Our group's first session in AD&D (well, a clone, kind of) was an absolute blast! Some of it was the module, to be sure, but the combat felt incredible! Better still, the combat was so smooth that several fights still only took a small part of the time.
https://mindweaverpg.wordpress.com/2021/03/05/play-report-keep-on-the-borderlands/
The party ended up getting a little sidetracked by a whole nest of ogres.
#playreport
https://mindweaverpg.wordpress.com/2023/06/30/play-report-kotb-barrier-march-session-52-surprise-ogres/
Searching for more information about the lay of the land around the bugbear crag, the party ends up ambushing a patrol, but when the ambush doesn't get surprise, the battle is far more even than intended.