Quest 5: Conflict at the Carrock (re-do)

Victory on the 9th attempt

My re-do of this epic quest final ends in a solid victory.

The Journey

Player Set-up
Set threat to 28
Draw: Feint, Firefoot x3, Book of Eldacar, Vassal of the Windlord
I like Firefoot, but having this unique card take up half of my starting hand is overdoing it. I only hope I can draw him again early on.
Mulligan: White Tower Watchman, Evoy of Pelargir, Good Meal, Book of Eldacar, Thicket of Spears, Quick Strike

Encounter Set-up
Place The Carrock in the staging area
Shuffle one copy of Sacked! into the Encounter Deck
Proceed to stage 1B

Round 1
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (1), +1 Eomer (1), +1 Merry (1)
Draw: Vassal of the Windlord

Planning Phase
Play: White Tower Watchman (Theoden -1, Eomer -1, Merry -1)
I love the Watchman's ability to quest and take an undefended attack, or defend and take a second attack undefended. Good to have out early in case the Encounter deck has a surprise for me.

Quest Phase
Commit Merry, White Tower Watchman to quest
Total willpower: 4
I'm hoping to progress slowly here so I can build up some good allies and needed events.
Reveal: Banks of the Anduin
Total threat: 3
1 progress placed on stage 1B (1/7)

Travel Phase
Travel to Banks of the Anduin
This will help me quest a little higher to anticipate high-threat cards in the staging area, yet stop me from progressing too quickly through the stage.

Encounter Phase
None

Combat Phase
None

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 29


Round 2
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (1), +1 Eomer (1), +1 Merry (1)
Draw: Rohan Warhorse
Nice. Very much a needed card if I hope to handle multiple trolls in one turn. One of my favorite moments during the "Epic Fail" game was having one of these on Eomer and on Merry each, which combine great with Merry's own ability to allow for multiple attacks (assuming the enemy is destroyed).

Planning Phase
Play: Envoy of Pelagir (Theoden -1, Merry -1). +1 resource to Eomer (2)
Play: Good Meal. Attach to Merry.
Play: Rohan Warhorse (Eomer -1)
Play: Vassal of the Windlord (Eomer -1)

Quest Phase
Commit Theoden, Merry, Envoy of Pelagir to the quest.
Total willpower: 7
Reveal: Hill Troll
Total threat: 3
Place 3 progress on Banks of the Anduin, exhausting it and moving it to the top of the encounter deck
Place 1 progress on stage 1B

Travel Phase
None

Quest Phase
None

Encounter Phase
None
I want to give myself one more round to build up a strategy for this first troll

Combat Phase
None

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 30


Round 3
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (1), +1 Eomer (1), +1 Merry (1)
Draw: Firefoot
Fantastic. Probably this decks' top card. Glad to see it pop up after the mulligan I took.

Planning Phase
Play: Firefoot (Theoden -1, Merry -1)

Quest Phase
Commit Merry to the quest
Total willpower: 3
Since it went on top of the deck last round, I know to expect Banks of the Anduin and I want to reserve everything else I can for the troll
Reveal: Banks of the Anduin
Surprise!
Total threat: 3
No progress placed

Travel Phase
Travel to Banks of the Anduin

Encounter Phase
Encounter the Hill Troll

Combat Phase
Deal a shadow card to Hill Troll
Hill Troll attacks. White Tower Watchman defends. Shadow: Bee Pastures (no effect). White Tower Watchman is destroyed. Raise threat to 31, due to Hill Troll's effect
Sad to see that Bee Pastures discarded as a shadow card. Would love to have had the option to recruit Grimbeorn this game
Declare an attack on Hill Troll with Eomer, Theoden, Vassal of the Windlord. 13 attack vs. 3 shield = 10 damage, destroying Hill Troll and adding him to the victory display (+4 VP)
Discard Vassal of the Windlordcar

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Increase threat to 32

Round 4
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (1), +1 Eomer (2), +1 Merry (1)
Draw: Horn of Gondor

Quest Phase
Commit Theoden, Merry, Eomer to the quest.
Total willpower: 8
Reveal: Grimbeorn the Old
Well, that was pleasantly unexpected. Now to hope for an Oak-wood Grove to show up, allowing me to spend my Tactics resources as Leadership to recruit Grimbeorn
Total threat: 2
Place 3 progress on Banks of the Anduin, exploring it and placing it on the top of the encounter deck
Place 3 progress on stage 1B (4/7)

Travel Phase
None

Encounter Phase
None

Combat Phase
None

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 33


Round 5
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (2), +1 Eomer (3), +1 Merry (2)
Draw: Horn of Gondor
I guess I should play one of these eventually...

Planning Phase
None

Quest Phase
Commit Merry to the quest
Total willpower: 3
Once again, Banks of the Anduin is on top. I don't want to advance quite yet.
Reveal: Banks of the Anduin
Total threat: 3
No progress placed

Travel Phase
Travel to Banks of the Anduin

Encounter Phase
None

Combat Phase
None

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 34


Round 6
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (3), +1 Eomer (4), +1 Merry (3)
Draw: Saruman

Planning Phase
None

Quest Phase
Commit Merry, Theoden to the quest
Total willpower: 6
Reveal: Oak-wood Grove
Hey! Prepare to see Grimbeorn recruited soon!
Total threat: 4
Place 2 progress on Banks of the Anduin

Travel Phase
None

Encounter Phase
None

Combat Phase
None

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 35


Round 7
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (4), +1 Eomer (5), +1 Merry (4)
Draw: Quick Strike

Planning Phase
None

Quest Phase
Commit Merry, Theoden, Envoy of Pelagir to the quest.
Total willpower: 7
Reveal: Oak-wood Grove
Be careful what you wish for, eh?
Total threat: 6
Place 1 progress on Banks of the Anduin, exploring it and placing it on the top of the encounter deck

Travel Phase
Travel to Oak-wood Grove
Place 8 resources on Grimbeorn (Theoden -4, Merry -4), recruiting him as an ally

Encounter Phase
None

Combat Phase
None

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 36


Round 8
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (1), +1 Eomer (6), +1 Merry (1)
Draw: Unseen Strike
No good at this point, unless a Gandalf hops in quick-like

Planning Phase
None

Quest Phase
Commit Theoden, Merry to the quest
Total willpower: 6
Not fully ready to move on, but I'd like to see Oak-wood Grove #1 explored
Reveal: Banks of the Anduin
Total threat: 5
Place 1 progress on Oak-wood Grove, exploring it

Travel Phase
Travel to Oak-wood Grove

Encounter Phase
None

Combat Phase
None

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 37


Round 9
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (2), +1 Eomer (7), +1 Merry (2)
Draw: Gandalf
Alright, that may be the last little bit of power I need to make this happen. Time to go for it.

Planning Phase
Play: Book of Eldacar (Theoden -1)
Play: Horn of Gondor (Theoden -1)
Play: Gandalf (Eomer -5). Lower threat to 32.
Maybe Unseen Strike will see some action this game

Quest Phase
Commit Theoden, Merry to the quest
Total willpower: 6
Reveal: A Frightened Beast (+1 threat for all three cards in the staging area). Threat raised to 35.
Maybe Unseen Strike will remain unseen, then...
Total threat: 3
Place 1 progress on Oak-wood Grove, exploring it
Place 2 progress on stage 1B, completing it
Make The Carrock the active location
Proceed to stage 2B
Add Stuart, Rupert, Morris, and Louis to the staging area

Travel Phase
None

Encounter Phase
Engaged by Stuart, Rupert, Morris, Louis

Combat Phase
Deal shadow cards to Stuart, Rupert, Morris, Louis
Play: Thicket of Spears (Eomer -2, Merry -1)
Declare an attack on Louis with Eomer, Grimbeorn the Old, Gandalf, Envoy of Pelargir. 14 attack vs. 4 shield = 10 damage, destroying Louis
Exhaust Rohan Warhorse to ready Eomer
Declare an attack on Morris with Eomer. 5 attack vs. 4 shield = 1 damage.

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Increase threat to 36
Discard Gandalf. +1 resource to Theoden (1), due to Horn of Gondor


Round 10
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (2), +1 Eomer (1), +1 Merry (2)
Draw: Halfling Determination

Planning Phase
Play Saruman (Theoden -1, Eomer -1, Merry -1). Increase threat to 39.

Quest Phase
Commit none
Total willpower: 0
I would be surprised to see a large increase here (although it's possible) and I would rather have all hands on deck to try and dispatch two trolls this round.
Reveal: Muck Adder
Total threat: 2
Increase threat to 41

Travel Phase
None

Encounter Phase
Engaged by Muck Adder

Combat Phase
Deal shadow cards to Stuart, Rupert, Morris, and Much Adder
Morris attacks. Envoy of Pelargir defends. Shadow: Despair (Envoy of Pelargir does not count her shield). Envoy of Pelagir is destroyed. +1 resource to Theoden (2), due to Horn of Gondor
The goal here is to engage Eomer's attack boost. Now to shut everyone else down...
Discard Book of Eldacar. Choose to play Thicket of Spears. Discard Good Meal to lower the cost by 2 (Merry -1).
Place Thicket of Spears on the bottom of the player deck.
Play: Halfling Determination (Theoden -1)
Now here is where it gets fun, with a Rohan Warhorse and Merry's ability in play
Declare an attack on Rupert with Eomer, Merry, and Saruman. 15 attack vs. 4 shields = 11 damage, destroying Rupert.
Use Merry's ability to ready Eomer
Declare an attack on Stuart with Eomer, Theoden, and Grimbeorn the old. 14 attack vs. 4 shields = 10 damage, destroying Stuart.
Exhaust Rohan Warhorse to ready Eomer
Eomer declares an attack on Muck Adder. 7 attack vs. 0 shields = 7 damage, destroying it.

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 42
Discard Saruman. +1 resource to Theoden, due to Horn of Gondor

Round 11
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (2), +1 Eomer (1), +1 Merry (1)
Draw: Saruman
Time to end this

Planning Phase
Play Saruman (Theoden -1, Eomer -1, Merry -1). Raise threat to 45.

Quest Phase
Commit Theoden, Merry to the quest
Total willpower: 6
Reveal: Roasted Slowly (no effect). Shuffle into encounter deck
Total threat: 1
Place 5 progress on The Carrock

Travel Phase
None

Encounter Phase
None

Combat Phase
Deal a shadow card to Morris
Morris declares an attack. Grimberon the Old defends (without exhausting). Shadow: Despair (Grimbeorn the Old does not count his shield).  Place 5 damage on Grimbeorn the Old.
Declare an attack on Morris with Eomer, Saruman, Grimbeorn the Old. 13 attack vs. 13 shield = 10 damage, destroying Morris.
And there go the trolls. One more progress on The Carrock + one more progress on the quest and we're home free. 

Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 46
Discard Saruman. +1 resource to Theoden (2), due to Horn of Gondor


Round 12
Resource Phase
+1 Theoden (3), +1 Eomer (1), +1 Merry (1)
Draw: Saruman

Planning Phase
None

Quest Phase
Commit Theoden, Eomer, Merry to the quest
Total willpower: 8
I'm tempted to commit Grimbeorn also, but what if I draw the remaining Hill Troll (like I did at this point in attempt #7, costing me the game) and need to defend?
Reveal: Goblin Sniper
Total threat: 3
Place 1 progress on The Carrock, exploring it
Place 4 progress on stage 2B, completing it.
Sweet victory!

Final Scoring
11 completed rounds x10: 110
Final threat: 46
Damage on heroes: 0
Thread cost of defeated heroes: 0
Victory display: -4
Total: 152

And there it is. 

I was tempted to switch out Unseen Strike, since it never came out early enough to be of use for me, but decided the deck was doing pretty good so far and to just let it be. I would recommend other players switch that out for something, though. 

Saruman still proved his weight. Beorn might have been just as effective, though, and that may be a fair switch (especially if you have access to three core sets). 

Still love this quest. Hardly ever beats me to the point where it seems hopeless to even try (looking at you, Escape from Dol Guldur) and it's beatable with a wide range of player card draws and encounter reveals, which is a factor that matters a whole lot to me.

Now to move on and finish the Mirkwood Cycle...