Stand Together
A appear at the importance of teamwork in Gears of War (TM): The Board Game
“I shall stay vigilant and unyielding in my pursuit of the enemies of the Coalition. I will defend and maintain the order of life as it was proclaimed by the Allfathers of the Coalition in the Octus Canon. I will forsake the life I had prior to so I may possibly perform my duty as lengthy as I am required. Steadfast, I shall hold my location in the machine and acknowledge my spot in the Coalition. I am a Gear.”
- Oath of the Coalition, sworn by all Recruits
To say the least, the soldiers of the Coalition of Ordered Governments take the team dynamic seriously. Indeed, their oath to “hold [a] location in the machine and acknowledge [a] location in the Coalition” speaks to their unwavering adherence to the group mentality. Following all, in the thick of combat against an unyielding foe, a COG need to be able to depend on the abilities and dedication of the man or woman watching his back. The results are undeniable a team of well trained COGs moves like a single, ideal killing machine.
With the recent release of Gears of War™ The Board Game, hobby game enthusiasts across the world are swiftly learning (in some situations, the tough way) the significance of preparing, communication, and solidarity in battle. True to the tense action of the well-known video game series, Corey Konieczka’s clever style ensures that players who venture off alone to gun down stray Drones rapidly locate themselves cut off and overwhelmed. How can you and your team steer clear of this fate?
The right COG, the right tactics
Whilst every COG has the prospective to be a valuable team player, some have special abilities that are far more directly advantageous in team play than in solo. With his pre-war history as a effective Thrashball star, it’s no surprise that the best team player is Augustus Cole. Cole’s unique capacity lets him use guard reaction abilities (
) even when the rules would generally restrict it his player can treat any card in his hand as if it had the guard reaction icon. A lot more importantly, he might guard even if one more player has already accomplished so for the duration of that turn!
It’s crucial to note, therefore, that Cole need to practically never be the 1st COG to use a guard reaction on a given turn. By playing a guard reaction, he precludes that reaction’s use by his teammates. If a various COG guards initial, nonetheless, Cole still has the correct to pull off his signature move. And why wouldn’t you want to maximize your team&rsquos possible guard reactions on every single turn? The best defense, following all, is a strong offense.
But as valuable as the guard reaction capacity is, nothing beats the follow reaction capability (
) in terms of tight teamwork. When this remarkable tactic is well executed, the result is a team that&rsquos in formation and ready for action at a moment’s notice. By discarding Order cards with the “follow” icon, any number of COGs can run alongside a teammate, consolidating their forces! It&rsquos undoubtedly a powerful ability, but with such effective tactics come challenging choices.
Mutually beneficial orders
For example, let’s take a closer look at the Order cards themselves. Of the 54 included Order cards, there are 18 every single of guard, dodge, and follow reaction ability icons. Now, let’s look at the Order cards that have text effects that are explicitly beneficial in team play &ndash in other words, the cards that can directly benefit fellow COGs. They are: Dig in, Sit Tight, Blind Fire, Teamwork, and Cover Fire.
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Searching at all five of these team-oriented cards together, 1 factor becomes clear: the dodge reaction icon (
) is nowhere to be seen.
The dodge reaction is perhaps the most “selfish” of the reaction abilities. It protects you and you alone. In short, the most self-serving reaction icon is most widespread on the cards with the most self-serving text effects. The opposite holds accurate as well, making team-centered cards an even much more precious commodity.
As you combat the Locust Horde in your desperate attempt to save humanity from annihilation, you’ll have a lot of reasons to discard all-critical Order cards. Your hand, soon after all, serves as a wellness meter, a selection of tactics, a pool of reaction abilities, or a currency for certain other special actions. The option of which Order to discard is usually an agonizing 1. So when you’re deciding, just be positive to contemplate what’s best for the team.