ASOIAF: Is Ramsay Bolton a good fighter?

I wouldn't like to be on his bad side. But he's not really all that great a fighter; and his victories (Against the Lady of the Hornwood's men as well as the Northern army that besieged Winterfell) have gone off by treachery and surprise. That suggests some intelligence, sure. But I doubt if he's a genius. Certainly as a fighter, he doesn't seem to be all that special. Strong, yes, but a hacker. NOt well trained. And most of his victims are either defenseless, frightened women. I don't know if he's ever been in a real fight. Not that he has really needed  to. He's got an army and various henchmen to do his work for him.

"He fights for you," Reek blurted out. "He's strong."

"Bulls are strong.[said Roose Bolton.] Bears. I have seen my bastard fight. He is not entirely to blame. Reek was his tutor, the first Reek, and Reek was never trained at arms.Ramsay is ferocious, I will grant you, but he swings that sword like a butcher hacking meat."

--A Dance with Dragons

Show Ramsay is pretty much Badass Incarnate, taking on a gang of ironborn shirtless on his own, outsmarting--easily! careful strategists like Stannis Baratheon and Roose Bolton. But book Ramsay is not that formidable alone, on his own.

But then he's never on his own, really, is he? He's got an army backing him up.

Written Mar 19th 2016