Awesome quest. The design is really well done, in that there are many catch-up mechanics built in that prevent either you or the orcs from advancing too far ahead so that it seems like every time you win it will still be a close call.

It does require a certain kind of deck though. Ethir Swordsmen saved the day for me.

On my first attempt I chose to have the Uruk Warg-rider in my staging area, and held my Tamed Mumak back to attack and kill him on the first round. Naturally the Warg-rider had the shadow card that moved him to the Orc's staging area. It was a good introduction to how this quest was going to thrash me.

Got it today and I am glad to read it is more difficult. I found the previous a bit on the easy side

I have a question here ...

IF I play a player side quest, and I chose it to be the quest for the turn, then I am not considered to be on same stage with orcs even if the quest on an encounter and orc stage are the same number?

Also, if I manage to destory Uruk chieftain while we are on the same stage number, the Force effec on orc quest card to return him in orc area is not taken in consideration, correct?

Anyway, won this on 3rd attempt with Loragorn, Lead Gimli and Spirit Legolas ... on the first two attempts I was playing wrong against me placing any enemy discarded by the force effect on Orc stage at the Orce Staging area , thus when I should engage there where many enemies ... then I realized that they should be discarded

Ally Firyal helps VERY much on solo, try him. Aso Steward of Orthanc on the most crucial moment helped me draw Blood of Numenor and turn Loragorn in to a power defender when I had no other damage to spare ... great ally too

Nice quest indeed

4 hours ago, Nickpes said:

on the first two attempts I was playing wrong against me placing any enemy discarded by the force effect on Orc stage at the Orce Staging area , thus when I should engage there where many enemies ... then I realized that they should be discarded

I'm not sure I understand. Maybe I have been playing wrong too.

The Orc Stage Quest have that at the end of Quest phase, player discard a card from the encounter deck and add that cards threat to the threat of any orc on the Orc Stage to place progress

In my first two games, whenever the so discarded card was an enemy, I was adding it to the Orc stage additionally to adding its threat, instead of discarding it after adding the threat.

Thus I found my self having 4 enemies in Orc Stage in bith these games and at some point they were all engaging me

Ah... Got it. I didn't make that mistake, but it would have made the quest impossible!

At the risk of asking a rules question here, there are two warg enemies that attach to existing orcs as a mount when revealed. Both say limit one, but they don't say limit one "mount". Is it possible for an orc to have both kinds of wargs as mounts simultaneously? I don't think that was the intent, but as I read the cards it can happen.

From the text I'd say you have no other choice as to attach them, as both read: "attach this card to an orc enemy, only 1 per enemy." As they are different cards they shouldn't interfere with each other.

Try imagine the orc riding one warg and having the other as a kind of "hunting dog".

The wargs being called mount attachments makes sense and has the "upside" that they can not be discarded by something like miner of the iron hill and fits perfectly to someone riding two armored destriers.

Yeah that's the way I played it. In my last game I had the Uruk Chieftain doubled up with Racing Warg and Mordor Warg and hitting me for a free eight every time I tried to take out another Orc.

17 hours ago, Bullroarer Took said:

Ah... Got it. I didn't make that mistake, but it would have made the quest impossible!

Yes it was indeed. When I realized it and played correctly I won

I can't figure out if I've been playing this wrong or not...

Quest card 1D - "Uruk Chieftain cannot leave the orcs area."

Uruk Chieftain - "Forced: At the end of the encounter phase, Uruk Chieftain engages the player engaged with the most non-unique Orc enemies."

Which takes precedent? (I've been having the chieftain come down, but now I'm not sure.)

Haven't looked at this quest yet, but "cannot" is supposed to be absolute.

3 hours ago, Bullroarer Took said:

I can't figure out if I've been playing this wrong or not...

Quest card 1D - "Uruk Chieftain cannot leave the orcs area."

Uruk Chieftain - "Forced: At the end of the encounter phase, Uruk Chieftain engages the player engaged with the most non-unique Orc enemies."

Which takes precedent? (I've been having the chieftain come down, but now I'm not sure.)

My bet is that Uruk Chieftain can engage you and stay in the orcs area at the same time. Should be like in Shadow in Flame where the Balrog can attack you and remain in the staging area at the same time.

I am not even sure why 1D says that the Chiefain can't leave the orc area, as we advance to stage 2B immediately and aren't in stage 1 together with the orcs at any time and ANY enemy can't leave the orc area as long as we are in another stage. Guess it is just a reminder.

As soon as the orcs get to stage 2 the chieftain can leave (but can't take damage) and returns to the orc area to make progress at the end of each quest phase.

So all in all I would say as long as you are ahead, the chieftain does NOT engage/attack you. I am sure if you would need to fight him, they would have worded it like "considered..." to make it crystal clear he still is in the orc area, but also engaged.

Some other thoughts why he should only fight you why you are in the same stage:
1. If not, the quest would be pretty brutal. You have a location and have to put the rider somewhere and deal with it's threat/the extra progress from the orcs AND defend against a five attack enemy every round without beeing able to kill him.

2. Story-wise the different stages show if you are ahead of the orcs or not. As long as they didn't catch up (same stage) it makes no sense for the chieftain to being able to attack you (he's just "too far away"). Once he catches up things change until you manage to escape again.

When the spoilers for the next pack?

2 hours ago, John Constantine said:

When the spoilers for the next pack?

I was hoping the next pack would be out this week, but it's status is still showing as on the boat.

It does seem like the deliveries are being stretched out.

3 hours ago, Bullroarer Took said:

It does seem like the deliveries are being stretched out.

Conspiracy time: the dream-chaser to harad releases were rushed because the licenses had to be renewed and if for some reason they couldn't, they had to release everything before the end of the year.

Now the license has been renewed and Mountain of fire got a MEC 7 spots ahead and they are not in a hurry anymore.

To be clear: I'm joking.

Careful wolframius that was a borderline-"The game is dying" post.

1 hour ago, Crabble said:

Careful wolframius that was a borderline-"The game is dying" post.

More like "game was in the verge of dying but now is reborn, believe me!"

I'm surprised there were no "GAME IS DEAD" threads when the co-op module of Runebound was announced earlier this month.