Attack is the engine of damage and sets the tempo of every push. Use it to pressure low-HP targets or bleed out an opponent's Defense until their hand runs dry. Rebels crave it most for ganging up on the Lord, while a Lord or Loyalist uses it to punish an exposed Rebel. Since you normally get one per turn, timing and range matter far more than raw count.
Pair it with Repeating Crossbow or Zhang Fei's unlimited-attack skill to rain down multiple hits a turn, while Guan Yu turns red cards into an endless supply. Ma Chao and Red Hare stretch your range to distant targets, and weapons like Blue Steel Blade or Serpent Spear pile on extra pressure.
Answer it directly with Defense, but hold it for the right moment — don't burn it on the first swing if more are coming. Eight Trigrams armor gives a chance to auto-dodge, and Shadow Runner adds defensive distance to push attackers out of range. Positioning out of range is the best shield of all. (Note: Negate can't stop an Attack — it isn't a trick card.)