Recently, I played a Lord of the Rings SBG scenario recreating the desperate struggle at Pelargir, where the fate of Gondor’s southern fiefs would be decided upon the decks of the Black Ships. What unfolded was a fast, brutal, and wonderfully thematic battle. Note: this is the third battle we played, of a series we started, "the battles of Minas Tirith", so you should check the previous battle, and wait for upcoming content!
Forces of Good
The defenders of Gondor were led by the heir of
Isildur himself, reinforced by the Army of the Dead and the Fellowship’s finest
warriors:
Aragorn, Strider (with Andúril), Legolas, Gimli,
The King of the Dead and Halbarad (Banner of Arwen), 2 Rangers of the
North, 2 Riders of the Dead and 16 Warriors of the Dead.
Forces of Evil
The Corsairs of Umbar arrived aboard two warships,
confident in their numbers and firepower, unaware of what awaited them at the
docks.
Ship One: Dalamyr, Bo’sun, 6
Corsair Arbalesters and 7 Corsair Warriors
Ship Two: Corsair Captain, 5 Corsair Arbalesters
and 7 Corsair Warriors
Reinforcements from Mordor were expected once the
ships docked: Morannon Orc Captain and 22 Morannon Orc Warriors.
Deployment
The Forces of Good split their strength to meet
both ships simultaneously:
Aragorn, Halbarad, the Rangers of the North, Riders
of the Dead, and 7 Warriors of the Dead waited at the docks, poised to assault Ship
One and confront Dalamyr.
The King of the Dead, Legolas, Gimli, and 9 Warriors
of the Dead prepared to strike Ship Two.
The Corsairs remained aboard their ships, arbalests
loaded, ready to cut down anything that dared approach.
In Round 7, once the ships reached the docks, a force
of Morannon Orcs would arrive, forming a shieldwall near the ships to secure
the landing.
The Battle
Round 1: The Charge at the Docks
As the battle began, Aragorn led the charge against
the first ship, while the King of the Dead advanced on the second. Crossbow
bolts flew as the Corsair arbalesters opened fire, cutting down several
Warriors of the Dead — though far fewer than expected.
The Rangers of the North returned fire but failed to
find their mark. Then Legolas loosed his bow, killing two Corsair warriors with
effortless precision, announcing the beginning of the end for the Black Ships.
Rounds 2–5: Blood on the Decks
The fighting quickly descended into vicious,
close-quarters combat.
On Ship One, Aragorn was unstoppable, cutting down
Corsair after Corsair as Andúril flashed through the press. Halbarad remained
at his side, banner held high, ensuring the King of Gondor was never left
unsupported.
Despite their supernatural terror, the Warriors of the
Dead were slowly overwhelmed by the Corsairs’ numbers. In a surprising turn, nearly
half of the Dead aboard Ship One were destroyed, dragged down by sheer weight
of blades and crossbow bolts.
On Ship Two, the battle was more evenly matched —
until the heroes intervened. Gimli stormed aboard from the left, hacking
down two arbalesters in moments. Legolas leapt into the fray, drawing
his elven knives and killing the Corsair Captain outright in a blur of steel.
Throughout the fighting, the Rangers of the North
exchanged fire with the arbalesters, eventually killing two of them and easing
the pressure on the Dead.
Round 6: The Fall of Dalamyr
At last, Dalamyr charged Aragorn, seeking to turn the tide
himself. Halbarad and the Rangers moved to support their king — but
**Aragorn needed no aid. With a single, decisive strike, Andúril cleaved
through Dalamyr’s head, killing him instantly.
With their captain dead, the Corsairs’ resistance crumbled. Heavy losses were suffered on both ships, and on Ship Two, Legolas, Gimli, and the King of the Dead finished off the last remaining Corsairs.
As the ships finally docked at Pelargir, a shieldwall
of Morannon Orcs awaited them. But from the Black Ships did not emerge
Corsairs. Instead came a Man, a Dwarf, and an Elf — followed by the Army
of the Dead. The clash was short and utterly one-sided.
The Warriors of the Dead proved unstoppable, cutting
through the Morannon ranks with terrifying ease. Gimli charged the Morannon Orc
Captain, killing him almost instantly. Aragorn and Halbarad carved through
multiple orcs, while Legolas and the Rangers of the North fired relentlessly
from behind, thinning the back ranks and cutting down any who tried to support
the shieldwall. Within moments, the Morannon force was completely
annihilated.
Aftermath
When the battle ended, Pelargir belonged to
Gondor.
The Corsairs of Umbar were utterly destroyed, their
Black Ships taken and their crews slain. The Morannon reinforcements from
Mordor were wiped out almost to a man, never standing a chance against the Dead
of Dunharrow.
Despite fierce fighting aboard the ships, the Forces
of Good suffered relatively light losses — roughly a quarter of the army — a
small price for such a decisive victory.
A fast, brutal, and incredibly thematic battle — and
without question one of the most cinematic games I’ve played.
