Orcs of the Misty Mountains AAR - 25 Chapters - COMPLETED

[Dude with the Food]

I never doubted you. I just slowly forgot then didn't care.

[Flinn]

ahh man, finally

a very funny chapter, now let us see how you'll manage to eat up those horse riders from Rohan

[Antonidas]

Note: after recording the first battle, I re-read the first few chapters of the AAR and noticed how I use many more screenshots now than I did before. I enjoyed reading the first few chapters more than I did reading some more recent ones. I decided to cut back on the screenshots some, hopefully you'll notice the change after the first battle. Let me know if it changes anything for ya.




Chapter 19

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Isengard is nearly finished. They skulk in the forests to the west and in the mountains to the south, and they hide in their fortress. Soon, we will have our vengeance. Lord Shagdush begins the journey back to Duneard, where for once there are no armies of Isengard wandering around. In the east High Chieftain Lagrat lays siege to Limlight Fort. The only notable Isengard army is around there, so he'll probably be attacked soon. We're expecting it.



Oh, right on cue!


This is exactly what we want. Once High Chieftain Lagrat defeats this attacking army the garrison of Limlight Fort will also be weakened, making its conquest far easier. All we have to do is win this battle.


Battle for Limlight Fort

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The battle is a messy affair, due to the enemy having a very odd strategy of sending their units in piecemeal. The battle becomes very spread out.



Our balrogs are looking very lethal today, bless them. Anyway, the troops form up in a big V formation. Hopefully if we surround the enemy, they'll rout fast so we can turn around to face the reinforcements.



the enemy marches towards us while our wargs circle around them



The enemy general turns around just in time to see his special surprise gift! Warg teeth!



Their troops are so few they can't even engage my entire line.



Some orc archers enjoy the company of our balrogs.



The enemy reinforcements appear as the first army does.... something. I'm not really sure.



I expect the Isengard medical examiners are becoming really good at identifying warg teeth marks as cause of death.



The general's death sends his troops into a rout, but not for long. They annoy our troops for the rest of the battle, while the larger enemy force stops us from wiping them out.



One last stubborn unit is quickly destroyed.



Another enemy general is killed. It turns out the first one to die was named Shagdush.



We turn around in time to meet the larger enemy force, while our first enemy routs and returns constantly...



Our balrogs continue to enjoy flexing their ancient power.



Some more troops engage alone and unsupported.



Here you can see an overview of the battle. The force off to the right is the bulk of our enemy's army. They're acting strangely.



But finally some more troops deploy to fight us.



We give up chasing some snaga archers and instead charge a lone enemy unit from behind, freeing up our left flank.



The enemy uses half their brains for once and charge some of our units from behind with their wargs. Unfortunately for the wargs, our troops are quite unoccupied and happy to engage the enemy once they turn around.



Here you can see how messy the battle is.



Our wargs pick on a poor lonely unit of snaga stalkers.



Our right flank is in danger of failing, until our wargs save the day yet again with a charge from the back.



Many enemies rout, freeing up our troops to destroy the few remaining.



Our wargs eat another general.



Every enemy unit routs, but we continue the battle.



Victory is ours with not too many casualties, either!

And we completely wiped out the garrison, so Limlight Fort is now ours!


With Limlight Fort taken, the next target is Fangorn. However, we'll have to wait for a little while for troops to be sent to garrison our new wooden castle before we go burn down the forest. Meanwhile, more armies march towards Duneard.



Where do they all come from?!? Seriously?


Isengard takes back Gineard, which we never wanted to keep to begin with. Little Isengard armies cower and run around everywhere. The garrison for Limlight Fort finally arrives, so Chieftain Lagrat begins the march to Fangorn. Our scout, wandering around the plains, confirms that Rohan now owns only one territory.



A lonely High-Elf settlement surrounded by Isengard. Just what they deserve!


2 armies of Isengard march north up the road from Isengard. They seem intent on taking Duneard, which Lord Shagdush can't allow. He attacks the first army before they can assemble together.



Their 400-man group has veteran Uruk-Hai infantry, but their larger force is comprised mostly of snaga troops and raiders.


Battle South of Duneard

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The battlefield is a hilly area covered in snow. The 400 enemy soldiers retreat behind a relatively steep hill in order to regroup with their much larger ally force. We form up on near the bottom of the hill, where the ground evens out. We know the enemy will come to us. They never seem able to keep still. Maybe our wargs circling them has something to do with it.



You can see the first line of the enemy army cresting the hill. Our troops grit their teeth and hold formation while they're shot at.


Our plan seems to work until the catapults start firing. A new plan is hastily made. Charge!




Our quick charge results in a very bloody battle on the hillside.


Lord Shagdush enters the fray himself, hacking many Uruk-Hai and snaga to pieces with his curved blade. Our wargs make their entrance, very hungry after marching through the snow.



The enemy general is nearly surrounded by our wargs.



Meanwhile the infantry fight is one of the bloodiest of the invasion. Lord Shagdush fights along with the rest of the troops in the freezing snow, on a rugged hillside, covered in armor. Arrows fly menacingly above.


Fortunately for our infantry, the enemy general is soon eaten by the wargs (they're becoming quite picky, getting quite a taste for the flesh of leaders and generals) and most of the enemy routs.



There's one in every army.... just die, damn you!


The captain of the 400-man group dies (not eaten by wargs, actually) and everyone routs.



The second enemy army is halved, while the smaller one is utterly destroyed. We take light casualties, fortunate that the enemy general was killed so early.

Why must they always do this when one of our large armies has just departed for conquest? A force is sent from Moria to save the castle. Chieftain Lagrat marches on.


The one ring is found in Dale. We could probably regain our favor with Sauron if we presented it to him, but it's much too far away, and the last thing Chieftain Lagrat would want to do is help the stupid eyeball. The second encroaching army in Dunland is sent away by Lord Shagdush, with light casualties.



You'd think that they would learn, but no. Thousands of Uruk-Hai and snaga have died in Dunland!


The leader and heir to Isengard are spotted west of Dunland. A close eye is put on them. If we were to kill them both in swift action, providing there were no other family members, Isengard would be finished. A diplomat of ours attempts to gain peace with Mordor, offering our entire treasury, but they stubbornly refuse. Imbeciles.



The besieging army steps back for a little bit, almost as if to let us enter the settlement. How nice of them?




Fangorn's garrison is quickly crushed and the village taken. Chieftain Lagrat moves on, to our ultimate goal. Isengard!


Lord Shagdush starts to march towards Isengard, in order to meet up with the primary invasion force, but he is stopped several times by annoying Isengard armies.



Go away, we're busy invading your lands.


Duneard is besieged by an army of Isengard, but a rescue army is hastily formed from the garrisons of the 2 other settlements in Dunland. Chieftain Lagrat sheds his title of "The Honest" for the new title of "The Tyrant." I think the new one is more fitting.



Have you no shame about all the troops you've sent to die here in Dunland?


After both Chieftain Lagrat and Lord Shagdush fought through many puny armies trying to stop them, the day soon came when both armies arrived at the gates of Isengard. Chieftain Lagrat and Lord Shagdush told the troops from the other's army about their exploits to loud laughter and applause at the most gruesome moments. But in the backs of their minds they knew a hard battle lay ahead of them. The troops steeled themselves for a bloody battle. Orc commanders could be seen discussing strategy and tactics. Chieftain Lagrat marched to the front of the army and prepared to begin the epic battle.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

There's...no...garrison...


Works for me.

[Flinn]

great chapter, just don't forget to update the title of the tread too!!

Isengard without Garrison??? that looks weird

[Dude with the Food]

Isengard was emptied. Do your balrogs happen to have grown leaves?

[Antonidas]

well, i had my 2 armies in front of isengard. The garrison marched out and attacked, but they weren't even that powerful so I autoresolved and destroyed them. And that left Isengard defenseless

anyway, after my long absence I hope to actively write this thing to the finish. I've decided not to go with the in-game victory conditions (they say to kill the dwarves, and honestly, they've been the NICEST to me) and so I'll probably write 1 or 2 chapters every weekend (school days have homework and other ugly stuff like that ) until I reach the finish I have now planned out.

And then I'll have succesfully finished a TATW aar, and my ego shall boost accordingly!

[Antonidas]

Standardized testing, which means no homework to busy me tonight or tomorrow night!

Chapter 20

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

When High Chieftain Lagrat first marched through the gates of Isengard, something rarely seen happened. His face split into a huge smile, rather ugly on his scarred face. The citadel was set up with everything we would ever need! Barracks, warg stables, blacksmiths, food stores, everything. The only thing left to build would be a troll cage, seeing as Isengard never used them. Best of all, we now have a Palantir!



You're not so special now, are you, you stupid flaming eyeball!


The fortress will no doubt prove extremely useful in the southern end of the empire. As for the northern end, well, their time is coming soon. Chieftain Lagrat's army is bolstered by the best troops of Lord Shagdush's force. Less desirable troops are switched back to Lord Shagdush. While Chieftain Lagrat marches north to enact our vengeance upon the Orcs of Gundabad, Lord Shagdush and the Balrog will remain in Isengard in order to defend it against desperate Uruk-hai. The army that relieved Duneard from its previous siege will remain there and protect it. A new army is also created from the garrisons of Stump, Ratlag, and Moria. It will defend the southeast part of the Empire. Now Chieftain Lagrat and Zagbug (commander of the Northern defense army) can assault Gundabad without worry of the empire being left undefended.
Unfortunately, Fangorn is taken back by Isengard. It would be nice to have, but it would require a great deal of effort for little gain. Fangorn is only a village after all. Our diplomat deals with Gondor, and offers them peace for our entire treasury. They accept.



These men aren't all that bad you know. At least they realize what a loser Sauron is.


For a while, not much happens. Chieftain Lagrat slowly marches North. scouts keep watch on the border with Isengard, where there is some activity, but no real action yet. New scouts are trained in the north, to keep tabs on the Orcs of Gundabad while we prepare for their doom. Burztown finally upgrades from a village to a town. High Chieftain Lagrat just finishes hiring some Rhudar cavalry mercenaries when he hears the news.





Oh Sauron.


If you could only begin to understand how much I hate you.


Chieftain Lagrat sighs and gives the command of his army to another general by the name of Gazmog. He trusts the defense of Moria to nobody but himself, so he and his bodyguard turn south towards Moria, which has begun preparation for its defense. New troops are trained as other forces arrive from Stump, Ratlag, and Rhud. The northern invasion will continue, as we can't allow Sauron to see he can weaken us.
As every single evil faction joins the invasion (Rhun held back last time, but not this time, blast them!) Gozmag finally reaches the starting point of the northern invasion. The plan is something like this:





In phase 1, the invasion armies march northeast and take Framsburg (to be renamed of course). The river is not crossed, that will happen with the eventual invasion of Mirkwood. In Phase 2, we march northwest into the mountains and take Gundabad. Their capital will be lost and our revenge will be complete. For the last invasion anyway. In phase 3 the armies march back into our stretch of the mountains. Zagbug will stay and guard our new territories, and Gazmog will march South to help with the defense of Moria.
Speaking of Moria, it is time for the Morian Wars to begin once again (the first attack by us, again). Naglur, in Limlight Fort, sees the faction leader of Isengard standing around with an invading army. He proceeds to attack.





9th Battle for Moria

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The battle is relatively hill-less. For once the enemy makes a stand and fights us without retreating to the slightest raise in altitude. Already the enemy are becoming more determined to destroy me.



A light fog blankets the battlefield, setting everyone on edge.


The enemy spends time reforming while we adjust our wargs to move to the left flank instead of the right. Their wargs outnumber ours for once, but we can still damage them. Our troops march forward, and break into a run as the enemy archers stand their ground and begin to fire. We stop just short of the enemy, goading them into action. They take the bait completely, and charge into our spears.



Good, good, now impale yourselves!


Our wargs burst through the trees on the left flank, hoping to take the enemy wargs by surprise and gain the advantage. We manage to charge an isolated unit, but then their second and third warg units charge us in the back, sealing the fate of our two units.



Trolls crash into the enemy on the right flank.


Although their defeat is certain, our wargs fight for a long time, drawing out the cavalry battle until our clear advantage in infantry can begin to take effect.







Already the enemy infantry are spread thin, and our right flank wraps around like a fish-hook.



The middle is a more even battle. Jagged gray-coated goblins push against dark-black Uruk-hai.


With both sides wargs damaged into uselessness, it falls to a long and difficult infantry brawl. Our right flank pushes closer and closer to the middle of the fight, stopped for a long time by the Uruk-hai king's personal bodyguard.



That rotten eyeball has got them all brainwashed into fighting to the last orc!


We wear them down, but not without casualties. The first battle of the Second Morian War is costly. Hopefully this isn't a sign of future battles, because Sauron's forces can certainly win a war of attrition. Finally their king is killed and victory is ours, at a huge cost of manpower.

As the northern invasion force begins the siege of Framsburg, yet another invasion army strays too close to one of our armies. This time under the command of the balrog.



They may be small compared to us, but every invading force destroyed is one Chieftain Lagrat doesn't have to fight.


10th Battle for Moria

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Our armies face eachother from 2 opposing hills, in between which is a slight depression. We march our troops forward into the center of the low ground and send our wargs around the right flank. We intend to force the enemy to get off their hill and attack us.



Lightning cracks down when we begin to march. An omen? good or bad?


At first they're reluctant to leave their hill, but a good warg charge into the backs of some snaga sends them into a rage soon eough. They charge, and we counter-charge.



The balrog strikes a pose while burning the Uruk-hai around him to crisps. Meat's back on the menu...


Our wargs charge the enemy ballista, and our archers all fire at the enemy general. Seeing their chance, the wargs switch their target to the enemy general and slam into his bodyguard just as he joins the infantry fight, meaning we rout all the troops around him too. Our wargs give chase and the enemy general is left to our halberds.



They prove capable enough.



the sedond battle of the invasion goes much better than the first. If the enemy try and use the back entrance to Moria like last time, they'll continue to walk right past Isengard...

Victory in the south is followed by victory in the north, as the lightly defended Framsburg is taken by our forces with barely noticeable casualties.




Phase 1 complete in record time!



Then the new king of the Uruk-Hai wanders too close to his old home, as I predicted.

[Antonidas]

was almost done writing the chapter on the forum when i accidentally pressed the exit button...

uuughhhhh

[Flinn]

that's bad man

[LuckyPistol]

Keep these up dude, they are just what I need to cheer me up after a depressing day

[Uriyaca]

Great job on those chapters! and I hate it when that happens (when you write something for half an hour and it deletes it )

[Antonidas]

ok we seem to have a problem. Whenever I try to run medieval 2 or any of its mods, i get an error message:


"This application is not compatible with your installed operating system, please upgrade to Windows 2000, Windows 98se or better."


And it was working just last week. I've had this problem before but I forget how I solved it. I don't want to reinstall because that would ruin the AAR save. Anyone have any solutions?

[LuckyPistol]

Uh, I would ask this in the technical help forum which you can find here: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forum...Technical-Help

[Dude with the Food]

Copy-paste the save file somewhere like desktop. Then reinstall everything. If it still doesn't work then upgrade like it says, install then move the save file back into the game. That's the best I can come up with but it doesn't explain why this is happening.

[Antonidas]

i made 2 backups and uninstalled everything. Now when I try and install medieval 2 again it gives me the same error. It shouldn't need to upgrade, because this is a windows 8 laptop, and it worked for months up until now. Fortunately I have a desktop which i can hopefully switch the save to. It'll be faster then reinstalling everything too, because I only need to get MOS. Cross your fingers it works.

[Antonidas]

crisis averted, the switch to another computer worked!After a small heart attack when i somehow sent myself a much older save, of right before our second attack on Lothlorien, I found the right save file and it works perfectly!

[Dude with the Food]

crisis averted, the switch to another computer worked!After a small heart attack when i somehow sent myself a much older save, of right before our second attack on Lothlorien, I found the right save file and it works perfectly!

That's lucky becuase what I said was off the top of my head with no idea if it would work or not.

[LuckyPistol]

Wooohoooo on to battle!

[Aragon150]

Show Sauron who's Boss and Kill those elves

[AqD]

Great AAR!