Middle-earth CCG - How to Play Solo (1-Player Variant)

[@henryrodriguez6260]

In 27 years of playing CCGs/LCGs, Middle Earth is my #1. Such compelling narrative and solid rules; it really is a boardgame in how it plays.

[@BogWraith1]

I can't thank you fellas enough for streaming another video on this outstanding game. The solo variants that already exist have been wonderful to play throughout the years and this is another great addition to those variants. Thank you both for continuing to play this great game. I hope you will continue to showcase it from time to time!

[@joe-wi8nj]

I'm finally watching this! Amazing. I hope 😅 we see more games like this!

[@joesolo1836]

Great stream, Zach. You've got this solo stream locked down!!! Can't wait to see more of this game hit the TC table, and my own table!!! (once I get my hands on some cards, lol)

[@pietrorasputin52]

Great fun Zach and so bummed I couldn't watch it live. I actually enjoy the standard solo rules of the game as is. That way, all I ever need to play is one deck of 60 cards (30 hazards/30 resources) that I can pull out for any game whether solo or with anyone else. :) And I like the fact that you get pressed with hazards more in a solo game (as per standard solo rules) to make the solo experience more of a challenge. But great gaming and as a fan of this game, I thank you for streaming it. Hope to see another game with you and your partner in crime soon. :)

[@captainnolan5062]

Although I have left many comments, I am posting them in the spirit of helping you refine and get more enjoyment out of this great game. I am so pleased to watch your videos and see your reactions as you discover this great game. I think your playthrough here was a little light on hazards. Also, you should total your marshaling points and compare them to a VP track (You can see the one I suggested at the end of the BGG post for the Lonely Gamer's solo rules below).

[@bruceburns5212]

the location cards have what region they are located on below the picture. Minas Tirith is in Anorien

[@JROakes-xr4jm]

I know I coming late to the party, but I'm really liking this MECCG series. Is there any way to get your hazard deck lists and a summary of your modified solo play rules?

[@JROakes-xr4jm]

Never mind, just started the next video, where you direct viewers to the blog.

[@olegyd]

Very very good game! Actually is best card game in Lotr universe!, lotr tcg and lotr lcg is just variation of this really beautiful and deep idea originally come from ME ccg

[@captainnolan5062]

You could also create a Hazard Pool (perhaps using black glass gaming beads), which is equal to the total number of Marshaling Points you have gathered. Then, when you roll for a hazard, if you roll equal to or less than the number of (glass beads) in the Hazard Pool, you play a hazard on the company (up the the limit). You could start with a certain number in the pool as well.

[@captainnolan5062]

I just subscribed on your implicit promise that you will regularly play the MECCG. I am looking forward to regular posts of this game.

[@teamcovenant]

There will not be regular posts of this game, at least proportionally. Maybe a video every 3-6 months. If that will be disappointing then the subscription is not for you - but we'd love to have you stick around!

[@captainnolan5062]

@@teamcovenant Every three months will be good. Thank you.

[@joe-wi8nj]

31mins in and I'm thinking, "Am I the only person cheering on explain to much? do it!!".

[@toxiccandy7888]

Interesting thought for solo, make hazard decks based around locations. Maybe by region , that way it could be more thematic.

[@captainnolan5062]

I like the idea of building one hazard deck and drawing more cards and only taking the hazards that match the site path (similar to the solo or Arda rules) rather than the dice rolling. I am going to do some experimenting my self and will let you know what I think.

[@Mcmoonibabe]

Love the video and coverage, is there any way you'll type up a quick summary of your solo variant? From the variants i've seen this definitely looks like the one i'd enjoy most!

[@captainnolan5062]

You should try playing some of the solo scenarios in the book to get an idea of how the hazards work in those scenarios.

[@TheRealDerekStone]

Hope to see the Yu Yu Hakusho TCG or .Hack//Enemy love those old anime card games. Even the rock, paper, scissors Inuyasha card game was surprisingly fun

[@LuisPandabmb]

Yu yu hakusho ftw

[@flipadip2712]

Trying this out on Tabletop Sim right now and I think I will slowly start to accumulate physical cards

[@captainnolan5062]

For solo play, I think you want MORE hazards happening. I would also reverse it, so that if you roll low you get the Hazard... so that you want to roll HIGH to avoid the hazard. (See my former comments on this). Also, in multi player games, there is more chance of getting the appropriate hazards, because more players are holding more hazard cards.

[@captainnolan5062]

I think you could also just take the hazard cards, and look at your resource deck, and then build a single hazard deck to play against it. Then draw cards per the regular rules and dispense with the dice rolling.

[@captainnolan5062]

It a hoot to hear you talking about the (ancient) games from the 90s, and that "you don't get this kind of flavor in "modern" games." [2:37:00]. I have been playing games since the late 60s, ...and games from the 90s ARE modern games. Maybe it would be better for you to say that you don't get this kind of flavor from the games that are currently being published (though Middle Earth Quest has quite a bit of flavor....although you must think that game is old too, being from the eldritch times of the late 2000s).. MECCG was a bear of a game to figure out (I had no one to teach me, so I was figuring it out on my own); though being an avid LOTR fan [yes, this was before we had the movies from Peter Jackson, though Cinema and talkies were around by the mid 1990s], it was well worth the effort, and is a game that I still love.

[@captainnolan5062]

You could have different difficulty levels, by rolling, say a 6 or less for a hazard on "Easy", a 7 or less on "Moderate" and an 8 or less on "Hard." You can also ramp up the difficulty (up to 12) and lower the difficulty from 6 down to 2.

[@captainnolan5062]

I think when 'Eyes of the shadow' is in play, you should roll the dice twice more (until you reach your hazard limit of played cards). For example at 2:59:00 I would have rolled twice more (you rolled 3x but did not roll a hazard. I think you should have rolled twice more).

[@WerewolfEnjoyer]

So do the characters you start with count toward your Marshalling Points?

[@MrKikke2]

Where can I find that gorgeous map?

[@LuckeyJeb]

Hey, great video! Really enjoying it, a whole 1h into the video as I'm writing this. I've never been able to watch a playthrough video of any game without skipping 90% of my way through it. Super interesting though, I'm just learning the game myself for solo play, and think I've got a good grip on the rules for the most part, but it's great to be able to watch you and see what I'm actually playing right and what I may not be. I like you varient, besides simulating the standard multiplayer game nicly, it also lets me use the huge stack of hazards I have, being able to separate them into stacks of regions. Question though, one thing I've thought lacking in the standard solo game is an interesting victory condition. I suppose I could just skip to the end to see how you ended the game, but I don't want to spoil the video! So, any thoughts on challenging victory conditions while keeping the sandbox nature of your variant? I suppose if just keeping your characters alive long enough to get say 20 marshalling points was difficult enough, that would probably do it for me. Anyways, thanks, good job!

[@LuckeyJeb]

Just got through a full game with this variant. I really enjoyed it. Got my a$$ handed to me. Made it through 17 turns, 4 of my characters died, one discarded, and I finally fell when my last character, Pallando, tied on a corruption check. Part way through I switched to a d20 just to try and mitigate the minus modifier (opponent draw number). Seemed to work better, I was getting so many hazards played on me with the 2d6.

[@hannibalscipio10]

Rob Inglis is incredible!

[@captainnolan5062]

I think that in Solo games the creature count (in your hazard decks)should be much higher; this is so because you don't have an intelligence playing the effects cards when they can do anything (i.e. at the optimum time). Creatures are almost always troublesome.

[@captainnolan5062]

When you play Dragon Sickness, etc., you should be making the 'worst' choice for your characters (as if you are playing the best choice for the bad guys/Sauron) Appx 3:03:00.

[@captainnolan5062]

It doesn't look like you built a ruins and lairs deck. You might want to do so. Also, if you are going to a site like ruins and lairs, it seems like the last hazard should be keyed to that site.

[@captainnolan5062]

at 1:49:00ish Ghouls is not a 'ruins or lair' keyed card. You confused the symbol with ruins and lairs.

[@joe-wi8nj]

2hrs in and vacation around middle earth is not the safest endeavor it would seem. 😊

[@FrankBirtwistle]

Does anyone know where Zach's map came from?

[@commentresurrection1841]

Guy ebay has them

[@captainnolan5062]

at 1:49:00ish Ghouls is not a ruins an lair keyed card. You confused the symbol with ruins and lairs.

[@captainnolan5062]

It would be better in this type of game if you showed the card on the left for a while, but then took it down. It blocks the ability to see Aragorn's company (the superimposed card takes up a fair bit of real estate).

[@MrSuckeragi]

25:00 starts

[@captainnolan5062]

The Arda Variant: lureofmiddleearth.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/arda_4.0_en.pdf

[@captainnolan5062]

Rolling a 6 or less is a 42% chance. Rolling a 7 or greater is a 58% change.

[@nickfanzo]

Best ccg

[@flipadip2712]

Minas Tirinth