Finally got around to playing the scenario. It's pretty cool. I played Eowyn, Eomer, Imrahil with a similar deck to what i used at start of VoI. Since this scenario used the same encounter sets as the First scenario in VoI. Lots of card draw hate.

i lost in first attempt, but it was close. Modified my deck a bit and then won the second time, but it was still down to the wire. Overall I was satisfied with the challenge, but a second attempt victory makes it probably the least challenging of any final cycle scenario we have had.

Tons of time effects in this one for quest cards and locations. Once locations are cleared out of the staging area things get much easier. The first few rounds of the scenario are the most difficult. I liked that the boss could jot be engaged until the unique location is explored or otherwise he could be taken out almost immediately. It took 12 rounds to beat and it felt like i had to work for it.

I like the deck i used on it, and wonder how other deck will fair.

In terms of the time mechanic, it's okay, but i think it adds to much extra in game tracking which pulls me further away from the theme of the game. The game already is quite heady, and triggering all the time effects became a bother after awhile. I'll be happy if this mechanic is used infrequently in the future.

Great to hear that you had fun, Tracker1!

As for your last note, I think they added too much time.. Time on every single quest and in this scenario like almost every location. If they did it on a less regular basis and made it even more punishing to let Time X trigger, imo it would have been more of a 'wow' effect and it would give you more the feeling of being on a hurry. In VoI it was done pretty okay, but further down the line it's less exciting.

So finally got my hands on The Antlered Crown and played a single game last night which I won.

I actually really like the quest and the way it has been designed but it is definitely the easiest of the final quests for each cycle with even Return to Mirkwood being harder with its threat gains of 8, instant 4 damage to heroes (gollums bite) and multiple copies of both Attercop, Attercop and Hill Troll. I actually found it easier than The Fords of Isen which uses two of the same encounter sets but features much more hand/drawing cards hate.

I managed to utterly demolish the quest after some particularly nasty starting turns in which I ended up with 3 damage on Glorfindel, 2 damage on Elrond, 3 damage on Celeborn and 2 on Elladan due to Dunlending Battlefields time effect triggering whilst both decks had 5 cards in their hand. With first turn Asfaloth I was able to consistently keep locations under control and only had one location time effect trigger throughout the whole game and only because of a particular treachery appearing more than once. Stage 2 I was able to clear before the time effect triggered (only 1 counter was left) and stage 3 I cleared before time ran out as well (finished it with only one counter remaining). The Raven Chieftain only attacked once (feigned voices was used the other time) and there was no active location (had just cleared Raven Chieftains Camp) so he didn't remove any time counters. I managed to avoid enemies being revealed from the Raven deck pretty much every time I could and only had the two that are added to staging at the start of the game, the two that come out due to the effect of stage 2 and the one that comes out (playing two handed) due to the effect of stage 3 enter play at all (so the minimum amount).

I used two test of wills at crucial moments to minimize direct damage effects and also used two hasty strokes (one saved a hero from dying).

I managed to defend against an 8 attack Dunlending Bandit and Elrohir lived through it (6 armour from shield and steward and cloak of lorien and then no shadow effect so only 2 damage).

I also managed to kill TWO Raven Warriors the same way by attacking them with Haldir while in staging (both decks had low enough threat to just leave them in staging both times) who had 6 attack (dunedain mark and bow of the galadhrim) and then doing the final point of damage with a Galadhon Archer BOTH times who only cost 1 tactics resource each time thanks to O Lorien. Completely avoided their when engaged effects.

I also even explored the Raven Chiefs Camp before the time effect could trigger. I also removed two very nasty condition attachments the turn they appeared with power of orthanc removing two instead of one which is normally the case and doing so before either of them could trigger a single time (one of which would have put the final point of damage on at least one hero if not more).

Shortly after the second turn and having all the damage on heroes stack up from the single location time trigger in the game (Dunland Battlefield) I had to take an undefended attack of 2 damage and Haldir also got left on a single hitpoint. I thought for SURE I was going to lose with all the damage on heroes and no healing in sight. Somehow even though I didn't draw a Warden of Healing until the third last turn and even though this quest has lots of direct damage effects I still managed to utterly crush it and pull off all that is mentioned above and then some. Probably one of the best games I've ever had to be completely honest, after the horrible start and the single undefended attack I had to take almost everything changed immediately and I managed to handle everything that appeared and quickly clear the staging area and kill all enemies. Two PERFECTLY timed Test of Wills stopped further direct damage leading to an instant loss. Several combat strategies (especially the way I dispatched both Raven Warriors) including Haldir taking enemies out before they could attack and well timed Feigned Voices allowed me to devastate the Dunlending Douchebags. Asfaloth alone kept locations well and truly under control.

Epic and very fun game but now I'm just annoyed I can't even log it yet and have to add it to my list of games I need to eventually log for Old Forest and Barrow Downs