781-play-Thrain

[dirhaval]

Written here is the review notes of the 24 turn practice game for Lord Thrain.
The PDF file with turn notes is attached here.

OVERVIEW
Lord Thrain had great success with playing items and events. He played Lord of Dwerrowdelf
and Folk of Durin while holding Moria at the end. Some changes to the deck were made in the
middle. Many creatures were killed, 11, by this player. Felagrog never CvCC with this player,
which was a disappointed. When you roll a 2 playing Lord and Usurper then sent back to site of
origin due to a grey agent you will not be untapped where you want when you want.
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MAJOR NEWS
Return to Old Dwellings, Halls of Khazad-dûm, and Reconquest of Khazad-dûm were played
during the same site phase. One ally and ten dwarves were able to do all that on Turn 20.
The dwarven ring was tested successfully on the first attempt.
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STATS
Eight characters were killed. Pathfinder was lost against a Chill Douser on Turn 3. Borin was
killed from the attack at Turukulon’s Lair. Mountaineer was killed from the Return to Old
Dwellings creature – Orc-Guard. Narin and Bahadur were killed on Turn 24 from both strikes
from a Sudden Fury agent Anarin. Now, Lady Galadriel has a goal to capture this agent.
+
This player faced 93 hazards with 28 creatures and another 12 agent actions. That quantity of
hazards were the third most and creatures fifth most. 40 of the hazards were faced in the last
eight turns. Nameless Thing was faced 6x. Two were killed. I think several copies were not
played against during the last few turns due to Pits of Angband in effect. The avatar had 12
prowess against drakes.
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A good amount of hazards, 32, were played on Felagrog. Eight of those were Nameless Thing –
none were killed. Crooked-Legged Orc of Felagrog was killed by Nameless Thing.
11 sites were tapped, which was a good amount for this player.
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DECK PLAY
Total MP stayed below11 until Turn 10. Both Dwarven Light Stones were not played until the
second deck when moving away from Rusted-Deeps. That deck draw 11 cards/turn and shuffled
5 cards. Third deck started on Turn 18. Fast draw was possible with Felagrog drawing many
cards. The first deck exhausted on Turn 11. That deck draw 9.8 cards/turn and shuffled 13.
Many movements of the main hazard player say Thrain draw 14 cards/turn and shuffled 9. The
game ended with Thrain having 4 cards in the playdeck. This shows that Thrain can leave
important cards in the sideboard until the end for timely use – New Friendship for the Council
Corruption checks.
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RESOURCE USE
The avatar was played on Turn 1. Characters were played when needed except for Attack-Lord.
Both copies were discarded before Turn 6, but then one shuffled with Smoke Rings. Only 7
resources were discarded in the first deck. That was expected with the fighting cards and
permanent events.
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Both gold ring items were tested by Turn 10. One ally was played for the entire game. Aglarond
was played on Turn 4. That helped to make the site a Lordhaven early for healing.
Lucky Strike was played 7/7. One use killed a Cave-worm and two more prevented a Dwarf to
become wounded.
Dodge was played 7/8. This resource helped a character to remain untapped to later play a minor
item and for others to tap for a later strike that turn.
The Dwarves Are Upon You played 8/9. This event prevented 5 dwarves to be wounded out of
maybe 30 affected strikes.
Marvels Told was used 9/9. Indispensable.
New Friendship was not used until the second deck; 3/8. Two were drawn on Turn 2.
Glamour of Surpassing Excellance was played 2/8. That was not wanted so the card was
removed.
One copy of Hunting Orcs was played 2/3.
Withdrawn to Mordor was played 6/9 and not once the first deck. Two were drawn on Turn 1.
Three Eriadorian agents were affected. Event discard one on-guard. One dwarf agent was
discarded.
Free to Choose was played 5/9 and not once the first deck. Highly valuable to make corruption
checks automatic or easily passed with light support.
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PLAYING HAZARDS
18 creatures were played 52x with 19 discarded. Three were killed (Durin’s Folk, Greater
Spectres x2).
Naugol was played 3/9.
Nameless Thing played 8/9.
Ice-drake played 3/9.
I can see that these creatures will be used on-guard to speed card flow.
The events to start the deck were played 48/60 for three turns.
Ride Against the Enemy was played 2/9; event will be removed from the deck.
Fled into Darkness was useless and played 0/9. It will now be in the deck twice, not 3x

[Thorsten the Traveller]

3 Moria missions in 1 turn?! Shock and awe!
overwhelming and taking Moria on first visit, that's how it should be done . Just goes to show, slower longer games are epic.

not really sure what the purpose of Hunting Orcs/Wonderous Maps is in the deck (other than theme), there's very few major items (1) and no Gimli, so that's just for the Decent Giant?
And pity you're taking out Folk of Durin, why? seems perfectly suited for the deck.
since you play so many Dwarves of different decent, you could use The Seven Houses to get those Attack-lords to hand timely. It's unique of course, but other Dwarf-lords can use their Son cards...

[dirhaval]

It was slow with this player during that last few turns. Minion players had many orcses. Redoubled Force was in play to start the turn of retaking Moria. Marvels Told handled that.

Hunting Orcs was in the deck to expand Dwarven WarParty. Folk of Durin is staying in the deck. The retaking of Moria is now two cards. Reconquest is the third event, but carries no inherited attack. Return to Khazad-dum was removed. It was nice to have these dwarves at Moria on Turn 24. One or two could help the Ringbearer.

The Seven Houses could be a game point card. That is good insight of you.

[dirhaval]

First 11 turns in the Red Book.

Only 2 players (ex Smeagol, Thorongil) yet to exhaust. Lord Thrain is one of the two.
Only one company for first six turns. Avatar played on Turn 7.
Thrain is alone at Wondrous Maps in Horse Plains; other dwarves went to Ered Lithui for giant ally.
Mornaugrim now in hand, but Felagrog is at Under-galleries with six entities with at least 5 prowess.
Ancient Stair in hand so that helps.
Felagrog during Turn 12 is going to Mines of Angurath for Caverns Unchoked and Iron Pit.
Afterwards, Thrain will play Deep Mountain Fortress at Rusted-Deeps, then north to Ruins of Kheledkhizdin for dwarf ally.

Felagrog now has 23 MPs. This is the problem for the game; Felagrog has no opposition.
May start the game with Moria as a dwarf Lordhaven/free hold. Or make that a Scenario? Has someone done that already?

Turn 6 was interesting: 5 beards move to Turukulon's Lair just to tap it.
Thunder's Companion killed using The Dwarves Are Upon You.
Giant attacks; Nar kills it with a Lucky Strike.
Dworin, still untapped, rests on a Willow tree. Old Man Willow is protecting his domain after hearing Yavanna's Plea.
His beard will n'ver again walk under stone.

<Error on Turn 6; thought I forgot something. I had it right, but found that turn's Site Phase on the 16xx file which I think was the first game
sometimes I do that; open the 16xx file and make game notes in it.
Thus, the site phase on Turn 6 in the 17xx file is all wrong; there was no site phase. No issues with the game later; only a note error.