Almost Solo Gandy

[Gate Troll]

Free Peoples: (32)

Starting:
The One Ring, The Binding Ring (Ring)
Gandalf, Bearer of Obligation (Ringbearer)
Forest Guardian x2

Companions: 2
Forest Guardian x2

Artifacts: 5
Narya x1
Gandalf's Staff, Ash Staff x4

Possessions: 12
Glamdring, Foe-hammer x4
Shadowfax, Unequaled Steed x4
Radagast's Herb Bag x4

Conditions: 3
Ent Draught x2
Stern Words x1

Events: 9
The Flame of Anor x4
Wizardry Indeed x3
Wielder of the Flame x2



Shadow: (32)

Minions: 16
[men] The Mouth of Sauron, Messenger of Mordor x4
[men] Bold Easterling x4
[men] Archer of Harad x4
Goblin Runner x4

Possessions: 10
[men] Messenger's Mount x4
[men] Long Battle Bow x4
[men] Pavise x2

Conditions: 6
[men] Howdah x4
[men] Caravan from the South x2


Sites List:

Sites: (9)
Isenwash
Ettenmoors
Pelennor Fields
Pelennor Flat
Westfold Village
Wold Battlefield
Flats of Rohan 
Fords of Isen
Sirannon Ruins


Strategy: This is actually a three man show. Solo Gandalf isn't really advisable as Gandalf's card-discarding ability only kicks in when you can spot two other companions and without that Gandy will be corrupted. The solution? Run x2 Forest Guardians. They fulfill the spotting requirement, and, as an extra bonus they are Unhasty and can only skirmish if you discard two card from hand. They can soak up archery and emergency skimish to save Gandalf. As a back up if either or both of them dies there are two more Forest Guardians in the draw deck. With the combined total of Narya, Gandalf's Staff, the Binding Ring, Radagast's Herb Bag, an Ent Draught, Shadowfax, Unequaled Steed and Glamdring, Foehammer, Gandalf is 10/9/9 and what with a maximum of three companions,. Wizardry Indeed is freakin' awesome.
There are lots of everything so that you get your possessions and artifacts out quickly. The extra copies feed Gandalf's when-you-move-discard-two-cards moving 'engine' and help with cycling. 
    Anyway, on to the Shadow side. This shadow is an Archery/Swarm combo. It runs x4 Goblin Runners as the first part of the swarm which allows you to easily play more [men] stuff. I mean come on, what can be worse than a free minion that gives you an extra twilight? Bold Easterling is cheap and allows for Mouth of Sauron resurrection.  Howdah is cool, free archery is awesome stuff and Caravan from the South keeps your Howdah condition's going. Every time you play a Mouth of Sauron you can play Messenger's Mount on him. There are plenty of archers and bows to keep your Archery going. All together, this is a fun, and nasty deck.  Any questions? 

[TheJord]

I love any deck that takes a stab at BoO!

I'm wondering about the Shadow, you say Bold Easterling to bring back Mouth of Sauron... why Mouth? His ability is a Maneuver phase ability, so why would you want him back?

[Gate Troll]

You could bring back Archer of Harad too. Using Bold Easterling to bring back The Mouth of Sauron seems the most logical use of that ability since bringing back Harad Archer after the Archery phase is not very bright and resurrecting a Runner would only lose twilight. Then again, you wouldn't have to use the ability if you didn't want to.