Monsters on Splinterlands are normally attack the front enemies, but with certain abilities, they can change the target into different monsters. Here is several abilities that could change the way monsters is attacking it's opponent :

First there is the opportunity ability. Monster with this ability would always try to hit enemy with the lowest health point (if there is several monsters with same health, it will aim the most front monster). This is a great ability to aim the support or main hitter because they are often having low health point.

Next there is scattershot. This ability is only given to the range and magic monsters, which cause them to attack enemies randomly. This is a greay way to counter the taunt monsters.

Next there is sneak ability. Monsters with this ability will always aim the most back monsters of enemies backline (except if they have the camouflage ability). Another way to eliminate the main hitter or support of enemies that often positioned on the back.

Next there is snipe. This ability is only available on range and magic monsters which cause them to attack the first enemies with no attack, or ranged and magic attack. So this ability is basically trying to avoid the melee monsters. Another way to aim the damager and support that often having non melee attack.

Last there is a wingbreak ability. This is a quite unique ability, because it's focus on flying enemies and give double damage on them. This ability is very usefull for the earthquake ruleset when the flying monsters often appeared, or if you see that your enemies love the flying units.

Focus on Single Target on Front as One of Attacking Strategy

So, we already know there is many ways for attacking in Splinterlands. We can try to assasinate the backline or simply focus on front monsters. Today I want to discuss more about focus on single target on the front. This strategy is a simple and common way to attack on Splinterlands, and here is the reason :

#1. No need for additional ability. Since monsters are basically attacking the front enemy, this mean we don't need any ability addition to execute this strategy. With additional ability, it's often sacrifice the monster's stats potential or another abilities cause the slot is filled with the assasin ability.

#2. Tank will always hit the front. This mean that you will always need to hit the front monsters, which mean the assasinate strategy will have 1 wasted attack that is belong to the tank. This makes the focus is less than trying to focus on the front monster.

#3. More focus attack mean more damage given to single target, and less chance for getting healed or supported. The problem of splitting the damage is, when enemies is having triage or repair, it's sometimes become a never ending attack for eliminating a single target, that is why aiming a single target have more chance to reduce it.

But there is also the cons of this strategy :
#1. People often prepared for it and having a great tanker. On physical battle, they might use shield, or having the void on magical battle, or sometimes it's both. Those ability could reduce the damage by half and cause you to waste another half of the damage ! There are even more ability to help the tanker survive, such as evade, flying, etc.

#2. It's easier to support the front monsters. Tank heal and cleanse, are a common abilities rather than backline cleanse or triage. So, not just the abilities that make you hard to hit the front monsters or reduce the damage, there are many support that is ready to help them as well. This will make you harder to eliminate the tanker.

#3. You will let the great support or dangerous backline monsters doing their action freely. Support monsters can be very usefull with their healing, repair, revive or others supporting abilities, while deadly hitter could land massive damage. Those support and deadly hitter are often having tiny HP and could get eliminated with just single or two attack instead waste your damage for hard tanker. You can easily eliminate the tanker if you already eliminate it's hitter and support !

Which Strategy We Should Get as The Best?

On a strategy game where there is so many factor that could change the battlefield, there is no best strategy , cause there is always a counter. My advice is to take a look at your opponent's history, predict how they will act, and then get a counter strategy based on it. If you guess it right, you will have higher chance to win the match !

Battle Example

I always love to give battle example of my explanation, so now I will give you one of what we are discussing today.
You can watch the battle on this link https://splinterlands.com/battle/sl_050ac40ba16b4bfad15611a5647ceadf

I will also give the preview about it on this section.

Ruleset and formation:

There is only 21 mana cap which is very tight, followed with the no neutral monsters and broken arrow. So this will be a magic and melee battle. Based on the history, I supposed my enemies would not try to use assasin and I am right, he only focus to aim the tank. On my side, I got the tank with healing ability, with another heal and repair armor from the merdalii as support on the back. I also have an assasin with high damage and speed on the back, plus a magician with scattershot and bloodlust ability.

How the Battle Goes

At first round, both team exchange damage but no one is eliminated. My tank stay strong with double heal after taking some serious damage, meanwhile my enemies tank is already hurt a lot.

At 2nd round, enemies tanker is eliminated, meanwhile my tank still standing with high HP thanks for the double heal.

At 3rd round, another front monster is eliminated, now my enemy left with just one monster left. No chance he would win.

Finally, I win the game with the strong tank and the help of great support. There is no monster eliminated cause my enemy only attack fron monsters. Perfect victory, which is very good if it's played on the survival mode !

Conclussion

Attacking front monster could be an effective way cause you can be more focus on single target and the range and magic monster don't need special ability to do so, which mean you have much more option and potentially with higher stats or another usefull ability cause they don't waste a slot for attacking, but on the other side that strategy could easily counter if your enemy is preparing for that with great tank and support plus deadly hitter which would having free hit. There is no best strategy of attacing which guarantee you a win, the best way to win is trying to guess your enemies lane up based on their history, and try to counter them with the cards you got.

Final Words