Quest 42: Across the Ettenmoors

Victory on the Second Attempt!


The Deck

Mono-tactics victories, especially against trolls, have had a special place in my heart since I began my quest to achieve such a victory against Conflict at the Carrock. It took the combination of Hama + Thicket of Spears to make that possible. The Rohirrim Arrive by Some Sort is built around that same concept, but greatly benifits from the inclusion of Tactics Eowyn. Her + Theoden make this a deck that hold its own during the questing phase as well as the combat phase. Adding in a Song of Travel playset allows you to get all of the Spirit Rohan benifits while staying mono tactics with your heroes.

A typical Hama + Thicket build can be pretty loose with what allies it wants to include. I think a well-rounded selection was included here, with Bofur contributing some needed willpower and Legolas & Azain giving bonuses for all those enemies you will defeat. Beechbone is an inclusion I would like to see, simply due to the additional willpower and I would switch a x1 of him for one of the Bofurs. Resources can be tight in this deck, as is expected with tactics, so finding a way for the new Proud Hunters card would be worthwhile. But those are just small suggestions. This is a solid deck and only showed the quest a little mercy (thus the two attempts).

The Rohirrim Arrive
by Some Sort

Heroes
Eowyn (The Flame of the West)
Hama (The Long Dark)
Theoden (The Morgul Vale)

Allies
Azain Silver Beard x1
Bofur (Over Hill and Under Hill) x3
Defender of Rammas x3
Grimbold x2
Honour Guard x3
Legolas (The Treason of Saruman) x3
Westfold Outrider x2
White Tower Watchman x3

Attachments
Golden Shield x3
Spear of the Mark x3
Song of Travel x3
Herugrim x3
Snowmane x2
Unexpected Courage x3

Events
Feint x3
Foe-hammer x3
Forth Englorias x2
Thicket of Spears x2
Elven-light x3

Sets Used
Core
The Hills of Emyn Muil
The Long Dark
Over Hill and Under Hill
Heirs of Numenor
The Druadan Forest
The Morgul Vale
The Voice of Isengard
The Treason of Saruman
The Wastes of Eriador
The Land of Shdow
The Dread Realm
Flight of the Stormcaller
The Flame of the West

RingsDB Link


The Journey & Recap

If I had attempted this a few months ago, it would have gone down as an enjoyable quest but not one I would mark down as a favorite. That meaning has shifted for me over the years but right now it means a quest that presents a unique challenge or nitch for deck building. The size of the enemies in this one is a challenge in and of itself, but what really sticks out to me is the strong focus on side quests and almost always having one out. Thurindir, another recent release, means that this is challenge I want to spend time tackling in unique ways.

The deck I used held its own against the quest, but it was not foolproof. Things were going well during my first attempt, even with a copy of Scavenge for Supplies almost making Thicket of Spears unplayable. I finally added that side quest to the victory display, only to lose my hand to Lost in the Wilderness which caused me to loose Hama to a Ruthless Hill-Troll. Victory was still possible, and I almost cleared the quest, when Pressing Needs redirected my efforts and cost me the game.

My second attempt started off a bit uncertain, with neither Feint nor Thicket of Spears in hands, but quickly stabilized and marched on to a slow & steady victory.


Final Scoring
14 Completed Rounds x11: 140
Ending Threat: 46
Total Damage on Heroes: 5 (Eowyn: 2, Hama: 1, Theoden: 2)
Threat of Defeated Heroes: 0
Victory Display: -30
Total Score: 161