EO & NM here.
OK, Dark Dudes. What is up with you guys? Can you step it up? All this conservative play is putting my lads to sleep. Except for the agent game (which you do seem enamored with) I’m still waiting for the big offensive…
Or, at a minumum, at least some trash talking…
Joseph
Game 38 Update from the Free Peoples
After turn 6, the sides of Dark and Light have taken massive casualties on both sides. The dark servant team started off with a strong move in Mordor, attacking Minus Ithil. In addition, Urzahil revealed the unfortified Sinda city while the Drgnld pushed his forces there to siege. However, anticipating these actions, the Free Nations moved defensive armies to both, and saved the Sinda City from destruction repelling the invader and to this day still Sinda.
The Nazgul slow down as the Mouth of Sauron revealed the hidden MT of Imaldris while the Rhuduar’s hoard made encampment around it. Imaldris fell despite Elrohir’s heroics with his small force. Sauron’s assassins sulked through the nations of the free attempting to find great leaders to strike. Great armies disbanded returning to their farms in disillusionment after seeing there general slain by the hand of a dark agent.
The free armies however with great resolve pushed back the minions of the dark one. Mordor’s gate thought secure by the elimination of the bridge and subjection of Minus Ithil saw the resiliency of the heart of the Free Nations. Great armies flood the pass, rebuilt the bridge over night and marched through Osgilith to Minus Ithil. The once great city was retaken for the free, and the hoard of free men march further slashing through dark hordes and assassination attempts to stand before Barad Ungol, home of the Fire King.
In the North, the Witch King and Rhudaur nations pushed hard to make their nations stronger, taking Imaldris from the Noldo, and outlying towns of the Dwarves. But again the Free countered and while the Rhuduar attempted to work south to assault the Dunlending nation, Cardolan and Arthedain troops pounced on Rhuduar and WitchKing holdings. Along with Dwarves and Duns, the nation of the Rhuduar was smothered in chaos, and the mighty Commander of the great Rhuduar horde was ordered to return home to defend the homeland. A Cardolan commander successfully seiged and subdued the Rhuduar capital after a lucky agent was able to sabotage the defenses, after his victory he was cut down by Gontran the assassin. Gontran, Ji Indur and Erennis were too late to stop the fall of the capital of the Rhuduar. The dark lord only knows if the Rhuduar’s economy can stand such a blow after so much loss however Sauron has given the Rhuduar full support of the assassins’ guild.
The battle wages on in the east and south as well victory and defeat on both sides, the world ablaze for the fight of Middle Earth #38.
Turn 7:
In the Mountains of 3224 in the capital city of the FK capital, the duel began. The crowd was a mix of races, both humans and orcs watched the great struggle of good and evil. Tarondor, in line for the stewardship of Gondor step forward to meet the challenge of the Nazgul Dendra Dwar. Odds makers put the fight at roughly even, but the awe and might of Sauron’s Nazgul struck fear in the onlookers. Tarondor held his ground as the best warrior of all of Gondor, and knew it would be a challenge of a lifetime. The hype was at a fevered pitch when the duel began. Tarondor parried Dendra’s first strike with War-dancer easily, and with a spinning counter attack removed Dendra’s head from his body. The crowd was dead silent. Everything stopped. Tarondor looked puzzled as if disappointed. Dendra Dwar laid slain in the open market without even drawing blood from his mortal opponent.
Taraondor returned to his troops to plunder the FK capital that same day. A great victory for Northern Gondor and his allies. The FK capital flies the flag of Gondor, and the death of one of Sauron’s greatest pawns.
Tough turn for the Freeps, but still progress made. We lost a bunch of characters to challenges and agents, yet the DS team stands to lose the Dog Lord & Dragon Lord capitals this coming turn, and control of the North gate. OUCH! The DS team is prone to losing nice agent rings too, don’t know what will happen if you accidently find the “Precious”…
Ah, characters come and go (especially on our side), but it is much easier to name a character than rebuild capitals.
Dave
Voice of the Freeps and the bonehead who forgot to refuse challenge this turn…
Broggha sat cross legged his head draped over a small fire, his cowl trapping a halo of purple wizard smoke for him to inhale. Slowly his eyes became unfocussed as he entered the spirit world.
Of late he had taken to making witch dolls in the likeness of his enemies and poking them with all manner of pointy things. Sometimes if he was feeling particularly nasty, he gave them the blunt things too! The greater the likeness, the greater the affect of his tormentings. He found that potatoes worked best for the freep. Indeed it was with great surprise that one day he thought to be prodding his grundle poker into a potato Aethelan look alike, when he found it to be the real thing…
If it makes you feel any better, I wasn’t taking notice of your army either and it came as just as big a surprise to me when I PC’d you 
Nice summary on my earlier turn plans, but you got all the goals wrong
Very nice opening moves btw. Commendations to your team.
Winsten Wun Toof
Goals? Did you guys have goals? I was only guessing really as I’ll I could really see was an army running in circles; plus it made for a nice story…
Thanks on the opening moves compliment, hopefully we won’t ruin them with our mid-game.
Dave
Voice for the Freeps and weak link of our team.
CheersWe do appreciate the feedback, especially being our first true game. The payoff of the losses may be worth it if that Mordor egg cracks on you. 
Our goals were to get the system down, and learn the game mechanics. We are still making some mistakes, but doing better…
I must also give you credit in keeping the Rhudaur alive, I’m amazed that position is still viable. Ji Indur’s company must get some of the credit, but well done.
Dave
Voice of the Freeps
*G’day David
Our more veteran players say the same on the aggression factor, that neither of our teams were very aggressive compared to the good ME teams out there. When we all agreed to play this game; Doug and I knew that we both were relatively new teams with a mix of veterans and newbies and it would be a slower paced game. I believe we have seen that to some degree in this game on both ends.
Despite who crosses the finish line first, It has been a good learning game for everyone on our team. Hopefully you all can say the same.
Dave
Voice of the Freeps
VICTORY for the FREE NATIONS!
Mordor has been crushed, and with the minions of Mordor fleeing into the depths of the earth, the free nations have shown courage and resolve. Led by Tarandor of Northern Gondor the Free armies of destroyed the Capitals of the Fire King, Dog Lord and opened the gates of Mordor. Sauron once again must go into hiding and wait for another 1,000 years to pass before treading the lands of Middle Earth.