MORC Archery

[jcb213]

I built a morgul orc archery deck that's pretty terrible, but I'd like to tweak it some and see if I can get it to be half decent.  I realize it won't ever be as good as most other shadow sides in movie block, but I'd like to get it to be as good as possible.

There are 3 cost 3 morc psuedo-archers.  One makes the archery total +2 when you have initiative, one makes the archery total +2 when you can spot 3 threats, and one makes the archery total +2 when you can spot 3 burdens.  Gothmog (who is really too expensive at 7) makes each morc an archer when you have initiative.  Streaming to the field makes it so the freeps player must have an extra card in hand for each morc on table to keep initiative.

The main problem is that half the time you end up with worthless cards in your hand.  You often have the burden orc but not 3 burdens, the threat orc but not 3 threats, or the initiative orc but no initiative.  Sam, SoH and condition removal make it really tough to reliably have 3 burdens or initiative.

Here's the current list:

Morgul Ambusher x4
Morgul Lurker x4
Morgul Creeper x4
Gothmog, Morgul Commander x4
Streaming To The Field x4
Easterling Lieutenant x4 (cost 3 exert to add burden)
Captured by the Ring x4
Gollum, DaD
Fat One Wants It

The free peoples is Gandalf Hobbits starting smeagol so you can burn smeagol with Saved From The Fire to get Fat One Wants it and Captured x2 to set up your threats ASAP.  Basically any free peoples starting Gandalf and Smeagol and playing Saved From The Fire would work.  Because I'm using the Saved From The Fire engine to set up I'd like to keep the deck as close to 30/30 as possible.

Thoughts?

[hrcho]

This is how I run MORC archers:

3x Morgul Ambusher
4x Morgul Lurker
4x Morgul Creeper
2x Gothmog, Morgul Commander
3x Morgul Hound
3x Morgul Whelp
2x Gorbag, Covetous Captain
1x Gollum, DaD
2x Ulaire Enquea, Lieutenant of Morgul

3x Streaming to the Field
1x Flung Into the Fray
1x Stooping to the Kill
1x Fat One Wants It

3x CbtR
2x Ten Times Outnumbered

Key sites: Pellenor Flat and Northern Ithilien.

First, you'll notice that it's somewhat bigger, but it is not a problem. It's a fast shadow with mostly cheap minions. Second, it is not based solely on archery, but it has a good chance of skirmish kills (especially with Covetous Captain, Ten Times Outnumbered and Stooping to the Kill) and a possible swarm. I've had a very good run with this shadow. I usually bid to go second and play my sites, thus creating a very good possibility for burdens for Morgul Creeper. Flung Into the Fray -  a must in any morc deck. That card is simply too awesome to overlook. Gothmog, Morgul Commander - too expensive and should be considered a bonus card and as such, 2 copies are enough.

Compare, see what you like and use to your best gain.