Master the Seven Kingdoms with This GOT Strategy Guide

Why Every Move Counts: The Essential GOT Board Game Strategy Overview

GOT board game strategy comes down to five core principles that separate winners from eliminated players:

Control key territories – Prioritize castles and strongholds over empty land
Manage influence tracks – King’s Court is the most valuable track to win
Use support orders – Move one unit in, support with a large army behind it
Stay in the middle of the pack – Don’t lead too early or you’ll be targeted
Time your final push – Seize 7 castles in one decisive late-game blitz

A Game of Thrones: The Board Game (published by Fantasy Flight Games) is one of the most complex and rewarding strategy games ever made. It runs for up to 10 rounds, supports 3-6 players, and typically takes 3-4 hours to complete.

What makes it so hard to master? It’s not like Risk. Brute force rarely wins. Diplomacy, timing, and deception matter just as much as army strength.

As one experienced player put it, the best mental model for winning isn’t a war game – it’s Mario Kart. Stay in 2nd to 4th place for most of the game, then make one ruthless surge to the finish line before anyone can stop you.

Whether you’re picking up the base game for the first time or diving into the Mother of Dragons expansion, this guide breaks down everything you need to win – from opening orders to end-game blitzes, house-by-house tactics, and expansion balance fixes.

Basic got board game strategy glossary:

Core Mechanics and the Best GOT Board Game Strategy

To win the Iron Throne, we have to understand that the game is played in three distinct phases: the Westeros Phase (events), the Planning Phase (assigning secret orders), and the Action Phase (resolving those orders).

The most important part of any got board game strategy is the Planning Phase. This is where we place face-down tokens on every territory containing our units. If we miscalculate here, our entire turn can collapse. A common mistake for new players is over-relying on “March” orders. While we need to move to win, the “Support” order is actually the most powerful tool in our arsenal. Supporting units can assist in both offensive and defensive battles in adjacent territories without moving themselves, and they are immune to being “routed” or killed by enemy house cards.

Another critical mechanic is Supply. Our army size is strictly limited by the number of barrels we control on the map. We’ve seen many players muster a massive force only to realize they have to destroy their own units because they lost a single barrel-rich territory. Always keep an eye on your supply track before committing to a major expansion.

For a deeper dive into these fundamentals, check out this A Game Of Thrones Board Game Strategy Guide | The Gamers Guides.

Mastering the Influence Tracks and Power Bidding

Power tokens are the “currency” of Westeros. We use them to bid on three influence tracks that dictate how much control we have over the game’s mechanics:

The Iron Throne: Determines turn order. In a game where timing is everything, going first (or choosing who goes last) is a massive advantage. It also breaks all non-combat ties.
The Fiefdoms: Grants the Valyrian Steel Blade. This track is vital for combat, as it breaks ties in battles and allows the holder to add +1 to their combat strength once per round.
The King’s Court: Often considered the most powerful track. It determines how many “Starred Orders” we can use. Starred orders are upgraded versions of standard moves, like +1 Marches or special Mustering orders.

The Messenger Raven, held by the leader of the King’s Court, allows us to swap an order token after everyone has revealed theirs. This is a game-changer for reacting to an opponent’s surprise attack. When bidding, we recommend prioritizing the King’s Court unless we are in desperate need of the Valyrian Steel Blade for a specific siege.

According to experts at How To Win At Game Of Thrones (The Board Game) – Kotaku, we should avoid spending every token on a single track. Always keep at least one or two tokens in reserve. If a Wildling attack occurs and we have zero tokens to bid, the consequences can be devastating for our house.

Naval Supremacy and Support Orders

Ships are the “killers” of this game. Unlike land units, ships can “convoy” land troops across vast distances, allowing for surprise attacks on coastal castles that an opponent thought were safe.

The most effective got board game strategy involves using ships for Support. Because sea regions border many land territories, a single fleet in a strategic location (like the Shivering Sea or the Sunset Sea) can provide defensive or offensive support to half a dozen different land battles.

We should aim to control the “vital” sea zones:

Shipbreaker Bay: Essential for Baratheon to protect their home and threaten the East.
The Sunset Sea: The gateway for Greyjoy to dismantle Lannister or Tyrell.
The Sea of Dorne: A safe haven for Martell to project power northward.

A “Raid” order on a ship can remove an opponent’s “Support” order on land. This is often the only way to crack a heavily fortified position. If we aren’t building ships, we aren’t playing to win.

House-Specific Openings and Tactics

Each house starts in a unique position with different challenges. Here is a quick breakdown of how they compare:

House	Difficulty	Primary Strength	Main Weakness
Stark	Medium	Defensive isolation	Slow to expand
Greyjoy	Easy	Naval aggression	Poor diplomacy
Lannister	Hard	High income/Power	Surrounded by enemies
Baratheon	Medium	Strong naval start	Vulnerable to Martell/Stark
Tyrell	Medium	Strong economy	Weak naval defense
Martell	Medium	Defensive geography	Hard to reach 7 castles

Northern Might: Stark and Greyjoy GOT Board Game Strategy

House Stark is the “turtle” of the North. Our goal as Stark is to secure the Shivering Sea immediately. Without it, we are trapped. We should use our first-turn March+1 in the Shivering Sea to expand toward the Narrow Sea or secure the coast. Eddard Stark is our best defensive card; save him for when an opponent tries to take Winterfell.

House Greyjoy is the opposite. We are built for speed and violence. In a 6-player game, Greyjoy’s most common opening is to crush House Lannister early. With the Valyrian Steel Blade and Balon Greyjoy (who can reduce an opponent’s strength to zero), we can often take Lannisport by round two or three. However, being too aggressive early can lead to the “Mario Kart” problem—the rest of the table will team up to stop us.

For more on these northern powerhouses, see the Game of Thrones Complete Strategy Guide – BoardGameGeek.

Central Power: Lannister and Baratheon GOT Board Game Strategy

Lannister is perhaps the hardest house to play. We start right next to Greyjoy, and they usually want our home. Our best got board game strategy as Lannister is diplomacy. We must convince Greyjoy to head south toward Tyrell or north toward Stark. If we can survive the first three rounds, our high power token generation at Stoney Sept and Harrenhal will allow us to dominate the influence tracks.

Baratheon begins in a “power vacuum” near King’s Landing. We should prioritize taking the capital as soon as possible. King’s Landing provides massive mustering points and power icons. However, we must watch our back; if we push too far into the Reach, Martell will often sail into Shipbreaker Bay and cut off our retreat.

Southern Ambition: Tyrell and Martell GOT Board Game Strategy

Tyrell is the “diplomat” house. We have a massive amount of supply in the Reach, meaning we can field the largest armies. Our opening move should involve securing Highgarden and moving into The Arbor for power generation. We often find success by forming a “non-aggression pact” with Martell, allowing us to focus entirely on taking the central territories like Blackwater.

Martell is the master of the long game. Because Sunspear is so tucked away, we are rarely attacked early. We should use this time to build a massive fleet in the Sea of Dorne. Our house cards, like The Red Viper, are terrifying in combat, making people think twice before invading our desert.

If you are looking for a specific start, check out this Opening Strategy For Tyrell In Got Board Game | The Gamers Guides.

Advanced Tactics: From Diplomacy to the Mother of Dragons

As we move into the mid-game (Rounds 5-8), the “rubber-banding” effect kicks in. If one player reaches 5 castles, the other five players will almost certainly stop fighting each other to “dogpile” the leader.

To avoid this, use the Mario Kart Strategy:

Hover at 3 or 4 castles for the majority of the game.
Build up a massive bank of Power Tokens.
Construct 2-3 Siege Engines or Knights.
In Round 9 or 10, use your Starred Marches to seize 3 castles in a single turn.

The Mother of Dragons Expansion

The Mother of Dragons expansion adds House Targaryen and the Iron Bank of Braavos. This changes everything. Targaryen doesn’t care about castles; they win by collecting “Loyalty Tokens” across Westeros.

A major concern in the community is the strength of Targaryen’s dragons. These units grow in strength as the game progresses:

Round 6: 10 STR (total for all dragons)
Round 8: 13 STR
Round 10: 16 STR

Because of this, the “Westeros houses” must team up to pressure Targaryen in Essos early. If they are allowed to reach Round 7 with three healthy dragons, they become almost impossible to stop. Some players propose “house rules” to balance this, such as moving a Targaryen ship into a port to limit their early naval reach.

Beating the ‘Growing Strong’ Tyrell Challenge

For those playing the digital version of the game, the “Growing Strong” challenge is notoriously difficult. It requires House Tyrell to muster 15 units while facing aggressive AI.

The key to this challenge is Supply Management. We cannot muster 15 units if our supply track is low. We must prioritize taking territories with barrels (like Blackwater and the Arbor) early. Avoid using Siege Towers in this scenario; they are too expensive and vulnerable. Instead, use a “power farm” strategy: leave a single footman in a safe territory with a “Consolidate Power” order every single turn to ensure you have the funds to bid for the King’s Court.

Many players find this challenge frustrating, as seen in the discussion at ‘Growing Strong’ is ridiculous :: A Game of Thrones. The consensus is that you need a “Muster” card to appear in the Westeros phase at the exact right moment to win.

Optimizing Combat Cards and Unit Mustering

We must manage our hand of seven House Cards like a secondary resource. When we use a card, it’s gone until we’ve played all seven.

The Roose Bolton Exception: Most players save their strongest card (like Tywin or Eddard) for a final defense. However, if you are House Stark, you want to play Roose Bolton as soon as your best cards are in the discard pile. Roose’s ability allows you to take your entire discard pile back into your hand if you win the combat, effectively “cycling” your deck.

When it comes to mustering, we follow this priority list:

Ships: You can’t win without naval support.
Footmen: Great for “spreading” to hold territory and generate power.
Siege Engines: Essential for taking castles, but only if you have support.
Knights: High mobility, but often less cost-effective than two footmen.

For more advanced combat tips, read A Game Of Thrones The Board Game Second Edition Strategy | The Gamers Guides.

Frequently Asked Questions about GOT Strategy

Which house is the strongest in a 6-player game?

While the game is technically balanced, House Tyrell and House Martell often have the highest win rates in 6-player games. This is because they start in the south with their backs to the edge of the board, meaning they only have to defend one or two fronts. Lannister and Baratheon are often “sandwiched” and eliminated early.

Are siege engines worth the mustering cost?

Yes, but only for offense. A Siege Engine has a combat strength of 4 when attacking a castle or stronghold, but zero strength when defending. We recommend using them as “support units” from an adjacent territory. This allows you to gain their massive +4 bonus without risking them being destroyed if your front-line army loses.

How do you stop a Targaryen victory in the expansion?

The only way to stop Targaryen is early aggression. By Round 6, their dragons become too strong to face in a fair fight. Baratheon and Arryn must coordinate to sink the Targaryen fleet in the Bay of Pentos during Rounds 1 and 2. If Targaryen is forced to spend their power tokens on the Iron Bank just to survive, they won’t be able to fly across the Narrow Sea to claim loyalty tokens.

Conclusion

Mastering a got board game strategy takes time, patience, and a healthy dose of ruthlessness. Whether we are playing as the honorable Starks or the cunning Lannisters, the key is to think three steps ahead and remember that alliances are only as strong as the next “March” order.

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For more tips on keeping your head (literally and figuratively), check out our guide: don’t-lose-your-head-with-this-game-of-thrones-strategy-guide. Ready to secure your future? Master the Iron Throne Today.