In the rules on page 22, column 1, under "The Ambush Step", is this sentence: "If the current hero is in a Haven location, combat only takes place if the hero allows it."

We've been playing this applies to the "Combat or Peril" step as well. However, rereading the rules today, I see no such restriction. If the heroes did have to fight a minion in a haven during "Combat or Peril", this would make the Sauron plots such as "Loss of an Heir" or "Denethor Falls into Madness" much easier to defend.

How are y'all playing it?

TK

We've been going no-go regardless, unless the Hero says "okay, let's dance".

P. 18: "Note that minions are allowed to move into Haven locations,
but Sauron cannot initiate combat against a hero in a Haven
location unless the hero allows it."

P. 31: "Combat never occurs in Haven locations, unless the hero allows for the combat to take place."

Yes, that's the way we're doing it.

Thanks!
TK

PS I'm a bit surprised you didn't provide an answer BEFORE I posted my question.

I was too busy playing MEQ .

After the initial learning games, both in terms of rules and strategy/tactics, it's been all Sauron for us. 12 games done, first 5 went fairly evenly, then it's been 7 wins for Sauron by way of completing his Mission. Today was the closest the Heroes got to getting a tie on dominance, the Hero Story marker was 1 from Finale as the Finale started. There have been games where the Hero marker has still been in stage II when the Finale started and at least one game where no Event cards from stage III were drawn. Quite often there is just 1 Event step during stage III, with Sauron's marker moving 5-6 spaces at best/worst (depending on your POV).

Looking at my logged plays on BGG, it's Talisman all over again. No, not the win-loss thing, the report length. Early Talisman logs were short, now they are in 3 paragraphs and not short ones either. MEQ got a solid log from the get-go and has been getting longer as the games have gone on.

We're split evenly at 4 wins for each side so far. Really enjoying this one.

TK

Game #13 today (got the game 2 weeks ago today), first ever win for Heroes by Mission. Sauron got hammered on the Plots and Shadow Pool. His starting and first played Plot were removed on turn 2, for the next 3-4 turns he couldn't get a Plot out, thanks to the constant poking of holes in the Shadow pool by Thranduil (once), encounters and Quests and he got no cheap Plots. Drawing 7 of 11 blank monster tokens didn't help either. He did get the Yellow token to stage III, but that's only 'cos the Heroes (Beravor and Eometh) camped the last 2 turns in a Haven, holding on to their 8 Favors (Mission was to have 5+) and Sauron couldn't catch their Story marker. Next goal is to get a Hero win by Mission in 1-Hero. Ominously, up to bat is Thalin the Corrupted, man he always faces tons of Peril.