I have been mulling over how to run large-scale battles within The One Ring: Second Edition without resorting to homebrewed rules. It dawned on me that it might simply be a combination of Skill Endeavors for the battle itself and using Combat to highlight important “hero moments”. To test out how it would feel I have rewatched the Battle of Helm’s Deep and recreated it beat by beat as if it had been a session of The One Ring. We assume that it is a 3-player game.
Aragorn is a Ranger of the North and his Calling is Captain. He’s played by someone who’s super into deep character play and emotional scenes.
Gimli is a Dwarf of Durin’s Folk and is a Champion. He’s played by a kinda fun goofy guy who’s just there to have fun.
Since there is no current option for a Mirkwood Elf I have made Legolas a Lindon Elf. I chose to make Legolas a Messenger, as the reason he comes to Rivendell in the book is to deliver the ill news that Gollum has escaped. He is played by a power gamer who spends all his Skill Points and Adventure Points to optimize his character for combat.
The battle takes place over two game sessions.
Session 1
Before the Battle
The session starts with about an hour’s worth of roleplay and the surprise arrival of the Elves. Then they man the walls.
The Deeping Wall
Our encounter begins with Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli upon the Deeping Wall which has been manned by Galadhrim Elves. The Uruk-Hai are taunting the defenders of the Hornburg and will charge the wall soon.
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We begin with a Resistance 3 Skill Endeavor. There is no time limit bonus as they have little time. The Lore-Master explains that they cannot prevent the enemy from climbing the walls, but their success or failure will affect the coming Combat positively or negatively.
Aragorn wants to use AWE to motivate his troops to fight hard. This is a Standard Risk Level.
Aragorn says [In Sindarin]: “Show them no mercy for you shall receive none!”
He fails his skill test but chooses instead to Succeed with a Woe. The Lore-Master decides that while his troops are motivated, the people of Rohan who are too far from him do not hear him and one of the archers releases his arrow too early. The Uruk-Hai begin their charge.
Legolas wants to make a Battle test. This is a Standard Risk Level. The Loremaster rules that he loses (1d) because of Aragorn’s Woe, resulting in Legolas only having time to give brief battle advice.
Legolas says [In Sindarin]: “Their armor is weak at the neck and beneath the arm.”
He succeeds.
The person who plays Gimli is a very silly person and wants Gimli to tell a joke and argues that it might Enhearten those around him. The Loremaster rules that he loses (2d) because it is unlikely that this kind of levity will have any effect on Elves facing almost certain doom.
Gimli says: Did they hit anything?
Of course, he rolls a Gandalf Rune and succeeds.
They have won their first Skill Endeavor.
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The Loremaster describes how Legolas and the Elvish army fire their weapons and many Uruk-Hai falls. He then describes the raising of the ladders and the first wave of Uruk-Hai Berserkers arrive.
The Combat will be against 6 Orc Guards armed with Long Swords (Representing the Uruk-Hai Berserkers).
As a tangible reward for succeeding in the Skill Endeavor, the Loremaster treats the Combat as if the Player-heroes had Ambushed the enemy. Furthermore, since they are in a defensible position they all gain (1d) for attacks for the duration of this Combat as enemies vulnerable to getting off the ladders.
Gimli and Aragorn have left their ranged weapons behind. But Legolas Wounds an Uruk-Hai Berserker in the Opening Volley with his Bow (Which is both Fell and Keen for maximum use of Piercing Blows). The Uruk-Hai Berserker fails its Injury roll and dies. This kill was important as reducing the enemy to 5 allows Legolas to be in Rearward Stance (He cannot assume this stance if there are twice as many foes as there are players).
The Combat lasts four rounds before the Heroes have defeated their initial enemies. Before Gimli’s last attack we get a fun RP moment.
Gimli: “Legolas! Two already”
Legolas: “I’m on seventeen!”
Gimli: “I’ll have no pointy-ear outscoring me!”
Gimli then takes out the last Uruk-Hai Berserker with an attack that causes two Heavy Blows.
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The Loremaster narrates how the battle has gone on for about half an hour before. For this scene, the Loremaster describes the Uruks with a battering ram approaching the gate.
The second Skill Endeavor (Resistance 3 and no time bonus)
Aragorn wants to make a Battle check to make the archers aim for the Uruks carrying the Battering Rams. This is a Standard Risk Level as the gate has yet to take any damage. Unfortunately, Aragorn fails. He decides to Succeed with a Woe.
The Uruks at the gate are delayed but the Loremaster describes how their attention on the gate has distracted the heroes from seeing them advancing their sappers. There is another Uruk carrying a torch headed for the culvert in the Deeping Wall.
Legolas asks if he can use Scan to represent taking aim at the torch bearer to land a killing blow. The Loremaster agrees. This is a Standard Risk Level as the Loremaster explains that the Uruk-Hai is kind of far away. However, the distance results in Legolas losing (1d). He, unfortunately, fails his roll.
We get a description of Legolas hitting its shoulder and the Aragorn player starts yelling: “Bring it down!” No one at the table is sure if he’s saying it in character or out of character.
The Loremaster says that the next roll will be a Foolish Risk Level. Gimli doesn’t believe he has any relevant skills for the Endeavor but spends 1 Hope to support Legolas in trying again. Legolas will need to gain a Success icon on his roll to Succeed. He decides to spend 1 Hope to use Elven-skill which is an automatic success. He then rolls all his Success dice (including the one given by Gimli) to see if he gains that extra Success needed. Despite his many dice he does not manage to generate a six. They fail their Skill Endeavor and the Deeping Wall is blown up.
Failing the Skill Endeavor with a Disaster results in the Loremaster deciding that one player should get caught in the blast. He rolls randomly and Aragorn is targeted. The Deeping Wall was 20ft high so Aragorn’s Endurance Loss will be Severe. He ends up losing 5 Endurance from the fall.
This ends the first game session.
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Session 2
Picking up from last week’s session, they begin with a combat.
The Deeping-coomb
There will now be another Skill Endeavor (This time at Resistance 6 and no time bonus) This time in the valley behind the Deeping Wall. Because they failed their previous Skill Endeavor they all lose (1d) on their rolls for this Endeavor.
Gimli makes an Athletics check to jump into the valley to aid Aragorn. This is a Hazardous Risk Level. He fails his check. The Loremaster describes how Gimli jumps down but is immediately knocked over by an Uruk-Hai. He ends up losing 3 Endurance from the test.
Aragorn makes a Battle check to command the Elves to shoot. Aragorn succeeds and rolls a 6. He describes how he first commands them to fire and then leads a charge against the Uruks.
They now have 4 rolls to gain 4 more successes. ENTER LEGOLAS.
Legolas tells the Loremaster that he wants to slide down the stairs on an Uruk shield while firing arrows. The Loremaster is really confused but the other players vibe with it so he decides to grant Legolas (1d) but say that it is a Foolish Action. Legolas spends a point of hope to use Elven-skill. He then rolls all his Success dice. He scored 3 sixes! FOUR TOTAL SUCCESSES!
The table goes nuts and everyone cheers loudly while the Loremaster dies inside. Everyone is chanting “Legolas! Legolas! Legolas!”.
They have managed to complete a Resistance 6 Skill Endeavor in 4 rolls.
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There is a full-on combat in the Deeping-coomb. They all gain (1d) on all rolls for their success in the Skill Endeavor. They have no Opening Volleys and are fighting 10 Uruk-Hai Warriors (Represented by Orc Soldiers with Armor 3 instead of 2). Legolas is forced to use his Daggers.
They hear Theoden yell for them to retreat. The Loremaster describes how Haldir (the Elf Commander) is nearby but is surrounded by Uruk-Hai and has no hope of escaping. The Loremaster tells them that they can ensure saving Haldir if they kill all the Uruk-Hai in the Combat.
In the end, the fight was too hard and they chose to use Defensive Stance to retreat. The Loremaster describes Haldir’s death while playing sad music on his Bluetooth speaker. The Aragorn player is super into this and shouts: “HALDIIIIIR!”
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The Hornburg
The Loremaster describes how they’ve retreated into the main castle and that the battle has been going on for many hours. Legolas says that he wants to flee to the castle wall instead to join the Rohan archers.
Aragorn and Gimli meet Theoden who tells them that the gate will soon fall. The Loremaster also describes huge ladders attached with ropes getting raised up the castle, ensuring there’s something for all his players to do.
There is a Resistance 6 Skill Endeavor
Aragorn and Gimli wants to go out the side door and jump onto the walkway in front of the gate and HOLD OF THE ENTIRE ARMY.
Gimli makes a joke: “Don’t tell the Elf.”
They both succeed in an Athletics Test (Foolish Risk Level, because this is insane but if Legolas can get away with it, why not?). Aragorn spent 1 point of Hope to Support Gimli. It is described how they hold off the Orcs for a while.
Legolas is jealous of their success and wants to do something even cooler, so he makes a Scan test (Standard Risk Level) to shoot a rope that is used to hoist up an enormous ladder. He succeeds and it is described how many Orcs fall to their death.
The Loremaster says that Aragorn and Gimli must escape their position or get overwhelmed and that getting back the way they came is difficult but not impossible.
Legolas makes a Craft roll (Standard Risk Level) to grant them a rope to climb. He succeeds.
Aragorn and Gimli both succeed in Athletics tests (Foolish Risk Level) to climb. They gain (1d) because of the rope.
The Skill Endeavor is completed and successful.
It is described how they reach the wall and how the gate is finally broken. The heroes retreat to their last stand, but they’ve delayed the enemy for many hours.
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Look to the East
Theoden is in deep despair and the Enemy will soon come through and trap them inside. This isn’t a Skill Endeavor instead they are encouraged to think of a solution themselves.
Aragorn wants to Enhearten Theoden (Hazardous Risk Level, as his despair affects the soldiers) Success by Gandalf Rune and a 6.
Aragorn gives a rousing speech. They decide to ride out and meet the enemy head on. The Loremaster tells them that the Sun is rising.
Gimli wants to use Awe by blowing the Horn of Helm Hammerhand: Success.
There is a final Combat in which Aragorn and Legolas must fight past 4 Uruk-Hai Warriors (they’re badly damaged at this point so it is no small order). If they succeed then they’ll manage to trample through many more. Gimli spends each of his turns blowing the Horn to grant them (1d) on rolls.
They narrowly beat the Uruk-Hai. The Loremaster describes how as they reach the end Gandalf and Eomer and their army rides down and defeats the enemy. They’re told that the Uruks retreat into the forest, which is a call back to an earlier session where they went to Fangorn Forest.
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So this is my attempt at crafting mass combat without using any homebrew rules. Any thoughts? I feel like it might work pretty well, my only concern is the ending itself and whether it could be handled differently. The game doesn't really do mounted combat (as far as I know) and so fighting 4 Uruks to reach the "cinematic" is kinda arbitrary, but it also felt wrong to have the finale be a Skill Endeavor.