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WOODLAND ALLIANCE

Guerrilla Warfare Strategy Guide

Faction Overview

The Woodland Alliance represents the oppressed creatures rising up against their overlords. As a guerrilla faction, you start weak but grow powerful through spreading sympathy and launching devastating revolts. Master the art of patience and timing to overwhelm your enemies when they least expect it.

Guerrilla Warfare

The Alliance plays unlike any other faction. You don't control territory directly - instead, you spread sympathy tokens and use supporter cards to fuel your revolution. Your strength comes from being underestimated until you explode into action.

Understanding Sympathy

Sympathy tokens are your primary tool. They provide income, revolt potential, and protection from enemy actions. The more sympathy you have, the stronger your engine becomes.

Sympathy Track Benefits

0
No Benefits
1
+1 Card per Turn
2
+1 Card +1 Action
3
+2 Cards +1 Action
4+
+2 Cards +2 Actions
Revolt vs Outrage - Critical Distinction

Revolt (Birdsong Action): You may revolt any number of times:

  • Choose Clearing: A sympathetic clearing matching an unbuilt base
  • Spend Supporters: Spend two supporters matching the clearing's suit
  • Resolve Effect: Remove all enemy pieces, place the matching base, place warriors equal to sympathetic clearings of that suit, place one warrior in Officers box

Outrage (Enemy Triggered): When another player removes sympathy token or moves warriors into sympathetic clearing, they must add one matching card to your Supporters stack (or you draw if they can't).

Remember: Score one victory point per token and building removed during revolts!

Base Token Strategy

Bases are your strongholds - they recruit warriors, provide actions, and anchor your revolution. Each base type offers different benefits for your guerrilla campaign.

Fox Base

Benefit: Recruit warriors, Spread sympathy

Best For: Early establishment and expansion

Priority: High - provides action economy

Rabbit Base

Benefit: Train officers, Military operations

Best For: Mid-game power spike

Priority: Medium - enhances combat effectiveness

Mouse Base

Benefit: Organize, Score points

Best For: Late game victory push

Priority: Low early, High late game

Officer Abilities

Officers provide ongoing benefits and powerful one-time effects. Choose officers that support your current strategy and board position.

Commander

Effect: Move and battle with same action

Use: Aggressive plays and multi-clearing attacks

Best With: Large warrior armies

Diplomat

Effect: Place sympathy without matching supporters

Use: Rapid sympathy expansion

Best With: Low supporter card count

Organizer

Effect: Extra organize actions

Use: Converting cards to supporters efficiently

Best With: High card draw

Sapper

Effect: Ignore building benefits in battle

Use: Attacking fortified positions

Best With: Anti-Marquise strategy

Turn Phases Guide

1
Birdsong

Revolt: If enemies removed sympathy, you may revolt in those clearings

Draw Cards: Draw cards based on your sympathy track

Strategy: Save cards for organize actions unless you have strong revolt opportunities

2
Daylight

Actions: Based on bases + sympathy track bonuses

  • Move: Move warriors between adjacent clearings
  • Battle: Attack enemy pieces
  • Recruit: Place warriors at bases
  • Organize: Convert cards to supporter cards
  • Spread Sympathy: Spend supporters matching chosen clearing's suit (number listed above sympathy token) to place sympathy token in clearing adjacent to existing sympathy (or any clearing if no sympathy on map)
  • Train: Add officer to hand
3
Evening

Military Operations: You may take actions, up to your number of officers, in any order and combination: Move, Battle, Recruit (place warrior at base), Organize (remove warrior from unsympathetic clearing, place sympathy, score points)

Income: Draw one card, plus one card per uncovered draw bonus. Then, if you have more than five cards in your hand, discard cards of your choice until you have five

Early Game Strategy (Turns 1-4)

Opening Setup

Turn 1: Organize cards to supporters, aim for 2-3 supporters

Turn 2: Spread sympathy in clearings with enemy pieces

Goal: Get sympathy removed for early revolts

Key: Don't be afraid to place sympathy where it will be removed - that's how you get bases!

First Base Placement

Your first base determines your early game strategy:

  • Fox Base: Focus on sympathy spread and recruitment
  • Rabbit Base: Train officers for mid-game power
  • Mouse Base: Only if you have many supporters

Placement: Choose defensible clearings with good connectivity

Sympathy Targeting

Place sympathy strategically:

  • Enemy Buildings: Forces them to attack you or lose effectiveness
  • Corner Clearings: Harder for enemies to mass forces
  • Different Suits: Prevents single faction from dominating

Remember: You WANT sympathy to be removed for revolt opportunities

Early Game Patience

The Alliance starts weak and that's intentional! Don't try to compete militarily in the early game. Focus on building your supporter base and sympathy network. Your power spike comes later.

Mid Game Strategy (Turns 5-7)

Revolt Planning

With 2+ bases and supporters, you can launch major revolts:

  • Target: Clearings with high enemy piece counts
  • Timing: When enemies mass for attacks elsewhere
  • Cards: Save matching supporters for big revolts

Impact: One good revolt can swing the entire game

Military Operations

Your evening Military Operations become crucial:

  • Bird Cards: 1 point each - consistent scoring
  • Matching Suits: 2 points if you have base in suit
  • Strategy: Prioritize suited cards when you have matching bases

Goal: Use Military Operations to take 3-4 actions per turn (Organize, Move, Battle, Recruit)

Officer Training

Train officers based on your needs:

  • Aggressive Strategy: Commander, Sapper
  • Expansion Strategy: Diplomat, Organizer
  • Defensive Strategy: Organizer, Commander

Timing: Train 1-2 officers by mid-game for flexibility

Late Game Strategy (Turn 8+)

Victory Push

With established bases and sympathy network:

  • Military Operations: Your main point source in evening
  • Strategic Revolts: Target high-value enemy pieces
  • Base Defense: Protect your established bases

Target: Reach 30 points through consistent Military Operations

Dominance Victory: If you have 10+ victory points and rule 3+ clearings of one suit, you can craft a matching dominance card to win immediately

Threat Management

Other factions will target you as a threat:

  • Disperse Sympathy: Don't cluster all tokens
  • Defend Bases: Keep adequate warriors at bases
  • Card Management: Maintain supporter reserves for revolts

Adaptation: Use revolts defensively if necessary

Dominance Victory

Consider dominance if you control many clearings of one suit:

  • Requirements: Rule 3+ clearings of one suit
  • Best Suits: Fox or rabbit (more common)
  • Setup: Use revolts to clear specific suit clearings

Risk: Other players will gang up to prevent dominance

Endgame Consistency

Late game Alliance wins through steady Military Operations scoring. Don't get greedy with risky revolts - consistent 4-5 points per turn will win the game. Focus on protecting your bases and maintaining card flow.

Advanced Alliance Tactics

Sympathy Baiting

Deliberately place sympathy where enemies want to go:

  • Near enemy strongholds
  • On key trade routes
  • In corners enemies want to expand to

Goal: Force enemies to trigger revolts or avoid good moves

Multi-Revolt Turns

With enough supporters, revolt in multiple clearings:

  • Save supporters across multiple suits
  • Coordinate with enemy movements
  • Establish multiple bases in one turn

Impact: Can swing 8-12 victory points in one birdsong

Defensive Revolts

Use revolts defensively to protect key areas:

  • Revolt when enemies mass near your bases
  • Clear enemies from key strategic clearings
  • Deny enemy victory conditions

Flexibility: Revolts are reactive - use them adaptively

Card Cycling

Manage your deck efficiently:

  • Organize low-value cards first
  • Save birds for Military Operations
  • Craft items when hand is too full

Efficiency: Every card should serve a purpose

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Passive Early Game

Don't hide in corners organizing cards. Place sympathy aggressively where enemies will remove it. You need revolts to establish bases and start scoring.

Hoarding Supporters

Supporters are meant to be spent on revolts. Don't save them indefinitely - use them for strategic revolts that give you territory and points.

Ignoring Military Operations

Military Operations are your main late-game scoring method. Don't spend all your cards on organize actions - save some for evening scoring.

Poor Base Defense

Bases without warriors are easy targets. Always keep adequate defenders, especially as other players recognize you as a threat.

Faction Matchups

vs Marquise de Cat

Strategy: Target their buildings with sympathy

Revolts: Hit undefended sawmills and workshops

Key: Force them to choose between attacking you or expanding

vs Eyrie Dynasties

Strategy: Spread sympathy in their roost clearings

Revolts: Time revolts to trigger their turmoil

Key: Their Decree makes them predictable - plan accordingly

vs Vagabond

Strategy: Generally ignore unless they're winning

Interaction: Keep them hostile to prevent aid

Key: Focus on other threats - Vagabond can't stop your engine