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  The Great Plague of Middle Earth 
  A Variant of Blacksburg Tactical Research Centre’s Black Death  
  by Nigel Hodge 
   
  Game Overview 
  The Great Plague of Middle Earth is a game of the Great 
  Plague of TA 1636-37 that Sauron released into Middle 
  Earth. It is suspected that his intention was for the plague 
  to prepare the way for an invasion of the free lands of 
  Middle Earth. In the event, his Orcs and other minions 
  proved highly susceptible to the plague itself, so no 
  invasion took place. However, large parts of Middle Earth 
  were permanently depopulated and the royal family of 
  Gondor was almost wiped out. The White tree of Gondor 
  died at this time. 
  Players compete in this game to become the scourge of 
  Middle Earth. 
   
  The Map 
  The map represents Western Middle Earth. Regions are 
  represented by one or more squares, which indicate the 
  maximum population of a region. Regions are connected 
  by lines of communication. 
   
  Regions 
  A region will have one or more squares, each of which 
  can only hold one disease counter, never more. A multi-
  squared region is considered to be a single square for 
  purposes of moving to other regions. So, for instance, any 
  of Gondor's four squares are considered to be adjacent to 
  any region connected to any other Gondor square. Some 
  squares have numbers in them (e.g. -1 or +1), which 
  modify the chances of infecting that particular square. 
  (Large population centres often have poorer sections ripe 
  for the spread of vermin and pestilence, represented by 
  +1. Conversely, some population centres were much 
  cleaner than normal for the time and they have a -1.) 
  According to Tolkein's books, Gondor and the South were 
  much harder hit by the plague than the Northern 
  kingdoms. 
   
  Lines of Communication 
  Some lines of communication have numbered circles near 
  them which act as a modifier against trying to infect or 
  move to a region along that line of communication. Such 
  lines of communication cost 2 movements points to move 
  along. 1 is subtracted from a disease's virulence rating 
  when trying to infect along that line. 
   
  Example: A disease counter is in Laketown. Moving from 
  Laketown to the Wood Elves  or Dale would cost 1 
  movement point, but moving to the Iron Hills or Anduin 
  vale would cost 2 movement points. 
   
  SETUP 
  Each player begins their phase by placing two of their 
  own disease markers on the map in any region adjacent 
  to an "entry" arrow. These are situated on the Eastern 
  edge of the map. These regions are: Rhun, Mordor, Kand 
  and Near Harad. If all of the available spaces are 
  occupied by other players' markers, players may place 
  their markers in Umbar.  
   
  Cards 
  The original game’s cards event cards are not used.  
  Instead, use the small set of 20 event cards included with 
  this variant to simulate certain events and conditions that 
  can affect play. Each player starts the game with an event 
  card. When a player reaches a body count of 5, 10 and 
  20 they draw an additional card. These cards can be 
  played at any time (unless the card specifies otherwise), 
  and may be played upon any player (unless the card 
  specifies otherwise). Card effects usually last until the 
  next turn of the player who played the card. 
   
   
  Victory 
  The instant a player reaches the game’s body count goal, 
  they win the game & have become the scourge of Middle 
  Earth and the most feared disease of the Great Plague of 
  1636 – 1637.  
  * For 2-3 players, the body count goal is 20, 
  * For 4-5 players, the body count goal is 15, 
  * For 6 players, the body count goal is 10. 
   
   
  Nigel Hodge 2008.
  
  2 
  Event Card Descriptions 
   
  Bad Weather 
  1. Slows travel. Subtract 1 from all movement 
  die rolls until the beginning of this player’s next 
  turn.  
  Tip: Play this card at the end of your turn; that way 
  it’ll affect other players but not you. 
   
  2. Unseasonably damp and cold weather aids 
  the spread of disease. Add 1 to all Virulence 
  ratings until the beginning of this player’s next 
  turn. 
   
  Famine 
  3. All diseases add 1 to their Mortality ratings 
  until the beginning of this player’s next turn, but 
  subtract 1 from all Movement die rolls.  
   
  Good Weather 
  4. All Virulence ratings are reduced by 1 until 
  the beginning of this player’s next turn.  
  Tip: Play this card at the end of your turn; that way 
  it’ll affect other players but not you. 
   
  Fire 
  5. Pestilence-cleansing fire gets out of hand. 
  Reduce a multi-square region by one square, 
  as if there had been a catastrophic kill there. If 
  the destroyed square has a disease marker on 
  it, this marker is removed from the map.  
  This is a “free kill”. If a diseased square is 
  destroyed by the fire, the player whose disease 
  marker was removed in this manner gains 1 
  body count.  
   
  Mutation 
  6. For one turn only, the player may alter the 
  Virulence or Mortality of any disease by 1 point 
  in either direction.  
  This card must be played at the start of the 
  target disease’s turn (before any dice are 
  rolled). It lasts until the beginning of the next 
  turn of the affected disease. 
   
  7. For one turn only, the player may alter the 
  Virulence and Mortality of any disease by 1 
  point in either direction.  
  This card must be played at the start of the 
  target disease’s turn (before any dice are 
  rolled). It lasts until the beginning of the next 
  turn of the affected disease. 
   
  8. For one turn only, the player may swap up to 
  2 points between the Virulence and Mortality 
  ratings of any disease – one increases while 
  the other decreases. The Virulence and 
  Mortality ratings cannot be reduced below 0 or 
  above 6 in this manner.  
  This card must be played at the start of the 
  target disease’s turn (before any dice are 
  rolled). It lasts until the beginning of the next 
  turn of the affected disease. 
   
   
  Quarantine 
  9, 10. Fear of disease closes one region until 
  the beginning of this player’s next turn. 
  However, infection chances in this region are 
  increased by 1 for any diseases already there.  
  Tip: This keeps a plague-free area free of outside 
  infection or movement (in or out), but the closeted 
  conditions increase the chance of spreading for any 
  disease already there (which obviously is of help only 
  in a multi-squared region). 
   
  Smugglers 
  11. Move infected goods past inspectors. This player’s 
  disease markers may move up to 2 regions this turn, but 
  are still limited to the total movement points indicated by 
  the Movement die roll.  
   
  Easterling Migration 
  12. The player gets one extra infection chance at +1 
  Virulence which must be used on Rhun, Mordor, Khan or 
  Near Harad. 
   
  13. This player gets two extra infection chances which 
  must be used on Rhun, Mordor, Khan or Near Harad. 
   
  War 
  14, 15. Tensions cause any two lines of communication to 
  be closed until the beginning of this player’s next turn. 
  Place a “War” marker on these lines until then. This may 
  apply to map entry routes, but cannot apply to the Grey 
  Havens map exit route. The two lines of communication 
  must be attached to one region. 
   
  War Against Angmar 
  16. All players must move at least one disease marker 
  towards Angmar until the beginning of this player’s next 
  turn.  
   
  Threat From Mordor 
  17. All players must move at least one disease marker 
  away from Mordor until the beginning of this player’s next 
  turn. 
   
  Orc Fever 
  18, 19. Until this player’s next turn, add 1 to the Virulence 
  of all diseases attempting to infect any Orc regions 
  (Angmar, Mount Gundabad, Misty Mountains & Mordor). 
  While this is in place, any catastrophic kills must be taken 
  against an Orc region of this is possible. 
   
  Magical Defences 
  20. Remove a disease marker from one selected Elf 
  region (Wood Elves, Rivendell, Lothlorien, Grey Havens). 
  Until this player’s next turn, all Elf regions gain the benefit 
  of magical defences; any disease attempting to infect Elf 
  regions have their Virulence reduced by a further 1 point 
  (in effect, for one turn, Elf regions become “-2” instead of 
  their usual healthy “-1”). 
   
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Collections/Blacksburg Tactical Research Center/Board Games/BTRC6001 Black Death (v1.01) (2008)/Black Death Extras/GPME_Variant_Rules.pdf