Adventures where the PCs are on the defensive?

[S'mon]

D&D is primarily a game of going places and killing the inhabitants, but I was just thinking about how some of my most memorable gaming experiences were when the tables were turned and the PCs were besieged/attacked themselves. Eg running Lost City of Gaxmoor, the ca 6th level PCs were in an inn attacked by a huge horde of hobgoblins with an uber (for them) commander, and had to hold off the attack while retreating down a secret tunnel; mount a defense at the far end of the tunnel until the hobgoblin dead were piled high, then flee through the ruined city.

Are there any good 4e (or other) adventures like this, where the PCs are defending rather than attacking?

 

[Vegepygmy]

War of the Burning Sky starts off with the PCs trying to escape from a city before an invading army cuts them off.

 

[Cyronax]

The Revenge of the Giants (paragon tier, WotC) has a lot of elements of defense. The party are drafted into the defense of the City of Argent. They sometimes have to undertake quests for knowledge, repel attacks, as well as plan raids all for the express purpose of preventing Chaotic Evil primordials and their giant slaves from breaching the sanctity of Argent (which represents the City of the Gods on the mortal plane).

C.I.D.

 

[Dausuul]

The bulk of the 3.5E adventure "Red Hand of Doom" consists of [sblock]the PCs trying to help a city put together a defense against an invading army of hobgoblins, culminating in a big battle scene where the PCs take part in defending the city.[/sblock] The actual final battle is a bit anticlimactic after that.

And I agree, defending against a siege makes for a hugely memorable climax. The PCs have the benefit of a) a fortified position and b) the enemy being forced to come to them instead of vice versa, which together let them take on much greater numbers of foes than they otherwise could.

 

[Snoweel]

In a defend-the-(blah) game it can be a lot of work managing the PCs' situational awareness. The 'fog of war', so to speak.

Often it's easier handwaving this and just relying on the players not to abuse their player knowledge too much.

 

[Beginning of the End]

The Serpent & The Scepter is part of a badly railroaded mess of an adventure trilogy, but has a usable chunk featuring a dungeon that the PCs first have to enter and then defend (re-purposing the traps and defenses to their own ends).

"The Tomb of Aknar Ratalla", published in Dungeon #119 features the exact same scenario.

In the Belly of the Beast by Mike Mearls is a really excellent mid-level adventure where the PCs end up trapped inside the belly of a demon and have to defend themselves and several competing groups from demonic servitors until they can escape.

Consider putting the defense on the road: I once ran a very successful scenario involving the PCs attempting to defend a caravan of refugees that was under attack from undead goblins. Look to something like Pitch Black for inspiration.

 

[S'mon]

In the Belly of the Beast by Mike Mearls is a really excellent mid-level adventure where the PCs end up trapped inside the belly of a demon and have to defend themselves and several competing groups from demonic servitors until they can escape.

Hmm, I have that one! Worth considering, thanks, although I find many players hate having their PCs trapped like that.

 

[TheNovaLord]

UK 3 The Gauntlet is "capture the castle, then defend the castle"

 

[MarauderX]

B10 Night's Dark Terror begins with a seige on a manor house. The adventure includes a huge map and sheets of counters, as this was pre-mini era. The adventure is still the finest that has been released (IMO of course).

 

[Snoweel]

The adventure is still the finest that has been released (IMO of course).

IMO too. I think B10 single-handedly shaped my DMing style.