Robert Wesley
Nepal Aberdeen Washington
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Here's that with the LINK included "Sauron Errata" while also being shown here in duplication JUST in case of whatever:
Sauron errata
Compiled by a much younger William Sariego :-)
It is amazing the things one turns up while looking for something else! This errata would have been gathered around 1978 or 1979 at the latest. Guess that shows how often I’veplayed this game since being in high school. Quality control and editing was horrid and play balance not much better, so it was quickly shelved. But with the resurgence of interest of all things Tolkien these days, I offer this errata to those who may have this moldie-oldie sitting in their folio games cabinet.
ERRATA
(4.3) Terrain Effects Chart
Type Movement Cost Combat Effect
Rough 1 additional MP. Add one to defender Cavalry may not enter armor rating
(8.37) Rally Table
Leader Rating Dice Roll needed to Rally
9 3-11 10 3-12
(13.1) Sauron Initial Forces
Gogol begins in hex 1324
(13.2) Westernesse/Alliance Initial Forces
There are three set up hexes listed for the two Pike units (B-1-Y). Delete the repeated 1404. Stacking is not allowed.
The Swordsmen unit (B-3-W) begins in 1402
Changes Isildur’s set up to 1908
(14.2) Westernesse/Alliance Reinforcements
Add 5 Elven Bowmen (e-2-X)
(19.0) Magic Weapons
(19.11) A magic weapon only adds +1 to the Rally Rating for Individual combat
(19.14) Elendil can only exchange Narsil with Isildur if the former has been wounded (i.e. flipped) and the latter is unhurt.
(20.2) Westernesse/Alliance Demoralization Level
Change the last sentance to read.......”When any Westernesse Leader is killed their Leadership value is added to the current Demoralization level.
NOTES
In my opinion this was the far weaker of the two folio games. Gondor was much better for both excitment level and play balance. For those who have Gondor also, add Gimli and Legolas to the Turn 10 reinforcements. This is a “no brainer” to those familiar with the story, but should be noted officially I suppose. I remember asking about “slopes” and if the +1 movement point applied to both moving up and moving down the slope hexsides. I never did get an answer on that one. I’ve always played that the penalty is just for moving upslope. Finally, a word on balance: It stunk. An aggressive Westernesse player can handily defeat Sauron before the latter is able to bring enough forces on board to make the contest interesting. The rules themselves say to adjust the arrival of Sauron’s reinforcements to tweak balance. Move them all upwards one game turn. It will still not help much but it is better than the situation as is.
Thanks for reading,
William Sariego
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Steven Bucey
United States Lancaster Ohio
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If I remember correctly my friends and I decided to add a few extra units to Sauron's forces from other games (probably Sword & Sorcery, though we had to fudge things a little) and it seemed to help matters. Don't ask me what we did as that was over 25 years ago and I didn't take notes.
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shawn zeppi
United States springfield Virginia
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Thanks for the post. Although the errata is really not that important as "house rules" and obvious order of battle corrections have made up for the errata.
Concur 110% about the play balance, but that is why Sauron lost, right? When I simulate Tolkien, and the results match what happened in the book, the losers don't feel so bad in my gaming group. Don't know why this was designed as a meeting engagement though. You would think that Sauron would have had all his troops ready if he wanted to fight outside Mordor. The Silmarillian does not have any of this detail in it, so the designers made it up (to be fun). There is no problem with adding additional Sauron units and changing the schedule of reinforcements IMO.
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Rob Johnson
United States St. Cloud Minnesota
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For play balance, I added a magical weapon called "The Black Mace" (hey-cut me some slack, I was 13yo!
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In Gogol's or better, Ringwraith's hands he could rally instantly and added combat and defence strength. With a wall of Goblin Bow for protection and Orcs for assault, it caused serious problems for the West. A juggernaut, actually.....and combined with early Mordor re-inforcement it made for great fun. Beast of Mordor on one wing, Ringwraith and Black Mace on the other.
"Historically" and certainly in the game, it's very clear Sauron hadn't learned to wield his own Ring very effectively. One of the One Ring's primary functions was to fill his Legions with a lust for death and ruin, immune to their normal fear of Elves, especially.
I really have to get the game out and play again- I had fond memories even though I played Sauron every game. "Keep your opponents happy when they're few and far between!" 
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