Review by Brian Bradford (BBradf3021@aol.com) GONDOR--This game simulates the great siege of Minas Tirith and the resulting battle of Pelenor fields. The map supplied has hexagons and shows the walls of Minas Tirith and the Pelonor fields. There are 16 turns to the game; turns 2-6 being night turns. The Gondor player starts with only 10 unit counters, 3 catapults, 3 cauldrons, 3 dummy cauldrons, and Gandalf and Imrahil. The Mordor army starts with 22 unit counters, 3 siege towers, 3 catapults, Lord of the Nazgul and Gothmog. The Gondorian player sets up first, placing his units in the castle or within 2 hexas from the walls. Cauldrons are placed inside the castle; each with 3 oil counters under it. Dummy cauldrons have three dummy oil counters under it. The standard battle rules work for both Gondor and Sauron. Movement is standardized, Cavalry types and leaders move six and infantry four. Each unit has a lettered/numbered code below it which gives the ability. The first letter is melee strength; given as A-E, A being best. The second rating is armor protection; given as 1-4, 4 being best. the last is morale; given as W-Z, W being best. sequence of play: 1) initial magic leader phase--during this phase a leader with magic ability may cast a spell or move. Westernese go first in this phase 2) Forces of Sauron siege phase--(Gondor game only) Sauron forces may use siege engines against the walls. 3)Sauron movement phase--Sauron forces may move. 4) Sauron combat phase--Melee and/or missile fire with sauron troops. 5)Second magic leader phase--As 1, but Sauron go first. 6)Westernese movement phase 7)Westernese combat phase 8)Joint rally phase--both sides attempt to rally their troops. MAGIC For magic, leaders have spell points. Gandalf has 10 points and the Lord of the Nazgul has 8. here are 3 spells that may be cast by each side. Gandalf's spells are Break darkness, Stalemate nazgul, and reveal Aragorn. Nazgul's spells are fear, freeze leader, and activate Grond. Each spell has certain points levels which need to be expended for casting it. A player states the spell he wants to cast and the spell points he will use. Cross referencing the spell with the points gives a number that has to be rolled for a successful cast. For example, Gandalf wishes to cast break darkness: Spell points expended. 1 2 3 4 5 2D6 roll 6-8 5-8 3-8 3-10 2-11 For a automatic cast six points is needed. If 3 are used a roll of 3,4,5,6,7,or 8 is needed. COMBAT Combat is done by units adjacent to one another. A player cross references his attack value with the defenders armor to get the number needed to hit the enemy. After a successful hit, there is a chart for the damage. For example: Defenders armor Attack Strength 1 2 3 4 A 2-10 3-9 2-8 4-7 The attacker combating an enemy with type 3 armor needs to roll a 2,3,4,5,6,7, or 8 to hit, with 2D6. Defender's Morale roll W X Y Z 1 1/2Er1 1/2Er2 E E A player who hits rolls a 1 for damage. If the unit is morale W it retreats 1 hex and is depleted. A Y morale would kill it. For missile fire, the procedure is the same. SIEGE The Sauron player (Gondor game only) may use his seige engines to knock down wall. The outer wall of Minas Tirith is indestructable, but Grond may be used to batter down the main gate; the spell "activate grond" is cast for this purpose. For breaching other walls there is a standard table: Target Catapult range Tower wall 1 3 7 2 2 5 3-4 NA 3 A catapult at range 3 to a wall must get a 3 on 2D6 to breach the wall. However, siege weapons are not the only way to get in the city; it may be scaled by ladders, or siege towers used to cross. For this reason, cauldrons are used to defend the walls. The Gondorian player may pick up a counter a move with it, dumping it at any time. If it is a "real" oil is eliminated the enemy and or any tower/ladder. If dummy, nothing. running around with dummies is a good way to keep the ememy guessing. REINFORCEMENTS On turn 5 the Gondorians can roll to see if Rohan arrives and on turn 10 Aaragon arrives on the field. For the Mordorians, the armies of Harad and others arrive turn 2, so 10 units will be facing 50! Neat thing about the Harad is the Mulmakil, no cavalry, friendly or enemy may approach them, and when they are hurt they go wild--a random chart determines the direction they stampeed in. Any in the way get attacked! PROBLEMS The personal combat table is terrible. Basicly you combare abilities and roll under the resulting table. This means that leaders like Legolas (ability 4) will always loose personal combat. In fact, any leader who is lower than the person combating will always loose. For example; Legolas (4) vs King of Harad (6) King has +2, making Legolas a -2 ability -2 Roll 1 AE Ae-attacker eliminated 2 A1/2e A1/2e- attacker half elimination 3 A1/2e 4 AR2 AR-attacker retreat 2 hexes 5 AR2 6 No effect As you can see Legolas is going to lose, so why would he attack anyone higher than he? If the king attacked, he would be +2 and would win still. Even someone who is only one ability point under cannot win. Another problem is how are Sauron catapults destroyed. For Gondorian, a fireball will do the trick. There is nothing about capture, or what happens when overrun. VICTORY To win the Sauron player must achieve three things; 1) Demoralize Minas Tirith garrison 2) Remain undemoralized himself 3) Controll road from Minas Tirith to Gondor. For the Gondor player to win they must prevent one of these. CONCLUSION I have only touched the main aspects of the rules, there are several smaller ones, such as shooting heads into the city to demoralize the garrison and formations. The game is very fun, only the personal combat table needs to be changed. I have wrote to Richard Berg, the designer, for responses to several questions. I will keep you posted.