One of the very unique aspects of Conquest is that there are two forms of income: gold and mana. Rather than trying to make different 'colors' or types of mana (I guess it'd be currency in our case!), we developed Conquest in such a way that you have choices of what alignments you use without worrying about different types of mana. However, we did create a mana/gold split, because it didn't make sense to use gold to cast spells or mana to hire mercenaries. (Plus, it adds a strategic element for you to deal with.)

Because of this income split, you'll need to determine how much of each income type you will need for your domain to use all of its resources adequately. Most domains fall into a few different splits, which we will get into later.

Which income is better?
This, of course, is a silly question to ask someone who helped create Conquest--my response is, of course, that they are both equal but serve different functions and have unique strengths and weaknesses. Gold's strength is, obviously, that it builds up, term over term. This makes it very easy to deploy a very strong unit early on, simply by not using it for a few terms. However, creatures are often stronger than mercenaries when matched in a cost-comparison, and almost all spells cost mana--a domain without any spells is a very risky strategy.

In virtually all cases, I would recommend a balance between both incomes. However, what is the best balance?

Various gold-mana splits
Here are a few of the general types of splits that you might consider using in your domain:

• 100/0. In this split, a commander completely avoids all resources that cost either gold or mana. This is not recommended, as the domain will not only lack versatility, but you will be wasting income. The encampment, as well as most locations, already provide both types of income.

• 80/20. These domains can be successful, but they do often have significant weaknesses. Examples of an 80/20 split would be a creature/spell domain with gold upgrades and perhaps a wizard or two. On the other side, a mercenary/item domain with a few added spells or steeds would be an 80/20, in favor of gold.

• 65/35. Oftentimes, this split or a similar composition is most recommended. In these domains, one income is still dominant, but there is enough of each type that the domain can be balanced and handle all types of enemy strategies.

• 50/50. This domain is completely even between mana and gold. This strategy can work for some domains, but it is not recommended as a standard--in these types of domains, it can be very difficult to utilize large, powerful units.

Build income by strategy
How your domain typically builds during a war has an impact on how you should organize your gold-mana split. For instance, if you have a lot of mercenaries and spells, you will probably want to gain a lot of gold quickly, and then build up your mana a bit later. In such an instance, use locations that provide gold first and mana on higher levels, then mix in gold or mana upgrades as needed, depending on the ratio of your split.

Determine your opponent's ratio
The split between income types provides a unique opportunity to 'knock out' one of your opponent's income types. As you get further into the war with your opponent, try to understand what income types he or she is relying on for certain resource types. Oftentimes, his or her domain will have been built imperfectly, and one of the income types will build up more than needed, while the other will be weak. Generally, you should try to take out whichever income type is weaker; however, if you are able to develop a significant advantage, consider taking out the income type that is used to deploy units most of the time. If you can keep your opponent from deploying units, you will gain complete control of the war. But if nothing else, eliminating one income type will leave your opponent with a fragmented domain, unable to match the dual strength of your resources.

Do you have a tendency to lean towards one income type or the other? Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and let me know.