5 wins vs attempts - Progressive Play #9 1.0

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I decided to do little experiment and try how many attempts I will need to win 5 times with deck, also using progressive play, so only the cards, which were available at that time, when scenario was out. This is #9: Return to Mirkwood.

Well, if you play this solo, there is one good news and one bad news. Good news is, you don't have to take care about locations here much, cause they won't affect you...since... and that's the bad news...you're already affected by them and by everything else in the encounter deck from the beginning till bitter end. I have to admit that Return to Mirkwood is hell-of-scenario. Since you're the only guardian of gollum, you're raising your threat by four every round and when your starting threat is around thirty as mine...you have exactly 5 rounds to win the game...hell...really a fast game I played here. So the whole deck is build around the idea to pass one stage of scenario per round. I didn't follow the advise to keep my deck on 50 cards this time, since there are some nasty treacheries here, which can discard quite a lot of cards from your deck during game, so you'll never really use all of them. You just need to work it out with what you got on the run and hope for the best. You also need to travel from time to time, but I was doing it only when I got some threat reduction in my hand. I actually started here on 70 cards, slowly changing and replacing them until this deck was finally done. With this set I won 5 games in 16 attempts and I still think I was really lucky.

Heroes:

Éowyn was my only choice for so fast game, she is the best quester in the game so far (in progressive gameplay for sure), allowing me also to use allies when needed with her ability and with Stand and Fight. Thalin was my second choice and he is here basically, because of the nasty Mirkwood Bats with nasty effect and surge, which usually brings just another problem. Thalin was also dedicated to quest same as Éowyn for every round and when I decided not to use him for quest, I really regret it most of the time. Dáin Ironfoot was then logical choice to boost Thalin's and of other dwarf allies. He is also very good defender, when needed. But most of the fight and defend in this deck rely on allies.

Attachments:

Celebrían's Stone is for Éowyn to boost her questing to maximum. The same goes for Steward of Gondor since she has access to Stand and Fight and she can bring back anyone beside Gandalf. This way you can actually turn the discarding treacheries to your benefit. You don't have to wait for the card, but you'll use Stand and Fight if able. Unexpected Courage is for Thalin so he can also attack after questing. If you'll get Unexpected Courage before you get Dwarven Axe, then the axe is for Thalin too. But if you get the axe and still don't have courage, give it to Dáin Ironfoot. Its more effective when he attack as the last one. Ancient Mathom is really good card for new cards. Don't forget, you can also attach it to locations in staging area (or at least I did it that way) and benefit from them right after you use Snowbourn Scout with Ride to Ruin combo. Or even without it. In the case of brown lands, you just need to travel there. Born Aloft was mostly used for Gandalf and Snowbourn Scout.

Allies:

You'll never have a time to bring all the allies to the table, but its good to know what you can do. The following I didn't use so often but mostly in specific cases: Daughter of the Nimrodel for healing. Miner of the Iron Hills for Caught in the web treachery. Faramir for questing boost if I got some resources. Northern Tracker I usually used only with Sneak Attack to clean up staging area if needed and Henamarth Riversong for his ability when was time to get to him. Gléowine for extra card. If not needed, you can still boost Éowyn with them. However the rest was quite essential. Gandalf was mostly used to lower threat and boost questing, Escort from Edoras is crucial in 3B stage, so its good to have him on the table and save it for the right time. Snowbourn Scout was hero of the game. He worked well with Ride to Ruin, Born Aloft, Stand and Fight and Sneak Attack and all combinations of this cards works great with location clearing. The Riddermark's Finest went usually straight to discard with his ability to get rid of locations and clear the way to scenario cards. Attack force consisted of Vassal of the Windlord which is cheap and effective ally, which can be always bring back by Stand and Fight. Veteran Axehand is the first choice to waste resources, due their boost with Dáin Ironfoot which makes them usable for quest or attack and Winged Guardian for defence.

Events:

A Test of Will and Hasty Stroke were really going on my nerves most of the time, cause when I needed them, I didn't have them and when not, they were siting in my hand, wasting my drawing time. I reduced the number of them to one piece only, but for sure is better to learn to play without them. I didn't needed them too much. Same goes for Feint, but here is plenty situations you can use them. Parting Gifts is in one copy only and its good only for first few rounds to move resources to Éowyn. On the other hand Stand and Fight is must have same as Ride to Ruin, which is obvious from previous text. The same goes for Dwarven Tomb which can bring back anything. Sneak Attack and The Galadhrim's Greeting are classics and in this scenario crucial ones. And Shadow of the Past is really good for replay successful questing, but you need to watch the timing.

I was also considering to use Second Breakfast for discarded Steward of Gondor or Unexpected Courage and To the Eyrie which is funny, cause this card is really hated, but if Attercop, Attercop will kill your Gandalf, this card in combination with eagle, can bring him back to your hand. it's not cheap but better then nothing for non-sphere allies.