Post by magicgeek on Sept 9, 2008 7:58:13 GMT 1
The Actual Rules 2.0 (Pirate Collectors Edition) by Magic Geek
This is ALL of the rules to War of the Ring.
Both Rulebooks and both FAQ’s melted into a quarter the number of words.
Simpler ones too, in a single stream. *** Print this out ***
Set Up
Choose sides, lay out the map.
Put the Fellowship in Rivendell.
Put the Fellowship Progress Counter on Step 0 of the Fellowship Track, hidden side up.
Put the Corruption Counter on the same place, Step 0 of the Fellowship Track.
Put all 7 companions in the Fellowship of the Ring box.
Put Gandalf the Grey in the Guide of the Fellowship.
Put the 3 Elven Rings on the 3 Elven Rings box.
Separate all Minion and Character cards that are yet to be mustered.
Add 2 expansion cards, number 25 and 26, to each deck of cards.
Upgrade the 3 Ent cards to their expansion versions.
Upgrade the 3 Expansion Shadow cards. (Balrog, Rage of Dunlendings & Corsairs of Umbar).
The Expansion Version has a "B" after their card number.
Separate, shuffle and place all 4 event decks.
Place the 16 standard hunt tiles in an opaque cup, with the 2 Sméagol Tiles.
Shadow get 7 red Action Dice.
Free get 4 blue Action Dice.
Put all Shadow nations on the Political Track, face up.
Put all Free nations on the Political Track, face down.
Activate the Elves by turning them face up.
Put the Companion Counters in the Hunt Box.
Free Army Setup
Elves
Lorien – Leader, Elite x2, Regular
Rivendell – Leader, Elite x2
Grey Havens – Leader, Elite, Regular
Woodland Realm – Leader, Elite, Regular
North
North Downs - Elite
Shire - Regular
Bree - Regular
Dale – Leader, Regular
Carrock - Regular
Dwarves
Erid Luin - Regular
Iron Hills - Regular
Erebor - Leader Elite Regular
Rohan
Edoras - Elite, Regular
Fords of Isen – Leader, Regular x2
Helm’s Deep – Regular
Gondor
Dol Amroth – Regular x3
Pelagir - Regular
Minas Tirith - Leader, Elite, Regular x3
Os-Giliath – Regular x2
Shadow Army Setup
Isengard
Nth Dunland - Regular
Sth Dunland - Regular
Orthanc – Elite, Regular x4
Easterlings
North Rhun – Regular x2
South Rhun – Elite, Regular x3
Southrons
Umbar – Regular x3
Near Harad – Elite, Regular x3
Far Harad - Elite, Regular x3
Sauron in the North
Mt Gundabad – Regular x2
Moria – Regular x2
Dol Guldur – Nazgul, Elite, Regular x5
Sauron in Mordor
Minas Morgul – Nazgul, Regular x5
Morranon Nazgul - Regular x5
Gorgoroth - Regular x3
Nurn – Regular x2
Barad-Dur – Nazgul, Elite, Regular x4
The Game Turn
Step 1, Draw Event Cards
Free and Shadow each draw a Character card and a Strategy card.
Step 2, Fellowship Phase
The Fellowship may declare they are up to their progress counter in regions away from their current location, move the Fellowship Figure, and reset to 0 the progress counter. When declared in a Stronghold or City, the fellowship heals a point of corruption and that nation is activated.
Step 3, Hunt Allocation
Shadow may place as many Action Dice in the Hunt For The Ring as they choose, up to the number of companions remaining in the fellowship. Place allocated dice in the Hunt For The Ring box, with the Eye displayed.
Step 4, Action Roll
Both sides roll unallocated Action Dice, put Eye results with allocated Eyes.
Step 5, Action Resolution
Starting with the Free, each side uses one Action Dice to perform an action.
If a player has fewer Action Dice than their opponent they may pass and take no action.
If a side use all their actions, the other side uses all of their actions one after the other.
Ninety percent of the game is in this step, and Free will pass in most turns.
Step 6, Military Victory
After all Action Dice have been used, check for a Military Victory.
The Game Board
Every regions has a name and is equal for movement purposes.
A Region can be empty, contain a Fort, a Town, a City, or a Stronghold.
A Town, a City, or a Stronghold is called a Settlement.
A black line between 2 regions means they are not adjacent.
A black line means impassable terrain between two areas.
All Sea is impassable.
Game Pieces
Every nation has regular and elite army units.
All Regular units are the same. All Elite units are the same.
All Free leaders are the same.
The Nazgul are leaders for the Shadow.
Free characters are called Companions. Shadow Characters are called Minions.
Each character has a unique figure and a card.
Characters act like leaders, but, they can often move further and ignore enemy armies.
All units in each region are a single army.
Tracks and Boxes
The Hunt box stores dice allocated to Hunt For The Ring, and dice used by the Fellowship to move this turn.
The Political Track displays the political state of each nation.
The Stronghold boxes display armies under siege.
The Action Dice
Shadow start with seven red dice in their dice pool.
Free start with four blue dice in their dice pool
Mustering and Eliminating Characters changes the number of Action Dice rolled next turn.
Hunt Allocation and Action Roll
Shadow can place dice with the Eye side up in the Hunt For The Ring box.
Shadow can place an Eye for each companion still with Frodo and Sam.
Shadow can always place an Eye because Gollum comes once the last companion has left.
Using Action Dice
Starting with the Free, each side picks an Action Dice and performs the action made available by that specific dice result. The Action Dice is put aside until the start of next turn. If a dice was used to move the Fellowship, place the dice in the Hunt for the Fellowship box.
A player may pass and take no action instead if they have fewer dice than their opponent.
If one side, usually the Free, uses all their dice before the Shadow, the Shadow play out all their remaining dice one after the other
An Action die can be discarded for no effect as an action
Changing an unused Action dice into an Eye does not count as performing an action.
A player must still use an Action dice or Pass.
When a player uses a Character action die to attack with an Army, at least one of their leaders or characters must be in the army.
When a player uses a Character action die to move an Army, at least one of their leaders or characters must be in the army.
The Elven Rings
The Free control all three Elven rings at start.
Only one Elven Ring can be used per turn by each side.
Each Elven ring counter starts ring side up in the Elven Rings box.
When an Elven Ring is used, place it in the Shadow Elven Rings box.
The Shadow may then use the Elven Ring once and remove it from the game.
A player may use an Elven Ring to change an Action Dice result from result to another.
Important : An Elven Ring cannot change a dice into a Will of the West.
Using an Elven Ring to change an unused Action dice can only be done immediately prior to performing an action.
Any red dice can be changed into an Eye, but an Eye can not be changed into something else.
An Elven Ring cant change an Eye into another action.
The Event Cards
Both sides have a Strategy Deck, and a Character Deck of cards.
The top part of these cards is an Event, the bottom section is a Combat Card.
The Character Deck has a sword on its back, the Strategy Deck has an Army Banner.
The Character Deck has Character cards.
The Strategy Deck has both Muster cards and Army cards, as shown in their top right.
A Free Player Character Card is a Free Player Event Card, they all have a Sword symbol.
Drawing Event Cards
At the start of each turn, both sides must draw one Character card and one Strategy card.
A player can spend an Event Dice (the Palantir symbol) to draw a card from either deck.
A player must immediately discard down to six at all times.
If a deck runs out, do not draw. Cards are not reshuffled.
Playing Event Cards
Event cards can be played by using a Palantir dice.
Event cards can be played by using an Action Dice that matches the icon in the top right corner of the card. Character, Muster or Army.
If a card reads Play on Table then the card remains in play until its exit conditions are met.
When a Play on Table event no longer satisfies its play conditions, discarded it.
"Play on table" events do not count toward your hand limit.
Discarding cards the opponent has played on table counts as an action. (eg Palantir of Orthanc)
An Event can recruit figures into a region still under its original owner.
An Event can recruit into nations not at war.
An Event can muster into an army laying siege to a Stronghold.
An Event can muster into an army inside a sieged Stronghold.
This is the only way to muster units in a region containing a Stronghold under siege.
An Event cannot muster in a conquered Settlement.
An Event cannot muster in a region with an enemy Army.
If all of the effects of an event card cannot be done, do everything that can be.
An Event that could remove figures is an attack, and affects the Political Track.
Combat Cards
Each event card has a separate area at the bottom, called a Combat Card.
Before each round of combat, both sides may play one Combat Card.
After each round, discard any played combat cards.
Combat cards do not require an Action Dice to play them.
Drawing Additional Cards
Each player must draw a card from each deck at the start of each turn.
A Palantir dice can be used as an action to draw a Character or Strategy card.
Armies and Battles
The units of all friendly nations in a region are an Army.
An army can merge with a friendly army by moving into it.
An army can be divided by moving some of its units into an adjacent region.
Stacking Limit
An army can have a maximum of 10 units.
An army under siege in a Stronghold can have 5 units.
After any action, the controlling player removes to reinforcements any units in excess.
Mustering Troops
Muster Dice (Helmet) can be used as an action to muster troops for nations at war.
Muster Dice or Event Dice can be used as an action to play an Event card.
Event cards can muster troops for nations not at war.
Recruits are drawn from the reinforcement pool.
New units are placed in a City, Town or Stronghold of their Nation.
Nazgul are recruited only in Sauron Strongholds.
A Muster Dice can recruit from :
* Two Regular Units
* Two Leaders / Nazgul
* One Regular and One Leader
* One Elite
* A Character, as stated on their card.
If Two pieces are mustered, they must be in different regions.
Troops cannot be mustered in a region controlled or contested by the enemy.
Troops cannot be mustered in a contested stronghold region, except with an Event.
If an Event recruits units in a conquered region, the troops are ignored.
One Muster dice can muster one regular/leader in two nations that are "At War".
One Muster dice can not muster a Leader and a Regular in the same settlement.
You can muster in a region with 10 units. All excess are then returned to reinforcements.
You can muster in a besieged stronghold with a Muster card. All excess units above 5 are then returned to reinforcements.
Units can only be mustered at settlements controlled at the start of the game, and controlled now.
Leaders
Free Leaders must move with an army.
Free Leaders are removed if at any time they are not with an army.
There is no stacking limit for Leaders.
All Free Leaders can lead all Free troops.
A Free leader is not a unit and cannot be taken as a casualty.
Each Leader grants a reroll on a missed combat dice.
The presence of a leader means the army can move with a Character (sword) Action Dice.
Nazgul
Shadow cannot muster Nazgul if Sauron is not at war.
Nazgul are not obliged to be part of a friendly army, they may move on their own.
Nazgul without an army are not affected by enemy units.
Nazgul survive if a Free army move unopposed into their region. They coexist.
Nazgul cannot conquer settlements, an army is required.
Nazgul can move into, or out of a besieged Shadow army.
When Nazgul move they may fly to any region, except an unbesieged enemy stronghold.
Nazgul can only enter a region containing a Free controlled Stronghold if there is an army besieging that Stronghold.
Army Movement
An Army Dice can be used as an action to move Two different Armies one region each.
A Character Dice can be used as an action to move One Army one region if that army has a leader, or character in it.
Any figure may stay behind when an army moves off, splitting the Army in two.
At least one leader or character must move with an army moved with a Character Dice.
Characters and Nazgul can be left without units. Leaders die without an army.
No piece can move more than once in a single action.
No piece can be moved by an event card twice in the same action.
Each movement must be separate in a single action.
A region with enemy units must be attacked to be entered.
A Stronghold under siege can be moved into by the besieger.
A region has a stacking limit of 10 units.
Units are removed from over stacking at the end of the action.
Units from a Nation not at war cannot move into another Nation.
Armies, Characters, and the Fellowship cannot move across a Black Line on the map.
A Black Line is Utterly Impassable.
No piece can EVER move more than once in an action. Not with the two separate Army moves provided by an army die. Not with Events.
A "Free Region" is a region free of enemy armies and/or enemy controlled Settlements. A Region containing an enemy Stronghold is also considered Free if you are besieging the Stronghold.
A "Free Region" has no enemy army and no enemy controlled Settlement.
An enemy Stronghold that is currently being besieged is also a "Free Region" if you are the player besieging it.
Free Characters
Mustering Gandalf, Aragorn and Minions
If Gandalf dies, and a Shadow minion is in play spend a Will of the West result to place Gandalf the White on the board. He is placed in an Elven stronghold controlled by the Free, or Fangorn. Put the White marker under him and the Free gain an Action Dice while he lives.
Gandalf The Grey
Gandalf The Grey can draw a character card if he uses a character card to separate from the Fellowship.
Gandalf The Grey can promote in an Elven Stronghold under siege, or anywhere else.
Gandalf The White
If the right conditions are met, Free can use one Will of the West die to bring Gandalf the White into play.
Gandalf The White can enter play if any Shadow Minion has ever been in play, except the Balrog.
Gandalf The White can only be resurrected in a Free controlled Elven Stronghold.
Gandalf The White can appear in an Elven Stronghold under siege.
Gandalf The White can appear if Gandalf The Grey is lost in Mordor.
Gandalf The White can negate the leadership of the Witch King.
Gandalf The White does not stop The Witch King from drawing a card in the first round of combat.
Gandalf The White cannot negate Nazgul and use Daring defiance.
Leadership cannot be forfeited twice.
Strider
If the right conditions are met, Free can use one Will of the West die to promote Strider into Aragorn.
Strider can leave the Fellowship, go to Minas Tirth, Pelagir or Dol Amroth, and then use a Will of the West to crown him to Aragorn – Heir to Isildur. Put the King marker under him and the Free gain an Action Dice while he lives.
Strider can die from a Hunt in the Fellowship.
Challenge of the King can kill Aragorn/Strider.
Strider can only be crowned in a settlement controlled by the Free.
Strider can be crowned while being besieged.
Merry & Pippin
Merry or Pippin can separate after another companion is taken as a casualty when resolving the hunt. They become the Guide before the remaining damage is resolved and can separate to reduce it. A second hobbit can do the same. Both hobbits are then placed up to the Fellowships current movement away, plus one for their level. The hobbit separation is done before the Fellowship is moved.
If the Fellowship is in a besieged Stronghold, Merry or Pippin can separate using their guide abilities, but must stay in besieged stronghold. This is the same for all separating companions.
If Merry or Pippin are eliminated while in the Fellowship, they can return by using an Action die, placing them as if separating from the Fellowship. This counts as an action.
Merry or Pippin can use their separate guide abilities while in Mordor, then they die after separating. When the Fellowship is in Mordor, Merry and Pippin cannot be brought back.
Gollum
Gollum cannot use his ability to ignore the Reveal, or any of his other abilities in the hunt sequence the makes him guide. The Reveal is established before hobbits can reduce the hunt.
Gollum can never leave the Fellowship.
Gollum can Reveal the Fellowship on the final step on the Mordor Track and reduce their damage by 1 even if the Hunt Tile would take them to 12 corruption.
Gollum can ignore the reveal icon on a grey Hunt tile, and then reveal the Fellowship to reduce damage by one.
Lady Galadriel, Keeper of Nenya
Galadriel may only be mustered if Gandalf the White is not in play.
If Sauron or the Elves are At War, use a Muster Dice to play Galadriel in Lorien.
Galadriel adds one Action Die to the Free People, unless Gandalf the White is in play.
When Galadriel is in play and a standard Eye tile is drawn, the Free may use an Elven Ring to completely remove that Eye from the game, and draw a replacement tile.
When the Elves are at war and Galadriel is in play, Elven units can be mustered in Lorien when Lorien is under siege.
Remove Galadriel from the game if Shadow control Lorien.
Galadriel cannot ever leave Lorien.
Galadriel has Level 0 and Leadership 2.
Galadriel is a Level 3 Companion for Combat Cards. {Bottom bit of cards}
Galadriel is not a Companion for Events. {Top bit of cards, so she cannot summon Eagles}
Shadow Minions
Saruman, The Witch King, and The Mouth of Sauron are all Minions that can all be mustered, and provide an Action Dice for the Shadow.
Shadow Minions can be mustered in Strongholds under siege.
Special abilities on character cards can be used once per Action die.
The Witch King is a Nazgul and cannot be remustered.
The other 8 Nazgul can be remustered.
Saruman
Saruman can use his leadership for an attack from Isengard.
Saruman can only upgrade 2 regulars into 2 elites at Isengard, while not besieged.
If a Free army moves unopposed into Orthanc, Saruman survives and coexists with it.
Saruman still gives a die, wolf riders still have leadership and Ents can still kill Saruman.
The Mouth of Sauron
The Mouth must be mustered in a Shadow controlled Sauron Stronghold.
The Mouth of Sauron may change only one die per turn.
The Witch-King, Chief of the Ring Wraiths {aka Mr Hunty}
Muster the Chief in the region with the Fellowship for a Muster dice.
The Chief cannot be mustered in a Free Peoples Stronghold.
The Chief cannot be mustered if The Witch King : The Black Captain has ever been in play.
The Chief is an alternate version of The Witch King : The Black Captain and can use all of the same cards. The Chief adds one Action Die to the Shadow.
If The Chief is in play, each Nazgul in the same region as the Fellowship grants one Hunt re-roll, including The Chief .
If The Fellowship declare outside a Free Peoples Stronghold, The Chief may move to the same region as the Fellowship.
The Chief has a level of infinite and Leadership 2.
The Balrog Of Moria, Evil Of The Ancient World
Muster The Balrog in Moria for a Muster dice.
The Balrog cannot be mustered if either Witch King is in play.
The Balrog adds one Action Die to the Shadow, unless either Witch King is in play.
When The Balrog is mustered, play one Troll or one Orc in Moria.
When The Balrog is mustered, advance the North, Dwarves and Elves one box on the political track.
The Balrog has a level of 0 and Leadership 3.
The Balrog adds +2 Combat Strength to his army.
The Balrog is not a Minion for the purpose of playing Gandalf the White.
If the Fellowship is revealed, or declared, and as a result has moved through, is moving from, or is moving into a region with the Balrog, draw a Hunt tile and apply it’s effects, ignoring any reveal Reveal icon. If the tile drawn is an Eye, eliminate the Balrog and the Guide. If Gollum is the Guide, ignore a drawn Eye.
Character Movement
A Character Dice can be used as an action to move
* all Companions not in the Fellowship.
* all Nazgul and Minions.
* an army containing a leader, companion or Nazgul.
* The Fellowship
Moving Companions
The Free may move all companions on the map up to their level in regions.
If travelling together, use the highest level.
Companions moving on the map ignore all Shadow forces.
Companions must stop when entering Shadow Strongholds.
Companions cannot leave a Stronghold under siege by Shadow.
Companions cannot enter a Stronghold under siege by Shadow, except using Events.
A Minion moving without an army cannot move into a Free Controlled Stronghold.
A Character with level 0 cannot move, even with an army.
Characters
The extra action dice provided by a character is added the following turn.
The extra action dice provided by a character is removed the following turn when the die.
Special abilities can be used once per die.
Characters alone in a region that is conquered are unaffected by the enemy army, they coexist.
When a Character is in a region with a friendly army they are a leader of that army.
A character in a region with a friendly army automatically becomes a leader of that army.
A group of separated companions in a region may move to different regions with the same character die action.
To move companions as a group, they must start in the same region.
A Shadow Stronghold means a Stronghold controlled by Shadow at the start of the game.
Companions can move into a Shadow Stronghold.
Companions can move out of a Shadow Stronghold.
Companions cannot move into and out of a Shadow Stronghold in a single action.
Free conquered Shadow Stronghold still cannot be moved through.
Companions can always move through a Free Stronghold, even when captured.
A companion must be separated from the Fellowship to use their political ability.
Companions cannot move into a Stronghold under siege without using an event.
Companions cannot leave a Stronghold under siege, except using ‘Dead Men of Dunharrow’ out of Helms Deep under siege.
Once separated from the Fellowship, a Companion cannot rejoin.
If a group of Companions leave the Fellowship, they are forced to go to the same region.
If the Fellowship Starting Position is in the besieged Stronghold, the Companion starts his movement during separation there, and is not allowed to leave the Stronghold.
Moving Nazgul and Minions
A Character Dice can be used as an action to move all Nazgul and Minions.
The Nazgul and Witch King can move to any region, except a Free Stronghold that is not besieged.
Saruman cannot move.
The Mouth can move his level (3).
The Mouth obeys the same restrictions as companions when moving.
Battle Resolution
An Army Dice can be used as an action to attack one enemy army.
A Character Dice can be used as an action to attack one enemy army if the attacking army has leadership.
Some Events start Battles. Only Nations at war can start a battle.
An Attack can be into an adjacent region, a siege on a stronghold or a sortie from a stronghold.
Rearguards
Any figure in an attacking army may be left behind as a Rearguard.
The Rearguard is not involved in the battle and may not advance.
Any rearguard must contain at least one unit, Characters cannot rearguard by themselves.
Combat Strength and Leadership
The Combat Strength of an army is the number of Regular and Elite units in it, up to a maximum of 5. Combat Strength determines the number of dice rolled in the combat roll. No more than 5 dice may ever be rolled in combat, regardless of any card.
An army’s Leadership is the number of leaders it has plus the leadership of its characters. Leadership determines the number of dice that can be re-rolled in the Leader Re-Roll.
Resolving a Battle
A battle is resolved in a series of combat rounds.
In each round, both players
* Play combat cards
* Roll combat dice
* Re-roll misses up to leadership.
* Remove casualties
* Cease the Attack, or Retreat.
Combat Cards
At the beginning of each combat round, both sides may play the bottom half of an event card as a combat card.
First the attacker declares if they are playing a card, then the defender declares.
Both sides secretly pick their cards, and reveal together.
Carefully read the text on the requirements, modifiers and use of the combat card before Announcing.
The effects of a combat card are for one round, unless stated.
Combat cards are discarded after they have been used.
When two combat cards interact, apply the defenders first.
The defenders combat card is applied first, if they are both trying to happen at the same time. Both effects can be cumulative. Deadly Strife and Ents Rage does mean +4 to hit.
Many cards require the forfeiture of leadership
When a companion forfeits leadership, their leadership is not counted for Leader Rerolls.
The number of leader rerolls is calculated after combat cards have been played.
Combat Roll
Each player rolls dice equal to their Combat Strength.
A hit is scored on a 5 or 6.
Leader Re-Roll
You can never reroll more combat dice than you missed in the initial Combat roll.
Each player may reroll a missed Combat Dice for each Leadership they have.
A hit is scored on a 5 or 6.
Modifiers to Rolls
Combat Rolls and Leader rerolls are modified by a defender occupying a Stronghold, City or Fort. Combat Cards often affect Combat Rolls and / or Leader rerolls.
A natural "1" always misses, and a natural "6" always hits.
Removing Casualties
The attacker removes casualties first.
Remove a regular for one hit.
Remove an elite for two hits.
Replace an elite with a regular from reinforcements for one hit.
Remove an elite for one hit because there are no available figures.
Replace a Free elite with a regular from the dead for one hit.
When Free units and leaders die, remove them from the game.
When Shadow units and Nazgul die, return them to reinforcements.
When Characters and Minions die remove them from the game.
Only Gandalf the White and Hobbits using their abilities can return.
If all army units die, remove all their leaders, Nazgul and Characters.
Characters outside the Fellowship can only be killed if they are with an army.
Stopping the Attack and Retreating
At the end of each round, the attacker announces if they are continuing.
An army that stops attacking stays where it is.
If the attacker does wish to continue, the defender may retreat.
Retreats
The defender may retreat to an adjacent region.
An army can only retreat into a Free Region.
An army may retreat inside a stronghold from a field battle in the same region, they are then besieged.
A captured stronghold can be retreated into.
An Army can retreat into a region containing a stronghold under siege if it is your side doing the siege.
A retreating army is allowed to retreat out of the region instead of into a siege after at least one round of a field battle has been fought.
Armies not yet "At War" may retreat into another friendly Nation, but if those units move they must go to a normally allowed region.
An army without a region to retreat to cannot retreat.
An army cannot retreat into an enemy army or enemy controlled settlement.
An empty conquered settlement does block retreat.
A defending army can always stay and fight.
End of Battle
When the attacker stops, the defender retreats or one or both sides are eliminated, the battle is over. If the defender dies or retreats, any of the attacking force may advance. If the defending army retreats into a stronghold, then the stronghold is besieged by the advancing forces.
Field Battle
A Field Battle is resolved normally as described above.
Forts & Cities
In the first round of combat, an attacker must roll a 6 to hit if the defender in a city or fort.
In the second and further rounds, each player hits on a 5, like normal.
Forts and Cities are the same in combat. Forts are in Os-Giliath and The Fords of Isen
Strongholds & Sieges
An Army in a region with a Stronghold may fight a field battle, or retreat into a siege before every round of combat. The defenders are moved to the appropriate stronghold box and are now under siege. The battle is over. The attacker may advance into the region.
Conducting a Siege
A stronghold can hold 5 units, return
any more to reinforcements.
A stronghold can hold all leaders and characters.
An army under siege in a stronghold cannot retreat or move.
An army under siege in a stronghold cannot muster, except with cards.
A besieging army may move as if they owned the region.
A siege is broken when the stronghold’s region has no enemy units.
When a siege is broken, return the army in the stronghold to the map.
Siege Battles
In siege battle, the attacker hits on a 6, the defender hits on a 5.
An Army dice can be used to fight a siege battle.
A Character dice can be used to fight a siege battle, if leadership is attacking.
A siege battle can only be done by an enemy army in the named stronghold region.
Siege battles last one round.
At the end of each round the attacker may reduce an elite to a regular to gain an additional round of combat, this can occur as often as there are elites.
If a siege ends with both sides alive, there is still a siege.
Sortie
An army inside a stronghold may attack the army in their region, this is called a sortie.
An Army dice can be used to fight a sortie.
A Character dice can be used to fight a sortie, if leadership is attacking.
A sortie is resolved as a field battle, both sides hit on 5.
If the army in the stronghold stops attacking, they stay in the stronghold.
Placing the figures on the board is the advance of the sortie.
Relieving a Siege
An army in an adjacent region may attack an enemy besieging army in a field battle, the army in the stronghold is not involved in the battle.
A relieving army cannot get to the stronghold until the enemy is removed.
Reinforcing a Siege
The besieging side can move more units into the siege
This is done with movement, not attacks.
Siege Engines
Siege Engines cannot move.
Siege Engines can be rebuilt when eliminated.
Siege Engines are eliminated if the army they are with is eliminated, or completely leaves.
Shadow Siege Engines are Siege Towers.
Shadow can muster a Siege Tower for a Muster dice outside any Free Controlled Stronghold currently under siege.
A maximum of two Siege Towers can be mustered by Shadow outside a stronghold.
Siege Towers are eliminated when a siege is over.
Free Siege Engines are Trebuchets.
The Free may muster a Trebuchet for a Muster dice in a Free Peoples Stronghold of an active nation.
A Trebuchet can be mustered in a Stronghold under siege.
A maximum of two Trebuchets can be mustered by the Free in a stronghold.
Shadow Strongholds cannot build Trebuchets, even if a Free army control them.
Siege Engine Superiority
The side with more Siege Engines at the start of a siege battle has Siege Engine Superiority.
If Free have Siege Engine Superiority, the Free get +1 to their combat roll on the first round, and Shadow cannot extend the siege by reducing an Elite.
If Shadow has Siege Engine Superiority, the Free get -1 to their combat roll on the first round and the siege can be extended free for a second round. An elite can be reduced to further continue.
Siege Engine Tie
If both sides have the same number of Siege Engines, the battle is fought like normal.
If there is a Siege Engine Tie, Free may eliminate a Trebuchet before combat cards are chosen to gain Siege Engine Superiority for the rest of the battle.
Ownership of Settlements
Every nation owns their starting settlements.
If all conquering units leave a conquered settlement, place a Settlement Control Marker on it to display conquered state. Remove the Settlement Control Marker if the original nation ever liberates the settlement.
A captured settlement or Stronghold cannot be used for mustering troops or advancing the Political Track.
Politics
The starting positions of each nation are displayed on the game board’s political track.
All Free nations are passive, and start face down, except the Elves who start face up and active. When a Free nation becomes active, turn their counter face up. Free nations must be active before they can advance into the "At War" box.
If the fellowship declares at a City or Stronghold, that nation is activated by turning over its nation counter. Specific separated companions going to a City or Stronghold of their nations will activate them and turn over their nation’s counter. A Character must end their action in a City or Stronghold to activate that nation.
Only the Elves start activated among the Free. All Shadow nations start activated.
A Free nation becomes active when a region of that nation is entered.
A Free nation becomes active when it’s army is attacked.
A Free nation becomes active when the fellowship declares in a city or stronghold of that nation.
A Free nation becomes active when a companion capable of activating enters a city or stronghold of that nation. Read the character cards carefully. Gandalf, Arargorn, Merry and Pippin activate all nations, the rest are more specific and shown by the symbol on the lower right hand corner of the Character’s card.
Each Action die used in a siege attack advances the attacked nation.
An attack on a settlement with units advances that nation.
Conquering a settlement also advances that nation.
Attacking and conquering the Shire activates and advances the North twice.
The following events initiate an attack by an army, and affect the political track.
Help Unlooked For, Grond, The Fighting Uruk-Hai, The Ringwraiths are Abroad, The Black Captain Commands, and Corsairs of Umbar
The Spirit of Mordor, Faramir’s Rangers, Dreadful Spells and Return to Valinor all Activate and Advance affected Nations on the Political Track.
If the entire army attacked in these events is eliminated, Nazgul and Characters remain.
Ents Awake and Dead Men of Dunharrow Activate and Advance affected Nations on the Political Track.
If the entire army attacked by Ents Awake or Dead Men of Dunharrow is eliminated, Nazgul and Characters die.
Advancing a Nation
A Muster dice can be used as an action to advance a nation one box toward "At War" on the political track. A nation must be Active to enter the final "At War" box.
Advance a nation if their troops are in a battle.
Advance a nation if a Settlement of theirs is captured.
At War
Armies of a nation that is in the At War box on the political track are allowed to move inside other nations.
At War armies may attack.
At War nations may muster troops using muster dice.
Retreating units can retreat across friendly borders, regards of At War status.
Characters and Nazgul are not effected by a nations at war status, they may always fight.
Factions
The Hillmen Of Dunland
Muster The Hillmen faction by placing two Hillmen in Nth Dunland and two Hillmen in Sth Dunland for a Muster dice.
The Hillmen can only be mustered if Isengard is At War.
Hillmen can only be mustered by using a Muster dice to place two Hillmen in an Isengard or Rohan region containing a Shadow army, unless that army is under siege.
One hit eliminates Two Hillmen.
Just like one hit eliminates a regular and two hits eliminates an elite.
If only one Hillman is in an army, the Hillman is eliminated last.
Hillmen count as full units for the Shadow cards Relentless Assault and Onslaught.
The Corsairs Of Umbar
Muster The Corsairs faction by placing two Corsair Ships in Umbar for a Muster dice.
The Corsairs can only be mustered if The Southrons and Easterlings are At War.
Muster a Ship and a Regular in a controlled Umbar with a Muster dice.
Ships
Ships are not army units and cannot conquer regions.
Ships can only enter Coastal regions.
Ships ignore stacking restrictions and enemy armies.
A Ship is eliminated if a Shadow army it is with retreats, or is eliminated.
Ships can only move using one of the two army moves allowed by spending an Army dice. A group of ships may move up to two provinces.
A Shadow army may move from one region with a ship to another Free region with a ship using one of the two army moves allowed by spending an Army dice, or using a Character dice if the army has leadership.
A Shadow army may attack from one region with a ship into another region with a ship using an Army dice or a Character dice if the army has leadership.
An army attacking using ships cannot retreat.
Eliminate all ships in the attacked region when an attack fails.
If ships are used to transport an army to a besieged shadow army, it is considered as a siege relief attack.
The Ents of Fangorn
The Ents can only be mustered if Saruman is in play and a Companion is in Fangorn.
Muster The Ents Faction by placing an Ent in Fangorn for a Muster dice.
If a Companion is in Fangorn and The Voice Of Saruman is used, place an Ent in Fangorn. Ents can only be mustered this way, or with one of the 3 Ent cards.
The Ents are not army units and cannot conquer regions.
The Ents ignore stacking restrictions and enemy armies.
An Ent is removed from the game when used to attack.
The Ents are counter mix limited to 8 Ents, ever.
The Ents can attack only with an Ent Card.
The Silver Ent, Treebeard, must always stay in Fangorn.
Each other Ent may be used to attack or move during the same activation triggered by the Ents Awake event. A series of movements and attacks can be made in any desired order as long as there spare Ents still in Fangorn.
To move The Ents, take an Ent from Fangorn and place it in a region adjacent to a region containing an Ent. Ents cannot move into a region containing a Shadow Army.
A Shadow Army in a region adjacent to an Ent can be attacked by The Ents.
A Shadow Army in a region with an Ent can be attacked by The Ents.
To attack with The Ents, eliminate an Ent from Fangorn and roll five Combat Dice, hitting on 5 or 6. Further attacks are made by removing another Ent.
The Shadow cannot respond in any way to an Ent attack.
No Combat cards are chosen and there is no retreat.
If an Ent Attack eliminates the Army at Orthanc, eliminate Saruman.
If an Ent moves into Orthanc eliminate Saruman.
The Fellowship
The Fellowship figure of Frodo and Sam represents the last known position of the Fellowship. The Fellowship starts in Rivendell. The other seven companions start with them, in the The Fellowship of the Ring box. If any companions leave the Fellowship, move their figure onto the board.
Each time The Fellowship is declared or revealed, move the Fellowship to their new location. The Fellowship Progress Counter goes on the Fellowship Track on the game board, with the blue side up on zero. The blue side means hidden, red side means revealed. When hidden, it shows how far The Fellowship has travelled from it’s last known position, and is moved forward each time The Fellowship advances.
The Corruption Counter moves between zero and twelve on the Fellowship Track.
If The Fellowship ever get twelve corruption, the Free lose immediately.
Each Character has a companion card displaying their Level, Leadership, Nationality, Guide Abilities and Special Abilities.
The Fellowship, and any Companions in it, cannot be destroyed in combat.
On the Mordor track the Fellowship is safe from Nazgul and armies.
The Fellowship remains hidden when the Fellowship is declared and moved.
The Fellowship does not suffer from the same movement restrictions as separated companions. The Fellowship do not have to declare or reveal themselves in a Shadow stronghold. The Fellowship can leave a stronghold under siege.
The Fellowship can only heal in a Free City or Stronghold controlled at the start of the game, and controlled now.
The Fellowship can rest and heal in a Free Stronghold under siege.
If the Fellowship is revealed in Morannon or Minas Morgul, they are forced to hide again before they can declare in Mordor.
An additional hunt tile is drawn only if the Fellowship is revealed in, leaving or going through a Shadow Stronghold controlled by the Shadow, conquered Free Strongholds don’t count.
Separating Companions
Companions in the Fellowship box are in the region with The Fellowship.
A Character dice can be used as an action to separate any Companions.
Companions separated in Mordor are eliminated.
The separated Companion/s are moved a number of regions equal to the Fellowship Progress Counter plus the highest separating Companion’s Level.
Place separated companions on the game board.
When separating, companions must be moved as a single group.
When separating, characters already on the board do not move.
A separated companion cannot rejoin.
The Guide of The Fellowship
The guide must always have the highest level among the The Fellowship.
When there is a tie, The Free player may choose.
Gandalf the Grey starts guiding the The Fellowship.
The Free may switch to Strider in the first turn.
Legolas, Gimli are Boromir are level 2, so they all must lead before Meriadoc and Pippin.
The Free may pick a new guide at the end of each Fellowship phase.
The Free may pick a new guide whenever the composition of the Fellowship changes.
Only the ‘If guiding the Fellowship’ abilities of a guiding companion can be used.
Hobbits
If a Hobbit is the guide, that hobbit may separate to reduce hunt damage by one, then the next Hobbit may separate to reduce hunt damage.
Gollum cannot then ignore the reveal icon, he must start as the guide to ignore the reveal.
Gollum
When the seven companions have left the Fellowship, Gollum joins Frodo and Sam as the guide. Place the Gollum Character card in the Guide to the Fellowship box. His guide power may be used immediately. Gollum counts as a companion, so the Shadow can always place one eye in hunt allocation.
The Fellowship Track
A Character dice can be used as an action to move a hidden Fellowship.
When The Fellowship moves, advance The Fellowship Progress Counter one step.
The higher the number, the more regions the Fellowship have secretly moved.
Each time The Fellowship moves, the Shadow has a chance to Hunt For The Ring.
Each time The Fellowship moves in a turn, the hunt becomes one easier.
The Fellowship figure is moved when the Hunt is successful and reveals The Fellowship.
The Fellowship figure is moved when The Free declare the position of The Fellowship.
When the Fellowship is revealed or declared, The Fellowship Progress Counter is reset to zero.
The fellowship heals one corruption when declared in a Free peoples City or Stronghold not under enemy control. Conquered Shadow Settlements do not heal the Fellowship.
The Fellowship may declare each turn solely to heal.
Only a hidden Fellowship can be declared during the Fellowship phase
When the Fellowship is declared, The Free move The Fellowship figure a number of regions up to the number of the Fellowship Progress Counter, and then return the counter to zero and hidden.
When revealed, turn the Fellowship Progress Counter to its red revealed side.
The Free then move The Fellowship figure a number of regions up to the number of the Fellowship Progress Counter, and then return the counter to zero.
When the Hunt reveals the Fellowship, they cannot be revealed in a Free Peoples Stronghold or City, but can reveal in a Free Peoples Town
Conquered Shadow Settlements can be revealed on.
When revealed, The Fellowship cannot move.
A Character dice can be used as an action to hide The Fellowship.
When The Fellowship is revealed going into, from or through a Shadow Stronghold, a Hunt Tile is drawn in addition.
The Fellowship cannot move through a black line, impassable terrain is impassable.
The Hunt For The Ring
The 16 Hunt tiles are placed in an opaque container and called the Hunt Pool. Twelve standard hunt tiles are numbered 0,1,2 or 3, sometimes with a reveal icon. Four standard hunt tiles have an Eye. Two standard tiles are Sméagol tiles.
The Four Special Hunt Tiles for each side come from events.
Drawing for the Hunt means pull a tile from the Hunt Pool and apply its effects on The Fellowship.
Resolve each effect of each Hunt tile before resolving the next effect or tile.
Resolve tiles drawn because of Shadow Strongholds last.
If the Hunt Pool is empty, return all numbered and Eye tiles, but not special tiles.
The Special Hunt Tiles are only added to the Hunt Pool when The Fellowship is on the Mordor Track.
Hunting the Fellowship
When The Fellowship moves, the Shadow rolls for the Hunt.
The Hunt Level is the number of red dice in the Hunt Box, traditionally these are all turned to Eyes. The Shadow player rolls a number of combat dice equal to his Hunt Level, five dice maximum.
Each 6 rolled is a success.
If the Fellowship has moved this turn, add one to each Hunt Roll dice result for each movement. One previous move means 5+, two previous moves means 4+, and so on.
Hunt Rerolls
If The Fellowship Figure is in a region with a Shadow controlled stronghold, a Shadow army unit or a Nazgul, the Shadow can reroll a Hunt Dice for each condition that applies. Conquered Free Strongholds do give Hunt re rolls
Hunt Rerolls get the same +1 bonus for each Fellowship movement this turn.
Each Hunt Dice can only be rerolled once
Determining Hunt Damage
If the Hunt was successful, draw a tile from the Hunt Pool.
If the drawn tile has a number, apply that much damage to The Fellowship.
If the drawn tile has a reveal icon, The Fellowship is revealed in addition.
If the drawn tile is an Eye, apply as much damage to The Fellowship as there were successes in the Hunt, and reveal The Fellowship.
When the Hunt reveals the Fellowship, they cannot be revealed in a Free Peoples Stronghold or City, but can reveal in a Free Peoples Town
When the Fellowship declares in a Free Peoples Stronghold or City, ignore any reveal icons for tiles drawn because of the declaration.
When the Free -1 or -2 Special tiles are drawn, move the Fellowship and heal that much corruption.
All Shadow Special tiles have a small sword with a red circle and slash, this means the Fellowship does not move for this tile draw.
The dice on the Shelob tile means roll a dice and apply that much hunt damage.
Applying Hunt Damage
Hunt damage can be taken as corruption, add that much corruption to The Fellowship.
The Guide can be taken as a casualty, and reducing the Hunt damage by their level.
A random companion can be taken as a casualty, reducing the Hunt damage by their level.
The random companion eliminated can be the guide.
If the Hunt damage is higher than the eliminated character's level, any excess damage is taken as corruption.
The Hunt
Nazgul, Shadow Strongholds and Shadow units still get rerolls even when a Free army is with them. Even in a Free stronghold. Hunt rerolls always apply.
A Shadow Army besieging a Stronghold with the Fellowship generates a Hunt reroll.
If there is a Nazgul leading that Shadow army, a second reroll would apply.
A Free Stronghold captured by the Shadow gives a reroll if the Fellowship is in it.
A Shadow Stronghold captured by the Free does not give a reroll if the Fellowship is in it.
Resolving a 2R (this means a “2 + Reveal” tile)
First turn the Fellowship counter to revealed.
Companions die and / or hobbits separate.
Resolve Gollum’s reveal.
Resolve Corruption
Move Fellowship
Move Fellowship counter to 0
Add Character dice to the Hunt
When the Fellowship is revealed turn the Fellowship Progress Counter to the Revealed side, then the Free must move the fellowship figure. This move cannot be to a Stronghold or City controlled by the Free.
Only Character dice that were used to move the Fellowship are added to the hunt pool.
This includes Will of the West die used to become Character dice, and character dice from Elven rings. The current Character dice is added after the current Hunt, and any eyes resulting, have resolved.
Ignore any reveal icon on the drawn Tile if the Fellowship has declared in a Free Peoples Stronghold or City. eg The Balrog.
There is no maximum damage in Mordor for Eye tiles.
Eye hunt tiles that have been drawn by a Shadow Event (eg Orc Patrol) are put back in the Hunt when the Fellowship reach the Mordor Track, same with Eyes drawn for the Hunt.
Eye hunt tiles that have been removed from the game by Galadriel or Challenge of the King are not returned to the Hunt pool.
Sméagol, Tamed Wretch
When a Sméagol tile is drawn for the Hunt, damage equals zero and Sméagol becomes
the guide to the Fellowship. Place the drawn Sméagol tile in the Guide of the Fellowship box, and add the Sméagol Companion Counter.
Sméagol must always be the Guide when in the Fellowship.
Sméagol can be taken as a Hunt casualty like any other companion.
Sméagol’s level is equal to the highest level companion in the Fellowship.
If Sméagol is the Guide and the second Sméagol tile is drawn, hunt damage is zero and the tile is returned to the Hunt
If a Sméagol tile is drawn after Sméagol has left the game, discard it and draw again.
If a Sméagol tile is drawn and Gollum is the Guide, discard it and draw again.
If Sméagol is eliminated, the We Shall Get It Shadow event enters play.
If Sméagol is the only Companion in the Fellowship, replace him with Gollum and We Shall Get It does not enter play.
Sméagol is not Gollum and cannot be used to play Gollum cards
If Sméagol leaves play, Gollum may enter play as normal.
Sméagol is eliminated if separated.
Sméagol is eliminated if the Fellowship declares in a Free Peoples City or Stronghold.
Sméagol allows the Shadow to place an extra Eye at start of turn because he is a companion in the Fellowship.
Sméagol does not need a figure because he is always only the Guide of the Fellowship.
Sméagol has leadership 0.
When Sméagol uses a character Action Die to declare on a Free Peoples City or Stronghold, corruption is not healed.
When Sméagol is the Guide, a Character Action Die can be used to declare the Fellowship. If The Fellowship is declared in Minas Morgul or Morannon, the Fellowship is moved onto the Mordor Track.
The Mordor Track
If The Fellowship is declared in Morannon or Minas Morgul at the start of the turn, they enter the Mordor Track. Put The Fellowship figure on the first step of the Mordor Track. Return all drawn Eye tiles to the Hunt Pool, and add any played special tiles. The Fellowship Progress counter still display hidden or revealed, but no longer moves.
When the Fellowship is on the Mordor Track, do not roll for the Hunt when they move, draw a tile from the hunt pool instead. Damage is applied as normal.
If the tile is an Eye, damage is equal to the number of Eyes in the Hunt box plus the number of previous times The Fellowship has moved this turn.
If the tile drawn is a Shadow Special Tile, The Fellowship Figure does not advance on the Mordor Track.
If The Fellowship is on the Mordor Track and has not hidden or attempted to move for the entire turn, add one corruption.
The Fellowship must be hidden to move on the Mordor Track.
The Mordor Track is not a part of the Gorgororth region.
Military Victory
Besieged Strongholds are owned by the player inside the Stronghold for victory purposes.
Captured enemy Strongholds are worth 2 Victory Points.
Captured enemy Cities are worth 1 Victory Point.
Shadow win if they have 10 Victory Points or more at the end of any game turn
Free win if they have 4 Victory Points or more.
Shadow wins militarily before the Free.
If the Shadow have 10+ VP and the Free have 4+ VP, the Shadow win.
Ring Victory
Shadow wins immediately if the Ring bearers ever have 12 corruption.
If The Fellowship figure is on the Cracks of Doom step of the Mordor Track, and the Ring bearers have less than 12 corruption, Free win.
This is ALL of the rules to War of the Ring.
Both Rulebooks and both FAQ’s melted into a quarter the number of words.
Simpler ones too, in a single stream. *** Print this out ***
Set Up
Choose sides, lay out the map.
Put the Fellowship in Rivendell.
Put the Fellowship Progress Counter on Step 0 of the Fellowship Track, hidden side up.
Put the Corruption Counter on the same place, Step 0 of the Fellowship Track.
Put all 7 companions in the Fellowship of the Ring box.
Put Gandalf the Grey in the Guide of the Fellowship.
Put the 3 Elven Rings on the 3 Elven Rings box.
Separate all Minion and Character cards that are yet to be mustered.
Add 2 expansion cards, number 25 and 26, to each deck of cards.
Upgrade the 3 Ent cards to their expansion versions.
Upgrade the 3 Expansion Shadow cards. (Balrog, Rage of Dunlendings & Corsairs of Umbar).
The Expansion Version has a "B" after their card number.
Separate, shuffle and place all 4 event decks.
Place the 16 standard hunt tiles in an opaque cup, with the 2 Sméagol Tiles.
Shadow get 7 red Action Dice.
Free get 4 blue Action Dice.
Put all Shadow nations on the Political Track, face up.
Put all Free nations on the Political Track, face down.
Activate the Elves by turning them face up.
Put the Companion Counters in the Hunt Box.
Free Army Setup
Elves
Lorien – Leader, Elite x2, Regular
Rivendell – Leader, Elite x2
Grey Havens – Leader, Elite, Regular
Woodland Realm – Leader, Elite, Regular
North
North Downs - Elite
Shire - Regular
Bree - Regular
Dale – Leader, Regular
Carrock - Regular
Dwarves
Erid Luin - Regular
Iron Hills - Regular
Erebor - Leader Elite Regular
Rohan
Edoras - Elite, Regular
Fords of Isen – Leader, Regular x2
Helm’s Deep – Regular
Gondor
Dol Amroth – Regular x3
Pelagir - Regular
Minas Tirith - Leader, Elite, Regular x3
Os-Giliath – Regular x2
Shadow Army Setup
Isengard
Nth Dunland - Regular
Sth Dunland - Regular
Orthanc – Elite, Regular x4
Easterlings
North Rhun – Regular x2
South Rhun – Elite, Regular x3
Southrons
Umbar – Regular x3
Near Harad – Elite, Regular x3
Far Harad - Elite, Regular x3
Sauron in the North
Mt Gundabad – Regular x2
Moria – Regular x2
Dol Guldur – Nazgul, Elite, Regular x5
Sauron in Mordor
Minas Morgul – Nazgul, Regular x5
Morranon Nazgul - Regular x5
Gorgoroth - Regular x3
Nurn – Regular x2
Barad-Dur – Nazgul, Elite, Regular x4
The Game Turn
Step 1, Draw Event Cards
Free and Shadow each draw a Character card and a Strategy card.
Step 2, Fellowship Phase
The Fellowship may declare they are up to their progress counter in regions away from their current location, move the Fellowship Figure, and reset to 0 the progress counter. When declared in a Stronghold or City, the fellowship heals a point of corruption and that nation is activated.
Step 3, Hunt Allocation
Shadow may place as many Action Dice in the Hunt For The Ring as they choose, up to the number of companions remaining in the fellowship. Place allocated dice in the Hunt For The Ring box, with the Eye displayed.
Step 4, Action Roll
Both sides roll unallocated Action Dice, put Eye results with allocated Eyes.
Step 5, Action Resolution
Starting with the Free, each side uses one Action Dice to perform an action.
If a player has fewer Action Dice than their opponent they may pass and take no action.
If a side use all their actions, the other side uses all of their actions one after the other.
Ninety percent of the game is in this step, and Free will pass in most turns.
Step 6, Military Victory
After all Action Dice have been used, check for a Military Victory.
The Game Board
Every regions has a name and is equal for movement purposes.
A Region can be empty, contain a Fort, a Town, a City, or a Stronghold.
A Town, a City, or a Stronghold is called a Settlement.
A black line between 2 regions means they are not adjacent.
A black line means impassable terrain between two areas.
All Sea is impassable.
Game Pieces
Every nation has regular and elite army units.
All Regular units are the same. All Elite units are the same.
All Free leaders are the same.
The Nazgul are leaders for the Shadow.
Free characters are called Companions. Shadow Characters are called Minions.
Each character has a unique figure and a card.
Characters act like leaders, but, they can often move further and ignore enemy armies.
All units in each region are a single army.
Tracks and Boxes
The Hunt box stores dice allocated to Hunt For The Ring, and dice used by the Fellowship to move this turn.
The Political Track displays the political state of each nation.
The Stronghold boxes display armies under siege.
The Action Dice
Shadow start with seven red dice in their dice pool.
Free start with four blue dice in their dice pool
Mustering and Eliminating Characters changes the number of Action Dice rolled next turn.
Hunt Allocation and Action Roll
Shadow can place dice with the Eye side up in the Hunt For The Ring box.
Shadow can place an Eye for each companion still with Frodo and Sam.
Shadow can always place an Eye because Gollum comes once the last companion has left.
Using Action Dice
Starting with the Free, each side picks an Action Dice and performs the action made available by that specific dice result. The Action Dice is put aside until the start of next turn. If a dice was used to move the Fellowship, place the dice in the Hunt for the Fellowship box.
A player may pass and take no action instead if they have fewer dice than their opponent.
If one side, usually the Free, uses all their dice before the Shadow, the Shadow play out all their remaining dice one after the other
An Action die can be discarded for no effect as an action
Changing an unused Action dice into an Eye does not count as performing an action.
A player must still use an Action dice or Pass.
When a player uses a Character action die to attack with an Army, at least one of their leaders or characters must be in the army.
When a player uses a Character action die to move an Army, at least one of their leaders or characters must be in the army.
The Elven Rings
The Free control all three Elven rings at start.
Only one Elven Ring can be used per turn by each side.
Each Elven ring counter starts ring side up in the Elven Rings box.
When an Elven Ring is used, place it in the Shadow Elven Rings box.
The Shadow may then use the Elven Ring once and remove it from the game.
A player may use an Elven Ring to change an Action Dice result from result to another.
Important : An Elven Ring cannot change a dice into a Will of the West.
Using an Elven Ring to change an unused Action dice can only be done immediately prior to performing an action.
Any red dice can be changed into an Eye, but an Eye can not be changed into something else.
An Elven Ring cant change an Eye into another action.
The Event Cards
Both sides have a Strategy Deck, and a Character Deck of cards.
The top part of these cards is an Event, the bottom section is a Combat Card.
The Character Deck has a sword on its back, the Strategy Deck has an Army Banner.
The Character Deck has Character cards.
The Strategy Deck has both Muster cards and Army cards, as shown in their top right.
A Free Player Character Card is a Free Player Event Card, they all have a Sword symbol.
Drawing Event Cards
At the start of each turn, both sides must draw one Character card and one Strategy card.
A player can spend an Event Dice (the Palantir symbol) to draw a card from either deck.
A player must immediately discard down to six at all times.
If a deck runs out, do not draw. Cards are not reshuffled.
Playing Event Cards
Event cards can be played by using a Palantir dice.
Event cards can be played by using an Action Dice that matches the icon in the top right corner of the card. Character, Muster or Army.
If a card reads Play on Table then the card remains in play until its exit conditions are met.
When a Play on Table event no longer satisfies its play conditions, discarded it.
"Play on table" events do not count toward your hand limit.
Discarding cards the opponent has played on table counts as an action. (eg Palantir of Orthanc)
An Event can recruit figures into a region still under its original owner.
An Event can recruit into nations not at war.
An Event can muster into an army laying siege to a Stronghold.
An Event can muster into an army inside a sieged Stronghold.
This is the only way to muster units in a region containing a Stronghold under siege.
An Event cannot muster in a conquered Settlement.
An Event cannot muster in a region with an enemy Army.
If all of the effects of an event card cannot be done, do everything that can be.
An Event that could remove figures is an attack, and affects the Political Track.
Combat Cards
Each event card has a separate area at the bottom, called a Combat Card.
Before each round of combat, both sides may play one Combat Card.
After each round, discard any played combat cards.
Combat cards do not require an Action Dice to play them.
Drawing Additional Cards
Each player must draw a card from each deck at the start of each turn.
A Palantir dice can be used as an action to draw a Character or Strategy card.
Armies and Battles
The units of all friendly nations in a region are an Army.
An army can merge with a friendly army by moving into it.
An army can be divided by moving some of its units into an adjacent region.
Stacking Limit
An army can have a maximum of 10 units.
An army under siege in a Stronghold can have 5 units.
After any action, the controlling player removes to reinforcements any units in excess.
Mustering Troops
Muster Dice (Helmet) can be used as an action to muster troops for nations at war.
Muster Dice or Event Dice can be used as an action to play an Event card.
Event cards can muster troops for nations not at war.
Recruits are drawn from the reinforcement pool.
New units are placed in a City, Town or Stronghold of their Nation.
Nazgul are recruited only in Sauron Strongholds.
A Muster Dice can recruit from :
* Two Regular Units
* Two Leaders / Nazgul
* One Regular and One Leader
* One Elite
* A Character, as stated on their card.
If Two pieces are mustered, they must be in different regions.
Troops cannot be mustered in a region controlled or contested by the enemy.
Troops cannot be mustered in a contested stronghold region, except with an Event.
If an Event recruits units in a conquered region, the troops are ignored.
One Muster dice can muster one regular/leader in two nations that are "At War".
One Muster dice can not muster a Leader and a Regular in the same settlement.
You can muster in a region with 10 units. All excess are then returned to reinforcements.
You can muster in a besieged stronghold with a Muster card. All excess units above 5 are then returned to reinforcements.
Units can only be mustered at settlements controlled at the start of the game, and controlled now.
Leaders
Free Leaders must move with an army.
Free Leaders are removed if at any time they are not with an army.
There is no stacking limit for Leaders.
All Free Leaders can lead all Free troops.
A Free leader is not a unit and cannot be taken as a casualty.
Each Leader grants a reroll on a missed combat dice.
The presence of a leader means the army can move with a Character (sword) Action Dice.
Nazgul
Shadow cannot muster Nazgul if Sauron is not at war.
Nazgul are not obliged to be part of a friendly army, they may move on their own.
Nazgul without an army are not affected by enemy units.
Nazgul survive if a Free army move unopposed into their region. They coexist.
Nazgul cannot conquer settlements, an army is required.
Nazgul can move into, or out of a besieged Shadow army.
When Nazgul move they may fly to any region, except an unbesieged enemy stronghold.
Nazgul can only enter a region containing a Free controlled Stronghold if there is an army besieging that Stronghold.
Army Movement
An Army Dice can be used as an action to move Two different Armies one region each.
A Character Dice can be used as an action to move One Army one region if that army has a leader, or character in it.
Any figure may stay behind when an army moves off, splitting the Army in two.
At least one leader or character must move with an army moved with a Character Dice.
Characters and Nazgul can be left without units. Leaders die without an army.
No piece can move more than once in a single action.
No piece can be moved by an event card twice in the same action.
Each movement must be separate in a single action.
A region with enemy units must be attacked to be entered.
A Stronghold under siege can be moved into by the besieger.
A region has a stacking limit of 10 units.
Units are removed from over stacking at the end of the action.
Units from a Nation not at war cannot move into another Nation.
Armies, Characters, and the Fellowship cannot move across a Black Line on the map.
A Black Line is Utterly Impassable.
No piece can EVER move more than once in an action. Not with the two separate Army moves provided by an army die. Not with Events.
A "Free Region" is a region free of enemy armies and/or enemy controlled Settlements. A Region containing an enemy Stronghold is also considered Free if you are besieging the Stronghold.
A "Free Region" has no enemy army and no enemy controlled Settlement.
An enemy Stronghold that is currently being besieged is also a "Free Region" if you are the player besieging it.
Free Characters
Mustering Gandalf, Aragorn and Minions
If Gandalf dies, and a Shadow minion is in play spend a Will of the West result to place Gandalf the White on the board. He is placed in an Elven stronghold controlled by the Free, or Fangorn. Put the White marker under him and the Free gain an Action Dice while he lives.
Gandalf The Grey
Gandalf The Grey can draw a character card if he uses a character card to separate from the Fellowship.
Gandalf The Grey can promote in an Elven Stronghold under siege, or anywhere else.
Gandalf The White
If the right conditions are met, Free can use one Will of the West die to bring Gandalf the White into play.
Gandalf The White can enter play if any Shadow Minion has ever been in play, except the Balrog.
Gandalf The White can only be resurrected in a Free controlled Elven Stronghold.
Gandalf The White can appear in an Elven Stronghold under siege.
Gandalf The White can appear if Gandalf The Grey is lost in Mordor.
Gandalf The White can negate the leadership of the Witch King.
Gandalf The White does not stop The Witch King from drawing a card in the first round of combat.
Gandalf The White cannot negate Nazgul and use Daring defiance.
Leadership cannot be forfeited twice.
Strider
If the right conditions are met, Free can use one Will of the West die to promote Strider into Aragorn.
Strider can leave the Fellowship, go to Minas Tirth, Pelagir or Dol Amroth, and then use a Will of the West to crown him to Aragorn – Heir to Isildur. Put the King marker under him and the Free gain an Action Dice while he lives.
Strider can die from a Hunt in the Fellowship.
Challenge of the King can kill Aragorn/Strider.
Strider can only be crowned in a settlement controlled by the Free.
Strider can be crowned while being besieged.
Merry & Pippin
Merry or Pippin can separate after another companion is taken as a casualty when resolving the hunt. They become the Guide before the remaining damage is resolved and can separate to reduce it. A second hobbit can do the same. Both hobbits are then placed up to the Fellowships current movement away, plus one for their level. The hobbit separation is done before the Fellowship is moved.
If the Fellowship is in a besieged Stronghold, Merry or Pippin can separate using their guide abilities, but must stay in besieged stronghold. This is the same for all separating companions.
If Merry or Pippin are eliminated while in the Fellowship, they can return by using an Action die, placing them as if separating from the Fellowship. This counts as an action.
Merry or Pippin can use their separate guide abilities while in Mordor, then they die after separating. When the Fellowship is in Mordor, Merry and Pippin cannot be brought back.
Gollum
Gollum cannot use his ability to ignore the Reveal, or any of his other abilities in the hunt sequence the makes him guide. The Reveal is established before hobbits can reduce the hunt.
Gollum can never leave the Fellowship.
Gollum can Reveal the Fellowship on the final step on the Mordor Track and reduce their damage by 1 even if the Hunt Tile would take them to 12 corruption.
Gollum can ignore the reveal icon on a grey Hunt tile, and then reveal the Fellowship to reduce damage by one.
Lady Galadriel, Keeper of Nenya
Galadriel may only be mustered if Gandalf the White is not in play.
If Sauron or the Elves are At War, use a Muster Dice to play Galadriel in Lorien.
Galadriel adds one Action Die to the Free People, unless Gandalf the White is in play.
When Galadriel is in play and a standard Eye tile is drawn, the Free may use an Elven Ring to completely remove that Eye from the game, and draw a replacement tile.
When the Elves are at war and Galadriel is in play, Elven units can be mustered in Lorien when Lorien is under siege.
Remove Galadriel from the game if Shadow control Lorien.
Galadriel cannot ever leave Lorien.
Galadriel has Level 0 and Leadership 2.
Galadriel is a Level 3 Companion for Combat Cards. {Bottom bit of cards}
Galadriel is not a Companion for Events. {Top bit of cards, so she cannot summon Eagles}
Shadow Minions
Saruman, The Witch King, and The Mouth of Sauron are all Minions that can all be mustered, and provide an Action Dice for the Shadow.
Shadow Minions can be mustered in Strongholds under siege.
Special abilities on character cards can be used once per Action die.
The Witch King is a Nazgul and cannot be remustered.
The other 8 Nazgul can be remustered.
Saruman
Saruman can use his leadership for an attack from Isengard.
Saruman can only upgrade 2 regulars into 2 elites at Isengard, while not besieged.
If a Free army moves unopposed into Orthanc, Saruman survives and coexists with it.
Saruman still gives a die, wolf riders still have leadership and Ents can still kill Saruman.
The Mouth of Sauron
The Mouth must be mustered in a Shadow controlled Sauron Stronghold.
The Mouth of Sauron may change only one die per turn.
The Witch-King, Chief of the Ring Wraiths {aka Mr Hunty}
Muster the Chief in the region with the Fellowship for a Muster dice.
The Chief cannot be mustered in a Free Peoples Stronghold.
The Chief cannot be mustered if The Witch King : The Black Captain has ever been in play.
The Chief is an alternate version of The Witch King : The Black Captain and can use all of the same cards. The Chief adds one Action Die to the Shadow.
If The Chief is in play, each Nazgul in the same region as the Fellowship grants one Hunt re-roll, including The Chief .
If The Fellowship declare outside a Free Peoples Stronghold, The Chief may move to the same region as the Fellowship.
The Chief has a level of infinite and Leadership 2.
The Balrog Of Moria, Evil Of The Ancient World
Muster The Balrog in Moria for a Muster dice.
The Balrog cannot be mustered if either Witch King is in play.
The Balrog adds one Action Die to the Shadow, unless either Witch King is in play.
When The Balrog is mustered, play one Troll or one Orc in Moria.
When The Balrog is mustered, advance the North, Dwarves and Elves one box on the political track.
The Balrog has a level of 0 and Leadership 3.
The Balrog adds +2 Combat Strength to his army.
The Balrog is not a Minion for the purpose of playing Gandalf the White.
If the Fellowship is revealed, or declared, and as a result has moved through, is moving from, or is moving into a region with the Balrog, draw a Hunt tile and apply it’s effects, ignoring any reveal Reveal icon. If the tile drawn is an Eye, eliminate the Balrog and the Guide. If Gollum is the Guide, ignore a drawn Eye.
Character Movement
A Character Dice can be used as an action to move
* all Companions not in the Fellowship.
* all Nazgul and Minions.
* an army containing a leader, companion or Nazgul.
* The Fellowship
Moving Companions
The Free may move all companions on the map up to their level in regions.
If travelling together, use the highest level.
Companions moving on the map ignore all Shadow forces.
Companions must stop when entering Shadow Strongholds.
Companions cannot leave a Stronghold under siege by Shadow.
Companions cannot enter a Stronghold under siege by Shadow, except using Events.
A Minion moving without an army cannot move into a Free Controlled Stronghold.
A Character with level 0 cannot move, even with an army.
Characters
The extra action dice provided by a character is added the following turn.
The extra action dice provided by a character is removed the following turn when the die.
Special abilities can be used once per die.
Characters alone in a region that is conquered are unaffected by the enemy army, they coexist.
When a Character is in a region with a friendly army they are a leader of that army.
A character in a region with a friendly army automatically becomes a leader of that army.
A group of separated companions in a region may move to different regions with the same character die action.
To move companions as a group, they must start in the same region.
A Shadow Stronghold means a Stronghold controlled by Shadow at the start of the game.
Companions can move into a Shadow Stronghold.
Companions can move out of a Shadow Stronghold.
Companions cannot move into and out of a Shadow Stronghold in a single action.
Free conquered Shadow Stronghold still cannot be moved through.
Companions can always move through a Free Stronghold, even when captured.
A companion must be separated from the Fellowship to use their political ability.
Companions cannot move into a Stronghold under siege without using an event.
Companions cannot leave a Stronghold under siege, except using ‘Dead Men of Dunharrow’ out of Helms Deep under siege.
Once separated from the Fellowship, a Companion cannot rejoin.
If a group of Companions leave the Fellowship, they are forced to go to the same region.
If the Fellowship Starting Position is in the besieged Stronghold, the Companion starts his movement during separation there, and is not allowed to leave the Stronghold.
Moving Nazgul and Minions
A Character Dice can be used as an action to move all Nazgul and Minions.
The Nazgul and Witch King can move to any region, except a Free Stronghold that is not besieged.
Saruman cannot move.
The Mouth can move his level (3).
The Mouth obeys the same restrictions as companions when moving.
Battle Resolution
An Army Dice can be used as an action to attack one enemy army.
A Character Dice can be used as an action to attack one enemy army if the attacking army has leadership.
Some Events start Battles. Only Nations at war can start a battle.
An Attack can be into an adjacent region, a siege on a stronghold or a sortie from a stronghold.
Rearguards
Any figure in an attacking army may be left behind as a Rearguard.
The Rearguard is not involved in the battle and may not advance.
Any rearguard must contain at least one unit, Characters cannot rearguard by themselves.
Combat Strength and Leadership
The Combat Strength of an army is the number of Regular and Elite units in it, up to a maximum of 5. Combat Strength determines the number of dice rolled in the combat roll. No more than 5 dice may ever be rolled in combat, regardless of any card.
An army’s Leadership is the number of leaders it has plus the leadership of its characters. Leadership determines the number of dice that can be re-rolled in the Leader Re-Roll.
Resolving a Battle
A battle is resolved in a series of combat rounds.
In each round, both players
* Play combat cards
* Roll combat dice
* Re-roll misses up to leadership.
* Remove casualties
* Cease the Attack, or Retreat.
Combat Cards
At the beginning of each combat round, both sides may play the bottom half of an event card as a combat card.
First the attacker declares if they are playing a card, then the defender declares.
Both sides secretly pick their cards, and reveal together.
Carefully read the text on the requirements, modifiers and use of the combat card before Announcing.
The effects of a combat card are for one round, unless stated.
Combat cards are discarded after they have been used.
When two combat cards interact, apply the defenders first.
The defenders combat card is applied first, if they are both trying to happen at the same time. Both effects can be cumulative. Deadly Strife and Ents Rage does mean +4 to hit.
Many cards require the forfeiture of leadership
When a companion forfeits leadership, their leadership is not counted for Leader Rerolls.
The number of leader rerolls is calculated after combat cards have been played.
Combat Roll
Each player rolls dice equal to their Combat Strength.
A hit is scored on a 5 or 6.
Leader Re-Roll
You can never reroll more combat dice than you missed in the initial Combat roll.
Each player may reroll a missed Combat Dice for each Leadership they have.
A hit is scored on a 5 or 6.
Modifiers to Rolls
Combat Rolls and Leader rerolls are modified by a defender occupying a Stronghold, City or Fort. Combat Cards often affect Combat Rolls and / or Leader rerolls.
A natural "1" always misses, and a natural "6" always hits.
Removing Casualties
The attacker removes casualties first.
Remove a regular for one hit.
Remove an elite for two hits.
Replace an elite with a regular from reinforcements for one hit.
Remove an elite for one hit because there are no available figures.
Replace a Free elite with a regular from the dead for one hit.
When Free units and leaders die, remove them from the game.
When Shadow units and Nazgul die, return them to reinforcements.
When Characters and Minions die remove them from the game.
Only Gandalf the White and Hobbits using their abilities can return.
If all army units die, remove all their leaders, Nazgul and Characters.
Characters outside the Fellowship can only be killed if they are with an army.
Stopping the Attack and Retreating
At the end of each round, the attacker announces if they are continuing.
An army that stops attacking stays where it is.
If the attacker does wish to continue, the defender may retreat.
Retreats
The defender may retreat to an adjacent region.
An army can only retreat into a Free Region.
An army may retreat inside a stronghold from a field battle in the same region, they are then besieged.
A captured stronghold can be retreated into.
An Army can retreat into a region containing a stronghold under siege if it is your side doing the siege.
A retreating army is allowed to retreat out of the region instead of into a siege after at least one round of a field battle has been fought.
Armies not yet "At War" may retreat into another friendly Nation, but if those units move they must go to a normally allowed region.
An army without a region to retreat to cannot retreat.
An army cannot retreat into an enemy army or enemy controlled settlement.
An empty conquered settlement does block retreat.
A defending army can always stay and fight.
End of Battle
When the attacker stops, the defender retreats or one or both sides are eliminated, the battle is over. If the defender dies or retreats, any of the attacking force may advance. If the defending army retreats into a stronghold, then the stronghold is besieged by the advancing forces.
Field Battle
A Field Battle is resolved normally as described above.
Forts & Cities
In the first round of combat, an attacker must roll a 6 to hit if the defender in a city or fort.
In the second and further rounds, each player hits on a 5, like normal.
Forts and Cities are the same in combat. Forts are in Os-Giliath and The Fords of Isen
Strongholds & Sieges
An Army in a region with a Stronghold may fight a field battle, or retreat into a siege before every round of combat. The defenders are moved to the appropriate stronghold box and are now under siege. The battle is over. The attacker may advance into the region.
Conducting a Siege
A stronghold can hold 5 units, return
any more to reinforcements.
A stronghold can hold all leaders and characters.
An army under siege in a stronghold cannot retreat or move.
An army under siege in a stronghold cannot muster, except with cards.
A besieging army may move as if they owned the region.
A siege is broken when the stronghold’s region has no enemy units.
When a siege is broken, return the army in the stronghold to the map.
Siege Battles
In siege battle, the attacker hits on a 6, the defender hits on a 5.
An Army dice can be used to fight a siege battle.
A Character dice can be used to fight a siege battle, if leadership is attacking.
A siege battle can only be done by an enemy army in the named stronghold region.
Siege battles last one round.
At the end of each round the attacker may reduce an elite to a regular to gain an additional round of combat, this can occur as often as there are elites.
If a siege ends with both sides alive, there is still a siege.
Sortie
An army inside a stronghold may attack the army in their region, this is called a sortie.
An Army dice can be used to fight a sortie.
A Character dice can be used to fight a sortie, if leadership is attacking.
A sortie is resolved as a field battle, both sides hit on 5.
If the army in the stronghold stops attacking, they stay in the stronghold.
Placing the figures on the board is the advance of the sortie.
Relieving a Siege
An army in an adjacent region may attack an enemy besieging army in a field battle, the army in the stronghold is not involved in the battle.
A relieving army cannot get to the stronghold until the enemy is removed.
Reinforcing a Siege
The besieging side can move more units into the siege
This is done with movement, not attacks.
Siege Engines
Siege Engines cannot move.
Siege Engines can be rebuilt when eliminated.
Siege Engines are eliminated if the army they are with is eliminated, or completely leaves.
Shadow Siege Engines are Siege Towers.
Shadow can muster a Siege Tower for a Muster dice outside any Free Controlled Stronghold currently under siege.
A maximum of two Siege Towers can be mustered by Shadow outside a stronghold.
Siege Towers are eliminated when a siege is over.
Free Siege Engines are Trebuchets.
The Free may muster a Trebuchet for a Muster dice in a Free Peoples Stronghold of an active nation.
A Trebuchet can be mustered in a Stronghold under siege.
A maximum of two Trebuchets can be mustered by the Free in a stronghold.
Shadow Strongholds cannot build Trebuchets, even if a Free army control them.
Siege Engine Superiority
The side with more Siege Engines at the start of a siege battle has Siege Engine Superiority.
If Free have Siege Engine Superiority, the Free get +1 to their combat roll on the first round, and Shadow cannot extend the siege by reducing an Elite.
If Shadow has Siege Engine Superiority, the Free get -1 to their combat roll on the first round and the siege can be extended free for a second round. An elite can be reduced to further continue.
Siege Engine Tie
If both sides have the same number of Siege Engines, the battle is fought like normal.
If there is a Siege Engine Tie, Free may eliminate a Trebuchet before combat cards are chosen to gain Siege Engine Superiority for the rest of the battle.
Ownership of Settlements
Every nation owns their starting settlements.
If all conquering units leave a conquered settlement, place a Settlement Control Marker on it to display conquered state. Remove the Settlement Control Marker if the original nation ever liberates the settlement.
A captured settlement or Stronghold cannot be used for mustering troops or advancing the Political Track.
Politics
The starting positions of each nation are displayed on the game board’s political track.
All Free nations are passive, and start face down, except the Elves who start face up and active. When a Free nation becomes active, turn their counter face up. Free nations must be active before they can advance into the "At War" box.
If the fellowship declares at a City or Stronghold, that nation is activated by turning over its nation counter. Specific separated companions going to a City or Stronghold of their nations will activate them and turn over their nation’s counter. A Character must end their action in a City or Stronghold to activate that nation.
Only the Elves start activated among the Free. All Shadow nations start activated.
A Free nation becomes active when a region of that nation is entered.
A Free nation becomes active when it’s army is attacked.
A Free nation becomes active when the fellowship declares in a city or stronghold of that nation.
A Free nation becomes active when a companion capable of activating enters a city or stronghold of that nation. Read the character cards carefully. Gandalf, Arargorn, Merry and Pippin activate all nations, the rest are more specific and shown by the symbol on the lower right hand corner of the Character’s card.
Each Action die used in a siege attack advances the attacked nation.
An attack on a settlement with units advances that nation.
Conquering a settlement also advances that nation.
Attacking and conquering the Shire activates and advances the North twice.
The following events initiate an attack by an army, and affect the political track.
Help Unlooked For, Grond, The Fighting Uruk-Hai, The Ringwraiths are Abroad, The Black Captain Commands, and Corsairs of Umbar
The Spirit of Mordor, Faramir’s Rangers, Dreadful Spells and Return to Valinor all Activate and Advance affected Nations on the Political Track.
If the entire army attacked in these events is eliminated, Nazgul and Characters remain.
Ents Awake and Dead Men of Dunharrow Activate and Advance affected Nations on the Political Track.
If the entire army attacked by Ents Awake or Dead Men of Dunharrow is eliminated, Nazgul and Characters die.
Advancing a Nation
A Muster dice can be used as an action to advance a nation one box toward "At War" on the political track. A nation must be Active to enter the final "At War" box.
Advance a nation if their troops are in a battle.
Advance a nation if a Settlement of theirs is captured.
At War
Armies of a nation that is in the At War box on the political track are allowed to move inside other nations.
At War armies may attack.
At War nations may muster troops using muster dice.
Retreating units can retreat across friendly borders, regards of At War status.
Characters and Nazgul are not effected by a nations at war status, they may always fight.
Factions
The Hillmen Of Dunland
Muster The Hillmen faction by placing two Hillmen in Nth Dunland and two Hillmen in Sth Dunland for a Muster dice.
The Hillmen can only be mustered if Isengard is At War.
Hillmen can only be mustered by using a Muster dice to place two Hillmen in an Isengard or Rohan region containing a Shadow army, unless that army is under siege.
One hit eliminates Two Hillmen.
Just like one hit eliminates a regular and two hits eliminates an elite.
If only one Hillman is in an army, the Hillman is eliminated last.
Hillmen count as full units for the Shadow cards Relentless Assault and Onslaught.
The Corsairs Of Umbar
Muster The Corsairs faction by placing two Corsair Ships in Umbar for a Muster dice.
The Corsairs can only be mustered if The Southrons and Easterlings are At War.
Muster a Ship and a Regular in a controlled Umbar with a Muster dice.
Ships
Ships are not army units and cannot conquer regions.
Ships can only enter Coastal regions.
Ships ignore stacking restrictions and enemy armies.
A Ship is eliminated if a Shadow army it is with retreats, or is eliminated.
Ships can only move using one of the two army moves allowed by spending an Army dice. A group of ships may move up to two provinces.
A Shadow army may move from one region with a ship to another Free region with a ship using one of the two army moves allowed by spending an Army dice, or using a Character dice if the army has leadership.
A Shadow army may attack from one region with a ship into another region with a ship using an Army dice or a Character dice if the army has leadership.
An army attacking using ships cannot retreat.
Eliminate all ships in the attacked region when an attack fails.
If ships are used to transport an army to a besieged shadow army, it is considered as a siege relief attack.
The Ents of Fangorn
The Ents can only be mustered if Saruman is in play and a Companion is in Fangorn.
Muster The Ents Faction by placing an Ent in Fangorn for a Muster dice.
If a Companion is in Fangorn and The Voice Of Saruman is used, place an Ent in Fangorn. Ents can only be mustered this way, or with one of the 3 Ent cards.
The Ents are not army units and cannot conquer regions.
The Ents ignore stacking restrictions and enemy armies.
An Ent is removed from the game when used to attack.
The Ents are counter mix limited to 8 Ents, ever.
The Ents can attack only with an Ent Card.
The Silver Ent, Treebeard, must always stay in Fangorn.
Each other Ent may be used to attack or move during the same activation triggered by the Ents Awake event. A series of movements and attacks can be made in any desired order as long as there spare Ents still in Fangorn.
To move The Ents, take an Ent from Fangorn and place it in a region adjacent to a region containing an Ent. Ents cannot move into a region containing a Shadow Army.
A Shadow Army in a region adjacent to an Ent can be attacked by The Ents.
A Shadow Army in a region with an Ent can be attacked by The Ents.
To attack with The Ents, eliminate an Ent from Fangorn and roll five Combat Dice, hitting on 5 or 6. Further attacks are made by removing another Ent.
The Shadow cannot respond in any way to an Ent attack.
No Combat cards are chosen and there is no retreat.
If an Ent Attack eliminates the Army at Orthanc, eliminate Saruman.
If an Ent moves into Orthanc eliminate Saruman.
The Fellowship
The Fellowship figure of Frodo and Sam represents the last known position of the Fellowship. The Fellowship starts in Rivendell. The other seven companions start with them, in the The Fellowship of the Ring box. If any companions leave the Fellowship, move their figure onto the board.
Each time The Fellowship is declared or revealed, move the Fellowship to their new location. The Fellowship Progress Counter goes on the Fellowship Track on the game board, with the blue side up on zero. The blue side means hidden, red side means revealed. When hidden, it shows how far The Fellowship has travelled from it’s last known position, and is moved forward each time The Fellowship advances.
The Corruption Counter moves between zero and twelve on the Fellowship Track.
If The Fellowship ever get twelve corruption, the Free lose immediately.
Each Character has a companion card displaying their Level, Leadership, Nationality, Guide Abilities and Special Abilities.
The Fellowship, and any Companions in it, cannot be destroyed in combat.
On the Mordor track the Fellowship is safe from Nazgul and armies.
The Fellowship remains hidden when the Fellowship is declared and moved.
The Fellowship does not suffer from the same movement restrictions as separated companions. The Fellowship do not have to declare or reveal themselves in a Shadow stronghold. The Fellowship can leave a stronghold under siege.
The Fellowship can only heal in a Free City or Stronghold controlled at the start of the game, and controlled now.
The Fellowship can rest and heal in a Free Stronghold under siege.
If the Fellowship is revealed in Morannon or Minas Morgul, they are forced to hide again before they can declare in Mordor.
An additional hunt tile is drawn only if the Fellowship is revealed in, leaving or going through a Shadow Stronghold controlled by the Shadow, conquered Free Strongholds don’t count.
Separating Companions
Companions in the Fellowship box are in the region with The Fellowship.
A Character dice can be used as an action to separate any Companions.
Companions separated in Mordor are eliminated.
The separated Companion/s are moved a number of regions equal to the Fellowship Progress Counter plus the highest separating Companion’s Level.
Place separated companions on the game board.
When separating, companions must be moved as a single group.
When separating, characters already on the board do not move.
A separated companion cannot rejoin.
The Guide of The Fellowship
The guide must always have the highest level among the The Fellowship.
When there is a tie, The Free player may choose.
Gandalf the Grey starts guiding the The Fellowship.
The Free may switch to Strider in the first turn.
Legolas, Gimli are Boromir are level 2, so they all must lead before Meriadoc and Pippin.
The Free may pick a new guide at the end of each Fellowship phase.
The Free may pick a new guide whenever the composition of the Fellowship changes.
Only the ‘If guiding the Fellowship’ abilities of a guiding companion can be used.
Hobbits
If a Hobbit is the guide, that hobbit may separate to reduce hunt damage by one, then the next Hobbit may separate to reduce hunt damage.
Gollum cannot then ignore the reveal icon, he must start as the guide to ignore the reveal.
Gollum
When the seven companions have left the Fellowship, Gollum joins Frodo and Sam as the guide. Place the Gollum Character card in the Guide to the Fellowship box. His guide power may be used immediately. Gollum counts as a companion, so the Shadow can always place one eye in hunt allocation.
The Fellowship Track
A Character dice can be used as an action to move a hidden Fellowship.
When The Fellowship moves, advance The Fellowship Progress Counter one step.
The higher the number, the more regions the Fellowship have secretly moved.
Each time The Fellowship moves, the Shadow has a chance to Hunt For The Ring.
Each time The Fellowship moves in a turn, the hunt becomes one easier.
The Fellowship figure is moved when the Hunt is successful and reveals The Fellowship.
The Fellowship figure is moved when The Free declare the position of The Fellowship.
When the Fellowship is revealed or declared, The Fellowship Progress Counter is reset to zero.
The fellowship heals one corruption when declared in a Free peoples City or Stronghold not under enemy control. Conquered Shadow Settlements do not heal the Fellowship.
The Fellowship may declare each turn solely to heal.
Only a hidden Fellowship can be declared during the Fellowship phase
When the Fellowship is declared, The Free move The Fellowship figure a number of regions up to the number of the Fellowship Progress Counter, and then return the counter to zero and hidden.
When revealed, turn the Fellowship Progress Counter to its red revealed side.
The Free then move The Fellowship figure a number of regions up to the number of the Fellowship Progress Counter, and then return the counter to zero.
When the Hunt reveals the Fellowship, they cannot be revealed in a Free Peoples Stronghold or City, but can reveal in a Free Peoples Town
Conquered Shadow Settlements can be revealed on.
When revealed, The Fellowship cannot move.
A Character dice can be used as an action to hide The Fellowship.
When The Fellowship is revealed going into, from or through a Shadow Stronghold, a Hunt Tile is drawn in addition.
The Fellowship cannot move through a black line, impassable terrain is impassable.
The Hunt For The Ring
The 16 Hunt tiles are placed in an opaque container and called the Hunt Pool. Twelve standard hunt tiles are numbered 0,1,2 or 3, sometimes with a reveal icon. Four standard hunt tiles have an Eye. Two standard tiles are Sméagol tiles.
The Four Special Hunt Tiles for each side come from events.
Drawing for the Hunt means pull a tile from the Hunt Pool and apply its effects on The Fellowship.
Resolve each effect of each Hunt tile before resolving the next effect or tile.
Resolve tiles drawn because of Shadow Strongholds last.
If the Hunt Pool is empty, return all numbered and Eye tiles, but not special tiles.
The Special Hunt Tiles are only added to the Hunt Pool when The Fellowship is on the Mordor Track.
Hunting the Fellowship
When The Fellowship moves, the Shadow rolls for the Hunt.
The Hunt Level is the number of red dice in the Hunt Box, traditionally these are all turned to Eyes. The Shadow player rolls a number of combat dice equal to his Hunt Level, five dice maximum.
Each 6 rolled is a success.
If the Fellowship has moved this turn, add one to each Hunt Roll dice result for each movement. One previous move means 5+, two previous moves means 4+, and so on.
Hunt Rerolls
If The Fellowship Figure is in a region with a Shadow controlled stronghold, a Shadow army unit or a Nazgul, the Shadow can reroll a Hunt Dice for each condition that applies. Conquered Free Strongholds do give Hunt re rolls
Hunt Rerolls get the same +1 bonus for each Fellowship movement this turn.
Each Hunt Dice can only be rerolled once
Determining Hunt Damage
If the Hunt was successful, draw a tile from the Hunt Pool.
If the drawn tile has a number, apply that much damage to The Fellowship.
If the drawn tile has a reveal icon, The Fellowship is revealed in addition.
If the drawn tile is an Eye, apply as much damage to The Fellowship as there were successes in the Hunt, and reveal The Fellowship.
When the Hunt reveals the Fellowship, they cannot be revealed in a Free Peoples Stronghold or City, but can reveal in a Free Peoples Town
When the Fellowship declares in a Free Peoples Stronghold or City, ignore any reveal icons for tiles drawn because of the declaration.
When the Free -1 or -2 Special tiles are drawn, move the Fellowship and heal that much corruption.
All Shadow Special tiles have a small sword with a red circle and slash, this means the Fellowship does not move for this tile draw.
The dice on the Shelob tile means roll a dice and apply that much hunt damage.
Applying Hunt Damage
Hunt damage can be taken as corruption, add that much corruption to The Fellowship.
The Guide can be taken as a casualty, and reducing the Hunt damage by their level.
A random companion can be taken as a casualty, reducing the Hunt damage by their level.
The random companion eliminated can be the guide.
If the Hunt damage is higher than the eliminated character's level, any excess damage is taken as corruption.
The Hunt
Nazgul, Shadow Strongholds and Shadow units still get rerolls even when a Free army is with them. Even in a Free stronghold. Hunt rerolls always apply.
A Shadow Army besieging a Stronghold with the Fellowship generates a Hunt reroll.
If there is a Nazgul leading that Shadow army, a second reroll would apply.
A Free Stronghold captured by the Shadow gives a reroll if the Fellowship is in it.
A Shadow Stronghold captured by the Free does not give a reroll if the Fellowship is in it.
Resolving a 2R (this means a “2 + Reveal” tile)
First turn the Fellowship counter to revealed.
Companions die and / or hobbits separate.
Resolve Gollum’s reveal.
Resolve Corruption
Move Fellowship
Move Fellowship counter to 0
Add Character dice to the Hunt
When the Fellowship is revealed turn the Fellowship Progress Counter to the Revealed side, then the Free must move the fellowship figure. This move cannot be to a Stronghold or City controlled by the Free.
Only Character dice that were used to move the Fellowship are added to the hunt pool.
This includes Will of the West die used to become Character dice, and character dice from Elven rings. The current Character dice is added after the current Hunt, and any eyes resulting, have resolved.
Ignore any reveal icon on the drawn Tile if the Fellowship has declared in a Free Peoples Stronghold or City. eg The Balrog.
There is no maximum damage in Mordor for Eye tiles.
Eye hunt tiles that have been drawn by a Shadow Event (eg Orc Patrol) are put back in the Hunt when the Fellowship reach the Mordor Track, same with Eyes drawn for the Hunt.
Eye hunt tiles that have been removed from the game by Galadriel or Challenge of the King are not returned to the Hunt pool.
Sméagol, Tamed Wretch
When a Sméagol tile is drawn for the Hunt, damage equals zero and Sméagol becomes
the guide to the Fellowship. Place the drawn Sméagol tile in the Guide of the Fellowship box, and add the Sméagol Companion Counter.
Sméagol must always be the Guide when in the Fellowship.
Sméagol can be taken as a Hunt casualty like any other companion.
Sméagol’s level is equal to the highest level companion in the Fellowship.
If Sméagol is the Guide and the second Sméagol tile is drawn, hunt damage is zero and the tile is returned to the Hunt
If a Sméagol tile is drawn after Sméagol has left the game, discard it and draw again.
If a Sméagol tile is drawn and Gollum is the Guide, discard it and draw again.
If Sméagol is eliminated, the We Shall Get It Shadow event enters play.
If Sméagol is the only Companion in the Fellowship, replace him with Gollum and We Shall Get It does not enter play.
Sméagol is not Gollum and cannot be used to play Gollum cards
If Sméagol leaves play, Gollum may enter play as normal.
Sméagol is eliminated if separated.
Sméagol is eliminated if the Fellowship declares in a Free Peoples City or Stronghold.
Sméagol allows the Shadow to place an extra Eye at start of turn because he is a companion in the Fellowship.
Sméagol does not need a figure because he is always only the Guide of the Fellowship.
Sméagol has leadership 0.
When Sméagol uses a character Action Die to declare on a Free Peoples City or Stronghold, corruption is not healed.
When Sméagol is the Guide, a Character Action Die can be used to declare the Fellowship. If The Fellowship is declared in Minas Morgul or Morannon, the Fellowship is moved onto the Mordor Track.
The Mordor Track
If The Fellowship is declared in Morannon or Minas Morgul at the start of the turn, they enter the Mordor Track. Put The Fellowship figure on the first step of the Mordor Track. Return all drawn Eye tiles to the Hunt Pool, and add any played special tiles. The Fellowship Progress counter still display hidden or revealed, but no longer moves.
When the Fellowship is on the Mordor Track, do not roll for the Hunt when they move, draw a tile from the hunt pool instead. Damage is applied as normal.
If the tile is an Eye, damage is equal to the number of Eyes in the Hunt box plus the number of previous times The Fellowship has moved this turn.
If the tile drawn is a Shadow Special Tile, The Fellowship Figure does not advance on the Mordor Track.
If The Fellowship is on the Mordor Track and has not hidden or attempted to move for the entire turn, add one corruption.
The Fellowship must be hidden to move on the Mordor Track.
The Mordor Track is not a part of the Gorgororth region.
Military Victory
Besieged Strongholds are owned by the player inside the Stronghold for victory purposes.
Captured enemy Strongholds are worth 2 Victory Points.
Captured enemy Cities are worth 1 Victory Point.
Shadow win if they have 10 Victory Points or more at the end of any game turn
Free win if they have 4 Victory Points or more.
Shadow wins militarily before the Free.
If the Shadow have 10+ VP and the Free have 4+ VP, the Shadow win.
Ring Victory
Shadow wins immediately if the Ring bearers ever have 12 corruption.
If The Fellowship figure is on the Cracks of Doom step of the Mordor Track, and the Ring bearers have less than 12 corruption, Free win.
