LotR 63 - Return to Mirkwood (6)

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Back in the saddle with Beorn's Path 9 Return to Mirkwood deck.

I'm dealing with my work inbox at the moment, this game will alleviate that suffering.

Initial hand:

  1. Gondorian Spearman
  2. Swift Strike
  3. The Eagles Are Coming!
  4. Song of Travel
  5. Feint
  6. Hasty Stroke

Not super great, but I'll take anyway.

Initial encounter is Attercop Attercop.

Ok, that's essentially game over for single handed play, so I'm going to roll that back into the deck and draw again: Wood Elf Path, much better. Actually, Attercop doesn't come out until Threat 44, so it might have been worth playing it through.

Actually, no, Attercop automatically engages the player guarding Gollum regardless of threat.

Round 1

  1. Resource: draw Song of Travel.
  2. Planning: play Song of Travel on Thalin.
  3. Quest: Eowyn, Thalin, draw Gollum's Bite dealing 4 D to Gimli. Net +5 on quest with Song of Travel discard.
  4. Travel: none.
  5. Encounter: none.
  6. Combat: none.
  7. Refresh: Threat 33.

Guideline 401k is set up. I should read more about what funds they are investing in.

Round 2

  1. Resource: 5, draw Escort from Edoras.
  2. Planning: play Escort from Edoras and Gondorian Spearman.
  3. Quest: Eowyn, Thalin, Escort, draw Wolf Rider and Attercop Attercop. Net +6 on quest with discard The Eagles Are Coming!, almost had it.
  4. Travel: none.
  5. Encounter: Wolf Riders.
  6. Combat: Gondorian Spearman defends, which eliminates Wolf Rider. Shadow card is Goblin Sniper, good to get that one out of the way.
  7. Refresh: Threat 37.

Replied an email from a service provided with thanks and happy holidays. Three emails left in inbox.

Round 3

  1. Resource: 4, draw Stand and Fight, good for getting Escort for Edoras back into play.
  2. Planning: none.
  3. Quest: Eowyn, Thalin, draw Marsh Adder. That's bad, threat 3, time to play Stand and Fight, which will clear Through the Forest. I need some card draw.
  4. Travel: Wood Elf path, need to slow down the questing a little to get more allies out.
  5. Encounter: none.
  6. Combat: none.
  7. Refresh: Threat 41.

This is probably the game, as I have too much threat to prevent the Marsh Adder from coming into play, and not enough resources to get Allies out fast enough.

Thank you email off to Bishop Fox. Two emails remaining.

Round 4

  1. Resource: 5, draw Song of Travel.
  2. Planning: none.
  3. Quest: Eowyn, Thalin, draw Wasted Provisions and discard A Test of Will, Vassal of the Windlord, Vassal of the Windlord, The Eagles Are Coming!, A Test of Will, Hasty Stroke, Vassal of the Windlord, Escort from Edoras, Ancient Mathom, Citadel Plate. Not too bad, no Gandalfs and no Galadhrim's Greetings were lost. Net 0 progress.
  4. Travel: none.
  5. Encounter: Marsh Adder.
  6. Combat: Gondorian Spearman defending, Shadow Woodman's Glade no effect, Gondorian Spearmn is dead. Gimli swings for 6 to kill Marsh Added. Threat raised to 42.
  7. Refresh: Threat 46.

Thank you email to another provider, one email left: set up options grant.

Round 5

  1. Resource: 8, draw West Road Traveler.
  2. Planning: play West Road Traveler.
  3. Quest

Stop the presses!

I just saw that Attercop automatically engages the player guarding Gollum regardless of threat. So this game would have been done as soon as Attercop came out.

Bummer!

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What to play next?

Deciding what to play next is always a tough call when faced with a closet full of games, all of which were purchased with intent to play. Here's one I'm dealing with the decision.

  • Something New: this means both something new to me and a game which has been published recently, within the last two or three years.
  • Something Classic: I've acquired a number of games properly considered "classic" which haven't yet been played. The current example would be PanzerGruppe Guderian.
  • Something Again: mastery requires constant practice, which means playing games many, many times to allow nuance to appear.
  • Something Vietnam: as I'm on a Vietnam binge. I don't have all the Vietnam games ever published, but I can say that I have a lot of them, and probably more than most people.
  • Something Obscure: as it's fun to poke around in the dustier corners of game design.
  • Something Different: break away from the same old publishers and try a game from one of the new kids on the block. Or, conversely, dip into legacy with a classic tried and true.
  • Something Light: once in a while it's nice to actually finish a game all the way through in one sitting, in an hour or two.
  • Something Heavy: if possible, it's nice to set up something big and complicated which can be left out for days or weeks or even months, for a leisurely stroll through a very large or long game.

There are surely many more ways to choose, but the above method keeps me busy enough, helps me get both breadth and depth into my play, and provides me with a sense of progress.

The odd man out

When there is an odd man out:

  • Have a solo game ready to play.
  • Keep score or advise on a game in progress.
  • Referee a game in progress.