Vanguard Strategies:Forcing Out the Most From Guarding

In Vanguard, we have cards like Battlefield Storm, Sagremore, or Djinn of the Lightning Flash, cards that with the right boosters, can force 15K guard out as rearguards. This would mean that the opponent will always have to drop at least 2 cards to guard them. Always. This is why cards like those are amazing. But what if we can take advantage of these cards further?

Let's imagine you have a field like this:

                

                

Now, facing an 11K Vanguard, let's see the total estimated guard if the opponent would have to guard each attack after Lawkeeper's skill.

Dragon Knight, Nehalem+Flame of Hope, Aermo will force out 10K shield

Dragonic Lawkeeper+Dragon Monk Gojo will force out 15K shield to put up a 2 trigger pass

Dual-Axe Archdragon+Embodiment of Armor, Bahr will force out 15K shield due to Dual-Axe's skill

For showing the point of this post, we will presume 1 trigger is pulled, and forces another 5K shield.

All together, this will force out 45K shield in total. Now, let's see how most people play out the attack order. Let's use R->V->R for this example, due to it being the most common play as I've seen.

Example A

Dragon Knight Nehalem attacks the Vanguard at 16, and the opponent uses 1 10K shield to stop it.

Dragonic Lawkeeper at 20 attacks, and the opponent uses 2 cards to put it at a 2 trigger pass.

With the power of a trigger, Dual-Axe attacks for 26. The opponent uses 2 20K shields to stop it.

This attack will make the opponent use up a total of 5 cards to guard out. However, the example play, despite it being incredibly common for me to see and the first move people consider, isn't doing all it can to force out as much as it can. Here's a better example of the exact same play.

Example B

Dual-Axe Archdragon attacks for 21. The opponent uses 2 cards at 15K shield to stop it.

Dragonic Lawkeeper attacks at 20. The opponent uses 2 cards to put it at a 2 trigger pass.

With the power of a trigger, Dragon Knight Nehalem attacks the Vanguard for 21. The opponent uses 2 cards at 15K shield to stop it.

So what's the big deal? We just changed the attack order and didn't change anything, right? Wrong. Look at how many cards have been used up for both attack patterns. Example A made the opponent drop 5 cards to stop the assault. Example B pushed 6 cards out of the opponent. The very first form of advantage notable from the 2 examples. But the second form of example comes with card value. Let's think back for a moment and wonder which cards have 5K shield. Draw Triggers, Grade 1's, and Grade 2's. Now, if we continuously force out 15K guard with 6-9 attacks, and consider the fact that Draw Triggers are normally ran at 6 and less in decks built by sane people, we can see a lot of more useful cards being used up. Start doing this from the mid game while the opponent's field is still developing, and the opponent may not have boosters or attackers to fight back. Doing this later on after their field has been established, and they could lose interceptors very easily. Stubborn players who refuse to lose their Grade 1's and 2's and use 10K shields to over guard will eventually have all that shield they are putting to waste pile against them.

But wait! What if the opponent doesn't guard each and every attack? Well let's get A and B back up here while presuming the opponent is at 3 damage.

Example A

Dragon Knight Nehalem attacks the Vanguard at 16. Opponent guards with 1 card at 10.

Dragonic Lawkeeper attacks the Vanguard at 20. The opponent guards with 2 cards for 15 for a 2 trigger pass.

One trigger is pulled, and Dual-Axe attacks for 26. It goes through.

Example B1

Dual-Axe Archdragon attacks for 21. The opponent guards it with 2 cards for 15.

Dragonic Lawkeepr attacks the Vanguard for 20. The opponent guards with 2 cards at 15 for a 2 trigger pass.

One trigger is pulled, and Nehalem attacks for 21. The opponent lets it through.

Example B2

Dual-Axe Archdragon attacks for 21. The opponent lets it through.

Dragonic Lawkeeper attacks for 20. 2 cards are used at 15 guard to put up a 2 trigger pass.

One trigger is pulled, and Nehalem attacks for 21. The opponent lets it through.

Example A shows that only 25K guard is used. If a critical trigger is pulled and the opponent still doesn't guard, they are at 5 damage potentially. They also only use 3 cards in total. 

Example B1 shows that 30K guard is used in total, 4 cards having been used in it. 1 Critical trigger would also leave the opponent at 5 damage. 

Example B2 shows only 15K guard and 2 cards used up. However, it gets to 5 damage without having to rely on a critical trigger, which more easily propels us into our earlier set of examples. A Critical Trigger pulled here though, would incline the opponent to guard for 15K and use 2 more cards, but leave the opponent at 4 damage.

Example A, is the representation of the most common play, and fails to both examples B1 and 2 in cards used OR confirmable damage. Example B1 supersedes A at having the same damage, but clearly forcing more out of the opponent. Example B2 more likely ensures 5 damage, but won't force out as many cards. However the chance of a critical trigger will incline the opponent to guard more than they would have at example A, but not getting to 5 damage when A would.

Wrapping up the major points of this:

When controlling a rearguard column that can force out 15K guard without a trigger, always attack with it first. In almost all possible situations, doing so will force the absolute most out of the opponent. Not only that, but you can be eating into their shield and card values.

These cards are good. Playing them correctly makes them dangerous.