Solo Challenge Game 5 - The Lord of the Rings - The Card game

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For the next game in my solo challenge I chose to play The Lord of the Rings - The Card Game. Designed by Nate French, and published by Fantasy Flight Games. 2011 (revised core set 2022)

The Lord of the Rings - The Card Game is set in the lands described in the Lords of the Rings novels created by J.R.R. Tolkien. In the game each player assumes the role of a party of three heroes who are attempting to complete dangerous quests. To help with this each player has a deck that aligns with their heroes that contains allies, events, and a variety of weapons and items. 

On a turn each player gains one resource per hero, draws a card from their deck to add to their hand, and then spends the gained resources to play cards, each of which can aid the heroes on their adventure. Along the way heroes will encounter locations they must travel to, monsters they must defeat, and treacheries to overcome while attempting to advance through all the stages of each scenario: quest by quest.

There are two ways you can lose the game either lose all your heroes, or reach 50 threat points.

Playing this game solo is the same as when you play multiplayer, and you can either play one-handed which is a single group of three heroes, or two handed where you control two groups of three heroes similar to playing a two player game.

I chose to try the campaign mode playing two handed and so far I have completed two of the 6 scenarios:

  1. Passage through Mirkwood - score 93
  2. Journey Down the Anduin - score 231

Scores in the campaign reflect how well you did with a lower score indicating greater success. Scenario #2 is significantly more difficult that the first scenario so it took me longer to complete, and raised the threat level of my heroes much higher which are the two main things that impact scoring. I completed the second scenario but just barely.

Make no mistake this is not an easy game, and it gets progressively more difficult as you proceed through the scenarios so one must be ok with not winning, and having to re-do the scenario until you do. Despite this it is a fun game to play, and that combined with the satisfaction when you succeed at a difficult quest makes the game a rewarding experience. I am looking forward to scenario #3.

(For more info about the game including the complete rules, reviews, and game play videos follow the game links on this page.They will take you to the Boardgamegeek.com page for the game)


 

Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada

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