ASOIAF Miniatures/Tactics/Stark

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Why Play Stark

"Winter Is Coming" You like being honorable? Or maybe you like playing the keepers of the old way ? OR even maybe you wanna play as the guys who are kind-of-sort-of to blame for most of the bad things that happened in setting in one way or another? Or maybe you just want to play one of the harder hitting armies in the game and like to zip around the battlefield and making the longest charges in the game

Pros

• One of the hardest hitting armies in the game
• Multiple cheap solo units in the form of wolves
• Not failing charge distance is great
• Good moral
• High mobility

Cons

• No responsive ability
• You need to attack at multiple front at the same time to ensure you can take the enemy force out
• Lack of autowounds
• No panic user
• No real tricky plays except maneuver

Playstyle

House Stark is mainly about aggression. You move quick, charge far and hit strong and accurate. This idea is simple and your units and NCU double down on it. If you want to hit fast and heavy this is your factions. Your alpha strike is a multiple alpha strike, strike at many different places at the same time, by using your superior mobility and outactivate beforehand via your doggos

Unit and Attachement Analysis

You have 4 main theme in your unit choices. Defensive Tully, fast, and ranged Crannogmen, Hard-hitting and Beserker Umber/Stark, and your wolves

Commander

• Rob Stark:

• Greatjon Umber:

• Brynden Tully:

• Eddard Starj:

• Howland Reed:

• Rodrik Cassel:

Units

• Stark Sworn Swords (5pt): They do their job They are your cheap unit to hold your frontline. With above average defense, above average moral and average offense, they are here to fill your army, and even moreso then other factions, attachement determine their ability. Rickon and Osha in this unit have a great interaction, where you can voluntarily lose ranks via abilities, to deal wounds to the enemy. With that interaction, you can easily punch above your points.

• Crannogman Trackers (5pt): The other filler. This one has a unique role in their mobility and ability to move and take a free attack action. Keep them away from cavalry and know if the enemy faction can do some suprise attacks (counter charge from the baratheon for example). They really don't do well in melee, and attachment are probably a waste in this unit. There are interaction with Bryden and using this unit to force a moral test for a friendly Bryden-commander unit to heal. Fun to use but meh to be honest.

• House Tully Sworn Shields (6pt): Tully are a weird unit for you. They don't hit hard, are slow and have no active ability. You will still play them sometimes, as having a resillient unit shouldn't be underestimated in certain game modes. Play them if you really want to have a defensive unit, but keep in mind they won't really gain much from you general deck. For an anvil, they work fine but are a bit too slow for it. More defensive attachement will lead people to just ignore them tbh, so best choices are naked unless there is a place you really wanna defend.

• Stark Bowmen (6pt): One of the best ranged unit in the game in a faction all about charging, the ability to ignore intervening unit makes them passable. I wouldn't recommend them to a beginner, and playing more then 2 is hard to pull off, but 1 can work good. Warden is probably the only thing you'll put in them if ever. Can do the same thing Bryden does with trackers just easier.

• House Umber Greataxes (7pt): The unit you want if you are facing 3+ armor on the field. Generally Starks are not known for throwing out auto-wounds, for such a foe, they have this can opener. They are slightly slow, but your cards can remedy this. Best choices are to get them in as your last activation in a turn with an opponent initiative, so you can ensure executioner fury via swords spot. Bran works to stop give you more hit and protect them in a pinch, Robb makes them faster, but these are fine naked.

• House Umber Berserkers (7pt): Fast speed, good morale, sundering (armor reduction). They even get more offensive output as their numbers dwindle! People used to make lists consisting of only these units. These have traditionally been interchanged with Umber Greataxes depending on personal preference. Overall this unit has seen consistent play since the birth of the game.

• Stark Outriders (7pt):

• House Tully Cavaliers (9pt):

Non-Combat Units

• Arya Stark (3pt):

• Sansa Stark (3pt):

• Catelyn Stark (4pt):

• Rodrik Cassel (4pt):

• Eddard Stark (4pt):

Attachement

• Meera Reed:

• Rickon Stark:

• Bran and Hodor:

• Brynden Tully:

• Jojen Reed:

• Syrio Forel:

• Greatjon Umber:

• Maege Mormont:

• Bryden Tully (Cav):

• Crannogman Warden:

• Sworn Sword Captain:

• Umber Champion:

• Jaqen H'ghar:

Building your Army

As always, your list depends on your commander and objective. Make a list which can make use of your commanders ability and tactics card.

In general you want around 9+ activation in your army. Use wolves to pad your force. Most everyone wants 3 NCU, and for you 3 NCU means you have 1 more cheap activation, and you don't have to waste a NCU for a slot you usually ignore. You generally play more attachment then most factions.

You don't have enough tools to weaken the enemy counter attack, so you need to have your army take out the enemy forces first, so fast and hard hitting units are good.

Running either/both Beserker and/or Greataxes is probably a good idea.

Sample List:

Commander: Robb Stark – The Wolf Lord

Combat Units:

• House Umber Berserkers (7) with Robb Stark – The Wolf Lord (0)

• Grey Wind (0)

• House Umber Greataxes (7) with Bran and Hodor – Protector and Ward (2)

• Summer (0)

• Stark Sworn Swords (5) with Syrio Forel - First Blade Of Braavos (2)

• Stark Outriders (7)

Non-Combat Units: • Sansa Stark – Little Bird (3)

• Rodrik Cassel – Combat Veteran (4)

• Arya Stark - The Wolf Girl (3)

Tactics Deck

General rule of thumbs in ASOIAF Miniature Game is to play your card more often then just keeping them in your hand and combo them if you can to one-shot units. Starks do that not as rigidly as others. Starks have some very strong card, but some of them have specific conditions. Unlike some other factions you will try to hold unto your cards. But what Starks excel at with their Tactics deck is comboing the fuck out of their card.

In general your Tactics Deck is supplementary to your play style and not the basis. Keep in mind nearly all your card are for getting into combat and then attacking, so fuck me you are screwed if you can't charge anymore because you are all stuck or just dead.

• Winter is coming: One of your best card. Charging and turning off tactics card and orders is in certain scenario a killer. Use this card later in the turn, so he'll won't have a chance to use his tactics card (and order) later in the same turn, this way that card will continue shitting up his hand. The additional effect is useful, but not required. Decide based on your target.

• Northern Ferocity: Good effect, use it often, there isn't really a point in keeping it for longer, you don't have a unit who immensely profits from it.

• The North remembers: One of your best cards. Holy crap this is good, but don't fall into the trap of it. You may hold unto it too long, and gain nothing by it, and secondly keep in mind the effect. You have to have a unit having activated, and throwing away unit might not be worth it if the other unit won't help you win the game. Usually wolves are sacrificed but make sure it is worth it

• Devastating Impact: Another one of your homerun cards. Don't be too obvious while using it, and more importantly don't overcommit your charges and get dog pilled.

• Swift Advance: I know I sound like a hype man, but damn this is a good card. Use it to either make it to their flank or get closer

• Sudden Charge: Another charge card, know you know the problem I have with everything being about 1 thing. It's good, use this NCU to claim the Horse spot, then trigger this card (but see below). You usually can use it best by keeping it in your hand, use 1 turn to set up the motions. But keep in mind, if your first activation is claiming horse then your opponent is free to just take swords, getting a free attack in.

• Direwolf's Fervor: Honestly meh, just use it ASAP unless you really want those d3 autowounds