Middle-earth Collectible Card Game

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Middle-earth Collectible Card Game
Game data
author Coleman Charlton
graphic various
publishing company ICE , Queen Games
Publishing year 1995-1998
Art Trading card game
Teammates 1-5
Duration from 60 minutes
Age from 12 years

Awards

Origins Award 1995: Best Card Game
Origins Award 1996: Best Graphic Presentation

The Middle-earth Collectible Card Game (MECCG) is a collectible card game set in JRR Tolkien's Middle-earth . The game is often equated with the first base game Middle-earth: The Wizards , which was released in 1995 by Iron Crown Enterprises and, in Germany, by their licensee Queen Games . Several expansions and other basic games followed by 1998.

Game idea and process

The game takes place against the backdrop of the War of the Ring, the conflict told in the Lord of the Rings . Each player takes on the role of a magician , who is only revealed in the course of the game . The game ends when either one of the two wizards dies, the “ One Ring ” on Mount Doom is destroyed, or the Council of Free Peoples determines a player to be the winner.

As with other trading card games, the playing cards have to be bought in packages (“starter” packages with partially fixed cards or “booster” with random cards). The frequency with which certain cards are included varies. From the cards, the players put together so-called decks for the game , these must consist of the same number of support cards and danger cards . In MECCG decks, each card may also be used up to three times without the note “Unique”.

The players take turns and can perform various actions during their turn. They can play their own support cards, for example, to bring other characters ( figures from Tolkien's works ) into play as companions, to recruit armies for support, to effect positive events or to acquire special items. The playing of new support cards can often only take place under certain conditions and in certain places , in many cases the game is also strongly based on the corresponding works of Tolkien.

Most travel routes, unsafe places and actions mean that the opponents have the opportunity to play hazard cards, such as attacks or negative events. Decisions in certain actions and battles are carried out using six-sided dice. Many of the characters and objects brought into play and conquered dangers bring a player victory points , they are important in the victory by the "Council of the Free Peoples".

publication

The first base game The Wizards (METW) won the Origins Award for Best Card Game in 1995 . Cards could be bought in so-called “starters”, packs of 76 cards, or in “booster packs” with 15 cards. ICE recommended that players use two “starters” to build the deck at the beginning.

The first expansion The Dragons (METD) was released in 1996 and won another Origins Award in the category Best Graphic Presentation of a Card Game or Expansion . In the same year, Dark Minions (MEDM) was released. These two expansions added additional creatures, regions, and other additional cards. Both expansions were sold in “booster packs” of 15 cards.

1997 appeared with The Lidless Eye (MELE) an additional base game, with which the evil side could be played. In the same year an expansion with the title Against the Shadow (MEAS) appeared. Two more base games, The White Hand (MEWH, 1997) and The Balrog (MEBA, 1998) followed, each adding two more factions.

The maps were illustrated by numerous graphic artists, including many well-known Tolkien names such as John Howe , Ted Nasmith and Angus McBride . Each card is also provided with a corresponding quote from Tolkien's works. In addition to the cards, some books on the game have also been published. In Germany the collective name MECCG was not used, the individual parts appeared under the English original titles, but with translated maps. Parts of the description of Middle-earth were based on the material developed for the role-playing game MERS .

The game could no longer be distributed after ICE lost its license for Tolkien products in 1999. Decipher later released another Middle-earth trading card game called The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game .

Web links