melee dice (within 4 DU, so just 1MP used). The Mumak already had one kill (not fresh), so rolled 5 dice with the boost dice. Rohan had a bonus dice (6), but also was not fresh. Rohan take one kill, one Disc (passed)

Phase 2 Draw: 4 Red, 3 White.

Back to the Cavalry bash on the Rohan's left. I would use a Level 2 Boost spell in melee for the Rohan (Costing 2MP)

Yellow dice are the boost dice. You can see how boost dice from MU help in melee. One Disc to Rohan and one kill to Harad.

Phase 3 Draw 1 Red, 1 White. Red go first.

Royal Guard Melee with SW in center causing 1 kill

End of turn 3, situation

TURN 4, Draw : 4 Red, 3 White. Both MU's rolled 1s.

Get straight to that Mumak and Hero's melees

Another Kill to the Mumak, even with the armour adjustment

Heroes battle it out. They each get 2 (Strength) dice and a bonus (for the 6) dice. Forgot to add impetus dice for both. Rolled after pic taken. Still only one kill to Easterling Hero.

Phase 2 Draw : 4 Red, 3 White.

Used MU to boost with a melee dice. (1MP)

Discipline test only

Which all failed!

The other cav melee resulted in a kill to Rohan unit

In the center Rohan Royal Guard and the SW Easterling infantry, both received 1 kill each.

Phase 3 Draw: 2 White

The 2 Dice were used tp activate an impact Cavalry into the Spear unit, which has no impetus dice, so would not get the spear advantage.

Results in 2 kill and 1 kill

Level 3 MU uses his last 2MP to rally the kill on the adjacent unit, needs a 5. Discipline 4 + 1 kill, fails

Easterling MU tries same on the hero and fails

End of Turn 4, situation

TURN 5: Draw 4 Red, 3 White

 

 

Easterling MU sends a boost spell (Dice) to the Hero

Melee result, Rohan Hero takes a kill (Yellow dice is the neutral melee dice)

Rohan Royal Guard take a kill in their melee. 

Mumak Melee. Rohan Cavalry get a bonus melee dice (6), And the Mumak takes another kill and it falls to the ground, dead.

There were no units to take 2 discipline tests (Hero does not take Discipline), Impact Cavalry takes it's pursuit move. 

  

Phase 2 Draws: 2 Red, 5 White.

Melee

   

 

End of turn 5 the Rohan MU rolls a Lvl 3 Heal spell (3 Dice) and heals the kill.

  

Also the Eastlerling all have to take army Discipline test. One unit fails and takes a kill

TURN 6: Draw: Red 3, White 6.

Straight to Melee. Easterling SW Inf. receive a Kill and rout. The spear unit fails the reaction test

   

 

The Rohan MU uses 3 of his 5MP to boost the Melee (did this wrong, cannot have more bouns dice then strength of the unit (not in the historical set). Results in 2 kills to Harad Cav.

Phase 2 Draw: Red 2, White 5

The Bowmen are Melee capable, charge the Harad. The Harad Cav receive a third kill and rout, Breaking the Evil forces army.

END OF THE GAME

 

 

Units lost 

   

Conclusion:

Sword & Spear Fantasy works. I will play out some examples of the extra add ons from the Historical set in the future. 

The Magic is quite confusing. I will play with this a bit more.

The Mumak at 120 points is expensive, but if it attacked a lesser unit, who knows. Once again I will run through some examples with a Mumak to see how the traits works.