Armory (Dark Ages)

Here's a comprehensive strategy guide for Armory:

Armory Strategy Guide

Introduction Armory is a $4-cost Action card from Dark Ages that allows you to gain a card costing up to $4 and place it directly on top of your deck. While this might seem like a simple effect, its strategic implications are numerous and worthy of careful consideration. This guide will explore when to buy Armory, how to use it effectively, and its various interactions with other cards.

Core Mechanics and Basic Strategy

1. Immediate Access The key distinguishing feature of Armory is that it puts the gained card on top of your deck rather than into your discard pile. This means you'll draw the gained card on your next turn, making it a way to guarantee access to specific cards quickly.

2. Cost Limitation The $4 cost ceiling is significant, as it puts many powerful cards out of reach. However, there are numerous valuable cards at the $4 and lower price points that can be gained with Armory.

When to Buy Armory

Early Game Considerations: - Armory can be a strong opening purchase, especially in games where there are valuable $3 or $4 cards you want consistent access to - It's most effective when bought in turns 3-4, as opening with it can be somewhat slow - Consider whether the $4 cards in the kingdom are worth gaining repeatedly

Mid-Game Value: - Becomes less valuable as the game progresses unless there are specific $4 or cheaper cards that remain important - Can help thin your deck by gaining victory cards directly to your deck instead of drawing them

Late Game Uses: - Can be used to gain Victory cards and place them where they won't clog your deck - Useful for gaining specific reaction cards when needed

Optimal Uses and Strategies

1. Deck Manipulation
2. Use Armory to place specific cards where you need them
3. Can help ensure you have specific cards available for combos

4. Useful for positioning reaction cards when you anticipate attacks

5. Engine Building

6. Can help consistently add components to your engine
7. Particularly valuable when gaining cards that provide +Actions

8. Helps ensure your engine pieces come together more reliably

9. Victory Card Gaining

10. Can gain Estate/Duchy cards without immediately drawing them
11. Useful for precise timing of when to add Victory cards to your deck
12. Can help manage deck composition during greening phase

Key Card Interactions

Strong Combinations:

1. Duration Cards
2. Can gain duration cards like Fishing Village or Caravan to ensure continuous effects

3. Helps establish early engine pieces reliably

4. Trashing Cards

5. Gaining Chapel or Steward directly to your deck can accelerate deck thinning

6. Helps ensure you have trashers when needed

7. Villages and Cantrips

8. Gaining these directly to your deck helps prevent action dead draws

9. Particularly valuable in action-heavy strategies

10. Reaction Cards

11. Can gain Moat or Horse Traders in response to expected attacks
12. Helps ensure defensive cards are available when needed

Specific Card Synergies:

1. Treasurer
2. Can gain Silver directly to deck for immediate use

3. Helps ensure consistent treasure access

4. Market Square

5. Can gain it in response to trashing effects

6. Helps maximize reaction timing

7. Scheme

8. Can help position key cards for Scheme to target

9. Creates predictable deck patterns

10. Throne Room variants

11. Can gain additional action cards to support multi-action turns
12. Helps ensure consistent access to action cards

Counter-Strategies and Weaknesses

1. Limited by Cost
2. Cannot gain cards costing $5 or more

3. May become less relevant in kingdoms with primarily expensive cards

4. Action Required

5. Uses up an action
6. Can be terminal action deadweight in some hands

7. May not fit well in certain engine strategies

8. Opportunity Cost

9. Competing with other $4 cards that might provide more immediate benefits
10. May be too slow in fast kingdoms

Kingdom Considerations

Favorable Kingdoms: - Kingdoms with strong $3-$4 cost cards - Games where deck control is important - Kingdoms with valuable reaction cards - Engines that rely on specific cheap components

Unfavorable Kingdoms: - Kingdoms dominated by $5+ cost cards - Very fast kingdoms where immediate impact is needed - Kingdoms where terminal actions are problematic - Games where deck shuffling is frequent

Multiplayer Considerations

2-Player Games: - More control over pace makes Armory more viable - Can be used more strategically for gaining specific cards - Easier to plan several turns ahead

3+ Player Games: - Less predictable game state makes precise timing harder - May need to focus more on reaction cards - Kingdom pile depletion becomes more relevant

Advanced Strategies

1. Deck Tracking
2. Keep track of your shuffle timing to maximize Armory's effectiveness
3. Plan gains around when you'll actually use the gained cards

4. Consider the impact on your next shuffle

5. Timing Considerations

6. Use Armory before drawing cards when possible
7. Consider whether you want the gained card immediately or later

8. Plan around opponent's likely plays

9. Progressive Strategy

10. Early game: Gain engine components and economy
11. Mid game: Focus on key combo pieces
12. Late game: Victory card acquisition

Sample Build Orders

Engine-Focused: Turn 1-2: Silver Turn 3: Armory Turn 4-5: Gain engine components with Armory Turn 6+: Build engine while using Armory for specific pieces

Big Money Variant: Turn 1-2: Silver Turn 3: Armory Turn 4-6: Gain Silver/useful $4 cards Turn 7+: Begin gaining Victory cards

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Over-investing
2. Buying too many Armories early
3. Neglecting other important cards in favor of Armory

4. Focusing too much on $4 cards when better options exist

5. Poor Timing

6. Gaining cards that would be better in the discard pile
7. Not considering shuffle timing

8. Using Armory without a clear plan

9. Inflexible Strategy

10. Sticking to gaining the same card repeatedly
11. Not adapting to opponent's strategy
12. Ignoring better opportunities in favor of pre-planned gains

Tips for Improvement

1. Planning Ahead
2. Consider what you'll need several turns in advance
3. Track your deck composition

4. Plan around important shuffle points

5. Kingdom Analysis

6. Evaluate the strength of $4 and cheaper cards
7. Consider how Armory fits into various strategies

8. Assess the pace of the game

9. Adaptability

10. Be ready to change what you're gaining based on game state
11. Consider opponent's strategy when deciding what to gain
12. Don't be afraid to gain different cards as needs change

Conclusion

Armory is a versatile card that requires careful planning and good timing to use effectively. Its strength lies in its ability to provide consistent access to specific cards and manage deck composition. While it has limitations, particularly in its cost ceiling and action requirement, it can be a powerful tool in the right kingdoms and strategies.

Success with Armory comes from understanding its role in your overall strategy and using it to gain the right cards at the right time. Whether building an engine, managing deck composition, or preparing for specific situations, Armory's ability to place gained cards exactly where you want them makes it a valuable addition to many strategies.

Key Takeaways: - Use Armory to gain specific cards when you need them - Consider shuffle timing and deck composition - Adapt your gains to the game state - Don't over-invest in Armory at the expense of other important cards - Plan several turns ahead to maximize effectiveness - Be mindful of the opportunity cost versus other $4 cards

By following these guidelines and understanding Armory's strengths and limitations, you can effectively incorporate it into your Dominion strategies and use it to enhance your gameplay.