Ability strategy twitter.gif

Introduction

We have look at the headwinds ability this week. When i started spinterlads i did not own any headwind units and they where also not that common. Since chaos was inteoduced also some extra units with headwinds came along.

Ability

Reduces the Ranged attack of all enemy Units by 1.

Notes:

Can be Cleansed
Headwinds stacks but cannot reduce ranged attacks to 0.
Headwinds dies with the unit wielding it.

Official ability information from splinterlands: List abilities

Synergies / strategy

Abilities benefits

Blind - Increase the likelihood that your opponent's melee and ranged attack Units will miss their targets. Blind can stack with headwinds.
Shield - Further decrease the impact of your opponent's attack by using shield to reduce damage from ranged attacks.

Ruleset benefits
Going the distance - Only ranged unit on the battlefield so making headwinds extremely useful.
Close Range - Units with ranged attacks may attack from the first position. Your opponent may be most likely to use ranged attack Units - making headwinds extremely useful.
Lost Magic - Magic units may not be used - increasing the likelihood that your opponent will depend on ranged attacks.

Select / favorite

My top 5 headwind units

I picked Queen of Crows this time such a versatile unit because of the high health in combination with the closed range.
I especially like this unit with the Going the distance rule set. With this ruleset this unit because extra useful because you fully utilize its potential with close range and headwinds.

I also use the Riftwing often an now with the weapon training meta this would also be a very good choice.

Strategy

Max mana game. Going the Distance makes me directly think about Queen of Crows. Death is available so that will be my pick.
No dragon allowed else Quix would have been my summoner.

Rulesets

Born Again:
Every unit will gain the resurrect ability. With this rule set you often see martyr unit. Also with 99 mana when these unit are not the most costly units

Unprotected:
All armor is removed. also the armor buffs will not apply in this rule set.

Going the Distance:
Only ranged units may be selected.

The Lineup

Summoner

Card	Reason
	Lux is my summoner of today the extra speed in combination with the slow of the queen of crows and swiftness of supply runner makes it more favorable to attack first.

Monsters Lineup

#1	#2	#3	#4	#5	#6

Venari Marksrat (lvl 2 GF)
Meat shield with martyr to buff the Drybone Raider 2x.

Drybone Raider (lvl 2 GF)
No close range attacker but even with the goind the distance this is one of the few melee unit you can place on the battlefield. First round it will attack with the ranged attack then in the front position with the melee.
It will be buffed by the Venrai Marksrat twice so 8 melee and 8 ranged damage is a very strong units.

Queen of Crows (lvl 5)
Star of this week made it in the team for the close ranged and headwinds. With the rule set going the distance this will definitely have impact on my opponent team.
Slow will also be important to strike first and get my opponent ranged unit without the close range ability in the front.

Supply Runner (lvl 10)
Give the team extra speed to attack first and buff with some extra health

Gargoya Devil (lvl 8)
Because of its low health in combination with deathblow further in the back. Even when this unit gets in the front i has close range.

Dhampir Stalker (lvl 8)
5 damage and doubling when its the last unit for my opponent with deathblow.

The Battle

Reference

Link to the battle:
Link to battle

Rounds

Start :

Lets see what my opponent bring to the battlefield.
Some nice older unit from untamed and alpha. My opponent also brought a Queens of the Crow. Cornealus great unit with the thorns/heal and return fire that will be hard to get trough
I'm lucky i broughed my Vernari Marksrat.
My Shatter has no impact no armor...

Round 1:

My martyr did his work only my Drybone Raider has not much health left. At this point not looking good for me.

Round 2:

My Drybone Raider has died but resurrected with the buffed martyr stats did not expect that.
Still behind if i can kill his Queen of Crows first i might win. I still have the Gargoya Devil with close range.

Round 3:

Not much changed really need to kill the Queen fist else it match over imo.

Round 4:

Still not sure who will win at this point. Luckily Lira the Dark cannot attack anymore but also my supply runner.

Round 5:

Now I'm definitely behind only only i can attack from the front i need to attack first again to turn the table.

Round 6:

Yest this should be it. I attack first (with even speed rare goes before common) and his last unit will get in the front unable to attack.

Round 7:

There it is. Now both of my unit will do double damage. This is the reason why deathblow is totally ignored when you get the bonus you almost every time already winning the battle. So a bit of an useless ability.

Round 8:

Finished it was a close one but still a victory.

Conclusion

Nice to see the headwinds ability on the battlefield. As mentioned i like this especially with going the distance. When you expect some extra range units these units will help you on the battlefield.
This was a close match also nice to see the older units on the battlefield.

Previous ability strategy posts

Below you will find references to the other ability strategies / analysis posts.

Ability	post
Affliction	Ability post: Affliction
Amplify	Ability post: Amplify
Backfire	Ability post: Backfire
Blast	Ability post: Blast
Blind	Ability post: Blind
Bloodlust	Ability post: Bloodlust
Camouflage	Ability post: Camouflage
Conscript	Ability post: Conscript
Close Range	Ability post: Close Range
Cleanse	Ability post: Cleanse
Cripple	Ability post: Cripple
Deathblow	Ability post: Deathblow
Demoralize	Ability post: Demoralize
Dispel	Ability post: Dispel
Divine Shield	Ability post: Divine Shield
Dodge	Ability post: Dodge
Double Strike	Ability post: Double Strike
Enrage	Ability post: Enrage
Flying	Ability post: Flying
Forcefield	Ability post: Forcefield
Fury	Ability post: Fury
Giant Killer	Ability post: Giant Killer
Halving	Ability post: Halving
Headwinds