The Fortress of Nurn 3 – May 8, 2022

Starting Hand after Mulligan

• Warden of Annuminas
• Thorongil
• Celebrian’s Stone It turns out I didn’t need to put this in my hand. I got it on the mulligan
• Feint
• Ranger of Cardolan Yay, an ally with 2 willpower!
• Heir of Valandil
• Keep Watch added via Thurindir

Setup

• Ulchor’s Guard engaged with me.
• Thane Ulchor in the staging area
• Covered by Darkness, Tower of Barad-dur, The Armies of Mordor and Under the Watchful Eye on each Storm the Castle side quest along with 8 cards from my deck.
• Threat – 30

Turn 1

1.3 Draw

• Armored Destrier

1.3 Action(s)

• none

2.2 Planning

• Keep Watch

3.1 Quest Phase 3.1 Action(s)

• none

3.2 Committed Characters vs Keep Watch

• Thurindir
• Aragorn
• Total Quest Power = 4

3.2 Action(s)

• none

3.3 Staging

• Fortress Walls
• Total Staging Area Threat = 4

3.3 Action(s)

• none

3.4 Quest Resolution

• No progress but no threat gained.

3.4 Action(s)

• none

4.2 Travel

• Fortress Walls
• Warden of Annuminas placed under the Storm the Castle with The Armies of Mordor under it

4.2 Action(s)

• none

6 Combat Phase

6.2 Action(s)

• none

6.3 Enemy Attacks

6.4b Enemy – Ulchor’s Guard

• 6.4b Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.1 Defender – Amarthuil
• 6.4.1 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.2 Shadow – Deal 1 damage to Amarthuil (Ulchor’s Rage)
• 6.4.2 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.3 Determine combat damage – 1 (2 / 3)
• 6.4.3 Action(s)
  • none

7 Refresh

• 7.3 Threat – 31
• 7.4 Action(s)
  • none

Turn 2

1.3 Draw

• Fornost Bowman

1.3 Action(s)

• none

2.2 Planning

• Celebrian’s Stone on Aragorn

3.1 Quest Phase 3.1 Action(s)

• none

3.2 Committed Characters vs Keep Watch

• Thurindir
• Aragorn
• Total Quest Power = 6

3.2 Action(s)

• none

3.3 Staging

• Under Guard
• Thorongil put under the Storm the Castle with The Armies of Modor
• Total Staging Area Threat = 1

3.3 Action(s)

• none

3.4 Quest Resolution

• +5 Fortress Walls progress (5 / 6)

3.4 Action(s)

• none

6 Combat Phase

6.2 Action(s)

• Feint Ulchor’s Guard to cancel his attack.

6.7 Player Attacks

6.8b Target – Ulchor’s Guard

• 6.8b Attackers
  • Amarthuil
• 6.8.1 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.8.2 Total Attack – 3
• 6.8.3 Damage Dealt – 3
• 6.8.3 Action(s)
  • none

7 Refresh

• 7.3 Threat – 32
• 7.4 Action(s)
  • none

Turn 3

1.3 Draw

• Woodmen’s Clearing

1.3 Action(s)

• none

2.2 Planning

• Woodmen’s Clearing on Fortress Walls
• Ranger of Cardolan

3.1 Quest Phase 3.1 Action(s)

• none

3.2 Committed Characters vs Keep Watch

• Thurindir
• Aragorn
• Total Quest Power = 6

3.2 Action(s)

• none

3.3 Staging

• Guard Dog
• Ulchor’s Guard 2
• Total Staging Area Threat = 4

3.3 Action(s)

• none

3.4 Quest Resolution

• +1 Fortress Walls progress (6 / 6) and explore it.
• Threat – 29
• +1 Keep Watch progress (1 / 6)

3.4 Action(s)

• none

5.3 Engagement

• Guard Dog
• Deal 1 damage to Ranger of Cardolan
• Ulchor’s Guard 2

5.3 Action(s)

• none

6 Combat Phase

6.2 Action(s)

• none

6.3 Enemy Attacks

6.4b Enemy – Guard Dog

• 6.4b Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.1 Defender – none
• 6.4.1 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.2 Shadow – +1 attack (Soldier of Nurn)
• 6.4.2 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.3 Determine combat damage – 3 to Thurindir
• 6.4.3 Action(s)
  • none

6.4b Enemy – Ulchor’s Guard 1

• 6.4b Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.1 Defender – Ranger of Cardolan
• 6.4.1 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.2 Shadow – none (Plaza of Nurn)
• 6.4.2 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.3 Determine combat damage – 2
• 6.4.3 Action(s)
  • none
• Ranger of Cardolan destroyed.

6.4b Enemy – Ulchor’s Guard 2

• 6.4b Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.1 Defender – none
• 6.4.1 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.2 Shadow – none (Catacombs)
• 6.4.2 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.3 Determine combat damage – 4 assigned to Aragorn
• 6.4.3 Action(s)
  • none

It’s looking pretty dire already

6.7 Player Attacks

6.8b Target – Ulchor’s Guard 1

• 6.8b Attackers
  • Amarthuil
• 6.8.1 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.8.2 Total Attack – 3
• 6.8.3 Damage Dealt – 3
• 6.8.3 Action(s)
  • none
• Target destroyed.

7 Refresh

• 7.3 Threat – 30
• 7.4 Action(s)
  • none

Turn 4

1.3 Draw

• Stone of Elostirion, That won’t help right now.

1.3 Action(s)

• none

2.2 Planning

• Heir of Valandil on Thurindir
• Exhaust Heir of Valandil to play Fornost Bowman for 1

3.1 Quest Phase 3.1 Action(s)

• none

3.2 Committed Characters vs Keep Watch

• Thurindir
• Aragorn
• Total Quest Power = 6

3.2 Action(s)

• none

3.3 Staging

• Plaza of Nurn
• Total Staging Area Threat = 2

3.3 Action(s)

• none

3.4 Quest Resolution

• +4 Keep Watch progress (5 / 6)
• That’s so close. Maybe I can hang in there.

3.4 Action(s)

• none

4.2 Travel

• none
• I want to, but I really have to complete Keep Watch next turn or I’m toast. I need that +1 Willpower and -1 attack from enemies.

4.2 Action(s)

• none

6 Combat Phase

6.2 Action(s)

• none

6.3 Enemy Attacks

6.4b Enemy – Guard Dog

• 6.4b Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.1 Defender – Amarthuil
• 6.4.1 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.2 Shadow – none (Side Street)
• 6.4.2 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.3 Determine combat damage – 0
• 6.4.3 Action(s)
  • none

6.4b Enemy – Ulchor’s Guard

• 6.4b Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.1 Defender – Fornost Bowman
• 6.4.1 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.2 Shadow – +0 attack (Easterling Mercenary)
• 6.4.2 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.3 Determine combat damage – 3
• 6.4.3 Action(s)
  • none
• Fornost Bowman destroyed.

7 Refresh

• 7.3 Threat – 31
• 7.4 Action(s)
  • none

Turn 5

1.3 Draw

• Warden of Annuminas
• I could almost play him. If I don’t complete Keep Watch or get another enemy in stagins that is game over man, game over.

1.3 Action(s)

• none

2.2 Planning

• Armored Destrier on Amarthuil

3.1 Quest Phase 3.1 Action(s)

• none

3.2 Committed Characters vs Keep Watch

• Thurindir
• Aragorn
• Total Quest Power = 6

3.2 Action(s)

• none

3.3 Staging

• Under Guard puts Plaza of Nurn 2 into staging.
• Total Staging Area Threat = 3

3.3 Action(s)

• none

3.4 Quest Resolution

• +3 Keep Watch progress (8 / 6) and add it to the victory display.

3.4 Action(s)

• none

4.2 Travel

• none
• Traveling will kill a hero so no.

4.2 Action(s)

• none

6 Combat Phase

6.2 Action(s)

• none

6.3 Enemy Attacks

6.4b Enemy – Guard Dog

• 6.4b Action(s)

  • none

• 6.4.1 Defender – Amarthuil

• 6.4.1 Action(s)

  • none

• 6.4.2 Shadow – none (Fanaticism)

• 6.4.2 Action(s)

  • none

• 6.4.3 Determine combat damage – 0

• 6.4.3 Action(s)

  • none

• Ready with destrier and discard shadow on Ulchor’s Guard.

6.4b Enemy – Ulchor’s Guard

• 6.4b Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.1 Defender – Amarthuil
• 6.4.1 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.2 Shadow – N/A
• 6.4.2 Action(s)
  • none
• 6.4.3 Determine combat damage – 0
• 6.4.3 Action(s)
  • none

7 Refresh

• 7.3 Threat – 32
• 7.4 Action(s)
  • none

Turn 6

1.3 Draw

• Sarn Ford Sentry *Finally a card I’m really happy to see.*11

1.3 Action(s)

• none

2.2 Planning

• Sarn Ford Sentry drawing Warden of Healing and Ranger of Cardolan
• Warden of Annuminas with Heir of Valandil discount

3.1 Quest Phase 3.1 Action(s)

• none

3.2 Committed Characters vs Stronghold of Mordor

• Catacombs and The Armies of Mordor added to the Staging area.
• Thurindir
• Aragorn
• Sarn Ford Sentry
• Warden of Ammuninas
• Total Quest Power = 11

3.2 Action(s)

• none

3.3 Staging

• Guard Tower Wow! I can’t gain resources or draw cards while it is in staging. I don’t have a character to exhaust to travel to it. That really sucks.
• Total Staging Area Threat = 9

3.3 Action(s)

• none

3.4 Quest Resolution

• +2 Stronghold of Mordor progress (2 / 8)

3.4 Action(s)

• none

4.2 Travel

• Catacombs, If I don’t travel here, I don’t know that I will be able to quest next turn. Especially since I’m not getting resources or cards next turn.
• Discard Ulchor’s Guard and put into play engaged with me.

I’m calling this one there. The deck if it can survive a few turns to get Keep Watch explored can start making headway at least. It feels like it needs a lot of luck to get there though. Only 1 copy of Celebrian’s Stone means a lot of opening hands that just can’t make it. Then it is a struggle to get a little more willpower going and hope that Amarthuil can defend enough attacks.

Yes, looking at RedSpiderr’s playthrough, he got lucky the first couple of turns. Unwelcome travelers so that Keep Watch was half completed turn 1. Then a 2 threat Soldier of Nurn for 3 staging area threat to complete it.

I think it is time to come up with a Bond of Friendship version of the deck. The list is pretty much there already with 1 or 2 copies of everything. Then it won’t be reliant on Celebrian’s Stone to be in the opening hand. It just won’t be thematic with all Dunedain. My inner Bilbo player is a little sad at this, but I plan on more Dunedain deck playing for Angmar Awakened too. I’ll have to break out of thematic play to do a Revised set minimum purchase there and might as well start getting into that headspace.