KARDS - The WWII Card Game Combat Guide: Master Every Mechanic

Q: Is KARDS free to play?

Yes, on Steam and mobile. The Starter Campaigns each award a complete 40 card deck for a major nation before you spend anything, so paid packs speed up collection rather than gate access to ranked play.

Q: How does the frontline actually work?

Each side has a frontline and a support line. Frontline units may attack enemy support line units and the enemy HQ, while support line units can only attack if they are artillery, bombers or fighters. Guard and Smokescreen are what restrict targeting, not simply the presence of an enemy unit.

Q: Which nation should a new player pick?

Germany, because frontline pressure teaches you what the two lines do faster than anything else. Britain is the strongest control nation but punishes badly timed removal, so it rewards more experience.

Q: How many cards can I take from my ally nation?

Twelve out of your 40, and only from one ally nation. The cap is fixed, so treat those slots as answers to a specific weakness rather than a place to stack extra good cards.

Q: Why did my attack do nothing to the enemy HQ?

The HQ almost certainly had Smokescreen, which stops units from attacking it directly. Orders and effect damage still get through, which is why control decks hold a burn card for exactly that turn.

KARDS - The WWII Card Game combat guide covering every mechanic, advanced techniques, and the strategies that separate good players from great ones.

EarlyGuides Editorial Team

Researched and editorially reviewed. Updated August 12, 2026.

KARDS is a WWII collectible card game from Icelandic studio 1939 Games, built on 40 card decks that pair one major nation with up to 12 cards borrowed from a single ally. Both headquarters start at 20 defence and the match ends the moment one of them hits zero. What sets it apart from other digital card games is the frontline: your board is split into two lines, and which line a unit sits in decides what it is allowed to attack.

Combat in KARDS - The WWII Card Game rewards knowledge over reflexes. Understanding how each mechanic works (and how they interact) is what turns a struggling player into a dominant one. New here? Start with our beginner's guide for the basics.

Core Combat Mechanics

1. Kredit economy

You start with one kredit slot and gain another at the beginning of every turn, refilling to your full total each time. Unspent kredits disappear at end of turn, so floating two kredits is a real loss rather than saved value.

Why it matters: This is the foundation of all combat. Everything else builds on this.

2. Deployment and operation costs

Every unit card carries two numbers: a deployment cost to put it on the board and a smaller operation cost paid each time it moves or attacks. A cheap unit with a heavy operation cost can sit idle for turns while your kredits are tight.

Why it matters: The most underrated mechanic. Players who master this early have a massive advantage.

3. Frontline and support line

Units in your frontline can attack enemy support line units and the enemy HQ. Units in your support line can only attack if they are artillery, bombers or fighters, so infantry parked in the back is purely defensive.

Why it matters: Unlocks a new layer of gameplay depth once understood.

4. Ally nation limit

A deck holds exactly 40 cards built around one major nation, and at most 12 of them may come from a single ally nation. That cap is the main deckbuilding constraint and pushes you to spend allied slots on a weakness rather than on generically good cards.

Why it matters: The tactical edge that separates average players from advanced ones.

5. Combat keywords

Seven combat keywords do most of the work: Ambush, Blitz, Fury, Guard, Heavy Armor, Shock and Smokescreen. Blitz lets a unit operate the turn it lands, Guard shields adjacent units from direct attack, and Smokescreen makes a unit or HQ impossible for units to attack directly.

Why it matters: The endgame optimization mechanic. Small improvements here compound into massive gains.

How These Mechanics Combine

Understanding how mechanics interact is where real optimization happens:

Kredit economy + Deployment and operation costs

You start with one kredit slot and gain another at the beginning of every turn, refilling to your full total each time. When combined with Deployment and operation costs, every unit card carries two numbers: a deployment cost to put it on the board and a smaller operation cost paid each time it moves or attacks. This combination is the core of every effective build.

Frontline and support line + Ally nation limit

Units in your frontline can attack enemy support line units and the enemy HQ. Paired with Ally nation limit, a deck holds exactly 40 cards built around one major nation, and at most 12 of them may come from a single ally nation. This is why the tier list favors builds that leverage both.

Combat keywords as a Multiplier

Seven combat keywords do most of the work: Ambush, Blitz, Fury, Guard, Heavy Armor, Shock and Smokescreen. Blitz lets a unit operate the turn it lands, Guard shields adjacent units from direct attack, and Smokescreen makes a unit or HQ impossible for units to attack directly. This system amplifies everything else. The better your Combat keywords optimization, the more your other mechanics pay off.

Combat by Build

Each build approaches combat differently:

Germany (A-Tier)

Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Blitzkrieg Primary mechanic: Kredit economy

Germany offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.

Soviet Union (A-Tier)

Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Katyusha Primary mechanic: Deployment and operation costs

Soviet Union offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.

United States (A-Tier)

Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Mito Regiment Primary mechanic: Frontline and support line

United States offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.

Britain (A-Tier)

Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: The War Machine Primary mechanic: Ally nation limit

Britain offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.

Japan (A-Tier)

Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Hawker Hurricane Primary mechanic: Combat keywords

Japan offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.

Advanced Combat Techniques

Damage Optimization

Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities
Exploit Kredit economy for maximum damage windows
Chain Deployment and operation costs and Frontline and support line for combo damage
Use Ally nation limit to create openings

Survivability

Learn enemy patterns before committing to attacks
Read operation cost, not just deployment cost. A 2 kredit unit with an operation cost of 2 eats a third of your turn four economy every single time it swings, which is exactly how aggressive draws stall out with a full board.
Position using Kredit economy to control spacing
Save defensive options for guaranteed survival, not comfort

Boss Combat

Bosses test your understanding of every mechanic. See our boss guide for fight-specific strategies.

Phase awareness: Most bosses change behavior at health thresholds
Patience over aggression: One extra hit per opening beats dying to greed
Build preparation: Swap gear and equipment for specific fights when needed

Common Combat Mistakes

Button mashing: Committed attacks have recovery frames. Mashing locks you into animations.
Ignoring Deployment and operation costs: This mechanic exists for a reason. Players who use it take significantly less damage.
Wrong equipment for the situation: Check our weapons guide for situational picks.
Not learning from deaths: Every death teaches something. If you don't know why you died, you'll die the same way again.
Overcommitting: Trading hits works in Ranked Battle but will get you killed in Theaters of War.

More KARDS - The WWII Card Game Guides

Similar Games

If you enjoy KARDS - The WWII Card Game, check out these related guides:

Slay the Spire Combat Guide: card-game game with similar mechanics
Balatro Combat Guide: card-game game with similar mechanics
Sultan's Game Combat Guide: card-game game with similar mechanics

More Game Guides

Balatro

Governor of Poker 3

Library Of Ruina

Shadowverse CCG