The Way Into Mordor - Isengard (12/31: Token Machine Stuff)

[DáinIronfoot]

Yeah, kinda creeping some of my coworkers out. The rest are just glad for a welcome distraction from the dull cubicles.

[DáinIronfoot]

Sticking with our trackers for now, here's one that represents a nice big pack of the "maggots", and another that harkens back to what many old-school Orcs did best. Enjoy!

•Orc Rabble
Minion • Orc
Strength: 11
Vitality: 3
Site: 6
Tracker. To play, spot a tracker.
The site number of each Orc is -3.
Each time you play another tracker, you may exert a tracker to draw a card.
"‘There's only one thing those maggots can do: they can see like gimlets in the dark.'"

Orc Hunter
Minion • Orc
Strength: 5
Vitality: 3
Site: 6
Tracker. Hunter 2. To play, spot a tracker.
The site number of each Orc is -1.
Skirmish: Discard another card and exert this minion to wound a companion he is skirmishing.
"‘Do you think I can't search you to the bones? Search you! I'll cut you both to quivering shreds.'"

[Thranduil]

•Orc Rabble
Minion • Orc
Strength: 11
Vitality: 3
Site: 6
Tracker. To play, spot a tracker.
The site number of each Orc is -3.
Each time you play another tracker, you may exert a tracker to draw a card.
"‘There's only one thing those maggots can do: they can see like gimlets in the dark.'"

Is this not the easiest Orcs have ever drawn cards? Seems to me that his ability needs to be quite a bit weaker, and his strength seems a bit high.

Orc Hunter
Minion • Orc
Strength: 5
Vitality: 3
Site: 6
Tracker. Hunter 2. To play, spot a tracker.
The site number of each Orc is -1.
Skirmish: Discard another card and exert this minion to wound a companion he is skirmishing.
"‘Do you think I can't search you to the bones? Search you! I'll cut you both to quivering shreds.'"

So this is only 1 hunter, as opposed to Orc Hunters! I reckon he should probably have strength 4 (or hunter 1) or not need the site number reduction.

Thranduil

[sickofpalantirs]

Sticking with our trackers for now, here's one that represents a nice big pack of the "maggots", and another that harkens back to what many old-school Orcs did best. Enjoy!

•Orc Rabble
Minion • Orc
Strength: 11
Vitality: 3
Site: 6
Tracker. To play, spot a tracker.
The site number of each Orc is -3.
Each time you play another tracker, you may exert a tracker to draw a card.
"‘There's only one thing those maggots can do: they can see like gimlets in the dark.'"
gimlets? are those baby Gimlis  


Orc Hunter
Minion • Orc
Strength: 5
Vitality: 3
Site: 6
Tracker. Hunter 2. To play, spot a tracker.
The site number of each Orc is -1.
Skirmish: Discard another card and exert this minion to wound a companion he is skirmishing.
"‘Do you think I can't search you to the bones? Search you! I'll cut you both to quivering shreds.'"

um...yeah cut hunter to 1

[lem0nhead]

LOL @ SoP. Yes that right dude, baby Gimlis can see awesome in the dark as you would expect.

•Orc Rabble
Minion • Orc
Strength: 11
Vitality: 3
Site: 6
Tracker. To play, spot a tracker.
The site number of each Orc is -3.
Each time you play another tracker, you may exert a tracker to draw a card.
"‘There's only one thing those maggots can do: they can see like gimlets in the dark.'"

To play spot a tracker doesnt culturally enforce it and seeing as it doesnt work with any other trackers why not specifiy anyway? In fact i dont think you need that anyway. You could play him first no probs.

Orc Hunter
Minion • Orc
Strength: 5
Vitality: 3
Site: 6
Tracker. Hunter 2. To play, spot a tracker.
The site number of each Orc is -1.
Skirmish: Discard another card and exert this minion to wound a companion he is skirmishing.
"‘Do you think I can't search you to the bones? Search you! I'll cut you both to quivering shreds.'"

Im not in favour of cutting the hunter, hes only max 7 for 3 cost which sint very good. 6 for 3 cost is dire regardless of ability.

[DáinIronfoot]

Alright, since I have completely run out of steam on trackers for the time being (initially derailed by the last week of my master's and just having trouble getting back on task), we'll be switching to warrior Uruks for now. This also ties in better with the thread I have going right now, as that focused on the same battle--Helm's Deep--that the vast majority of these Uruks will be centered around.

So, with new cards likely not coming until after the weekend, let's kick things off with a bang and post several cards for you to peruse. And as with the thread, since 2/3 of my normal reviewers are off relaxing miles away from their computers (and my DCs! ), YOU get to reap the benefits: all helpful reviews here until they return in a week and a half or so will net you some ! Can't beat that, right?

Now let's kick things off with a mixed bag of Uruk stuff. Enjoy!

Orthanc Pikeman
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 8
Vitality: 3
Site: 5
This minion is strength +1 if bearing a pike.
Skirmish: Exert this minion X times to wound a mounted character he is skirmishing X times.
Saruman's armies came fully prepared for battle with the horseman of Rohan.

What could a pike be, I wonder? You'll find out soon.

Berserk Brute
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 9
Vitality: 2
Site: 5
Damage +1. Hunter 1. Berserker 1. (This character is strength +1 for each wound on each character in its skirmish.)
While exhausted, this minion is fierce.
Incited into a mad rage, berserkers are thrown at the enemy and carve a foothold for the army.

Berserkers will be a big part of this set, and while they're much like some of the old-school ones, they have a few new tricks as well...like hunter.

Berserk Swordsman
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 12
Vitality: 2
Site: 5
Damage +1. Enduring. Hunter 2. Berserker 1. (This character is strength +1 for each wound on each character in its skirmish.)
To play, spot an Uruk-hai.
Each time this minion wins a skirmish, you may exert a companion not assigned to a skirmish.
Berserkers of Saruman's Uruk armies are bred and armed to cause as much death as possible before their own end.

...and a couple new goodies (or baddies, depending on which side you're on) here as well.

•Wave Upon Wave
Condition • Support Area
Each time you play an Uruk-hai berserker, you may place an token here.
Maneuver: Remove X tokens from here to play an Uruk-hai from hand; that minion's twilight cost is -X.
For every assaulter struck down or thrown from the walls, it seemed two more took its place.

•Defenses Swept Away
Condition • Support Area
Each time an Uruk-hai wins a skirmish, you may place an token here (or 2 tokens if that Uruk-hai is a berserker).
Regroup: Spot 2 tokens here and discard an Uruk-hai to take control of a site (or 2 sites if you can spot at least 5 tokens here). Discard this condition.
"Over the wall and under the wall the last assault came sweeping like a dark wave upon a hill of sand."

TOLD you berserkers would be a key.

•Blasting Fire
Condition • Support Area
Machine.
Each time an Uruk-hai wins a skirmish, you may exert that Uruk-hai to add an token here.
Regroup: Spot an Uruk-hai and discard this machine and to make the Free Peoples player place X wounds on their characters, where X is the number of tokens here.
"Then there was a crash and a flash of flame and smoke."

As will machines. You either love them or hate them, but they're back, baby!

Crept In the Culvert
Event • Shadow
Discard an machine with X tokens on it to play an Uruk-hai; that minion's twilight cost is -X.
"...a gaping hole was blasted in the wall. A host of dark shapes poured in."

And there will be several events and other cards that key off machines, like this little beauty. Turn your machines into swarm potential!


Okay, that should be enough to wet your appetite. More next week!

[FM]

Orthanc Pikesman
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 8
Vitality: 3
Site: 7
This minion is strength +1 if bearing a pike.
Skirmish: Exert this minion X times to wound a mounted character he is skirmishing X times.
Saruman's armies came fully prepared for battle with the horseman of Rohan.

Wow... site SEVEN? That's harsh. I think he's way underpowered, as is, I probably wouldn't play a 5-twilight minion for a strength bonus and the eventual ability to wound mounted companions...

Berserk Brute
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 9
Vitality: 2
Site: 5
Damage +1. Hunter 1.
This minion is strength +1 for each wound on a character in its skirmish.
While exhausted, this minion is fierce.
Incited into a mad rage, berserkers are thrown at the enemy and carve a foothold for the army.

He should read each wound on each character, shouldn't he? I, for one, love berserkers, so I like this guy a lot. However, I think his vitality is too low, he'll die off too easily for the investment.

Berserk Swordsman
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 12
Vitality: 2
Site: 5
Damage +1. Enduring. Hunter 2.
To play, spot an minion.
This minion is strength +1 for each wound on a character in its skirmish.
Each time this minion wins a skirmish, you may exert a companion not assigned to a skirmish.
Berserkers of Saruman's Uruk armies are bred and armed to cause as much death as possible before their own end.

This one I like! Evil, just evil!

•Wave Upon Wave
Condition • Support Area
Each time you play an Uruk-hai with Berserk or Berserker in its title, you may place an token here.
Maneuver: Remove X tokens from here to play an Uruk-hai from hand; that minion's twilight cost is -X.
Regroup: Exert an Uruk-hai and discard it to take control of a site (or 2 sites if you can spot at least 3 tokens here). Discard this condition.
For every assaulter struck down or thrown from the walls, it seemed two took its place.

Whoa! That's... too much, I think, you get to invest in lowering your Uruk's costs, and then take control of a BUNCH of sites at once? Even being unique and having to discard the condition, I think it's too much. The FP player should at least have a way to prevent the last ability, or, you could add a site to the condition, just like minions! Make it cost more earlier on! Wow, THAT would be cool!

•Blasting Fire
Condition • Support Area
Machine.
Shadow or Maneuver: Discard this machine to make the Free Peoples player place X wounds on their characters, where X is the number of tokens here.
Skirmish: Exert an Uruk-hai to add an token here.
"Then there was a crash and a flash of flame and smoke."

I like machines, but I think this one is a little too much with berserkers. You get a free way to boost them, and then you dish out a lot of wounds? Ouch!

Crept In the Culvert
Event • Shadow
Discard an machine with X tokens on it to play an Uruk-hai; that minion's twilight cost is -X.
"‘...a gaping hole was blasted in the wall. A host of dark shapes poured in.'"

With a condition that does it way more easily, I don't think no one would end up playing this.

[DáinIronfoot]

Made several tweaks. See if you like them better now. or ?

He should read each wound on each character, shouldn't he?

Not in this case. The old-school berserkers had four (Berserk Rager, Berserk Savage, Berserk Slayer, Uruk-hai Berserker) that read as "on a character in its skirmish"; I read this as indicating you pick a character (presumably the one with the most wounds), spot the number of wounds on it, and then boost the berserker's strength by that amount. Ones that read like you're suggesting, "for each character in its skirmish" (Berserk Butcher and Berserker Torch being the only examples I can find), would instead spot every wound on EVERY character in that skirmish, making it a much more potent ability.

But my wording is much more widely used. In addition to the berserkers I mentioned, there's also the newer card Vicious Uruk, so Big D didn't abandon the wording...they feature both in different circumstances. Easterling Banner-bearer, for instance, features the "each" wording again. So they're both still around and both, I presume, mean different things.

Perhaps this would be a good question to ask in the gameplay forum, though...?

[DáinIronfoot]

He should read each wound on each character, shouldn't he?

Not in this case. The old-school berserkers had four (Berserk Rager, Berserk Savage, Berserk Slayer, Uruk-hai Berserker) that read as "on a character in its skirmish"; I read this as indicating you pick a character (presumably the one with the most wounds), spot the number of wounds on it, and then boost the berserker's strength by that amount. Ones that read like you're suggesting, "for each character in its skirmish" (Berserk Butcher and Berserker Torch being the only examples I can find), would instead spot every wound on EVERY character in that skirmish, making it a much more potent ability.

But my wording is much more widely used. In addition to the berserkers I mentioned, there's also the newer card Vicious Uruk, so Big D didn't abandon the wording...they feature both in different circumstances. Easterling Banner-bearer, for instance, features the "each" wording again. So they're both still around and both, I presume, mean different things.

Perhaps this would be a good question to ask in the gameplay forum, though...?

Well, after consulting the gameplay experts in this thread, it looks like "each" was an eventual replacement for "a", so the wording you suggested is correct. I've fixed it for the berserkers I posted above and will keep that in mind for the others yet to be posted. Thanks for getting the gears in my head turning.

[sickofpalantirs]

I just realized I broke 10,000 posts on CC before it went down...someone remind me here when I get close...I don't want to forget it.

Orthanc Pikesman
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 8
Vitality: 3
Site: 5
This minion is strength +1 if bearing a pike.
Skirmish: Exert this minion X times to wound a mounted character he is skirmishing X times.
Saruman's armies came fully prepared for battle with the horseman of Rohan.
fine

Berserk Brute
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 9
Vitality: 2
Site: 5
Damage +1. Hunter 1.
This minion is strength +1 for each wound on each character in its skirmish.
While exhausted, this minion is fierce.
Incited into a mad rage, berserkers are thrown at the enemy and carve a foothold for the army.
I never liked hunter on berserkers...but fine

Berserk Swordsman
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 12
Vitality: 2
Site: 5
Damage +1. Enduring. Hunter 2.
To play, spot an minion.
This minion is strength +1 for each wound on each character in its skirmish.
Each time this minion wins a skirmish, you may exert a companion not assigned to a skirmish.
Berserkers of Saruman's Uruk armies are bred and armed to cause as much death as possible before their own end.
make the freeps exert a comp...IMSO

•Wave Upon Wave
Condition • Support Area
Each time you play an Uruk-hai with Berserk or Berserker in its title, you may place an token here.
Maneuver: Remove X tokens from here to play an Uruk-hai from hand; that minion's twilight cost is -X.
Regroup: Discard 2 Uruk-hai to take control of a site (or 2 sites if you can spot at least 5 tokens here), then discard this condition. The Free Peoples player may discard 2 Free Peoples cards to prevent this.
For every assaulter struck down or thrown from the walls, it seemed two took its place.
uh...I think either ability would be good enough...with both up cost to 3

•Blasting Fire
Condition • Support Area
Machine.
Shadow or Maneuver: Discard this machine to make the Free Peoples player place X wounds on their characters, where X is the number of tokens here.
Each time an Uruk-hai wins a skirmish, you may exert that Uruk-hai to add an token here.
"Then there was a crash and a flash of flame and smoke."
personally I think the abilities should be the other way around.

Crept In the Culvert
Event • Shadow
Discard an machine with X tokens on it to play an Uruk-hai; that minion's twilight cost is -X.
"‘...a gaping hole was blasted in the wall. A host of dark shapes poured in.'"
fine


Okay, that should be enough to wet your appetite. More next week!

[DáinIronfoot]

I just realized I broke 10,000 posts on CC before it went down...someone remind me here when I get close...I don't want to forget it.

Uh...okay. Only 2000 to go, so you should get there in a couple weeks.

•Wave Upon Wave
Condition • Support Area
Each time you play an Uruk-hai with Berserk or Berserker in its title, you may place an token here.
Maneuver: Remove X tokens from here to play an Uruk-hai from hand; that minion's twilight cost is -X.
Regroup: Discard 2 Uruk-hai to take control of a site (or 2 sites if you can spot at least 5 tokens here), then discard this condition. The Free Peoples player may discard 2 Free Peoples cards to prevent this.
For every assaulter struck down or thrown from the walls, it seemed two took its place.

uh...I think either ability would be good enough...with both up cost to 3

After your review and FM's, I decided to split it into two cards. Check it again now.

•Blasting Fire
Condition • Support Area
Machine.
Shadow or Maneuver: Discard this machine to make the Free Peoples player place X wounds on their characters, where X is the number of tokens here.
Each time an Uruk-hai wins a skirmish, you may exert that Uruk-hai to add an token here.
"Then there was a crash and a flash of flame and smoke."

personally I think the abilities should be the other way around.

I don't quite follow what you mean. You talking about switching around the phases somehow?

[sickofpalantirs]

no I mean
"Each time an Uruk-hai wins a skirmish, you may exert that Uruk-hai to add an Isengard token here."
should be first followed by the shadow or maneuver ability...it just seems better to me.


the other 2 are fine

[DáinIronfoot]

Oh, gotcha. Will do.

Thanks, buddy!

[DáinIronfoot]

Alright, with Thranduil and lem0nhead still out this week and now SoP going away too, ALL of my regular reviewers are MIA. So it's all hands on deck for anyone else who wants to review in their absense (and maybe even continuing after they return ). Remember that you'll get some shiny for each helpful review of my DCs over the next week.

Anyway...back on track. I'm going to cheat a little bit here. The following cards HAVE been posted before, though never in the DC forums. Anyone that can figure out where I HAVE posted these before (and it WAS in a CC forum) gets a cookie. I mean...uh...extra gold. And maybe a cookie if you can find me. And I can get my wife to share one of her cookie recipes with me. And I have the right ingredients handy. And Cookie Monster doesn't get to them first. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.

Okay! On to the cards. Enjoy!

•Champion of Orthanc
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 12
Vitality: 3
Site: 5
Damage +1. Fierce.
To play, spot 2 minions.
Assignment: Exert Champion of Orthanc to assign it to a companion with strength 7 or higher. The Free Peoples player may exert 2 companions (or the Ring-bearer) to assign it to another companion instead.
"‘This is no parley.'"

•Orthanc Commander
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 10
Vitality: 3
Site: 5
Damage +1.
Maneuver: Exert Orthanc Commander to make another Uruk-hai fierce or strength +2 until the regroup phase.
"‘Do you wish to see the greatness of our army? We are the fighting Uruk-hai.'"

[MR. Lurtzy]

Well I guess I don't need glasses.

Alright, with Thranduil and lem0nhead still out this week and now SoP going away too, ALL of my regular reviewers are MIA. So it's all hands on deck for anyone else who wants to review in their absense (and maybe even continuing after they return ). Remember that you'll get some shiny for each helpful review of my DCs over the next week.

Anyway...back on track. I'm going to cheat a little bit here. The following cards HAVE been posted before, though never in the DC forums. Anyone that can figure out where I HAVE posted these before (and it WAS in a CC forum) gets a cookie. I mean...uh...extra gold. And maybe a cookie if you can find me. And I can get my wife to share one of her cookie recipes with me. And I have the right ingredients handy. And Cookie Monster doesn't get to them first. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.

Okay! On to the cards. Enjoy!

•Champion of Orthanc
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 12
Vitality: 3
Site: 5
Damage +1. Fierce.
To play, spot 2 minions.
Assignment: Exert Champion of Orthanc to assign it to a companion with strength 6 or higher. The Free Peoples player may exert 2 companions (or the Ring-bearer) to prevent this.
"‘This is no parley.'"
He prolly should exert twice for his special ability.

•Orthanc Commander
Minion • Uruk-hai
Strength: 10
Vitality: 3
Site: 5
Damage +1.
Maneuver: Exert Orthanc Commander to make an Uruk-hai fierce or strength +2 until the regroup phase.
"‘Do you wish to see the greatness of our army? We are the fighting Uruk-hai.'"

Could easily cost .

Gonna take a wild guess that these were posted in the Member's lounge?