Come back and update us when you hit the Anduin! It’s a big jump in difficulty but still one of my favorite quests. Good luck!

OK, we finally got around to playing Journey Along the Anduin tonight. I had picked up some of the saga expansions in the interim: On the Doorstep, The Black Riders, and The Treason of Saruman. I built both our decks from those and a single copy of the core set. I played a Tactics/Leadership deck, and my friend played Spirit/Lore.

Tactics/Leadership

Spirit/Lore

It took us two attempts to pass the quest. Our first time through, we got some terrible luck revealing from the encounter deck on the second turn that put us too far behind. Our second time through, we got a bit better luck and were able to hold off on engaging the Hill Troll until turn three, when Gandalf sneak attacked the Hill Troll and defended against it and my heroes were able to slay it. The second stage was pretty steady. Resource ramp let us get some really helpful allies into play -- Beorn and Faramir for me, two Northern Trackers and a Lorien Guide for my friend. When we landed on the banks again, we were ambushed by a vicious bunch: another Hill Troll, a Marsh Adder, and an orc chieftain, as well as a treachery card that pushed my threat into the mid-40s. My friend engaged the Marsh Adder and finished it off without much problem. A Gondorian Spearman held off the orc chieftain and Beorn defended against the troll, while my heroes and other allies finished the troll. We ended the game the next round when Gandalf showed up for another Sneak Attack and a raging Beorn quick-striked the chieftain. I finished at 45 threat. If some stroke of terrible luck (or stupidity, like chump blocking the troll) had killed me, my friend had enough that I'm pretty sure he could have finished the quest once we hit the third stage, but as it went, neither of us lost a hero.

Come back and update us when you hit the Anduin! It’s a big jump in difficulty but still one of my favorite quests. Good luck!

OK, we finally got around to playing Journey Along the Anduin tonight. I had picked up some of the saga expansions in the interim: On the Doorstep, The Black Riders, and The Treason of Saruman. I built both our decks from those and a single copy of the core set. I played a Tactics/Leadership deck, and my friend played Spirit/Lore.

Tactics/Leadership

Heroes

Gimli

Legolas

Theodred

Starting Threat: 29

Allies

Beorn, x1

Faramir, x2

Gandalf, x2

Gondorian Spearman, x3

Guard of the Citadel, x3

Horseback Archer, x2

Snowbourn Scout, x3

Veteran Axehand, x3

Attachments

Arod, x1

Black Arrow, x1

Blade of Gondolin, x2

Celebrian's Stone, x1

Citadel Plate, x2

Dagger of Westernesse, x3

Dwarven Axe, x2

Horn of Gondor, x1

King Under the Mountain, x2

Steward of Gondor, x2

Events

Ever Vigilant, x2

Feint, x2

For Gondor, x2

Quick Strike, x2

Sneak Attack, x2

Straight Shot, x3

Swift Strike, x1

Spirit/Lore

Heroes

Denethor

Dunhere

Eowyn

Starting Threat: 25

Allies

Dwalin, x2

Erebor Hammersmith, x2

Gandalf, x2

Gleowine, x2

Hama, x2

Henamarth Riversong, x1

Lorien Guide, x3

Northern Tracker, x2

Quickbeam, x2

Wandering Took, x1

Attachments

The Favor of the Lady, x2

Forest Snare, x2

Herugrim, x1

Protector of Lorien, x2

Self Preservation, x2

Thror's Key, x2

Unexpected Courage, x1

Events

A Light in the Dark, x2

A Test of Will, x2

Dwarven Tomb, x1

The Galadhrim's Greeting, x2

Hasty Stroke, x2

Radagast's Cunning, x2

Ravens of the Mountain, x3

Secret paths, x2

Stand and Fight, x3

It took us two attempts to pass the quest. Our first time through, we got some terrible luck revealing from the encounter deck on the second turn that put us too far behind. Our second time through, we got a bit better luck and were able to hold off on engaging the Hill Troll until turn three, when Gandalf sneak attacked the Hill Troll and defended against it and my heroes were able to slay it. The second stage was pretty steady. Resource ramp let us get some really helpful allies into play -- Beorn and Faramir for me, two Northern Trackers and a Lorien Guide for my friend. When we landed on the banks again, we were ambushed by a vicious bunch: another Hill Troll, a Marsh Adder, and an orc chieftain, as well as a treachery card that pushed my threat into the mid-40s. My friend engaged the Marsh Adder and finished it off without much problem. A Gondorian Spearman held off the orc chieftain and Beorn defended against the troll, while my heroes and other allies finished the troll. We ended the game the next round when Gandalf showed up for another Sneak Attack and a raging Beorn quick-striked the chieftain. I finished at 45 threat. If some stroke of terrible luck (or stupidity, like chump blocking the troll) had killed me, my friend had enough that I'm pretty sure he could have finished the quest once we hit the third stage, but as it went, neither of us lost a hero.

Excellent sounds like a great adventure. Glad you are still enjoying it and its good to read about your adventures

Cool--glad your still enjoying yourself. Sounds like you had a much smoother time with the Hill Troll than I did the first few times I played.

Just a heads up--there is some errata for Ravens of the Mountain. It no longer reveals the top card of the deck, but you "look" at that card. No more "When revealed effect" triggers that way Crazy good combo with Henamarth Riversong.

Henamarth does nothing for Ravens, as Ravens has you shuffle the encounter deck before looking at the top card.

Henamarth does nothing for Ravens, as Ravens has you shuffle the encounter deck before looking at the top card.

Very true. Guess I should have explained myself a bit more.

I don't usually use Ravens of the Mountain for its progress ability. That’s a nice bit of gravy but the real reason I usually use it (in conjunction with Henamarth) is as a cancel.

I’m going to be dropping Henemarth every turn anyway to take a peek at the deck for the next round. If I see something I don’t want coming out in staging (a bad treachery, for instance) I’ll play Ravens to make it go away and hopefully get something better for me. And even if it is something just as bad I’ll probably get some free progress. Plus I’ll still have the knowledge of what’s coming so I won’t have wasted Henamarth’s ability.