There and Back Again
Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2014 3:57 pm
There and Back Again
"Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away ere break of day
To seek the pale enchanted gold."
-The Hobbit
It was well known in the Shire that when a Wizard comes knocking at your door, adventures are not far behind, and respectable folk had best go inside. Bilbo perceived his peril, yet something Tookish in his blood pushed him forward when a prudent retreat behind his little round door would have saved him much trouble. Before his clock struck noon the next day, the Hobbit was off to the mountains, caught in the affairs of Dwarves and Wizards. And that can be a very messy business indeed!
You choose a Hobbit and take him on this legendary quest. Seek an adventure and then return home to tell about it.
Note: This scenario is designed for solitaire play.
Card Layout :
* Lay out the following region cards in a row, in the order listed: The Shire, Arthedain, Rhudaur, High Pass, Anduin Vales, Woodland Realm, and Northern Rhovanion.
* Contained in a row under these regions, lay out the following site cards with each card under the region in which it is contained: Bag End, Rivendell, Goblin-gate, Beorn's House, Thranduil's Halls, and The Lonely Mountain.
* Movement for this scenario will be handled by moving a counter (a die or some convenient token) around on this array of location cards. The location of the counter represents the location of the company. At the start of the scenario, place the counter in Bag End - this represents that the Hobbit and his Dwarven companions are departing from this site.
Deck Construction :
* Construct two decks: a hazard deck and a resource deck. Use the following exact guidelines, paying particular attention to the card count.
* The hazard deck contains 29 cards: 2 Dragon's Desolations (or proxy cards), 15 creatures keyed to wilderness (only two of each fulfilling this role may be included), 6 creatures keyed to double wilderness (three of each of these are allowed), and 6 creatures keyed to border-lands (three of each of these are allowed). A creature included to fulfill one of these requirements may also coincidentally fulfill another requirement, but the creature may not also be counted towards the other requirement. Within these guidelines, try to construct the weakest hazard deck you can; this is part of the challenge of this scenario.
* The resource deck contains any 25 resource cards you choose plus one Wizard. Have at least one greater item included in the resource mix (practically though, you should include at least two greater items).
The Company of Dwarves :
* Start with a company that contains one Hobbit and the rest Dwarves. Each Dwarf counts as half a character like a Hobbit. You have 30 points of general influence, and each character with a mind stat of 3 or greater has +1 direct influence. With these modifications, you can construct the company of Dwarves from The Hobbit: Bilbo, Thorin II, Glóin, Balin, Óin, Kíli, Bifur, Bofur, Nori, Fíli, Ori, Dwalin, Bombur, and Dori. Gandalf is conspicuously missing from this list, but he will pop up before you are finished.
* You have one and only one company for this scenario. The company starts with no minor items.
Turn Sequence :
To start the game, draw a hand of 5 cards from your resource deck. Each turn, use the following turn sequence phase by phase. If an aspect of the turn sequence is not addressed below, then it is to be interpreted as it is written in the rulesbook.
1. Untap Phase: Untap all tapped characters and move all wounded characters to tapped position if the company is at any site (not just a Haven). If the company is in a region at the start of the turn, skip this phase.
2. Organization Phase: If the company is in a site, the company may move the location counter to an adjacent region. If the company is in a region, the company may move to the site that the region contains (located under the region) or to an adjacent region. A company may opt to not move the location counter.
3. Long-event Phase.
4. Movement/Hazard Phase: The company faces any hazard creatures, in the order they were drawn, showing face up on the table (as described below) that can be keyed to the company's location card.
Following these encounters, if the company is in a region or moved to a region, draw a hazard card. If it is a creature, it attacks the company. If it is a creature that cannot be keyed to the company's region or Dragon's Desolation, then place it face up. All face up hazards should be put in a row that shows the order in which they were drawn during the game.
Draw and resolve a second hazard card in the same manner, if the company is in a region or moved to a region.
If the company moves to High Pass, Woodland Realm, or Northern Rhovanion, draw and resolve a third hazard in the same manner. If the company began the turn in one of these three regions and chooses not to move, a third hazard is not drawn.
If the company is in a site or moved to a site, do not draw any hazard cards.
Location cards are not discarded during this scenario. The company can feel free to backup to any site. No cards are drawn at the end of this phase (unless dictated by a card).
5. Site Phase.
6. End-of-Turn Phase: Draw one resource card. If you then have six cards in your hand, discard a card to the resource discard pile. You will always draw one and only one resource card a turn via the normal turn sequence.
Special Rules for Hazards :
* A hazard creature, once it attacks, goes into a hazard discard pile, regardless of the attack outcome.
* Deep wilderness creatures may only be played keyed to Rhudaur and High Pass.
* If a resource card prevents creatures from being played on the company that is in a region or moved to a region, two cards are drawn for the hazard deck anyhow and placed in the row of face-up cards.
* To determine which character will take a strike under circumstances when an opponent would normally determine this, the character with the highest mind stat is selected first. If there is a tie, select the character with the most direct influence. If there is still a tie, select the character with the lowest body. If there is still a tie, select the character with the lowest prowess. If there is still a tie, randomly select the character.
* After the second Orc or Troll creature is played, Minions Stir is considered to be in play for the rest of the game; i.e., all Orc and Troll attacks receive +1 strike and +1 prowess.
* After the second Wolf, Spider or Animal attack is played, Wake of War is considered in play for the rest of the game; i.e., all Wolf, Spider, and Animal attacks receive +1 strike and +1 prowess.
* After the second Undead attack is played, Plague of Wights is considered in play for the rest of the game; i.e., all Undead attacks get +1 prowess.
* Each Dragon's Desolation remains face up on the table until you declare the company will confront the automatic-attack at The Lonely Mountain. At this point, discard all face-up Dragon's Desolations and give the automatic attack +2 prowess and +1 strike for each discarded.
* When the hazard deck is exhausted, shuffle the hazard discard pile; it becomes the new hazard deck.
Special Rules for Resources and Characters :
* Marshalling points do not count for this scenario.
* Untapped characters must choose to take strikes before tapped and wounded characters do.
* A Wizard is not played as a character. He is played as a short-event that can cancel an attack, untap a tapped character, or move a wounded character to an untapped status. When the Wizard is played, he does not go to the resource discard pile, but rather is shuffled back into the resource play deck.
* After a greater item is given to the Hobbit at The Lonely Mountain, discard two Dwarves during each organization phase in which the company moves to a region.
Victory Conditions :
You lose if the Hobbit is eliminated or if you draw the final card from your resource deck. You win during the organization phase when the Hobbit moves to Bag End and is bearing the greater item played at The Lonely Mountain.
There and Back Again can be found on pages 62-63 of Middle-earth: The Wizards Companion and is copyright ©1996 ICE.
"Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away ere break of day
To seek the pale enchanted gold."
-The Hobbit
It was well known in the Shire that when a Wizard comes knocking at your door, adventures are not far behind, and respectable folk had best go inside. Bilbo perceived his peril, yet something Tookish in his blood pushed him forward when a prudent retreat behind his little round door would have saved him much trouble. Before his clock struck noon the next day, the Hobbit was off to the mountains, caught in the affairs of Dwarves and Wizards. And that can be a very messy business indeed!
You choose a Hobbit and take him on this legendary quest. Seek an adventure and then return home to tell about it.
Note: This scenario is designed for solitaire play.
Card Layout :
* Lay out the following region cards in a row, in the order listed: The Shire, Arthedain, Rhudaur, High Pass, Anduin Vales, Woodland Realm, and Northern Rhovanion.
* Contained in a row under these regions, lay out the following site cards with each card under the region in which it is contained: Bag End, Rivendell, Goblin-gate, Beorn's House, Thranduil's Halls, and The Lonely Mountain.
* Movement for this scenario will be handled by moving a counter (a die or some convenient token) around on this array of location cards. The location of the counter represents the location of the company. At the start of the scenario, place the counter in Bag End - this represents that the Hobbit and his Dwarven companions are departing from this site.
Deck Construction :
* Construct two decks: a hazard deck and a resource deck. Use the following exact guidelines, paying particular attention to the card count.
* The hazard deck contains 29 cards: 2 Dragon's Desolations (or proxy cards), 15 creatures keyed to wilderness (only two of each fulfilling this role may be included), 6 creatures keyed to double wilderness (three of each of these are allowed), and 6 creatures keyed to border-lands (three of each of these are allowed). A creature included to fulfill one of these requirements may also coincidentally fulfill another requirement, but the creature may not also be counted towards the other requirement. Within these guidelines, try to construct the weakest hazard deck you can; this is part of the challenge of this scenario.
* The resource deck contains any 25 resource cards you choose plus one Wizard. Have at least one greater item included in the resource mix (practically though, you should include at least two greater items).
The Company of Dwarves :
* Start with a company that contains one Hobbit and the rest Dwarves. Each Dwarf counts as half a character like a Hobbit. You have 30 points of general influence, and each character with a mind stat of 3 or greater has +1 direct influence. With these modifications, you can construct the company of Dwarves from The Hobbit: Bilbo, Thorin II, Glóin, Balin, Óin, Kíli, Bifur, Bofur, Nori, Fíli, Ori, Dwalin, Bombur, and Dori. Gandalf is conspicuously missing from this list, but he will pop up before you are finished.
* You have one and only one company for this scenario. The company starts with no minor items.
Turn Sequence :
To start the game, draw a hand of 5 cards from your resource deck. Each turn, use the following turn sequence phase by phase. If an aspect of the turn sequence is not addressed below, then it is to be interpreted as it is written in the rulesbook.
1. Untap Phase: Untap all tapped characters and move all wounded characters to tapped position if the company is at any site (not just a Haven). If the company is in a region at the start of the turn, skip this phase.
2. Organization Phase: If the company is in a site, the company may move the location counter to an adjacent region. If the company is in a region, the company may move to the site that the region contains (located under the region) or to an adjacent region. A company may opt to not move the location counter.
3. Long-event Phase.
4. Movement/Hazard Phase: The company faces any hazard creatures, in the order they were drawn, showing face up on the table (as described below) that can be keyed to the company's location card.
Following these encounters, if the company is in a region or moved to a region, draw a hazard card. If it is a creature, it attacks the company. If it is a creature that cannot be keyed to the company's region or Dragon's Desolation, then place it face up. All face up hazards should be put in a row that shows the order in which they were drawn during the game.
Draw and resolve a second hazard card in the same manner, if the company is in a region or moved to a region.
If the company moves to High Pass, Woodland Realm, or Northern Rhovanion, draw and resolve a third hazard in the same manner. If the company began the turn in one of these three regions and chooses not to move, a third hazard is not drawn.
If the company is in a site or moved to a site, do not draw any hazard cards.
Location cards are not discarded during this scenario. The company can feel free to backup to any site. No cards are drawn at the end of this phase (unless dictated by a card).
5. Site Phase.
6. End-of-Turn Phase: Draw one resource card. If you then have six cards in your hand, discard a card to the resource discard pile. You will always draw one and only one resource card a turn via the normal turn sequence.
Special Rules for Hazards :
* A hazard creature, once it attacks, goes into a hazard discard pile, regardless of the attack outcome.
* Deep wilderness creatures may only be played keyed to Rhudaur and High Pass.
* If a resource card prevents creatures from being played on the company that is in a region or moved to a region, two cards are drawn for the hazard deck anyhow and placed in the row of face-up cards.
* To determine which character will take a strike under circumstances when an opponent would normally determine this, the character with the highest mind stat is selected first. If there is a tie, select the character with the most direct influence. If there is still a tie, select the character with the lowest body. If there is still a tie, select the character with the lowest prowess. If there is still a tie, randomly select the character.
* After the second Orc or Troll creature is played, Minions Stir is considered to be in play for the rest of the game; i.e., all Orc and Troll attacks receive +1 strike and +1 prowess.
* After the second Wolf, Spider or Animal attack is played, Wake of War is considered in play for the rest of the game; i.e., all Wolf, Spider, and Animal attacks receive +1 strike and +1 prowess.
* After the second Undead attack is played, Plague of Wights is considered in play for the rest of the game; i.e., all Undead attacks get +1 prowess.
* Each Dragon's Desolation remains face up on the table until you declare the company will confront the automatic-attack at The Lonely Mountain. At this point, discard all face-up Dragon's Desolations and give the automatic attack +2 prowess and +1 strike for each discarded.
* When the hazard deck is exhausted, shuffle the hazard discard pile; it becomes the new hazard deck.
Special Rules for Resources and Characters :
* Marshalling points do not count for this scenario.
* Untapped characters must choose to take strikes before tapped and wounded characters do.
* A Wizard is not played as a character. He is played as a short-event that can cancel an attack, untap a tapped character, or move a wounded character to an untapped status. When the Wizard is played, he does not go to the resource discard pile, but rather is shuffled back into the resource play deck.
* After a greater item is given to the Hobbit at The Lonely Mountain, discard two Dwarves during each organization phase in which the company moves to a region.
Victory Conditions :
You lose if the Hobbit is eliminated or if you draw the final card from your resource deck. You win during the organization phase when the Hobbit moves to Bag End and is bearing the greater item played at The Lonely Mountain.
There and Back Again can be found on pages 62-63 of Middle-earth: The Wizards Companion and is copyright ©1996 ICE.