Ringmaster

Ringmaster

Designer: G. Presti
Type: Card
Languages: English, Italian
Status: Free
BGG entry: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/27341
Available from: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/27341 (English),
http://www.giochidatavolo.net/gdt/modules.php?name=Ungames&rop=showcontent&id=7 (Italian)

The game recreates the strategic battles between the good and evil armies of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth. The battle mechanism is based on the play of special cards. No dice are used.

In order to carry out a battle, the attacker calculates his Combat Value, equal to the number of his armies involved in the battle. This value can be modified playing one or more Special Card divided into Army Cards, Magic Cards or Device Cards. After this, the defender calculates his Combat Value, adding the value of his own armies and his special cards. The higher score wins the battle and inflicts to the adversary the difference between the two values (as an example, the black armies with a Combat Value of 12, attacks the green armies with a Combat Value of 9. The difference, indicates that 3 green armies will be destroyed). In case of the same Combat Value, a Challenge with the special symbols printed on the cards is carried out, through a system similar to the game called Morra [or RPS] (paper, scissors, stone). The use of the Magic Cards renders the game's outcome unforeseeable. The winner is the first who gains 10 Victory Points, obtainable by conquering the territories of the opposing players.

The advanced rules implement the adventures of the Fellowship of the Ring. The players divide themselves in two factions (Alliance or Darkness Forces), trying to help or stop the travel of the Fellowship to Mount Doom, using another set of special cards with the major characters of the Lord of the Rings (Nazgul, Allies, Tom Bombadil, Shelob, and so on). The movement of the Fellowship on the map is guided by the good players, while the Darkness forces will try to hinder it. It is also possible to recruit in their own ones armies the characters of the Fellowship, Nazguls, heroes or evil creatures using them during the battles (i.e. it is possible to recruit Gandalf in the good armies, fighting against Shelob!). The Advanced Game is perfectly balanced with Ringmaster, and MUST be used to appreciate the game entirely.

An Italian version of the game is available here: http://www.giochidatavolo.net/gdt/modules.php?name=Ungames&rop=showcontent&id=7