[Imladris]

The analogy of your story isn't close enough in similarites to really make a point about Middle-earth. Consider it this way: take for instance, a chess game. You are slowly and steadily being defeated. You have virtually no military left, only your queen (Gandalf or Aragorn) a horse, two pawns etc. (you get the idea) while Sauron has a few queens, all his power pieces, etc. What Aragorn and Gandalf did was pure, simple, strategy. They distracted Sauron while their two little pawns managed to get to the other side of the board. And then, of course, Sauron was checkmated. Strategy, not at all sneaky or cowardly.

I agree with Saucepan Man and Essex.