‘Saruman’s Minions’ by Umagaur the Pale.

This deck is dedicated to a people of Middle Earth without whom it would be a better place: the Orcish Hordes.

Looking at Middle Earth: the White Hand I saw some nice possibilities for a dug-in deck, which is exactly the way you should play this deck. In the first cycle you should get your recources from the outside world as quick as possible and then dig yourself in at the white towers.

Your starting company should leave Belegorn as a Wizard's Myrmidon at the White Towers (WH) and Ivic and Faramir (with their appropriate knives) will escort Wormtongue to Isengard. Ivic and Faramir can then fectch Gollum and the major items: Sapling of the White Tree and the Keys to the White Towers. If you don't draw them, you probaly will draw a Token of Goodwill which you can use on the automatic attack at Geann a-Lisch or Tharbad to get them. Saruman may join them, but be sure to fetch Sacrifice of Form from your sideboard first, so you won't end up with a dead wizard. Tap Saruman to bring five resources from your sideboard to your discard pile (Sacrifice of Form and four others you will need in the second cycle eg. the half-orc factions) and then tap Saruman again to get Sacrifice of Form to your hand.

Meanwhile Belegorn and Wormtongue can play the Palaníri and bring in extra characters under Direct Influence (Theoden with Thrall of the Voice can be brought in by Wormtongue). Wormtongue should return to the White Towers after playing his Palantír.

Saruman only has fifteen General Influence so be careful to always leave one or more characters under his (considerable) Direct Influence. Use the extra Wizard's Myrmidon on Wormtongue, Faramir or Ivic to generate Free General Influence. The Forge-master should be used AFTER Saruman has performed his Sacrifice of Form. You won't have too much need of Free General Influence before the second cycle since your factions will come out late. Watch out for those Call of Home's though!

This deck has a lot of possibilities for deck-manipulation (Palantír of Orthanc, Token of Goodwill, Weigh all Things to a Nicety, Smoke-rings). If you see your opponent going after the same resources you are, use this deck-manipulation to get them first. You can get the resources from your sideboard into your deck when you're ready for them: a Strident Spawn when you want to bring in factions (Use Fortress of the White Towers if you need Stage Points, but discard it when you've got enough of them and the White Tree set up at the White Towers) the White Wizard when you've played Sacrifice of Form and Vein of Arda when you're ready to play Gems of Arda and Dwarven Light-stone at Deep Mines. Before the end you should have brought in Great Patron, Saruman's Machinery and the White Hand.

When you're set up at the White Towers things can start moving. Move to the Deep Mines for your Items, play the Half-orc factions and (if possible) even more characters. Meanwhile you can send in the heavy Orc-strategy:

Before, you used them at your convenience trying not to loose to many low-prowess orcses, but now we want to get the big ones out: Clouds and Host of Bats possible with Will of Sauron will make travel hazardous since those ultra keyable little orcs can end up at 6 strikes with 13 prowess. Follow them up with Uruk-lieutanant (3 strikes with 19 prowess) and then Orc-lieutenant (3 strikes with 21 prowess) and your opponent will face up to three body-checks for his characters. Umagaur and Buthrakaur in conjuction with Revealed to all Watchers can finish off and opponent silly enough to make for a shadow-hold.

The hazard strategy is the same for Ringwraith players since most of the orcs are keyable to single wilderness and Ruins & Lairs where they won't be detainment!

The Fallen-wizard sideboard probably could use some better hazards, but I don't own too many of the White Hand-hazards (Hell, I don't even own most of the resources used in this deck) so I haven't looked into them yet.

If orcs are very popular in your play-group watch out! You then will encounter the in the Deep Mines. You might want to exchange Crept Along Cleverly and Many Turns and Doublings for Orc Quarrels and Dark Quarrels (even so if men strategies are popular). In my play-group orc hazard strategies are a rarity, so I can pretty safely enhance them to oblivion without having myself beaten into a bloody pulp. I hope you can make this deck work, because in my experience nothing is more satisfying than a succesful orc strategy.

Umagaur the Pale.

MECCG, METW, METD, MEDM, MELE, MEAS, MEWH and MEBA are games from Iron Crown Enterprises. All original artwork © Iron Crown Enterprises.