For a beginner, the most difficult aspect of picking up The Lord of the Rings^TM Tradable Miniatures Game can be the Special Abilities (SA’s). Movement, Combat and Archery are simple concepts that most individuals have experience with elsewhere; however it is Special Abilities that really make the game interesting and strategic. You can read over the Special Abilities list and learn what each one does and when it is activated, but just by reading it do you gain an understanding of how to use it on the field of battle? Most probably not.

Below are some notes on how to better understand and effectively use the SA’s. These are intended to help beginners to the game get a better grasp of strategy and game play without having to play an inordinate amount of games to do it. Some SA’s require more thought than others and have more uses in the game. Some are simple to comprehend and use while others have uses that don’t automatically seem obvious. Experienced gamers will get little benefit from these rudimentary overviews and may even know of other tactics that can be used with a particular SA.

The Combat Roll

Battle Cry - This Special Ability adds +1 attack for each friendly minion in the same combat as the figure using it. It is pretty straightforward. The main strategy is to get as many minions as possible into the damage chain, thus allowing more minions to get the +1. This method of fighting can best be defended against by "breaking" the resulting damage chains. After the first combat has been tabulated, make sure to assign damage dice to figures in the opposing army that will break the chain linking all the figures together. You will most probably have to endure one round of fighting before you can begin eliminating figures from the chain and sometimes this one round is enough to force a decision on the table regarding victory. You must be very careful to try and keep large damage chains from evolving when playing against such armies, which can be done by maneuvering your figures away from the larger battles.

Berserker - This Special Ability allows a figure to add +1 attack for each enemy figure adjacent to it. This includes figures outside of the Kill Zone. It is possible for an additional 6 attacks to occur from this SA if the figure is completely surrounded. However, since you still may not assign damage to any figure that is not in its Kill Zone, the extra dice rolled might then be unable to be assigned. When playing with a figure with this SA, attempt to position him towards the largest grouping of enemy figures. In other words, you want him to be surrounded. Most figures with the Berserker SA fall into one of two categories. The first is a Hero who is renowned for his/her fighting ability. The other is a kamikaze-type figure that is designed to take figures out with him, hopefully more than just one.

Dirty Fighting - This Special Ability allows a player to convert 2’s as well as 1’s when making the Combat Roll. This can be very effective when utilized within a large damage chain, but it is only slightly effective in single combat. This SA is best utilized by managing to place a figure with it in a damage chain; thereby allowing all 2’s rolled in the entire chain to be converted for 1 AP. One or two figures with this SA in an entire army is usually enough to have the SA used in most or all of the damage chains in a single game. In other words, there is no need for too many figures with this SA.

Spearman - This Special Ability allows a figure to add 1 die to the Combat Roll if there is a friendly model directly in front of it. You may not add this if the figure with Spearman is in combat himself or outflanked. He must be completely free of enemies to give this bonus. This SA is beneficial, but not a very potent SA in and of itself. Right now there is little strategy involved with this SA; however it is currently planned to have certain abilities against mounted figures, thereby adding greater strategic depth. For now, simply place them directly behind friendly units so they can add to the Combat Roll. There is a downside to this however. While the Spearman is behind another unit, he cannot use AP to convert Glancing Blows and Critical Hits, so there may come a time when it is better to actually put this figure into combat.