From: bobmohney@aol.com (Bob Mohney)
Newsgroups: rec.games.trading-cards.misc
Subject: MECCG: Balrog Release
Lines: 48
Message-ID: <1998072219223400.PAA13978@ladder01.news.aol.com>
Date: 22 Jul 1998 19:22:34 GMT
Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com

ICE announces for September 1998 the release of Middle-earth: The Balrog, the
next expansion of its award-winning Middle-earth Collectable Card Game
(MECCG). Now you can play the terrible Balrog of Moria and lead a host of Orcs
and Trolls!

Middle-earth the Balrog (MEBA) expansion is sold in two boxes. Together, they
make up one complete set. Each box retails for $18.95. Buy one of each box, and
you can assemble the complete 104-card set with significantly less cost (under
$40) and trouble than under the traditional pack format.

Each Box of The Balrog contains a fixed, preconstructed deck of 132 cards. The
deck has over half of the new expansion cards, multiples of certain Balrog
cards, and enough cards from earlier MECCG expansions to play a well-tunned
Balrog deck right out of the box. The enclosed insert provides the deck
list along with tips for play-for each of the two decks, brief Balrog player
rules, and the easy-to-learn Challenge Deck rules.

Like all MECCG expansions, Middle-earth: The Balrog features new beautiful and
evocative card art.

Quick Facts on Middle-earth: The Balrog:

ST#381 Middle-earth: The Balrog (MEBA) The Shadow-deeps      Box 1 of 2 (red)
ISBN: 1-55806-354-4       $18.95 (USD)            132-card preconstructed deck

ST#381 Middle-earth: The Balrog (MEBA) Balrog's Host      Box 2 of 2 (teal)
ISBN: 1-55806-355-2       $18.95 (USD)            132-card preconstructed deck

104 cards in the expansion

Buy one of each box and you'll have a complete set for under $40

Buy three of each box and you'll have a play set for under $120

Both decks (The Shadow-deeps and Balrog's Host) are preconstructed to be
playable and competitive out of the box

Each of the two 132-card decks includes over half of the new 104 cards in The
Balrog expansion, as well as cards from earlier Me ccg expansions (through
Middle-earth: The White Hand)

The Balrog cards are printed with the usual Limited Edition black boarder

The previously released MECCG cards are printed with a grey boarder

Case packaging:
6 boxes in one display; 3 each of the two boxes; total retail value = $113.70
(USD)