These are the 4 new abilities announced in the official post by @splinterlands that add new mechanics and strategy possibilities for your matches. Here are their effects, respectively:

Armored Strike

• Any unit with this ability gains an ADDITIONAL Melee attack using its Armor stat.

Corrosive Ward

• When hit with a Melee attack, a unit with this ability does 2 damage to the attacker's Armor AND reduces the max Armor of the attacker by 2.

Flank

• If the unit with this ability is in the first position, then the unit in the second position gains the Reach ability.

Lookout

• A unit with this ability results in adjacent allies taking one less damage from attackers with Sneak, Snipe, and Opportunity.

Armored Strike possesses the potential to emerge as the most formidable among the newly introduced abilities, contingent upon the cards it is bestowed upon. It is imperative to remember that a potent ability on cards with lackluster statistics would be futile. When synergized with the Protect trait and the Armored Up rule, it exhibits the capability to forge a formidable entity armed with substantial armor, thereby enhancing its prowess in inflicting damage. Given that the supplementary attack is confined to close combat, it also lends itself well to synergies with rules such as Equal Opportunity, Melee Mayhem, and Super Sneak.

Naturally, the battlefield designers have not allowed this ability to reign supreme unchallenged; hence, the introduction of the Corrosive Ward ability. This particular ability serves as a direct counter to armor and any abilities reliant on this resource. Beyond its proficiency in negating Armored Strike, corrosion proves to be particularly effective against compositions heavily emphasizing Repair or teams with numerous defensive mechanisms, oftentimes employing summoners like Grandmaster Rathe to bolster their protection. While this ability certainly piques interest, its efficient application remains challenging, and its effectiveness relies heavily on the adversary possessing significant armor for the effect to be fully realized.

When it comes to the Flank and Lookout abilities, forming a conclusive judgment can be quite challenging. While these abilities undeniably hold value, their effectiveness is contingent on the synergy with the cards they are bestowed upon. Having the Flank ability on a card with limited health and armor is of little use if the card cannot endure the frontlines adequately. Similarly, a melee attack card featuring Lookout but lacking supplementary support abilities would prove relatively ineffective throughout most of the game. To optimize these abilities, strategic positioning in the fifth slot becomes paramount, safeguarding your last card against Sneak attacks and your card with the lowest health from Opportunity attacks.

The evaluation of these abilities can only be truly realized upon the announcement of new cards, as their effectiveness heavily hinges on the available card options. Nevertheless, the first two abilities undeniably offer substantial value and are likely to secure a place in numerous card compositions. Their introduction could potentially influence the prevalence of protection-focused strategies in the meta, with outcomes varying based on how the meta adapts to these newfound abilities.

As for your query regarding the potential of these new abilities in Splinterlands matches, it largely depends on the evolving game dynamics and the introduction of compatible cards. Only time will reveal the full extent of their impact. What are your thoughts on the upcoming abilities in the Rebellion edition? Do you foresee them fitting into your Splinterlands strategies?