Nin-in Eilph 6:357, 7:358

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I would very much like to beat this quest sooner than later, but lacking any memory of it, I'm going to take the Mirlonde deck. This deck is a slow starter, but really powerful once the tableau is built. It just has to survive long enough, and with 19 starting threat, that's not usually a problem.

Initial hand:

  1. Ithilien Tracker
  2. Protector of Lorien
  3. Erebor Record Keeper
  4. Gandalf
  5. Erebor Record Keeper
  6. Light of Valinor

I don't think this is a very good hand, but I'm going to roll with it and see what happens.

Threat 20 due to 2A, A Weary Passage which requires discard a random card when committing to a quest.

Round 1

  1. Resource: 3, draw Song of Wisdom.
  2. Planning: Light of Valinor on Glorfindel.
  3. Quest: Mirlonde, Glorfindel, discard Song of Wisdom. Reveal Low on Provisions. Net +4 progress.
  4. Travel: none.
  5. Encounter: none.
  6. Combat: none.
  7. Refresh: Threat 22 (Nalir).

Round 2

  1. Resource: 5, draw Ithilien Archer.
  2. Planning: Play Ithilien Tracker, Protector of Lorien, Erebor Record Keeper.
  3. Quest: Mirlonde, Glorfindel, Ithilien Tracker, ERK, discard Erebor Record Keeper. Reveal Off Track, surge Stinking Bog for net +4 progress. This is not so good. But I can use the condition to force changing the 2A stage.
  4. Travel: Stinking Bog.
  5. Encounter: none.
  6. Combat: none.
  7. Refresh: Threat 24.

Go to a different Stage 2: A Forgotten Land. Threat 25. Cannot play more than 1 card each round.

Round 3

  1. Resource: 5, draw Ranger Bow.
  2. Planning: Play Ithilien Archer.
  3. Quest: Mirlonde, Glorfindel, ERK, Ithilien Tracker, Ithilien Archer, reveal Finger of Glanduin. Net +3 on Stinking Bog.
  4. Travel: none.
  5. Encounter: none.
  6. Combat: none.
  7. Refresh: Threat 26.

Round 4

  1. Resource: 5, draw Erebor Record Keeper.
  2. Planning: Play Erebor Record Keeper.
  3. Quest: All but Denethor, reveal Fen of Reeds, and I think I'm going to be location locked… net +2 which does not clear Stinking Bog as the Finger of Glanduin removed one of the Progress last turn, and will remove another this turn. I need to play Gandalf for questing or I'm going to get location locked.
  4. Travel: none.
  5. Encounter: none.
  6. Combat: none.
  7. Refresh: Threat 28.

Different Stage 2: Through the Marsh. Threat 29. Discard a random card to quest.

Round 5

  1. Resource: 7, draw Henamarth Riversong.
  2. Planning: Play Henamarth, Gandalf. Draw Gleowine, Master of the Forge, Ithilien Tracker.
  3. Quest: All but Denethor and Henamarth. Reveal In Need of Rest, which is going to kill Mirlonde probably. Also, randomly discarded Ranger Bow.
  4. Travel: Finger of Glanduin.
  5. Encounter: none.
  6. Combat: none. Henamarth scries Giant Swamp Adder.
  7. Refresh: Threat 31.

Round 6

  1. Resource: 4, draw Ranger Bow.
  2. Planning: Play Gleowin and Ranger Bow. Gleowine to draw Mirkwood Runner.
  3. Quest: All but Gleowine, Denethor, reveal Giant Marsh Adder which doesn't contribute any threat due to Ithilien Tracker. Net +3 progress after clearning Finger. Random discard Mirkwood Runner.
  4. Travel: Fen of Reeds.
  5. Encounter: none.
  6. Combat: none.
  7. Refresh: Threat 33.

Mirlonde is killed.

Round 7

  1. Resource: 3, draw Forest Snare.
  2. Planning: Denethor scries Low on Provisions which I'm going to allow.
  3. Quest: All but Denethor, reveal Low on Provisions, Whoops I need to do 8 damage…that's probably the game, I should have cycled that one to the bottom of the deck. Clear Fen of Reeds, but no progress, and I need 9. Random discard Master of the Forge.
  4. Travel: none.
  5. Encounter: none.
  6. Combat: none.
  7. Refresh: Threat 35.

Change to Stage 2: No End In Sight. Cannot draw cards or resources from Player card effects.

Round 8

  1. Resource: 5, draw Miruvor and play on Glorfindel.
  2. Planning: Henamarth scries Neenerbreekers which is going to engage and with 6 hits I can't kill it, I only have 1 Forest Snare, which would need to go on Giant Marsh Adder, which is also engaging this turn.

I don't feel like going any further. This is just not going to end well. I'm on turn 7 and can't even get close to the 13 progress I need to advance to Stage 3.

AAR

This scenario requires high questing and location control from Round 1, not fooling around. The longer it takes to build state, the more your tableau just gets chewed up, death by 1000 cuts. I need to examine the current card pool to see what sort of tech is available for beating this one. This mirlonde deck is 5-6 scenarios behind the progress state.

One of the issues with this deck is the 2 threat raise per round induced by Nalir, along with the threat increase every time the stage is randomized reduces the effectiveness of the low starting threat hence cramps the deck's ability to slowly build a massive board state. With the random discard it hurts even more.

Game 7:358

Played the high threat Elrond deck, managed to get to Stage 3 quickly, but pulled the 3B which lowered engagement by 20. This meant Ancient March Dweller would make a 6 hit attack this turn, along with the Giant Swamp Adder which is already engaged. Bailed at turn 4 or 5 with 46 Threat. This quest is one which has to be beaten very quickly or it's just going to go bad. There aren't many enemies, but all of the them have 6+ hit points.

If I could have cleared Stage 2 on Turn 2, I think I would have had a better chance. In this quest, I think it's best to not worry about enemies coming out in early stages. Just scoop and go. Nalir's threat clock makes it really annoying.

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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.