I think I've figured the game out. But I'm not sure exactly what you need help with. I'll try and explain a general set of rules and if you have any more questions then I'll try and answer them.
I understand the rules, but even after reading and watching multiple guides, I still can't win! OK that's not entirely true. I did win one match thanks to pure unadulterated luck.
I was even imagining that after watching all those how to's that I'd be able to do a "Gwent Special" video. But it wasn't to be. If I did a gwent video it would be x minutes of me screaming in agony LOL :)
Maybe you need to manage your deck? When you get the opportunity, it might pay to remove some of the cards you keep getting like those one's and two's or if you feel you've got too many weather cards trim a few out. Maximise your chances of drawing spies, heroes, medics and decoys.
If you're playing with Northern Realms, it might pay to ditch all those poor effing infantry cards and siege technicians, along with any of the other low value stuff.
As Phil says, you have to remove unnecessary cards like "Poor Fucking Infantry"
Having too many cards isn´t great either. Just aim for maximum of 24 units cards + special cards. Win over smiths, traders and inkeepers to obtain more better cards. Also inkeepers sell lotof cards, so buy them all.
I still haven´t found enough cards to be the best there is with Monsters and other decs, but game really helps you to build your Northern Kingdoms deck.
I managed to create a very powerful Nilfgaardian Deck as well as a powerful Northern Forces Deck. However the other two just weren't for me, I don't work well with Agility or Muster Powered cards when I can use a combination of Medics, Heroes and Spies. Actually to be honest I don't really like Heroes, the ability to boost other cards far beyond them is too good to pass.
Anyway Gwent is the kind of game with tonnes of different strategies and plans to come up with and learn to counter. Enemies will quite often play out in very similar ways, the same general strategies will be used by opponents of the same skill level (pretty much all merchants are the same skill level and each quest breaks it down fairly well) Figure them out and the game becomes much easier.
Yeah, there is pattern to their strategies.
You also must have a certain strategy agains certain factions.
Monster - Deep Frost is a must.
Nilfgaard - You can´t let him win a single round because they alway win a draw. Also, be sure you have Decoy special cards, to steal their Spies.
Scoia´tael - These are harder, but Deep Frost or Rain really helps here.
Northern Kingdoms - Mostly the same as Nilfgaard but you don´t have to worry about losing one round.
I like to use hero cards as bluffs. As you say they aren't effected by things like Commander's Horn so are limited in terms of utility, but if you have better cards in your hand like medics or spies the heroes can be good at making your opponent play some of their best cards early. Sacrifice the first round in order to win the last two.
I think the Scoia'tael are quite good, as are Monsters but they're quite straightforward. I enjoy the spy-swapping a Nilfgaard v Nilfgaard match entails over the mustering of brute force. Still, they're a nice change of pace once you have all the cards.
That's awesome Karver! I've been bugging my wife to play Gwent with me but all she's done so far is laugh at the card descriptions, decide that Northern Realms are her favourite because of their cynicism before getting confused by the rules.
She's a master with a sewing machine though, so has promised to make a fabric Gwent board, complete with foldable coloured gauze to simulate the weather effects. Getting her to actually play the game has become the background noise in our relationship over the last few weeks.
Whoa, you´ve taken it one step further than I.
We play without the board, we just make the lines. We write the "Power" on paper, so we know who has more. (It´s hard to keep the numbers all the time.)
Also, we had to make few customizations, especially with Muster ability. You have to go through your deck to find them, so after that, we´ll shuffle the cards.
Also, neutral cards. We play only with the eight neutral cards and those are randomly distributed between us. So if one has Yennefer, the other one can´t have it. When you see what neutral cards you have, you know what cards has your opponent.
It´s been really fun. My GF loves desk and card games, so I didn´t have to persuade her. Also, she loves me, so she can´t say no
What can I say, I'm a perfectionist
The problem with keeping score will be a challenge, although I was thinking about small pieces of plastic glued on which can be written on with a dry-wipe marker. Maybe that's taking it too far?
I don't have any of those neutrals. I won the Collector's Edition in a comp (yay!) and it doesn't have Yen, Geralt or the rest. Also, the cards are different than those in the game. There are 3 different types of Poor Fucking Infantry and the Redanian Soldier has a different description for example.
I might try that last tactic. "Karver's girlfriend plays Gwent with him because she loves him..." How's that for emotional blackmail
I made them myself on photo paper, but there are 8 neutral cards. Yennefer, Geralt, Ciri, Triss, Zoltan, Dandelion, Vesemir and...I can´t remember the last on.
Counting numbers...I was thinking about making 9 small cards with numbers from 1 to 9. By combining them, they will show what Power you have.
You can certainly try that. But don´t be surprised if she says something like: "I don´t care about some poor fucking infrantryman Karver!"