Objective
The objective of the Middle-earth Collectible Card Game (MECCG) is to lead one of the great factions of "The Lord of the Rings", gathering powerful allies and artifacts to overcome other players. The game simulates the challenges faced in Middle-earth, and the player with the highest score at the end wins.
Game Components
- Card Decks: Each player has their own deck consisting of site cards, character cards, event cards, hazard cards, and artifact cards.
- Dice: The dice are used to resolve combats or other chance-based events.
Setup
- Each player selects a pre-constructed or custom-built deck.
- Arrange the play area by laying out your site cards in the center.
- Each player draws seven cards from their deck.
Gameplay
The game is played in rounds, consisting of several phases:
1. Organization Phase
- Each player activates their character cards and decides which of them will travel.
2. Movement and Encounter Phase
- Move your characters to new sites. Draw new cards to determine if and what dangers they face there.
- If a hazard card is drawn, combat ensues.
- Combats are resolved by rolling the dice and comparing results with the character's skill values. Any bonuses from equipment or ally cards may be applied.
3. Optional Action Phase
- Play event cards that alter the gameplay to your advantage.
4. End Phase
- Discard cards to refill your hand back to seven cards.
Special Features and Strategy
- Card Combinations: Identifying the best card combinations is crucial for gaining advantages during the game.
- Site Selection: Certain sites offer better opportunities to gain powerful allies and artifacts, but these are often more dangerous.
- Timing: Playing the right card at the right time can significantly impact the game.
- Variance between Situations: Different site cards can have vastly different strategic components and challenges.
At the end of the game, victory points from collected artifacts, defeated enemies, and completed quests are tallied. The player with the highest score wins.
