LOTR Part 3: Flight to the Ford

 

LOTR Part 3: Flight to the Ford (easy mode)
Heroes:			Campaign Pool:
Aragorn (Le) Pippin (Lo) Sam Gamgee (Le) Frodo Baggins (Fe)			Gildor Inglorion (boon) Noble Hero (boon), Frodo Baggins Gandalf’s Delay (burden)
Deck
Allies (26):		Attachments (13):			Events (11):
x3 Bill the Pony (Le) x3 Dunedain Watcher (Le) x2 Faramir (Le) x3 Guard of the Citadel (Le) x2 Orophin (Le) x2 Silverlode Archer (Le) x2 Snowborn Scout (Le) x1 Daughter of Nimrodel (Lo) x1 Henamarth Riversong (Lo) x1 Miner of the Iron Hills (Lo) x3 Wandering Ent (Lo) x3 Gandalf		x1 Celebrian's Stone (Le) x2 Heir of Mardil (Le) x2 Steward of Gondor (Le) x3 Fast Hitch (Lo) x1 Forest Snare (Lo) x2 Protector of Lorien (Lo) x2 Self Preservation (Lo)			x1 Common Cause (Le) x2 Ever Vigilant (Le) x2 Sneak Attack (Le) x1 Lore of Imladris (Lo) x2 Secret Paths (Lo) x3 Frodo's Intuition (Fe)
Turn 0
Allies	--			+ The One Ring (Frodo) + Noble Hero (Frodo) + An Evil Wound (Frodo)
Attachments	--
Threat	3 / 26, RBL: 15
Engaged Enemies	--
Location Log	--
Turn 1
Allies	+ Bill the Pony +Orophin			*ET: Piercing Cry *PA: + Fell Rider *Fell Rider returns to SA *Party engages Fell Rider # Common Cause *Party defeats Fell Rider
Attachments	+ Steward of Gondor (Aragorn)
Threat	3 / 26, RBL: 15
Engaged Enemies	--
Location Log	>> The Last Bridge
Turn 2
Allies	+ Silverode Archer			*EL: Ettenmoors *Party engages Fell Rider *Fell Rider defeats Bill the Pony *Party defeats Fell Rider
Attachments	+ Fast Hitch (Pippin)
Threat	2 / 27, RBL: 13
Engaged Enemies	--
Location Log	The Last Bridge >> Ettenmoors
Turn 3
Allies	+ Faramir			*EE: Ringwraith *Party engages Ringwraith *Ringwraith defeats Silverlode Archer *Party defeats Ringwraith
Attachments	+ Fast Hitch (Frodo)
Threat	0 / 28, RBL: 12
Engaged Enemies	--
Location Log	Ettenmoors >>
Turn 4
Allies	+ Guard of the Citadel			*EL: Ettenmoors +++QC 1 Completed+++ *Party engages the Witch-King *The Witch-King defeats Faramir
Attachments	--
Threat	0 / 29, RBL: 11
Engaged Enemies	--
Location Log	>> Ford of Bruinen
Turn 5
Allies	+ Gandalf + Bill the Pony + Daughter of Nimrodel + Faramir			*ET: Pale Blade *ET: Power in their Terror - Guard of the Citadel - Bill the Pony - Daughter of Nimrodel *The Witch-King is discarded - Gandalf
Attachments	--
Threat	2 / 30, RBL: 9
Engaged Enemies	The Witch-King (5)
Location Log	Ford of Bruinen >> Ettenmoors
Turn 6
Allies	+ Silverode Archer			*EL: The Old Road
Attachments	+ Protector of Lorien (Sam)
Threat	0 / 31, RBL: 8
Engaged Enemies	--
Location Log	Ettenmoors >> The Old Road
Turn 7
Allies	+ Gandalf			*ET: Stricken Dumb (I seriously hate this one…) - Gandalf
Attachments	--
Threat	0 / 32, RBL: 6
Engaged Enemies	--
Location Log	The Old Road
Turn 8
Allies	+ Snowbourn Scout			*EL: The Troll’s Camp +++QC 2 COMPLETED+++
Attachments	--
Threat	0 / 36, RBL: 5
Engaged Enemies	--
Location Log	The Old Road
VICTORY Score: 108

 

Talk about better cards! Right out of the gate I got Steward of Gondor, which kept my allies coming in and allowed chump-blocking when it was needed. I also got two Gandalfs! I also saw quite a bit few Nazgul enemies in my Encounter draws, which helped keep things manageable CONSIDERABLY. I still got some nasty treacheries (turns 5 and 7), but the quickened pace really helped to limit these. This is a great example where the exact same deck in the exact same scenario can make a world of difference.

Another strategy I implemented was to use Fast Hitch on Frodo and Pippin before Sam. This is not what I have done previously, mainly because I love Sam and prioritize him in general, but this was a horrible strategy because Sam’s character ability often allows him to ready. With Fast Hitch on both Frodo and Pippin, my hobbits were all ready to go if needed for combat.

I was also very fortunate not to have been in a situation where adding a burden to the Encounter Deck was tempting. After completing the scenario, I was instructed to add all burdens in play, in the Encounter Deck, and in the discard pile to my campaign pool… phew! Talk about long-term consequences.