MURDER AT THE PRANCING PONY (ATTEMPT 1).
After finally getting enough time to get some questing under my belt I decided to try the two POD quests I bought a few weeks ago. I decided to build two decks with as much of the Fellowship that I could to play through many quests in the run up to a Saga run.
Deck #1 contains Merry (Spirit), Pippin (Lore) and Sam Gamgee for a low 20 threat and a opening hand containing Errand-Rider, Gandalf (Core), Hobbit Pony, Self-Preservation x2 and Sneak Attack.
Deck #2 contains Aragorn (Lore), Boromir (Tactics) and Legolas with 32 threat and a opening hand containing Black Arrow, Defender Of Rammas, Dunedain Hunter, Gondorian Shield, Secret Vigil and Skyward Volley.
Quest set-up consisted of putting a Suspect and Hideout aside, setting up a Investigation deck, making the Prancing Pony the active location and putting a Ramshackle Manor into the staging area.
Turn One began with deck #1 becoming first player and each hero gaining a resource before deck #1 drew Celebrian's Stone and deck #2 drew Gandalf (Core).
Deck #1's planning consisted of playing Hobbit Pony on Merry and paying 1 from Sam to play Errand-Rider before deck #2 played Black Arrow on Legolas and paid 1 from Boromir to play Gondorian Shield on him before playing Dunedain Hunter (who pulled a Chetwood Outlaw out of the encounter deck and put it into play engaged with deck #2) and paid 1 from Legolas to play Secret Vigil on Chetwood Outlaw.
At the start of the quest phase deck #1 raised their threat to 22 before I committed Merry, Pippin and Sam Gamgee and drew Chetwood Outlaw, Bree-Land Informant and another Ramshackle Manor. I committed 7 willpower against 11 threat so deck #1's threat increased to 26 and deck #2's increased to 36.
With the situation taking a turn for the worst deck #2 was forced to engage the Bree-Land Informant before the Chetwood Outlaw attacked Dunedain Hunter. The shadow card was Greenwood Footpad, which added 2 attack and really, really killed the Dunedain Hunter. The Bree-Land Informant made a attack on Boromir. The shadow card was Bill Ferny, who forced deck #2 to take the attack undefended. Boromir took 2 damage before I raised deck #2's threat to 37 to ready him.
Aragorn, Boromir and Legolas attacked and killed the Chetwood Outlaw, which reduced deck #1's threat to 25 and deck #2s to 36 before adding 2 progress to the Prancing Pony, which explored it and sent it to the victory display. The investigation effect allowed me to draw Johnny Goblin-Fingers and Susie The Spider. Deck #1 ended the phase by exhausting Errand-Rider to move a resource from Merry to Pippin.
At the end of the turn I refreshed everything then increased deck #1's threat to 26 and deck #2's to 37.
Turn Two began with deck #2 becoming first player and each hero gaining a resource before deck #2 drew Athelas and deck #1 drew Faramir.
Deck #2 paid 3 from Pippin to add Self-Preservation to Boromir before exhausting Errand-Rider to move a resource from Merry to Sam and paid 2 from Sam to play Celebrian's Stone on him. Deck #2 paid 1 each from Boromir and Legolas to play Defender Of Rammas.
At the start of the quest phase I raised deck #1's threat to 28 before committing Aragorn, Merry, Pippin and Sam. I drew Old Warehouse, Market Square and another Market Square. I committed 11 willpower against 15 threat so deck #1's threat increased to 41.
Faced with a bad selection the Fellowship travelled to Old Warehouse, drawing Village Stable and adding it to the staging area.
The Bree-Land Informant attacked Boromir, drawing Ramshackle Manor for no effect. I opted to pay 1 from Aragorn and raised deck #2's threat to 42 to look at the bottom card of the Investigation deck, Todd The Troll and discard the Bree-Land Informant. Deck #2 then exhausted Self-Preservation to heal 2 damage from Boromir.
I ended the turn by rrefreshing everything before I raised deck #1's threat to 33 and deck #2's to 43.
Turn Three began with deck #1 becoming first player and each hero gaining a resource before deck #1 drew Errand-Rider and deck #2 drew Grappling Hook.
Knowing that even if I committed everyone with any willpower I was still 2 short of the current threat total I opted to quit the game.