Last week, House of the Dragon featured the battle of Rook’s Rest, where we witnessed the awe-inspiring spectacle of real dragons and their riders engaging in combat for the first time. It became evident that Vhegar, the big ancient dragon, possessed the strength and ability to potentially lead Team Green to an easy win.
The question arises whether having the largest and most formidable dragons provides an unstoppable advantage or if viable tactics exist to combat them. We’ve brainstormed some strategies that could prove effective if you ever find yourself in one of these kingdoms and have the privilege of commanding one of these magnificent creatures.
Don’t Keep Them Locked Inside
Throughout the series, the dragons of Westeros exhibit a consistent peculiar trait – dragons held in captivity, such as the ones in the Dragonpit, tend to be smaller than those that are allowed to roam freely. By comparing the features of the other known dragons in House of the Dragon to those of the more ancient Vhegar and Balerion, we see that the latter, which were born and raised as weapons of war, had the opportunity to grow to their full size as they freely roamed the skies and survived for a long time.
In dragon battles, while being larger doesn’t guarantee an automatic victory against smaller dragons (take a look at Caraxes – good luck besting that absolute unit), size certainly plays a pivotal role. It directly influences a dragon’s strength, the size of its teeth and claws, and the effective range of its fiery breath. Additionally, a dragon’s larger size doesn’t necessarily mean it’s slower in flight; in fact, it can be just as agile or even faster, thanks to the immense muscle power it possesses.
So long story short, if your house gets blessed with a dragon, freaking GROW THEM OUTSIDE AND MAKE THEM AS HUGE AS POSSIBLE.
You Do Need To Level Them Up
While dragons are fearsome creatures in general, they are not invincible and can still be easily killed if they haven’t been trained properly. This means being able to keep them under control despite their instincts. What makes the Arrax versus Vhagar incident so tragic is that the smaller dragon gave in to its panic and tried attacking the giant dragon when it should have listened to its rider, Jace, who had the right idea to try to shake off their colossal pursuer using the narrow seaside cliffs.
Remember this: You must continue to train your dragon. Although it may be challenging to find actual combat experience during the era of House of the Dragon, you can still sharpen its hunting abilities in the untamed wilderness.
Develop Strategies Around Their Strengths
As dragons mature, they each develop distinct characteristics that make them stand out from others of their kind. Meleys is renowned for its extraordinary speed, Caraxes is particularly aggressive, Sunfyre possesses exceptional toughness and blinding flames, while Vhegar is known for its colossal size and immense power. It becomes the rider’s responsibility to recognize and understand these unique traits to strategize and leverage them for a significant advantage in battle.
The Rider Diff
The significant difference in skill between Aegon and Rhaenys created an apparent mismatch in their battle, but it’s worth noting that Sunfyre, much like Meleys, is an experienced dragon with a history of engaging in numerous campaigns. So, what factors led to the underwhelming performance of the golden dragon?
The key factor in dragon riding is the skill of the rider. Aegon was clearly not skilled and lacked experience in combat, unlike the battle-hardened Rhaenys. Developing a strategy that plays to your dragon’s strengths, providing clear instructions, and cultivating a strong bond with your dragon is crucial for winning battles against other dragon riders.
Assessing the military background of the opposing rider can provide valuable insights into their capabilities outside of combat. Those who have endured multiple battles are likely to possess exceptional skills. Conversely, riders who have remained mostly within the confines of their castles and have had limited interaction with their dragons are expected to be less adept in battle.
Don’t Fight Fair
As shown in episode 4 of season 2, the best way to deal with a dragon is to 2v1 it with your own. While Aemond isn’t the best example of a good team player because of his penchant for friendly fire, his tactics show a glimpse of what’s possible if two allied dragons can coordinate to take down one. One could provide cover fire while the other sets up an ambush, for example, or they could simply overpower their target together.
If you don’t have another dragon and rider to work with, there’s always the option of setting up a favorable battlefield. The aerial nature of most dragon battles means that there will be a lot of chasing, which means that it is possible to lure the opposing dragon and their rider into unfavorable terrain or, better yet, ambush spots where effective weaponry like scorpion bolts and traps like snares and falling boulders lie in wait. They may not kill them outright, but any damage done could be a huge advantage.
The Absolute Best Tactic
When facing an enemy with a formidable dragon or rider, it’s often most effective to first target the rider when they are separated from the dragon. By doing so, we can temporarily disable the dragon while it searches for a new bond, and even if it does find a new rider, there’s a chance that the new partnership may not be as capable.
However, it’s important to consider that most dragon riders are usually well-protected and hold significant positions within their kingdoms. Nevertheless, as evidenced by House of the Dragon, with careful planning and a bit of luck, even a well-guarded rider can be vulnerable to assassination attempts.
You can check out if the Blacks or the Greens employ any of these tactics at House of the Dragon, which is currently streaming on HBO.
Get to know most of the known dragons in the show in our article below!
