My preferred starting spread is 8 in false wall south (2 being Feydakin) and 2 in false wall west. Gives a lot of flexibility for reaching spice, you can reenforce your false wall west stack, you also have the flexibility to deploy directly into tabr, and your stack of 8 can go after 3 big spice blows on their side of the board and you have a sizable presence to put pressure on tuek’s.
Hey Jack, I think I saw a variation on the Fremen alliance power on BGG. I've been using it and it definitely makes the Fremen a more desirable ally. In addition to the regular perks, you can also allow your ally to get back the spice he spent in combat that round during the mentat pause phase. So they would just put spice spent in combat in front of their shield. What do you think of that variant?
I just payed the Fremen this weekend at my bachelor party. Lots of fun, but I definitely did feel like my ally ability was a little lackluster. Maybe the Fremen's ally should gain their 2 territory movement? That would have slightly helped my guild ally move his forces from the sink easier, but with the stolen ornithopter rule it still isn't that much of a game changer.
I’ve always thought it was weird to benefit from letting your forces die so that you can bring them else where. I get that it’s tied to a great mechanical advantage but it seems super anti thematic and when theme is important to you as a player, you kinda hate that kind of gimmick. Same thing for thrown fights. My group never throw fights (although I fully understand the interest of bribes!)
There's a point where you have to let go of the idea that every element of the game is deeply rooted in the theme. No faction is actually getting forces revived by the Tleilaxu. It was exceedingly rare outside of the Tleilaxu, and certainly the Fremen would never have any part of it. So it has nothing to do with sacrificing forces in order to gain them from the tanks, on a thematic level. What it has to do with is the fact that there's millions of Fremen on the planet, so for game mechanics, you need to be able to replenish reserves to simulate that themetic element. This is something the Fremen have more control over, which feeds into something that is thematic. Other factions would have to lose all of their forces, with no other option. Fremen, who are native and better equipped to resist the storm have the option to keep half of the affected forces in the territory- which is not only thematic but often advantageous tactically. But choosing to lose a number that lets you ship them in later that round from reserves because you get 3 revived also has its thematic end result.
Thrown fights can be a very important tool to stop a player or a powerful alliance from winning. You can also bluff having good cards and negotiate for a thrown fight in your favor to spare your opponent from losing a leader and/or risking cards in exchange for some spice. I do agree arbitrarily throwing fights can feel lame or make the game feel flat, but there certainly are strategic/tactical/thematic reasons why you would want to negotiate a thrown fight for spice in your favor.
My preferred starting spread is 8 in false wall south (2 being Feydakin) and 2 in false wall west. Gives a lot of flexibility for reaching spice, you can reenforce your false wall west stack, you also have the flexibility to deploy directly into tabr, and your stack of 8 can go after 3 big spice blows on their side of the board and you have a sizable presence to put pressure on tuek’s.
Hey Jack, I think I saw a variation on the Fremen alliance power on BGG. I've been using it and it definitely makes the Fremen a more desirable ally. In addition to the regular perks, you can also allow your ally to get back the spice he spent in combat that round during the mentat pause phase. So they would just put spice spent in combat in front of their shield. What do you think of that variant?
@@smsix an interesting effect though not one I would associate with the Fremen.
I just payed the Fremen this weekend at my bachelor party. Lots of fun, but I definitely did feel like my ally ability was a little lackluster. Maybe the Fremen's ally should gain their 2 territory movement? That would have slightly helped my guild ally move his forces from the sink easier, but with the stolen ornithopter rule it still isn't that much of a game changer.
Great choice of faction to do this with
I’ve always thought it was weird to benefit from letting your forces die so that you can bring them else where. I get that it’s tied to a great mechanical advantage but it seems super anti thematic and when theme is important to you as a player, you kinda hate that kind of gimmick. Same thing for thrown fights. My group never throw fights (although I fully understand the interest of bribes!)
There's a point where you have to let go of the idea that every element of the game is deeply rooted in the theme. No faction is actually getting forces revived by the Tleilaxu. It was exceedingly rare outside of the Tleilaxu, and certainly the Fremen would never have any part of it. So it has nothing to do with sacrificing forces in order to gain them from the tanks, on a thematic level. What it has to do with is the fact that there's millions of Fremen on the planet, so for game mechanics, you need to be able to replenish reserves to simulate that themetic element. This is something the Fremen have more control over, which feeds into something that is thematic. Other factions would have to lose all of their forces, with no other option. Fremen, who are native and better equipped to resist the storm have the option to keep half of the affected forces in the territory- which is not only thematic but often advantageous tactically. But choosing to lose a number that lets you ship them in later that round from reserves because you get 3 revived also has its thematic end result.
Thrown fights can be a very important tool to stop a player or a powerful alliance from winning. You can also bluff having good cards and negotiate for a thrown fight in your favor to spare your opponent from losing a leader and/or risking cards in exchange for some spice. I do agree arbitrarily throwing fights can feel lame or make the game feel flat, but there certainly are strategic/tactical/thematic reasons why you would want to negotiate a thrown fight for spice in your favor.
Just don't play with the guild and then their victory condition gets better. I like to play with BT and then Fremen just wins by the Guild condition.