Yes - I guess this could ME the 4th version... I think of ME as basically a
wargame with some nice bits added on. (The Riddles were a cute idea when
the game first came out but now they are mostly a "check the list" type
thing which is a shame.) My personal peeve is the Neutrals - they are
rarely that (IMHO) and have such a drastic effect on the game that any bias
from even one player can change the entire way the game goes. But I think
that I am supposed be supporting the game though... 
Clint
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Whilst we're on the subject, what about the spells? Who actually uses
most of the combat spells? Wouldn't it be better to have two lists of
combat spells, one defensive and one offensive, with more lists of
information-gathering spells (especially in 4th Age)?Artefacts too could have more interesting powers - all the combat ones
are really only there for those nations who need to collect artefacts.
What about another couple of items capable of hiding pop centres, more
info gathering ones, movement boosting artefacts, the possibilities are
endless.But then there's one of the biggest changes I'd like to see. Atmosphere.
Why, with a game set in Middle Earth is the game so devoid of
Tolkienesque atmosphere? You would have thought that (given ICE licensed
GSI to write the game) it would have been possible to use some of the
masses of stuff in all the MERP ICE adventures. With loads more
encounters and descriptions, there is no reason why there couldn't be a
whole stack of atmosphere each turn. Hell, even the encounters we do
have are often poorly written - some are barely literate.Colin.