Board Game: War of the Ring

Thread: Ivan's Shire Variant

Ivan M — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:50:52 +0000

Guys, I recently posted my own Shire variant at the download section of this forum.
I started to develop this after playing a couple of times Jimziks Starting from the Shire variant.

I like Jimzik’s variant but there are some issues:
1.Imho the FSP need to go to Rivendel cuz it’s there where the Council took place to decide to throw the Ring into Mount Doom.
2.I find it strange that the SP is losing 2 dice as long as the FSP is NOT reaching Rivendel cuz this is something completely in the hands of the FP player. I can imagine an FP player never going to Rivendell and entirely concentrating on the military game. (Remark: I realise that this is a bit fixed in a newer version with also leaving 1 FP die in Rivendell).

Highlights of my own Shire variant:
1.The Hunt for the Ring (during the journey to Rivendell)
2.The Political Game

1.The Hunt for the Ring·
- The Nazgul are guarding the road to Rivendell
- Before Rivendell: Army dice cannot be used to move units still at peace; instead army dice can be converted into Eye dice.
- The typical turn stall tactics against the FSP can also be used to delay the declaration of the FSP in Rivendell.

2.The Political Game·
- All nations start in the top Political Track box.
- Before Rivendell: Muster actions at the Political Track have 50 % chance to fail.
- The rule about the FP getting one extra die if Sauron is at war is giving an incentive for the SP to strike first with Saruman. The same rule is also making it more a trade off for the SP to bring the Witch King asap in the game (in the regular base game this is a no-brainer).

Instead of starting the game in a Middle-Earth that is already on the brink of war, you get a slightly slower buildup. This creates a sense of impending doom - the Shadow slowly rising, as it were - instead of the "one spark will be enough to start the war" feeling you get in the standard game.

A final word, perhaps, on the expansion. We did not play test the Shire Variant in combination with the expansion, as we find the extra rules from the expansion too clumsy. They just lack the elegance and simplicity of the base game. Though some of the better ideas, such as the rules for Galadriel, served as inspiration for our additional rules. These were added after numerous play tests, primarily in order to maintain game balance. Although, and there is no denying it, some thematic elements have slipped in as well. But hey, we are Tolkien fans after all ;-).
Nevertheless, combining the expansion and the Shire Variant should be possible. If you do, we suggest leaving out the additional base game rules that are introduced by the Shire Variant.

If you are interested to try out the variant online, you can always contact me at Ivan.Mostinckx@hotmail.com

Thread: Re: Action Token Variant

MrWeasely — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 05:36:23 +0000

I did indeed read it.

Thread: Re: Killing Companions to Negate Coruption Questions

sharpe1813 — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:12:13 +0000

Good questions, Matt.

Be aware that, if the guide is killed and Merry or Peppin become the new guide, they can be immediately separated to reduce corruption. So, if you draw a "3," knock off Boromir for 2 points, you could save yourself from the third if one of the two hobbits becomes the new guide.

This "clarification" blew me away when I first read it in the FAQ.

Thread: Re: Action Token Variant

sharpe1813 — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:08:15 +0000

Hi Dave.

I doubt that you will read this but . . .

This is a provoking variant that I can't access any more. I fortunately have a hard copy of your notes but someone else may one to get their paws on it. I personally think it well thought out.

In my dream variant the Free starts with 2 action dice (one for the Fellowship and one for the Elves (activated) and the Shadow four (three active nations plus Sauron). The Free adds an action die for each his nations that becomes activated (hear that Witch-King!) and the Shadow player gets a die for each his nations that he takes to war. Thus, this is how he would get his 3 extra (5-7) dice before minions.

The Free player could conceivably get four extra action dice (North, Dwarf, Rohan, and Gondor), which give the Free Player 8 action dice once Gandalf the White and Aragorn appear. Yes, you would need to find an 8th die.

Just dreaming but your variant made me think this one up.

Love to hear your thoughts on this one.

Thread: Re: Should there be less?

sharpe1813 — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 19:54:12 +0000

Question: Are you playing the Expansion or the Basic Game? Your ideas might help in the latter as it is almost universally agreed that the Free Player is in a tough position.

On the other hand, what I've read about the Expansion is that it is more play balanced . . . .

Best.

Thread: Re: Ents Attack question

Desiderata — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 01:41:48 +0000

The Ents kill his ass.

See this thread: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/article/1617455#1617455

Thread: Ents Attack question

ioticus — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:47:12 +0000

If you use an Ents Attack card and there are no armies with Saruman, is Saruman automatically killed or is he safe?

Thread: Re: Hunt Questions

Oni Chikara — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:55:40 +0000

Thank you all for the advice and the answering of the questions it will make it a whole lot more fun in the next play. :)

Thread: Re: Gandalf the WarMonger - Basic Game Version

MrWeasely — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 04:05:03 +0000

Yeah, and the Nurn guys have plans for Gray Havens. Seriously, its their plan.

Thread: Re: Gandalf the WarMonger - Basic Game Version

magic gecko — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:42:47 +0000

"Okay, to distil down your reply a little bit,"

Ah, this doesn't really work.
"Move the fellowship and dont die" is the standard distilation of Free Tactics.

"Mt Gundabad's 6 hits and 4 nazgul made Carrock's sortie a Pyrrhic one."
Just does not sound like Dol Amroth conquering Moria to me.

Mt Gundabad has 7 HP defending it in lots of my games.
This is when the Dwarves are building up in Erid Luin for an Alpha Strike.
Trying to "Distil" this sort of strategy is just not gunna work if you have not played it.
Dol Amroth was planning on taking out Mt Gundabad FROM THE START !

Thread: Re: Reviling the hobbits in a strong hold.

whac3 — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:37:13 +0000

DaviddesJ wrote:
I certainly do revile those nasty hobbits, yes I do.

For once your sarcasm was actually funny.

Thread: Re: Should there be less?

joefling34 — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:51:59 +0000

I always play the FP. So I would love to see the shadow weekend. But one thing to think about is that it may be very difficult for the SP to achieve 10 VP's by the time Frodo makes it to Mount Doom. Unless of course you moved the FSP to the Shire to start out. You could change a million aspects of this game. But I love it the way it is.

Thread: Re: Reviling the hobbits in a strong hold.

Sphere — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:55:10 +0000

jedisilentbob wrote:
Just clarifying Hobbits in Helms deep end of turn 3. Turn 4 they revel themselves lowering corruption. All action die are used for mustering then turn 5 they get reveled again in helms deep healing another corruption.

That's essentially correct, although you should use the term 'declare'. 'Reveal' has a different meaning - it occurs during the Hunt.

Thread: Re: Reviling the hobbits in a strong hold.

jedisilentbob — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:45:01 +0000

Krieghund wrote:
jedisilentbob wrote:
Can you stay in a stronghold/city for multi-able turns and each turn lower the corruption by one?

Yes, but you must declare the Fellowship there each time, resetting the Fellowship Progress Track to zero.

Just clarifying Hobbits in Helms deep end of turn 3. Turn 4 they revel themselves lowering corruption. All action die are used for mustering then turn 5 they get reveled again in helms deep healing another corruption.

Thanks

Thread: Re: Reviling the hobbits in a strong hold.

Krieghund — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:38:26 +0000

jedisilentbob wrote:
Can you stay in a stronghold/city for multi-able turns and each turn lower the corruption by one?

Yes, but you must declare the Fellowship there each time, resetting the Fellowship Progress Track to zero.

jayboy — Mon, 25 May 2009 17:31:21 +0000

My own painting of the fellowship

Image

Paul Contway — Fri, 22 May 2009 23:39:56 +0000

My girlfriend Sarah; moving to surround the Elves.

Kedrigern — Sun, 03 May 2009 15:31:00 +0000

Caption of Middle Earth and reinforcements from observation satellite :-)