Hi,

I''m relatively new to this game and I quite like it. After playing through the Balin's Tomb scenario from the "Fellowship of the Ring" box set, I decided to try the Balin's Tomb scenario from the Journeybook with the advanced rules.

The scenario in the Journeybook only has one entrance (no trap doors) and neither side begins with initiative. I played the side of the Fellowship. I happened to win initiative and then rushed Strider, Boromir, Gimli and Gandalf close to the doorway and kept Legolas on the tomb itself. Although there was space for maybe two rows of goblins to come in, they were simply no match for the my 4 heroes and I gradually pushed them back out the door. We played the entire 10 turns but the Fellowship was never seriously threatened. Even the Cave Troll (which enters on Turn 4) was killed within 2 turns and I only lost Gimli via some timely rolling on my opponent's part combined with me not using my Might points out of pity.

Is this scenario that broken? or shouldn't the Goblins start off with initiative?

not sure what we did wrong.

any suggestions are welcome!

thx,

Leslie

That does sound broken. The scenario from the rules is tougher.

I will not suggest exact rules but in the movie the Fellowship cannot rush the door because it bursts open.

Maybe your heroes shouldstay a specific ranger away from the door

In the journey book, the tomb is surrounded by a ledge that looks like it can be climbed. Next to the door are a pair of stairs or the Goblins can just climb onto the ledge with their special rule. Split the Goblins to where one group goes towards the heroes and two other groups go up the stairs/ ledges (the archers) to try and surround the heroes. That might help with the unbalanced nature. Hope that helps. Now I want to play through those scenarios. I just received the Balrog So I can now actually play them. We'll see.

_________________
My WIP page: Click Here! -->So It Begins

Current Project: Ringwraiths - Haradrim - Mumakil

thx for the input!

I should clarify. The Fellowship can rush toward the door allowing very few (2 rows) of Goblins to enter. By winning combat and thus pushing the Goblins back, the heroes effectively prevent the Goblins from entering in large numbers. With Aragon's use of Heroic combat, he can easily press forward while taking out 2 Goblins by himself each turn. Eventually, the heroes simply stand across the entrance. The Goblins can never get up the stairs because there is not enough room for them to make it up the stairs as they would have to cross the 1 inch ZOC of the heroes. If you eliminate ZOC by charging both heroes on either side, you can only manage to get 1 Goblin to the top of the stairs on either side due to their maximum movement. These can easily be dispatched by Legolas (standing on the Tomb) however.

I did find the errata which suggests that the Fellowship's deployment should be 3" from the Tomb instead of 6" as written in the Journeybook. This helped somewhat but the outcome was still the same. I think the Goblins should automatically start with initiative.

I have not tried the rulebook version of this scenario so that is next on my list.

thx to all for the feedback.

Leslie

I also found it similarly unbalanced when I played it. If I were to play it again, I'd like to adapt the trapdoors for the scenario, meaning that the Fellowship has to divide it's attention and can't just rush all heroes at the door. Otherwise Goblin priority could work.

A lot of the journey book scenarios are unbalanced. I'm not sure if they're meant more for the campaign system or not? But the first couple with the Nazgul v Dunedain, it's almost impossible for the Nazgul to win. The Dunedain just need to shoot, using their might points when necessary (because combined they have a heap) to inflict wounds and the Nazgul can't do anything about it (having 1 wound and no fate).

The balance on many if not most of the journeybook scenarios is terrible. There are a few gems, but mostly they're dogs.

I think the key for Balin's tomb would be letting the goblins enter from multiple places. If there is only one entrance then yeah, you get Aragorn, Boromir, & Gimli fighting more or less one on one with goblins with predictable results. In the book there are two entrances into the tomb, and I like the sound of goblins climbing up out of the well. If that isn't enough then the trapdoors from the Mines of Moria set can be added to taste.

A possible change could be not allowing the heroes within 6(?) inches of the door until the turn after the cave troll arrives. Trapdoors could work, but runs the risk of having Merry and Pippin sitting on them all game. Definitely give the Goblins priority, or allow them to automatically take it on one turn (like Saruman's Palantir)



I think it's meant for the campaign system.

_________________
C.A.P.T.A.I.N. = Crazy And Proud To Admit It Now
http://chrisgomhobbyblog.blogspot.com/

I don't remember when the goblin captains come on, but without might (and 50% of the time with it) Aragorn mocks priority.

ok thanks again. I may try this as a campaign then.

Has anyone played the scenarios from the new Sourcebooks?

Leslie