Ironworks (Intrigue)

Ironworks Strategy Guide

Introduction: Ironworks is a versatile $4-cost Action card from Intrigue that combines gaining with conditional bonuses. Its flexibility makes it a powerful engine component and economy booster in many strategies. This guide will explore how to best utilize Ironworks in your Dominion games.

Core Mechanics: Ironworks allows you to gain any card costing up to $4 and provides an immediate bonus based on the gained card's type(s): - Action cards grant +1 Action - Treasure cards grant +$1 - Victory cards grant +1 Card Note that cards with multiple types (like Mill or Nobles) will trigger multiple bonuses.

Key Strengths: 1. Flexibility in gaining 2. Self-replacing when gaining Victory cards 3. Action generation for engine building 4. Economic boost when gaining Treasures 5. Works immediately (unlike Workshop) 6. Can gain any card type

Key Weaknesses: 1. Limited to $4 cost cards 2. Requires good $4 or cheaper targets 3. Takes up an Action 4. May conflict with other terminals

Strategic Considerations:

1. Early Game Usage

Early game decisions with Ironworks often revolve around whether to: a) Gain Silver for economy b) Gain engine pieces c) Gain cantrips or villages d) Gain early Victory cards

The choice depends heavily on your overall strategy and board context. Here are typical considerations:

Silver Gaining: - Provides immediate economic boost (+$1 this turn) - Helps reach important price points - Better in Big Money variants - Strong if few worthwhile $4 Action cards exist

Engine Piece Gaining: - Gets key components into deck faster - Provides +1 Action when gaining Actions - Better when multiple good $4 or cheaper Actions are available - Supports long-term engine development

Cantrip/Village Gaining: - Helps maintain deck flow - Provides both card and Action - Important for engine building - Often better than Silver in engine strategies

1. Mid-Game Optimization

As the game progresses, Ironworks becomes more versatile:

Engine Building: - Can gain multiple engine pieces while maintaining Actions - Works well with villages to overcome terminal collision - Helps thin deck by gaining useful cards instead of treasure - Can gain Victory cards without stopping engine

Economy Enhancement: - Continue gaining Silvers for buying power - Can gain Gardens in appropriate strategies - Mixed approach possible (both Actions and Treasures)

Deck Control: - Self-replacing when gaining Victory cards helps maintain hand size - Can gain sifters/trackers to improve deck quality - Allows selective gaining based on immediate needs

1. Late Game Transitions

Ironworks remains useful in the endgame:

Victory Card Gaining: - Can gain Estates while drawing replacement cards - Helps maintain engine functionality during greening - Works well in Gardens strategies - Can gain Victory cards without sacrificing tempo

Engine Maintenance: - Continue gaining engine pieces if needed - Can pivot to Victory cards when appropriate - Helps balance greening with engine functionality

1. Key Synergies and Combinations

Multiple Card Types: - Mill (Action-Victory): Triggers both +1 Action and +1 Card - Harem (Treasure-Victory): Triggers both +$1 and +1 Card - Great Hall (Action-Victory): Maximum value from all bonuses - Noble (Action-Victory): Excellent target in appropriate kingdoms

Engine Support: - Villages: Help handle terminal nature of Ironworks - Draw cards: Improve chances of playing multiple Ironworks - Throne Room/King's Court: Multiple gains per Action - Treasury: Can gain and immediately use for +$1

Victory Card Strategies: - Gardens: Excellent support for rapidly increasing deck size - Duke: Can gain both Dukes and Duchies - Alternative VP cards: Many cost $4 or less

Treasure Synergies: - Bank: Gaining Silvers improves Bank value - Merchant Guild: Extra coin tokens from gained Treasures - Quarry: Makes Action cards cheaper to gain

1. Counter-Strategies and Competition

When facing Ironworks:

Deck Racing: - May need to compete for key $4 components - Consider whether to contest or pursue alternative strategy - Watch pile depletion of critical cards

Pile Control: - Can empty piles faster than Workshop - Important for three-pile ending considerations - May need to adjust gaining priorities

Alternative Gainers: - Workshop: Simpler but less flexible - Armory: Gains to deck top - Artisan: More expensive but more flexible

1. Kingdom Considerations

Evaluating Ironworks' value:

Strong Kingdoms: - Multiple useful $4 or cheaper cards - Good engine components available - Victory cards worth gaining - Dual-type cards present

Weak Kingdoms: - Few worthwhile $4 targets - Better gainers available - Terminal Action collision issues - Big Money dominant

1. Opening Considerations

Ironworks as an opener:

Pros: - Flexible gaining options - Immediate utility - Supports multiple strategies - Can gain Silver or Actions

Cons: - Competes with other strong $4 options - Terminal Action - May be too slow in some kingdoms - Requires good targets

Common Opening Pairs: - Ironworks/Silver: Balanced approach - Ironworks/Village: Engine setup - Double Ironworks: Aggressive gaining - Ironworks/Sifter: Deck control

1. Advanced Techniques

Maximizing Ironworks efficiency:

Gain Sequencing: - Consider order of gains for maximum benefit - Balance immediate needs vs. long-term strategy - Track shuffle timing - Monitor pile depletion

Action Management: - Use villages effectively - Time Victory card gains for draw benefit - Balance terminal Actions - Consider throne room effects

Economy Optimization: - Calculate break points for purchasing - Time Treasure gains for maximum impact - Balance money density - Consider coin token opportunities

1. Common Mistakes to Avoid

2. Over-investing in Ironworks:

3. Don't buy too many early
4. Watch terminal Action density
5. Consider diminishing returns

6. Balance with other cards

7. Poor Target Selection:

8. Don't gain suboptimal cards
9. Consider immediate vs. future needs
10. Watch pile depletion

11. Balance card types

12. Ignoring Board Context:

13. Don't tunnel vision on one strategy
14. Watch opponent's strategy
15. Consider alternative approaches

16. Monitor game pace

17. Poor Timing:

18. Don't delay critical gains
19. Watch shuffle timing
20. Consider turn structure
21. Plan Victory card gaining

Conclusion:

Ironworks is a versatile and powerful card that rewards careful planning and strategic thinking. Its ability to gain any card type while providing immediate benefits makes it valuable in many strategies. Success with Ironworks requires:

1. Clear strategic direction
2. Good target selection
3. Careful Action management
4. Understanding of game timing
5. Adaptation to board context

Key Takeaways: - Flexibility is Ironworks' greatest strength - Balance immediate vs. long-term gains - Consider all bonus types when selecting targets - Use in conjunction with supporting cards - Adapt strategy to kingdom context

When used effectively, Ironworks can support various strategies while providing immediate benefits and maintaining deck functionality. Its versatility makes it a valuable addition to many decks, but success requires careful consideration of kingdom context and strategic goals.