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April 23, 2018, 11:51:35 AM
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Corsair Tactics
« on: April 23, 2018, 11:51:35 AM »
So I know this is a bit vague, but I am wondering exactly what thought processes a good Corsair player should be having. I've tried playing them before, and I know which cards to use, but I cannot find much about the actual strategy beyond the usual discarding possessions and grabbing initiative. For example:



1) How do you plan to lay the final blow that will finish off the opponent? Overwhelms from Castamir? Spamming Wind that Sped Ships? Or by Black Sails of Umbar swarm?

2) What should you be aiming to get back with Ships of Great Draught?

3) How do you know when to use your ships?

4) Is it better to play minions or discard them for Ships of Great Draught?



I've heard that Corsairs are good at cycling, which is why I am interested, but it doesn't seem that traditional beat-down tactics work very well for them in my case. I am much more used to playing against them than as them.
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April 23, 2018, 12:17:06 PM
Reply #1

Legion

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Re: Corsair Tactics
« Reply #1 on: April 23, 2018, 12:17:06 PM »
I find that Corsairs should play more fluidly than other shadows. The Ships should allow them to play the cards that will most disrupt a fellowship. If they don't have strength 12, companions, then play Castamir and a Raider Halberd. If they do through pumps, drop a Marauder or Discovered to ensure they don't.
Sometimes, you would rather a few Black Numenorian. Especially with Let Her Deal with Them.
If all else fails, just load up on Black Sails of Umbar. Nobody wants to double with a few of them out, so you can cycle your hand into tokens. Corsairs offer more of a threat of swarm on a double than actual swarm power. Kind of like tentacles in Expanded.
Or go for my old strategy and combine them with Moria for a swarm. Hate GLR, but it is overpowered without her.

April 23, 2018, 05:15:19 PM
Reply #2

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Re: Corsair Tactics
« Reply #2 on: April 23, 2018, 05:15:19 PM »
Ah thanks, that clears things up for me a lot.

What's your take on Wind that Sped Ships? Should you be aiming to always bounce it, or will that cost you too much cycling? What if you have multiples?
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April 24, 2018, 04:08:23 AM
Reply #3

Shelobplayer

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Re: Corsair Tactics
« Reply #3 on: April 24, 2018, 04:08:23 AM »
Depends on the format. In movie their raw power is enough usually if not  metagamed against.

In expanded I like to splash Plotting Deceiver + Evil-smelling Fens + Sudden Strike and a toolbox (Demon of Might, Third of the Nine Riders, Her Ladyship, Southron Leader, shotgun Enquea, Grima + Saruman's Power etc.). I try to cycle fast with Ships of Great Draught and Under Foot, preventing Doubles with Corsair War Galley (and recycling it with Ships of great Draught) while trying to double myself a few times. An average turn looks like me tossing my hand to Ships/Corsair Plunderer, maybe playing a few ships or a marauder, then recycling War Galley + Under Foot with Ships of Great Draught in the regroup. You don't need to kill with them in expanded imo, just assure them that you will if they double :). If the opponent is forced into a double move a swarm led by Demon of Might is something not many decks can answer.

Fierce in Despair is something that can catch ppl with their pants down too.

In expanded I don't play Halber and Wind the Sped Ships.
« Last Edit: April 24, 2018, 04:15:06 AM by Shelobplayer »

April 25, 2018, 04:06:57 AM
Reply #4

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Re: Corsair Tactics
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2018, 04:06:57 AM »
Depends on the format. In movie their raw power is enough usually if not  metagamed against.

In expanded I like to splash Plotting Deceiver + Evil-smelling Fens + Sudden Strike and a toolbox (Demon of Might, Third of the Nine Riders, Her Ladyship, Southron Leader, shotgun Enquea, Grima + Saruman's Power etc.). I try to cycle fast with Ships of Great Draught and Under Foot, preventing Doubles with Corsair War Galley (and recycling it with Ships of great Draught) while trying to double myself a few times. An average turn looks like me tossing my hand to Ships/Corsair Plunderer, maybe playing a few ships or a marauder, then recycling War Galley + Under Foot with Ships of Great Draught in the regroup. You don't need to kill with them in expanded imo, just assure them that you will if they double :). If the opponent is forced into a double move a swarm led by Demon of Might is something not many decks can answer.

Fierce in Despair is something that can catch ppl with their pants down too.

In expanded I don't play Halber and Wind the Sped Ships.
I'd forgotten Under Foot. Keep thinking it's a Southron card.
They work well with splashes then? If I were to do a movie build, I might be tempted to splash Servant of the Eye + Saruman's Staff for GLR. But I often look at Corsair decks and think that they need to be mostly [Raider]. That could be my mistake.
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April 25, 2018, 11:38:58 AM
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Legion

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Re: Corsair Tactics
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2018, 11:38:58 AM »
Oh yes. Under Foot is incredibly powerful for Corsairs, as are Fierce in Despair and Raider Halberd and Red Wrath-all cards that look like they are for Southrons, but splash to any type of Raider. I had considered trying to play They Are Coming with a few Goblin Runners to maximise the Under Foot potential, but then you basically do have the Moria Navy. Other splashes can work with Corsairs, but remember that you can't recycle them in the same way as their cards. One exception to this is Southron Leader, who is almost always with a slot.

Wind that Sped Ships is an interesting one. Personally, I'd have a couple at least, if nothing else just for The Tale of the Great Ring. It might be less useful against some fellowships, in which case discard it, but if it is being useful, why not keep it recycled? But as you say, beware of clog, so be ruthless if it isn't pulling it's weight.

April 28, 2018, 04:05:10 AM
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Shelobplayer

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Re: Corsair Tactics
« Reply #6 on: April 28, 2018, 04:05:10 AM »
I'd forgotten Under Foot. Keep thinking it's a Southron card.
They work well with splashes then? If I were to do a movie build, I might be tempted to splash Servant of the Eye + Saruman's Staff for GLR. But I often look at Corsair decks and think that they need to be mostly [Raider]. That could be my mistake.
I consider Under Foot a core card for corsairs, it's stupidly powerful.

Plotting Deceiver is an amazing splash, as Corsair War Galley pretty much always enables him. At that point Evil-smelling Fens is a no brainer, I'm thinking of it as another black sail pretty much. Corsairs are all about card advantage imo and Plotting Deceiver + ESF is an easy +2 value cards stashed. I'm usually using ESF way more liberately than Black Sails of Umbar, as being a condition, it's way more vulnerable. Usually fetching a Corsair Plunderer to cycle faster or Third of the Nine Riders if required with it.

Then when we are talking expanded Sudden Strike comes into the equation, which opens up lot of other powerhouses of the format to be consistently available (another nice use of it is if the opponent has Smeagol, you just get Gollum + a ship with it == value).

http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums/index.php/topic,8990.0.html

This list is an example of how I build corsairs for expanded (also the only GEMP deck I actually have physically ;)). It's a 60/60 deck that pretty much always runs out of cards if the game goes to site 9. They do require a fellowship that fetches key cards easily from the deck though.
« Last Edit: April 28, 2018, 04:25:11 AM by Shelobplayer »

April 28, 2018, 07:51:45 PM
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Deckhunter

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Re: Corsair Tactics
« Reply #7 on: April 28, 2018, 07:51:45 PM »
If you're going with gollum, then you might as well throw in a copy or two of fat one wants it to add threats for ships of great draught, and maybe a copy or two of captured by the ring for the same reason. It's a really simple combo that can be really annoying at the right moment.