Tactics of the Iron Fleet
Bannermen! We continue our look into the upcoming House Greyjoy faction for A Song of Ice and Fire: Tabletop Miniatures Game, and today we shall be taking a deep dive into the Tactics Cards available to the raiders of the Iron Islands!
We’ve previously looked at the overall Basics of the Faction, as well as explored a number of their Combat Units in previous articles, so today we are going to supplement that by highlighting just what Tactics the Greyjoys bring to thebattlefield.
Like all factions, the Greyjoys share seven common Tactics Cards in their basic deck, with an additional six being added based on your choice of Commander. Each Commander has a unique play-style they add, so they can radically change how your army plays, but regardless of that choice, some key fundamentals always remain, represented by these core seven cards. In addition, most Factions also feature a focus on key zones on the Tactics Board - Greyjoys are not exception, having a focus on the Combat Zone and the Wealth Zone, both representing their raiding heritage, as well as their key faction traits of aggression and restoration. You’ll notice, however, that when it comes to Wealth, a number of Greyjoy effects actually revolve around an opponent controlling this zone, which puts foes in a dangerous situation-claim the zone and make themselves a bigger target, or avoid it and allow the Greyjoys to reap its benefits!
With that, let’s take a look at each of them and give a little insight into how best to utilize them:
WE DO NOT SOW
The Greyjoys always want to be on the offense, and this card allows them to Attack when other options might be denied to them. Additionally, should the opponent have taken Wealth, it also allows the targeted unit to restore some of their lost numbers, potentially bringing them back into the fight!
WHAT IS DEAD MAY NEVER DIE
Showcasing the resilience of the faction, this card can save a unit from destruction - at a cost however. Pledging oneself to the tenants of the Drowned God, the unit must constantly attack, otherwise its resolve will falter, and it may find itself destroyed.
THE KRAKEN’S WRATH
An excellent example of the “no good option” choices that Greyjoys can place on their opponent, this card gets exponentially more powerful based on Claimed zones on the Tactics Board - whether they be claimed by friendly units or enemy!
THE IRON PRICE
We mentioned that Pillage was a central mechanic to the Greyjoys, and this car exemplifies that by giving them an alternative use, whether it be restoring Wounds or gaining combat buffs. Of course, Pillage tokens can be hard-won, so trading them for buffs might be a risky choice; you must be sure you’ll be able to regain them should you utilize them!
FINGER DANCE
Raiders never fight fair, and they love having an advantage. Finger Dance makes it so that, as long as the Greyjoys are winning the fight (or at the worst “not losing” it) they gain buffs. Unfortunately, this is a double-edged sword, as should the enemy gain the upper hand the Greyjoys will suffer for it.
RAIDING CALL
There is a high incentive to keep select units alive as you’re playing - The strong become stronger and the weak become weaker. Of course, you might not always be able to directly control which units live or die. Raiding Call alleviates some of that stress by allowing you to shift Wounds across your units. Should any player control the Wealth Zone, it also acts as a quick method of gaining Pillage Tokens.
BLESS WITH STONE, BLESS WITH STEEL
Furthering the theme of restoration, this blessing from the Drowned God rewards Greyjoys for doing what they do best: Killing their enemies. With this card, you can play a bit more recklessly in your aggression, since you’ll have a nasty trick to restore any Wounds lost by counterattacks-assuming you properly dispatched your foes, that is!
And that will conclude our look at the generic Greyjoy Tactics Cards, Bannermen. Join us next time as we continue our look into A Song of Ice And Fire’s latest faction!
