With CMON refreshing the Lannister and Stark products to be as detailed as their current releases, I think it is very likely we will finally see a starter set released for the Neutral Faction.
Unlike other factions in the game, Neutrals could have many different starter sets representing the different subfactions that come under the umbrella of mixed allegiance. A Stormcrow starter set for example using the already existing Stormcrow units and adding a few new characters could easily be done. I did originally believe the Brotherhood Without Banners was perfect for a Neutral starter set however they would have to be heavily restricted in regards to who could take them due to their complex relationship with the houses of Westeros. However, there is one house that works very well for Neutrals and although it could be considered a crime that they haven’t been represented further in the game, it’s quite apt since they are known to be late.
Guest Writer – Carly
House Frey
Expand for Army List
2x House Frey Betrayers
1x House Frey Crossbows
1x House Frey Spearmen
Lord Walder Frey
Stevron frey
Ryman Frey
Big Walder and Little Walder
This is my idea for a House Frey starter set based on the events and characters from the ASOIAF books. With all starter sets there are always two units that are the common battleline of the faction, then two specialist units that are more niche. The characters tend to have two NCUs, two Commanders, two named Attachments and unnamed Attachments so that you can make a variety of lists straight out of the box.
Commanders
The Late Lord Walder Frey. With the only Frey to currently have rules and a model in the game Lord Walder sets the stage for a potential bulk frey release. His NCU rules have resulted in him being a part of the meta for a while but has recently lost popularity with the rework of his card. Since we no longer have NCU Commanders it’s hard
to imagine we could get a Commander version of the character, and let’s be honest he isn’t on the frontlines. Remaining as just a NCU is perfect for this character.
Ser Stevron Frey. Firstborn son of Lord Walder Frey, Stevron is the heir of the Twins. He was the knight that led the forces of the Freys in the Game of Thrones and continued to do so in the Clash of Kings before his death from a wound he took in the Battle of Oxcross. This sixty year old man that resembles a weasel has had no mentions of his command in battle, and the common opinion is he is too old for battles. Perfect for a Commander and Attachment card for his command during this time. He also gave an unsatisfactory opinion to all of the Northmen and was recommended to be the envoy to Balon Greyjoy, so I can see a NCU card for Stevron.
Ser Ryman Frey. After the death of Stevron it was his son Ryman Frey who took the mantle of command of heir of the Twins. He is a gluttonous man, constantly drunk and lusting. He is reffered to be stupid or as Robb says ‘dull-witted as a stone’. However, Ryman is one of the main orchestrators of the Red Wedding and led the charge in full armour and surrounded by Freys. He also leads the Siege of Riverrun. He is the perfect candidate for a Commander for the Freys. His rules should be designed around him being greedy and traitorous, something that resembles the lack of family values. He would not have a NCU card though due to him often sending his son Edwyn whilst he drinks away with company.
Edwyn Frey. Considered cold and hateful, the slender great grandchild of Lord Walder Frey tends to be the one to sit on war councils and command behind a table, often referred to as not being a man of the sword. Obviously if Edwyn enters the fray he will be a NCU but I am unsure if these rules will also contain Commander or Attachment Card. Since he does become the heir after Ryman’s hanging there is potential there, however he suspects another played about in his father’s death who I think is the perfect Commander for the Freys.
Black Walder Frey. Walder Frey, called Black Walder to differentiate him from others with the same name, is the second son of Ser Ryman Frey. He earned his nickname due to his irascible temper and stern attitude, inspiring terror in those around him. Black Walder has a short temper and is feared by all around him, he holds a strong animosity for his brother Edwyn. Although not as present in the books as the other characters he is important and scales the walls of the Crag alongside Umbers. He would be a perfect Commander bringing a skilled deadly twist on the Frey forces.
Based on all of this, a heroes box that depicts the characters from the fourth and fifth books would come later which would pull Edwyn and Black Walder, leaving the initial Stevron and the crucial Ryman to go within the starter set.
NCUs
Big Walder and Little Walder Frey. The foil to Bran and Rickon Stark is the two wards of the Twins. The mean duo tend to be the cause of discomfort for the Stark children and I believe are destined for greatness in the NCU world of ASOIAF. I can see them having rules similar to the other combo character card of Selyse and Shireen. Or they can be split into two separate models like how the Stark children are. In either case they should have once per game abilities that are counters to other NCUs or Attachments to represent their poking of Bran’s stories sowing doubt.
Roslin Frey. Gentle and beautiful, it seems so impossible that Roslin is a Frey, her Rosby blood has been strong enough to overcome the genes of the Twins. Roslin is crucial to the story of ASOIAF since her wedding to Edmure Tully is the most monumental moment in the War of the Five Kings. She should be an NCU with rules close to being a distraction for the Commander, something that blinds them of the true intentions of the rest of the Freys. I think this model would work well in the heroes box so that we have enough time to get an Edmure model.
Joyeuse Erenford. There are many wives of Walder Frey with Joyeuse being his eighth. I wanted to address at least one wife for the NCU title and the only one present enough in the story is Joy. I am unsure how she would play other than maybe being a free NCU if you have Lord Walder Frey and activities similar to GIlly from the Night’s Watch. Either way it would be a shame if we didn’t have one of the wives.
Units
The units for house Frey were hard to decide on. Whilst the faction is very prevalent in the books due to their betrayal, there isn’t much, if any, talk on their combat prowess at all. But do not fret, there are some units that are prime meat for the feast for crows.
House Frey Betrayers. An easy choice, and one that would look very unique, is the House Frey Betrayers unit. This unit would wield daggers and knives as the perfect concealed weapon for betraying Starks at the Red Wedding. The unit would be mediocre on its own, but act similar to Free Folk Raiders where they become stronger the more units are engaged, this would act as distraction for the perfect ambush. I also think a great conversion design would be to make the movement tray a table and have each chair around a Frey stabbing a Northman.
House Frey Spearmen. The Spearmen are only mentioned once when Ryman Frey takes a couple thousand spears to the Siege of Riverrun in the fourth book. With Ryman being the most present Frey in the books other than Lord Walder, it would be perfect to give him multiple units based around his actions. There aren’t too many spear wielding units in the game and I think this has the potential to give the Freys a survivable unit as I doubt the Freys will have quality stats like most armies to make them resilient.
House Frey Crossbows. I chose Crossbows as a unit even though there is a recent influx of Crossbow units in the game, however the thought of Grey Wind dying to crossbow fire is one of the few references to the tools the Freys have and shouldn’t go unnoticed. I would actually give a lot of benefits to the army as a whole for getting into the Flanks or Rears of enemy units due to their sudden and unexpected betrayal. The Crossbows should have some form of this rule if the rest of the army doesn’t to make them different from other crossbow units in the game.
House Frey Longaxes. When Ryman returns after suiting up in his armour to murder all the Starks it specifically mentions he storms the Twins with men wielding heavy longaxes. He himself wields such an axe to kill Dacey Mormont. This unit would look so unique since we only have one unit in the game that is carrying two handed heavy axes. This unit would act as the heavy hitters of the Frey force allowing them to compete against monsters and heavy armoured units.
Night Soil Archers. Edwyn Frey’s plan to kill Brynden Tully and take Riverrun after the Red Wedding was to volley arrows smothered in excrement so that the wounds would inflict septic. The only reason this tactic was not used was that the other Lords at the War Council believed it was ignoble to do so. This is such a niche unit that fits well into the vile nature of the Freys. They don’t even need to have good rules, they are there to debuff and inflict wounds slowly over time. Hand out Weakened or Vulnerable tokens and make thate stats good enough so that a few wounds are plucked from units.
I am shocked that after studying the books that there is actually quite a lot of potential for a large Frey force to enter into the tabletop game. Plenty of characters and units to make a pure Frey force or introduce many different Neutrals to be utilised by the other factions for their own ends. What Frey units do you think should be released?
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