Finally did potionless Sunken Fleet, started it around time of last new delve event, stopping to do that potionless first, then resuming.
We have a guild thing where we often do a sort of groan at the RNG and then hope it changes fortune, well it did today. Thanks to guildees (they know who they are) who helped me see a move in a sea of traps!
Firstly, I cannot count the number of times Water Elemental died to Drowned Sailor Deathmark - I ended up having to run Orpheus medals just to survive. Yesterday it scuppered a run with 2 Orpheus medals with a first chance death mark, with 0 gems converted. If I had to guess, that thing screwed over at least 18-20 runs. I reckon about 50% of the time without any gems converted. It is extremely frustrating to say the least that something with circa 20-25% chance usually death marks so often. Obviously around a 100 battles of a sample size, and it cast at least 50% of the time in this delve for me.
Secondly, getting 2 TMQs through the rooms is tough. The rooms are purposefully designed to counter the Sunken Fleet team. Coral Golem is obtuse, so you can’t drop Water E. If Water E dies, in first room to deathmark, expect pain. Merlion is very easy to fill, but by far and away the worst troop is Sea Witch, heals everyone, puts on a random enrage to someone. What that does is make TMQ 1 shottable with skulls usually.
So, a team predicated on skull damage and alignment, is really up against it. It also heals troops out of range. if you can’t align you are screwed, as the loops almost always bring skulls with them, especially as it is capable of looping over and over.
Crabman got loaded when there was no troops with stoneskin up front middle of last week. So a couple of times I went Crabman, 2 x TMQ and Sailor, but ended up being a mana collection problem, so ditched it this weekend.
Thirdly you do have some counters, curse when using TMQ, stun with Water E and Deathmark with Sailor. It is therefore possible with good fortune to kill even impervious Merlion with dm, if curse lands. Merlion is really nasty, 276 damage if you are silenced.
Started out - out of room 1 - typical team;
TMQ
TMQ
Water E
Drowned Sailor
3 MOS medals - Hoard 211 (spent nigh 3 weeks of a month sub 170, but just no luck) Banner 2 Blue, 1 Red -1 brown.
So today, first go, lost TMQ to Sea Witch Enrage, then second, cast after, got out of second room, but only back two left. Died early vs Merlion and Co.
Second go cast my Sailor, took all yellow, matched and filled Water E. AI casts first Sailor, no yellow converted, Water E deathmarked (flat 20% chance). Cast Water E, pass turn, AI moves, Water E dies first chance it can. That attempt actually got me to the boss room with TMQ and Sailor, but they died early.
Final go.
Started out - out of room 1 - typical team;
Next opponent is Tier IV - Coral Golem, Nyx, Mososaurus, Vodyanoi. Got out intact, Vodyanoi cast on sailor, killed all with skulls. Dropped both Orpheus medals before fight to MOS.
3rd room - Tier V, Coral Golem, Sea Witch, Sea Troll, Nimue
Nasty, Sea Witch. Kill Coral Golem, then a loong battle ensues. Sea Troll to Death mark, but at this point my top TMQ is nearly dead. Sea Witch and Nimue, kept filling Sailor and just throwing it out there, in the end I kill Witch with skulls and then get into Nimue. Right at end I take all yellow with Sailor when Nimue is full, it casts, leaves me a load of skulls but both TMQs silenced… In the end lose top TMQ to skulls last hit.
Final room
1 TMQ, Water E and Sailor
Started onimously - matched a few, did some skull damage with a TMQ cast
Water E death marked early as almost always and I took orpheus medals off. It cleansed…
So, the groan worked, as first Water E died to a death mark from a +19 blue conversion. I skulled down Crab man and they killed TMQ next turn. Sailor died to Death mark 3 turns later. Now I was really totally reckless until here, I abandoned casting on alignment and tbh it must have worked to a point. Once Sailor died, I started being more cautious, the key is get rid of green so AI TMQ casts and doesn’t match.
AI TMQ - I kept shifting green or casting TMQ and eventually my TMQ dies to skyfall skulls. I then can force AI TMQ to cast and not match any green, but leaves this…
With the aid of guildees - we spot a match to a match to a match in the fog… See if you can see it 
Can see the way now… the greedy thing will take the vertical reds to the right, hopefully be short and I can stun it to within a skull hit.
And so it does… and a lucky skull falls behind the other…
Back to 5 to do, the latest seems reasonable. Treasure situation dire, but will get some back with the event and finishing two normal to 500. Next target will be Fell Roost, and then more nightmares to follow! 