ASOIAF Miniatures/Tactics/Night Watch

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Why Play Night Watch

"I know nothing"

You are the wall, you will hold the line.

Night Watch are a versatile and tough faction. You are the faction most likely to use combined arms, using both ranged, mobile, tough and hard hitting units in conjunction with each other.

In general they are a tougher faction, due to your elite status.

Pros

• Elite army
• Unique war machines
• Good Attachment
• Vow which gives you buffs over the course of the game
• Good card draw, and wide range of applications
• Above average morale and morale abilities
• Healing

Cons

• Either cheap units or expensive units
• You don't really like neutrals
• Hard to make certain things work in a list
• Tactics card cover a big range of things, and you might get lost
• Some tactics card requires your enemy to do certain actions

Playstyle

Night Watch are another attrition faction. You want to win small fights after each other and then move to the bigger game.

Your vow mechanic gives you another level of tactical play. Calculate yourself if you need a certain spot.

You will fight on multiple lines, push through in 1 fight, to then round up the rest. You also excel on making use of combined arms.

Unit and Attachement Analysis

3 themes. You have builders, rangers and the wall troops.

Wall troops are your Veterans, Sworn bros and conscripts. They mostly hold the line and use standard things to win. Good morale and offense (except conscripts) help you hold the line. Attachments help you hold the line even better.

Rangers are mobile and fast. You have versatility due to your ranged attack. You are fragile, so make use of the retreat action via the horse zone. These are skirmishers rather than line troops so are meant to abuse their maneuverability to pick their engagements.

Builders are your defensive support group. You have builders crossbowmen, which are arguably the best ranged units in the game. The other side of the builders are your semi-static War machines. In summary you are slow, but far hitting, and have sundering on all.

Units

Commander

• Jon Snow: He is a strong and solid choice for a commander, and probably the first you'll pick up to play with. Jonny boy will add a bit of sustainability to your units, gifting you with an order to restore wounds upon passed the morale test (Not to mention the addition of one particularly fluffy boi). His ability fits the easiest in Veterans but Sworn brothers won't say no to more sustain. To the other choices, I would say no to, as he both want to be close to trigger it shall not and make use of ghost, and because of his melee focus. Jon will provide you with some strong tactics cards; playing well with the elite nature of the Watch, allowing you to keep units that should be dead still in the game with "it shall not end until my death". My particular favorite "Stand united brothers!" stacks well with Jon's order to give black brothers a healing factor, when a unit passes a morale check within Long range they can gain D3 + 1 (average of 3 wounds), and if that's Jonny boy's unit they auto-gain 3 wounds which stacked with his order and perhaps Ameon this can make them unstoppable revenants. Finally, Jon's last card is the most adaptable use; "For the Watch!" allows you to pick one of the following abilities (two if this unit has got the main man himself) to have for the rest of the turn: +2 movement, +1 to hit in melee, and last and certainly not least restore 2 wounds and remove one token (Catelyn crying she lost part of her ability). Overall, he's as I said, a strong commander that certainly won't let you down (or lose models) and truly embodies the spirit of the Night's Watch's niche of doing a lot with only a few units (because as you all know, size doesn't matter).

• Jeor Mormont:

• Alliser Thorne: My favorite commander. He himself has 2 actually useful abilities, one is an attack buff, which always works, the other is insurance. He has two situational cards, and 1 always useful and quite strong. "Pathetic Attempt" is nice in a mission where you have to have more rank to contest, a failure to finish a rank can immediately cost the enemy 1 rank at a minimum. But don't save it, sometimes not losing rank can be quite hard, especially if you are only on 1 rank in a rank. "Seeing their flaw", you really don't need to keep from round to round. The secondary effect, I wouldn't use unless you are playing the secret obj cards. "Ruthless Approach" is powerful, and this card will determine your NCU turn. Letters are always useful, Horses can cripple their plans, Money can set up 1HKO, Swords can hurt certain units (all solos), and lastly, crown is meh. Three attractive unit choice to ferry him around. Veterans are prime candidates for Pathetic attempts, especially if you use Donal. Ranger Hunters, in theory, won't be able to use Pathetic attempt well, but due to the nature of their attack, your second archery shot usually benefits from prey on the weak. A good choice and they make better use of his morale ability. My favorite unit is the crossbows though. Usually, they have horrible morale, Alliser fixes that easily. His prey on the weak, he can usually work, by shooting an already fighting unit in their flank. If you use the crossbow aggressive (using horse or march to use forward, then use attack zone or their activation to shoot) you can even use your benefit from their stand and fire: 7 sundering attacks on 3+, followed by another 7 sundering attacks on 2+, should easily cripple an attacker. Last advice, morale pass is an order, don't rely on it to save you against 2 cutthroats

• Donal Noye:

• Othell Warwick: The most aggressive choice. You gain three tactics, and around these cards, you should build your game. Add to that fact, that he is an NCU Commander and you are in great shape. Your game is built around dealing the maximum dmg every turn, your cards are flexible attack cards any of the three would be useful to use, but mind that you have an abundance of sundering and sworn brothers have critical blow inbuilt, which can make Precision Enhancement feel wasted, but pseudo precision works great with the critical blow, so Grenn finds a use. Mind that all of his cards also work for ranged, Warmachine though I would discourage. He works well with Veterans, Crossbows, and Hunters, sworn brothers are not that useful for him. If you attack ensure the enemy has no weakened token, if you can choose the engagement, don't attack more than you have his cards on hand. I recommend NCU Bowen, Qhorin, and him.

Units

• Conscripts (4pt): Remember I said this is the elite faction? Well, this kinda destroys my point. Conscripts are good, actually, I would say they are great for their price. While your morale suck, your reinforcement negates the crown spot easily. Due to their healing, you can survive longer than expected, just keep them away from the High damage unit. They can hold 5 point units in place basically forever. You might want to go for more than 1 Conscript, but if you have 2 you won't really have enough points for attachment, which I usually enjoy using in Night Watch. Attachment-wise wise nothing seems worthwhile except Othell in a certain list. If you know the enemy will field pillow fisted unit, Qhorin might be interested, but that increases the cost by 50%

• Ranger Trackers (6pt): First to admit, I suck with this unit. Don't get me wrong, on paper they are really cool. Giving out vulnerable token every turn is basically Jorah's entire life, but they can do it anytime and within long range. If they shoot, they are honestly not too shabby, when targeting flanks they can do serious damage. As cavalry you should always be able to run past the enemy, I recommend not taking a shot or even getting to short range until you are behind the enemy. Your melee is worst then your shooting, and close range is like the name implies, really close. The thing I do wrong is, to commit to shooting to early and that really exposes you. Try targeting already activated units, who aren't a threat to your guys.

• Builder Crossbowmen (7pt): The best ranged unit in the game in my opinion. Sundering and their order is a great deterrant. Most players won't even try to attack you, which is both a curse and a blessing. If you do get charged, remember to shift further away. You might be inclined to put some attachment into it, but make sure you got their use down, if you don't know how to set up firing lanes, all the more damage won't help you. For attachment you want to fix their morale and increase their dmg output. A 7 morale means people will morale bomb them (luckily with the change you need two to actually feel it), and if that happens twice you are already in danger. They play well with Alliser (commander in the unit- He also fixes your horrible morale), and Othell Commanders, for attachment Brienne (use her if you can deploy this unit after the enemy is done and especially if facing high panic armies) and Bronn. Pypar might be a good idea, but he just means no one will ever attack them.

• Builder Scorpion Crew (7pt):

• Sworn Brothers (7pt): This is your bread and butter right here; with morale on par with Starks, hitting on 3+ they are pretty high standard infantry. On top of this, they gain exploding sixes (Critical Blow) and can slap your enemy hard with -1 to defense rolls (Sundering). Their cost can be an issue, at whole two points above standard infantry of Starks or Lannisters (suck it up that's elite armies for yah) so oftentimes don't be surprised if you're surrounded. To round out this surprisingly effective death squad, running Allister Thorne would give you -2 to enemy panic tests (Vicious) for only 2 points. Other than that these guys are standard in movement meaning you aren't gonna be running any marathons here. Over all, an effective elite unit for troops, and play them right, these guys wont let you down.

• Ranger Hunters (8pt): Fun to use, and your best alpha strike unit. You want to attack with these units then retreat sideways, so he'll have to either face you and turn his back towards the rest of their army, or risk you shooting into his flank (remember to shift even more towards his side). Don't forget that you can just retreat normally, with 7 + d6 you can probably get out of range They are also not bad at dealing damage, so the enemy really has to choose to leave an opening somewhere. If you are stuck in battle, you are probably dead. If you survive 1 attack you can still run away easily, find the balance of using a quick attack and just running away. My recommendation is to retreat away as far as you can, if you have access to a free movement. Play Qhorin on this unit if you field them, as +1 move and more damage only help them more. This unit can function well without attachment but if you decide to add them, I recommend Watch Captain, to give you more movement, and ensure more dice via Sword in the darkness, Stormcrow Leur for pure better damage, Bronn due to more damage increase and even more speed., and if you are feeling really lucky Brienne. But Brienne is kinda hard to pull off if you can't control deployment. Pypar is fun but kinda unneeded, 9 inches charge might only help a bit. Good combo, it isn't so obvious: Watcher on the Wall. Use Watch on the Wall to trigger quickfire on an already activated unit - charge into the unit - stay in combat. Beginning of the next turn, use watch captain to trigger the effect - retreat sideways - charge again - now retreat, without fear behind the side you start away. Fun if you can turn a unit all around. The biggest problem is to find the space for this. Lastly, you can get them to speed 9 without much effort, via Qhorin, Watcher on the wall, and Bronn.

• Veterans Of the Watch (8pt):

• Builder Stone Thrower (10pt):

Non-Combat Units

• Craster (4pt): When he claims the Swords, Bags or Horses they have an enchanced effect, cheap and effective, if you don't know what to bring, Craster is a good jack of all trades.

• Maester Aemond (4pt): The coolest Targ. Healing's his thing, he'll prolly run you on averae about 9-10 wounds healed across the game all by himself, simple stuff really, if you're expecting to get tharshed he'll save your units bacon and do whatever the zone he claimed does too.

• Bowen Marsh (4pt): A free scry and draw with any claim. Field him if you dislike the letter spot, else it is a bit of an overkill. Since you have one of the easiest to use decks of all of them and get to choose which or the two cards yo keep, he's another solid no brainer pick when you don't have a plan.

• Qhorin Halfhand (6pt): One of my favorite NCU. He is of the only troops you have which can increase damage. Another 1 movement is not too shabby especially with Hunters and everyone who have an attached Watcher on the Wall. His other ability is quite strong but you will fuck yourself over with it. Best, to wait for turn 4-5, so you won't gimp yourself. Watch out for Olenna.

• Jeor Mormont (4pt): Pretty restrictive, he replaces whatever zone he takes with his own effect, which means you don't get the usual benefit of a Zone-and NCU. What he does is either switch a vow from one unit to another or search your deck or discard pile for an attachable card and attach it, without the immediate effect mind you. He's a tough call, he'll kick you vow mechanic into high gear getting you the vows you need on whatever needs it, but he doen't do anything besides that.

• Donnel Noye (5pt): A nice piece of kit not gonna lie, twice per game he lets you either attack with rerolls and denying weakened tokens or defend with +1 to rolls and denying vulnerable tokens, he follows the same theme of up for whatever comes that other NCUs have, I rarely use him as an NCU since I really like his commander version better.

• Othell Yarwick (5pt): When he claims, he can opt out of the usual effect to instead throw 3 (+remaining ranks) dice at 3+ with either Vicious, Sundering or assigning a Weakened token to the defender depending on whether he claimed the Crowns, Bags or Swords respectively. He's one of the very very rare reliable sources of weakened tokens (the rarest in the current version of the game), and lets you kill shit faster, 10/10 I can't live without this old bastard manning my war-machines.

• Samwell Tarly (5pt): Honestly, I love his design, he does the Increased hand size trick which is always good, but he brings along Gilly, you se Gilly is and NCU that can only be activated once, which means you get your regular NCU stuff and once per game you get to use Gilly to absolutely shaft your enemy for thinking that more NCUs was a bad thing.

Attachments

• Othell Yarwyck (1pt): Probably required if you play Stone Thrower, and if you play Scorpion this attachment pushes your damage output above Crossbows. As I will write below; a war machine list, wants him. So you stick him in a cheap unit. Two schools of thoughts exist, either you go put him in a conscript unit, or throw into stormcrows mercenaries, both are 5 points. Unless you play against high volume of attacks and no weirdwood trees, I would say conscripts are better. But it is your choice.

• Qhorin Halfhand (2pts): Way better as and NCU, To the last lets you save your bacon when you lose his unit, go down fighting isn't something you want to pair with it though, he's insurance rather than an investment, make of that what you will.

• Grenn (1pts): Taunt for a point, nits like Veterans do want to be in the thick of it and to take the heat for other units, taunting a uni of raiders into charging them would be horrible for that cheese mongering Free-Folk player wouldn't it?

• Pypar (1pts): Can go into Grenn's unit or on his own, gives Swift retreat, stacking defensive and control utility on the same unit is good, they let you take agency away from your opponent and get out before he wheels in the real hammer.

• Alliser Thorne (1pts): Iron Resolve and Stuborn Tenacity, morale insulation and a bit of bite to compliment it, he'll do great on you Brothers or Vets.

• Jon Snow (2pts): Autocharge and shout Vulnerable and Panicked at the enemy? this is the good stuff my brother, your unnits are top-rate badasses and all they want is to get into combat from half a mile away with someone who you previously in the same turn scared shitless of you, so yeah, take him, he won't dissapoint.

• Benjen Stark (1pt):Sentinel and Ambush, he really feels like a stark doesn't he? he lets you get free charges and imporves them since the enemy will be front facing your unit already, he's even cheap so no excuse not to put him somewhere in your lists.

• Coldhands (Infantry) (1pt): Outflank and Pathfinder, Rangers like him, but so do Crossbows or Sworn brothers, lets you play the tricksy game.

• Coldhands (Cavalry) (1pt): Sentinel and Intimidating Presence, you cavalry is quick so they'll have a real easy time getting into a position to abuse Sentinel, Intimidating Presence to up you damage output won't hurt either.

• Samwell Tarly (2pt): He does his Hand size increase while on the field too! and lets you discard 2 from your hand to seach your deck for whatever you want, he's good but you need to have a plan to make full use of him.

• Watch Recruiter (1pts): Order: Incite keeps you fighting at peak efficiency and adds vicious, while reinforcements gives you up to 2 wounds per round to keep your exxpensive units topped off easier, no reason to not put him into conscripts to have a unit dedicated to sustaining your battleline.

• Watch Captain (3pts): Absurdly powrful, Relentless lets you get in another (if limited) activation in your turn so he increases the number of things to do each round for a measly 3 pts, find a spot for him, a unit of Sworn Brothers with this guy is an absolutely solid that won't dissapoint you ever.

• Watch Marhsal (Cavalry) (1pt): Your fragile Ranger cavalry can escape so as to not get bogged down and lets you play around with tokens, both your own and you enemy's, a nice piece of kit.

• Senior Builder (1pt): Better armour saves when holding the bags and once per game place a Stake terrain piece in front of you, he goes swimingly in Crossbows when you want them holding a position.

• Hardened Ranger (1pt): Furious Charge and Elusive escape, por a meager point you get better charges and better retreats, whats not to love?

Building your Army

Night Watch list usually field 2 * 7+ units. Having lots of activation is rarer.

Usually, your list depends on your commander and objective. Within the Night Watch this is only true for a certain extend, some of the commander can be slotted into most list. I would say your list is determent by which 2 units are your 7+ units

In general you will have 7 activation in your army. Your best units all cost 7+ points, and you usually field more attachement then usual list. I like 2 NCU, you have good abilities, need to claim a lot of spots and these are cheap.

Your commanders are determined by which unit you want to field, pay attention to it

Sample List: These are made to get into the game early.

Literally just the starter box

Tactics Deck

Night Watch have a unique feature with their vow ability. In many cases the vow ability have a better ability then the original.

The Night Watch deck covers a wide range of features, most everything really. Most of your cards have some real easy conditions, get attacked, attack, take a morale test, kill something, something yours dies, so you'll rarely have your full hand for a turn.

In use of your vows, put them on correctly, do keep in mind the long term benefit.

Lastly as your vow are open information, keep a straight face, don't read you cards to obviously and don't telegraph you plan

• Take the Black: After destroying an enemy restore 4 wounds to a single unit in short range and nick watever attachement it had (regardless of ususal Attachement restrictions), lets you keep your momentum by ehaling your units and getting more effects on them.

• The Sword in the Darkness: Quick and dirty, deals out a panicked and vulnerable token if you're attacking someone who hasn't activated. Gives the unit +1 attack die when you attach it. Offensive, simple, lets you press the advantage while doing what you SHOULD be doing.

• And Now his Watch has ended: Attach to unit A at the start of a turn, when you lose unit B you get to move a card it had attached to unit A and unit A makes an atatck, maneuver or march action, lets you recycle and get some value out of your expensive units getting geeked.

• The Watcher on the Wall: The one for your rangers and builders, after one of your units gets attacked, someone else gets to pivot, shift and attach to get +1 mobility and charge rerolls, lets you reposition and get the mobility to take the best engagements.

• The Fire that burns against the Cold: Re-roll a morale test and attach to suffer wounds to remove tokens that you get. your units are expensive and while regeneration is one of your strong suits you should still use this sparingly, mostly when you KNOW you need that token off to accomplish whatever immediate goal you need.

• The Light that Brings the Dawn: Play before rolling attack dice, re-roll any misses, and attach to attack with your highest attack die value if the enemy has more ranks. Keeps you operating at peak efficiency and gives you a little offensive boost this one's prolly a no brainer 90% of the time.

• The Shield of the Realms of Men: Defensive, re-roll defense dice after rolling, attach to auto-block 1 hit each time you get attacked, always good for your frontline units, sworn brothers and vets are probably the best targets since they are already tough and will take lots of heat so they'll make the most use, you rangers and builders aren't really well armored so even with an aouto-block they won't last that much longer.

List Discussion

Warmachine Heavy

Might do later