KARDS is a CCG game by 1939 Games. Combining genuine battlefield tactics and classic strategy, the theme is set in the historical landmarks of World War II. While a card game at heart, there is a lot of action to experience. Whether you want to fight as Allied or Axis forces, there is a deck for you. First, there was the Allegiance expansion. Then, players welcomed the Theaters of War expansion. And more recently, developers have graced the title with yet another expansion. It is known as the Breakthrough expansion.
What does the Breakthrough Expansion Add?
The Breakthrough expansion adds a number of new cards. It also adds a few mechanics the series has not yet seen before. Inspired by the research conducted during WWII, KARDS is now adding its own research mechanic. With this addition, you will be able to pull off moves they hadn’t considered before. And it will sometimes allow enemy units to be stolen.
Added to the roster are now a variety of 81 cards. In addition, these KARDS brings with them a new mechanic as well. You will now have the tactical ability to pull off a Pincer move. This is traditionally a tactic involving attacking from multiple points.
Employing the Kards in Battle
A great deal of KARDS have been added to the roster. But for the sake of discussion, I will focus on just a few of them. One of my favorites already is the German 56. Jager Regiment. It is an infantry unit featuring the new ‘Pincer’ ability granted to a few of the units. While its effect may only give -1 to Operation Cost, it can spell devastation for the enemy. In conjunction with other cost negating cards, I was able to employ an air unit for 0 koins.
Adding Research
It was pretty interesting to have Breakthrough throw ‘research’ into the mix. Even after all the packs I opened, this seemed to be the only card in that category I received. Depth Charges gave my HQ the Smokescreen buff, adding a level of protection from enemy attack. And choosing the ‘Expanded Research’ would give me access Advanced Research. This would then let me choose Manhattan Project or Penicillin. For 0 Koins, Penicillin gives one’s HQ +6 defense and puts four cards into the hand. Manhattan Project, on the other hand, for a cost of 12 Koins, would deal 10 damage to an enemy target.
Sure, the Manhattan Project can deliver terrible damage. But, personally, I don’t think I can justify the cost. Who’s to say the battle will even get that far? While it can add value in a pinch, stalling the game to get to that point might not be worth it.
Breakthrough also showed me how important it is to have copies. The research cards were certainly valuable. But because I only had the one, there was never a guarantee I would see it. Decks are made up of a total of 40 cards, with 12 allowed from the ally country. To have a chance of drawing research, it might be good to have at least 2 or 3 copies.
KARDS is an in-depth CCG that is fairly hard to master. Available on Steam, the game allows one to mix and match cards from different countries. If you want to have a chance at victory, you’ll have to build your deck to help you. For $9.99, you can get a head-start on others with the Starter Pack. See what you can do now that they’ve added the Breakthrough expansion. And don’t forget to join the Discord and share your thoughts directly with developers.
