KARDS - The WWII Card Game News

Hello Commanders!

We’re excited to roll out the May Update for KARDS!

This patch focuses on polishing the game experience with numerous bug fixes and behind-the-scenes improvements. We’ve also upgraded to a newer version of Unreal Engine.

Along with the bug fixes listed below, we’re also making a mechanic adjustment: Veteran units that are suppressed will now revert fully to their non-Veteran state (e.g. if a Veteran Ki-45 DRAGON SLAYER is suppressed, its attack/defense will now become 4/3).

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]
[h3]Battle[/h3]

• The cost of the 4th GUARDS RIFLES was not reduced by 1 after card draw was initiated by the opponent’s ME BF 109 G FI ability. Fixed.
  
• The LIGHTNING STRIKE countermeasure did not correctly trigger after an opponent drew an extra card with the ME BF 109 G FI ability. Fixed.
  
• Fixed a visual bug where playing AIR ESCORT with both a “Deployment: Draw a card” unit (e.g., PANZER 38(t)) and a “Deployment: Choose 1 of 3” unit (e.g., PANZER III-H) on the battlefield could cause the left-most chosen card to get stuck on screen.
  
• When the FRIENDLY FIRE countermeasure was activated after the SISU countermeasure, the damage from FRIENDLY FIRE did not correctly apply when it was triggered. Fixed.
  
• In the Battle Log, the unit targeted by SHADOW STRIKE was not correctly shown. Fixed.
  
• When PAK 40 was re-deployed after having been retreated to hand, if it had already used its deployment ability during its first deployment to destroy an opponent tank costing 2 or less, card draw was incorrectly triggered upon re-deployment. Fixed.
  
• In some cases, BLETCHLEY PARK caused cards to be shuffled into the deck instead of being placed on top of the deck. Fixed.
  
• A card drawn through INFANTRY REGIMENT 36’s deployment ability was not correctly discarded at the end of the next turn after the unit was suppressed. Fixed.
  
• Countermeasures drawn through self-discard effects (e.g., INFANTRY REGIMENT 36) were not correctly discarded if activated. Fixed.
  
• Fixed broken interaction between FINNISH BOYS and PUNISH, causing card draw even when no card was discarded.
  
• LYSANDER PL’s ability was not correctly triggered before being destroyed by a known order. Fixed.
  
• In some rare cases, the Guard ability could be ignored and unintended cards targeted. Fixed.
  
• When the opponent’s deck was empty, after attacking the opponent’s HQ with the ME BF 109 G FI, the unit ability would incorrectly draw the last drawn card from the deck again. Fixed.
  
• On mobile devices, when long-pressing a card in hand in battle, the card preview did not correctly disappear. Fixed.

[h3]Campaigns[/h3]

• In some cases, on mobile devices, in the USA and German Starter Campaigns, during the first mission, the AI’s first card was drawn unusually slowly. Fixed.
  
• In the Japanese Theaters of War campaign, in mission 4, in some cases, special rule 2 - “Reduce combat damage against the enemy HQ by the number of enemy units on the battlefield” - would start to be affected by friendly units on the battlefield. Fixed.
  
• In the US Theaters of War campaign, in mission 3, in some cases, special rule 1 - “The first two Japanese units removed from the frontline on your turn add a replacement unit” - was not correctly triggered. Fixed.
  
• In the US Theaters of War campaign, in mission 1, in some cases, special rule 3 - “Skip your normal draw for the first 3 turns” - was not correctly triggered. Fixed.

[h3]User Interface[/h3]

• Fixed some instances of the font of a card with alt art on it not showing up correctly.
  
• In the deck building and Collection interfaces, cards remained clickable while under the top bar. Fixed.
  
• In the Collection interface, when opening the detailed view of the MACCHI C.200, the deployment effect was not correctly displayed on the left side of the card. Fixed.
  
• In friendly challenge matches, sometimes the battle UI would display the rank of a player on one player’s screen. Fixed.
  
• Some banners were missing in the shop. Fixed.
  
• Alternative card art shop offers showed the default card art until the offer was selected. Fixed.

[h3]Visual[/h3]

• Fixed some errors with card artwork.

That’s all for now. Stay tuned for news on the upcoming Summer Expansion and spoiler season!

Good day, Commanders!

We are thrilled for the release of Naval Warfare, making its landfall in KARDS on June 18th. Check out the full details on the Naval Warfare expansion here:

NAVAL WARFARE: NEW KARDS EXPANSION ARRIVES 18 JUNE

As with every expansion, this release also brings a new card rotation. Naval Warfare introduces 87 brand new cards and 20 returning cards from the Reserve pool. To maintain a balanced and manageable card pool, 107 cards from the current set will rotate into Reserves.

Some of the rotating cards are staples of the current meta, and their move to reserves will impact many popular decks. While we bid these cards farewell for now, we're thrilled to introduce a trove of fresh cards and strategies. We can't wait to see how Commanders will rise to the challenge and shape the future of KARDS with bold new tactics and opportunities.

Check out the visual guides below for an overview of the reserve rotation for each of the five main nations, along with a combined overview for the ally nation cards.



Check out the full list of cards returning from Reserves to the active card pool on June 18th. Please note that some may return in a reworked form - stay tuned for more details coming soon.

• Returning cards from Britain: SUNDERLAND MK V, FOG OF WAR, BLOCKADE, GROUNDED
  
  
• Returning cards from Germany: KRIEGSMARINE, FW 200 CONDOR, U-16, ROUT
  
  
• Returning cards from Japan: KIKKA, SCOUTING PARTY, REDEPLOYMENT, EDGE OF THE EMPIRE
  
  
• Returning cards from the Soviet Union: RED BANNER, ORDER 227, STAND FAST, URAL FACTORIES
  
  
• Returning cards from the USA: SEABORNE INVASION, 109th COMBAT ENGINEERS, CARRIER COVER, 32nd INFANTRY REGIMENT

[h2]BRITAIN[/h2]

• Elite cards: LONG RANGE DESERT GROUP, SINCERELY YOURS, 85 PIONEER COMPANY
  
  
• Special cards: PARTNERSHIP, NIGHT RAID, CRUSADER Mk II, REFIT
  
  
• Limited cards: RAF MITCHELL, ESCORT GROUP, INGENUITY, No. 1 COMMANDO, RESOURCEFULNESS
  
  
• Standard cards: THE GLAMOUR BOYS, AIRDROP, BLENHEIM Mk IV, WELCH REGIMENT, 2 POUNDER, BOMBER RUN, CLOSE CALL

[h2]GERMANY[/h2]

• Elite cards: 119. GRENADIER, 35. GRENADIER, 158. NACHSCHUB
  
  
• Special cards: BYPASS, BF 110 C ZERSTÖRER, MISSING, STRANGLEHOLD
  
  
• Limited cards: HEINKEL HE 219, ME BF 110 E, PUMMEL, SUDDEN STRIKE, Sd KFz 222
  
  
• Standard cards: FOCUSED ATTACK, 81. INFANTRY REGIMENT, H39 sWG, JAGDPANTHER, MOMENTUM, 3.7cm FLAK37, HENSCHEL HS 126, SPOILS OF WAR, SUPPORT COLUMN

[h2]JAPAN[/h2]

• Elite cards: A6M2-21 ZERO, ON THE ASCENT, 1st SIGNAL REGIMENT
  
  
• Special cards: 66th INDEPENDENT, A6M3 ZEKE, 3rd YOKOSUKA, FORCED SURRENDER
  
  
• Limited cards: TYPE 3 Chi-Nu, 28cm COASTAL HOWITZER, 3rd MAIZURU SNLF, B7A2 RYUSEI, 118th MIXED REGIMENT
  
  
• Standard cards: 1st TAIPEI REGIMENT, 54th INFANTRY REGIMENT, TSURUGA REGIMENT, TOYAMA REGIMENT, UNDER FIRE, 24th CAVALRY REGIMENT, DIVERSION

[h2]SOVIET UNION[/h2]

• Elite cards: DEPTHS OF WINTER, BERIEV BE-4, 329th ENGINEER BATTALION
  
  
• Special cards: PUSH!, 175th MOTORIZED, 67th BARANOVICHI, PETLYAKOV PE-2
  
  
• Limited cards: ENEMY AT THE GATES, LA-5, T-60, 252nd RIFLES, DEEP OPERATION, SNOWSTORM
  
  
• Standard cards: 14th GUARD RIFLES, 334th MOUNTAIN RIFLES, FRONTAL ASSAULT, LINE OF ENGAGEMENT, 146th INFANTRY REGIMENT, 321st RIFLE REGIMENT, RED DAWN

[h2]USA[/h2]

• Elite cards: MASS DEPLOYMENT, M24 CHAFFEE, 593rd JASCO
  
  
• Special cards: 158th BUSHMASTERS, 442nd INFANTRY REGIMENT, INDUSTRIAL MIGHT, PRODUCTION ORDER, STRAFING
  
  
• Limited cards: B-24 LIBERATOR, 60th INFANTRY REGIMENT, 8th MARINES, NAVAL BOMBARDMENT, P-39 AIRACOBRA, 12th INFANTRY REGIMENT
  
  
• Standard cards: 75th RANGERS, BATTLE VALOR, 11th INFANTRY REGIMENT, THE REGULARS, 17th INFANTRY REGIMENT, 463rd BATTALION, GRIM DAY

[h2]ALLY NATIONS[/h2]

• France: PHONEY WAR, 43e RÉGIMENT MOTORISÉ, 73e RÉGIMENT D’INFANTERIE
  
  
• Italy: FIAT C.R.32, 6th ALPINI REGIMENT
  
  
• Poland: SPITFIRE Mk V PL, 78th STEEL REGIMENT

[h2]Important Reserve Pool Facts:[/h2]

• Reserve cards remain playable in the Classic PvP mode, friendly challenge matches, and AI training matches.
  
  
• You may recycle Reserved cards, which contributes to your weekly crate progress.
  
  
• New expansion cards are safe from Reserve rotation for at least 1.5 years.
  
  
• Some Reserve cards may return in future expansions - possibly with adjustments!

Make sure to keep an eye on KARDS’ social channels for the latest news and spoiler card drops from Naval Warfare!

Good day, Commanders!

Man your battle stations - a new chapter in KARDS history is on the horizon! The Naval Warfare Summer Expansion is charting its course and will make landfall on 18 June.



[h2]Naval Warfare Highlights[/h2]

87 new cards anchoring into KARDS!

Fresh reinforcements await your command, with 15 cards for major nations and 3 for minor nations.

Introducing the Navy subtype - rule the seas!

We will expand on the naval cards, and they will take a more prominent place on the battlefield. This is accompanied by a Navy subtype that has subtle effects in fluid battles.

New Convert mechanic - turn the tide!

This clever mechanic allows commanders to transform cards into different cards!

Medals and Ribbons!

We are introducing a new system in which players collect medals and ribbons for completing various gameplay achievements. Once collected, the medals and ribbons can also be displayed in your public profile, visible to other players when they tap on your player portrait.

Reserve pool reshuffle - reshaping your strategies!

Several reworked cards return to active duty from the Reserve Pool, and some existing cards receive balance adjustments. For all the intel, check out our dev blog:

ROTATION LIST FOR NAVAL WARFARE



As we kick off the spoiler season, we are thrilled to share five of the new cards arriving with Naval Warfare this summer!



[h2]USS MISSOURI[/h2]

● Nation: USA

● Card Type: Order

● Rarity: Elite

● Cost: 3 kredits

● Ability: Destroy target unit in the frontline. Retreat adjacent units.



[h2]FW 190 F-9[/h2]

● Nation: Germany

● Card Type: Fighter

● Rarity: Special

● Cost: 4 kredits to deploy, 2 kredits to operate

● Stats: 4 attack, 5 defense

● Ability: At the end of each enemy turn, deal 4 damage to their HQ if they did not deploy a unit.



[h2]CHAIN HOME[/h2]

● Nation: Britain

● Card Type: Order

● Rarity: Limited

● Cost: 3 kredits

● Ability: Change the attack of a friendly unit to be equal to its defense. It Fights a random enemy unit.



[h2]EXTENDED BARRAGE[/h2]

● Nation: Soviet Union

● Card Type: Order

● Rarity: Limited

● Cost: 2 kredits

● Ability: Deal 6 damage to target unit. Lose 2 kredits at the start of your next turn.



[h2]SHIFTING DOCTRINE[/h2]

● Nation: Japan

● Card Type: Order

● Rarity: Limited

● Cost: 1 kredit

● Ability: Intel 1. Shuffle a random card in hand into your deck, then draw 2 cards.



Secure your pre-order for Naval Warfare in the in-game shop! Along with exclusive content like the Naval Warfare card back, you’ll enjoy enticing discounts on card pack bundles from the new expansion.This treasure trove includes instant access to the 5 revealed cards - ready for action RIGHT NOW! Also included in the bundle are cosmetics and card packs that can be opened with the full release of Naval Warfare 18 June.

Don’t miss out on your chance to strengthen your decks with massive discounts before the ships sail out on 18 June!



[h2]Britain[/h2]

Great Britannia rules the seas. Britain will have a well-rounded entry with all the new features of the Naval Warfare expansion.

[h2]Germany[/h2]

With a smaller fleet Germany will have Convert as a primary focus, with the Navy as secondary.

[h2]Soviet Union[/h2]

The Soviets are mainly a land force, but they will be able to make good use of the new mechanics and have a Counter-Offensive support theme.

[h2]USA[/h2]

They are the new masters of the seas and will have Navy as the primary theme.

[h2]Japan[/h2]

Contesting the Pacific and expanding their Empire, Japan will have Navy as the primary theme.



We're thrilled to share more details with you in the weeks leading up to the release. Make sure to follow us on KARDS' social channels for details on the latest daily card spoilers and some deep-dives into the features arriving this summer!

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One tough gut.

The Germans held back the Allied advance in Italy for almost 5 months in the mountainous surroundings of Monte Cassino. The once beautiful area was reduced to ruins and a lunar landscape

Following the Allied landings in North Africa it was clear that the Allies would need far more resources to invade northern France. The British Prime Minister Churchill advocated an invasion of Italy as the soft underbelly of the Axis.

The Allied invasion of Sicily, Operation Husky, in July 1943 was successful and led to the fall of the regime in Italy. The Germans were quick to respond and occupied Italy. Italy was now under German occupation and the war would continue. The Allies landed in Italy in September at Salerno. The optimistic Allied commanders estimated that Rome would fall by October 1943.



British troops examine a knocked-out German StuG III assault gun near Cassino, Italy, 18 May 1944. Photo: Loughlin No 2 Army and film and Photographic unit.

The Allies found that fighting in Italy, in its rugged and challenging terrain along with the skillful defence of the Germans, was nothing like a soft underbelly. The American General Mark Clark, later called it “One tough gut.” And Monte Cassino was one of the toughest. It took the Allied armies more than 4 months to fight the 150 km from Salerno to Monte Cassino. Here the Germans had set up a fortified line, the Winter Line. With heavily fortified mountain defences and difficult river crossing, Cassino formed a linchpin of the Winter Line.



StuG III excelled in defending against attacking armor.

The initial Allied assaults took heavy casualties for no gain. The Germans held up in entrenched positions with excellent fields of fire while the Allied troops were exposed in difficult terrain. The Allied forces were subject to accurate artillery fire and their commanders began to suspect that the Germans had an observation post in the Monte Cassino Abbey. The abbey was reduced to rubble in a series of air raids. Ironically the Germans did not have an observation post in the abbey as they had respected the protected historic zone. After the bombings the Germans however occupied the ruins and established defensive positions there.



The ruined Abbey of Monte Cassino after the German surrender. USAAF Photo 232-6. Photographer unknown.

To break the line the Allies landed at Anzio, north of Cassino. This was an improvised affair. The landings had to be made right away as the landing craft was about to be transferred to England for the D-Day landings. The initial landings were unopposed with a recon patrol making it as far as the outskirts of Rome. The US commander, John P. Lucas, rather than capitalize on this, decided to consolidate and entrench his landing area. This gave the Germans time to bring in forces and fortify the area surrounding the landing zone and any chance of a quick victory was lost. This led Churchill to comment "I had hoped we were hurling a wildcat into the shore, but all we got was a stranded whale". After a month Lucas was relieved and Major general Lucian Truscott took over command.



The 133rd Ironman and 142nd Infantry Regiments fought together in the hard fighting near Monte Cassino.



Germans directed accurate artillery against the Allied attacks.

The fighting at Cassion and Anzio continued against a determined German defence until May 1944 when a massive twenty-division assault against the defensive line, spearheaded by the Polish II Corps and the 1st Canadian Infantry Division finally broke the line. For the Allies it was a pyrrhic victory with 55.000 casualties against 20.000 German casualties. This was further confounded when Truscott, who was leading his forces to trap the retreating Germans received new orders to take Rome instead. The Germans managed to escape to the Gothic Line where they held back the Allied advance for almost half a year.



Polish soldiers inside the ruined Monte Cassino monastery. Photographer unknown.

The Allies captured Rome on 4 June 1944. This victory was quickly overshadowed by the Normandy landings two days later.

Monte Cassino Abbey was rebuilt after the war and rededicated by Pope Paul VI in 1964.



Romans welcome US troops as they enter the city. Photographer unknown.

Happy VE Day!

On this day, 8 May 1945, eighty years ago, the Allies of World War II accepted Germany’s unconditional surrender. It was at 23:01 Central European Summer Time, and this was 00:01 9 May, Moscow time making it the 9 May for the Soviet Union. It became Victory in Europe Day!

So ended the deadliest war in Europe and celebrations erupted throughout the Western World, especially in the United Kingdom, France, Netherlands, in North America and in the USSR. The long night of war was over.



VE Day celebrations in Toronto 8 May 1945. Photo: John H. Boyd.

People celebrated in a state of euphoria. Celebrating the end of the war and constant danger.

Rebuilding was ahead in Europe and World War II was still raging in the Pacific. But for the Europeans peace had come!



We at 1939 Games wish you a happy Victory in Europe Day celebration.



Avro Lancaster performing a food drop over Ypenburg during Operation Manna. Allied bomber crews completed 11.000 tonnes of food drops to the starving population of the Netherlands. Making it the friendliest air drop by any bombers. Photo: Unknown.



49th Reconnaissance Regiment at the liberation of the Netherlands. They adopted the Polar Bear logo when they were garrisoned in Iceland 1940-1942. Photo: Unknown.