The Deck
Still playing around with the dwarf theme, I realized I've been neglecting the Tactic's trait so far. Leadership and Spirit have both seen a few quests, so it's time for...
Dwarven Tactical Lore
Heroes
Gimli
Ori
Bombur
Allies
Erebor Hammersmith x3
Erebor Record Keeper x3
Miner of the Iron Hills x3
Veteran Axehand x3
Erebor Battle Master x3
Gandalf (Over Hill and Under Hill) x3
Attachments
Blade of Gondolin x3
Dwarrowdelf Axe x3
Ranger Spikes x3
Elf-stone x2
Legacy of Durin x2
Protector of Lorien x3
Events
A Good Harvest x3
Ancestral Knowledge x3
Khazad! Khazad! x3
Heavy Stroke x3
Daeron's Runes x2
Sets Used
Core
Khazad-dum
Th Watcher in the Water
The Long Dark
Foundations of Stone
Over Hill and Under Hill
On the Doorstep
Heirs of Numenor
The Black Riders
The Journey
I did not expect this one to take three attempts to be, but after the second one (having all my characters cleared out by a Sleeping Sentry shadow effect on round 7) I wondered it it would actually take longer. Third time was the charm!
But it was not without its faults. I kind of made my own semi-Nightmare version of the quest. During my first attempt, I came up against a Wild Bear and got it stuck into my head that all Ambush enemies also attack automatically. So you'll be seeing me take way more attacks than I should have. Nothing beneficial came out of that except altering the deal of the encounter deck. Since I was not playing anything that would give me advance knowledge of the encounter deck, we'll call the play good and realize my mistake did nothing but make the journey a bit more of a struggle than it should have been (and affect my score terribly).
Player Setup
Set threat to 27
Take control of Arwen Undomiel
Draw: Gandalf, Legacy of Durin, Daeron's Runes, Erebor Record Keeper, Erebor Battle Master, Legacy of Durin
The quality of this deck is probably apparent in the fact that I've drawn Gandalf early on all three attempts and found his added questing and defense essential for the first two near-victories and the final victory. I probably need a better deck, if it can't float without him.
Encounter Setup
Reveal: Orc Raiders. Ambush!
Engaged by Orc Raiders.
Orc Raiders make an immediate attack and are dealt a shadow card. Bombur defends. Shadow: Black Uraks (no effect). One damage on Bombur (1/5)
Round 1
Resource Phase
+1 Gimli (1), +1 Ori (1), +1 Bombur (1)
Draw: Ranger Spikes
This challenge is helping develop a great love for this card
Planning Phase
Play: Daeron's Runes. Draw: Miner of the Iron Hills, Erebor Record Keeper. Discard Miner of the Iron Hills.
Play: Ranger Spikes (Ori -1, Bombur -1)
Quest Phase
Commit: Ori, Arwen Undomiel
+1 resource to Ori (1; Arwen's ability)
Total willpower: 4
Reveal: Crebain. Attach to Ranger Spikes. Surge.
Reveal: Goblin Taskmaster. Ambush.
Engaged by Goblin Taskmaster. Deal two damage to Ori.
Goblin Taskmaster attacks. Undefended. Shadow: Goblin Taskmaster (no effect). Two damage placed on Gimli.
Total threat: 0
Place 4 progress on stage 1B (4/20)Travel Phase
None
Encounter Phase
None
Combat Phase
Deal shadow cards to Goblin Taskmaster, Orc Raiders
Goblin Taskmaster attacks. Undefended. Shadow: Pathless Country (no allies in play). Place two damage on Bombur.
Orc Riders attack. Gimli defends. Shadow: Mountain Warg (+1 attack). Two damage placed on Gimli.
Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 28
Round 2
Resource Phase
+1 Gimli (2), +1 Ori (2), +1 Bombur (1)
Draw: Veteran Axehand
Planning Phase
Play: Gandalf (Gimli -2, Ori -2, Bombur -1)
Quest Phase
Commit Gimli, Ori, Arwen
+1 resource to Gimli (1; Arwen's ability)
Total willpower: 10
Reveal: Undisturbed Bones. Deal 1 damage to Gandalf.
Total threat: 0
Place 10 progress on stage 1B (14/20)
Travel Phase
None
Encounter Phase
None
Combat Phase
Deal shadow cards to Goblin Taskmaster, Orc Raiders
Goblin Taskmaster attacks. Bombur defends. Reveal Barren Hills. No damage dealt. Return Taskmaster to staging area.
Orc Raiders attack. Gandalf defends. Shadow: Wild Bear (no effect).
Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 29
Raise threat to 31 to keep Gandalf in play
Round 3
Resource Phase
+1 Gimli (2), +1 Ori (1), +1 Bombur (1)
Draw: Ranger Spikes
Planning Phase
Play: Veteran Axehand (Gimli -2)
Play: Ranger Spikes (Ori -1, Bombur -1)
Quest Phase
Commit: Gimli, Ori, Arwen, Gandalf
+1 resource to Ori (1; Arwen's ability)
Total willpower: 10
Reveal: Goblin Archer. Attach to Ranger Spikes.
Total threat: 2
Place 6 progress on Along the Misty Mountains, clearing the stage
Proceed to stage 2A, flip to 2B
Add Goblin Gate to the staging area, then make it the active location
Travel Phase
None
Encounter Phase
Engage Goblin Taskmaster. Deal two damage to Gandalf.
Combat Phase
Deal shadow cards to Goblin Taskmaster, Orc Raiders
Goblin Taskmaster attacks, Bobur defends. Shadow: Plundered Armoury (no effect). No damage dealt.
Orc Raiders attacks. Gandalf defends. Shadow: Orc Ambush (no effect). No damage dealt.
Veteran Axehand declares an attac on Orc Raiders, dealing one damage (1/3)
Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 32
Raise threat to 34 to keep Gandalf in play
Round 4
Resource Phase
+1 Gimli (1), +1 Ori (2), +1 Bombur (1)
Draw: Khazad! Khazad!
Forgot to take my second draw, forgetting that 1 ally + Bombur's ability fulfills the requirement for Ori's card draw ability. I like my odds stacked against me, apparently.
Planning Phase
Play: Erebor Record Keeper (Ori -1)
Play: Erebor Record Keeper (Ori -1)
Quest Phase
Commit: Gimli, Ori, Arwen, Gandalf
+1 resource to Ori (1; Arwen's ability)
Total willpower: 10
Reveal: Turbulent Waters
Total threat: 3
Place 4 progress on Goblin Gate, exhausting it
Place 3 progress on Orc Outpost (3/7)
Travel Phase
Travel to Turbulent Waters
Encounter Phase
None
Combat Phase
Deal shadow cards to Goblin Taskmaster, Orc Raiders
Orc Raiders attack. Gandalf defends. Shadow: Goblin Taskmaster (no effect). No damage dealt.
Goblin Taskmaster attacks. Bombur defends. Shadow: Goblin Taskmaster (no effect). No damage dealt.
Spend 1 Lore resource (Bombur -1) and exhaust Erebor Record Keeper #1 to ready Gimli
Gimli declares an attack on Goblin Taskmaster, destroying it (6 attack vs. 2 shields = 4 damage).
Spend 1 Lore resource (Ori -1) and exhaust Erebor Record Keeper #2 to ready Gimli
Gimli declares an attack on Orc Raiders, destroying them (6 attack vs. 1 shield = 5 damage)
Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 35
Raise threat to 37 to keep Gandalf in play
Round 5
Resource Phase
+1 Gimli (2), +1 Ori (1), +1 Bombur (1)
Draw: Blade of Gondolin
Draw: Heavy Stroke
Planning Phase
None
Saving up for an Erebor Battle Master
Quest Phase
Commit: Gimli, Ori, Arwen, Erebor Record Keeper x1
I'll leave one Erebor Record Keeper up to help Gimli with dispatching another enemy.
+1 resource to Gimli (3; Arwen's ability)
Total willpower: 11
Reveal: Knees of the Mountain
Total threat: 2
Place 2 progress on Turbulent Waters, exploring it
Place 7 progress on stage 2B, clearing it
Proceed to stage 3A, flip to 3B
Reveal: Bitter Wind (Gimli -2, Ori -1, Bombur -1)
So much for seeing the Battle Master this next turn
Travel Phase
Travel to Knees of the Mountain
Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 38
Raise threat to 40 to keep Gandalf in play
Round 6
Resource Phase
+1 Gimli (2), +1 Ori (1), +1 Bombur (1)
Draw: Veteran Axehand
Draw: Khazad! Khazad!
Wow. If only I had a massive enemy to take out with these guys.
Planning Phase
Play: Veteran Axehand (Gili -2)
Quest Phase
Commit: Gimli, Ori, Arwen, Gandalf, Erebor Record Keeper x2
+1 resource to Gimli (1; Arwen's ability)
Total willpower: 12
Reveal: Goblin Spearman. Deal 1 damage to Gandalf (Goblin Archer's ability)
Total threat: 2
Place 3 progress on Knees of the Mountain, exploring it
Place 7 progress on stage 3B (7/13)
Encounter Phase
Engage Goblin Spearman
Combat phase
Deal shadow card to Goblin Spearman
Goblin Spearman attacks. Bombur defends. Shadow: Goblin Archer (no effect). No damage dealt.
Gandalf declares an attack on Goblin Spearman, destroying it (4 attack vs. 2 shield = 2 damage).
Refresh Phase
Raise threat to 41
Raise threat to 43 to keep Gandalf in play
Round 7
Resource Phase
+1 Gimli (1), +1 Ori (2), +1 Bombur (2)
Draw: Miner of the Iron Hills
Draw: Blade of Gondolin
Planning Phase
Play: Legacy of Durin (Ori -1). Attach to Ori.
Play: Miner of the Iron Hills (Bombur -2)
Draw (Legacy of Durin's ability): Ancestral Knowledge
Quest Phase
Commit: Gimli, Ori, Arwen, Gandalf, Erebor Record Keeper x2
+1 resource to Gimli (2)
Total willpower: 12
Reveal: Wild Bear. Ambush!
Engaged by Wild Bear. Wild Bear attacks. Deal shadow card. Miner of the Iron Hills defends. Shadow: Undisturbed Bones. Discard Miner of the Iron Hills. Attack is undefended. Place 2 damage on Bombur, destroying him.
Nooo!
Total threat: 0
Place 12 progress on stage 3B, clearing it and winning the game!
Final Score
6 completed rounds x10: 60
Final threat: 43
Damage on Heroes: 6 (4 on Gimli, 2 on Ori)
Threat of Defeated Heroes: 8 (Bombur)
Victory Display: 0
Total: 117
The Recap
Wow. Sleeping Sentry. I've often heard it complained about, but it's different to have it happen to you. Without that card (and I know some people who just remove it), this quest had some of the balance and challenges that Redhorn Gate had as well. But a saved Hasty Stroke (or various other means) can take care of that. All-in-all, I enjoyed these attempts and would like to journey down this road again in the future.
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