War is brewing. The banners have been called and the warhorns are sounding. Are you ready to join the fight?

Days of Ice and Fire is quickly approaching. Among the activities planned for the weekend are several exciting events for Battles of Westeros. While many players already have several skirmishes under their belt, some have yet to delve into this newest addition to FFG’s A Song of Ice and Fire themed games.

This article is a brief overview for players who have yet to experience Battles of Westeros. What follows are a few major aspects of the game that will give you an idea of what it’s like leading your great House into war. For more in-depth information on Battles of Westeros, be sure to visit the product website.

(Unit cards vs. Commander cards)

First, let’s take a look at the cards for your troops. These cards come in two types: Commander cards and unit cards. While unit cards represent the bulk of your troops and their unit types, the Commander cards feature iconic characters from the A Song of Ice and Fire novels who will lead your troops during the fight. Unit cards contain all the information for your troops including their name, figure type, traits, special rules, and their appropriate stats (as determined by their unit ranks - green, blue, or red). More information on unit types can be found in The Right Tool for the Job article.

Commander cards have different stats, such as the Commander’s command limit, capture rating, and commit ability. While these cards have different functions, they interact with each other throughout the game, so learning the difference between the two is vital. Check out this article to learn more about Commanders.

So you know the stats for your troops, but how do you order them around the battlefield? This can be done two different ways: by using Order tokens or Leadership cards. Order tokens are generated each turn based on a dice roll, giving players a random pool of options. Green order tokens can order green ranked units, blue can order blue units, etc., giving players a variety of choices. Leadership cards work similarly to Order tokens, however they are more effective (allowing you to order multiple units with a single card). The drawback to these cards are that they can only be used on troops that are within a Commander’s Zone of Command, and they also cost Command tokens (which are limited each turn). The Control the Field article can tell you more on how to order your troops in battle.

Combat resolution in Battles of Westeros is quick and easy. Players calculate their attack strength and roll a pool of custom dice. Any die results that match the target’s banner color (unit rank) count as hits. Of course, there are several modifiers that usually go into each attack, but the core mechanic for resolving attacks is straightforward. These custom dice are also used to generate Order tokens at the start of each turn. This Art of War will give you more details on combat resolution.

One last important element in Battles of Westeros is morale. The Morale Track governs an army’s willingness to fight. During the game, a number of factors can affect morale, and if your House’s morale drops to a Rout space, you immediately lose the game. For example, your enemy will gain morale when they defeat your units, and vice versa. The higher rank of unit defeated, the more morale points awarded.

If you want to read more, check out the Battles of Westeros website and download the rules and read our collection of previews for the game. See you this weekend!