Yeah, it's believed to be so. Still, I totally disagree: with two boards in play, you risk to dilute too much the action over the boards so that in the end nothing is a real threat. The increased gate limit is also a big bonus. Finally, once you know a little about the game, you'll start hitting the gates fairly regularly, so that you can control everything. Kingsport on the other hand is quite brutal: the threat of rifts could become a major pain, and Kingsport Mythos will keep busy the main board, with tons of gates bursting or bouncing on seals, triggering Innsmouth. It's not like the two boards are incredibly difficult, but the interaction of the two, in the later turns of the game, can be totally deadly.

I'd say IH+DH becomes a more interesting problem with MH in. Until you add MH, shouldn't be that difficult to handle

Still, Tibs' statistics just say the other way round, IH+DH the most difficult while IH+KH is the easiest. Bah.

I'm with you on this Julia. Although it would seem that DH-IH is the obvious winner because of the extra unstables, they do not always trigger on both boards, and when they do its usually a question of being fit to travel there - no big problem, and as you say, the IH Mythos have a flaw in that they are focused. But KH...those rifts will fill up. The question is only will it happen soon enough to cause significant problems. Do you want to risk ignoring it one more turn? Or do you not take any risk from the beginning and send a Kingsport sentinel over? And then, this often turns out to be the secondary concern, as KH throws something else out there that messes up Arkham. It often clogs more quickly with multi surges too, which are horrible game slowers.

It often clogs more quickly with multi surges too, which are horrible game slowers.

Exactly. Great point here, Dj: often, playing at a high level, you start hunting down the gates, and the most horrible thing that could happen are monster surges, because not only they slow down the game, but they fill up everything with monsters so that you actually don't lose only the "surging" round, but also a couple more rounds to dodge the monsters, kill some of them and so on. The monster tide keeps you away from gates (and in the meantime the rift threat keeps on increasing, and you know, if only you could reach The Rope and the Anchor to remove that token and then BAM the rift opens), so it's easier to lose control of the situation. On the other hand, having more options for gates to open, represent a sort of relief: you have the clues, then it's the same to go for Dunwich instead of going for Innsmouth (you take the bus, you move, you enter the gate. Identical), but you have lower odds to have Devil Reef surging and so on. Actually, I do believe the so called speed-Arkham, with all expansions in, is much easier than playing IH+KH or DH+KH (with MH in or not). We talked about this via mail with Avi a long time ago, and he was also of this idea: you can play 6 investigators like they were 4 and you have the gate limit increased by one and only one monster appearing / gate: how can you lose such a game? It's enough that each of the investigators seals one gate, and they should all have enough clues by the end of the 4th turn. If you play lower investigators it's even easier: you can play 4 like they were 2!! So you have a max of 5 monsters on the board and 6 to go in the Outskirts. Practically, if you play wisely and decide to keep a couple of pets running around town, it's almost impossible to lose for a surge from Devil Reef or other nasty issues. Innsmouth invasion bounces on you (yeah, you'll have some boost in terror, but basically it's very difficult to have problems because of the DOR track), and the game protects you from the monsters, so that you can only focus on gates.

I wish Jgt could be with us now, this is a discussion he'd love to join. Return soon to us, my friend!

Shub-Niggurath versus -

Michael McGlen, Kate Winthrop, Carolyn Fern, and Harvey Walters.

6 seals in 14 turns.

Doom 6.

Terror 2.

17 points(?)

An unexpectedly easy-ish game. A tooled up Michael McGlen was just awesome in the streets of Arkham. Wiping the floor with monsters left, right and centre, despite the toughness increase. While Kate, Carolyn, and Harvey were all very effective gate sealers.

There's one thing I'm not 100% sure about though. Do investigators LiTaS count towards the final score?

On the penultimate turn Micheal McGlen moved to Independence Square to get rid of a Dimensional Shambler and to clear the way for Harvey. There was also a gate to Yuggoth at that location. Both Michael and Harvey entered at the same time. But on the next turn Harvey cast Find Gate and then sealed with Michael still inside.

Yes, they do count. Investigators not counting against the final score are only those who were devoured during the game.

Well done in sealing Shub!

Cthulhu versus -

Vincent Lee, Darrell Simmons, Gloria Goldberg, and "Ashcan" Pete.

6 seals in 15 turns.

Doom 5.

Terror 2.

21 points.

2 Elder Signs used.

Not a particularly difficult or eventful game. Despite Vincent Lee who was even more useless than normal. His sole contibution to the game was getting LiTaS. He could have had the honour of sealing the final gate, but Pete beat him to it.

Despite Vincent Lee who was even more useless than normal. His sole contibution to the game was getting LiTaS.

:laughter: you never play Yog when you need it...

:laughter: you never play Yog when you need it...

That's true.

But next is Nyarlathotep.

With Monterey Jack, Bob Jenkins, Joe Diamond and Mandy Thompson.

****! I was hoping to draw Mandy against Yog.

You'll stomp on him. Monterey's not great, but all the others are awesome

I love Monty! He was actually the first Investigator I ever played. My brother knew my weakness for Indiana Jones.

And ever it comes to the the Egyptian challenge with the Dark Pharaoh as the Herald he is so quite useless

And ever it comes to the the Egyptian challenge with the Dark Pharaoh as the Herald he is so quite useless

I don't have Dark Pharoah yet. Can you elaborate on why Monterey is useless against this particular Herald?

With the Dark Pharaoh as a Herald everytime you gain a Unique Item you lose one Sanity, as well as several other effects which don't matter that much regarding Monterey Jack. So with his starting equipment of 2 Unique Items and his maximum Sanity of 3 he starts out with only one Sanity. Even worse if Cthulhu is the AO: Monterey would go immediately insane and lose half of his starting equipment. Also with the Dark Pharaoh you would not try too hard to get Unique Items with Monterey (unless you have a Healing Stone or something alike) which makes his special a bit useless...

So overall he is not totally useless but pretty much more crippled than other Investigators against the Dark Pharaoh.

I don't play with that Herald , but that would be quickly changed to " after obtaining your Starting Possessions... "

Lee, I hope you don't mind if I post a report in your thread. You can get a taste of what awaits you after you get Dunwich...

Harrowing loss against Shudde M'ell...I was close to both winning by seals (5 down) AND winning in epic final combat (something that must have happened three times, tops).

Shudde M'ell and Father Dagon, with IH, LatT and MH in play.

Randomly chosen Lily, Mandy, Jim and Rex.

First and second Mythos vomited 3 gates in Arkham (the first one opened two). So I started the game with a gate in the Witch House, one in the Black Cave and one on the Unvisited Isle, with the AO having one token. Fortunately, Rex started with a De Vermiis Mysteriis. The first turn ended with three investigators ready to seal and the fourth gate in the Market's streets.

What followed was the closing of the moving gate through the Mysteriis tome and the quick sealing of the Isle, the Witch House, the Black Cave, the Cemetary and the Science Department (this last one accomplished by Jim with an Elder Sign). Unfortunately, I didn't get even ONE monster surge during the whole game, and a Mythos card unleashed one monster on every aquatic location...DOR track kept rising but everyone was busy sealing gates in Arkham. Seriously, the investigators spent 4/5ths of their time in the OWs.

Inevitably, the DOR filled up through a last bounce on a seal. Deputy Rex was immediately devoured because LiTaS. The rest of the gang was equipped with a Withering, an Azure Flame, a crowbar and Lily's fists. Mandy had just visited the Curiosity Shoppe to find something good (an awakening was inevitable) because I judged my chances of winning the final combat pretty good (remember, NO surges during the whole game meant 8 turns, if lucky, against the Worm). She found a Sealing the Beast's power. Too late for that. Oh well, it would have been interesting to see both Lily AND StBP in the same game.

They fought valiantly, from the third turn on Lily blessed her fists with the Azure Flame (better 4 dice with 6 counting for two then 6 normal dice, I thought), they managed to go through the whole green deck and Shudde Me'll had ONLY 1 doom token left....4 miserable successes were needed! Remember that Rex didn't even fire a shot...the first red card had Shudde Me'll attacking first. There being no Earthquake markers left, the investigators, the city and its inhabitants were pulled under and Shudde Me'll stood, err, slithered, triumphant over the ruins.

It would have been a blast had the investigators attacked first during that last turn I'm sure they'd have pulled off FOUR miserable successes...

Ok, done hijacking the thread now!

Tox, what a game Shudde with a double gate opening on Mythos zero... :shudder: that's really a scary start. Too bad, you almost crushed the Great Worm in FB! If only Rex had not been LiTaS..

Yes, I panicked a little when I started the game and there were already 3 open gates, but then I said, "what the heck, there's only 1 doom token on his sheet anyway!"

Interestingly, my AOs usually wake up because of Too Many Gates Open, followed by Doom Track Filled. Unless I'm playing with Innsmouth, in which case it is Deep Ones Rising Track Filled :D But you already know that, we've been through it before This time, despite having 4 gates open at the end of the first turn, I never came close too awakening the AO through the open gates. I guess having that many open boosted my resolve to NOT allow that to happen. Also, De Vermiis Mysteriis :D

p.s. Oh, by the way, I tried tackling Yog+Lurker+DH+LatT+MH again (no Guardians or Institutions, because I felt confident..). This time I delved freely in the Dark Pacts. Result? Only 1 seal on the board instead of the 4 of the first time around BUT, I killed (once) the Dunwich Horror (with the Flute of the Outer Gods). Yog-Sothoth keeps eluding me..but I will find a way! Eventually... For now, I swapped Dunwich for Innsmouth for some good old aquatic fun.

Pictured: Yog-Sothoth gloating over his victory

(Copyright: Science Photo Library)

The Flute is certainly well played against the DH. Actually, you can keep on spawning the Horror and use it to gain more and more ES... could be interesting in a Yog+Lurker game Sorry you lost again with Yog, though! Sooner or later, I have to give this a try (last weeks have been quite Descent-themed, and no Arkham scheduled until mid november. Uff)

You have a board-game schedule? Wow, you really are a dedicated gamer I know that when my urge to play Arkham arises, there's only so much I can do to postpone it until the weekend

My first choice for bringing down the Horror would have been the Blue Watcher of the Pyramid (yes, the group had that too, they were packing every Horror-killer available). But it's always more satisfying to bring it down through conventional means (maybe just with the addition of a Blessing..).

That's right, a chainsaw and a tank work well too! Ups, wrong boardgame, sorry :p

And yep, somehow I'm working on too many projects boardgaming related, so I need an agenda

Anyhooo... have you ever considered joining Avi's League?

That's right, a chainsaw and a tank work well too! Ups, wrong boardgame, sorry :P

And yep, somehow I'm working on too many projects boardgaming related, so I need an agenda

Anyhooo... have you ever considered joining Avi's League?

With my win/loss record? Hardly likely I'm going to be able to complete it But yes, I intend to give it a try, sooner or later

:laughter: I think it's about the journey, not the destination But I got the message, happy to know it's something you could consider (sooner or later)

Lee, I hope you don't mind if I post a report in your thread. You can get a taste of what awaits you after you get Dunwich

No problem. I enjoyed reading your game report. What game!

BTW Dunwich is on the way.

:laughter: I think it's about the journey, not the destination But I got the message, happy to know it's something you could consider (sooner or later)

I just remembered, I don't have Curse of the Dark Pharaoh. I suspect it's needed to play the scenarios...am I mistaken?