New player advice
Introduction
KARDS is easy to learn as it is related to conventional strategy and card games. The strategic depth of KARDS, however, is compelling.
To help kickstart your KARDS career, we have compiled valuable tips and tactical advice.
Learn more about:
Card details
Trigger effects, Orders and Countermeasures
Boosts and Combos
Battle tactics
Card Details and Abilities
Especially in the beginning, it is important to understand the info presented on a card.
The costs of a unit (deployment and operation) and its attack/defense values are straightforward and visible on the card.
Many cards have extra abilities which considerably increase their tactical and strategic value.
The KARDS Encyclopedia, accessible in game, has detailed information about each ability. You can also browse through the entire card collection and review each card.
Here are examples that you will regularly encounter in KARDS:
Blitz - The unit can operate (move and/or attack) the same turn they came into play. This means, you can deploy the unit and immediately use it. Without Blitz, you need to wait one turn after the deployment until you can use the unit. This ability affects only the deployment turn.
Fury - This unit can operate twice (move and/or attack) during one and the same turn.
Guard - Adjacent units cannot be attacked except by bombers and artillery. You can also guard your Headquarter.
Smokescreen - This unit cannot be attacked by other units until it has moved or attacked on its own. However, the unit can be damaged by trigger effects and Orders.
Effects and Triggers
Some of the units in KARDS have additional effects that can significantly impact the course of a match.
These effects can be either one-time effects, persist as long as the unit is on the battlefield, or even survive the destruction of the unit.
The effects are activated by certain triggers, for example when the unit is being deployed or destroyed or when a special situation occurred on the battlefield. Some effects are unconditionally active.
Some examples of triggered effects:
A6M ZERO: Do 1 damage to a target
10th ENGINEERS BATTALION: Adjacent ground units have +2 attack
L6/40: All friendly units retreat
KARDS features a wide range of effects, many of them which are based on historical performance the actual units.
Always carefully read the card descriptions!
Orders
Playing Orders cards result in a one-time effect and the disposal of the order card. In some cases, Orders effects can be blocked by Countermeasures or influenced by units on the battlefield.
When you issue an Order, the game will check if your opponent has an activated Countermeasure available in his deck to cancel this Order. If the Countermeasure is being triggered, your Order will be ignored and then discarded.
If your Order hasn't been blocked by a Countermeasure, the effect of the Order will take place. The exact effect is described in detail on the Order card itself.
Some examples of Orders and their effects:
Supply Shipment buffs a frontline unit with +2 +3 (Order with an immediate effect)
Reichsbank lets you gain 3 Kredits the following turn (Order with a delayed effect)
Orders can significantly change the course of the battle and should not be underestimated.
Countermeasures
Countermeasures are triggers in your hand that are hidden from the enemy and can result in an action during the enemy turn.
Countermeasures can be in two states: Activated and Deactivated. Activated Countermeasures can be triggered by enemy action. Deactivated Countermeasures won't do anything.
Activated countermeasures can be triggered during the next enemy turn. This will happen automatically and depends if the enemy is performing the action described on the Countermeasure.
Boosts and Combos
One of the many exciting challenges in KARDS is finding combinations of cards that can work together with devastating effects on the battlefield.
Have a look at the following combo:
SIBERIAN TRANSFER + URAL FACTORIES
Siberian Transfer adds a T-34 1942 tank with Blitz ability to your support line, at the end of the turn that tank gets destroyed. However, if you have Ural Factories (which destroys one of you units and replaces it with one that costs 1 Kredit more), you can create a powerful combo!
First play Siberian Transfer, then use the T tank, then destroy it with Ural Factories and get virtually a unit for free that costs Kredits.
There are countless other combination possible, the only limitation is your creativity and your ability to think in tactical term.
Battle tactics
In the heat of the battle, it is easy to lose sight of all your units and orders available in your arsenal. The able strategist, however, keeps a cool head and has nerves of steel even in the wildest battle!
Here are some hints that can help you keeping your troops together and winning more battles:
Always check your hand for boosts that might benefit troops already on the battlefield. Use these boosts before you attack with your units.
Example: TYPE 93 buffs all friendly units with +1 attack. If you want to deploy this unit, do this at the start of your turn so that your troops on the field can attack with the buff.Get extra draws at the start of your turn. For example, if you use BLOODY SICKLE (one damage to your HQ and one target unit plus one card draw), do that before you deploy your other units. This way, you can adapt to the new card draws and adjust your tactic.
