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BUILDING A LOTR TOURNAMENT ARMY, PART 1 – DEVELOPING A THEME

By Frank Brown and Brent Sinclair

Almost as soon as the Chicago GT was points per round. So as you can see, over, the two of us – the “Ring"ers – unlike some other tournaments, at began discussing our plans for the 2009 Adepticon, where LOTR enthusiasts run Adepticon LOTR Team Tournament. So the tournament, theme matters! when Jamie Welling asked us to put a series of articles together, we agreed. So what is a theme? The first thing to We normally like to keep our plans close remember is that tossing a bunch of to the vest, but the chance to share our figures into a list that’s legal in terms of preparations with our fellow gamers was Legions of Middle Earth doesn’t mean intriguing and being able to hopefully you have a well-themed list. Instead, an build excitement for Adepticon was an army theme for LOTR should be a opportunity we couldn't pass. In a few concept that is derived from the books short articles leading up to the 2009 or the movies, or something that takes tournament, we’ll discuss our process of material and builds on it on a “what if” building our army for the event, build basis. Keep in mind the books go far some enthusiasm, and hopefully give beyond the stories of The Lord of the other players some useful thoughts as Rings trilogy or The – the well. appendices, , The Book of , and The History of BUILDING FROM A THEME Middle Earth all can provide ideas for armies. The extended versions of the This first article in the series discusses movies also expand army theme army building at the very beginning opportunities. stage. The first step in building a good LOTR tournament army is to develop an Ultimately, a good theme should include army concept, or theme. At the 2008 heroes and soldiers who fought together GW tournaments, theme counts as 1 in Tolkien’s world, or might have done point on the scoring checklist, whereas so. A theme can be something fairly at Adepticon LOTR players rate each basic, like a field army with other on army composition as a cavalry and infantry. Or it can be separate category. In 2008, it was something that recreates a specific worth 5 points per round. The better the story. An example of a story-telling theme, the more you scored towards theme is Jamie Welling’s 2007 Chicago overall placement. In 2009 composition, GT army. Using a Minas Tirith list, he which includes theme, will be worth 3 recreated a army during the Stewardship of Ecthelion II, father of mirrored those used in the overall II, when served invasion of Gondor from . So incognito as Thorongil. Jamie’s army instead of an army designed around a was a wonderful reflection of a couple specific battle, our armies will be short accounts given in the appendices designed around the invasion of Gondor to . That theme – the “Siege of Gondor” as Tolkien then allowed Jamie to convert figures for describes it. his army to represent the heroes. While the movies provide a great visual In 2007, the "Ring"ers decided to go reference, they don't tell whole story. with a Pelennor Fields theme, so that According to Tolkien, here’s what Brent could include Eowyn with his new happened during the Siege of Gondor. Rohan army. That year, the tournament Not one, but two huge armies assaulted required each team to bring an evil and Gondor from Mordor. (This doesn’t a good army, so Frank built a Mordor list include, of course, the armies of for Pelennor Fields to complement and Umbar that attacked in the south). Brent's Rohirrim. In 2008, we did First, as reflected in the books and something a little more specific. We movies, a large force marched from decided to build the Gondor army that Minas Morgul to assault Osgiliath and defended Minas Tirith during the Siege then press towards Minas Tirith from of Gondor. More specifically, our army due east. In “The Stairs of Cirith Ungol” was based on Pippin’s journey through chapter of , Frodo, Sam the city in the chapter “Minas Tirith” in and watched that army march The Return of the King. Every individual out: hero and troop type in our army was encountered by Pippin in one day as he Across the narrow valley . . . the walked through the city from the Citadel walls of the evil city stood, and its past the Fountain Court to the main gate cavernous gate, shaped like an open to watch the fiefdom troops arrive. mouth with gleaming teeth, was gaping wide. And out of the gate an army The Siege of Gondor came. All that host was clad in sable, dark as the night . . . Frodo could see The "Ring"ers return to the Battle for them, small black figures in rank upon Gondor this year, but this time it’s from rank, marching swiftly and silently, the other side. We’ll launch an army passing outwards in an endless stream. worthy of Mordor on our opponents. So now that our main faction has been In the movies, this dramatic scene is decided, it’s time to build a more specific near the beginning of The Return of the theme. Mordor and its allies fought King. Who can forget the terrifying Gondor in several battles during the War explosion of light and sound from the of the Ring. However, since we had tower at Minas Morgul, and the built Siege of Minas Tirith and Pelennor accompanying screech of the Witch- Fields armies the last two years, we King as his huge, malevolent army burst wanted to do something different. We out of the doors of the castle heading decided to build Mordor armies that towards the ruined city of Osgiliath?

The Invasion of Gondor, March 9-15, T.A. 3019

However, this army wasn't the full extent Osgiliath is defended. Let us not forget of the Army of . As described in the danger on our left. The Rohirrim the books another army – probably even may come, and they may not. But larger than the Morgul host – marched has told us of great strength from Mordor through the Black Gate. drawing ever to the Black Gate. More We’ll call it the Morannon Host. As will than one host may issue from it, and be seen from the book passages below, strike for more than one passage. “ this army was as important a part of the invasion of Gondor as the army from This assessment turned out to be Minas Morgul. Without this army, the accurate when the Mordor armies hit “Siege of Gondor” as Tolkien described both Osgiliath and Cair Andros and then it would not have occurred. Covering assaulted the perimeter defensive walls, more ground than the Morgul host, it the Rammas Echor. advised had two specific responsibilities as part Denethor after the battles started in of the invasion. “The Siege of Gondor”:

In fact, Gondor had anticipated that “The Rammas is breached far Mordor would use a two-pronged attack. and wide, and soon the host of Morgul As Prince Imrahil said in the pre-battle will enter in at many points . . . fugitives strategy sessions in “The Siege of from Cair Andros have already reached Gondor”: us. The isle has fallen. Another army is come from the Black Gate, crossing “And what of Cair Andros?” said from the north-east.” the Prince. “That, too, must be held, if In addition to encircling Minas Tirith from “We look out from hills. We climb the north, the Morannon Host also big mountain and look down. Stone-city moved into Anorien to cut off Rohan’s is shut. Fire burns there outside; now passage to the city. As Captain Ingold inside too. You wish to come there? reported when he and his men fled into Then you must be quick. But gorgun the city after defending the perimeter and men out of far-away . . . sit on walls around the northern road into horse-road. Very many, more than Anorien and to Rohan: Horse-men.”

“There is no news of the So these two Mordor armies, attacking Rohirrim,” he said. “Rohan will not Gondor from different points to surround come now. Or if they come, it will not and cut off Minas Tirith, and then storm avail us. The new host we had tidings it, will provide the theme for our “Siege of has come first, from over the River by of Gondor” armies. One of us will way of Andros, it is said . . . They hold command the Host of Minas Morgul, the the northern road; and many have other the Host of the Morannon. passed on into Anorien. The Rohirrim cannot come.“ In our next article, we will continue our research as we look into the makeup of When Rohan did come, it was blocked these armies in order to build lists for by the army of Mordor in Anorien. In them. Until then fellow gamers, dig out “The Ride of the Rohirrim”, Ghan-buri- your books, blow the dust off your DVDs Ghan warned Théoden that the and find a theme suitable for the Morannon Host had blocked the grandness that is the Adepticon LOTR approaches to Gondor: Team Tournament!

A portion of Frank’s Mordor army from the 2008 Adeptus Arizona LOTR GT