Strategy: Helga's Fury works the same way Eric's Veterancy does — a modest per-hit chance (10%) to stack a buff, up to five times, that rewards a fight running long rather than ending quickly. Each stack is only +12% Attack, but five stacks is a real 60% Attack bonus if the fight drags on long enough for the procs to land, making her noticeably better in prolonged garrison defense than in a fast opening trade.
Antler Assault's knockback is worth distinguishing from a pure stun: beyond the 1-second stun itself, physically displacing the target can disrupt formation positioning and targeting priority, a different kind of disruption than just delaying an enemy's next action. Small edge, but real.
What actually makes Helga worth writing about isn't her kit's ceiling — it's her floor. She comes from the very first purchase reward, which means nearly every player who has spent anything at all owns her, regardless of budget. That makes her less a strategic pick and more a near-universal default: functional Infantry lead access for players who haven't yet pulled or afforded anything better.
Skill priority: Antler Assault first for the damage and disruption, Echoes of Valhalla second for the army-wide Attack bonus, Fury third since its value compounds passively over time rather than needing direct investment priority.
She's outclassed by Zoe specifically for Bear Hunt and by Amadeus for players willing to spend toward a full star-up, but neither replacement matters if you don't have them yet. Use Helga without hesitation until something better actually arrives in your roster — she's free value, not a placeholder to feel bad about running.