Battle of Willowbottom, Pt 1 - Terrain and Recap

We come at last to the big battle for the Shire - the defense of Willowbottom!
This determines how the campaign continues for our little blog here.
Will saving the Shire allow more resources to flow from the Blue Mountains to Moria... or will the Dwarven supply lines be cut off?

If the Shire falls, the human defense at Bree will be in dire straits as well.
There is much at stake for the allies and much to gain for the forces of evil who have overwhelming numbers everywhere across Middle Earth.
Still, a victory here means an even swifter advance for Sauron.
When enough territories have been seized by his agents, the Dark Lord will unleash the full might of Mordor...

Here is the fateful town of Willowbottom, a town in the south of the Shire.
Longbottom was recently lost and burned by Greenskin raiders, will this town meet the same fate?
There are reports that all towns to the north have been pillaged as well.
A great many civilians throughout the Shire have gathered here for the final defense.
If this battle is lost, many Hobbits will be slain, or worse... enslaved, bound for the mining pits of Mordor.

Here is the western half of Willowbottom.
There are 6 objectives and 4 of them are on this half.
On the south west corner we have Objective 1 in a walled field that secures that flank.
In the center is Objective 2 on a hill that overlooks the surrounding countryside.
Objective 3 is the Willowbottom townhall that has a makeshift barricade defense.
And finally Objective 4 is the crossroads of Willowbottom.

The eastern half of Willowbottom only has 2 objectives.
Objective 5 is the farmhouse.
Objective 6 is the last, but also a special objective.
It is a copse of trees that marks the secret entrance to a path that leads through the Overbourn Marshes that lies to the southeast of Willowbottom.  It leads back to Sarn Ford.



 ~~~

Now lets remind ourselves of the main commanders present for this battle...

Left to Right:  Commander Reinhardt of the Band of the Hawk, Engineer Burlok Damminson, Leader of the Grenadiers

These fellows were on their way to Moria, but found their way blocked by Orcs and ended up fighting alongside Shire defenders at the ill-fated battle of Longbottom.
They have rallied their troops and are ready to fight again!

Left to Right: Leader of the Hasslefree Dwarves, Leader of the Thunderers

More Dwarves who were on their way to Moria.

Left to Right: Lobelia of the Shire Militia, an Elven ranger, Arya of the Sarn Ford Rangers

Lobelia and the Hobbit Militia might be useless in battle, but they have courage to try and defend their homeland.
While there are only a handful of Rangers left in the Shire, Arya is still trying her best to hold it all together and has sent Ravens with appeals for help from the Houses of the North.

Left to Right: Brewmaster Bugman, Baron Hawk of the Reaper Clan, Boromir of Gondor

These Dwarves actually came up north from Moria!
Bugman is on a mission to refill the Beer Cart and also bring other supplies back to the beleagered defenders of Moria.
Along the way they allied with a force of Gondorians led by Boromir.

Left to Right: The Wizard Merlin, Captain Drogo of the Reaper Clan, Wallace of the Highlanders

Merlin was on a mission to the White Towers to save the future, but is now the guiding wizardly force for the allies (since a certain Grey Wizard is nowhere to be found).

Left to Right: Lady Mormont of Bear Island, Tyrus Forel counselor of House Mormont

House Mormont received Arya's request for help and has marched to war along with Lady Mormont herself. 

Left to Right: Frodo Baggins, Legolas Greenleaf


Frodo and friends have just barely escaped from Crickhollow and Buckland itself.
With them they gathered all the Hobbit civilians they could find and have at last come to Willowbottom.
However, there is one thing more important than all these dire and great happenings in the Shire.
But Frodo and Legolas are unsure if they should reveal to the other allied commanders what great burden Frodo carries...  the One Ring!