Whether you plan to focus on combat or the campaign map, resources are going to be integral to success in Conqueror’s Blade. Without the likes of wood, leather and iron you won’t be able to arm your troops, build siege weapons or evolve your settlements towards raising new and larger armies.
Sure, if you’ve amassed a vast income, you may be able to acquire everything you need from the market, but for most that will be an option for when times are desperate. To win battles, you must also win at logistics, which means having access to the right resources at the right time and in the right amounts. Towards that, knowing what the various resources do, where they can be found and how to acquire them is essential.
It helps to know that there are broadly three types of resource, Basic, Exotic and Materials, although there are some subtypes within each that are worth distinguishing, which we’ll get to later
By and large, Basic and Exotic resources can be found in one of eight types of resource site found throughout the world. Simply visit a site that has what you need, hand over the requisite currency or Extraction Token, then, once extraction is complete, you can transfer your new resources to your wagon or caravan. Next, you simply escort your goods to market or store them for when you need to process them into Materials - which are the refined resources used in personal and unit items and equipment, siege weapons and construction and building upgrades.
Basic Resources
These resources are available across all parts of the world and are essential to the creation of all basic Materials. There are eight categories of basic resource: Food (from Farms), Horses (from Paddocks and Stables), Timber (from Logging Camps), Animal Hides (from Tanneries), Cotton (from Cotton Fields), Iron Ore (Iron Mines), Copper Ore (Copper Mines) and Stone (from Quarries).
Each resource category is further divided into four ranks or tiers (Common, Uncommon, Rare and Epic), with the fundamental difference between them that fewer quantities of an Epic resource (e.g. Cedar, from a Cedar Logging Camp) is required in the creation of a Material compared to a Common resource variety (such as Pine, from a Pine Logging Camp).
Exotic Resources
Exotic resources are required in small but significant quantities to improve the quality level of a refined Material. For example, only Basic resources are needed to fashion Common materials, while a single Exotic item - in addition to Basic resources - is needed for Uncommon materials (and two Exotics for a Rare material, etc).
While many Exotic resources can be found across all regions, some are only available in one or two regions. Also, unlike Basic resources, which are harvested in specific amounts, there is no guarantee that any Exotic resources will be found during an extraction cycle. However, Exotic resources are not limited to specific extraction sites. For example, while Cedar lumber can only be harvested from a Cedar Logging Camp, Exotic lumbers such as Larch can potentially be found at any of the four varieties of logging site. (Though also in the case of Larch, so long as they’re located in Maoyang or Liangyun.)
Materials
Materials are essentially production resources. They are refined from Basic and Exotic resources, to be used in the creation of personal and unit equipment, siege weaponry and construction.
As with their namesake Basic resource groups, each Material is classified by its rank (Common, Uncommon, Rare and Epic), which is generally determined by the ratio of Basic to Exotic resources required to create it. For example, “common” Seasoned Wood requires only Basic resources (Pine, Cedar, etc), while “rare” and “epic” Wood will require some additional Exotic wood resources, such as Larch lumber.
It’s worth noting that Materials produced purely from Basic resources (which is to say Common Materials) cannot be used in the production of personal (Warlord) items. In order to craft high-grade hero items, it will be necessary to have access to what are called “Player Resources”, which are created from the dismantling of personal items. Treasure, a type of Exotic resource that includes Amber (from Logging Camps), Garnet (from Iron Mines), Moonstone (Quarries), Silk (Cotton Fields), Musk (Tanneries) and Moonstone (Quarries), though primarily a sale resource, may factor into personal item production at a later date.
Salvage
Classified as a Player resource to distinguish it from resources from the various resource sites, this is a small group of production resources that are created when an inventory item is no longer required and is broken down rather than sold. Player resources can them be taken to NPC crafters and used in the creation of new Warlord and personal mount items and equipment. As with other resource types, “salvage” comes in Common, Uncommon, Rare and Epic variants.
To be continued…
Because the resource system was still being adapted at time of writing, we’ll be following up this guide closer to release with a detailed look at the all the resource types, where they can be found and in what quantities they are needed to create specific Materials. We’ll also be detailing all the NPC types and how they facilitate the refining and production process.
In spite of the limited access guilds have had during testing so far, a select few have achieved a great deal. Among them is CSM (aka Caelestium Project) a house that played on the RU server during the Guild CBT and was able to secure more territories than any of its competitors. We spoke with Sevatar, CSM’s founder and leader, about its early success and how it plans to go on as it has started.
HOW DID YOU FIRST FIND OUT ABOUT CONQUEROR’S BLADE?
We (a gaming clan of more than a hundred players) were searching for a suitable game, one that could accommodate our numbers and had the right kind of spirit. We were used to dark techno-worlds and we needed something with hardcore game mechanics and a non-vanilla setting, in which we could deploy the full power of a large experienced community and which wouldn’t be too small for us. Naturally, when we found out about Conqueror’s Blade it seemed to offer what we were looking for.
WHY DID YOU SET UP A HOUSE?
So that in death our enemies could know of those that killed them. More seriously, it was just to unite a number of in-game clans, so we can act as one cohesive unit.
WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES CSM DISTINCT?
We know our aims and objectives and we do not deviate from them. We are not interested in roleplaying, or what happens in other guilds or between other players. We simply approach the game exclusively as a competitive discipline. We are serious about competence: We have training sessions lead by the most experienced players so that the least experienced can learn from the best
Inside the House, we maintain a warm and friendly atmosphere, which is appreciated by both the old-timers and the newcomers. This means a lot to everybody in the group and makes the effort worthwhile.
CSM WAS A CHAMPION OF THE GUILD CBT STAGE. CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW CAME TO DOMINATE THE OPPOSITION?
In terms of leadership, we simply responded in a timely manner to rapidly changing conditions on the global map. We did this by reassigning and deploying our forces on priority fronts of conflict. We played the game as it’s meant to be played and we all concentrated on very specific tasks. In addition, we were able to implement our strengths while entrusting our allies to cover up our weaknesses.
WHAT ARE YOUR AMBITIONS FOR CSM WHEN THE GAME GOES LIVE?
We know how to unlock the potential in all our members and we’ll sculpt them into a formidable fighting force. Meanwhile, each individual will be able to specialise in their chosen areas of expertise
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE CLASS TO PLAY AS AND WHY?
I’ve enjoyed playing all the classes and they can all be effective once you’ve gotten used to them. Our members have mastered them all quite successfully so far, although we don’t know how much the classes will change before launch. Nodachi is perhaps my least favourite, while my personal favourite is Longsword and Shield. It’s very versatile and multifaceted; it can assist allies while they heal, it tanks well and is useful in pushing assaults. Although it’s not an all-out PvP class, it suits my playstyle well.
WHO ARE YOUR MOST TRUSTED AIDES?
God alone helps me in governing the House. We needn’t suffer with such support!
IF SOMEONE WANTED TO JOIN YOUR HOUSE OR START A DIALOG WHAT SHOULD THEY DO? They can join the CSM Discord channel, or, failing that, contact the admins of our Steam group.
ARE THERE OTHER HOUSES THAT YOU’D CONSIDER MORTAL ENEMIES OR DANGEROUS COMPETITORS? Other Houses will know what we think of them after we’ve met them!
Many thanks to Sevatar for answering our questions. If you know of a house that is deserving of similar recognition that we should profile in the future article, please make your nomination via our Discord channel.
We’re happy to announce the release of the Account Inventory system. This is the web-based interface used to transfer items that you’ll have bought, earned or been given to your character inventories. An example might be a cannon you received from completing a task in an earlier closed beta test, or a pre-ordered Explorer’s Pack. Essentially, the stuff you haven’t acquired in-game goes into your Account Inventory, for you to distribute to your in-game personas as you see fit.
Note: You can currently only view your inventory. Item transfers will remain disabled until open beta testing.
If there’s not a lot in yours right now, that’s because there’s not been a lot to amass as yet. Pre-order packs currently aren’t visible, but rest assured that any pre-order packs you’ve acquired or upgraded will be in your Account Inventory when the time is right. If you’re curious about the status of your pre-order, you can check it out the pre-order page.
As well as being a way to assign your premium items in-game, the Account Inventory is a way to track all of your rewards for completing tasks, gifts for winning competitions and, of course, purchased premium items. As you progress in the game, you will collect quite a lot of stuff, all of which needs to be accounted for and tracked - for obvious reasons,
Visible and yet-to-be incorporated items are listed below. If there are any from the first list that you think should be visible on your account, let us know and we’ll check it out.
The following are available to view in player Account Inventories
Thank you to those who joined us over this last weekend. Whether you came to TwitchCon Europe or joined the Conqueror’s Blade Open Weekend, it was a pleasure to have you with us - even if the servers didn't always keep up with demand.
Even though TwitchCon Europe is over and the Open Weekend servers are cooling off, it doesn’t have to be the end of your Conqueror’s Blade experience. Later today, at 16:00 CEST (07:00 PST), the servers will be back up as we start our Spring Mayhem event. If you want to continue your adventures there, all you need to is one of our pre-order packs - one of which has recently gotten considerably bigger!
If any extra incentive were needed, we’ve decided to extend the length of Spring Mayhem until 10:00 CEST (01:00 PST) on Tuesday 23rd April, on account of the the Spring Mayhem Tournament that will be starting up very soon (and for which entries are now, sadly, closed).
We look forward to seeing you on the battlements again soon!
With the crowds gathering for the Open Weekend and TwitchCon Europe about to get underway, you probably don’t have a lot to time to scour through all the news this week. Luckily, we have the latest Weekly News Summary here to help, which only asks for two minutes of your time.
We’re very happy to announce the start of the latest Open Weekend - this one to celebrate our presence at the inaugural TwitchCon Europe. Game servers are accessible right now to anyone with a My.com account and will remain open until 10:00 CEST (01:00 PDT) on Monday 15th April. Jump in, invite your friends - all are welcome!
Conqueror’s Blade has come a long way since the start of the previous Open Weekend eight weeks ago, so far that the volume of change has necessitated a separate article. Some of the highlights include double the amount of conquerable land, numerous redesigned interfaces, improved matchmaking, the introduction of Black Market towns and Rebel Camps, unit research and resource redistribution and select combat and campaign tweaks.
To get you enjoying as much content as possible in the shortest amount of time, all new characters will start with significant boosts to starting resources and equipment. We’ll also be hosting special events throughout the weekend, with some of the most knowledgable and insightful Conqueror’s Blade streamers sharing the battlefield with you.
In whatever capacity you plan on joining us this weekend - in Berlin, in-game, or both - we hope you can get a sense of how Conqueror’s Blade is progressing, as well as the depth of gameplay now on offer. Afterwards, perhaps you can connect with us on your first and lasting impressions of the game.
Conqueror's Blade is rife with NPC rebels, eager to relieve you of your coin and resources. Until now they've acted more like a meandering rabble. Now, they're organised and with a base of operations - as this week's intel shows:
Welcome to the first of many articles that will be detailing the updates made to Conqueror’s Blade during what will be a long and successful reign! As this the first one, we have a lot to get through.
Territories / locations
Two new territories added to the game
New resource points and settlements added. Previous ones redistributed
Many location changes: castles and cities look less generic, are more detailed and have more NPCs
Black markets
Special new settlements that cannot be captured
Rare NPC traders spawn there from time to time and sell rare materials for unit crafting
Each territory can have a single Black Market and they have unique look on the world map
Unit upgrades
47 units rearranged across three research trees
All unit upgrades that were previously in the personal camp are now added to unit trees
All unit types now have their unique talent trees
Rebel / bandit camps
New PVE instances added on the world map
Groups of up to 5 warlords can play instanced battles to earn special rewards
Range of difficulties
New interfaces
New hero skill trees
Houses and Alliances
Diplomacy
Tax management
Upgrade menu (for getting more members and conquering more advanced settlements)
In-game shop
In-game shop added to the game
Items available to view only
Login and event calendar
Allows players to participate in daily and weekly missions
Login bonuses
Custom events
Transmogrification
Allows you to make gear look like other previously obtained gear
New tutorials
Shorter
Allows you to test different classes
Resources and crafting
Basic and processed resources can no longer be acquired with Bronze Coins from NPC merchants.
Resource costs for unit equipment crafting have been reduced, as have the silver costs for resource processing.
Treasure resource type added. This rare resource can be found at resource locations and sold for silver at NPC merchants.
Match-making (now divided into 3 modes - all with Silver drop increase)
Practise: minor equipment wear and tear, units don’t require healing after a battle.
PvP mode: Unit injury and death rate are the same as open-world, huge Honor point reward.
Kingdom missions: Unit injure and death rate are the same as open-world, 100% Silver reward increase, daily limitation now weekly - only first 10 weekly battles are rewarded.
Optimized the difficulties of level 10-30, 30-60, and above 60 PvE levels
Unit research and recruitment
Tier 4, Tier 5 and Tier 6 units can now be recruited with Bronze Coins (previously Honor points)
Increased Honor point cost for unit unlocking, which is offset by a decrease in unit build/recruit costs
Removed Warlord requirements for unit unlock.
Numerous unit unlock/research tree optimisations and changes.
Progression added for Tier 5 and Tier 6 units
Combat
Stealth balance adjustments have been made (Dual Blade).
Horse sprint speed and sprint stamina costs have been increased (also, horsetail appearance optimised).
Overall artillery and siege engine damage rebalanced in line with other battle adjustments.
Added red markers to enemy Warlord when within 20 meters of the player.
Improved the appearance of units when hit.
Improved supply point interface (when switching units and Warlord equipment during battle).
Added several new battle badges.
Player guidance
New open-world tutorial quests and videos.
New in-game videos for units and class skills.
Added hint/guide images for when unlocking a new era (tier) of unit.
Weapon class tutorial: optimized training officer AI behaviour and weapon rack assets replaced.
Unit tutorial: changed supply point position, optimised progression and moved enemies outside the city.
Field Battle tutorial: Changed to two flag points and optimized the number of allied and enemy units.
Horse tutorial: added repeat challenges and some art assets replaced.
For those that need extra tuition, tutorials are now available in capital cities and can be repeated.
Added unit unlock tutorial quest in capital cities.
Tutorial rewards optimized.
Questing
Lower unit equipment and higher Honor point rewards from fief quests.
Added high-tier main quest for levelling up
UI optimizations
Military and political functions added to ‘M’ maps.
Combined Group and Friends UI - now called Social (hotkey ‘K’).
Updated achievement icons.
Improved combat results screen to better highlight rewards and achievements.
Improved UI for Territory War, item/resource Deposit and House administration screens.
Functionality
Improved building formula for self-build camps
Optimized achievement categories.
Improved AI behaviour and appearance of city environment NPCs
Improved 3D map: added several functions when clicking strongholds.
No longer able to re-supply or heal units at neutral/hostile fiefs.
If you made it this far, well done! If you require some extra pondering to go with your mass of detail, maybe this guy can help...