I have just tried a Tactics and Spirit deck from the core set (for journey down the anduin, solo).

I found real problems with getting enough resources to play some of the decent cards in my hand and can't really see a way around it.

Threats come out of the encounter deck so rapidly that you have to respond, spending resources on so-so cards. If you don't the Troll just comes out and beats you up (unless you have been really lucky with the start hand.

( I was using Dunhere,Eowyn and Thalin. Other combinations seemed to give to high a start threat)

My question really is two fold.

1. What is the general opinion about this combination with the core deck (played solo)? Anyone agree or can point out the error of my ways.

2. I am definitely improving in my understanding and playing of the game but I am finding using only the core deck quit frustrating. You cannot go single theme and trying to go two themed has a natural imbalance.

I have Khaza dum on order and am looking forward to receiving it. Is there any issue with using those cards for the Core set scenarios? Is it "cheating"?

Thanks for your time

Philip

firstly i will answer you 2nd question first as its easier

using cards from later packs to win earlier scenarios is not cheating, in fact i would challenge you to find someone here who does not do it. sure, many build decks with cards only from the time of release of a pack to win said pack, but in general most of the time most people will use everything out of their card pool when deck building

now for the combo. i see why you have chosen spirit/tatics as it is sort of a mixture between the two things you need most in a solo deck, fighting and willpower.

however tactics is a very tough one to pull off in core set, so i would ask- which heroes are you using? it makes a big difference....in fact i would say a good deck is built upon the very fact that heroes are the most important thing in a deck

rich

I was using Dunhere,Eowyn and Thalin. Other combinations seemed to give to high a start threat

Dunhere's ability is great, but many of the enemies have to strong a defense for his three attack.

Thalin is good for defense but then you loose his ability if you don't quest.

Eowyn is quest, quest , quest!!!

I was drawing a lot of enemies from the encounter deck, so maybe I was a bit unlucky. I played Gandalf to damage the troll but used up a lot of resources to do it.

I think your comment about Tactics in the core deck is spot on. I have no problem with using the spirit cards, but with two spirit heroes I have to have almost half the deck of Tactic cards. I guess the two do not complement each over very well at that sort of ratio.

I'm pretty sure I shall be back to leadership with either spirit or Lore (i'll try both of course, but I must say I like the Lore cards!)

Phil

Everything will go Much easier when you get all the Khazad-Dum and dwarrowdelf expansions. It is normal for the games to be very hard and lots of times not work well due to lots of bad cards and being a waste of spots in your deck. There are really fun cards, deck ideas, amazing quests, and loads of fun coming in the mail

indeed- i did not win anduin until i had at least hunt for gollum.

anduin is also one of those quests that you need to chose certain strategies...well you dont have to if you have a large card pool, but if you have just core, you pretty much need to think how you are going to play before you start....i dont want to give anything away of course as i know you like to win things on your own

Hey Phil

I beat Journey last night using a Spirit / Tactics deck from just one core set. I used Eowyn, Dunhere and Gimli (instead of Thalin) and I was able to take the Hill Troll down by the fourth round.

The problem with using both Thalin and Dunhere is that they perform too similarly in this quest. Both of them do damage into the staging area, which is great once you get on the raft, but not so good when you're facing off against the Hill Troll. For the first stage of the quest, Gimli is far more effective, and he remains useful afterwards. He can defend the troll's first attack, and can then contribute 6 attack the following round. Thalin can't defend and needs attachments to generate more than 2 attack.

To get round the resource issue, I went for closer to a 30 / 20 sphere ratio. I used all of the spirit cards except Power in the Earth, and then took out most of the 3+ cost tactics cards (except the 3 cost archer). In hindsight, Citadel Plate might have been the better option, as I ran out of tactics cards at one stage and ended up with loads of resources on Gimli.

I also found that Blade of Gondolin on Dunhere was invaluable. There are 12 orcs in the encounter deck for this quest, so Dunhere will have 4 attack against a lot of enemies. That's enough to kill the snipers, the Dol Gulder Orcs, the Wolf Rider and the Misty Mountain Goblins, generating 1 progress token per kill.

Hope all of that helps.

Whitman