Throughout the Bible, Babylon is the primary city representative of the world of sin and Satan’s kingdom. Indeed, in Isaiah 14, the chapter describing Lucifer’s fall, he is referred to as “The king of Babylon” (v.4)! From Genesis 10-11 (Nimrod and the Tower of Babel) to Revelation 17-18 (the Harlot Babylon), Babylon is the city of organized, corporate revolt against God and His Kingdom.
In Redemption, the main focus of Babylonian cards is on the exile of Judah in 586 B.C. by the Babylonian forces led by King Nebuchadnezzar. Because of the Israelites’ unrepentant rebellion against God, the Lord allowed Babylon to destroy the magnificent Solomon’s Temple and capture the Israelites in the southern kingdom (the northern kingdom of Israel had already been exiled by the Assyrians in 721 B.C.).
The Babylonian theme is found in the crimson brigade, and consists of mostly warrior-class evil characters employing two main strategies: Hero capture and soul lock. King Nebuchadnezzar is a very powerful Evil Character who can (so long as no Daniel Hero is in play) search the deck for an O.T. crimson card and add it to hand or battle (cannot be negated). Great go-to Enhancements to potentially immediately deny the rescue attempt are Head of Gold, Belshazzar’s Banquet, and Nebuchadnezzar’s Pride.
King Belshazzar can then grab Belshazzar’s Banquet from the discard pile to deny another rescue attempt, and playing Swift Horses on Nergalsharezer (making it CBN) to draw 2 and gain the initiative to play a capture battle-winner denies yet another. Plus, if Raider’s Camp is active during a Hero capture by their Evil Character, the defense can stop an additional rescue attempt by simply releasing the captured-to-Raider’s-Camp Hero(es) instead of a Lost Soul.
The Winged Lion and King Belshazzar can band to other Babylonians, and aided by the non-Babylonian but crimson Gomer and Archers of Kedar, more banding to any male or warrior-class Evil Character, respectively, becomes an option. Astrologers and Chaldeans are both Babylonian and magicians, giving them the opportunity to use two very strong cards to the full effect – Magic Charms and Invoking Terror.
Green Brigade prophets is a good offense to pair with Babylonians, because both green prophets and crimson have multiple side battle cards and tools to take advantage of side battles. While not strictly Babylonian, this defense would include Christian Suing Another and King Rehoboam. There are many interesting tricks green can pull off in a side battle, one of the best being Drawn Sword (FF). The offense can use Visions and Sword of the Lord to bring the ECs into a side battle. Crimson has plenty of tricks to pull in a side battle as well, including Desecrate the Temple (RA) which can potentially discard the opponent’s Son of God from their deck!
Offenses that utilize Ezekiel well are one of the most common pairings with Babylonians due to the natural synergy of Forest Fire, Drawn Sword, and Iron Pan from Tin XX.
A purple royalty offense can also work well with Babylonians, as both have drawing, searching and strong battle winners. Babylonians can be protected from Authority of Christ (Promo) by their protection Fortress, Headquarters at Riblah.
Finally, a white females/TGT offense benefits from Babylonian captures clearing out defenders through the use of Carried into Exile and Head of Gold on Evil Characters.
Babylonians DO NOT pair well with a Daniel offense because their strongest character, Nebuchadnezzar, doesn’t work with Daniel Heroes. Also, if banded against you, Meshach and Shadrach both shut down aspects of your defense.
So go on and give Babylonians and your choice of offense a try!
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