In this update, we will explore the general strategies of the competitive core game, the different houses and their heroes, and the deluxe content of the Hand of the King.
In our next update, we will dive deeper into the cooperative expansion Tiny Epic Game of Thrones™ Ice & Fire and the houses that are included with it.
In competitive play, success hinges on effectively managing resources and exploiting your opponents. The ability to recognize moments of weakness in your adversaries and seizing the opportunity to gain an advantage is crucial for achieving victory.
The ultimate objective in competitive games is to accumulate the most Victory Points. These points can be earned through various means, requiring players to employ a combination of strategic thinking and diplomatic maneuvering in order to outwit their competitors and claim dominion over the Iron Throne. Let’s delve deeper into this concept.
To grow your Kingdom you can either take to the high seas and Sail or you can gather your armies and March.
Sailing can move your army great distances and all domains in the core game are reachable by sea. It’s important to note that when sailing you can only move as far as two map cards away from where you started the sail. With that in mind, it’s generally a good idea to station your strongest armies in central locations that can reach your opponent’s starting domains and King’s Landing. However, using a Sail action on both the action mat and your selected die means you can move an army to nearly any location in Westeros. This is a very powerful maneuver to stage a surprise attack on your opponents!
Marching, while more limited in distance than sailing, gives you the flexibility to pick up and drop off units (Power Tokens) while moving to a new domain. This is a great utility to either consolidate your army for a big attack or two split your army up to gain control of multiple domains in a single action.
When expanding your control of domains, it is important to focus on both Castle and Fiefs domains. Due to the limit of Power Tokens imposed in a single domain, expanding to control multiple domains, not only enables you to recruit more Power Tokens but also increases your opportunities to earn victory points. The more Power Tokens you have out on the board, the more victory points you can access via your House Mat’s bonuses.
Owning castle domains can enhance your defensive capabilities, a crucial aspect if you aspire to claim the Iron Throne. It’s also one of the most critical ways to score victory points. However, having too many castles can lead to excessive upkeep costs, potentially limiting your ability to allocate resources towards essential tasks such as recruitment and battle defense. You will need to find the right balance between how many castles you have and how much gold you need. This typically means that you want to control the most castles but only by exactly 1. Any more than that, while being a nice buffer, will not reward you extra points and will limit your gold.
Fiefs on the other hand offer a direct means of acquiring gold, provided there is available space on your track for gold acquisition. Additionally, fiefs enable players to earn victory points if they’ve recruited enough Power Tokens from their house mat. Unlike castles, fiefs lack inherent defensive strength, making them more challenging to retain. It’s generally a good idea to always control at least 1 or 2 Fiefs. If you’re recruited deep enough on your track, then controlling 3 Fiefs will score you victory points. Controlling more than 3 Fiefs is something you may want to do for the extra gold or for positioning armies to oppose your enemies but it may also prove fruitless, so keep that in mind.
Alliances play a crucial role in the Tiny Epic Game of Thrones™. By forming alliances, players can gain a variety of advantages, such as dice mitigation, area control, and victory points. Each of the great houses of Westeros possesses a unique ability to manipulate the dice. It is essential to carefully choose allies that align with your strategic goals. The more alliances you establish, the greater flexibility you will have in your actions, the more control you will have over different areas, and the more victory points you’ll score.
However, be prepared for fierce competition from other players seeking the same alliances. Losing an alliance means not only losing the army associated with it but also relinquishing control over the domains that alliance commands. If you happen to share a domain with an ally who switches sides, you will also lose control over those domains. It is crucial to strategize wisely and anticipate the moves of your opponents in order to secure and maintain beneficial alliances throughout the game.
Recruiting your own house units can become costly after the initial few. However, one of the major advantages of having an ally is the ability to recruit their units to fight for you at a fixed cost of one gold. This strategic move allows you to combine ally units with your own house units, ultimately expanding your army. With the support of ally units, you can increase the number of units in a domain from the standard three to a maximum of six.
Furthermore, for a cost of two gold, you can recruit the hero from your ally’s house. Upon gaining control of the hero, you will acquire their character card increasing your hand size. When selecting an ally house, it is crucial to consider which hero would best complement your overall strategy.
Maintaining an alliance over an extended period can prove challenging. To navigate through political rivalries, you must engage in Plots and utilize Events to outmaneuver your opponents. If it becomes apparent that you are going to lose an alliance, it may be worth sabotaging that alliance to disrupt the advantage that your opponent is about to gain.
During the game, numerous dynamic events unfold rapidly, making it essential to stay alert and adaptable. Selecting your die at the start of each round is crucial for strategizing your turn effectively. However, it is equally important to monitor your opponents’ choices and adjust your plans accordingly. Expect the unexpected though, as twists will occur, underscoring the need for flexibility and resource management.
To emerge victorious, leverage the unique strengths of your chosen house and forge alliances with others to enhance your strategy. Predict your rivals’ actions and seize opportunities to disrupt their plans strategically.
Now, let’s delve deeper into each house from the base game to explore how they can contribute to your success.
Jaime, the esteemed game hero of House Lannister, is a force to be reckoned with. The Event on his card grants you a March or Sail action to initiate a battle, and if the battle takes place in a castle domain or Kings Landing, you will receive a +1 combat strength bonus – a fitting tribute to his title as the King Slayer.
House Lannister possesses the unique ability to manipulate the die to trigger an Event. This feature allows for a variety of strategic options based on the Events in your hand. The strength of this manipulation can vary, sometimes providing a powerful advantage and other times a more modest one. If you find yourself lacking the desired Events in your hand, you can opt to place the Event die on the Whisper spot on the Action Mat. This action combination will grant you access to a fresh set of Events to consider and execute.
The combination of the Lannister house ability and Jaime’s Event ensures that you will always have an extra attack at your disposal, even after utilizing the March and Sail actions. With Jaime leading the charge, victory is within reach for House Lannister.
Eddard is the valiant hero of the core game for House Stark. Eddard’s Event allows players to gain 2 gold and then take a Recruit action. The beauty of this Event is that if you find yourself short on gold, you can acquire some to assist with Recruitment. It also be seen as a discount to help you afford your higher cost units.
House Stark’s die manipulation is Recruit. This ensures that you always have the option to bolster your forces even when your die choices are limited. This can prove invaluable when struggling to deploy units and expand your army or to bounce back after large attacks. Additionally, you can strategically assess your opponents’ gold levels. If a rival is running low on gold, they may opt not to follow your recruitment action, granting you an advantage as actions are scarce and they would be sacrificing one by not following your die action.
The synergy between House Stark’s unique ability and Eddard’s ability means that as House Stark, you possess a clear advantage in constructing and upholding a formidable army. The ultimate decision on how to utilize that army rests in your hands.
Hoster is the central figure in the core game for the Tullys, serving as their hero. Hoster’s Event is a key feature that can enhance your ally status by seizing a Power Token from a house with which you have not yet formed an alliance. This can prove to be advantageous in swiftly acquiring an ally token and establishing a strong alliance early on in the game. It is essential to have a minimum of two ally tokens to solidify an alliance, making it a wise strategy to obtain one through battle and another through an event during the initial round of play.
The Tullys possess the unique ability to convert a die into a March, granting them a strategic advantage. Situated in Riverrun, the heart of the map, this house has a plethora of options available right from the start of the game. This capability becomes particularly significant in the later stages of the game when initiating a battle to secure victory points becomes crucial, especially in tight situations. Additionally, this strategy can be employed at the beginning of the game to swiftly acquire additional domains.
Leverage the synergy between the Tully house ability and Hoster’s Event to launch into battle against a non-player, seizing a Power Token, and then obtaining a Power Token from that house through Hoster’s Event. As house Tully, forming alliances and engaging in battles are pivotal to achieving victory.
Oberyn’s Event is a perfect reflection of his character and can be incredibly effective in specific situations. This unique ability allows you to move a hero you control to ANY domain and initiate a battle, which surpasses the limitations of a normal March or Sail action. However, you can only bring that one hero into battle, but it will have a strength of 4, equivalent to a full-powered army. This advantage allows you to leave your main army behind to maintain control of a domain while still being able to engage in a significant battle against an opponent.
House Martell distinguishes itself from other houses by not manipulating dice directly. Instead, house Martell has the ability to reroll both dice, providing a chance to access actions that may have been previously unavailable.
As house Martell, you will want to embrace chaos more than other the houses, lean into a flexible strategy. Then, utilize Oberyn’s powerful single-unit Event for strategic and decisive maneuvers across the map to secure your victory.
Olenna, representing House Tyrell, possesses the unique ability to Plot through her Event. By utilizing this ability, you can acquire two gold and then proceed to Plot. The gold obtained can be instrumental in Plotting for allies using a card from your hand. Furthermore, Olenna enables you to retrieve the chosen card and return it to your hand for future use, allowing for a versatile approach in utilizing cards! This dual functionality of a card is a remarkable feature, enabling you to employ it as a Plot with Olenna’s Event and then retrieve it for subsequent use for any of its three features.
In addition to her Plotting prowess, it is worth noting that Olenna also boasts the Retreat ability as the battle feature on her card. This ability proves advantageous in specific scenarios, as retreating from a battle results in neither you nor your opponent achieving victory points. This strategic maneuver can prevent your rival from gaining an advantage in the game. You can count on having this Retreat option every round if you choose not to use her Event.
House Tyrell possesses a unique and advantageous skill – the ability to manipulate a die into a Whisper. This skill can be incredibly beneficial in acquiring Plot Cards or passing on the Whisper action to another player with the intent to follow it later.
The ability of House Tyrell to manipulate a die to Whsiper complements Olenna’s Event skill nicely. Olenna’s ability requires the player to hold at least one other card to execute, making it more powerful with a better hand. It is recommended to Whisper before playing her Event to maximize its effectiveness. With Olenna’s flexibility, players can easily secure alliances and avoid battles they are unlikely to win. By protecting alliances and leveraging their support, you can increase your chances of claiming the Iron Throne.
Robert, Baratheon’s core game hero’s Event is a valuable resource that can help you finish a round or strengthen your position. If you have four or more castles, you can maximize your gold track, providing you with the necessary resources to defend your domains or recruit units under your control.
Robert possesses the Conscript Special Power, which can be highly effective in gaining an advantage in combat when combined with allies or multiple units on the board, though it does take some planning to execute. This unexpected move can catch your opponent off guard.
The Baratheons offer the ability to manipulate the die to a Plot, allowing you to strategically align strong Plot cards with available allies. This maneuver can be timely and powerful, offering an alternative to brute force combat tactics.
While combat is a direct approach to achieving your goals, Plotting provides a more subtle way to accomplish your objectives without battle or sacrificing high combat strength cards through an event.
With Robert’s high gold gaining ability, and the Plot action at your finger tips, house Baratheon can take many paths to the Iron Throne.
The Greyjoys have Euron as their hero in the core game. Euron possesses the ability to move an army led by a hero to ANY domain, providing players with strategic advantages by allowing them to reach otherwise inaccessible locations. Unlike other heroes, this special movement Event does not require that it results in battle. However, if it does, Euron steals a gold from his opponent prior to the battle starting, further enhancing your resources while potentially disrupting the card your opponent can play in defense.
Euron’s Special Combat Power is particularly noteworthy, as it allows players to draw from the top of the deck. While this may not initially appear as powerful as other characters with a strength of three, this ability can prove to be highly detrimental to opponents. Drawing from a freshly milled deck increases the likelihood of obtaining a card with a strength of three, four, or five, providing players with the opportunity to acquire powerful cards at a low cost.
House Greyjoy offers players the ability to set a die to Sail, reflecting the thematic nature of the Ironborn and granting the Greyjoys the capability to traverse great distances. This feature can be especially advantageous during scoring rounds, as it allows players to overcome obstacles created by rivals who may attempt to impede movement through dice manipulation and actions.
Between the house ability and Euron’s Event, you can expect house Greyjoy to have the ability to move around the map when it is most critical. While house Greyjoy may lack dependable strength and attack bonuses, they make up for it by being able to siphon rival’s gold and the chance to luck into heavy hitting cards.
House Arryn is a prominent feature in every game, serving as an NPC house without any heroes. By forming an alliance with House Arryn, players gain the valuable ability to manipulate a die face to any desired side at the cost of one gold. This unique power offers the most desired die mitigation in the game. Making house Arryn a highly sought after and strategic ally.
Positioned strongly on the board with the Eyrie, house Arryn’s alliance provides you with a strong board presence. Expect players familiar with the game to fight strongly for the Arryn alliance.
Here was only a brief summary of each house and hero, highlighting their unique strengths and weaknesses. It is important to note that victory in the game will not be achieved in a single round; strategic planning and foresight are essential to outsmarting your opponents.
The deluxe content offers exciting additions to enhance your gaming experience. Included in this upgrade is a new playable character, Tyrion Lannister, as well as upgrading the wooden Iron Throne token to a beautifully sculpted into a miniature.
In Tiny Epic Game of Thrones™, Tyrion Lannister, like all heroes, can be played in all game modes. When playing as house Lannister, you have the option to lead the house with either Jaime or Tyrion.
Tyrion’s special ability allows you to March or Sail to initiate a battle, similar to his brother Jaime. However, unlike Jaime, Tyrion does not provide extra strength in battle. Instead, if you emerge victorious from a battle triggered by Tyrion’s Event, you will receive a reward of three gold.
Overall, Tyrion serves as a compelling alternative to Jaime for players who prefer a more flexible strategy that emphasizes the use of gold over sheer strength.
The battle feature on his card accurately reflects his character, as it adds an element of unpredictability to the game. Drawing a card from the top of the deck can be a risky move, but it also offers the advantage of a lower cost when used for defense.
Included in the deluxe content is a beautifully sculpted miniature of the Iron Throne, which will replace the wooden version from the base game. When you control Kings Landing, you can place the throne next to your mat. We are thrilled to offer this additional content as part of our deluxe add-on, and we believe it is a fantastic addition to the game!
If you are interested in seeing the concepts we discussed in this update come to life, I highly recommend watching a playthrough. Observing how the action selection process unfolds, as well as witnessing the development of Plots and Events, will reveal the depth of this game despite its small size.
In this game, it is crucial to catch your opponents off guard, forcing them to adjust their strategies. However, as you will soon discover, you must also be prepared to think on your feet when your rivals unexpectedly change the course of the game. With multiple paths to victory, it is impossible to cover all your bases. You will need to strategize, plan, and engage in battles to accumulate the necessary victory points to emerge triumphant.
“When you play the Game of Thrones, you win or you die.”
– Cersei Lannister
Thank you for taking time to dive into this content with us! We will be back soon with another update exploring the content from the Ice & Fire Expansion as well as the Extra Heroes Pack.
The Campaign is Live on Kickstarter! Check out more info with the link below
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/coe/tiny-epic-game-of-thrones/description
