ASOIAF Battle Report: The Others vs. Greyjoys

The White Walkers march again

 I've been building The Others army since 2019, it was originally designed by Yannic & co. for the 1.5 season of Song but has now been redesigned by Board man gaming, find it here.

Since familiarizing myself with Shane's (BMG) awesome work, I've been brooding to play with them again. This week it happened with a club mate Ilmo, playing Greyjoys

Finished some paint jobs too:

FF Heroes converted: Harma, Rattleshirt, Styr, Weaper & Great Walrus 

Some more armoured troops, including a converted Styr's chosen.

When I play FF with these, they are Thenns

My armies

My lists were: 

Ice Wight Commander - 9 activations

- In Wight Horde 7p.

- Wight Horde with Ice Wight att. 7p.

- Sentry Wights 5p.

- Cold Shadow 5p.

- White Walker NCU 5p.

- Nella NCU 5p.

- 3 x Element NCU 6p.

White Walker commander - 9 activations 

- With Sentry Wights 5p

- Wight Horde w. WW attachment 7p. 

- Decayed Wights 4p.

- Undead Snow Bear 5p.

- Cold Shadow 5p.

- Craster 5p.

- Nella NCU 5p.

- 2 x Element NCU 4p.

Ilmo looks appropriately scared... of me or my dreadful army?

Ilmo's army was: 

NCUs were Beron, Asha and Rodrik

Deployment and early rounds

Ilmo chose the table side and I started deploying with Cold Shadow, ready to move to the objective

in the Woods on the left (and radiate -1 to morale in the middle). One of the tough Wight Hordes faced directly to the centre objective, while Sentry Wights took my right flank, facing archers (can't be shot at) and Victarion 2p. with Iron Victory Crew - I knew I would not overcome them, but the palisade in front cold help me to hold the flank for a while - if Vic and IVC (total 8 points) would stay on the objective, I'd be more then happy. The battle would be decided in the middle. Finally I deployed my commander with another Wight Horde on my left flank, plan was to march them forward and charge into the fray or recieve a charge.  

 Playing the tactics board was quite different... my Elements gave me 3 passes per round, but I needed  to make sure, there was still an open slot on the Board. Nella can't take Swords; but I had Assault Orders as a card... 

(This TB presents Dragonstone, see here how it was made) 

My Elements - probably the strongest thing in the Others army

- a 2 point activation

End of R1, my Wight Horde has reached the center objective first, with two menacing GJ units approaching. They were peppered with arrows from GJ Bowmen several times, but mostly whatever damage was done, was healed with a failed panic test, or with a token from Nella

Facing the enemy!

And soon the violence erupted: Ironmakers charge the flank of my unit holding the centre, Resilience made the losses acceptable, but UNFORTUNATELY I passed my panic test and didn't heal, I attacked back with Relentless and was fortunate to cause a failed panic test on Ironmakers, which allowed my Sentry Wights to move into a charge blocking position with Price of Fear card...

This was essential, as a charge from Blacktyde chosen might have finished my Wight Horde. Unfortunately this revelead the flank of Sentry Wights to IVC, whom had luckily already activated.

Loads and loads of attacks then followed on the Ironmakers: my commander charged them into the flank, playing Overwhelming assault for Sundering and Vicious, (I had rerolls anyway), my Coldshadow charged into their rear and I aso played two Reckless strikes for Precision... Ironmakers dropped to one wound, but survived on a successfull panic test needing 11+. One What is dead was also needed. Beron NCU providing Hardened and rerolls played a big role, as well as Supply aid from Moqorro and this really annoying card from Erik the Ironmaker

Ilmo is very good in transfering pillage tokens back and forth as needed - Ironmakers most often had

2 pillage tokens and I was weakened all the time and he also healed quite a few wounds from succesful panic tests - helped by Beron. Great synergy! 

Then I made a mistake: I was hellbent on killing the IM, so instead of free retreating and claiming the objective with my Coldshadow I attacked and ended up losing it to an tattack from IM, giving Ilmo 2VP, as it was his Commander's unit. This was extra bad, as it gave him a target withour Relentless, unlike my two other units engaged with the IM.

In the meanwhile IVC had finally charged my Sentry Wights and one shotted them (they had suffered 2 wounds earlier) and it started to look grim...

Deciding moves

Sentry Wights had still done their job by buying enough time...

On R4 my Commander's Wight Horde retreated with Horses towards the left flank objective, ending in the rear sector of Ironmakers, whom were still held in place with the other Wight Horde...

I then played Assault Order (using my first Element AND replacing it's own replace ability) and charged into the rear and finally (after like 7 attack actions) finished them of - scoring me a whooping 3 VP. Unforynately for Ilmo, Rodrik had not managed to find the other What is dead... They then Surged forth positioning themselves into the flank of Blacktyde Chosen - still unactivated!

This started the avalance of death and soon my Wight Hordes smashed both the Blacktyde Chosen and Iron Victory Crew in front of the terrified Greyjoy Bowmen... 

...whom smartly retreated to the right flank objective. My Commander had a 6+ charge opportunity to reach them and secure a wipe out, but it was not to be. 

Game ended 10-5 to the Others on R5

CONCLUSIONS

• List building
• Elements are a strong asset for the Others, easily giving you a 9 activation list. Their abilities are good, but as several cards benefit from them NOT claiming TZs, one should keep on passing with them until those cards are spent (some of them attach...)
• I would maybe limit the number of elements to max 3.
• Practically you only play with Two NCUs, due to them all costing 5p. and not wanting to claim with Elements. This compensates the activation advantage from Elements and forces you to potentially lose some tempo, as you have to pass with them.
• Units, these are good IMHO
• Wight Horde (slow move compensated by the White Walker NCU and Tac repo)
• Coldshadow
• Snowbear (did not play yet)
• These seem okish (even if they die very fast):
• Skirmish Wights
• Berserker Wights
• Prowler Wights
• These seem bad:
• Decayed wights - with a weaken token they will not cause any damage. Their order seems good. They will die in two attacks
• Cheap fodder to sit on an objective (even if the Coldshadow is better for the job)
• Giants - too expensive at 8p.
• Commanders:
• Ice Wight seems clearly better, as it has aggressive abilities and cards and as White Walker NCU is very good as a NCU
• Game play & deck
• The Deck isvery good, maybe a bit too good
• This faction gives out very few tokens from cards, a unti has Threaten and a unit has Warcry. This has an impact
• There are good synergies with cards and "unused" Elements
• Wight Horde is good... they can survive and hitback well
• We'll probably struggle against high armour enemies
• As was shown in this battle 

Overall: very well done Shane!