Threat Besiegers (Shadow Only)

[Elessar's Socks]

My Besieger experimenting has come a long way since movie block, when Gorgoroth Troop/Pillager could be counted on to make Besiegers fierce, and overwhelms were a bit easier. These days wounding/removal can easily disrupt anything complicated, and companion strength has gone up (e.g. a deck passing a +3 strength bonus from Bow/Spear to everyone thanks to Surrendered Weapons). Not to mention there's some crazy condition removal out there. So here goes:

32 cards.

1 Gollum, Old Villain
3 Gorgoroth Agitator
3 Gorgoroth Berserker
4 Gorgoroth Keeper
4 Gorgoroth Soldier
2 Gorgoroth Swarm
3 Gorgoroth Troop

1 Ithil Stone

1 Encirclement
1 Fat One Wants It
2 Their Marching Companies
3 Troop Tower

4 Captured by the Ring

Not a single Siege Troop! Against choke decks it clogs the hand (and often uses up a turn regardless), it's vulnerable by itself, it controls a site late, and even 20 strength isn't quite as good anymore. So I've replaced it with the Gorgoroth Berserker, which controls a site during the maneuver phase (in time for skirmish phase pumping and stacking) and only requires a threat.

As for threats, that's why movie block was so great with Hall of the Kings and Dagorlad. But now Gollum steps in with Fat One Wants It and Captured by the Ring, and with 4 vitality he can help the overworked Gorgoroth Soldier swallow some wounds.

The idea is to keep stacking Besiegers and finally deploy enough to overwhelm the Ring-bearer.

- Gorgoroth Agitator: adds a threat for each companion over 4, which when combined with Their Marching Companies is similar to Nertea MoDG's ability in matching companions. It can also replay engines from the discard pile so condition removal doesn't hurt as much (Encirclement is still vulnerable, though).

- Gorgoroth Keeper: cheap, base strength 10, and self stacking.

- Gorgoroth Soldier: underrated, I think, but crazy good. A must against archery/wounding decks, and its ability is even better than the slower healing ones--response actions are gold. Play one of these and an accompanying Troop Tower (6 cards left in hand), and 5 wounds will be needed to kill it in order to prevent a site from being controlled.

- Encirclement: couldn't resist throwing in one of these, especially when mass site control shouldn't be too difficult. With 4 sites controlled, Keepers are free, and Soldiers and Agitators only cost 1.

If anything it's starting to resemble Moria Swarm. *LOL*

I'd be interested in seeing other Besiger decks, too. Anyone still swarm with Great Hill Trolls without fear of all the conditions being blown up?

EDIT 5/15 -

-1 Tower Walkway

+1 Gorgoroth Agitator
+2 Gorgoroth Swarm

Recommendations:

- The Free Peoples side should cycle extremely well. I used Dwarves with Mithril Shaft, Gandalf, The Grey Pilgrim and Isildur, Heir of Elendil.

- Kill site is Cavern Entrance. Alternatively empty the hand and sites of Besiegers, and then stack as many needed with the Troop to maximize the strength of the minions skirmishing the Ring-bearer (via Troop Tower).

[Beorn]

Sounds pretty cool. I think I am going to test something similar out tomorrow when I play tomorrow.

[Elessar's Socks]

I tested it against a 9-companion beatdown deck with Firefoot and Spear of the Mark (no RotN, though ), and Frodo, Resolute Hobbit bearing Sting and The Great Ring. Deor, Thundering Host, and Surrendered Weapons pretty much prevented most overwhelms. Took a few tries (reminds me of tides breaking against a cliff) but Frodo finally ran out of resistance in the end.

(Incidentally Theoden, Tall and Proud drives me nuts. If he dies Rohirrim Army storms into play with a vengeance and wallops the Troop. Pretty cool from a story perspective, but... argh! *LOL*)

Anyway, LMK if you discover any cool things to try.

[SomeRandomDude]

No Sauron? 

Pack Sauron, The Lord of the Rings. And...maybe Shotgun Enquea?

That should lower the comp count enough to kill off Frodo.

[Elessar's Socks]

Adding Sauron here is IMO like adding the Balrog to Moria swarm... might kill a companion, but not really needed (I hope).

Enquea and his many names crack me up. You know the scene in FotR when they're at the Bucklebury Ferry, and the Nazgul are riding past the one (Cantea) at the dock? All the moviegoers would be going "So cool... hey wait a minute, why does the last one have a machine gun strapped to his back?!" *LOL*

[SomeRandomDude]

I would compare it more to adding the WK to a Morc swarm. Another cheap minion, only bigger. And this deck will make him pretty cheap.

[LoveMeAndDespair]

- The Free Peoples side should cycle extremely well. I used Dwarves with Mithril Shaft, Gandalf, The Grey Pilgrim and Isildur, Heir of Elendil.

I'm confused. Are you saying: (a) this minion deck only works if you pair it with a fellowship deck that cycles a lot or (b ) this minion deck helps cycle a lot and that helps you draw lots of your free peoples cards you need?

[ket_the_jet]

I'm confused. Are you saying: (a) this minion deck only works if you pair it with a fellowship deck that cycles a lot or (b ) this minion deck helps cycle a lot and that helps you draw lots of your free peoples cards you need?

Besiegers need a free people's side that cycles very well. That said, ES' besiegers deck is probably the best one that I've ever played (better than the one I had so I switched!). I still think Din of Arms should be in there...at least two copies, but 34 cards isn't really too much so you could add them!

Also, Dead Marshes is one of the best conditions for besiegers.
-wtk

[Elrohir]

That is what I experienced too. So I like to pair it with Gandalf, bearer of obligation, as you get fix two cards rid of your hand.

Din of Arms are a must have in any besieger deck. But I have too say: A besiegerdeck is either working or not. There is no semiplayable shadow deck for besiegers.

If you change just 2-3 cards, the whole deck might be in danger. I am playing besiegers since I started the game - and I had a lot of different deck halves.

So, if you have a deck that works, just change it carefully to improve it, or let it be. And write a kind of deck list for working besieger decks - so you can always return to a former one.

[ket_the_jet]

Din of Arms are a must have in any besieger deck. But I have too say: A besiegerdeck is either working or not. There is no semiplayable shadow deck for besiegers.

That is a really good point. My first besieger deck was based on Gorgoroth Officer, but it was difficult to generate enough twilight to play more besiegers. But I have seen Gorgoroth Officer decks that kick so much #$&*@!, you'd probably go blind.

Either way, I play ES' deck here at 34 cards with two Din of Arms and one Dead Marshes instead of Fat One Wants It (I find that the deck generates enough threats as it is, and City Gates* and Dagorlad, etc., can help too in Movie Block).
-wtk

[Elrohir]

I add threats with City Gates, Gorgoroth Agitator and, do not be shocked; Sauron's might. But that is my way. Never seen some body else playing Our Time, Loriens Blessing, Strands of Elven Hair or Sauron's might.

The best way to play besieger is to swarm your opponent. Stack as many minions as early as possible. As there is most of the time Ologhai of Mordor and Abomination of Sauron for free, and Encirclemtent and troop tower do the rest, play minions, minions, minions...

An average Din of Arms to get an early site, and the second to finish your opponent off: with about 15 minions (all strength +3) 

[ket_the_jet]

Strands of Elven Hair

I feel like this card has a nice place in a Gimli, Bearer of Grudges Lend Us Your Aid deck. Pull a Quick As May Be or Lend Us Your Aid or any of the possessions or companions you may need...I kind of like it.
-wtk

[Elessar's Socks]

It'd be great if the deck could be modified sideboard-style to survive Gandalf, PG / LoI / Shadowplay--that can stop site control for ages.

I'm confused. Are you saying: (a) this minion deck only works if you pair it with a fellowship deck that cycles a lot or (b ) this minion deck helps cycle a lot and that helps you draw lots of your free peoples cards you need?

This particular minion side needs a cycling FP, hamster-wheel style. Mithril Shaft is probably pushing things but I really want my site control cards.

In general though, Besiegers are rather combo intensive and need to do things in stages, so a hand that doesn't cycle well risks holding everything up. Their top priority is usually to take control of a site, so that might involve a Gorgoroth Assassin / Troop Tower or Gorgoroth Soldier / Troop Tower combo. Some builds want to stack certain minions, so that might involve timing them with Gorgoroth Troop or Troll of Gorgoroth AoS. If swarming with Trolls is the idea, those will of course have to be assembled, as well as peripherals such as Encirclement or Din of Arms.

In the meantime your opponent might be wounding key minions so you're looking for the Soldier, or discarding key conditions so you're looking for the Agitator... takes effort assembling it all, but it's fun!

[itjunkie]

Question regarding Gorgoroth Troops game text.

It says:"Skirmish: Stack your besieger on a site you control to make Gorgoroth Troop strength +2"

Can you stack besiegers from hand or it must be besiegers from play?

[ket_the_jet]

Besiegers from play.

Edit: Unless a card specifically says, "from hand," the rules assume "from play."
-wtk