The Carapace Queen is Mean

I brought Aeon's End to the table last night for the first physical play in quite a while. I've really only been playing it on Steam due to time and table availability.

I decided to attempt a new nemesis last night; The Carapace Queen. I've made a rule for myself that I cannot play against a different nemesis on the digital version, until I play it (at least once) at the table.

I chose to play at the easy difficulty since it's been a while. Meaning the Carapace Queen started at 60HP, Gravehold started at 35HP and my two Breach Mages (Adelheim & Mist) started at 12HP.

OH! I also chose a random market setup for the first time last night as well (the gems, spells and relics).

Let me just say....

THE CARAPACE QUEEN IS MEAN!

RUTHLESS!

NOT NICE!

I really thought I was in trouble for the first half of the game. The Carapace Queen kept bringing out her husks. I don't like those husks. They're annoying and mean themselves. Each husk is essentially like a mini-minion and has 1HP each. GRRRR... To make it worse, the minion that was drawn early on (I forget the name) does not take damage while there's at least 1-husk in play. 😮

For so long during the game, it was trying to control the husks, not get too stressed out or overwhelmed at the onslaught, not take too much damage and try to hopefully purchase some things that will help me along in this fight to protect Gravehold. Man it was tough! Carapace Queen didn't even take any damage to herself for the better part of the game.

But then something happened...

I was beginning to realize that not only was the nemesis deck getting low, but also that my choices in the market (possibly skill, but most likely pure luck) were really helping me. I was now at a point where I had opened most breaches, I was focusing on charges and my Breach Mages abilities and casting spells. 😁

Some how....

Some way....

I survived!!!! Just!

Granted if I would've played with "normal" difficulty (i.e. Gravehold at 30HP and Breach Mages at 10HP) I would've died. BUT... I didn't, so WOO HOO!!!!

Adelheim and Mist's abilities really bounced nicely off each other. I had built up several spells in Adelheim's deck, so when Mist used her ability (any ally draws four cards), it gave Adelheim some serious spell prepping ability on his next turn! Not to mention, his ability of discarding an attack or power card helped too.

In the end, Adelheim was still quite strong with half his HP remaining. But Mist AND Gravehold, both sat at only 1HP. 😮

If I would've drawn another minion as the last nemesis deck card, I may not have made it out alive. But thankfully, it was an attack that allowed me just enough HP to survive it.

As you can see, the Carapace Queen had WAY TOO MANY husks in play to allow me to fend her off much longer. I ended up getting her down to 29HP in the end, which was pretty decent considering how she started off .... ANGRY. MEAN. NOT NICE. 😉