An Argument for Command and Conquer in Tall Warrior Decks

 An Argument for Command and Conquer in Tall Warrior Decks

By: Dimos Kaloupis

Update: Since I initially drafted this article several weeks ago, it seems several warriors have started running Command and Conquer. Thus there is now some in-field data out there for people to see how it performs.

It is no secret that Command and Conquer is one of the best cards in the game. It is a strict and absolute improvement over its cost base equivalent. It blocks 3, costs 2, pitches 1, and attacks for 6. It has the same base stats as Brutal Assault, but with two potent effects. The devastating effect that it brings against both control and aggressive decks is fantastic. Aggressive decks want to block with two cards to prevent the loss of their combo piece and card advantage in arsenal, and control decks want to block to protect the valuable defense reaction in their arsenal. Control decks may also have a hard time blocking due to their density of defense reacts, which cannot be used against Command.

I am of the belief that Command and Conquer is one of the best two-card hands in the game. One card to pitch, one card to play. You nearly guarantee two cards out of your opponent’s hand, significant damage to their armor or you force them to lose the card advantage of their arsenal.

I think Command and Conquer offers unique advantages in the currently popular tall Warrior Blitz decks.

•         Warrior generally has very weak two-card hands. The best you can hope for is a sword swing and a react for about six total attack. Command is much better than this.
•         The plentiful unconditional go agains from Spoils of War, Hit and Run, Glint the Quicksilver, and even Driving Blade, are tough to exploit in the currently common decks if the first attack is blocked. Usually this can only be done with either Twinning Blade or an Energy Potion. Command provides an excellent follow up in this scenario.
•         Command can provide very useful information and serves the Warrior player best when it is arsenaled and can be brought out at an opportune time, as explained below.

I will admit Command will weaken the dream turns, but I am of the mindset that those are tough to bank on to begin with.

If you play Command off a two-card hand, your opponent will likely block with two cards from their hand, leaving them a maximum of three to respond to you with. This can provide an intermediate turn of regaining tempo, rather than the common solution of “I’ll take all the damage you can throw at me so I can respond with a five-card hand next turn”. Effectively, it functions as a way to regain tempo without taking too much damage. 

Where I think Command really shines is when it is played after a sword swing with go again. Either they will block the initial swing with strength from their hand or use their defense reaction in arsenal to do so. If they are overblocking from hand, it indicates that they are unlikely to have a defense reaction in arsenal, and it is more likely to be a key combo piece for them. This is the ideal scenario, as your sword cannot swing again because it hasn’t hit, but they are now two or three cards down from their starting four in hand. 

Command can also shine when your opponent seems comfortable taking everything you can throw at them so they can respond with their big combo. Command and Conquer at both points is devastating, as it is now targeting their threat, and they are unlikely to have the hand or want to defend against it anymore. Their choices are now to lose their arsenal, or to block with their equipment. And as any warrior player knows, once an opponent’s equipment is compromised, the game becomes much more dangerous.

If the arsenaled card is a defence reaction and it sees play against your sword swing, you still get to arsenal Command for next turn to threaten them. Additionally, if you did not have Command, it is likely that your sword would not have hit in the first place and your go again would go to waste. Obviously, there are a million different possibilities as to what you could have had instead, and maybe that extra attack react would have pushed it over, but I like the versatility of the Command threat.

Overall, Command’s threat to defence reactions in arsenal pairs well with Warrior’s weakness to defense reactions in arsenal. Information can be gained on the first sword swing and exploited with Command to follow up, hitting either a combo piece or a defence react that your opponent is being careful with.

Disclaimer: I do not think that Command and Conquer is a no-brainer choice to put into this type of Warrior deck, and I do acknowledge it dilutes the reactions that the deck thrives on, but I also believe that this warrants some thought and experimentation. Give it a shot, see how it goes. It can act as a surprise, which is valuable in itself. And if it becomes meta, then it further complicates how people must block against Warrior.