A Song of Ice and Fire TMG Greyjoy Interview

With House Gryjoy recently announced for A Song of Ice and Fire Tabletop Miniatures Game, we wanted to know more about how the nautical faction would operate on the tabletop. So we tracked down Fábio Cury, Lead Developer for ASOIAF TMG to find out.

This article forms part of our Nautical Tabletop Month that's running across all of November. We're going to look at different nautical wargames and board games, as well as interview developers about capturing the sea feel on the tabletop. We'll also look at nautical factions in popular wargames along with tabletop accessories that are available to keep your hobby ship-shape. You can see all the articles here on the hub. So come aboard as we set sail and celebrate all games nautical in nature.

You can buy all the Nautical Tabletop Month products from our tabletop sponsor, Firestorm Games.

TechRaptor: Welcome to TechRaptor and the Nautical Tabletop Season. Thank you very much for taking the time to talk to us. House Greyjoy has just been announced for A Song of Ice and Fire Tabletop Miniatures Game. For those who might not be familiar with House Greyjoy, what can they expect from them in ASoIaF TMG?

Fábio Cury: House Greyjoy and the Ironborn are pillagers and raiders to their core. We have embedded their theme around the Greyjoy house words “We do not sow”, where units may acquire Pillage Tokens by destroying enemy units’ ranks. These tokens will grant units special abilities and make them more effective on the battlefield.

Players can expect House Greyjoy to be a hard-hitting faction with overall poor defense and Morale. A savvy player will use their units aggressively to gain an early advantage through Pillage Tokens and force their opponent to fight an uphill battle.

TR: Greyjoys are known for their supremacy at naval warfare. How will this be represented in ASoIaF TMG?

FC: ASOIAF TMG is focused on battlefields and ground battles. To represent the Greyjoy’s ships and fast raiding expeditions we have added to the Greyjoy Starter Box 2 “Reaver Captain” Attachments which, when attached to a Unit, grant them the “Outflank” ability that allows them to deploy from any Flank table edge at any given Round. So opponents must always be weary of being out positioned by the Ironborn.

TR: How difficult was it to capture their nautical theme on the tabletop?

FC: Very difficult. The main challenge was capturing a nautical theme inside an existing system that is very much focused on ground battles. In the end, we had to lean harder into Greyjoy's raiders and pirates theme with looting and pillaging than on their seafaring aspect.

The raiding party has landed, the battle has begun. Some ships (or Units) might arrive later through the rivers that web the inlands of Westeros, represented by the “Reaver Captain” Attachment.

TR: What else can we expect from the Greyjoys?

FC: What is dead may never die! Although Greyjoy units are relatively fragile, they can play the long game through a secondary aspect of sustained combat: Healing.

Greyjoys have a wide array of healing abilities in their arsenal. These will be much needed by players, not only to mitigate their unit’s defensive capabilities, but also to help mitigate their Commanders’ general disregard for their unit’s safety.

TR: Can you give us any hints as to what might be included in the Greyjoy Starter Set?

FC: The Starter Set will include 2 units of Ironborn Reavers, the backbone of any Greyjoy army. It will also include a unit of House Harlaw Reapers, that play off the opponents Morale and Panic damage. The last combat unit in the box is the Ironborn Bowmen, a cheap ranged unit that facilitates other units to accrue Pillage Tokens. The two featured Commanders are the charismatic Asha and the ruthless Victarion, both having unique playstyles.

Taking a look at their Non Combat Units (NCUs), we have Aeron Greyjoy, the Damphair, and Rodrik Harlaw, the Reader.

We believe that this roster will give players a wide array of options from the get-go, but I strongly advise taking a look at Greyjoy Hero Box 1, which brings even more commanders and attachment options, resulting in nearly endless tactical possibilities for Greyjoy players.

TR: Which is your favorite ASoIaF faction and unit?

FC: Regardless of in-game mechanics, my favorite faction are the Baratheons because everyone knows that Stannis is the One True King. All others are pretenders and usurpers.

Currently my favorite unit is also a thematic choice and I have eagerly waited for their release: Dragons. Need I say anything else? Not only are the miniatures beautiful but they are also a hallmark of the ASOIAF universe.

TR: Thank you for taking the time to talk to us. We’re very much looking forward to getting the Greyjoys to the table.

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A Song of Ice and Fire TMG already has several available factions to get playing right away. If you're waiting for the Greyjoys though, keep an eye on CMON's news page for a release date.