LotR 88 - Into the Pit (17)

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Since I played Game 87 totally wrong right out of the gate, let's try the updated The Deeds of Dwarves again and see what happens. This time, I'm going to play just the first round, then stop and chill out a bit to think about how to get through the rest of the scenario.

Initial hand:

  1. Dwarven Tomb
  2. Dwarven Axe
  3. Feint
  4. Sneak Attack
  5. Fili
  6. Gloin

Initial encounter: Bzranching Paths.

Round 1

  1. Resource: 3, draw Dwarrowdelf Axe. The Dwarrowdelf Axe gets +1 Attack, but as important, it gets to put 1 Damage on the enemy character immediately.
  2. Planning: none.
  3. Quest: Dwalin and Thalin for 4W, draw Goblin Swordsman for +1 P on East-Gate.
  4. Travel: none.
  5. Encounter: none.
  6. Combat: none.
  7. Refresh: Threat: 30.

Chill out phase: Note that Dain also gives +1 Attack to all dwarf characters when he is ready.

Round 2

  1. Resource: 6, draw Gloin.
  2. Planning: none, saving up to play Kili/Fili.
  3. Quest: Dwalin and Thalin for 4W, draw Lightless Passage, bummer. Exhaust Cave Torch to put 3 P, draw Goblin Tunnels to discard, Threat 34.
  4. Travel: none.
  5. Encounter: none.
  6. Combat: none.
  7. Refresh: Threat 35.

Will have to use Cave Torch next round as well.

Round 3

  1. Resource: 9, draw Kili.
  2. Planning: play Kili from Spirit, and search for Fili. Also play Gloin and recoup 2 R to Leadership. Exhaust Cave Torch to clear Lightless Passage, draw Branching Paths for no effect.
  3. Quest: Thalin, Dwalin, Fili and Gloin for 9W, draw Patrol Leader, +3 Progress.
  4. Travel: none.
  5. Encounter: none.
  6. Combat: none.
  7. Refresh: Threat 36.

Round 4

  1. Resource: 8, draw Quick Strike.
  2. Planning: Dwarrowdelf Axe on Dwalin.
  3. Quest: Thalin, Dwalin, Fili, Gloin for 9W, draw Lightless Passage, Threat 37. Probably location locked now, will need Gandalf to progress.
  4. Travel: none. Exhaust Cave Torch, draw Patrol Leader.
  5. Encounter: none.
  6. Combat: none.
  7. Refresh: Threat 38.

Probably going to lose this one as well.

Round 5

  1. Resource: 10, Blade of Gondolin.
  2. Planning: play Blade of Gondolin on Dwalin. Exhaust Cave Torch draw Cave in for no effect.
  3. Quest: Thalin, Dwalin, Kili, Fili, Gloin for 11W, draw Branching Paths, net 0 P.
  4. Travel: none.
  5. Encounter: none.
  6. Combat: none.
  7. Refresh: Threat 39.

Round 6

  1. Resource: 13, Veteran Axehand.
  2. Planning: play Veteran Axehand.
  3. Quest: all, draw Many Roads, surge Dreadful Gap, result is 18 T for Threat 45.
  4. Travel: none.
  5. Encounter: none.
  6. Combat: none.
  7. Refresh: Threat 46.

I can't beat it now, unless I get several Gandalfs in a row.

Round 7

  1. Resource: 14, draw Goblin Cleaver.
  2. Planning: none. Exhaust Cave Torch to get rid of one of the Branching Paths, draw Signs of Conflict for no effect.
  3. Quest: all, draw Stairs of Nain for 18T against 12W for Threat 52 and that's the game.

I'm putting this up for today. Getting through the East-Gate is just a real problem.

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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.