Introduction

Welcome to this detailed guide on the Clan of the Snake in Northgard. Snake is an aggressive early- and mid-game clan that relies on disrupting enemy economies rather than long-term scaling. If you enjoy harassing your opponents, stealing resources, and forcing them into inefficient decisions, Snake is the clan for you.

Snake’s Playstyle and Strengths

• Strong early-game aggression: Requires aggressive play to weaken enemy economies.
• Unique military unit: Skirmishers trade defense for mobility and stealth.
• No reliance on Fame: Avoids scouting the center of the map unless necessary.
• Powerful WarChief: Signy, who grows stronger with age, gains unique abilities as the game progresses.
• Resource disruption mechanics: Sweden Fields provides temporary boosts to specialized units but results in a six-month production penalty after activation.
• Stolen Lore Ability: Allows Snake to steal Lore Knowledge from any scouted enemy clan.

Snake’s Clan Bonuses

1. Starts with Signy as its WarChief, who grows stronger each year.
2. Skirmishers can attack without decolonizing zones.
3. Sweden Fields ability: Temporarily increases resource production but reduces it afterward.
4. Can steal Lore Knowledge from any scouted enemy clan.
5. Snake Relic grants military units a Dodge chance and unlocks the Stealth ability (avoid tower detection).

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Snake’s Military Path and Development

Snake is built for early-game pressure, with its strength heavily frontloaded. Playing passively will result in a loss, as Snake lacks the economy to keep up with scaling clans.

Signy’s Growth and Abilities

• Age 16: Raised by Wolves – Signy gains Cloak, allowing her to blend in with wild creatures and manipulate their aggression against enemies.
• Age 17: Shadow of the Wild – Signy becomes 50% stronger, and all military units gain Cloak.
• Age 18: Tears of the Earth – Unlocks Scorched Earth, an ability to burn enemy zones for three months (-50% production for enemies, +50% attack for Snake units in the zone).

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Optimal Build Order for Snake

1. Scout Camp → House → Woodcutter’s Lodge
2. First Food Building → Second Woodcutter’s Lodge
3. Second Food Building (Ensure sustainability)
4. Sweden Fields activation begins
5. Second House → Longship Dock (for additional Lore income)
6. Mine Iron First (for early Relic)
7. Build Forge and begin upgrading key buildings
8. Brewery for Population Cap Increase
9. Second Longship Dock → More Training Camps
10. Expand Warband to 10-14 units

Prioritizing Economy with Sweden Fields

• Keep at least two food and two wood zones to ensure Sweden Fields rotation.
• Activate Sweden Fields frequently, making sure units are relocated when the debuff phase begins.
• Maximize efficiency by swapping specialized units between productive tiles.

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Snake’s Lore Order

Core Lore Path:

1. Sharp Axes (Wood efficiency)
2. Rapacious Exploitation (+1 Happiness per Sweden Fields effect, max +3)
3. Mining Efficiency (Faster stone/iron gathering)
4. Shipbuilding (Boost Krowns income)
5. Weaponsmith (For early aggression and better clearing)
6. Recruitment (Faster villager growth)
7. Stolen Lore (Steal essential knowledge from enemy clans)

Best Lore to Steal:

• Field Rations (Wolf Clan): Increases sustain in enemy territory.
• Draconic Frenzy (Dragon Clan): Provides additional military advantages.

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Military Strategy and Combat Tactics

Military Path: Leadership vs. Legions

• Leadership (Better harassment, early game dominance)
• Legions (Better for late-game sustain, strong in 3v3s)

Combat Approach

• Hit and Run Tactics: Snake’s military should never engage in full battles. Instead, use Skirmishers and Signy to pick off villagers, steal resources, and burn enemy zones.
• Winter Weakness: Snake does not usually invest in Fur Coats, making it vulnerable to winter attacks.
• Target Skirmishers First: When fighting Snake, focus on eliminating Skirmishers, as they deal poison damageand slow enemy units.

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Stone and Iron Upgrade Priorities

Stone Upgrade Order:

1. Town Hall (For villager production boost)
2. Longship Dock (To scale Lore income)
3. Two Training Camps (For stronger warbands)

Iron Upgrade Order:

1. Sailors (First upgrade)
2. Forge Relic (Unlock Snake’s unique combat perks)
3. Skirmishers and Warriors Upgrade

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Key Takeaways for Mastering Snake

• Early aggression is key – delay enemy economies while boosting your own.
• Optimize Sweden Fields rotations to minimize production downtime.
• Utilize cloaked units to scout and prepare surprise attacks.
• Keep warbands mobile – pick off villagers, avoid prolonged fights.
• Leverage stolen Lore to gain essential economic and military buffs.
• Manage combat timing carefully – winter is not your friend, but early- and mid-game is your domain.

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Conclusion

Snake is an incredibly fun and dynamic clan but requires constant pressure and strong micro-management. If you enjoy guerilla warfare tactics, disrupting enemy economies, and controlling the battlefield through hit-and-run attacks, then Snake is the perfect clan for you.