Hello splinterlands gaming fans!
This is my weekly battle mage secrets share challenge submission with the ruleset Taking Sides.

https://splinterlands.com/?p=battle&id=sl_0afc7cb9c208d8546c4f146c931b7b67

Likewise it is always a difficult task battling without using Neutral Monsters. The role of neutral Monster is great in any battle rule set. On the other hand it is like a challenge to set up our team without using neutral monster. Taking Sides is a ruleset in which we have to battle without using neutral Monsters. It was like a gamble for me, selecting a team with a single Flying ability monster.
Rest of the Monsters were non Flying monsters with low health. Actually it was just 29 Mana gameplay in which I had to select the appropriate team with the perfect team combination.
No doubt I dare to use two magic monster in the Counterspell battle ruleset. Actually I wanted to keep Phantom Soldier In My Battle squad and Undead Priest to weaken the enemy team. It means I was going to reduce two health, one by Monster and one by summoner Thaddius Brood.

Taking Sides-

To be honest, I do not like this ruleset very much because I can't imagine a battle squad without **neutral Monsters**. You will see that first time I was not using **Doctor Blight** due to rule restrictions. There were plenty of options to use appropriate Monsters but I was not getting any useful `flying` ability Monsters. Finally I decided to use at Mana Monster **Phantom Soldier**.

MY SUMMONER

Thaddius Brood is my favorite against magic Monsters but it was counterspell rule set, yet I chose Thaddius Brood. Actually 4 splinterlands were active for this gameplay. There is no good flying ability monster in Fire and Water unit. In Life unit Flying ability Monsters are but highest health base. Finally I decided to use Death unit with the combination of protect ability monster. Thaddius Brood is a weaken and Silence ability Chaos Legion Edition summoner.

BATTLE RULESET AND MANA

Whenever I get low Mana gameplay, then mostly I like to use Lord Arianthus and Doctor Blight with the combination of low mana Monsters. But this time I was not going to use the benefit of these two legendary neutral Monsters.
It was 29 Mana gameplay and only four Splinter Life, Death Water and Fire were active for this gameplay.
First I checked all splinter and got no appropriate flying ability monster, so finally decided to use the death unit.

COUNTERSPELL
It means all magic Monster will get return damage when they will hit to the Monsters. In other words magic Monsters will be less effective.

EARTHQUAKE
Non flying Monsters will take 2x damage with each round by earthquake while Flying ability Monsters will be safe from earthquake.

TAKING SIDES
This is the theme ruleset for this week.
It means neutral Monster will not be available for the battle and one has to battle without Neutral Monsters.

TEAM SELECTION AND CARD PLACING

Actually I was looking for more flying ability monster in 29 gameplay but I could not get more appropriate monster. That's why I gave priority to protect ability monsters.
My team combination was one Melee Thorn and Heal ability monster Cursed Wendeku, two magic Monster Phantom Soldier and Undead Priest. Three Range Monsters Ravenhood Warden, Soul strangler and Undead Archer. Most of the cards were with low health but I was using every Monsters for their specific reason. At front position Heal ability monster, Weaken ability monster at secon position, third position monster was crucial as it was protecting all monsters with Protect ability. Phantom Soldier is a magic monster and using it in battle squad was not a good decision, but I wanted to keep at least one Flying monster.

CURSED WENDEKU

I like this Monster a very much. There are so many reasons to like this monster. This is a Rare monster with Thorns and Tank ability. It is a 6 Mana Monster and at this Mana cost we get pretty good 11 health. At 6 level we get 3 Melee attack and 3 speed. I wanted to resist opponent's Monsters that's why I placed this Rare and Heal monster at first position. With the battle ruleset there is one additional counterspell ability inside this monster.

UNDEAD PRIEST

This is a small pack specially for little League. You will get pretty good four health in two Mana. This is alpha and beta Edition monster. It is also a rare Monster in two Mana. This Monster comes with two special abilities: weaken and slow at level 5. At level four we get four health, 1 Magic attack two speed. I wanted to adjust this monster in 29 Mana gameplay and also wanted to use its weaken ability with Thaddius Brood.

RAVENHOOD WARDEN

I like this four Mana Death unit Monster very much. It is a Soulbound Rare monster. I was battling with an earthquake battle ruleset, so I decided to use a protect ability monster that provides not only two armor for the fellow Monster but also Inspire too. Recently I upgraded this Monster into level 5 to use its inspire ability. At level 5 we get two Range attack, 2 speed and three health. Yes its health is low but protect ability hide it. At Max level we get Fury ability.

SOUL STRANGLER

There was only single reason to use this Monster to use its pretty good four range attack. It is also a rare monster in three Mana. Including this Monster there were four Monster below 4 Mana. It is a Chaos Legion edition Rare monster. We get no abilities inside this monster. Just 4 range attack, 3 speed and three health at level 6. This Monster was getting an additional ability, counterspell due to the battle rule set. How was using this Monster at level 4 to provide enough chance for attack.

UNDEAD ARCHER

It is a death unit rare monster in two Mana. The strange thing is that till 6 level we get just a single range attack while we get two range attacks at level 4. It is an essence orb monster that provides Affliction and Shatter ability. I was using level 4 of it and at this level I was getting two range attacks, 3 speed and 3 health. I placed this Monster at level 5 despite its low health. My believe was with two additional armor that I was getting with protect ability of Ravenhood.

PHANTOM SOLDIER

This is an Epic card from death unit. It was the single card that I was using with flying ability in earthquake battle ruleset. It is a 8 Mana magic monster. Counterspell rule set could be harmful for magic Monster but this Monster comes with Void ability, so it was not going to damage more. I was using 5 level of it and at this level we get 10 health, 3 magic attack and 3 speed. This Monster comes with three abilities Silenced, Flying and Void. This Monster always be impactful with the combination of Thaddius Brood especially against magic Monsters. So it was my team combination with that was almost similar to the opposition team. My opposition team was also using only single monster with flying ability.

HERE IS THE VIDEO LINK OF THE BATTLE

YOU CAN ALSO ENJOY SOME BATTLE FOOTAGE HERE

DID MY STRATEGY WORKED WELL? WILL I TRY DIFFERENTLY IN NEXT TIME?

For the first time I could not select my Battle squad according to my choice. Actually I was not getting more flying ability card that can be adjustable in 29 Mana gameplay.
So I gave priority to a Protect ability Monster that can at least save my cards from first round attack or Earthquake. First place was reserve for a heal Monster that was a good decision. My team combination was one Melee monster three range Monster and two magic monsters.
I wanted to keep Phantom Soldier safe that's why I placed it in last position. Unfortunately my opposition team was with Sneak monster but armor saved it. My plan did not work very well but it was Non flying monster in opposition battle squad that helped me to win the battle. Yes next time I will make some change according to new battle ruleset..

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DECLAIMER
All images, gif, photographs are not mine, it is taken from creator's post and games website Here-
PS- images/stickers taken and edited with Picsart/pixelLab
And all images are taken from Here
It is taken just for post purpose..

Thanks for your valuable time..
Keep On Battling
Have a nice day..