The Road Goes Ever On - Solo Rules

[dragoncymru2]

Announcing a new solo variant of MECCG that I'm hoping to release shortly and is called 'The Road Goes Ever On'.

This is the second edition of a set of rules that were written in 2019. Although I have kept a lot of what was done in the 1st edition, this 2nd edition also has a vast amount of changes to make the solo experience of MECCG hopefully even more immersive.

I am primarily a solo player who wants to really increase the immersive experience and storytelling of games that I play. I want MECCG to write an unknown chapter of an adventure in Middle Earth. I think MECCG is a superb game and the designers did an amazing job of recreating Tolkien's world almost 30 years ago - but the solo experience could have been better. There have been some great Middle Earth solo scenarios in the various ICE MECCG player guides, however I wanted to keep MECCG as a ‘sandbox’ game with just new rules and additions so that players could use some, or all of them, as they wanted. In this way, players would not be restricted and can use their imaginations to the full in creating adventures with much-loved characters like Frodo or Aragorn, or create stories using the lesser-known characters such as Galdor, Halbarad or Dain Ironfoot.

My main issue with MECCG is that at a basic level it can be boiled down to a cold acquisition of Marshalling Points. I suppose that with a ‘sandbox’ type of game this is inevitable but I wanted to add more ‘quest-like’ player cards and increase the thematic approach by designing mechanics and cards to link the sometimes disparate elements of the game. My additions to MECCG come with 30 years of playing it, reading about game design, along with a huge love of Tolkien and his wonderful Middle Earth.

Major Second Edition Changes

Enhanced Characters: These are mostly additions to the 2019 rules, with added abilities and keywords that now affect more Characters, for a grand total of 52! Some of these keywords slightly alter combat to make it more thematic. When adding new abilities I have been mindful of the available space on the Character card as originally printed and tried very hard not to add anything too extensive, and use simple keywords when necessary. I have also added a few new Characters to bolster certain sites.

Enhanced Sites: Site Encounter Tables for Havens and Free-holds have gone and been replaced by 16 ‘enhanced’ site cards intended to be sleeved behind their matching Site card. These give individual site encounters, options for the player during the organisation phase, and special rules that might apply at that site. There are also new tables for the other sites that build on the 2019 Site Encounter Table and again detail some new rules for individual sites.

Movement, Agents & Dragons: The Location cards and ‘Travel’ restrictions from the 2019 rules are gone as they proved too fiddly. Gone too is the Inn deck, which is replaced by two Inn and Tavern encounter tables that are reached by site encounters in Free-hold and Border-hold sites. Finally, Agents and Dragons have been revised, their separate decks removed from the game, and new encounter and reference tables created with some changes to original design.

Shadow Tokens: This idea is a brand new addition to the 2024 rules and Shadow Tokens gives urgency to the solo game, a time limit for a player, thematic increases or decreases and an overall increase in danger as the game progresses.

In creating the 2nd Edition, alongside the rules, I have also compiled all 64 of the new cards into a single PDF file. These cards mostly support the new solo mechanics introduced (including Dungeon cards from 2019 that were never completed). Also in the PDF file are some mats for organising the various decks for ease of play. A player will also need some different coloured tokens or beads for Shadow, Courage and Skill tokens.

'The Road Goes Ever On' is to be released April 14th 2024 here as a PDF file. it will be 5 years to the day that the First Edition was released! I hope everyone will enjoy it.

[dragoncymru2]

Initial feedback from playtesters on The Road Goes Ever On has been very positive with only a very few tweaks needed - although I have done some polishing here and there.

I think we're on course for release next weekend!

[dragoncymru2]

Presenting 'The Road Goes Ever On' solo rules for MECCG.

This is the second edition of a set of rules that were written in 2019. Although I have kept a lot of what was done in the 1st edition, this 2nd edition also has a vast amount of changes to make the solo experience of MECCG hopefully even more immersive.

In creating the 2nd Edition, I have compiled all 64 of the new cards into a single PDF file. These cards mostly support the new solo mechanics introduced (including Dungeon cards from 2019 that were never completed). Also in the PDF file are some mats for organising the various decks for ease of play.

You will also need some different coloured tokens or beads for Shadow, Courage and Skill tokens.

[dragoncymru2]

Over a week since TRGEO was released and I hope players have enjoyed it. I'm always open to feedback. Have I got the Shadow tokens right? Should I be a bit more harsh and let them grow a bit quicker by tweaking the events that stimulate them? Should a Greater Item add a Shadow Token for instance?

It's very easy to increase the theme of the game by creating a thematic draw deck and more importantly, thematic Quest and Site decks. I've been creating some more cards to enjoy lots of adventures in 3 particular favourite areas of Middle Earth - The Shire (lots of hobbit fun), Mirkwood (Thranduil's elves and the Woodland Realm) and then Rhovanion (Dale and Lake-town).

I'll post some game reports (and perhaps some new cards too....) in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, opinions valued!

[dakerjohn]

This looks really interesting. I never tried version 1.0 of your system, but I'm enthusiastic to give this one a shot.

I'm not sure when I'll have time to do so—probably not for at least a month due to a big work crunch—but I'll post thoughts here when I can make time to play again!