Cardboard Corner: Review of Warhammer 40,000 Conquest: The Card Game

In ten years I have accidentally become an expandable card game collector.  It happens to the best of us.  Such experiences ping the endorphin triggers in my mind—again and again and again... My poor wallet. I own more than a dozen and have played twice that, old and new.  My observation is that most newer games take few chances.  They move closer and closer to the same, basic expandable model in an attempt to avoid the risk of market failure.  Lorcana, Star Wars Unlimited, One Piece - they feel extremely similar.  As a result, many of the older games still feel fresh, innovative.  One standing the test of time and standing tall is Warhammer 40,000 Conquest: The Card Game (2015).

Conquest does the near impossible: it captures the massive universe of Warhammer lore in a hour of combat and planetary takeover in cards. A two-player only game, each person chooses the warlord/faction they want to play (of which there are seven available in the core box), builds a deck of 50+ cards, shuffles, and goes to war.  Orks, Space Marines, Chaos, Dark Eldar, Eldar, Tao, and Astra Militarum are available, including many of their most powerful leaders.  Arrayed in a line between the players are seven planets, each with some combination of three symbols. The first player to win three symbols of the same type or defeat their opponent's warlord, wins. That is the high-level view - one which is already different than most games based on the planets. Now, one level deeper where things get crunchy and unique.

On their turn, players spend resources to deploy army units to planets, establish support at their headquarters, and add attachments to units.  After, each simultaneously deploys their warlord to a planet and engages in the command struggle.  Each planet is unique and offers different rewards for players who win command, with card draw and resources being the basics.  After, we go to war.  The combat is bloody, as round after round players bash heads at the first planet until only one side has units alive.  They win the planet, and its symbol(s), and are one step closer to the victory conditions.  A clean up phase is initiated, and we go back to deploying units.  

The two types of combat: command and martial, are where Conquest wins points for uniqueness.  Players must decide how to most effectively use thier units.  Now for martial combat and one step closer to victory, or more strategically to build a force that will eventually allow me to win.  This see-saw tension is the best aspect of Conquest. It prevents the game from devolving into a punch-fest. You punch, now I punch, now you punch, and we see who is left standing—which is what a lot of expandable card games boil down to. Instead, players must try to get inside their opponent's head and outguess them regarding intentions. He will probably send his warlord to Planet X, so I should attack Planet Y, which will allow me to... This is a satisfying, more sophisticated decision space.

Another major aspect which makes Conquest highly unique is the 'warlord wheel'. As stated, players take turns deploying army units face up to the different planets. This information is known as it unfolds. It allows players to make assumptions about where their opponent is trying to set to win command struggles or combat. But the deployment of warlords, the final step in the deployment process, is something unknown. Each player has a dial with numbers 1-5 on it. They secretly select a number which identifies the planet they will send their warlord to.  They simultaneously reveal and warlords are deployed to the planets chosen. Interesting thoughts go through the head during selection. You have two of that symbol, so probably you'll go for the third planet. But will you? Will you zag instead of zigging? Given warlords do not have tons of health and can die in a single combat (not likley but possible), this poker aspect of gameplay makes for excitement and tension. Imagine, for example, if Star Wars Unlimited players could deploy their leader each round to space or ground? 

In the intro I stated that modern expandable card games can be a bit samey, even boring in some aspects of gameplay.  Resource are one.  One per round, onward we plod.  Conquest is more dynamic. During cleanup, each player gets four resources and twoin hand cards.  This always ensures options are available.  But on top of this, additional resources and cards can be earned during the command struggle. In other words, a player can enter the command phase broke and few cards, yet still emerge with enough resources and cards to have a chance at surviving the next round of combat, or even surprising their opponent with a particular event or ambush card.  It keeps gameplay fluid and adds a level of tactics most other games don't have.

All of these factors highlighted thus far, as well as the victory conditions, make for a game that limits runaway winners.  To be clear, runaway winners still happen.  But our experience is that a player can be one point from victory for a long time, and even lose in this game if cards and resources are effectively played.  More often than other such games I've been behind and came back to win.  Likewise, people have come back to win against me many times.  This knowledge, no matter how bad things are there is still hope, adds something intangible to Conquest that I rarely find very in other expandable card games.  

But what about the implementation of lore?!?! How has Warhammer been implemented in Conquest?  I'm far from a Warhammer expert. I have a layman's knowledge, at best. What I can say is that each of the seven different factions in the box play uniquely. They offer players a variety of ways to navigate the game to arrive at the win conditions. Orks are straight-up aggro, using any damage they take as an opportunity to do additional damage. Space Marines fight head on, have sturdy units, and are able to bring additional units to the battlefield during combat. Tau are weak at first, but with army attachments become super-powered. The Astra Militarum field many low cost but weak units, but have support weapons that are second to none.  Chaos have big, heavy hitters but at high costs; keeping them alive is paramount. Dark Eldar focus on trickery - removing the opponent's resources and cards, switching this with that, etc.  Eldar are the control faction; they play cards to counter opponent's deployment, events, support, etc. (Note: Tyranids and Necrons are also available but sold separately.) Again, I have no idea how these approaches to gameplay relate to the lore. I can only say players are given a great variety of ways to play, which is satisfying.

One further point I would add regarding lore is that each faction's identity is captured in the character of a warlord. Each has unique effects and their own set of eight unique cards that can only be played with that warlord.  Another way of putting this is, players vuild decks around a faction's strengths and around the special effects of their warlord, i.e. deckbuilding options are huge.

Problems with the game are the same as most Fantasy Flight Games living card games: cards in the base box are enough for fun casual games, but that's it. If players want a more balanced game, then they need to purchase an additional core set.  And if they want to be competitive, they need to buy the expansion packs, trade cards with other players, etc.  

Warhammer: Conquest unfortunately died two years after it was released. FFG lost the Warhammer license, and the game's community withered thereafter.  But there are still people playing, mostly online.  A small but diehard community exists.  They create new content and hold competitions online. They keep alive a game that is much more innovative and engaging cmpared to the TCGs, CCgs, etc. currently commerically available.  Conquest offers a more sophisticated, engaging gameplay experiance that feels thematic at every phase.  The decision space is poker-eque at times, rewards strategic thinking, and is not over until its over - comeback wins a real possibility.  If interested, rhe Conquest core box is still available for near-MSRPprices from a limited number of retailers as well as the secondary market.