There is always an ebb and flow to field battles that makes them more dynamic than siege battles. Often strategy takes a back seat to instinctive cut-and-thrust tactics, as players to react to the action rather than the environment. But that doesn’t mean knowing the map is any less important - indeed, sometimes, it might make all the difference.   

HISTORY

Winding between three dominant and often rain-lashed hills, Stalemate Creek has been the site of countless battles for more generations that anyone dares to recount. Its original name has been submerged by the undercurrents of time, but legend has it that two armies once camped across from one another for so long that both generals refused to yield while their troops refused to fight, establishing Stalemate Creek in the collective consciousness ever since. These days there is less reticence to do battle and rarely does one end in anything other than a dramatic victory. Yet the name persists; like the waters that flow forever downstream.



CAPTURE POINT A

• Thanks to straight roads the capture point in the northeast of the map is closer to the team that starts to its west and should always be taken by them as quickly as possible.
  
• Point A has the highest elevation of the three capture zones, with a good vantage point over the surrounding lands. It also overlooks a dangerous river crossing and is close enough to point B that any units there can provide support if needed. 
  
• It’s easy to take point A for granted and find that the enemy has captured while your attention was elsewhere. If you can spare the units, it’s worth defending with a basic unit - if only to give yourself time to mount a counter-attack before it changes hands.

CAPTURE POINT B        

• The central capture point is often the key to any field battle, but this is especially true for Stalemate creek. The raised fortified area is in an interesting position in that it’s closer to the southern team’s starting position, but which is offset by the team’s massive height disadvantage.
  
• ...That’s not to say it’s an easy point to hold for either team. Despite the palisades that protect the capture point, it’s just as easy to become trapped by them. As a result, the battle for point B is very often won on the slopes on either side of it.
  
• If the enemy is tenaciously holding onto point B, work to outflank it. It’s a lot harder for them to hold the area if attacked on two fronts. If you can take a second control point along the way, so much the better.

CAPTURE POINT C

• Capture point maps where both sides have the same objective always have to have some symmetry and, as with many Conqueror’s Blade field maps, that symmetry is mirrored across the two outermost capture zones. As C is to the northwestern spawn area, so A is to the team that starts in the southeast - who should move fast to capture it.
  
• While it lacks the height advantages of point A, point C can be effectively defended thanks to the placement of barriers and the road that links it to the spawn area to the east. It may not be necessary to station units in defence as the point can be recaptured comparatively easily.
  
• Given that point B is likely to be the focus for both sides’ attacks, it’s easy to become fixated to the point that you don’t notice point C being taken by the enemy. When it happens, in all likelihood it’s being taken by a single opportunistic warlord - take it back with the minimum of fuss!

Congratulations to Astrale, who has been crowned the winner of the EUW2 Duelling Tournament. Hosted this past weekend in the courtyard of Verschollen Kastell (courtesy of Death3691), viewers enjoyed more than two hours of ceaseless 1v1 combat as more than a hundred players fought 1v1 to become the last one standing. 

“It was really fun playing and watching those fights,” said a fully-recovered Astrale afterwards. “I feel lucky for coming on top in the tournament. It all comes to matchups with certain weapons and, of course, the best players couldn't all show up, but I still loved it, winning first place!”

A majority of the competitors had dressed up in their favourite longsword and shield combination, so it was perhaps surprising that the three podium places were occupied by other classes. In the play-off for third place, two musketeers exchanged gunpowder blasts, from which SkyRua emerged victorious. Soon afterwards however it was Astrale (Shortsword) that took the title, having fought off a valiant DodgeM (Dual Blades) in the grand final.

There are no details yet on when or where the next duelling tournament will be held, but Death3691 has said that one is already being planned. He also seems to have inspired others to think about hosting their own tournaments. If we hear any details on those or others, we’ll pass them on. 

WildBlood has been charging across the European West server since it first came online and came to prominence during the game’s first tournament early in the year. Currently, lead by “gruen”, the house is currently a key member of Elysium alliance and hopes to one day become known as one of the most prominent German-speaking guilds in the game.  

How did you first find out about Conqueror’s Blade and what attracted you to the game?

In the fall of 2018 I became aware of the game for the first time. Then, in December, I plunged into the adventure. The wide variety of opportunities that are offered by Conqueror's Blade were a strong incentive.

Why did you decide to set up a house in Conqueror’s Blade?

The founder of the house and of the WildBlood community is Gianni. He laid the cornerstone of our house and recruited a large bunch of players. Then TitanKali took over - under whose leadership WildBlood remained a solid and esteemed member of the alliance network. Unfortunately, personal reasons forced him to give up his position, but he remains one of our diplomats. After his resignation, I, gruen, received the sceptre. I will do my very best to honour the reputation of WildBlood and to spread its word, together with its members.

What do you think makes your house different?

We were founded during the first Closed Beta of Conqueror's Blade. Therefore, we have a good mix of veteran players and new people who accompany us on our journey. Our house works as a team and everyone who is with us should feel like a full member. We have solid structures which consist of short interviews as an introduction, documents and support for novices, as well as group combat systems for large scale battles.

What does the house hope to achieve - what will be its legacy in years to come?

We want to secure our rank in CB so that every house that has participated in battles will know and respect our name. Of course we don't mind if our enemies are a little afraid of us, too. Seriously. We want to be a German house which remains important until the end and which fights together with its allies for territories. It might sound a little cheeky but I hope that someday WildBlood will be known as the mightiest German speaking house on the server.

What’s your favourite class to play and why?

I use Shortsword and Shield. This class helps me to protect my team, annoy my opponents and infuriate them with pinpricks. It's a very versatile class. I love it.

What activities does the house regularly engage in and enjoy?

I think that most people enjoy working and playing together. You don't have to give 100% in every game, sometimes it's more fun to laugh with friends, have fun but still win in the end. Of course, the territorial wars are a big factor when it comes to this. That our structure works can be seen in the way our members are able to focus on the present moment. Everybody knows that in Territory Wars discipline and respect are vital. We play as a unit and show opponents that team spirit is more important than numbers. WildBlood is a house that is renowned for its quality and that's due to the members and their commitment to their fellow players.

Who are your most trusted warlords and what roles do they command within the organization?

Our strategists and diplomats! It's thanks to them that our house is doing so well. I would like to mention Dragix, Avison and Talryk as outstanding examples. They project the TW battle plans which lead us to success. Then there is my diplomat TitanKali. Together we manage external relations and take care of our allies. But there are also the group leaders in the TWs. They command our groups on the battlefield.

If someone wanted to join your house or start a dialogue towards trade or establishing a pact, what should they do?

The easiest way to communicate with us is to meet us on our Discord. When it comes to diplomatic questions you can address our diplomats. If you want to apply to our community, please contact one of our officers or write something in the lobby. We will reply to your request as soon as possible.

Are there other houses that you admire or that you consider to be natural allies?

Yes, the house of Falcata! They are our oldest and most reliable ally. And then there is also the House of AzurInfinitum. They have just joined us but they are already one of our closest partners. They are strong, trustworthy and an important part of our Alliance "Elysium".

Conversely, are they are houses that you'd consider mortal enemies?

Of course there are houses with rather negative relationships. Since nobody wants to only stay in their fiefs, you have to conquer territories which annoys other houses. The game explicitly invites you to do that. But I would never speak of mortal enemies in this context.

 

Many thanks to gruen 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.

Once agin we find ourselves at the cusp of another weekend, ready to ride headlong into bloody battle. Before we do, there’s just enough time to remind ourselves of what’s been in the Conqueror’s Blade headlines over the last few days.

...Guides, mostly, which is to be expected after something as seismic as the Pre-Season Update. Headlining them all was a look at the new War Scholar, a new NPC that provides unit upgrades and XP via all the Doctrines and Signacula he can fetch from ancient battlefields.

For those eager for some insight into what decides all those D and D+ ratings you’ve been receiving for all your valiant efforts in battle, we also took a look at the updated scoring system. Meanwhile, our tactical department recently submitted its report on the best way to tackle Border Fort.

Community-wise, this week’s profile comes from house Templarios on the NA server. We also amplified a call to arms on the EU West 2 server, with news of a player-run duelling tournament scheduled to get underway tomorrow. 

We’ll hopefully bring you a report on that next week, as well as a full recap on everything else that’s been going on. See you then!

As much as they are designed to aid fast passage, border forts are there to protect against scurrilous bandits intent on anarchy and plunder. No wonder then that many fortresses have been built since that reference their design and layout. Border Fort just happens to be the most famous example - and most rigorously contested.

HISTORY

Throughout history, the Borderlands has been a region infused by discontent and stoked by open rebellion, as bands of lawless brigands have ravaged its towns leaving chaos in their wake. It was only in recent times that armies have sought to bring order to the region (while, conveniently, asserting dominion over its lucrative resources), before which the agreed policy among many neighbouring fiefdoms was one of containment. The ring of border forts that maintain security - upon which Border Fort is based - is a testament to this policy: to close out the rebels while keeping the trade routes open.      

SCOUTING REPORT

Border Fort is imposing in and of itself, especially because its foundation makes strategic use of the rugged landscape to deter approaching attackers. However, just like the forts in which it’s based, Border Fort is to all intents and purposes a fortified staging post for trade and diplomacy, so while the outer wall is well maintained, heavily defended and difficult to breach, the vast inner courtyard offers a direct route to victory - though one that’s not without significant dangers for both sides.    


PLAN OF ATTACK

• With five siege weapons ranged across the wall of the main gate and four behind guarding the channels that lead to capture point A, a direct frontal assault on Border Fort is going to be bloody. Thankfully, the attackers have a good amount of cover and quite a few siege options of their own, so get into position and quickly take out those guns before they take out yours!
• If you plan to deploy your own siege weapons, it might be wise to place them on the ridge to the right of the deployment area, where there is an offset to your height disadvantage and a good amount of cover. However, be wary of the cannon on the corner of the outer wall that has an excellent field of fire over your support flank.
• A safer route to attack is the left flank, but the siege tower has a long way to go before it reaches the wall - giving the defenders plenty of opportunities to turn it into kindling. Use ladders if you can to take out the rocket artillery - and any enemy units -  guarding the flank approach
• One benefit of attacking from the left side of the map - apart from the more straightforward route to point A - is that there is a small fortified area behind the wall that you can drop onto. As well there being a supply point there, the palisades overlook the main approach towards point B. Denying your enemy access to it will go a long way towards smoothing your advance - plus, you can use it to loop around to take point A from the steps if you haven’t secured it already.
• Your units won’t climb over it, but that stake wall directly ahead of the main gate can easily be used as a shortcut if you want to harass the enemy or carve through a unit of carelessly-positioned archers. To the left of it, there’s also a cart you can jump onto to get onto the roofed buildings behind.
• The channels are wide, which means that even though there’s only one path to take from point A to B, battles within the walls can play out like a field encounter. As such, a single unit can easily be outflanked and outnumbered, so attack in numbers and try to overlap your forces to be able to cover as wide an area as space will allow. The attackers can then expand to fill the raised courtyard around point B regardless of where the enemy is positioned.   

DEFENSIVE MEASURES

• With only a small front to attack, most of which is heavily fortified, the defenders have a great opportunity to thin the enemy out before it’s able to breach the outer wall. Use siege weapons and archers to try to give yourself a numerical advantage when the time comes to defend the battlements.
• If the enemy seems focused on assaulting the left side of the map - as it likely will - if it’s focused on supporting the advance of the siege towers, remember you can mount a surprise cavalry charge by riding out from the main gate. Across such an open map, cavalry units generally are a useful option to have in reserve.  
• Once capture point A is lost, retreat to the small fortified area that’s inside the west wall. It will be hard to defend if the attackers decide to pour over the outer wall, but if you can hold it, it’s a great place to be able to harry their advance, especially from the platform just north of the supply point.
• When it comes to defending point B, the simplest strategy is to keep the enemy from entering the courtyard surrounding it. Defend the staked fence to the south in numbers while plugging the gap to the east through which it could be outflanked. If and when the position is lost, your last redoubt should be the raised courtyard. 

Please be aware that from 08:00 CEST on Friday 13th September (11pm PDT, September 12), the Conqueror’s Blade servers will be inaccessible. The downtime is expected to last for 3 hours. 

Meanwhile, stay tuned to our Discord channel in case of any immediate server updates.

Community streamer Death3691 is hosting a 1v1 duelling tournament this weekend to which all are invited to prove themselves before a live internet audience. For the last warlords standing there is Premium Access time and a purse of Sovereigns to be won.

In order to take part, you’ll need to sign up via Discord. Then, upon being confirmed as a combatant, you must to be ready to do battle on the EU West 2 server at 14:00 CEST (5am PDT) on Saturday 14th September. You might need to allow for some travel time, as the fighting will be held at Verschollen Kastell, which is on the edge of the Borderlands.  

Be aware that the tournament is not being administered by MY.GAMES, so the rules and their enforcement is entirely down to the host. However, Death3692 does have some experience of these things, having hosted a similar contest recently on the NA server. If the EUW2 tournament is as much of a success as we expect, expect the arena tour to continue elsewhere.

To all those about to duel, we salute you! May the best warlord win!

With territories astride the Northern Great Range and as a part of the Crusaders alliance, TEMPLARIOS counts Ming’s closest allies among its enemies and aims to establish a Latin Empire across the North American server. It’s leader Forastero tells all... 

What attracted you to Conqueror’s Blade? 
Found it through youtube videos. It attracted me is the mix between Total War, Mount & Blade and an RPG.

Why did you decide to establish a house? 
In the beginning, I had a hard time finding other latin people, so I decided to set up the house to create a community for us.

What makes TEMPLARIOS different? 
We are a tight community that has always kept its word and fought houses above our weight.

What does the house hope to achieve? 
We would like to form and establish Imperio-Latino (Latin-Empire). 

What’s your favourite class to play as? 
The Longsword is my favorite class. I have always played as a tank class.

What activities does the house regularly enjoy? 
Mainly Territory Wars. Outside that, we participate together in sieges, deathmatches, etc.

Who are your most trusted warlords and what roles do they command? 
Strategy – PepeSeven, Teilak, Imperialo
Diplomacy – Angelus, Josephwolf, Neferia, Zeus
Field Captains – Roguerta, PeditodeElefante, Krindon, 

If someone wanted to contact TEMPLARIOS what should they do? 
For pacts or trades they should contact one of our diplomats. For recruiting, any of the above via Discord. 

Are there other houses that you consider to be natural allies? 
We always had a friendly relationship with Spartans. When the Ming alliances entered Ostaria, we started working together to repel the threat.

What about enemies?
TempestWolves, we have been fighting them since the beginning of the game.


Many thanks to Forastero 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.

New to Conqueror’s Blade is the War Scholar, a veritable Indiana Jones of the medieval age. For the right price (in the form of Treatises and Battle Relics), he will run off to excavate ancient barrows and battlefields, bringing you back Signacula and Doctrines; items which give unit XP, Honour discounts and powerful unit attribute boosts.    

You can earn Treatises and Battle Relics as story and side mission rewards, as well as from Secret Vaults. In addition, the Archeologists Pack from the in-game Store (press C) contains five Battle Relics.



War Scholar screen
Securing the excavation services of a War Scholar is very simple. As a level 12 (or above) character, you simply press X to bring up the War Scholar screen. Then, after considering what can be found at each location, you simply press the Excavate Site button. If it’s a Doctrine you’re after (to augment unit attributes), a Treatise will be taken from your inventory. If it’s a Signaculum you need, it will cost you a Battle Relic. Doctrines and Signacula, once acquired, are deposited in your character inventory.

Doctrines
Doctrines come in various hues (grey - common, green - uncommon, blue - rare, purple - epic, orange - legendary) and each one acts to improve a unit’s attributes, such as to increase to its Health, or a bonus to a particular type of defence (piercing, slashing, blunt). You can issue up to five Doctrines per unit; one each at unit level 1, 3, 5 7 and 10.

To issue a Doctrine to one of your units, simply bring up the Unit screen (U), select a unit from your Barracks and click one of the boxes on the right of the Unit Details screen to select a Doctrine. Note: it is possible to replace one Doctrine for another, but the first will be lost. In other words, once it is applied to one unit, Doctrines cannot later be applied to another. 



Signacula
Like Doctrines, Signacula are ranked by quality (common, uncommon, etc), but are specific to particular units. A Signaculum can be used straight from the inventory screen by right-clicking on it. If you have the unit already unlocked, you will be taken to the Unit Detail Screen, where you can apply an XP bonus. If the unit has yet to be unlocked, you will be taken to the Unit Unlock page and be given a 5% reduction to the Honour cost of unlocking that unit. Once used, the Signaculum will disappear.



Principles and Blanks
As well as scouring ancient battlefields for Doctrines and Signacula, the War Scholar provides two other services, which have to be performed by visiting him in the city. The first, Salvaging, is the process of breaking down any Doctrines and Signacula that you don’t want. Salvaged Doctrines will issue you Principles, while salvaged unit-specific Signacula become Blank Signacula.



Once you have enough Principles, you can exchange them for a Treatise (to hopefully receive a Doctrine you do want). You can also exchange blank Signacula for a Signaculum that’s specific to a unit you want.

When it comes to salvaging and exchanging items the War Scholar drives a hard bargain, but if you want to boost your units to the max, his services are essential. 

If you’re unfamiliar with the rating system, it dictates what you earn from each battle in terms of currency and progression. The higher your points score, the better the rating you receive via the end-of-match screen (S, A+, A, B+, B, etc) and the higher the returns in terms of Bronze Coins, XP and Honour.

Your overall rating is based on numerous tallies across three broad categories; the importance of each depending on the type of battle:

• Battle Points are determined by your combat actions and include warlords kills and assists, unit kills and how many times you’ve died.
  
• Round Points are calculated from how many capture points you’ve helped secure, whether you’ve used or destroyed any artillery and how much damage you’ve caused. It also takes into account your interactions with ladders, battering rams and siege towers.   
  
• Outcome Points are those you earn either from victory or defeat.

In terms of what’s changed in the Pre-Season Update, the significance of kills, assists and captures to the final score calculation has been slightly downgraded. Meanwhile, the rewards generally have been slightly increased, especially for Hideout, Expedition (PvE) and Territory War battles.
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These changes have come about from your feedback, since how we balance the rewards for combat is just as important as the battles themselves. So that we can keep evolving all aspects of combat to ensure it remains enjoyable and worthwhile for everyone, please keep your feedback rolling in!