Sword-wall (4R84)

Supporting Fire (4C83)

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Thandronen, Veteran Protector (4C85)

	Set:		The Two Towers
	Kind:		Free Peoples
	Culture:		Elven
	Twilight:		2
	Card Type:		Event
	Game Text:		Skirmish or Regroup: Spot 3 Elf companions to liberate a site or exert a minion.
	Lore:		A fixed line of Elven blades can hold off great numbers of the Enemy's hordes.
	Rarity:		R
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General Strategy

!Sword-wall is a versatile event for Elven fellowships, allowing in-skirmish site liberation while most other methods in Towers Block are after a skirmish has been won or during the Regroup phase. If you don't need to liberate a site, the secondary action maintains usefulness against minions with abilities requiring an exertion like Wulf (who may be otherwise unwoundable to Elves because of Hides) and Orc Cutthroat, with companions such as Lorien Swordsman and Fereveldir, or to simply lower a minion's vitality in a culture which largely lacks damage bonuses.

The aimed exertion will cause a minion to be affected by the suite of Elven conditions which cripple wounded minions: Blades Drawn, Killing Field, and Lorien is Most Welcome. It can also be used to prepare a minion for Feathered, or chained with Night Without End to effectively deal 2 wounds to any minion. Sword-wall can be used to exert minions skirmishing the Ring-bearer, who may then finish them off with cards like Frying Pan, Cliffs of Emyn Muil, or Power According to his Stature.

Unlike most events, Sword-wall has two eligible phases and can also be used to counter regroup-phase site control such as Attack on Helm's Deep or after all skirmishes have been resolved to clear the card out of the Free People's hand without bringing risk to a companion skirmishing an enduring minion.

Because the 3 Elves you spot must be companions, Sword-wall does not make for a good splash card for Ring-bound Rangers, Knights, or Rohan, all of whom would greatly benefit from another skirmish-phase exertion. Since Uruk-Hai Beserkers and enduring minions benefit from being exerted, Sword-wall should be used with caution when skirmishing these enemies but maintains situational usefulness, such as to prevent Berserk Slayer's devastating ability. Further, it is rather expensive at [2] twilight, and may enable a Shadow player to play skirmish events (especially Southrons, whose events tend to be expensive themselves) or cause a double-move to become too dangerous.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strong Versus...

• Site-control
• Minions which exert for abilities
• Free Peoples cards which benefit from a wounded minion
• Lowering a minion's vitality for other direct wounding such as Power According to His Stature

Weak Versus...

• Enduring minions
• Uruk-Hai Berserkers, in some cases
• Shadow sides which thrive on excess twilight, such as Southrons

Example Decks

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Rules and Clarifications

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Extra Information

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