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| Beyo |
![]() Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 4:36 pm |
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Joined: 22 Nov 2005
Posts: 60
Location: Poland
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--- description ---
Isengard Men - one of the most underrated subcultures, but they shouldn’t be. This article focuses on the best intelligence agency in the service of the Dark Lord.
--- end description ---
"We’re kept in secret..exist in Shadow..and we dress in black".
Isengard culture brought to game scene whole set of subcultures. Most used of them are of course Uruk-Hai Trackers and little less often Warg-Riders. However there is another subculture whis is almost totally forgoten by top players - Isengard Men. It’s true that as stand-alone culture they are weak but in cooperation they can show us their power; Our man 007, Agent Smith or Don Pedro de Pomidorre can learn a lot from these special army of hidden warriors.
So what minions do we have?
Designation Agents of Orthanc
Parameters: 9/3/3 
Mission: make unrest and disorder between Free Peoples.
These guys are universal antidotum vs rainbow decks. When fighting with fellowship of Aragorn Gandalf Legolas and Gimli they have strength 15 and damage+3!!. This is the most expensive minion in this subculture and has the biggest chance to win skirmishes what makes it crucial minion in Men deck.
Designation Rohirrim Traitor
Parameters 6/2/3 
Mission: seek, make weak and destroy.
Rohirrim Traitor is cheap minion with basic str of 6. But if skirmishing minion bearing  condition he will be 8...not bad, because its more than most companion’s basic str and we have another chance to win skirmish.
Designation: Unferth, Grima Bodyguard
Parameters: 6/2/3
Mission: Protect Grima and his others fellows.
Very similar to RT Unferth is most important minion in every Men strategy. For every Men assigned by FP player that player must exert companion what makes fellowship weaker and weaker.
And of course..greatest Agent of All time : GRIMA. This guy has few version, every capable of making disaster in fellowships. Let’s take a look:
Wormtongue: Useless vs ringbound companions,Grima makes good job taking from companions all these nasty cards beared by them and returning them to owners hand.
Chief Councelor: another addition vs rainbow decks.This guy turns back not only cards beared by companion but also the companion himself.
Son of Galmod: common version of grima for less experienced players, lower str of any companion with shadow condition on theirself. 
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Ok...we know our men. But how to use them in battle? There are some strategies designed for Men in cooperation with another cultures:
With trackers
Trackers are natural choice to combine with Isy Men. Both cultures have shadow conditions placed on companions what gives them additional bonuses. Example:
[35]
Grima, Wormtongue x3
Unferth, Grima bodyguard x4 / exertion
Wounded x2 / another exertion
Rohirrim Traitor x2
Banished x1 / exerts if another companion loses skirmish
Weary x4 / bonus for trackers
Rest While you can x2 / a little discard
Desertion x2 / weak companions
Uruk Searcher x4 / bonus with Weary
Uruk Hunter / vs hobbit deck
Uruk Follower / vs hobbit deck. add some burdens
Mauhur x3 / protect trackers
Uruk Seeker x2
Vengenance x4 / best pump-up
Strategy:Vs Rohan and Gondor use Banished and Wounded then Weary. Exhausted companions are easy target for trackers. Vs other deck use only Weary and Desertion.
With Nazgul
Desertion x4 / weak companions
Unferth x4 / exertions
Grima, Wormtongue x1 / you know what
Grima, Son Of Galmod / additional help for Lemenya
Black Breath x3 / no wound removal
Wounded x2 / the same + additional exert
Blade Tip x3 / killing machine
Twisted Tales x3 / possesion killer
Man Will Fall x4 / ultimate pump-up both for Isy and Nazg
Ulaire Lemenya x4 (FOTR) / lower companions strength
Ulaire Toldea, Winged sentry x3 / burdens or exertions
Ulaire Enquea x1 (FOTR) / protect vs 6 companions
Ulaire Nertea, Winged Hunter / vs rainbow
Agents of Orthanc / vs rainbow
Strategy is simple: make as many exertion as you can. If Grima or Unferth win skirmishes stack FP posessions on Twisted Tales and let your Ringwraiths do the job.
With Archery
Good choice is to use southrons thanks to their aiming ability. Exert as many companions as you can by Issies and then let southrons finish companions.
Desert Lord x3 /exertions
Seasoned Leader x2 / makes desert lord enduring
Arrows from The South x2 / heal archers
Elite Archer x4 / exertions
Southron Archer Legion x2 / main fighter
Unferth x4 / exertions
Grima Wormtongex3
Wounded x2 / exertions
Where has grima stowed it x3 / discard posessions
Southron Bandit x2 / adding twilight in maneuver
One of You must do this x2 / vs rainbow
Southron Bowman x3 / exertions
or with Isengard:
Weapons Of Isengard x3 / massive archery
Uruk Crossbow Troop x3 /archery
Uruk Crossbowman x3 /archery
Elite Crossbowman x2 / archery
Lurtz x2 / little killing machine
Orthanc Champion / another exertion or...one dead companion:)
Unferth x4 / exertions
Grima,Wormtongue x3
Where Has Grima Stowed It x2 / discard posession
Wounded x3 / exertion
Leechcraft / for some nasty Gondorians
Man Will Fall x4 / pump-up
Strategy: The whole idea of such deck is to exert companions as much as you can and then finished them with archery wound.
In Isengard strategy there is supreme archery adding tool: Weapons of isengard. But as you know FP side has many cards that lower archery total. In that case this deck is an answer due to fact exertion are not so easy to be prevented and when your massive archery meet exhausted fellowship the game is over.
In Raider culture  minions are known of their indirect exertions. Southron Archer Legion shoots but also fights to earn some tokens on Arrows From The South then Elite Archers thanks to healing from earned tokens exert some companions twice. If we have a luck and play also Seasoned Leader we have e.g. Desert Lord str+6! So strategy in that deck should be: first exertions by Issi Men and then killing from archery or from won skirmish. Adding twilight in maneuver is for Where Has Grima Stowed It...little surprise especially for elves and ther bows...or Rohan mounts.
...and with ORCs...
Desertion x4
Grima, Wormtongue x3
Grima, Chief Councelor
Unferth x4
Iron Fist Of The Orc x3
Wounded x2
Isengard Artisan x4
Orc Overseer x2
Orc Commander x2
Isengard Mechanics x2
Isengard Tender x3
Isengard Servant x3
Isengard Axe x3
Maybe with Gollum?
Reclaim the Precious x2 //another way to add burden
Final Strike x2 // if no Gollum on site 9
Gollum Mad Thing x2 // chance for burden
Unferth x4 // exertion
Grima, Wormtongue x3 / possesion removal
Desertion x4 // easier to win skirmishes
Nasty Foul Hobittses x3 //add burdens
Evil Smell Fens x4 // plays from discard
Agents of Orthanc x2 // vs rainbow
Gollum Stinker / uses burdens as strength boost
Men Will Fall x4 / pump-up
SHelob, Last Child Of Ungoliant x2 // vs archery
And at last...-WHO DO YOU SERVE?
- SAAARUMAAN.
Yes..who are Issy men wihout their boss? Saruman are natural choice to include in Men deck because:
1. Men Will Fall requires Man or Saruman to work.
2. Saruman, Servant of The Eye + Saruman’s Staff are usefull self-assigning minion.
Grima Wormtongue x3
Grima, Chief Councelor
Saruman, Servant of The Eye x3
Saruman, Black Traitor
Saruman’ Staff x3
Unferth x4
Desertion x4
Leechcraft
Banished
Wounded x3
Men Will Fall x4
Twisted tales x2
Agents Of Orthanc x2
Summary
As you may see playing Issies people can give a lot of fun but its not easy.
For each strategy there are crucial cards e.g if you cooperate with Nazg put away Agents of Orthac and put in Desertion.
If your meta contains most of Gondor/Rohan Deck put more Wounded and Banished.
If you are afraid of FP posession..Twisted Tales is an answer!
Main problem is how to win skirmishes? Try Men Will Fall or maybe Bill Ferny as universal strength bonus.
I am aware of fact that Men in Black are not popular minions but..imagine face of your opponent if his Arwen will be owerhelmed by Unferth ( I do that once  )
I hope this article will help anyone who are Isengard fan or want to try something new strategy. |
| Last edited by Beyo on Tue May 09, 2006 5:41 pm; edited 2 times in totalTime in the universe may be eternal..our patience is not |
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| han_feizi |
![]() Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 6:09 pm |
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Joined: 29 Dec 2005
Posts: 15
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This is the approach I like the most. Isengard men are among my most favourite minions.
Of course there is a small problem - you won’t win with decks of this kind because:
1) Men in Black (MiB) are WEAK
2) MiB can be stenghten by other cards (trackers, Nazzies, archers) BUT...
3) ...in fact those "others" are extremely WEAKENED by MiB
The conclusion is that if you want to win - look carefully at strategies listed above by Beyo and REMOVE MiB (not Grima WT of course)
There is a second conclusion: I’m extremely BORED with tier I decks. If you guys really want to enjoy playing LotR, it is wise to look for some synergy in cards, even if it doesn’t work against, let’s say, dwarfs with Smeagol or Gandalf burning fp in the Fire.
Overall, I enjoyed this article A LOT - five stars
(but, please, Beyo - do not play with it in tournaments  ) |
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| CarpeGuitarrem |
![]() Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 8:51 pm |
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Joined: 07 Apr 2006
Posts: 3361
Location: Franciscan University of Steubenville
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I loved the Agents of Orthanc picture-I didn’t know that existed! They totally fit the part!
I loved the whole MIB theme, but some shakiness when putting the strategies into one deck...also a few distracting syntax irregularities. But a nice article. |
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| Beyo |
![]() Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 4:25 am |
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Joined: 22 Nov 2005
Posts: 60
Location: Poland
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Sorry for my grammar..I wrote this article at night..I correct ASAP.
Han_feizi..why do not play that on tournaments? It would be fun
And MiB are not weak...there is always desertion and MwF.
I Should add some strategy of MiB with Saruman Servant of the Eye but you are the better specialist of it. |
| Time in the universe may be eternal..our patience is not |
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| sickofpalantirs |
![]() Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 7:58 am |
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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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| I liked the article but it doesn’t rise above the others submitted but I did enjoy reading it more so you get a 4 |
 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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| donimator |
![]() Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 2:01 pm |
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Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Posts: 67
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| You have certainly covered them well and presented some good ideas. I have tried combining them with several deck types, much the same as yours, but have to agree with others - they do not pack enough of a punch to be played with any consistency. I like fun decks or theme decks, but I still want them to be competitive. The MiB to me will just be footnotes in the LotR TCG history. |
| A good friend will bail you out of jail. A really good friend will be sitting beside you saying, "Man, we screwed up!" |
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| bobtheorc |
![]() Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 2:49 pm |
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Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 1218
Location: Wow, its hot in Iowa
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| CarpeGuitarrem |
![]() Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 4:27 pm |
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Joined: 07 Apr 2006
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Location: Franciscan University of Steubenville
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| Some parts could be more thorough, too. Like Rohirrim Traitor-you mentioned that he gets a bonus if he "just happens" to be skirmishing a companion witha condition...you should have mentioned specific conditions, like Banished. And some of the stuff with different decks could use more in-depth explanation. Don’t just say what it does, say how it does it (specific examples). |
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| ingold55 |
![]() Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 4:58 pm |
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Joined: 10 Oct 2005
Posts: 1199
Location: Out on the front line
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| it is pretty cool. i like the way you put why the cards are in the deck to the side. |
There is a power in this world beyond any of us, and Jesus is that power and The Savior.
this is my attempt to look cool.
Trade list (Want Balrogs and Aragorns) |
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| Beyo |
![]() Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 5:43 pm |
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Joined: 22 Nov 2005
Posts: 60
Location: Poland
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| I added some new part about strategies with Isengard Orcs and even fun deck with Gollum:D |
| Time in the universe may be eternal..our patience is not |
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