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| bobtheorc |
![]() Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 4:02 pm |
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Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 1218
Location: Wow, its hot in Iowa
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--- description ---
In this article bobtheorc examines and explains the usefulness of a Shadow side called the Uruk-hai Swarm.
--- end description ---
Anyone who plays LOTR TCG will notice at some point that it can be quite the expensive hobby.
To make a good deck can cost well over $50.00 and there always seem to be another expensive card that you need to make your deck a force to be reckoned with. Many of my friends who play LOTR TCG complain about how expensive it can be to make a deck that can win consistently. You may simply give up hope of ever having a deck that can win.
So what is the answer? Well in this article I will not go into how to make a cheap Free Peoples side for your deck, but I will show you how to make very inexpensive Shadow side that can win over and over.
So what type of deck can you build that uses cheap and easy to find minions, is not difficult to play with, and has a chance of winning games?
I think that the answer is in a type of Shadow side called the  Uruk-hai swarm. In this article I will answer the following questions:
why and how do swarm decks work,
why it is cheap to build a Uruk-hai swarm deck, and why the Uruk-Hai swarm is a swarm you should use.
I will also give list of the all minions that can be used in the Uruk-hai swarm,
and finally an example deck list of a Uruk-Hai swarm shadow side.
So how do swarms work, and why do they work well?
A swarm deck, as its name implies, tries to “swarm” your opponent by playing as many minions as possible even with a limited twlight pool. And once you have more minions then companions you can assign minions to the ring-bearer to hopefully corrupt or kill him. A swarm deck generally wins by either overwhelming or corrupting your opponent’s ring-bearer which can be a fun way to win a game.
And even if you can only get one minion assigned to the ring-bearer that can still be painful for your opponent.
If your opponent is using alternate ring bearer like Isilder, Bearer of Herilooms, then just to assign Isildur to your little Uruk-hai will force him to exert 3 companions or add 2 burdens.
Swarm minions cycle very well, and will generally not clog your hand as you should be able to consistently play minions each and every turn. Since all the minions in your Uruk-hai swarm deck will generally cost less than 4 twilight it is very easy to play minions even with a limited twilight pool. When using my Uruk-hai swarm deck a generally can play 3 to 5 minions every turn which can help a lot. And if you play lots of 3 or 4 player games it can be a lot easier to convince your fellow shadow players to let you have only 4 twilight when they hear that you can play 2 minions for that small amount.
Why it is cheap to build a Uruk-hai swarm deck
I would have to say that a swarm deck using Uruk-hai is the one of the cheapest decks to make. This is because very few of the minions used in a Uruk-hai swarm deck are hard to get as the vast majority of swarm Uruk-hai are Common or Uncommon. Also many players who have lots of cards are more than willing to trade or give away those little commons Uruk-hai. Even if you bought singles of all the cards for your Uruk-hai swarm deck it would still easily cost less than $5 and this is assuming that you cannot trade any of them.
why should I use the Uruk-hai swarm in my deck?
The most important thing about Uruk-hai is all of them have a loaded keyword, either damage +1 or fierce.
And the LOTR TCG rule books state that if 2 or more minions with damage +X are in a skirmish together their damage bonus combine. So if you have 2 uruk-hai, for example Uruk Savage and Uruk Foot Soldier, since each of them are damage +1 then their combined damage bonus in a skirmish is damage +2. So if you can get 2 or more of your Uruk-hai that have damage bonuses assigned to a companion it either hurt or kill that companion.
Also many of the fierce Uruks, like the Uruk Plains Runner and Uruk Foot Soldier, gain both strength bonuses and damage +1 if they survive their first skirmish.
Finally Uruk Regular who’s text reads exert this minion to play an Uruk-hai. its twilight -1 for each other Uruk-hai you can spot. is one more reason to use the Uruk-hai swarm. This a great minion who can make any Uruk-hai cost 0 twilight very effortlessly by spotting other uruks in play. This will makes it easier to swarm an opponent when you have a limited twilight pool. Also his ability can help you to play minions like Lurtz, Servant of Isengard at greatly reduced cost. And finally Uruk-hai can cycle your hand in the shadow phase with Abandoning Reason for Madness, a useful event that helps get rid of cards clogging your hand, and hopefully allows you to draw more minions to swarm your opponent.
Now what cards should you use to make your uruk-hai swarm deck?
First in I recommend, as a general rule, that you do not include any minions that cost more than 3 twilight. There is one exception to my rule. It can work well to have a few minions like Lurtz, Servant of Isengard and Uruk-hai Vanguard that have high twilight cost in your swarm deck. You can exert your Uruk Regular to make these minions very cheap by spotting other Uruk-hai. But both Uruk-hai Vanguard and Lurtz are not cheap to buy and can raise your cost to make a swarm deck so I will not include them in my example deck. You can include 4 twilight without hurting the strategy to much, but I feel that the less than 4 twilight rule works well and helps a lot.
Now what minions should you have 4 copies of?
I think that there are only 2 minions that you should try to have 4 copies of: Uruk Foot Soldier and Uruk Regular. Uruk foot Soldier is the only Uruk-hai that has a twilight cost of 1 which is very good. And if he survives his first skirmish he gains damage +1 and is strength +3.
And as I mentioned before Uruk Regular’s ability is simply outstanding for the Uruk-hai swarm and even if you don’t want to have 4 of Uruk Foot Soldier you should have 4 of Uruk Regular.
Beyond this it is up to you to decide what minions you want in your deck. Try to use Uruk-hai with twilight cost of 3 or less, but it doesn’t hurt to have a few with a cost of 4. You also should try to have a good balance of 2 and 3 twilight cost minions.
Here is a complete list of all the Uruk-hai that cost less than 4 twilight.
I hope this helps you get an idea of the many different Uruks that can work with the swarm.
3 twilight Uruk-hai
Uruk Warrior:
Uruk Fighter.
Uruk Regular
Uruk Captain
Uruk Lieutenant
Uruk Shaman
Uruk Crossbowman
Uruk Stalker
Uruk Stormer
Uruk Scout
Uruk-hai Marauder
Uruk Runner
Uruk Veteran
Uruk Engineer
Mauhur, Patrol Leader
2 twilight Uruk-hai
Uruk Messenger
Uruk Pursuer
Uruk Raider
Uruk Besieger
Uruk Plains Runner
Uruk Savage
Orthanc Warrior
Uruk Spy
Uruk Soldier
Uruk Sapper
Uruk Seeker
1 twilight Uruk-hai
Uruk Foot Soldier
Some other minions that can work well with the Uruk swarm. These are cards that fit well with the Uruk-hai swarm, some of them work better if you use Uruk Regular (like Uruk vanguard), but some of them can be hard to get and are somewhat expensive.
Grima, Wormtongue (a good little sneak who can clog you opponents hand and is very good against  decks)
Lurtz, Servant of Isengard,(big, and easily fierce with the swarm )
and Uruk Vanguard (very strong and while at a battleground he is damage +2 and fierce)
Goblin Runner(who text reads: when you play this minion add  ) isn’t a minion, but he is well suited to any swarm deck since his twilight cost is  but he adds when you play him which is very useful. He also isn’t expensive or hard to find which is a plus.
And finally here is my example of a Uruk-hai swarm shadow side. A Uruk-hai swarm tends to cycle very well, so that is why this deck is a bit larger than a normal shadow side should be. Also you can run out of minions so it is a good idea to have more than the usual amount in your deck. In addition I do have 5 rare minions(Uruk Lieutenant, Uruk Captain, and Uruk Spy) in my deck which makes it more expensive to build, but none of them are absolutely essential to the deck. (unlike say Uruk Regular)
Bobtheorc’s example of a Uruk-hai swarm shadow side.
Minions
4x Uruk Regular
1x Uruk Runner
3x Uruk Scout
3x Orthanc Warrior
1x Uruk Savage
3x Uruk Plains Runner
1x Uruk Lieutenant
3x Uruk Soldier
4x Uruk Foot Soldier
3x Uruk Fighter
3x Uruk Captain
Events
3x Abandoning Reason for Madness
3x Ferocity
I hope you have enjoyed my article and have found it to be helpful if you are trying to make a cheaper, better, and an easer to use deck. I also would like to know if anyone plays with the Uruk-hai Swarm and what you thought of it.
Bobtheorc. |
Last edited by bobtheorc on Tue Jun 06, 2006 9:38 pm; edited 3 times in total Ban the Overpowered Orcs
"Don't panic, I have paper!" - Taipan 
Is that Grima, Grief Counselor? - legolamb
Bobtheorcs Uruk-Hai Dcs
Bob’s wonderful !! updated !! Trade list |
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| CarpeGuitarrem |
![]() Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 4:54 pm |
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Joined: 07 Apr 2006
Posts: 3361
Location: Franciscan University of Steubenville
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| Excellent article! I loved the way you began with an explanation of swarms, explained why to use Uruks, and then delved into strategy. You also gave a lot of options for building one, and gave an example deck. My only quibble: Uruks are fairly outdated for decks, as they’ve rotated out of Standard almost totally. |
| "ok, change of plans. the Cobracards christmas party is coming to my house, and we’re gunna teach FM how to hunt." (mm) |
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| sperzdechly |
![]() Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 6:25 pm |
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Joined: 05 May 2006
Posts: 131
Location: Warsaw (Poland)
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I was playing  quite a long time, strength based, as well as swarm version. It’s a pitty that you didn’t mention this version of uruk-hai swarm or combined deck using and minions. It’s also very powerful. And it’s also quite cheap!
I don’t understand why you added Uruk Spy to the deck. It’s completely useless. I’ve never seen or heard about anybody who use him and take some advantage...And I would drop swords. In swarms deck you need as many minions you can get, so any non-minion cards are redundant. Obviously you cannot play without ferocity and AbfM, but swords IMHO are bad idea.
I liked the article. I’m impress by very nice introduction. Unfortunately at the end I was thinking "That’s all?". You could add something about new Uruks, strategy against alternative ringbearers or hobbits (a lot of cards protecting ring-bearer and Sam as a second one), and what to do if swarming isn’t going well. |
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| sickofpalantirs |
![]() Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 8:08 pm |
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Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Posts: 7750
Location: somwhere, over the rainbow way up high. There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby.
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| Loved the article. gave all the good minions for player s to put ib their decks as sperzdechly uruk spy isn’t that good but you still deserve a five |
 Sop's haves/ top wants
(mm)"SoP: you will always be the Official CC Spammer in my heart"
"DáinIronfoot"
Spammers really are amazing creatures. You can learn all there is to know about their ways in a month. And yet, after a hundred years, they can still surprise you.  |
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| Anonymous Prodigy |
![]() Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 8:38 pm |
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Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 4197
Location: United States
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Good article, bobtheorc. I liked the descriptions of almost every card and how you showed how each could be used well. The only thing I find fault with is that the Uruks are outdated, and your grammar could use a little touching up. I give it a 4.  |
| I had to put something here. |
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| bobtheorc |
![]() Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 8:42 pm |
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Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 1218
Location: Wow, its hot in Iowa
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| bobtheorc |
![]() Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 8:48 pm |
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Joined: 19 Mar 2006
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Location: Wow, its hot in Iowa
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CarpeGuitarrem wrote: Excellent article! I loved the way you began with an explanation of swarms, explained why to use Uruks, and then delved into strategy. You also gave a lot of options for building one, and gave an example deck. My only quibble: Uruks are fairly outdated for decks, as they’ve rotated out of Standard almost totally.
Anonymous Prodigy wrote: Good article, bobtheorc. I liked the descriptions of almost every card and how you showed how each could be used well. The only thing I find fault with is that the Uruks are outdated, and your grammar could use a little touching up.
i probably should have explained this better but I do feel that this deck is much more suited for begginers or just for freindly play.
I myself do not play Standard on anything like that so sometimes I forget about that. I do know that they are outdated but then again they may be just the thing that the friend your playing doesn’t expect.
Also AP I was just wondering where my grammar was bad?
Not an accusation or anything I just wanted to know so I can fix it.
I was hurry today to get my article finished so I guess I missed some stuff. |
Ban the Overpowered Orcs
"Don't panic, I have paper!" - Taipan
Is that Grima, Grief Counselor? - legolamb
Bobtheorcs Uruk-Hai Dcs
Bob’s wonderful !! updated !! Trade list |
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| CarpeGuitarrem |
![]() Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 9:14 pm |
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Joined: 07 Apr 2006
Posts: 3361
Location: Franciscan University of Steubenville
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Another question: Why Uruk Shaman? Most of your Uruks are 1 or 2 vitality anyway, and they don’t exert to take actions, except for Uruk Regular. Furthermore, if you’re swarming an opponent, will you have left over to use? Along the same lines, why Uruk Sapper? Your deck doesn’t have a single machine-you should have another copy of Orthanc Warrior.
However, I don’t count decklists toward a big part of the article, so I’ll probably give this a really good vote. I just want to read it through again. |
| "ok, change of plans. the Cobracards christmas party is coming to my house, and we’re gunna teach FM how to hunt." (mm) |
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| bobtheorc |
![]() Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 9:37 pm |
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Joined: 19 Mar 2006
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Location: Wow, its hot in Iowa
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| sperzdechly |
![]() Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2006 2:05 am |
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Joined: 05 May 2006
Posts: 131
Location: Warsaw (Poland)
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bobtheorc wrote: but I will admit that there are some very nice 3 twilight minions.
Well, in fact there are even nicer for 2 twilight - Vigilant Uruk (the best for swarms)!  But he is more effective in only deck.
Quote: I also think that it is usually easier to get uruks that it is to get mnions. But that is all my opinioni.
I’d rather disagree. In my player community is easier to get . Mostly because we’ve got many beginners or players who joined LOTR year or two ago, so they don’t have older cards.
Quote: I will be taking the swords out of my other deck soon as I do see that they are redundant and I often ended up discarding them in the regroup phase.
But you see - problem with swords is like that: you set up a hand on 5th site to swarm opponent, you draw let’s say... the last 2 cards, and get 1 FP card, 1 minion and 1 sword and end with 6 minions on hand. If you put minion instead of sword, you would have 7 minions which is quite a serious threat, while 6 isn’t so... swarmy |
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