So this lovelly little game has really got me spending:

Week 1:

Core set

Black Riders (because its the saga!! But extra rules for newbie are heavy)

Week 2 (this week after playing 2 games):

1 x aluminium carry case

Pack card dividers x 3

1000 penny sleeves

3 x cycle-1 adventure packs

Kazad Dum expansion (it seems rare right now then suddenly gameslore had stock!)

What will next week bring???

Ive spent so much more than my weekly disposable income allowance.

I think that because the cycles "require" the deluxe packs, which go in and out of print... that my initial purchases will concentrate on deluxe packs so that any occasional adventure packs can actually be used. Wouldnt be good to get a cheap adventure i cant use due to lack of deluxe expansion.

I can so much see this escalating into big debt

Compared to MtG though this game is so cheap.

for anyone who asks this, I say look at the tales from the cards http://talesfromthecards.wordpress.com/2013/09/13/new-player-buying-guide/ I have found this helpful. And If I were you, I would get Watcher in the Water and foundation of stone considering you already have KD. they are probably two of the best quest in the game.

This is just me being silly, but by "3 x cycle-1 adventure packs" you mean that you have 3 out of the 6 packs and not 3 copies of all 6? Because you definitely don't need more than one of each AP. Sorry, you're probably very well aware of this; I'm just having problems interpreting correctly. It sounds like you're headed down a great path for expanding your cardpool. KD and Dwarrowdelf have excellent cards.

What will next week bring???

The Road Darkens. Truly amazing box.

Follow the release dates if possible, and go for the other 3x cycle 1.

I did mean three of the packs not three duplicates (ha autocorrect changed duplicates to "duolicaduolicates" what on earth is that???), but as Mr Postman hasnt arrived yet I cant remember which so just put 3x.

I musr admit, i think my spending initially will be on deluxe exp. Being in UK I am at the mercy of uk stock levels, so not having a delux rules out all its related cycle until I can get the deluxe.

Until yesterday, all instances of khazad dum were over £30 yet yesterday gameslore had it at £22 posted, so I grabbed it and its on its way.

I dont want to be in a position of grabbibg a good expansion cheap but not yet able to play due to lack of deluxe

I must admit, watcher in the water excites me just because of its title theme as that was a great part of fellowship, so a prequel on that theme...

Thanks for the good responses to my post and now Im off to look at that buying guide

Have you tried online stores? I brought mine at http://www.coolstuffinc.com/ but I'm not sure if they would ship to UK (I live in the USA).

Usa to uk shipping usually costs more if you get hit by customs charges.

I just bought the remaining 3 mirkwood cycle deck plus heirs of numenor.... im going to be in such debt!!

As tempting as it is to buy many expansions, if I were you, I would just slow down, and play what you have until you have thoroughly used it and it starts to feel a little repetitive. Then I would get more expansions. But to absolutely flood yourself with cards and quests so early into the game, I think is unnecessary. Sure, I would recommend getting all or many of the expansions eventually; this is a really cool game! For now though, I'd just slow down, and enjoy what you have, and add more expansions every couple months or so or as you feel needed. Have fun!

I dont plan to flood my card pool early or play all the different scenarios, its more that being in UK i dont have the benefit of buying direct from ffg and thus am at the mercy of uk store stocks or extravagant ebay prices.

I will tend to buy fast yet pkay slow. Despite having six adventures in my posession right now, ive only played one of them and actually plan to play the same one at least three more times before having a go at the second.

I do appreciate what you ae saying, but with experience of uk stock levels its good to buy-ahead after deciding you like a product. Each to their own though.

Edit: i also get massive fun out of spending and collecting. Some games i have enjoyed collecting but failed to get anyone to play. This game i can enjoy collecting AND play solo as many times as i want... its a winner

I'm new to the game as well (got my first core set last December) and I've been trying to figure out the correct speed to acquire new sets. After spending a month or so with just the core set I've been picking up one new adventure pack a week and am currently about half of the way through Dwarrowdelf. I think that's been a good speed so far and it's been nice to be able to throw a couple new cards into my deck for a new adventure but also have time to go back and try previous adventures with new cards as well. i'm actually thinking I might take a short break on acquiring new stuff after this cycle just to give me some more time to play with all of the great new tricks that have come in Dwarrowdelf. I think taking it at a slower pace has really helped with being able to get some reliable card knowledge in the game. Granted, I'm not having to deal with the supply issues that you're dealing with.

If you want and have the money, you can buy all the adventure packs and deluxes at the same time. It is not a problem in my opinion. However, I'd recommend you to play the adventures following the release order and, at least until you beat it once, do not play older adventures with newer cards.

If you want and have the money, you can buy all the adventure packs and deluxes at the same time. It is not a problem in my opinion. However, I'd recommend you to play the adventures following the release order and, at least until you beat it once, do not play older adventures with newer cards.

Yup this is pretty much my plan

I'm new to the game as well (got my first core set last December) and I've been trying to figure out the correct speed to acquire new sets. After spending a month or so with just the core set I've been picking up one new adventure pack a week and am currently about half of the way through Dwarrowdelf. I think that's been a good speed so far and it's been nice to be able to throw a couple new cards into my deck for a new adventure but also have time to go back and try previous adventures with new cards as well. i'm actually thinking I might take a short break on acquiring new stuff after this cycle just to give me some more time to play with all of the great new tricks that have come in Dwarrowdelf. I think taking it at a slower pace has really helped with being able to get some reliable card knowledge in the game. Granted, I'm not having to deal with the supply issues that you're dealing with.

I've been doing the same thing. I purchased my first Core set in March or April 2014, and currently have everything up to and including Mirkwood, Khazad-Dum/Dwarrowdelf, Hobbit saga, HoN/Against the Shadow, and three POD scenarios (Massing at Osgiliath, Battle of Lake-Town, and Stone of Erech). I've been playing everything by order of release, so that I can grow with and follow the evolution of the game from start to finish. I also like building most of my decks through trial and error… LotR is the first deck building game I have ever played, and though I was initially intimidated by the whole LCG/deckbuilding aspect of it, I am totally addicted to it now!

I only pulled the two Hobbit saga expansions out of their shrink wrap this past week, having focused my energies on the Dwarrowdelf quests and Battle of Lake-Town since December. I will play a particular AP/cycle over and over, trying it out straight solo and two-handed with different decks (initially using only cards available at the time a particular expansion/AP was released). I have played hundreds of games this past year, and like the feeling that I'm really getting my money's worth and max enjoyment out of each quest (i.e., I like to make the pleasure last). I've had HoN since summer, and it's still shrinkwrapped… makes the opening of expansions (when I finally get around to them) feel like a mini-Xmas at any time of year! :-)

I am on about the same ownership and purchase cycle too. In the last two months I have picked up:
- the Core Set
- Hunt for Gollum, Conflict at Carrock, Journey to Rhoesgobel, and Return to Mirkwood
- khazad-dum
- penny sleeves (regretting the choice though)

I have the last two Mirkwood packs coming in this week. Once those are in, I am done buying for a short bit. My wife and I duo play. So far we have completed the core, hunt for Gollum, and Carrock. I think we will wait to get a full clear of Mirkwood before buying deeper into Dwarrowdelf.

Outside of the game, though, I have my eye on one of the wooden box with sorting trays from Broken Token. That may be the next purchase.

Edited: Added link to the box

Ryahl, If i were you I would get both hobbits sets cause then you would have a crazy dwarf deck. you already have KD and return to mirkwood for Dain so it would be boss.

Ryahl, If i were you I would get both hobbits sets cause then you would have a crazy dwarf deck. you already have KD and return to mirkwood for Dain so it would be boss.

I am really leaning towards doing that. The Dwarf deck would be a plus, but I am really intrigued with running a chronological play through and the two Hobbit boxes and the battle of Lake Town standalone precede the Core and Mirkwood.

yah I don't know about Lake town. Its... tough. Legendary for being impossible. But With a good dwarf deck, it is possible. I beat it every time now with my duo dwarf deck with part of dwarrowdelf hobbits and mirkwood. Good luck!

I recently played Lake-Town a few dozen times, both straight solo and 2-handed, using only cards available at the time of release. It's a tough one, but I wouldn't say it's as "impossible" as many think it is. It's a scenario that requires thinking outside the box when deck building/playing (especially straight solo). Once you figure out the "puzzle," you can beat it on a fairly regular basis.

That having been said, I have never run Dwarf (or any other theme) decks against it.

I think it's one of the best quests I have played.

- penny sleeves (regretting the choice though)

Penny sleeves are excellent for the encounter deck cards. Something like UltraPro standard black sleeves are good for player cards.

- penny sleeves (regretting the choice though)

Penny sleeves are excellent for the encounter deck cards. Something like UltraPro standard black sleeves are good for player cards.

How about the Nightmare decks?

- penny sleeves (regretting the choice though)

Penny sleeves are excellent for the encounter deck cards. Something like UltraPro standard black sleeves are good for player cards.

How about the Nightmare decks?

I still use penny sleeves for the Nightmare decks. From a few feet away it isn't readily apparent if the top card is a nightmare card or not. The Nightmare cards are slightly different, but I just promise myself that I will not stare at the top of the encounter deck, trying to figure out if the next card is a Nightmare card or not.

yah, I guess using the word impossible was a little strong. I was just try to get the point across that it was TOUGH and not a great thing to buy if you are a beginner.