Roland through Dunwich, play and analysis - Episode 4: 3

Continued from Roland through Dunwich, play and analysis - Episode 3: 2

The Essex County Express. Scenario 3.

Introduction and upkeep.

damirius was kind enough to point out my rules misunderstanding in the very first scenario. Resigning on Back Alley caused me to drop all of my remaining clues on the location denying me the victory point for I mistakenly claimed. I have decided to continue and deduct 2 experience points as a penalty to try and remedy the situation. Not exactly elegant, but mistakes are usually clunky.

On top of that it occured to me while I was going over last episode that I had forgot to take advantage of the card draw ability of Dr. Francis Morgan, I will have to try and remember that going forward.

Starting hand initial draw (mulliganed the italicized):

Art Student, Guts, .45 Automatic, Evidence!, Machete

Redraw: Emergency Cache, Evidence!

Thoughts:

This was the last scenario I had experienced beforehand, and I remembered speed and clue gathering being paramount. With that in mind my plan was to get a weapon and as much clue gathering as possible.

Turn 1:

Start in Sleeping Car

1. Play Machete (2 Resources)
2. Play Art Student (0 Resources)
3. Move to Dining Car. Spawn Grappling Horror. Grappling Horror engages.

Grappling Horror attacks. (1 damage on Roland (1 damage total) 1 horror on Art Student (1 horror total))

Upkeep: Gain 1 resource (1 Resource). Draw Working a Hunch

Turn 2:

Mythos: +1 Doom (1 in play). Draw Acolyte +1 Doom (2 in play). Spawn 1 car to the right of Roland.

1. Machete (draw '-2' succeed by 0) 2 damage on Grappling Horror (2 damage total)
2. Machete (draw '-1' succeed by 1) 2 damage on Grappling Horror (4 damage total). Grappling Horror dies.
3. Move to Passenger Car (2 horror on Roland (2 horror total). Acolyte engages.

Acolyte attacks (1 damage on Roland (2 damage total))

Upkeep: Gain 1 resource (2 Resources). Draw Pathfinder

Turn 3:

Mythos: Doom +1 (3 in play). Draw Frozen in Fear

1. Frozen in Fear
2. Machete (draw '-2' succeed by 0). Acolyte dies. Gain 1 clue (2 Clues). Play Fast Evidence! (1 Resource). Gain 1 clue (3 Clues).
3. play Emergency Cache (4 Resources)

Upkeep: Gain 1 resource (5 Resources). Draw Art Student

Frozen in Fear (draw '' succeed by 0). Discard Frozen in Fear

Thoughts:

I considered drawing for a to pitch to Frozen in Fear but I would only feel confident with +2 and I did not like my chances. I knew I would play Emergency Cache regardless of whether or not I managed to discard Frozen in Fear so I went with the play that had the best potential upside.

Turn 4:

Mythos: Doom +1 (3 in play). Draw Helpless Passenger surge Claws of Steam (draw '+1' succeed by 1)

1. Play Pathfinder (2 Resources) Pathfinder move to Parlor Car Play Fast Working a Hunch (0 Resources)
2. Move to Passenger Car (1 damage on Roland (3 damage total) 1 damage on Art Student). Art Student dies
3. Gain 1 resource (1 Resource)

Upkeep: Gain 1 resource (2 Resources). Draw Laboratory Assistant

Turn 5:

Mythos: Doom +1 (4 in play) Agenda advances. Draw Broken Rails

1. Broken Rails
2. Play Art Student (0 Resources). Gain 1 clue (1 Clue) Pathfinder move to Passenger Car (2 damage on Roland (5 damage total)
3. Investigate (draw '' succeed by 0). Gain 1 clue (2 Clues)

Upkeep: Gain 1 resource (1 Resource). Draw Magnifying Glass

Turn 6:

Mythos: Doom +1 (1 in play). Draw Ancient Evils Doom +1 (2 in play)

1. Play Fast Magnifying Glass (0 Resources) Investigate (draw '' succeed by 5). Gain 1 clue (3 Clues)
2. Investigate (draw -1' succeed by 2). Gain 1 clue (4 Clues) Pathfinder move to Engine Car. Act advances. Test (3). (draw '-1' succeed by 0). Spawn Grappling Horror
3. Machete (draw '+1' succeed by 3) 2 damage on Grappling Horror (2 damage total)

Grappling Horror attacks. (1 damage and 1 horror on Art Student)

Upkeep: Gain 1 resource (1 Resource). Draw Machete

Turn 7:

Mythos: Doom +1 (3 in play). Agenda advances. Discard Dining Car and Helpless Passenger (1 horror on Roland (3 horror total). Draw Terror from Beyond. Chose Skill, nothing happened.

1. Machete. Commit Machete (draw '' succeed by 2) 2 damage on Grappling Horror (4 damage total). Grappling Horror dies. gain 1 clue (2 Clues). Play Fast Evidence! (0 Resources). Gain 1 clue (2 clues). Act advances. R1!

Thoughts:

Well, that certainly went by fast. I guess that is what happens when you combine a well balanced starting hand with the trifecta of good draws from The investigator Deck, the Encounter Deck and the Chaos Bag. I suppose I could have drawn a few more cards to pitch to the train cars to keep my health and sanity high, but that could just as easily have backfired instead. Overal I enjoyed the scenario even though I hope to find a few more twists and turns when I enter Dunwich proper!

Resolution:

2 victory points (Parlor Car, Engine Car)

to be continued ...