Whoohoo! There's a new database for all the Conquest cards to help with deckbuilding. It's a little shaggy but it DOES get the job done!
Thanks to everyone who built this incredibly helpful tool.
This is a blog about the Magic the Gathering decks I make, the games I play and the general thoughts I have about the game...and occasionally other stuff but hopefully only as it relates to play.
Whoohoo! There's a new database for all the Conquest cards to help with deckbuilding. It's a little shaggy but it DOES get the job done!
Thanks to everyone who built this incredibly helpful tool.
Some notes taken from the last run of Warhammer Conquest games! The plan was to play the decks in a best out of three, but to change the planet systems between games.
WHEW!
What a dive into the Warhammer world, right?
So after 3 days and 4 nights of games, what did I learn?
Well, first and foremost this game really does rock. It's got a lot of interesting variety and decision points to make and kudos to the people at Apoka Team for making good decisions about the cards they produce. The new cards are well designed and expand on neglected areas of the game instead of just powerleveling the things that already existed.
As far as the gameplay goes, I'd say that the biggest thing I learned is that it is better to build up to a big moment than it is to go all in early on something and then try to make your plan work from there. The former strategy allows for more flexibility and the potential to recover from mistakes, from RNG moments that don't break your way, or from battles where you're just blown out.
The latter constricts you into a very brittle strategy and is, given my experiences, likely to crumble. If something doesn't go the way you're hoping, oof!
I've learned that there are some decidedly bad matchups in Conquest: I don't know how I could've made the Nahumekh vs Illuminor Szeras matchup work for Nahumekh. It's almost as if Illuminor was meant to punish what Nahumekh wants to do.
But that is OK! Some warlords should be the weak point of others. But I hadn't seen it on display in Warhammer Conquest like this before.
I suppose that's it. A fine way to spend several evenings, with enough gameplay to let me know which warlords need some attention, and hopefully a way to make them better. Good stuff!
And now: the results of all the matches Jason and I played from November 25th until the 28th. I think I should also note that an impressive amount of beer was consumed during this time, and not all notes are going to be the same. That said: let's get to it!
Shaper Agnok vs Ba’zu
This went to planet 6 and was a struggle the entire time. I recognized that I had color advantage. While Kaerus Erameas was incredibly useful for Jason, evoking planets from Fenos, Langeran or Chiron, I was still able to pick my battles.Another one of the original warlords, Nazdreg appeals to me because it has a very grokable ability. Coupled with a long history in the game, making a solid deck from this suite was not a challenge. And at some point, building 9+ decks in a little over a week gets difficult! Plus, as with Eldorath, having some decks that work on a really understandable mechanic are helpful if I get to teach anyone else how to play.
Nazdreg (Core Set)
Forced Reaction: After you commit your warlord, replace a planet with one from The Breach sector (each planet can only be used once). After that planet is captured, replace it again with the original.
Tras the Corrupter (Shadow In The Warp)
Army
3 Raging Daemonhost
2 Alpha Legion Infiltrator
2 Seekers of Slaanesh
2 Umbral Preacher
3 Expendable Pawn
3 Galvan the Bloated
3 Heretic Inventor
3 Disciple of Excess
3 Uncontrollable Rioters
4 War Cabal
Attachment
1 Iridescent Wand
3 Scrying Pool
3 Medallion of Betrayal
Event
3 Tides of Chaos
2 Torturer of Worlds
3 The Prince’s Might
3 Warp Rift
Support
3 Blood Rain Tempest
1 Cult of Duplicity
One of the last decks I built was Eldorath Starbane because he's an OG Warlord, and one that I have a copy of that Jason wouldn't. That would offer me a chance to explore an area of the game he hasn't, offering more variety to the experience. Plus, Eldorath is a good Warlord to introduce players to the game with, so having a deck with him is not a bad practice.
Eldorath Starbane (Core Set)
Army (27)Yvraine is a stranger warlord than usual, because of its ability to create battles in places where none should exist. Rewarding some next level strategy thinking, it offers some very interesting options to try and take an opponent by surprise.
Yvraine (The Laughing God)
Army (26)I think of the decks I built, I think Commander Shadowsun had the least done with it. I'm not saying that Shadowsun is a deck that builds and pilots itself: but I would say that the core around which a player builds this deck is so clear, that getting weird with that warlord dilutes the power of it. The deck plays well and didn't need much attention.
Commander Shadowsun (Core Set)
Army (29)
3 Earth Caste Technician (Core Set)
3 Kroot Hunter (Chronicles of Heroes)
2 Vior'la Marksman (Core Set)
2 Gun Drones (Core Set)
2 Prudent Fire Warriors (Boundless Hate)
4 Shadowsun's Stealth Cadre (Core Set)
2 Fireblade Kais'vre (Core Set)
1 Pathfinder Shi Or'es (The Great Devourer)
3 Sae'lum Pioneer (Wrath of the Crusaders)
2 Fire Warrior Strike Team (Core Set)
3 Prototype Crisis Suit (Deadly Salvage)
2 Sa'cea XV88 Broadside (Zogwort's Curse)
Attachment (12)
1 Command-Link Drone (Core Set)
3 Promotion (Core Set)
1 Fusion Cascade Defiance (A Mask Falls Off)
3 Heavy Marker Drone (Zogwort's Curse)
2 Ion Rifle (Core Set)
2 Repulsor Impact Field (Core Set)
Event (4)
2 Squadron Redeployment (Core Set)
2 Even the Odds (Core Set)
Support (5)
1 Communications Relay (Core Set)
2 Repair Bay (The Great Devourer)
2 Ambush Platform (Core Set)
The next deck might come in second for "least tinkered with" though. Again, the primary function of the Epistolary Vezuel is only really good if you push hard on the build-around. This deck got a little boost from the newer cards, but not much I think. It was already a pretty decent strategy, and any Warlord that automatically gives you one of the game's resources has got a head start over others.
Epistolary Vezuel (Unforgiven)
Army (30)
1 Grand Master Belial (Chronicles of Heroes)
2 10th Company Scout (Core Set)
2 Rogue Trader (Core Set)
3 Righteous Initiate (Decree of Ruin)
3 Tactical Squad Cardinis (Core Set)
3 8th Company Assault Squad (Jungles of Nectavus)
2 Deathwing Interceders (Enemy Territory)
4 Vezuel's Hunters (Unforgiven)
2 Imperial Fists Devastators (Deadly Salvage)
3 Salamander Flamer Squad (Slash and Burn)
2 Veteran Barbrus (The Great Devourer)
3 Deathwing Terminators (Searching for Truth)
Attachment (8)
1 Fulgaris (Unforgiven)
2 Godwyn Pattern Bolter (Core Set)
2 Terminator Armor (The Eye of Terror)
3 Valkyris Pattern Jump Pack (Jungles of Nectavus)
Event (4)
2 Unseen Strike (Unforgiven)
2 Indomitable (Core Set)
Support (8)
1 Dark Angels Cruiser (Unforgiven)
3 Deathstorm Drop Pod (Slash and Burn)
2 Secluded Apothecarion (Zogwort's Curse)
2 Holy Sepulchre (Core Set)
I wanted to build a Ragnar deck as soon as someone told me about the concept-which is Warlord hunting. The alternative win condition of Conquest is one I often overlook-and lose games as a result of. So what better way to remedy that than by creating a deck explicitly designed to hunt down a warlord?
Hopefully, practice with this deck will not only give me a fun juke when it comes to gameplay, but a strong reminder that I can lose if I don't pay attention to my warlord's status. I call it the Peter Gunn theme because of the old Spy Hunter videogame.
Ragnar Blackmane (The Howl of Blackmane)
Army (26)The next deck up in my Warhammer Conquest series is using the rule-breaking Gorzod. Now, I won't say that I insisted on using Elite units in this build but when I saw that it was possible, I thought it might be nice to give that angle a try. There are multiple cards in Conquest that offer benefits for Elite units, and I haven't taken advantage of any of them until now.
Gorzod (Deadly Salvage)
Army (27)