Welcome to the World of Lord of the Rings!

In the game Lord of the Rings: Confrontation, you get to relive the amazing battle between the Fellowship of the Ring and Sauron’s followers, just like in J.R.R. Tolkien’s famous trilogy. The Fellowship, with their bravery and strength, must sneak into Mordor while Sauron’s minions stop at nothing to capture Frodo.

Get Ready to Play

If you control the nine heroes of the Fellowship, then you’re the Fellowship player. But if you control the nine evil characters, you’re the Sauron player.

Before the game starts, take some time to learn about your characters and their cards, as well as your opponent’s. It’ll help you make strategic moves and set you up for an epic confrontation!

When I play the game, I put the 9 character tiles with the green parchment in my white bases. I make sure the images and text on the tiles are facing towards me and not visible to my opponent. Meanwhile, my opponent, the Sauron player, inserts their 9 character tiles with the red scroll into their black bases.

Now both of us have 9 game pieces, which we will call characters. It’s important that my opponent doesn’t see the character tiles that I place in their sockets.

Each of us takes our 9 combat cards in our hand. I take the Fellowship cards while the Sauron player takes Sauron’s cards.

When we set up the game board, we need to position it between the two players. You, as the Fellowship player, will have The Shire corner facing you, while the Sauron player will have the corner with Mordor facing them.

Now, it’s time for you to choose your characters. You have a total of 9 to choose from, but you can only pick 4 of them. Place these four characters in The Shire area. As for the remaining 5 characters, you will need to distribute them across five regions: Cardolan, Enedwaith, Arthedain, Rhudaur, and Eregion. Remember, you can only have one character per region.

Next, it’s the Sauron player’s turn to deploy their characters. They will also choose four characters and place them in the Mordor region. The remaining 5 characters will be placed in the five remaining regions: Dagorlad, Gondor, Mirkwood, Fangorn, and Rohan. Once again, only one character can be placed in each region.

In order to maintain fairness and integrity, it is crucial that the central mountain regions remain unoccupied during the game. This means that no player can place their characters in these areas. The reason for this rule is to ensure that each player’s characters remain hidden, so that only they know who their characters are.

GAMEPLAY

Hey there! Let’s talk about how the game works. I, as the Sauron player, always get to start. After that, we take turns until the end of the game.

Movement

When it’s your turn, you have to move one of your characters forward. Here’s how the movement rules work:

• You can make a character move forward, but they can’t go sideways or backwards unless their ability text, special card, or special rules say otherwise. Just to give you an example, Frodo has a special ability that lets him move sideways when he’s attacked.
• Characters can’t move sideways if they’re in a mountainous region, unless there’s something special that lets them do it. So, no going left or right on mountains, unless stated otherwise.
• You can have more characters in a region than what’s allowed, as long as the number of dots under the region’s name lets you know how many are allowed. Don’t worry, it’s all written out for you!

In The Lord of the Rings board game, each player starts with a certain number of armies in different regions. The Fellowship player begins with 4 armies in The Shire and Mordor, while the Sauron player also has 4 armies in those regions. Additionally, the Fellowship player starts with 1 army in a mountain region, whereas they have 2 armies in all other regions.

During the game, you may notice yellow arrows on the board. These arrows indicate special movements that can be made along the Anduin river and through the Mines of Moria. Only the Fellowship player has the ability to move a character along these arrows, and it is considered a forward move. However, it’s important to remember that movement can only go in the direction of the arrow and from the region where it starts to the region where it ends.

There is a special rule regarding movement through the Mines of Moria. If a Fellowship character passes through the Mines while the Balrog is present, that character is immediately eliminated from the game, without any combat.

Fights or battles can also occur in the game. However, the specific rules for fights are not mentioned in the given text.

So, here’s the deal. If I move my character into an area where there are some enemy characters, we gotta have a battle. I’m the attacker, and those enemy characters are gonna get attacked. Now, if there are a bunch of enemy characters in that area and we’re not sure who to attack first, I get to decide. Oh, and I can also choose to attack a character that’s already been revealed. Cool, right?

Now, let me break down how we resolve a fight:

Step 1: We reveal our characters.

Both of us show the other player which character we’re using in the fight. No secrets here!

Step 2: We use our character’s special abilities.

I have a special tile that tells me what I can do, and I go first. But hold on, there’s an exception. If my opponent has a Warg character in the fight, we ignore my character’s abilities. Once I’ve said my piece, it’s the other player’s turn to read their character’s text aloud and apply it. Oh, and here’s something interesting. Some of my characters can actually retreat at the start of the fight. They can move to an area next to where they are, but not where there’s an enemy character or already a bunch of characters. Basically, they can’t run into the enemy’s turf. And they can’t flee into the mountains or back through the Mines of Moria or against the current of the Anduin River. That’s a no-no. Now, if one of my characters retreats, the other player’s character doesn’t get to affect the battle (unless it’s the Warg). If nobody retreats, we gotta see if any of my character’s abilities make them lose. If one of them falls, they get taken off the board and the battle is over. It’s as simple as that.

3. Playing Cards

Once we’ve seen how everyone’s doing in the battle, it’s time to bring out the secret weapon – our Combat Cards. Each player takes a moment to choose one of their remaining cards, keeping it hidden from prying eyes. When we’re all ready, we reveal our cards together, laying them face-up on the table.

You’ll notice that some of these cards have words on them, while others have numbers. The ones with words are called Power Cards, and the ones with numbers are Strength Cards. Here’s the important part: we always resolve the Power Cards’ abilities first, before we move on to the Strength Cards.

But let’s say both players reveal Power Cards. In that case, we’ll let the Sauron player go first. We’ll read and apply the powers of their card, and then it will be the Fellowship player’s turn.

4. Comparing Strengths

After using Power Cards in combat, if the battle is still not resolved, it’s time to factor in the Strength Cards. Each player will take the number on their Strength Card, if they have one, and add it to their character’s strength. This will determine the total strength for each character.

The character with the lowest total strength is considered defeated. However, if both characters end up with equal total strength, it’s a tie and both characters are defeated. In this case, they are removed from the game board.

When a character is defeated, they are taken off the board and placed face up on the table next to their opponent. But keep in mind that a character who has retreated is not considered defeated.

Once a battle is over, any used Combat Cards are discarded and placed face up next to the game board. When all 9 Combat Cards have been used, both players simultaneously retrieve them back into their hands. And if you’re curious, you can always look at your opponent’s discarded Combat Cards at any time.

After a battle is finished, if there are still enemy characters nearby, another battle starts up. We handle this new battle just like before. I don’t stop taking my turn until all the fights in an area are settled and only one player, or maybe none, is left in each area. When a fight is done, or if I decide to retreat, any characters that the enemy saw but didn’t beat are hidden again from their view.

The Battle Cards

Joining Forces

I have 5 Strength Cards to use in battle, each with a value ranging from 1 to 5. Now let me explain my Power Cards.

Just so you know, if my opponent, the Sauron player, uses the “Eye of Sauron” Power Card, my Power Cards won’t have any effect.

• Magic: Both of us have one “Magic” Power Card. When we decide to use this card during a battle, we have to replace it right away with one of our previously discarded Battle Cards. If I don’t have any discarded Battle Cards, then my “Magic” card won’t have any strength or effect. And if we both play our “Magic” cards at the same time, the Sauron player gets to choose and reveal their replacement card before me.

Ah, the world of Tolkien’s Middle-earth! So many exciting battles and strategies to delve into. Let me share with you some key tactics and card effects that you should know when playing the board game, “The Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation.”

First up is “Noble Sacrifice.” This powerful card brings a whole new level of intensity to the game. If no character has retreated (including the Sauron player’s “Retreat” card), “Noble Sacrifice” automatically takes down both fighting characters. It’s a move that can truly turn the tide in a battle. Remember, this effect also applies if the Sauron player can’t retreat their character sideways.

Now, let’s talk about the “Elven Cloak.” This card can be a real game-changer. If the Fellowship player plays “Elven Cloak” while the Sauron player plays a Strength Card, the Sauron player’s Strength Card is completely ignored. This means their attack is nullified, giving you a chance to counter-attack and gain the upper hand. If the Sauron player has swapped out their “Magic” card for a Strength Card, that card is also ignored. It’s like a shield of elven magic protecting you.

Retreating can be a wise move in battle, and the “Retreat” card offers you a strategic option. When a Fellowship character retreats, they move backwards into an adjacent area that doesn’t have any Sauron characters. But be careful, the area also can’t already have reached the maximum number of Fellowship characters allowed. If it has, well, there’s no escape, and the fight rages on.

Those are just a few examples of the different tactics and effects you’ll encounter in “The Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation.” As you embark on your own Middle-earth adventures, keep these strategies in mind. They might just be the key to your victory.

I’ve got 6 Strength Cards as Sauron’s player, each with a number from 1 to 6. The Power Cards for Sauron are detailed below:

– Magic: This is the same as the “Magic” card for the Fellowship.

– Eye of Sauron: If I play this card and the Fellowship plays a Power Card, their Power Card doesn’t count. However, if they play a Strength Card, the “Eye of Sauron” card doesn’t have any effect.

– Retreat (laterally): If I play this card and there’s an adjacent area without any Fellowship characters and it’s not already filled with the maximum number of Sauron characters, my character can retreat there. If I retreat at the start of the battle using this card, the Fellowship’s “Noble Sacrifice” card won’t have any effect in that battle.

Now, let’s talk about the special powers that characters have.

In the game, you’ll find different characters with different combat strengths. Let me break it down for you:

Fellowship characters

• Frodo (1): When Frodo is attacked, he can retreat sideways but not when he’s attacking.
• Sam (2): If Sam is in the same region as Frodo when he’s attacked first, you can reveal Sam and he’ll take Frodo’s place in the fight. When Sam is with Frodo, his strength is 5. But remember, you need to reveal both Frodo and Sam at the start of the fight to justify Sam’s strength.
• Pippin (1): Pippin has the ability to retreat into an adjacent area after both characters have been revealed for battle.
• Merry (2): Merry can defeat the Witch King right away, even before any Combat Cards are played. But when it comes to other enemies, the regular rules apply.
• Gandalf (5): When facing Gandalf in combat, the Sauron player selects and plays their Combat Card first. Once the Sauron player reveals their card, the Fellowship player can choose and play theirs, regardless of whether the Sauron player played their “Retreat” card. If the Sauron player plays their “Magic” card, they must reveal a replacement card before the Fellowship player can choose and play their Combat Card.
• Aragorn (4): Aragorn has the ability to move to any adjacent area (forward, backward, or sideways) as long as he attacks at least one enemy character. However, Aragorn cannot attack sideways in the mountains.
• Legolas (3): Legolas has the special ability to instantly defeat the Flying Nazgûl before Combat Cards are played. Against all other enemies, the normal rules apply.

I defeated the Orcs right before playing the Combat Cards. But when it comes to Boromir, things are different. If I have to face him in a fight, we both get eliminated right away. Now let’s talk about Sauron characters. The Balrog, for example, is quite strong with a power level of 5. If the Balrog is in the Caradhras region and one of my Fellowship characters enters the Tunnel of Moria, the Sauron player can reveal the Balrog. And guess what? The Balrog gets to kill that Fellowship character, even Frodo, without any fight happening.

Shelob (5): If I defeat a Fellowship character, Shelob will immediately return to Gondor. However, if she is not in Gondor when she defeats a Fellowship character, she will promptly go back. Once she returns to Gondor, she will be defeated and removed from the game if there are already two other Sauron characters in Gondor or at least one Fellowship character present there.

Witch King (5): The Witch King has a special ability that allows him to move laterally into any adjacent region. However, he can only use this ability if he attacks at least one Fellowship character. If he doesn’t attack a Fellowship character, then he can only move forward like the other characters. One thing to note is that he cannot attack laterally in the mountains.

Flying Nazgul (3): The Flying Nazgul is quite flexible and can move to any area on the board as long as that area is occupied by only one Fellowship character. This unique ability also allows the Flying Nazgul to attack an adjacent mountainous area. If there are no suitable areas to move to, the Flying Nazgul will follow the usual movement rules.

Black Rider (3): The Black Rider can freely move forward through any number of regions as long as they attack at least one Fellowship character in the destination region. If the Black Rider decides not to attack, they can move forward into an adjacent region following the standard movement rules. However, the Black Rider cannot move into or pass through a region that already contains the maximum number of Sauron characters or a region occupied by at least one Fellowship character.

Saruman (4): Saruman has the unique ability to choose not to play a Combat Card during any of his combats. If none of the characters are defeated or retreat before the Combat Cards are played, the Sauron player can choose to resolve the combat based solely on the strength of the characters involved. All other rules for combat still apply in these situations.

When Orcs attack, they defeat the first character they target.

During a fight with a Warg, the Fellowship character’s abilities don’t work.

In a battle involving the Troll Cave, the Sauron player’s Combat Card is ignored. The Sauron player still has to play a Combat Card and discard it, even though it won’t have any effect in the battle.

ENDING THE GAME

There are a few ways to end the game:

• If Frodo enters Mordor, the Fellowship player wins right away, regardless of whether there are any Sauron characters in Mordor.
• The Sauron player wins the game immediately if one of the following conditions is met:
• a) Frodo is defeated.
• b) 3 Sauron characters have entered The Shire.

Let’s have some fun! We’re going to play two games together, but first, let’s decide who gets to be the good guys and who gets to be the bad guys. We can take turns being the Fellowship and Sauron.

Now, here’s how we earn points. At the end of each game, we count how many characters we still have in the game. Each character left standing earns us 1 point. The player with the most points after both games wins!

Are you ready to begin the epic battle between good and evil? Give it your all, and may the best player win!

FUN ADDITIONS

Hey there! I’ve got some exciting news for you. The Deluxe Edition of this awesome game comes with a few fantastic extras that will take your gaming experience to a whole new level. Let me break it down for you.

First off, we’ve added 4 Special Cards to the mix. These cards are super special because you can only play them once per game. Talk about strategy, right? Trust me, they can really turn the tides in your favor.

But that’s not all! We’ve also introduced 9 unique new characters to the game. Each one has its own awesome abilities that will give you a leg up on the competition. It’s like having your own dream team of Middle Earth legends.

And guess what? We’ve even made a few rule changes that amp up the excitement. It’s all about making each choice count and keeping you on the edge of your seat. Because, let’s face it, the fate of Middle Earth is in your hands. One game to rule them all!