Dear KARDS players, friends, and WWII enthusiasts,

As 2024, a fantastic year for KARDS, is coming to an end, we are thrilled to share a first look at what lies ahead for KARDS in 2025 with a new, updated KARDS Living Roadmap.


The roadmap is a regularly updated, high-level overview of the milestones and important events for KARDS: The roadmap contains only the highest level of features.

The roadmap does not include regular smaller updates or patches, seasonal in-game events, our Esports calendar, ongoing balance changes or general KARDS refinements — although they are a part of our work to continuously improve KARDS.

Without further ado, let’s have a look at some of the exciting things we can look forward to in KARDS in the coming months!




Throughout the year you can also expect: card balance updates, in-game tournament improvements, iterations of other game modes like draft and classic, UI enhancements outside the battle scene, continuation of eSports with regular cash-prize tournaments, plenty of quality-of-life improvements and other goodies.


The major expansions are highlights of the year, introducing a large set of new cards, exciting mechanics, and occasionally new allies (although not guaranteed). We are excited to share more details, of course, as each expansion approaches.


Traditionally scheduled around March and September, the KARDS major releases are additional highlights of 2025. While we focus on game improvements and new features with our major releases, they also contain some new cards and balance updates for exciting fresh content.


We’re thrilled to announce the return of the KARDS World Championship in 2025! Details about the qualification process will become available in the upcoming months. Prepare for epic battles as you can compete for the ultimate title of KARDS World Champion.


This roadmap outlines the major milestones planned for KARDS in 2025. Beyond these big steps, you can expect:

• Regular card balance updates
  
  
• Improvements to in-game tournaments
  
  
• Iterations of popular game modes like Draft and Classic
  
  
• UI enhancements outside the battle scene
  
  
• Ongoing Esports events with cash-prize tournaments
  
  
• A host of quality-of-life updates

Additionally, we’ll introduce smaller features, improvements, and events to keep KARDS fresh and engaging throughout the year.

Stay tuned for more!

Here at Kards we are aware of the history behind the game and we respect its origins. This history is important to us and we want to be part of keeping it alive. This is also true for many of the players. We would like to share this history that we have in common. We have been contacted by a few players who have told us stories of their relatives and we would like to showcase these stories.



Angelo Brambillia’s personal box with his movements in Switzerland, his dog tag, his lapel stars, photos and personal card.

The first comes from Lorenzo Brambilla. His grandfather Angelo Brambillia served with Savoia Cavalleria or the Savoy cavalry regiment in the Italian Army.



Angelo Brambilla’s photo next to his unit, the Savoia Cavalleria in cards.

Angelo Brambilla was born in 1923. He joined the Savoy cavalry regiment in 1943 when it had just returned from the Eastern Front where it had suffered heavy casualties during Operation Little Saturn. In Russian it had carried out one of the last significant cavalry charges in history at Isbuscensky in 1942. Angelo received his training at Malpensa and served in the air defense of Milan and in the rescue of civilians under bombing. He trained as a sharpshooter and became an attendant of Major Asti Lion. At the armistice of Italy on 8 September 1943 the Savoy cavalry, being faithful to the King, crossed the Swiss border in arms and handed themselves over to the Swiss army. Angelo arrived at the Kerzes military internment camp on 12 September 1943 and remained interned in Switzerland until 12 July 1945 and came back to an emotional reunion with his family, who had been notified in 1943 of his death. After the war Angelo married and lived a quiet life as a suitcase maker for Gucci and Fendi. Angelo passed away in 2000.

This is just one story of the many ordinary people in a world at war, whose history is represented in cards.

A thank you to Lorenzo Brambilla who submitted the story of his grandfather. Lorenzo is a teacher living in Veneto and works with unaccompanied foreign minors in Italy. He has played Kards since the summer of 2024. His game name is Billa#3018 and his favorite deck is an Alpine deck.

We at 1939 Games would welcome more true life stories like this. Find us on Facebook.



Attendente Angelo Brambilla

Did you know that all the cards have historical texts that can be accessed in the deck builder.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year in KARDS



The holidays are here, and so is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the season in KARDS! As 2024, our most successful year to date, comes to a close, we want to thank you for being part of this journey. With two major expansions—Covert Operations in the summer and Blood & Iron this November—alongside a growing community and exciting tournaments, it’s been an unforgettable year for the battlefield.

Now, as the snow falls and festive songs fill the air, it’s time to spread some cheer. We have prepared daily holiday gifts, special tournaments, and of course, the return of KARDS’ classic winter charm.


From December 18th to December 25th, a new free holiday gift will be waiting for you every day in the in-game shop. Each day at 11:00 UTC, a free special offer becomes available for 24 hours only—so make sure to claim it before it’s gone!

🎁 Visit the in-game shop daily to claim your free gift.
⚠️Once a new gift arrives, the previous day’s gift will be gone

A small token of appreciation for your dedication to the battlefield this year.


What better way to celebrate the season than by testing your strategy in special holiday tournaments? These events follow the popular 8-player format, where the rewards grow as you rack up consecutive wins. And the best part? Entry is completely free!

• First Tournament Window: December 24th - 26th
  
• Second Tournament Window: December 30th - January 1st

With prizes ranging from standard wildcards to card packs, these tournaments are a great chance to showcase your skills and earn some festive rewards.


No KARDS holiday season would be complete without its signature atmosphere. Enjoy the festive snow-covered battlefields and seasonal music as you command your forces this winter. Whether you’re conquering opponents or claiming your daily gifts, the joy of the season will accompany you every step of the way.


As 2024 draws to a close, we want to thank each and every one of you for making KARDS what it is today. Whether you’re a veteran commander or a new recruit, your passion and support have shaped KARDS into an incredible community and experience.

Here’s to celebrating the season, enjoying the battlefield, and preparing for an even bigger year ahead. Happy Holidays, Commanders!

Log in daily, claim your gifts, and join the festivities—the holiday season in KARDS awaits!

Last weekend the KARDS World Championships took place and the the top 4 are the following players,

1. Spoker
   
2. guorq123456
   
3. Dandelion
   
4. Azi

Congratulations!

We will be taking a closer look at their decks and play in the New Year. Looking at the finals is a great way to get ideas and improve your gameplay.

We are continuing our development of the tournament mode that was first introduced with the fall update last September. We envision a tournament mode that caters to all players and that is regarded as a fun and rewarding experience on the whole. We can all agree that we still have some way to go to achieve that and that it will be a journey, but that only means the sooner we start the sooner we get to something good!


We have now put into place three types of tournaments that are active at different times throughout the week. One is the old Blitz Tournaments, the others are Boot Camp and Iron. Each of them has a different structure in terms of how much it costs to enter them and what rewards they give out. The Boot Camp Tournaments cost the least to enter, the Iron Tournaments the most, with Blitz the middle of the road:

• Boot Camp - 25 Gold OR 3 Diamonds.
  
  
• Blitz - 150 Gold OR 20 Diamonds.
  
  
• Iron - 300 Gold OR 40 Diamonds.

The reward structure for each is then set up slightly differently. Boot Camp and Blitz Tournaments have a fairly ‘flat’ reward structure, meaning that every participant gets something and the difference between the first and last place is not that great in terms of reward difference. The Iron Tournaments however have a much more top-heavy reward structure, with the bulk of the rewards going to the finalists, with those that lose immediately not getting anything back. Here is an overview:

• 0 wins: 15 Gold
  
  
• 1 win: 15 Gold, 1x Limited Wildcard
  
  
• 2 wins: 20 Gold, 2x Limited Wildcards
  
  
• 3 wins: 25 Gold, 3x Limited Wildcard

• 0 wins: 75 Gold
  
  
• 1 win: 100 Gold, 1x Base Pack
  
  
• 2 wins: 125 Gold, 1x Base Pack
  
  
• 3 wins: 175 Gold, 1x Base Pack, 1x Trophy

• 0 wins: Nothing
  
  
• 1 win: 150 Gold
  
  
• 2 wins: 300 Gold, 1x Officer Pack, 1x Random Special Gold Card
  
  
• 3 wins: 450 Gold, 2x Officer Packs, 2x Random Special Gold Cards, 3 Trophies

So what is the reason for 3 different tournament types, with different reward structures? The answer is that we want to offer tournaments for players at different stages in their Kards journey. Boot Camp tournaments are aimed at newer players, Iron tournaments at more hardcore players and the Blitz tournaments bridging the two.



Boot Camp tournaments are easy to enter for starting players, you will never lose too much for joining and can even get your hands on a few limited wildcards, which can be very important in building your early collection.

Iron tournaments however offer a lot more risk, but also juicier rewards. You may end up winning nothing, but doing well means solid rewards. It is intended for veteran players with significant resources that they are willing to risk for great rewards if they believe their skills are good enough.

One final thing to mention here is that with the Blood & Iron update you can now leave the tournament bracket screen while waiting for the queue to fill or the next round to start. You cannot start any other matches while you are participating in a tournament, but you can edit your decks, browse the shop or chat while you wait. You will be notified when the next round is about to start. Note that the deck you are using in the tournament is locked for the whole duration - any edits you make to the deck will not impact the version you are using in the tournament.




This is our starting point - to have these 3 tournaments, that offer something to the majority of the player base, as a baseline. The goal is to get them into a healthy state. A healthy state means participation is high enough that wait times are not a serious issue and we can open the tournaments to a wider audience schedule wise.

In order to achieve this healthy state we must be sure that we have optimized the entry cost and reward structure for each of the three tournaments correctly. In the next few weeks we will be iterating on the structure, aiming to make it attractive enough to drive up participation. We will analyze the data every week, make some adjustments and repeat this until we reach a satisfying result.

While we are focused on getting the entry cost & reward structure right, it is important that other variables are touched as little as possible, so that the data we gather from week to week remains comparable. For this reason, we will refrain from touching the tournament schedule for the time being.

The current schedule, with one or more tournaments active every day between 12am and 6pm UTC time, is based on the times when we have the highest number of players playing. The 6 hours between 6pm and 12am tends to see significantly fewer players online, which can result in excessively long wait times for tournaments until the overall participation numbers have grown. Once the entry cost/reward structure is in a good place, we will start to adjust the schedule, aiming to open it up some, but this is most likely some weeks away. This schedule applies to the three baseline tournaments only, stay tuned for details on the Christmas tournament below.


We are planning various additions to the tournament mode, which we will start to implement once the tournament mode is in a healthy state.

On one hand we want to add more special types of tournaments on a regular basis, like Classic Tournaments and Pauper Tournaments. On the other hand we also want to add more tournament rules. The priority of these rules depends a little bit on how the tournament develops over the next few months, but among the things we are looking at are:

• Rank Limitations - Only players above/below a certain rank can join a specific tournament.
  
  
• Best of 3 or 5 matches - Lengthens tournaments, but also reduces the times a player loses because of being unlucky, possible with multidecks and/or sideboard feature.
  
  
• Bigger tournaments - Support 16 and 32 player tournaments.
  
  
• Player created tournaments - Allow players to set up their own tournaments dictating entry fee which is then used for reward structure.
  
  
• Qualifier Point Rewards - Players can gain Qualifier Points as rewards (for instance for winning a tournament or finishing in the top X of the OC leaderboard), which can then be spent as entry cost for special tournaments.

These things are all in the future though, until then, we can enjoy the Boot Camp, Blitz and Iron tournaments.

There is one tournament we are going to sneak in there though - a Christmas Special tournament. This will be active over the Christmas period. It will be open to all and best of all - it will be free to enter!

It should be noted that while we do want to offer exclusive tournaments that require skill and effort to enter down the road, the in-game tournament system is not intended to replace the e-sport competitive tournament scene. It can complement it though.

• You can now enter three different types of tournaments, each with their own entry cost and reward structure.
  
  
• These will be offered on a fixed weekly schedule for the foreseeable future, focused around the peak player count periods.
  
  
• You can expect to see some adjustments to the entry cost and reward structure for the three tournaments in the next few weeks, as we search for the optimal structure.
  
  
• You can now leave the tournament bracket screen while waiting for the queue to fill or the next round to start.
  
  
• There will be a free-to-enter tournament over the Christmas period.
  
  
• Later we want to add more types of tournaments, with more expansive rules.

We would love to hear your feedback on these changes, especially the entry cost/reward structure. Remember that the rewards for Boot Camp tournaments should be something of greatest interest to new players and the rewards for Iron tournaments should be something of greatest interest to veteran players. So let us know your thoughts and what changes or additions you would like to see to the tournament system.

See you on the battlefield, commander!

KARDS 2024 World Championships this weekend!

Follow the KARDS World Championship live.

TUNE IN ON TWITCH

Saturday 14 December 13:00 GMT

16 qualifiers battle for the final 4.

Sunday 15 December 13:00 GMT

The final 4 battle to the finish!

Good day KARDS players.

The KARDS World Championship, the biggest eSports event of the year is now coming to a close and we have the top 16 qualifiers who will battle until there is only one!

During the weekend of 23rd and 24th of November there was a 128 player knockout stage and we have the final 16 who enter the Grand Finals will contend to be the winner of the KARDS World Championships 2024.



We here at 1939 Games congratulate these 16 players for making it to the finals!

• Azi 变成光守护阿梓公主
  
• CalinBZ
  
• Dandelion882691
  
• Guest
  
• Guorq123456
  
• Henry449856878
  
• Hqt18
  
• Intradiction
  
• Juan
  
• Killswitch
  
• Spoker
  
• Stanislav
  
• Takao
  
• TreePipit
  
• Winnerwillwin
  
• Xyloser

On December 14th, the finalists will play in a single-elimination, best-of-five knockout tournament. The finalists need to bring four decks, all from different nations; with one deck ban. The first day has two rounds to determine the final four.

The second day, December 15th, is fully dedicated to the final four players fighting for the crown and top spot.

This two-day event will be live streamed on the KARDS Twitch, YouTube and Huya channels, as well as Bilibili.

With the latest KARDS expansion Blood & Iron we will take a look at our new battle ready decks that will accompany the expansions. The battle ready Decks will offer players a chance to go straight into battle with Blood and Iron.

The battle ready decks are hand-built by our designers and this time will come in two categories, 200 diamonds and 350 diamonds.

The three 200 diamond decks as for the Allies,


Major power Soviet with Germany as allies.

How many tanks do you need? If your answer is Yes, then this is the deck for you! Flood the board with tanks, especially endless hoards of T-34s. You have various toys to get extra value out of your tanks, like 12th GUARDS MECHANISED providing draw, 57th RIFLES pitting your T-34s against enemy units, and the trusted 214th AMUR orchestrating things in the back. Your enemy will be hard put dealing with all your threats, as your mechanised army rolls forward inexorably.


Major power USA with France as allies.

Having to pay 3 or more kredits to operate your units may seem like a major downside, but in this deck it is turned into an upside. Whether it is growing in strength with 1st CAVALRY TROOP, drawing a card with LES TERRIBLES or improving the defenses of your HQ with 8e MAROCAINS, you will quickly shoot ahead with all the synergy found here. And then you can quickly turn your ponderous units into an overwhelming force through PONTOON BRIDGE and BOLSTER THE RANKS for the final VICTORY MARCH.


Major power Britain with Poland as allies.

Your deck is full of units that grow stronger through adversity, with plenty of ways to help them survive, like ENTANGLEMENT, STUBBORN DEFENSE and THE RANGERS. This makes it a nightmare for your enemy to figure out when and where to strike, compounded with cards like 70th BRIGADE, 1st GRENADIER REGIMENT and ECHELON, which can punish any wrong moves. Your Polish ally excels at surviving scraps on the battlefield. And when you manage to live another day, that gives you another day to defeat your enemy.

The two 350 diamond decks feature the Axis: Germany and Japan,


Major power Japan with Soviets as allies.

Your cheap Shock units like 9th INFANTRY REGIMENT, 77th REGIMENT and 654th RIFLES can often trade 2 for 1, giving you card advantage in the late game to take over and win through a combination of big removal and big units. Your Soviet ally complements your strategy with additional Shock units before helping close out the game with big threats.


Major power Germany with Italy as allies.

Go big with beefy units. Cards like FELDHERRNHALLE RIFLES and PANZER IV-H give benefits from or to you playing big units. Duke it out with enemy units in the early game until you can take it over with LEOPOLD or the fearsome MAUS. Your Italian allies add strong units to the mix, with 49th INFANTRY REGIMENT helping to keep you alive and SPRING OFFENSIVE ready to replenish your hand.

The wait is over—Blood & Iron, the 8th major expansion for KARDS, has officially arrived on November 28, 2024!

This winter expansion brings bold new ways to dominate the battlefield, featuring 87 new cards, the groundbreaking Shock mechanic, and a thematic focus on the might of armored warfare. Whether you're a seasoned commander or a new recruit, this expansion is packed with opportunities to reshape your strategy and write history.



Each nation receives fresh reinforcements, with 15 cards per major nation and 3 for minor nations, delivering powerful units, game-changing mechanics, and exciting new strategies. Iconic additions like the Sherman tanks and legendary T-34s are ready to take center stage in your battles.


Introduce a tactical edge to your gameplay with the new Shock mechanic. Units with Shock can attack without taking return damage on their first strike, enabling players to execute devastatingly precise maneuvers.


Inspired by the monumental clashes of WWII, Blood & Iron puts a spotlight on heavy tanks, unit-to-unit combat, and game changing units that can tip the tide of war.


Each major nation gains a new battlefield with visuals inspired by the expansion's gritty theme, immersing players in the historical settings of the battles.


With 12 balance changes—7 buffs and 5 nerfs—the expansion further reshapes the KARDS meta, ensuring a fresh and dynamic battlefield even for existing cards. Alongside these changes, 107 cards rotate out, and 20 reworked cards return from the Reserve Pool, aligning perfectly with the themes of the expansion.


Each nation receives tailored reinforcements to align with its strategic identity:


Britain receives infantry support and strategic defenses, with garrison troops punishing enemies for hesitation or poor attacks. New tanks like the Black Prince and Humber add armored strength, while units with the new Shock mechanic bring tactical depth to the battlefield.




Germany dominates armored warfare with high-attack units, new Shock and Fight cards, and the monumental Maus, the heaviest tank ever built. With Heavy Armor 3 and a crushing attack of 12, the Maus ensures Germany’s position as a tank powerhouse in this expansion.




The Soviets harness the power of Shock units, legendary T-34 tanks, and formations that reward bold, aggressive strategies. Combined with Fight mechanics and bonuses for units with attack 4 or higher, the Soviet deck reflects the might of its historical armored forces.




The USA emphasizes synergy with its iconic Sherman tanks, thriving on strength in numbers. New three-operation cost cards add precision to their tactics, while big units and the return of General Patton ensure commanders have the tools for decisive victories.




Japan’s deck focuses on fast, tactical Shock units and high-risk, high-reward strategies. Infantry dominates, while select large units bring powerful stats with unique challenges for opponents, ensuring Japan maintains its aggressive and unpredictable playstyle.








Blood & Iron delivers bold new strategies through:

• Shock mechanics: Devastating first strikes for pivotal plays.
  
  
• Iconic synergies: Build your strategy around legendary units like Sherman tanks or T-34s.
  
  
• Additional Veterans: Rewarded resilience for units that withstand the test of battle.
  
  
• Lure and Survive: Clever plays to bait opponents or hold steadfast defenses.

This expansion isn’t just about new cards—it’s about shaping the future of KARDS:

• New archetypes: Secure key positions with fortified garrisons, lead the charge with Sherman tank supremacy or revive the legendary T-34 tanks.
  
  
• Enhanced classics: Iconic strategies like Combined Arms and Smokescreen return stronger and with a fresh take.

The time to act is now!

Engage with military strategies rooted in history with Blood & Iron as KARDS enters its most powerful chapter yet. Whether you're building a new deck or perfecting an old favorite, this expansion offers exciting new opportunities for epic battles and victories to remember!

For all the thrilling details, check out the [Blood & Iron patch notes].

Play now and take command—history is yours in KARDS: Blood & Iron!

The British have their tanks! A new Humber with a twist and the Black Prince, an upgraded Churchill tank with a 17-pounder gun. However, as before it is the infantry which is at the core of the British Army. Here we will see units that will punish the enemy if they are not engaged and you will have garrison troops to help guard your HQ and assets. There will also be a few units that make use of the new shock mechanic.

So become the best with the British. With the new cards you can make a deck that can help you reach the top!

Selection of spoiler cards: