I play more conservatively with my shadow strongholds, but it definitely causes me to be slower on my SPMVs. One thing I do with an early Pits of Mordor is to leave one of the regulars behind, to make up for the fact that one of your get-out-of-FPMV cards is gone.
Good game! Goes to show its a good discipline for Shadow to do a quick check of their (particularly open) strongholds at the beginning of each round and check off which ones are susceptible to a Free People dive bomb like this.
Great game, but unusual ending. Felt like Jason had too many options to defend himself, just not trully believed you'd make it once he saw u didnt Cirdan's. Starting the turn with monsters roused would be best IMO. Cuts off the access to MG and he had Many kings to protect the Easterling city or take Umbar, as well as dreadful spells that are flexible to diminish any attempt you make, even if you happen to have cirdan, cause if you do and taking umbar is not an option anymore, he can at least solidify Moria. Maybe it was all under control until the very end, and he just missed that move. Good play nevertheless.
I agree that he had options to defend himself, but it's a good reminder that sometimes FPMV can be quite sneaky, especially if FP has several nations at war and a lot of H dice vs. empty strongholds AND shadow has no musters...
SPOILER WARNING Wow! Cool to see you win from such a losing position. Clearly an error for SP to not move into Umbar when they had the chance, but even so, the audacity to play the token at the beginning of the turn and not worry about the fsp - I for sure would’ve moved the fsp. Great game!
I think you made a very interesting point about the action token. Assuming that they are not included in base but only in LoME for the shadow if both players agree to play council of Rivendell and if FP uses alternatives to start them outside fellowship, you mention that the win demonstrates the power of the action token. You further state that you didn’t like that when you took over umbar that you didn’t like that in LoME that shadow could muster the mouth. So to me it sounds like the action token act as one time elven dice without penalty and can cause tempo to change in favor for FP. I think that this game helps to reinforces some of the things that I like about Lords. That you get more dice for Gandalf and from elves that carry the result of hitting eyes all while, someone like the mouth can be brought to hinder FP military attempt, the FP can also theoretically use all the ring token twice each. I’d argue that lords offers more flexible for both sides and helps to not so much give favor to one side like other expansions like warriors. Would love to play base and lords sometimes friendly or ladder just to discuss your thoughts. Also thematically I love have all the characters from the books in game and have the option of a awakened king such as Dain and play Book of M even without FSP companions in the region.
Thanks for your comments! I agree that Lords gives FP many good tools! I just think that FPMV is less likely with Lords, and it's already quite unlikely.
@@WarOfTheRingChamp I'm not a top player by any means, and only play 3 regular opponents, but I've won FPMVs in Lords. I'm skeptical that it's less likely in Lords, without seeing statistically significant data. You definitely have to be aware of the Mouth, but it's still possible. I just recently had a FPMV in Lords+Kings, where an awakened Théoden/Aragorn combo stormed into Mordor with the Rohirrim. It was glorious.
@@tothepanels I play via video call, where my opponent(s) and I each have the boards set up in front of us. We talk each other through our moves, cards, dice, etc. So there is no game log. But I have written those games up as sort of fan fiction narratives and posted to BGG.
I didn't see the FPMV until you moved out of Rivendell but on the other hand when your opponent moved the Nazguls to Far Harad I started wondering "why does he want to lose all of them?" because the attack from Umbar seemed like a risk worth taking.
I love that you're putting this tournament together and I would really like to participate. However, I only played the physical copy so far and haven't used the Java app before and time before registration closes is very short. Do you have a video tutorial on how to play with that client? I already installed it successfully, but it does not have the most intuitive handling it seems. I would like to have a reasonably good understanding of it before I annoy people on discord or even ask someone to do a practise game before the tournament with me...
If you've played the physical games a few times and you managed to install and open the Java program, it should be very feasible to find an opponent for a practice game. Post in the discord server (link in the video description, and also for convenience: discord.com/invite/5nmpShVW94), and then you'll be set! There is a video tutorial, which is linked from the tournament registration page: tinyurl.com/WotR2024 I hope you'll join us!
6:28 Intersting play I've been trying that has paid off a lot in DEW when shadow does this move the reg from Dale to weather heath. Then shadow has to chose between taking dale and allowing the reg and leader to go into erebor/wlr or attack the regular and allow recruiting in dale. Really pays off especially if you have a scouts.
I play more conservatively with my shadow strongholds, but it definitely causes me to be slower on my SPMVs. One thing I do with an early Pits of Mordor is to leave one of the regulars behind, to make up for the fact that one of your get-out-of-FPMV cards is gone.
A wise choice! But at the same time, sometimes that single extra regular can make a difference in the siege...
Alternative title: One Simply Walks Into Moria
Good game!
Goes to show its a good discipline for Shadow to do a quick check of their (particularly open) strongholds at the beginning of each round and check off which ones are susceptible to a Free People dive bomb like this.
Great game, but unusual ending. Felt like Jason had too many options to defend himself, just not trully believed you'd make it once he saw u didnt Cirdan's. Starting the turn with monsters roused would be best IMO. Cuts off the access to MG and he had Many kings to protect the Easterling city or take Umbar, as well as dreadful spells that are flexible to diminish any attempt you make, even if you happen to have cirdan, cause if you do and taking umbar is not an option anymore, he can at least solidify Moria. Maybe it was all under control until the very end, and he just missed that move. Good play nevertheless.
I agree that he had options to defend himself, but it's a good reminder that sometimes FPMV can be quite sneaky, especially if FP has several nations at war and a lot of H dice vs. empty strongholds AND shadow has no musters...
SPOILER WARNING
Wow! Cool to see you win from such a losing position. Clearly an error for SP to not move into Umbar when they had the chance, but even so, the audacity to play the token at the beginning of the turn and not worry about the fsp - I for sure would’ve moved the fsp. Great game!
Thank you! :) Glad you enjoyed it!
I think you made a very interesting point about the action token. Assuming that they are not included in base but only in LoME for the shadow if both players agree to play council of Rivendell and if FP uses alternatives to start them outside fellowship, you mention that the win demonstrates the power of the action token. You further state that you didn’t like that when you took over umbar that you didn’t like that in LoME that shadow could muster the mouth. So to me it sounds like the action token act as one time elven dice without penalty and can cause tempo to change in favor for FP. I think that this game helps to reinforces some of the things that I like about Lords. That you get more dice for Gandalf and from elves that carry the result of hitting eyes all while, someone like the mouth can be brought to hinder FP military attempt, the FP can also theoretically use all the ring token twice each. I’d argue that lords offers more flexible for both sides and helps to not so much give favor to one side like other expansions like warriors. Would love to play base and lords sometimes friendly or ladder just to discuss your thoughts.
Also thematically I love have all the characters from the books in game and have the option of a awakened king such as Dain and play Book of M even without FSP companions in the region.
Thanks for your comments! I agree that Lords gives FP many good tools! I just think that FPMV is less likely with Lords, and it's already quite unlikely.
@@WarOfTheRingChamp I think KoME will help this chances but already corrupting as a free turn essentially is Insane to me
@@WarOfTheRingChamp I'm not a top player by any means, and only play 3 regular opponents, but I've won FPMVs in Lords. I'm skeptical that it's less likely in Lords, without seeing statistically significant data. You definitely have to be aware of the Mouth, but it's still possible. I just recently had a FPMV in Lords+Kings, where an awakened Théoden/Aragorn combo stormed into Mordor with the Rohirrim. It was glorious.
@@NigelIncubatorJoneswould love to see that log or as a video
@@tothepanels I play via video call, where my opponent(s) and I each have the boards set up in front of us. We talk each other through our moves, cards, dice, etc. So there is no game log. But I have written those games up as sort of fan fiction narratives and posted to BGG.
I didn't see the FPMV until you moved out of Rivendell but on the other hand when your opponent moved the Nazguls to Far Harad I started wondering "why does he want to lose all of them?" because the attack from Umbar seemed like a risk worth taking.
Yes, maybe I should have done it! I think I was hoping to save my dice for other purposes, or just hope that he didn't roll a 5 (about a 20% chance).
I love that you're putting this tournament together and I would really like to participate. However, I only played the physical copy so far and haven't used the Java app before and time before registration closes is very short. Do you have a video tutorial on how to play with that client? I already installed it successfully, but it does not have the most intuitive handling it seems. I would like to have a reasonably good understanding of it before I annoy people on discord or even ask someone to do a practise game before the tournament with me...
If you've played the physical games a few times and you managed to install and open the Java program, it should be very feasible to find an opponent for a practice game. Post in the discord server (link in the video description, and also for convenience: discord.com/invite/5nmpShVW94), and then you'll be set! There is a video tutorial, which is linked from the tournament registration page: tinyurl.com/WotR2024 I hope you'll join us!
6:28 Intersting play I've been trying that has paid off a lot in DEW when shadow does this move the reg from Dale to weather heath. Then shadow has to chose between taking dale and allowing the reg and leader to go into erebor/wlr or attack the regular and allow recruiting in dale. Really pays off especially if you have a scouts.
I totally agree, with the Scouts!
something's wrong with the tinyurl links that you put. None of them open for me.
So action tokens were only available in lords but for shadow? Curious if my base game should have included this since I play mainly LoME
The physical components come with the game Hunt for the Ring. They aren't in the base game.
@@WarOfTheRingChamp oh interesting
Does taking over a stronghold without units in it not count as an attacking move?
Edit: Found the answer, it does.
13:22 its gonna happen everytime lol
Or about 1 out of 6 of the time, but we remember it only when it happens. :)
I love when free people go ahead and try a military victory, it is hard but its nice and different
Agreed! :)