In War of the Ring, one player takes control of the Free Peoples (FP), the other player controls Shadow Armies (SA). Initially, the Free People Nations are reluctant to take arms against Sauron, so they must be attacked by Sauron or persuaded by Gandalf or other Companions, before they start to fight properly: this is represented by the Political Track, which shows if a Nation is ready to fight in the War of the Ring or not.

The game can be won by a military victory, if Sauron conquers a certain number of Free People cities and strongholds or vice versa. But the true hope of the Free Peoples lies with the quest of the Ringbearer: while the armies clash across Middle Earth, the Fellowship of the Ring is trying to get secretly to Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring. Sauron is not aware of the real intention of his enemies but is looking across Middle Earth for the precious Ring, so that the Fellowship is going to face numerous dangers, represented by the rules of The Hunt for the Ring. But the Companions can spur the Free Peoples to the fight against Sauron, so the Free People player must balance the need to protect the Ringbearer from harm, against the attempt to raise a proper defense against the armies of the Shadow, so that they do not overrun Middle Earth before the Ringbearer completes his quest.

Each game turn revolves around the roll of Action Dice: each die corresponds to an action that a player can do during a turn. Depending on the face rolled on each die, different actions are possible (moving armies, characters, recruiting troops, advancing a Political Track).

Action Dice can also be used to draw or play Event Cards. Event Cards are played to represent specific events from the story (or events that could possibly have happened) that cannot be portrayed through normal game-play. Each Event Card can also create an unexpected turn in the game, allowing special actions or altering the course of a battle.

• Primary Name
  War of the Ring: Second Edition
• Alternate Names
  Guerra del Anillo: Segunda Edición

  La Guerra dell’Anello: Seconda Edizione

  Guerra do Anel: Segunda Edição

  La Guerre de l’anneau

  Der Ringkrieg

  Der Ringkrieg: 2. Edition

  Válka o prsten: Druhá edice

  Wojna o Pierścień: Druga Edycja

  Війна Персня: Друге видання

  Война Кольца: Второе издание

  魔戒聖戰

  반지 전쟁
• Year Released
  2011
• Designers
  Roberto Di Meglio

  Marco Maggi

  Francesco Nepitello
• Artist
  John Howe
• Publishers
  Ares Games

  Angry Lion Games

  Devir

  GaGa Games

  Galakta

  Geekach Games

  Heidelberger Spieleverlag

  Nuts! Publishing

  Planplay

  Red Glove

  REXhry

  Schwerkraft-Verlag

  Sophisticated Games

  Zhiyanjia
• Graphic Designer
  Fabio Maiorana
• Sculptor
  Bob Naismith
• Categories
  Adventure

  Fantasy

  Fighting

  Novel-based

  Territory Building

  Wargame
• Mechanisms
  Area Majority / Influence

  Area Movement

  Campaign / Battle Card Driven

  Card Play Conflict Resolution

  Dice Rolling

  Events

  Hand Management

  Hidden Movement

  Movement Points

  Simulation

  Team-Based Game

  Variable Set-up
• Family
  Authors: J.R.R. Tolkien

  Components: Map (Continental / National scale)

  Components: Miniatures

  Creatures: Monsters

  Series: War of the Ring (Nexus/Ares Games)

• 1 forty-eight page color illustrated rule booklet
• 1 game board (in two sections)
• 2 player aids folders
• 5 white six-side combat dice
• 6 blue Free Peoples action dice
• 10 red Shadow action dice
• 110 playing cards :14 character cards (1 Gollum, 3 Shadow, 10 Free). 96 event cards (4 decks of 24 cards each)
• 81 cardboard counters
• 205 plastic figures (armies and characters)