First Site Question

[macheteman]

ok, me and gate troll were playing an expanded format game on SdA. He won the coin-toss and chose to go first. i said he that he was supposed to play the first site and then move his marker there before his first fellowship phase. then, after his fellowship phase, he would move to site 2 where i would play the site and my minions. he insisted that the first player plays the fellowship phase, then moves to site one, and then i play my shadow at site one.

i have played countless games with AP on SdA, started one with dain, played Apop once, and SM once or twice. and every time i played that both markers start on site one where they have their first fellowship phase and then move to site 2 before the first shadow phase hits.

am i wrong? or is GT wrong?

i had never heard of playing his way so it took me by surprise. sorry if i was rude GT. but either way, it was turning out to be a good game.

-mm

[FM]

You are correct, player markers are put on site 1, although they never move there (unless they changed this bit after Shadows, they might have). Also, as far as I'm concerned, they play their site 1 BEFORE you play your starting companions, so you can know what it is beforehand, in case you want to switch who you start.

[macheteman]

if i'm not mistaken, the person who goes first plays site 1 and then draws 8 and then plays their starting fellowship/fellowship phase. it's only AFTER that, the 2nd player plays  the sites. is that right?

[Elessar's Socks]

Here's from the rulebook:

Game Setup Summary
• Bid to determine who goes first.
• Each player places his adventure deck on the table.
• First player plays a site from his adventure deck.
• Each player puts his player marker on that site.
• Each player places his starting fellowship on the table, placing the burdens he bid on his Ring-bearer.
• Each player shuffles his draw deck and draws 8 cards.

Hopefully that fixes things.

[macheteman]

yes, that's what i was saying.

[Elessar's Socks]

Well, you'd draw 8 after playing your starting fellowship (the Ring-bearer is "placed"). This gives you a chance to change your starting companions.

[macheteman]

right, i get it. we're good. thanks for the clarification guys!