Post by mrweasely on Aug 27, 2006 17:02:21 GMT 1
So I tried the "companion butter" start out on my still-learning wife. Oh, and the first turn action die roll was: M M M A/M. That was elves. She opened with Mordor versus Gondor and Dol Guldur versus Woodland Realm, but was slow out of the blocks due to inexperience. At Minas Tirith, she was shocked, shocked when her 10 regulars were shredded by the blue force with two elites, three regulars, Denethor, Boromir, and Guards of the Citadel.
Meanwhile in woodland realm, Gimli anchored the defense, and they weathered Dol Guldur without much difficulty.
The Eagles are Coming is a lot less pointless when there are 5 companions spread all over the map capable of using it.
By about turn 5, when Smeagol guided the fellowship to Carrock and Aragorn was encircling the stalled Minas Tirith siege with his Dead Men, my wife threw up her hands and stormed off, declaring that the game was hopeless.
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osaurus.us/~dm/tmp/DEW-North-blows-GAGs-doors-off.log
In this game the Free People held their companions close to the Fellowship. They set out and misfortune found them soon enough: their first three moves generated three hunt tiles: '3', '2', '3'. Gandalf, Boromir, and Merry died.
The Elves went to war, and Woodland Realm mustered heavily, only to fall to DEW North. Erebor didn't bother resisting. Badly depleted by the (non)defense of Woodland Realm, the elvenhomes of Rivendell and Lorien were also put to the torch.
The free people were utterly crushed. The fellowship never proceeded past Druadan Forest.
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osaurus.us/~dm/tmp/GAG-blows-DEW-Norths-doors-off.log
Another game, and again the Free tried to retain its companions in the Fellowship. The first turn was fantastic for the free, as they both crowned Aragorn, and managed to move the fellowship once, all without spending a ring. Meanwhile, the Dark Lord rolled zero musters.
Sauron stormed DEW-North. Legolas arrived in Woodland Realm with There and Back Again, to get the Elves to war. Galadriel came out and the Free would roll six action dice from turn three on out!
The Mordor/WK army put Legolas and just one mustered elite under siege in Woodland Realm. Tom Bombadil had the north just a step from war, but there were no scouts, and there was a Witch King super-stack next door, so there was little point in spending the muster just to be conquored. The solution arose when the Shadow had a turn with sharply limited attack dice: Muster the dwarves two spaces to war, then start manufacturing elites. Erebor wasn't shut down from this behavior until it'd minted a 1r/4e/2L force in Erebor. But a Horde from the East camped on their doorstep.
Despite Eagles Coming, The Witch King subjegated the Woodland Realm without too much trouble, and then he went to Erebor to grind. Despite the reinforced presence of an elephant, a wolf rider, and three trolls, the Lonely Mountain held on, and eventually West Rhun had to send another batch of guys to seal the deal.
The Fellowship moved well, despite the loss of Gandalf the Grey to a random casualty. Eventually it was down to Smeagol, Gimli, and Pippin. They then got turn stalled twice by both Cruel Weather and then Nazgul Search. Finally, exasperated, they spent the die to declare.
Forces of evil reached out their gaunt hands for Rivendell. The elvenhome was taken mostly unprepared, but at the last moment they found they had The White Rider hiding in the closet. That siege was long and bitter.
Corruption became an issue for the five companions as they trudged through Mordor. In the end they grew impatient, and pushed hard through. Free People win with only two strongholds taken by the shadow.
Meanwhile in woodland realm, Gimli anchored the defense, and they weathered Dol Guldur without much difficulty.
The Eagles are Coming is a lot less pointless when there are 5 companions spread all over the map capable of using it.
By about turn 5, when Smeagol guided the fellowship to Carrock and Aragorn was encircling the stalled Minas Tirith siege with his Dead Men, my wife threw up her hands and stormed off, declaring that the game was hopeless.
_________________________________________________________________
osaurus.us/~dm/tmp/DEW-North-blows-GAGs-doors-off.log
In this game the Free People held their companions close to the Fellowship. They set out and misfortune found them soon enough: their first three moves generated three hunt tiles: '3', '2', '3'. Gandalf, Boromir, and Merry died.
The Elves went to war, and Woodland Realm mustered heavily, only to fall to DEW North. Erebor didn't bother resisting. Badly depleted by the (non)defense of Woodland Realm, the elvenhomes of Rivendell and Lorien were also put to the torch.
The free people were utterly crushed. The fellowship never proceeded past Druadan Forest.
_________________________________________________________________
osaurus.us/~dm/tmp/GAG-blows-DEW-Norths-doors-off.log
Another game, and again the Free tried to retain its companions in the Fellowship. The first turn was fantastic for the free, as they both crowned Aragorn, and managed to move the fellowship once, all without spending a ring. Meanwhile, the Dark Lord rolled zero musters.
Sauron stormed DEW-North. Legolas arrived in Woodland Realm with There and Back Again, to get the Elves to war. Galadriel came out and the Free would roll six action dice from turn three on out!
The Mordor/WK army put Legolas and just one mustered elite under siege in Woodland Realm. Tom Bombadil had the north just a step from war, but there were no scouts, and there was a Witch King super-stack next door, so there was little point in spending the muster just to be conquored. The solution arose when the Shadow had a turn with sharply limited attack dice: Muster the dwarves two spaces to war, then start manufacturing elites. Erebor wasn't shut down from this behavior until it'd minted a 1r/4e/2L force in Erebor. But a Horde from the East camped on their doorstep.
Despite Eagles Coming, The Witch King subjegated the Woodland Realm without too much trouble, and then he went to Erebor to grind. Despite the reinforced presence of an elephant, a wolf rider, and three trolls, the Lonely Mountain held on, and eventually West Rhun had to send another batch of guys to seal the deal.
The Fellowship moved well, despite the loss of Gandalf the Grey to a random casualty. Eventually it was down to Smeagol, Gimli, and Pippin. They then got turn stalled twice by both Cruel Weather and then Nazgul Search. Finally, exasperated, they spent the die to declare.
Forces of evil reached out their gaunt hands for Rivendell. The elvenhome was taken mostly unprepared, but at the last moment they found they had The White Rider hiding in the closet. That siege was long and bitter.
Corruption became an issue for the five companions as they trudged through Mordor. In the end they grew impatient, and pushed hard through. Free People win with only two strongholds taken by the shadow.
