The River Running with Mono Tactics Pseudo Questing – June 19, 2021

Starting Hand

• Hands Upon the Bow
• Dunedain Hunter
• Defender of Rammas
• Followed
• Outmatched
• Eagle Emissary

Setup

• Easteling Pursuit, River Running, and Easterling Outrider added to the staging area.
• Warriors of the East out of play
• Find and make Legolas Messenger of the King
• Threat – 25

Turn 1

1.3 Draw

• Gandalf

1.3 Action(s)

• none

2.2 Planning

• Followed
• Outmatched
• Dunedain Hunter and find and put Easterling Outrider into play engaged with me.
• Followed and Outmatched attach to Outrider since the triggers are constant effects.
• Choose to have Outrider attack
• 6.4.1 Defender – Grimbeorn
• 6.4.1 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.2 Shadow – exhaust Dunedain Hunter (Painful Fatigue)
• 6.4.2 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.3 Determine combat damage – 0
• Grimbeorn readies due to Outmatched.

3.1 Quest Phase 3.1 Action(s)

• none

3.2 Committed Characters vs Main Quest

• Eowyn
• Total Quest Power = 4

3.2 Action(s)

• none

3.3 Staging

• Rider of Rhun
• Find and attach Easterling Horse to the rider
• Total Staging Area Threat = 6

3.3 Action(s)

• Hands Upon the Bow to have Legolas attack Easterling Outrider with 4 attack and deal 3 damage.
• Outrider in the staging area destroyed.
• Gondorian Shield drawn.
• Staging area threat – 5

3.4 Quest Resolution

• Threat – 26

3.4 Action(s)

• none

4.2 Travel

• none

5.3 Engagement

• none

6 Combat Phase

• Dunedain Hunter takes 2 archery damage

6.2 Action(s)

• none

6.3 Enemy Attacks

6.4b Enemy – Easterling Outrider

• 6.4b Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.1 Defender – Grimbeorn
• 6.4.1 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.2 Shadow – enemy goes to the staging area after attack(Painful Fatigue)
• 6.4.2 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.3 Determine combat damage – 0
• Grimbeorn readies from Outmatched

7 Refresh

• 7.3 Threat – 27
• 7.4 Action(s)
  • none
• +1 Easterling Pursuit resource (1 / 3)

Turn 2

1.3 Draw

• Followed

1.3 Action(s)

• none

2.2 Planning

• Gondorian Shield on Grimbeorn

3.1 Quest Phase 3.1 Action(s)

• none

3.2 Committed Characters vs Main Quest

• Eowyn
• Total Quest Power = 4

3.2 Action(s)

• none

3.3 Staging

• Warrior of Rhun
• Total Staging Area Threat = 10

3.3 Action(s)

• none

3.4 Quest Resolution

• Threat – 33

3.4 Action(s)

• none

4.2 Travel

• none

4.2 Action(s)

• none

5.3 Engagement

• Rider of Rhun
• Easterling Outrider and it attacks
• 6.4.1 Defender – Grimbeorn
• 6.4.1 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.2 Shadow – Deal 1 damage to defending character (Weary Lands)
• 6.4.2 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.3 Determine combat damage – 0
• 6.4.3 Action(s)
  • none
• Grimbeorn readies from Outmatched

6 Combat Phase

• 1 archery damage to each Legolas and Eowyn

6.2 Action(s)

• none

6.3 Enemy Attacks

6.4b Enemy – Easterling Outrider

• 6.4.1 Defender – Grimbeorn
• 6.4.1 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.2 Shadow – whiffs because no Easterling treacheries in the discard pile (Warrior of Rhun)
• 6.4.2 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.3 Determine combat damage – 0
• 6.4.3 Action(s)
  • none
• Grimbeorn readies from Outmatched

6.4b Enemy – Rider of Rhun

• 6.4b Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.1 Defender – Grimbeorn
• 6.4.1 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.2 Shadow – +1 attack (Enemies Close Behind)
• 6.4.2 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.3 Determine combat damage – 2
• Grimbeorn responds to attack and give it -2 defense
• 6.8.2 Total Attack – 3
• 6.8.3 Damage Dealt – 3 (3 / 5)

6.7 Player Attacks

6.8b Target – Rider of Rhun

• 6.8b Attackers
  • Legolas and Dunedain Hunter
• 6.8.1 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.8.2 Total Attack – 6
• 6.8.3 Damage Dealt – 4 (7 / 5)
• 6.8.3 Action(s)
  • none
• Foe Hammer drawn.

7 Refresh

• 7.3 Threat – 34
• 7.4 Action(s)
  • none
• +1 Easterling Pursuit resource (2 / 3)

Turn 3

1.3 Draw

• Treebeard

1.3 Action(s)

• none

2.2 Planning

• Eagle Emissary

3.1 Quest Phase 3.1 Action(s)

• none

3.2 Committed Characters vs Main Quest

• Eowyn\
• Eagle Emissary
• Total Quest Power = 6

3.2 Action(s)

• none

3.3 Staging

• Easterling Raider
• Total Staging Area Threat = 8

3.3 Action(s)

• none

3.4 Quest Resolution

• Threat – 36

3.4 Action(s)

• none

4.2 Travel

• River Running
• Warrior of Rhun engaged

4.2 Action(s)

• none

5.2 Optional Engagement

• none

5.3 Engagement

• Easterling Raider

6 Combat Phase

6.2 Action(s)

• none

6.3 Enemy Attacks

• 1 archery to Eagle Emissary

6.4b Enemy – Easterling Outrider

• 6.4b Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.1 Defender – Grimbeorn
• 6.4.1 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.2 Shadow – none (Rocky Outcrop)
• 6.4.2 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.3 Determine combat damage – 0
• 6.4.3 Action(s)
  • none
• Grimbeorn readies

6.4b Enemy – Warrior of Rhun

• Easterling Horse attached from encounter discard
• 6.4b Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.1 Defender – Dunedain Hunter
• 6.4.1 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.2 Shadow – none (An Arduous Journey)
• 6.4.2 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.3 Determine combat damage – 2
• 6.4.3 Action(s)
  • none
• Dunedain Hunter destroyed

6.4b Enemy – Easterling Radier

• 6.4b Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.1 Defender – Grimbeorn
• 6.4.1 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.2 Shadow – none (Exposed Riverbank)
• 6.4.2 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.3 Determine combat damage – 0
• 6.4.3 Action(s)
  • none
• Grimbeorn responds
• 6.8.2 Total Attack – 3 with -2 defense
• 6.8.3 Damage Dealt – 3
• Raider destroyed.

7 Refresh

• 7.3 Threat – 37
• 7.4 Action(s)
  • none
• +1 Easterling Pursuit resource (3 / 3) and put Easterling Captain into the staging area
• -3 Easterling Pursuit resource (0 / 3)

Turn 4

1.3 Draw

• Honour Guard

1.3 Action(s)

• none

2.2 Planning

• Defender of Rammas
• Followed

3.1 Quest Phase 3.1 Action(s)

• none

3.2 Committed Characters vs Main Quest

• Eowyn
• Eagle Emissary
• Total Quest Power = 6

3.2 Action(s)

• none

3.3 Staging

• Recurve Bow attached to Easterling Captain (that might be game)
• Easterling Raider (yep, I don’t have enough hit points on the board to avoid losing a hero either from archery or combat. I’ll play it out anyway)
• Total Staging Area Threat = 8

3.3 Action(s)

• none

3.4 Quest Resolution

• Threat – 39

3.4 Action(s)

• none

4.2 Travel

• none

4.2 Action(s)

• none

5.2 Optional Engagement

• Warrior of Rhun
• Followed attached to Warrior

5.3 Engagement

• Easterling Captain
• Easterling Raider

6 Combat Phase

• 1 archery to Eowyn, Legolas, and Grimbeorn

6.2 Action(s)

• none

6.3 Enemy Attacks

6.4b Enemy – Easterling Outrider

• 6.4b Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.1 Defender – Grimbeorn
• 6.4.1 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.2 Shadow – none (Easterling Horse)
• 6.4.2 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.3 Determine combat damage – 0
• 6.4.3 Action(s)
  • none
• Grimbeorn readies

I’m calling it there. I have 3 attacks still and I’m definitely losing a hero either by blocking or taking 1 undefended. The archery and taking a damage here and there from enemy attacks on Grimbeorn are making the lack of healing felt. Also it seems I keep having enemies just returning to the staging area all the time. Three hunters is looking more and more like the way to go because I can get the willpower and combat ramp I need plus reliable healing. I’m also tempted to try a staging area attack deck. Maybe it’s time to dust off my Galadriel, Leadership Eomer and Fastred deck or Tactics Bilbo, Bard, and Fastred? Chad’s guarded deck with Tactics Bilbo, Haldir, and Leadership Eomer could be good too. I think some build with Tactics Bilbo would be really good. He’d cancel out some of the high threat of the enemies even if they bounce back up.

I did like my first turn of getting an enemy put on Followed and Outmatched. I just wish it was a higher threat one, but it was easy to just keep blocking it. This probably is just the wrong scenario for it. The enemies gaining attachments, archery, and returning to the staging area are a bad match for it. It’s still somewhat useful, but I think I would have been better served by other means to boost willpower.