742-play Throkmaw

[dirhaval]

pasted from last pages of PDF file.

Throkmaw the Vain was a tough avatar for me. I was biased about moving a Dragon-lord with
other characters. Small company sizes around the Grey Mountains need much support.

A low 16 MP pile was earned after 16 turns. The starting company made a split on Turn 1 and
tapped no sites that turn. The avatar was played on Turn 2. Only three sites were tapped in the
first 10 turns. This shows that large companies must move together in this large game and then
using direct influence boosters to form multiple companies. Also, the dragon must be active too
else in Dream mode.

No characters of the player were eliminated. A few sites were available for simple play of
Dragon-scales. But having an untapped Sage for Dark Forges. The attempt to play that Sage
event costs three turns at The Wind Throne. Celeb-ost may need to be removed as the site for
another Dragon’s Den.

Pale Enchanted Gold was not much of a use. Bold Thrust is better than Blow Turned to give the
Dragon-lord prowess to stay untap playing Against the Eye. More sages are needed; each Voices
of Malice was discarded in the first playdeck.

The failed influence attempt against Khuzdrepa Roused cost 5 MPs. The next turn Alatar killed
the At Home manifestation. Aranruth was discarded and a 3 roll was made. So you know Lomaw
Roused was attempted to be played with the same sword, but a low roll doomed the attempt.
Seven sites were tapped including three Lairs. Item storage was not a factor for this player.

This player faced 34 hazards including 9 creatures. He exhausted on Turn 12, but started Turn 10
with 10 in the discard pile.

He played 39 hazards and used 23 agent actions. Those killed include two Cave Worms, Giant,
Thunder’s Companion, and Ice Giant. Lucky Strike was used in two of the deaths. Hibernating
Troll and Shifting Paths saw the least use.

[dirhaval]

OVERVIEW
Throkmaw finished strong with 29 MP. Five MPs were lost when items were not stored. Now, there
was a prisoner with Hunters and Slayers carrying Bloodspike and Black-mail Coat. I wonder if that
event “gives” those cards to the storer. If so, then Throkmaw could have sent that company to a
Dragon Den to store items and this prisoner for 9 MP. Only three turns were tapped in the first 10
turns. That was slow. Eight characters were not played. I did make a mistake not removing Ice-Troll
after that character was killed. It was on Turn 3 or early in my playing. Throkmaw played a good many
hazards. He faced an average amount of hazards, but there were gaps with little hazards. His agents
were useful. The new deck lacks agents. The four Orc factions were played after Turn 17. Hunting
and Dragon’s Dream used for at least for 9 turns. Several Gathered Troops rolls made to not eat
minions occurred late in the game. Throkmaw was vulnerable with this 8 body. He was going to be
CvCC if it was not for having A Nice Place to Hide. That resource has been removed for the new
deck. This player seemed lucky with the lack of strikes faced.
+
MAJOR NEWS
Five CvCC were enjoyed. Two Roused factions’ influence attempts failed. Orc of the Claw was
discarded after a failed Gathered Troops roll. Turn 18 had Throkmaw at home with 5 body thanks to
Birth-Spot. Thorin with Wormsbane was near. This is another reason why I want this avatar to use Underdeeps
movement in the last several turns. The avatar did not move until Turn 10, which was to make a
new Dragon Den. He moved to only two sites after that: Against the Eye & CvCC. There were seven
Gathered Troops rolls to keep minions in play [search for “Troops:”]. One was killed, one discarded
on a body check, and a third wounded but kept in play. Should minions that survive the attack be
discarded or kept in play wounded? I would say discarded so to have favorites kept alive using events.
This approach is more aligned with the fear of dragons trusting others. It is somewhat easy to avoid a
Dragon-lord at a den if another is in play. But why a loss of DI using Dragon’s Dream? He is asleep
and a danger to no one. It does mirror Bade to Rule. I like that event, DD, to be reconsidered on DI.
Consider adding unused DI of the controller of a follower when rolling for a follower?
+
CARDS
Never or little played: Pale Enchanted Gold, p1/6. Great Bats, p1/5. DDGTown, p4/9.
Hibernating Troll, p0/7. No Weapon Seemed to Bite Him, Fall on Them with Speed, Snow in the
Mountains.
+
STATS
77 strikes were rolled for this player with 47 strikes rolled for last 7 turns. 11 body checks
resulted in 2 deaths and 1 discard. 11 corruption checks were made.
+
This player faced 19 creatures from 60 hazards, but 10 were agent actions.
There were 36 moving companies and 64 total companies. Average hazard limit was 2.81; that is
high. About 77 regions were moved through including 25 Double Wilderness, 17 Wilderness, and 31
Shadow-lands. Dain’s deck will have triple Wilderness creatures.
+
DECK PLAY
First deck exhausted on Turn 11. Second deck exhaust on 19. First deck shuffled 14 cards and drew
8.3 cards/turn. Second deck shuffled 6 cards and drew 8.7 cards/turn. Third deck shuffled 5cards and
drew 14 cards/draw. 14 sites were tapped or otherwise used.

[dirhaval]

Going okay.
Only tapped sites, but okay.
Two small overt companies moving.
Throkmaw the Vain in Hunger mode.
Made error on Turn 1 by using DL rules to bring
in a character, which failed due to Scatha At Home in play.
That is no Dragon-lord in play equates to normal rules
to bring-in characters.
Avatar played on Turn 2. Elf-Lord Revealed in Wrath came down from Helloth
dealing two wicked body checks, but a corrupted hide saved the wyrm.
Only played 8 hazards; close to playing Winged Fire-drake on Elrond's company.
Caverns Unchoked and Ice-Orcs played.