Warhammer 40,000 Conquest Card review type thing, Part 2

So again I'm writing avout conquest cards.  This time we have the Astra Militarum *ahem* Imperial Guard.
So on with the show.  NOW WITH NUMBERS OUT OF 5!!
Starting with The Warlord and his Signature Squad

Colonel Stracken
He makes all Soldiers and Warriors at his location harder with +1ATK.  Another has to stick around for benefit warlord, so vulnerable to ganks.  But lets look at the number of units he can affect presently
Strackens Command Squad, Caidan Mortar Squad, Captain Markis, Elysian Assault Team, Stalwart Ogryn
Blood Angel Veterans,  Daring Assault Squad, Iron Hands Techmarine, Tactical Squad Cardinis
 Burna Boyz, Goff Boyz, Rokkitboy, Shoota Mob, Tankbustaz
And of course the humble Guardsman token
Thats a lot of dudes.  the Marine selection is meh, but all those Orks are great with +1atk.  5/5 for this warlord.

Strackens Command Squad
2/2/1 for 2 is a great, they benefit from Strackens aura of awesome and when they die you get a free Guardsman.  Whats not to like?  5/5

Omega level Zero Command
Whenever you win a command struggle you get a guardsman.  It's huge.  Sadly you only get one.  Games when you do get it early are going to be way different (and easier) than ones when you don't see it.  My only gripe with it.  5/5

Glorious Intervention
Sacrifice a dude to save another one. The poor sacrifice gets to do a last gasp with his atk damage as well.  Awesome guard.  Amazing card if you have the spare dudes available.  4/5

Strackens Cunning
Attachement gives +1atk and when he dies you draw 3 cards.  Nice enough.  3/5

Loyal Units

Cadian Mortar Squad
1/3/2 Ranged.  A nice unit.  Whenever a friendly dude dies you get to ready them.  Ping some dudes to death, why not? 4/5

Leman Russ Battle Tank
The MBT of the Imperial Guard.  4/6/4 for 5.  Makes it's presence felt. 4/5

Captain Markis
I don't think the card pool is quite there to support this guy.  But if you have excess tokens, sacrificing a bunch of them to exhaust the opposing army can be huge.  3/5

Enginseer Augur
Ugh. 2/2/0 for 2, already a bad deal.  Has a reaction when he dies to search the top 6 cards of your deck for an IG support costing 2 or less and put it in play.  If was when enters play maybe better.  He can get you a Omega Level Zero Command, Rockcrete Bunker, Imperial bunker or the Catachan Command Post.  Avoid 1/5


Preemptive Barrage.
For 1, give 3 of your IG units Ranged until the end of the phase.  Auto 3 of in every IG card IMO 5/5

Bodyguard
When an friendly unit takes damage, attached unit MUST absorb one of it.  Some good combos with this card.  Blood Angels Veterans for one.  Can also give it to Leman Russes, or Land Raiders.  Who doesn't want a pet tank as a bodyguard? 3/5

Rockcrete Bunker
Can absorb 1 damage a turn assigned to your units.  It's ok  2/5

And the Rest

Ratling Deadeye
1/1/1 Ranged for 1.  Not terrible.  Not great either. Still, 1 cost hammers are rarely unwelcome 3/5

Sanctioned Pysker
No attack but 2 hammers and 4 HP.  Not going anywhere soon thats for sure.  Handy dudes.  IG kinda need them for the hammers.  Also play nicely with the +2atk from catachan command squad to dissuade attempts to remove them. 4/5

Mordian Hellhound
3/3/2 with AOE 1 for 4.  A bit too all round.  But the only AOE that IG have.  Would probably always take 1.  they are a solid enough unit.

Assault Valkyrie
Possibly the most cost efficient unit in the game. 4 atk and 4 (realistically 8 with flying) for 4 is an amazing deal.  Has flying.  5/5

Stalwart Ogryn.
2/2/1 for 2.  Is immune to enemy events.  Probably not a threat enough to ever get targetted by most events.  makes them immune to doom and exterminatus which is nice.  2/5

Penal Legionnaire
If this guy had a a hammer would be 5/5.  He doesn't.  He's garbage.  Doesn't even benefit from Stracken.  He is free, but you could of drawn anything else and it would of been better.  Opportunity Cost well outweighs this 0 resource cost. 0.5/5

Infantry Conscripts.
Pricey, but the chance to have a huge attack value.  Makes Promethium Mine worth having.  I don't like them, but your mileage may vary. 2/5

Elsyian Assault Team
Come into play from hand for free if a soldier or warrior dies.  Benefits from Stracken.  4/5

Suppresive Fire
When the IG get a good source of guardsman tokens, they are going to be huge.  Anyway exhaust a  unit you control to exhaust an enemy unit.  good stuff.  4/5

Hostile Environment Gear
+3HP for an army unit.  Not much else to say.  3/5

Imperial Bunker
The IG discount support.  Read what I wrote about the marine one and apply it here.  3/5

Catachan Outpost
Exhaust this support to give a unit +2ATK.  Best card by far that the IG have available for their allies.  Excellent.  5/5


IG have the tools to go far.  Beefy units to wage war, decent at the command struggle.  Going against lore, they cannot afford to lose units for needless reasons.  Racing for the first planet is probably a bad choice for them.  they also rely greatly on their Signature support which is an issue.

Sadly for this game, Orks are currently the best faction for IG to ally with (heresy!).  They just have so many warriors for Stracken to buff and the excellent Squig Bombin.  Marines really just bring Exterminatus.  Which is an average card.

LCG's

So I've played a few of the LCG offerings available.  And here I may as well give my two cents on ranking them, IMO.  Also including Doomtown in this.  It's not by Fantasy Flight but same sort of thing.

So in order of greatest to not so great


 
1. Android Netrunner.
The theme is spot on, love a bit of cyberpunk.  It also has the honor of completely asymmetric game play on each side, and yet totally balanced.  It's more thinky and mathy than the play whatever is in your hand and hope (IE Magic). probably a turn off for some.  But whatever.  it's by far the best Card game available nowadays.  Some stupidly dominant decks in tournament play though make that side rather boring.

2.  Star Wars
I hated this at first.  Didn't help that the first cycle was Hoth which has been massively overdone in every Star Wars media since 1980.  But ever since Edge of Darkness rounded out the games faction, I've been having a blast.  Sure you can have issues with lone wookies killing Star Destroyers and the like, and overall the theme is fairly flakey.  But it's a deeply fulfilling game full of back and forth action between the two sides.  Escpeially nowdays as the card pool as expanded.  One issue is FFG's constant printing of Overpowered Smugglers cards.  So much so that just in the last cycle, 2 of them have been put on the restricted list (turn 2 wins are not fun, and it could even end light side turn 1) and one has been errata's to be 1 per deck as it was every single light side deck since release.

3.  Doomtown Reloaded
Redo of an old CCG that eventually died a sad death after numerous issues.  AEG have fixed a lot of things, took out a lot of the bumph and put it back on sale.  Worth noting these are by far the best quality cards in any card game available.  It's a Wild West strategic game of movement and calculated fights to win control of the town.  New players tend to want to shoot things.  And the currently dominant starter deck of Morgan can randomly draw very good shootout hands out of nowhere.  But once you stop getting into pointless shootouts the game opens up and it's a constant back and forth of position before you sweep in to eliminate opposing dudes

4.  Warhammer Invasion
Sadly is no longer supported, it's at end of life.  You can still buy it but no new product ever.  But anyway I love the Warhammer world.  And this was reasonable interpretation.  Each player has three zones with 8 hp each (can be improved).  If two of your zones ever get to 0 hp (burning) you lose.  The interesting mechanic of units giving you resources, cards or available for attack depending on what was needed was good.    it did come out originally at a time I was low on the money front.  So never really got into it then.  Bought a couple of cores and 4 or so battle packs.  Wish I had kept in.

5.  Warhammer 40,000 Conquest.
I love (loved?)  the 40k universe.  Although GW are doing the damnedest at ruining that nowadays.  but GW's idiocy aside conquest is rather interesting.  Has all the cool units you expect from 40k with some gorgeous artwork.  It is rather of hodgepodge of existing ideas.  A lot of mechanics are taken from invasion, the planet thing is straight out of blood bowl team manager.  But anyway it is a rather brutal game.  There are 7 turns max.  And units can die in droves.  There can be a snowball effect because of it which is unfortuanate.  Still.  it really is rather good.  and being new and40k means people are actually playing it.  Which ranks it higher than everything above in real terms.  It's gameplay is not as good currently though.

6. Call of Cthulu.
I can't really comment here.  I've played it twice.  I bought a core set many years ago.  Didn't like it, got rid.  Played a game a couple of years ago.  Played a hastur deck whos entire schtick is driving people insane.  My opponent played a Cthulu Deep One deck were none of his characters could actually go insane because they were all terrors.  Cue frustration when none of my abilities actually did anything.  So never again.

7.  Game of Thrones.
This seems immensely popular everywhere else.  Just not in ShiT Neots I guess.  Anyway never played.  The fact the card pool is so massive now means the cost of entry is quite high, even if just buying packs that have the cards you need.  So yeah. 

Warhammer 40,000 Conquest Card review type thing

Haven't played a few games here's my opinion of the factions.  Starting with the Space Marines.  Because why not.  Although only having played 2 games with them, my opinion may not be totally valid.  If I ever reference unit stats it will be ATK/HP/CMD (may update this with card images if get the time)

Starting with the Signature squad

Captain Cato Sicarius
He has two attack, that's great.  His ability to get resources when you kill stuff is solid. Only 6 hp and he has to stick around to get the benefit of his ability.  So be careful with him. 4/5

Sicarius's Chosen
You get 4 of these.  A 2/3/1 hammer for 3 is ok.  I've not found much use for there ping and move an enemy effect.  Much fun if you can get them into play mid combat to move someone they thought was safe though. 4/5

Cato's Stronghold
Amazingly good. You only ever get one though.  A problem shared with all the other warlord support cards though.  Attacking twice in a row with dreadnoughts and the like is painful. 5/5

The Fury of Sicarius
Is that a helldrake causing you issues?  Kill it with Fury!!  Love this card. 5/5

Tallassarian Tempest Blade
Makes Cato (because honestly you are not going to put this on Maxos) a 3atk Armorbane killing machine.  Again you only get one which is a shame.  Has 3 shields if that is ever needed as well. 5/5

Onto Loyal Cards

 Honored Librarian
These guys are useful.  4/2/1 for 3.  And as long as you have another unit nearby they cannot be attacked.  4 atk kills a great many things. 5/5

Ultramarines Dreadnought
No hammers, but a 8/8 for 6 is scary in anyone's books.  Very very pricey.  Very very painful. 4/5

Veteran Brother Maxos
Your only other unique dude other than Sicarius.  2/3/2 is balanced.  But his action is why you bring him.  Putting a unit in play after the fight starts is amazing.  Can also give him an Iron Halo if you so desired.  Love putting Chosen into play with him. 5/5

Deathwing Guard
9HP!!  4 HAMMERS!!  These guys bring the juice.  2 atk is meh though.  At 5 cost I rarely enjoy playing them. 4/5

Drop Pod Assault
Look at the top 6 cards and put a unit of 3 or less cost into play.  Very cool.  Amazing how many times I've whiffed on this type of search the top of your deck card.  Lets see what you can feasibly get with this.  - Maxos, Chosen, Librarian, Scout, Tac Squad, Blood Angel Vets, Techmarine and  Eager Recruit.   Getting an unexpected librarian or a Chosen (if they have a target) is pure win. 5/5

Iron Halo.
Now this is a relic.  And you can only ever have one relic so you can't have this and The tempest Blade in play.  Preventing all damage from one attack is good though.  Keeps Maxos around for longer.  Makes Cato a bitch to kill.  But still, is it worth putting this on Cato if means never seeing his sword in play? 3/5

And the Rest.

10th Company Scout
Space Marines have 3 units that cost less than 2 or less and this one of them.  2/1/1 for 1 is gold.  Take 3.  You want some of these to contend command in the early turns for cards and resources.  You are not going to win if you don't have cards/resources. 5/5

Tactical Squad Cardinis
1/3/1 for 2.  Not bad.  Also have AoE1.  So versatile, like tactical squads should be.  I like. 4/5

Blood Angel Veterans
3/3/1 for 3,  Good unit.  Whilst ready they ignore 1 damage from every source. Obvious Synergies with the Bodyguard attachment from The Imperial Guard. 5/5

Daring Assault Squads
3/3/1 for 4.  Bad deal.  Have AoE2 So there's that. All told, do not like.  You can't get them into play with drop pod assault either. 3/5

Land Raider.
Ah the mighty Land Raider.  3/7/3 for 5 is a good deal.  And your other non vehicle units cannot be targeted by card effects whilst it at the same planet.  Saves your cool stuff from thins like Eldorath, Suppressive Fire, Archons Terror, Twisted Laboratory, Zarathurs Flamers etc.  Thing is that the Land Raider is a big enough threat that it was probably going to be targeted by these anyway. 3/5

Eager Recruit
A scout without the hammer, but has Ambush.  Useful for a surprise snipe of a unit.  These guys can win battles for you. 4/5

Iron Hands Techmarine
1/3/1 for 3.  Gains a hammer for every enemy unit at the planet.  Not setting my world on fire. 2/5

Raven Guard Speeder.
4 resources for 3/3/2  And it flys!!  (worth noting Land Speeders cannot really fly at all.  They hover. Minor Fluff Niggle)  It's ok.  The problem with Marines is you end with a hand full of 4+ drops and it gets difficult to play enough units. 3/5

Indomitable.
For 1 Resource you get to prevent all damage done to a space marine unit.  Sign me up!  Also has a shield for some reason.  Why would you EVER play this as a shield? 5/5

Exterminatus
For 3 resources you get to blow up everyone on a planet, but not the first planet.  Sounds good right?  There are issues.  You can only play this at a non first planet in the deploy phase so that's before the massive army of doom comes from HQ with the warlord.  By all means though, if they have left that army on the third or so planet, blow it up next turn and laugh.  If this could effect the first planet it would be amazing.  But as it is.  By all means you have to play around the threat of it though.  So there's that.  Your opponent cannot mass units on any planet but the first ever. 3/5

Godwyn Pattern Bolter
Attachment gives you 1Hp and 1 Atk for 1 resource.  And the unit ignores flying on enemy units (Why?).  Solid.  Makes Deathwing much Scarier. 5/5

Fortress Monastery
Once per turn discount on a space marine unit.  I would always take one in a deck.  It's unique, so I would be wary of putting more than one in. Any more you draw are dead cards. 3/5

Holy Sepulchre.
After a Space Marine unit dies,  Exhaust this support to put it back into your hand.  Very annoying.  Does mean you have to play for that super expensive marine again.  But still. 4/5

All in all, Space Marine units have an issue with costs.  All there units are pretty good.  They just don't have enough low cost units to win command struggles AND battles. And if you can't win command you are not going to get the resources to play your cool dudes.  You can ally with Guard or Tau though, and both have access to cheap hammers.  So yay.