Exiles may seem like a simple little minis game, but beneath its carefree, slapdash exterior is a deeply strategic skirmish game that can be a merciless bitch if you aren’t prepared!

In this series, I’ll give you the tips and tricks you’ll need to keep your Character alive… well, for longer than most, anyway.

The first rule of survival on the frontier is STAY TOGETHER!

Exiles is an incredibly cooperative game, and you will not survive very long on your own. And don’t just bring some buddies with you. Stay close to those buddies for the whole fucking game.

The quickest way to watch your entire posse get killed is if you all run off in different directions. I’ve seen it happen again and again and again.

Exiles Characters are fragile creatures. One bad roll can have you eating dirt and crying for your mommy. And once you hit the ground, it only takes 5 turns for you to bleed to death.

If there’s a Bad Guy near at hand, you won’t be getting help until that hombre is dead. Which means you’ll probably need help from your Rowdy buddy and your Doctor buddy if you expect to live. And what’ll your chances be if they have to cross open ground in the middle of a gunfight to reach your dumb ass?

Physical proximity is the first step towards survival. When you’re close to your buddies, you’re close to help. You’re also close to cover!

Don’t forget that every dude on the table is Shootin’ Through terrain, so sticking near a buddy can give you much needed emotional support and Shootin’ Defense.

There are plenty of skills, like Triage, that make it safer for your posse to split up. Even so, you are asking for trouble every time you do. There are times when dividing forces can give you a big advantage, but you need to decide if it’s worth the risk!