ROOT Board Game WOODLAND ALLIANCE Strategy Guide / HOW To WIN With The Woodland Alliance

This video offers you 16 tips across the early, mid, and late game. I've also included how to counter the Woodland Alliance with 7 more Legendary Tactics. For clarification, Tip #7 has to happen Revolt first, spread sympathy next.
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=TIMESTAMPS=
0:00 Introduction
0:18 EARLY GAME
0:44 Tip #1: Spread Sympathy Wisely
1:33 Tip #2: Mobilize 3 Cards
1:46 Tip #3: Build 2 Bases Fast
2:12 Tip #4: 3 Officers
2:23 Tip #5: Card Draw
2:36 Tip #6: Guerilla War
3:11 Tip #7: 3 Matching Cards
3:33 MID GAME
3:32 Tip #8: Craft Cards
4:15 Tip #9: Defend Your bases
4:41 Tip #10: Organize
5:08 Tip #11: 2 Bases
5:34 LATE GAME
6:11 Tip #12: 4 Officers
6:35 Tip #13: Crafting
6:54 Tip #14: Under the Radar
7:23 Tip #15: Avoid Dominance
7:35 Tip #16: 3 Bases
8:00 How to Counter the Woodland Alliance in 7 Tips
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‪@DireWolfDigital‬
Faction Rules and Abilities
Crafting. The Alliance crafts during Daylight by activating sympathy tokens.
Guerrilla War. As defender in battle, the Alliance will deal hits equal to the higher roll, and the attacker will deal hits equal to the lower roll.
The Supporters Stack. To take various actions, the Alliance spends supporters, which are cards on their Supporters stack. Supporters can only be spent for their suit and do not count against the Alliance’s hand size. Supporters are face down, but the Alliance may inspect them at any time.
Capacity. If the Alliance has no bases on the map, the Supporters stack can only hold up to five cards. If the Alliance would gain a supporter but the stack cannot hold it, that card is discarded. If any bases are on the map, the Supporters stack can hold unlimited cards.
Removing Bases. Whenever a base is removed, the Alliance must discard all supporters of matching suit (including birds), and remove half of their officers, rounded up. If the Alliance has no more bases on the map and has more than five cards in their Supporters stack, they must discard down to five.
Sympathy Tokens. The Alliance has 10 sympathy tokens.
Placement Limits. A clearing can hold only one sympathy token.
Terms. A sympathetic clearing is one with a sympathy token. An unsympathetic clearing is one without a sympathy token.
Outrage. Whenever another player removes a sympathy token or moves any warriors into a sympathetic clearing, they must add one card matching the affected clearing from their hand to the Supporters stack. If they have no matching cards (including no birds), they must show their hand to the Alliance, and then the Alliance draws a card from the deck and adds it to the Supporters stack.
Birdsong
Your Birdsong has two steps in the following order.
Revolt. Remove enemy pieces and place a base and warriors, as follows. You may revolt any number of times.
Choose Clearing. A sympathetic clearing matching an unbuilt base.
Spend Supporters. Spend two supporters matching the suit of the chosen clearing.
Resolve Effect. Remove all enemy pieces in the chosen clearing. Then, place the base matching the clearing there, and place warriors there equal to the number of sympathetic clearings matching the base’s suit. Finally, place one warrior in the Officers box. (Remember to score one victory point per token and building removed.)
Spread Sympathy. Place a sympathy token, as follows. You may spread sympathy any number of times.
Choose Clearing. An unsympathetic clearing adjacent to a sympathetic clearing. If there are no sympathetic clearings, you may choose any clearing.
Spend Supporters. Spend supporters matching the suit of the chosen clearing. The number of supporters that must be spent is listed above the sympathy token.
Martial Law. You must spend another matching supporter if the target clearing has at least three warriors belonging to another player.
Resolve Effect. Place a sympathy token in the chosen clearing. Score the victory points listed on the space revealed on your faction board.
Daylight
You may take the following actions in any order and combination.
Craft. You may activate sympathy tokens to craft a card from your hand.
Mobilize. Add a card from your hand to the Supporters stack.
Train. Spend a card whose suit matches a built base to place a warrior in the Officers box.
#woodlandalliance
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[@LegendaryTactics]

If I've missed any great strategies, or if you disagree with the tips I've offered, please add a comment. Please note for TIP #7, you must revolt first, then spread sympathy second.

[@papaload1192]

@Malachi Roy thats just weird due

[@LionKimbro]

I don’t get it- how does the third matching card help you? Isn’t it just a matter of two matching cards for a revolt, and then a third card that matches any neighboring clearing?

[@kalix86]

I think you should put an annotation in Tip #7. As the other commenter said, why does the third card have to match? Seems to me you misunderstood the rule and intended for viewers to place sympathy and revolt in one go. Admit your mistake and annotate it. This "note" is pretty silly to pretend like you knew all along (if so, why does the third card need to match suit?). Yes i know this guide is old but I've just started playing root. I love your Diplomacy vids, everyone makes mistakes. But the video is still unclear for new viewers, an annotation would be best.

[@derekhum687]

Just to add to counter-tip #6 - it's not just that having 3 warriors in a clearing prevents the WA from moving there and organising subsequently. It also activates Martial Law if they want to spread sympathy using Supporter Cards, which means they need to spend one more card of the same suit. That's the rule that people often forget about, which you indicated.

[@LegendaryTactics]

Thanks for the clarification. Much appreciated.

[@ngdevtwo5038]

How does it prevent that, if they rule the origin?

[@waterman121]

Excellent guide! This is perfect for players who know the basics and want to improve their play.

[@LegendaryTactics]

Thanks for taking the time to let us know. We appreciate your feedback.

[@zigoter2185]

I really like 3 based build because you indeed have alot of stuff to defend with atleast 3 officers (usually 4 or even 5). But more cards means more chance to get ambush or some other good defense card which sort of removes that problem atleast partially. One thing I want to add is that Eyrie commander going after you is basically a death sentence, because that one extra hit really turns the tide.

[@LegendaryTactics]

Thanks for adding some great ideas.

[@zigoter2185]

@@LegendaryTactics Thanks for uploading great videos.

[@LegendaryTactics]

@@zigoter2185 No problem. Are there any others you'd like us to make?

[@zigoter2185]

@@LegendaryTactics Maybe Scythe board game.

[@LegendaryTactics]

@@zigoter2185 Great pick. We love Stonemaier games. I haven't tried it as a solo game, but I've been wondering how it stands up.

[@papaload1192]

Thanks for a really great video! I learned a lot from this and I love how it was structured. Keep up the good work!

[@LegendaryTactics]

No problem. I'm excited for the Lizard Cult coming out on digital on the 27th. That will be the next strategy guide!

[@lennardtie5293]

Great Guides! Keep up the good work!

[@LegendaryTactics]

I'm glad you enjoyed it. Can't wait for the next digital expansion.

[@darkportents9835]

You should definitely make a video on all the different challenges in this game. I've failed Medic Normal to Woodland Alliance 3 times and I've lost fhe Heroic assembly line challenge 3 times as Vagabond and once as Birds

[@LegendaryTactics]

That sounds fun. It may be time to get back into this one.

[@Vijay-tg7hf]

This was great! :)

[@LegendaryTactics]

Thanks Vijay. Did you see your cameo when you blew up my fort?

[@Vijay-tg7hf]

@@LegendaryTactics lol yup

[@jackskellingtonsora]

Don't forget that you always want to revolt on top of the vagabond if you can. Which means that as the vagabond you need to be very weary of hanging out in sympathetic clearings before they have the base down of that clearing's suit.

[@LegendaryTactics]

Good call

[@MutedAndReported3032]

Unless you’re teaming with the Vagabond, of course.

[@lonewaffle231]

hat happens then? You break all his items? Push him into the woods?

[@jackskellingtonsora]

@@lonewaffle231 Yup. Delaying the Vagabond a turn is always a good thing because he can rack up points quick whether with murder or quests.

[@isaacfranks2272]

@@MutedAndReported3032for a coalition this is true, but if the vagabond is just allied with you, revolting will not break or harm the alliance

[@HarryBuddhaPalm]

Power to the Meeples!

[@LegendaryTactics]

Ha ha, nice!

[@1Reevee]

I like to get three bases in the middle of the board and then use sympathy and sympathy conversion to exponentially jump in points

[@LegendaryTactics]

Nice idea! Thanks for sharing it (hopefully your opponents don't read this!)

[@je55ejames31]

Honestly great video. I have tried to apply your strategy and am currently 10+ games unbeaten by the medium AI. I do have a few things about your tips I don't understand: Tip #3 (1:34) what could you possibly craft thats better than adding to your support deck? Tip#7 (12:28): how is it possible to spread sympathy and revolt in the same turn, if the order is opposite (you have to revolt before spreading sympathy?) What am I missing here? Thanks in advance!

[@LegendaryTactics]

I appreciate your feedback. Sounds like you're ready to face the Hard AI. That early in the game, there aren't many cards that I would craft. It's too early to craft points cards. The Better Burrow bank (two bunnies to craft) is one I would consider to get more card draw, but at this stage in the game, I still think that it's more valuable to start spreading sympathy and building towards your first revolt. For tip 7, I should have said them in the reverse order. You do the revolt first. You can spread sympathy after that if you have the cards to pull it off. But you cannot spread sympathy first and revolt second.

[@je55ejames31]

@@LegendaryTactics Thanks. I honestly made a small summary on paper of all your Strategy Guides. Not only to be able to play online, but also just to explain certain strategies over the board with friends to improve our games. Thanks for the great videos!!

[@LegendaryTactics]

@@je55ejames31 That's really cool. I need to do that. By the time a learn a new faction, I forget the one I did before and have to go back and re-watch it. There's so much depth to the strategy in this game with the asymmetrical factions.

[@zxccxz164]

but when you craft cards from your hand, do the other players see what you crafted? Isn't that closed? If not, where in the game do you go to see your opponents crafted cards?

[@TheEquilibrum007]

Hey, how does Guerilla warfare works, I watched another video (Played in Steam) where WA initiate the battle yet WA still gets the higher dice roll, why is that? I thought WA only gets high roll if someone attack them.

[@LegendaryTactics]

The attacker always gets the higher roll when attacking. The WA gets it while defending too. So that makes sense.

[@majeflyer]

For tip 7, I though turn order steps meant that you couldn't place sympathy and revolt in the same turn? Or is this only on digital version?

[@LegendaryTactics]

During Birdsong, you can revolt any number of times, and then spread sympathy any number as well. You need two supporters for a revolt, matching a sympathetic clearing. 1 supporter to spread a sympathy token to an unsympathetic clearing (adjacent). You just need to make sure you have enough supporter cards in the right suit to pull it off.

[@CMCugetme]

@@LegendaryTactics I'm not sure you've answered the original question fully, I was also wondering about this. In the board version, are WA allowed to spread sympathy and then revolt in one birdsong? Or is this not the correct turn order?

[@LegendaryTactics]

@@CMCugetme In both digital and the board game, you must do the revolt(s) first. Then sympathy next.

[@ChrisGooley]

​@@LegendaryTactics This also confused me. Seeing as all revolts must be done first, there's no way to spread sympathy and then revolt in that clearing in the same turn. Tip 7 says you can spread sympathy and revolt in the same turn, which implies you can do that all in the same clearing. I think it needs to be reworded slightly.

[@LegendaryTactics]

@@ChrisGooley Yes it does need to be reworded. I put a card at the top to clarify. I stated them in the wrong order. Thank you for catching that.

[@kevin29564]

Does Outrage only apply when an opponent moves 2 or more warriors into your clearing with a token? Or does any number of warriors apply?

[@LegendaryTactics]

Any number will trigger it.

[@danielecroce8841]

I'm trying to complete the Total Domination last level in the campaign with the Alliance but it seems impossible... Any tips to win it?

[@LegendaryTactics]

I haven't tried it yet. I'll have a look tonight and get back to you if I find a way to solve it.

[@LegendaryTactics]

I played all three tonight. The WA challenge took me a few tries. I recorded it and will post how I did it with some tips and how I pulled it off. It should be up by Tuesday.

[@LegendaryTactics]

Here's the video for you: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqrTloailNmSebc

[@republikadugave420]

If cat player is agressive and checks you all of the time its kinda hard to win..but also cat will not win...but yea good tips..

[@LegendaryTactics]

Agreed. A concentrated effort by any of the other factions can really set you back, but fortunately, there are other distractions for them to deal with.

[@joeykonyha2414]

The Woodland Alliance is borderline broken. Guerrilla War is beyond doubt the strongest ability in the base game. You need ambushes, armorers, and sappers if you want to reliably beat them. You waste turns trying to squash the sympathy which stymies your building. If they get their warriors and bases out, they can go from 20-22 points to victory in two turns and there’s little anyone can do.

[@LegendaryTactics]

I've always felt like they are among the best factions if not THE best faction for my playstyle.

[@AgoristDryad]

I had WA score 14 points in one turn for a victory against me. The fault was mine for feeding them supporters with my aggression. My strategy for countering WA is to contain them rather than squash them. Move/recruit warriors so as to surround them and make spreading sympathy more expensive. Avoid marching through their territory as much as possible. Only attack sympathy tokens if they’re scoring 2+ victory points for sympathy or if they’re threatening a revolt in a clearing you desperately need. Be willing to change your plans rather than fight the Alliance. Unless you’re a violent vagabond or have an Eyrie Commander, fighting the peasantry is a lost cause.

[@herwignemmer5649]

sorry but tip 1 does not work with the ki oponents of the app. vagabond kills instantly two of the three start sympathies and cats do the same if you build in the strategic spots around their base.

[@LegendaryTactics]

They are countering you well then. When all the factions gang up, it's hard to overcome. You may need to head for the less travelled spaces to get established, so you can defend what your infrastructure, and then move more to the center.

[@MutedAndReported3032]

Hold up, at 1:00 you say being near the Vagabond can be good idea, but I feel like putting your sympathy there is just free points for VB, even the AI always takes a shot at your sympathy whenever they get the chance.

[@LegendaryTactics]

Yeah, I like that the VB might trade with you and also to help your card draw.

[@isaacfranks2272]

The vagabond loves to aid the woodland alliance because the WA loves to craft items, but if the vagabond removes sympathy it makes their relationship hostile and hurts the vagabond’s ability to score

[@PaxJurassicus]

@@isaacfranks2272Just removing a sympathy token wouldn’t trigger hostility because it isn’t a warrior.

[@tallpunkmonk]

I guess I don't really get how to organize effectively with the warriors. I feel like it would be way simpler for the Alliance if they ignored Rule like the Vagabond does.

[@LegendaryTactics]

This game definitely has a high learning curve to master the nuances of each faction.

[@bromibromi]

Tip #10 shouldn’t work, maybe a bug in digital game. To Organize according to the Root Law you can only remove _your_ warrior.

[@sawyermarsh1081]

Am j missing something? Sorry turn 1 doesn't sympathy cost supporters? And you can't get your first supporters until the daylight phase? So first turn isn't it impossible to spread sympathy?

[@bromibromi]

You have 3 supporters as start setup

[@kartana]

I don't understand tip #7 :/

[@LegendaryTactics]

I'm suggesting that if you save up enough support, you can revolt first, and then spread sympathy all in the same turn rather than spreading it out over two turns. It's a quick powerplay to spread influence on the board and knock out your opponent in one clearing all at once. Sorry if I was unclear.

[@Chironex_Fleckeri]

I have the honor of being the first dislike on this video

[@LegendaryTactics]

Lol. Most dislikers slink around in the shadows. I'm glad you own it proudly.