Combat tips (Viking)

On this page, every writer can add their combat tips on this page. Combat tips are can be anything from describing combo's or synergies between skills, which can be real handy or strategies which can be used in a lot of situations with great effect.
Many aspects of combat have already been described on other pages, so prevent repeating information from them. See also the following pages:

* Combat, describes many aspects in a more informative way and the functioning of the mechanics. It does not take a creative as this article.
* Character build strategies
* Classes
* Hints
* Party
* Skills
* Status effects
* Stats

## Defensive position

In case protecting your vulnerable hirdmen is necessary during battle, the first defense is the shieldwall, which is usually, a line of three fighters or more with shields, good blocking percentages and good armour. This can either be in a straight line or V-formation. In case of the V-formation, the unit in the centre position, needs to have the best blocking percentage and armour

This works quite well, even in situations that the player can only move characters before the enemy gets their full turn. In case the player has a full turn, defences can be bolstered with the skills Tyr's Favour, Demoralise (if the enemy has ranged units) and the skill Protect for tank units. Physical resistance and mental resistance can be boosted with the skills Balder's and Odinn's Favour.

## Position in ambushes or surrounded

In case the enemy comes from multiple directions, which would make the shieldwall insufficient to protect weaker hirdmen, it is useful to position sturdy units adjacent to dangerous enemies. In case of ranged units, the ranged units usually switches to melee weapons to attack or uses tactical move to relocate. In case of melee fighters, the unit is usually stuck it it's place to avoid attacks of opportunity, preventing them from charging towards more vulnerable members.

If the terrain is suited for it, placing a tank at a bottleneck or one-hex paths as a metaphorical "cork in the bottle", will buy the hird turns to deal with other attackers first. Barricades can be used for this purpose as well.

## More attacks in a single turn

It can be useful for an unit to have multiple attack options during a single turn, especially for damage-dealing units. This can be achieved with the skill inspire. In case the units performs a lot of normal attacks, this can be increased with the Passive skill Relentless. This can be boosted further with weapons with the swift property and Kyre's Charm.

## Grapple/rebuke/stun and deathblow

One of the first lethal combo's available is the grapple (unarmed skill tree) rebuke or stun skill, combined with deathblow. With all skills, the target will be immobilised, which allows the deathblow skill to be used. Each method has its upsides and downsides, which will be described now.

* Grapple. Upsides: It can be used without charges and it will always succeed if flanking is possible. Downsides: requires an unarmed weapon set for a hirdman, which could be used for other weapon sets. Flanking could not be possible in tight formations.
* Stun: Upsides: It can be used in nearly all combat situations. Downsides: amount of uses is limited to two each turn, requires a physical resistance check.
* Rebuke + Powerful Kick skill: It can be used without charges. Downsides: Requires 15 skill points, the target must have an unoccupied hex behind it and it requires a physical resistance check. This skill becomes redundant for units with the skill Shield Bash late in the game.

## Venom and Anticipate Opening

These two skills can be used combined or apart of each other when using skills with multiple targets, such as Quick Shot, Flurry, Hailstorm, One-Two or Swipe or the wielder of Gungnir.

## Tips for new players

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