ASOIAF: Nordic GT - Winter War!

King in the North!

 This year it was our turn to organise the Nordic GT for ASOIAF here in Helsinki.

See previous GT results here

Picture credits besides me go to Antti Vaaranen, Oskari Anttonen, Andras Libal and others. Thank you!

The Project

We started planning the GT during early fall of 2025 with Seppo (Geelot), current Nordic GT Champion and Pasi (Ithmarog)

There was lot to do, even if ticket sales, venue, tables would be organized by the main event Winter War 2026

Key tasks included:

• Marketing the event - original goal was to have 40 players, including 10 players from abroad
• Securing prize support - thank you so much Hits & Crits, Fantasiapelit and Wargamer
• Producing a tournament package and ansvering rules questions
• Designing and ordering special merch for the event
• Securing enough playmats and other stuff needed

First donation of prize support arriverd from Hits & Crits

So we got most of it done and quite well too. Unfortunately we fell short on the goal of 40 players, this was due to several reasons, including other games in the event taking potential players, not getting players from other Nordic countries, besides Finland and Sweden and also some people having lost some of their interest in Song due to no updates since 03/2025

Custom dice ordered from the https://worldofdice.de/en Design by Johannes aka Forestpond.

The Event

Talvisota aka Winter War is the largest wargaming event in Finland with 9 different miniature wargames being played by some 400 players and 100 more playing MTG.

Our international guest

Team Sweden: Alexander, Eric, Edward and Tommy (below)

Andras, our Hungarian friend from Romania - facing Eric 

Briefing for the players

One specialty, that tried out in the previous Finnish Nationals was implemented again:

"For the first round, players will be split into two groups according to their asoiaf-stats rating. Ratings will be recorded at an undisclosed date. For best early round experience, higher rated players will be paired against each other, and same for lower rated players."

My Games

Round 1 Honed and Ready

On R1 I faced a club mate Martin (Aurinkokuningas), whom we've had several practice games with - and I had won most of them. This time it went the other way. His Howland list is well tuned against Martells - Eddard HotH playing a big role. I had good start and a critical error in one swing: I had caused a good amount of damage on Stark Bowmen and then charged them over stakes with Darkstar Retinue, certain to finish them off, heal with FBS and overrun to Howland's flank, which would probably have been a game winning move... I did finnish the Bowmen, getting the first kill, __BUT__ I had forgotten to use Arianne / Jaqen to blank orders from the Golden Company Crossbowmen and they used Sentinel to dance out of my LOS. That left The Retinue stranded on the stakes and they were decimated by enemy fire.

Round 2. Clash of Kings

I was surprised to face one of our top players Antti (Rivarama) afer having lost the first game.

This game was so fast - we called it at R3, that I didn't get any pictures!

What basically happened was, that Khal and his Bloodriders charge early in with Assault orders, but failed to kill Darkstar retinue, which then started to heal up from Dauntless as I was shootig at the Bloodriders, whom eventually succumbed to the storm of arrows and strikers from the Retinue. Soon I got another kill and game was decided. 

Round 3. Here we Stand

Ok, one loss and one crushing victory, I could now face anyone next... and "lucky" me now it was Seppo (Geelot) against me in a Martell mirror. Seppo being the former GT Champion and currently in the Song Top 10 globallu I was up for a steep uphill challenge. To be honest, I don't remember much of the game... I remember a having a passing feeling / thought, that I could maybe win this game, but it certainly evaporated fast. Nothing much to tell about the rest of the game, except, that I wasn't wiped out!

Sunday

Round 4. Dance with Dragons

Faced another club mate Jukka aka Tormund, who's Wildling armies I have faced several times.

Tormund had a good game plan and snatched two objectives with the Boar and Varamyr and then retreating with them. I have chosen my list well and was able to first decimate his Thenns, with one objective, with Skyreach Bowmen and then take out the boar with Oberyn. Soon most of Varamyr's army was destroyed and the Master Skinchanger was trying to escape towards a far corner... My Skirmishers went after this big game and the rest is history. Wipe out victory for me with whopping 41 kill points!

Round 5. Game of Thrones

So my crushing victory pushed me up in the charts and the final nail in my GT-coffin was to face Jaska (Corpmake), another club mate and another world top 10 Song player.

Faced another Howland Reed list, this timw with Bastard's Girls, whom Jaska used very well - I found myself in a situation, where I could see, that he had Bog Devil Ambush in his hand

...and Bastard Girls with Jojen ready to shoot and charge. Scary! 

This game wasn't that straightforward overrun, so I was happy with my performance, Jaska's performance was just better then mine.

Again no pictures, Martin and Jaska solving out who's the number one Howland Reed here.

Conclusion of my games

Was I happy with my result - no. I should have won my first game and whom I would have faced would have been quite different. Now I faced several top rated players, whoim I can only dream to win once on a blue moon. The one thing that bothered me for real, was that all my games were against very familiar opponents (nice guys all of them, don't get me wrong) from our club. I would have preferred to face players from abroad and from other parts of Finland, but it was not meant to be this time. Good reason to travel back to Sweden to the next Swedish Nationals in the end of October.

And of course, I had a great time!

Games & players

Martin & Jaska

Esa & Henri

Johannes & Pasi

Seppo & probably J-P

Mikko & Killian

Ile & Ismo

Henri & Topi

Eric facing Andras & Jaska (below)

Ilmo & Johannes

After games

20+ of us gathered for a dinner and some drinks in the legendary Salve-restaurant.

Armies

Most of the armies in the tournament were painted - which was great and a delight to the eye! Enjoy them here on a parade!

Ismo's Rh'llor army, that won the Coolest Army prize

Erre's Boltons

My Baratheons played by Johannes

Seppo's Martells

Kustaa's Lannisters

Pasi's Lannisters

Ile's Boltons

Joel's Greyjoys

Ilmo's Greyjoys

Andras' Lannisters

Henri's Targaryens

My Martells - see them all here

Atte's Lannisters

Topi's Lannisters

More pictures by Oskari here

Ceremonies

Trophies printed by Esa and painted by me.

Prize support by Hits & Crits

Prize support by Wargamer

First seven Best in Faction players from left to right:

Antti - Targaryen

Tormund - Free Folk

Lauri - Night's Watch

Ismo - Baratheon

Ilmo - Greyjoy

Ile - Bolton

Jaska - Starks

Ismo went home with two trophies: Best Spormanship AND Coolest Army

Glimpse of Ismo's army, that won the Coolest Army prize.

Actually they look quite hot to me!

Henry had a rough going this time and got a condolances prize.

Best Underdog was Alexander, he started in the lower Elo category and finished 2nd highest of them, ending on the sixth place. He got the well deserved reward as the other lower category player won the whole bloody tournament!

Last year Champion Seppo got the 2nd place and Best Martell

And this years Nordic GT Champion is KUSTAA!!! (aka Gusu), who's Elo ranking really sky rocketed in this event:

Of course also: Best Lannister

Congrats for the winners and thanks for all whom joined in!