PRIORITY PHASE

1. The Good side and Evil side are more than 12" (28cm) away from each other, meaning that neither side will be able to charge this turn.

2. The Good side wins priority and elects to advance. The Evil side moves second, also deciding to advance.

3. When rolling for priority this turn, the Evil side has a better chance of winning and moving first, which will allow it to charge and give itself a better chance of winning by being able to choose who it attacks.

The only tactic I can recommend for this phase, which consists of a single roll-off, is "roll well." I'd just like to point out that rolling well does not necessarily mean you want to win the Priority roll! You will soon realize that in the early turns of the game, when the models are too far away for close combat, it is actually better to lose the roll and go second. This result allows you to see what your opponent is doing and react to his moves. Later on, when the models are in charge range, going first becomes a vital advantage, allowing you to pin enemies in place before they can move and even stop Heroes from using their special powers!

Not as straightforward as it first seemed, is it?

MOVE PHASE

This is certainly the most interesting phase in the game, when you can show all your tactical acumen! Your strategy in the Move phase depends on how you fared in the Priority phase, so I'm going to take a look at each case (moving with and without priority).

If you have priority, remember that the enemy will move after you and before you get to do anything else! If you want to charge, try to surround each enemy with at least three models in order to trap them. Remember that if you charge a model and engage it in combat, it won't be able to move, cast spells, or shoot, so it is often well worth getting stuck in close combat. If you don't want to charge because you are clearly outmatched in close combat or you want to shoot or wait for reinforcements, keep a distance from the enemy that is double the enemy's Move value if at all possible. This distance is necessary because if the enemy wins priority in the next turn (and they are more likely to win it than you are), they will move again before you can do anything. Therefore, you need to be two moves away from the enemy to be safe. It's always important to think 1 turn ahead, especially in The Lord of The Rings Strategy Battle Game, and that makes the game very interesting. Also, as you move, always remember to cast your spells, to move only half distance if you want to shoot, and to position your archers so that the enemy cannot hide from them.

If you don't have priority, observe the enemy's moves and react to them. Try to charge against enemy models that have ganged up on some of your models to balance the fight. Move your models so that there is some structure between them and enemy archers that will be free to shoot (anything will do, like a house or a hill). Finally, consider that in the subsequent turn, you have a better chance of getting priority. Thus, planning for this roll, you can place your models in a position from where they can launch an attack if they get to move first in the next turn.

Cavalry is very powerful on the charge, so make sure you do get to move against the enemy by exploiting your superior movement. Sometimes, it's tricky to use cavalry well. You must always watch out for double moves when you have priority – if you move your cavalry too close, the opponent's infantry can move closer to your cavalry and then, if they win priority in the following turn, they can charge your cavalry, robbing them of their advantages.

Support your infantry with cavalry, so that if the enemy cavalry charges your infantry, you can countercharge with your own mounted troops and deny the enemy any advantage!

You have probably noticed by now that for both players, it's vital not to think exclusively about the current turn but about the next as well. This requirement makes for a very challenging game where you must constantly think ahead because the consequences are usually grim if you let your opponent surprise you with a double move that you were not expecting.

Next: The Shoot Phase
Previous: Introduction