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Keepers in Iron

Build massive action engine, execute hit-and-run relic recovery

Expert
The Marauder Expansion
Engine Building
Hit-and-Run Tactics
Burst Scoring
Complexity
5/5
🎯 Win Condition

Score 30 points through recovering relics (aim for 24pts from 3 columns + 6pts from other sources)

⚙️ Crafting Method

Craft by activating waystations during Daylight

🎲 Starting Position

2 warriors in edge clearing, 12 relics in forests (4 each: Jewelry, Tablets, Figures valued 1,2,3,3), 8 waystations in supply

Overview

The Keepers in Iron are a relic-recovery engine faction that thrives on building a massive action economy through their Retinue system. Unlike the Eyrie Decree, the Retinue is forgiving—you never lose cards unless you choose risky actions. Your goal is to delve relics from forests, then recover them at waystations for points. With up to 35 points available from relics (27 from relics + 8 from column bonuses), proper relic management and the "hit-and-run" tactic (move-battle-delve-move-recover) are key to success. Devout Knights makes you nearly unkillable when you have relics, but Prized Trophies means enemies get bonus points for destroying your relics—never stack more than 1-2 relics in a clearing! Build your retinue to 8-10 cards by turn 3, then execute powerful multi-action turns to recover relics efficiently.

Faction Board

🎓 Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Keepers in Iron Walkthrough

Understanding the Golden Path

The Badger game plan is simple: get 8-10 cards in your retinue ASAP, gradually reach 12-14 victory points from crafting and relics, then get in position to reach across and touch the other side of the map just long enough to win. Because of how relics are distributed, almost all relics will be reachable from two specific clearings on any given map - the golden path. Your sole objective is to control these two clearings.
•From your starting position, count moves required to reach every forest
•Setup: place one relic in every forest, then place remaining relics in non-adjacent forests
•Aim for starting locations with paired suits for safe recovery
•You don't need to police when the problem is you

Retinue Management - The Heart of Your Action Economy

The retinue is the arrhythmically beating heart of your action economy. Move gets you into position to delve, Battle/Delve lets you fight and acquire relics, Move/Recover moves relics back to way stations and recovers them. Losing cards from your retinue is a major tempo loss. Put 2 bird cards in Move column (can't lose cards from this column), 2+ bird cards in Recover column (protect by ruling matching clearings), and fill Battle/Delve with whatever's left.
•Goal: 3-4-3 distribution by turn 4-5, eventually shift to 2-4-4
•Protecting both delve and recover columns is mutually exclusive - commit to recover
•Always comfortable burning suited cards, but if you must burn a bird card, get rid of loyal retainers first
•Each card's value is equivalent to the number of turns remaining in the game

Early Game (Turns 1-4) - Filling the Retinue

Define your early game by the time it takes to fill your retinue. Ideal turn 1: Encamp twice, move to rule 3 around a forest and delve it onto a way station, set up a lone badger in a fourth clearing as insurance, and drop all 3 bird cards into retinue (one per column). Put about 2 cards per turn into retinue until you have 8 or more. Creep towards the other side of the map without drawing attention.
•Resist temptation to delve aggressively early - remain pure
•Establish rule over the clearing suit you plan to use for all recoveries
•With 2 way stations in bunny and 1 in mouse, you have access to 14 points of crafting
•Once you have full retinue, stack of warriors, and 12-14 VP, you're ready for next phase

Avoiding Dog Jail - The Determining Factor of Success

Dog jail describes any situation where badgers have been deliberately soft-locked by the table to prevent an imminent badger victory. The textbook example: reduced to a lone warrior trapped in a clearing with no build slots and several enemy defenders. Two schools of thought: Too Thin to Live (bare minimum board presence) or Too Fat to Die (wide board position). Good badger hygiene: decamp lone way stations once retinue is full, keep lone warriors close to main force, eat what you take (recover relics on same turn), maintain strict limit of one relic per clearing.
•There is no reliable way to avoid imprisonment against dedicated opponents
•Opponents look for: lone warriors, warriors in clearings with no build slots, distant way stations
•Having a relic destroyed means it's gone forever (opponents put it miles behind you)
•Opponents that destroy unguarded way stations are useful for crossing map without decamping

End Game - Cross the Map and Fondle Relics

The entire guide has been leading to this moment. You've filled your retinue, built momentum, avoided dog jail, and now it's time to execute. With 27 points available from relics and 8 points from column bonuses, you have 35 victory points available from your faction board alone - the single highest burst scoring of any faction in the game. Cross the map to reach the far golden clearing, delve relics from forests on the far side, recover relics in ascending order, and score 20+ points in a single turn.
•Priority crafting: Cards (you need cards like late-stage Elvis needed drugs), Cash (every 3 points you craft is a relic you don't need), Creeping (boat builders obviate mobility concerns)
•When recovering relics, do so in ascending order to bank as many as possible
•Riverfolk boats ability is amazing when crossing the map
•You can outra Vagabond, Otter, and Lizards if you've been playing from behind

💡 Tip: Hover over highlighted game terms to see detailed explanations and related mechanics.

Mechanics & Strategy

Unique Mechanics
Special abilities and rules that define this faction

Relics

12 tokens (4 Jewelry, 4 Tablets, 4 Figures) worth 1-3 VP each. Complete columns for +2VP bonus. Total potential: 27VP relics + 8VP column bonuses = 35VP

Retinue

Cards placed in 3 columns (Move, Battle & Delve, Move or Recover). Unlike Eyrie Decree, you only lose cards if you CHOOSE risky delve/recover actions. Can hold 10 cards max. Start with 3 Faithful Retainers (bird cards)

Devout Knights

In battle, if you have 1+ relic and 1+ Keeper warrior, ignore first hit. Ambushes still apply. Keepers can move 1 relic per warrior moved

Prized Trophies

When enemy removes your warrior with relic, they score relic value +1 VP and place relic in any forest. NEVER keep more than 2 relics in one clearing!

Waystations

Buildings for crafting, recruiting, and recovering. Each waystation = +1 card draw in Evening. Has two sides showing different relic types. Ideally have waystations in 2 different suits

Live off the Land

In Evening, if 4+ Keepers in clearing, remove down to 3. Spread warriors to avoid this!

Turn Order
Actions available in each phase

Early Game

  • Add 2-3 cards to retinue per turn (reach 8-10 by turn 3)
  • Place 2 waystations by T1 (one recovery suit, one off-suit for recruiting)
  • Don't discard retinue cards in turns 1-3
  • Spread warriors to avoid Live off the Land
  • Build retinue engine before aggressive delving

Mid Game

  • Execute hit-and-run: move to edge, battle+delve center, move back, recover
  • Rule 3 clearings of same suit for safe recovery
  • Complete 1-2 relic columns (17-18 pts)
  • Maintain 8-10 card retinue
  • Spread relics across multiple clearings (max 1-2 per clearing)

Late Game

  • Complete 2-3 relic columns (24+ points)
  • Score remaining 6 points from enemy pieces/crafts
  • Defend waystations and relics
  • Use burst scoring to close game

Strengths & Weaknesses

💪 Strengths
  • +Massive action economy (up to 10 actions per turn)
  • +Forgiving retinue system (unlike Eyrie—you choose when to risk cards)
  • +High VP potential (35 points from relics alone)
  • +Devout Knights makes you nearly unkillable with relics
  • +Excellent card draw (up to 5 cards per turn)
  • +Hit-and-run tactics allow safe relic recovery
  • +Can burst score 6-10 VP in single turn
  • +Waystations provide multiple benefits (craft, recruit, recover, draw)
⚠️ Weaknesses
  • -Most complex faction in Root
  • -Slow start (weak turn 1-2)
  • -Prized Trophies makes stacked relics huge liability
  • -Vulnerable without relics (no Devout Knights)
  • -Experienced tables will target you aggressively
  • -Waystations are vulnerable buildings
  • -Requires careful planning and calculation
  • -Live off the Land can waste warriors
  • -Must balance retinue, recruiting, and crafting card uses
🤝 Synergies
  • • Games with passive early factions
  • • Maps with many connected clearings (Autumn, Mountain)
  • • Patient tables that don't immediately target you
🛡️ Hard Counters
  • • Lizard Cult (removes relics, gardens steal rule)
  • • Woodland Alliance (spreads across edge, blocks recovery)
  • • Corvid Conspiracy (snare/bombs disrupt movement)
  • • Early aggressive factions (Eyrie, Marquise, Warlord)

🎬 Video Guides

Watch & Learn (2 videos)
Expert tutorials to master Keepers in Iron