SCENARIO 3: TESTING THE DEFENSES

This scenario is an encounter between the garrison of one of the outlying watch towers of the fortress and an advance party of the enemy. The besieging commander has been tempted to probe the fort’s defenses while the defenders are still unprepared. Even if the fortress appears to have no obvious weak points, an initial attack of limited strength will test the mettle of the defenders. Maybe their morale is already low and they will not put up much of a fight. Maybe the gate can be destroyed before the Final Assault. Anything that may result in the capture of the fortress as soon as possible should be attempted by the besieging commander.

The besieged army’s objective is to hold out for as long as possible, inflicting as many casualties as it can. The besieger’s objective is to destroy the gate of the fortress or wipe out the garrison.

Besieging Army
The besieging force consists of 1,000 points chosen from the appropriate Warhammer army list with the following additional restrictions.

  • 1 Commander of the Assault. The commander of the assault can be any hero-level character permitted by the army list. He may be equipped in any way permitted by the army list but he may not be mounted on a monster, flying beast, Chariot, or war machine. He can, though, carry any magic items normally allowed to him and may be a Wizard.
  • You must choose at least the minimum number of Core units (though not flyers or Chariots) and may choose up to the usual maximum of Special units (though not flyers or Chariots). Any unit may include a champion, standard bearer, and/or musician, if normally permitted to do so. Units may also carry magic standards if permitted by the army list.
  • 0-1 War Machine. You may choose a single war machine, be it Core, Special, or Rare.
  • Battering Rams and Log Rams. You may buy any number of battering rams and log rams and give one to any or all of your units.
  • Ladders and Grappling Hooks. You may buy any number of ladders and grappling hooks for any of your units.

Besieged Army
The garrison of the besieged force consists of 500 points chosen from the appropriate Warhammer army list with the following additional restrictions.

  • Captain of the Garrison. The captain of the garrison for the besieged force can be any hero-level character permitted by the army list. He may be equipped in any way permitted by the army list but he may not be mounted on a monster, flying beast, Chariot, or war machine. He can, though, carry any magic items normally allowed to him and may be a Wizard.
  • You must choose at least the minimum number of Core units (though not flyers or Chariots) and may choose up to the usual maximum of Special units (though not flyers or Chariots). Any unit may include a champion, standard bearer, and/or musician, if normally permitted to do so. Units may also carry magic standards if permitted by the army list.
  • Rocks. You may buy rocks for any troops defending the besieged fortress.
  • 0-1 Cauldron of Boiling Oil. You may buy a single cauldron of boiling oil for any one of the units in your force.

The setting for this battle is the fortress itself or an outlying bastion and the immediate surrounding area. Set up the fortress walls and towers as shown on the map below (i.e., two walls, two towers, and the gatehouse wall). The besieging side may then generate up to three terrain features from the appropriate terrain chart in the Warhammer rulebook (pp. 222-228). These features are placed as normal, except that no scenery may be set up within 24" of the castle walls, because the besieged force has created a killing ground around the castle.

The besieged player deploys first within his own Deployment Zone, which is anywhere on the walls, in the castle, or within 8" of it. The besieging player deploys afterwards in his own Deployment Zone, which is anywhere on the table more than 18" from the castle.

The besieged force has the 1st turn.

The scenario lasts for 5 turns. After this time, the besiegers give up. Fearing a sortie from the fortress, they decide to concentrate on making their siege lines complete.

Not Skirmish. Unlike many of the scenarios that precede the Final Assault, Testing the Defenses is NOT a Skirmish scenario and should be played with the regular Warhammer rules.

Siege. This scenario is a siege game. Use all the rules in Appendix Four – Rules of Siege in the Warhammer rulebook (pp. 247-258).

Special Deployment Rules. Only the besieged side may use special deployment rules, such as those for Scouts.

Optional Rules. If both players agree, they may choose from the optional rules for war machines and upgrades listed on pp. 155 and 161 of The General’s Compendium.

If the besiegers either break the fortress gate or wipe out all the defenders, then the game ends in an outright victory for the besiegers. If the gate is still standing at the end of the 5th turn and has any troops left to defend it, then the besieged force is victorious.

If the besiegers are victorious in this scenario, the gates of the fortress will be destroyed before the start of the Final Assault to represent the besiegers’ persistent efforts in gaining access to the fortress.

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