Reply: War of the Ring: Second Edition:: Reviews:: Re: Impressions of the Game

by Rafamir

StevenV wrote:

I just found it a bit depressing to realize there is no real hope of a military victory for the West---just staving off the inevitable, and they have to hope for the Ring Bearer. And that mechanic is heavily luck based. I haven't seen any comments so far defending that basic aspect of the Ring Bearer piece of the game. Again, happy to stand corrected but don't see it here.

I get it. As a newb, it was very depressing. My first several plays, I hit my head against the wall time and again trying to make military headway as the Free Peoples, and using up actions I should have been using to move the Fellowship and up the time pressure on the Shadow player.

As Jan T said above, it might not be your cup of tea, but this aspect of the game is precisely what hooked me when I first played it in earnest: the dire feeling that there's no hope unless Providence somehow shines on the last best chance of the West, the Company of the Ring.

P.S. I only just learned that Paths of Glory was one of the inspirations for the designers of War of the Ring.