One voice of complaint about Conquest often comes when games tend to drag on, with neither commander dealing any damage to the opposing encampment. while some people see this as a weakness in the game, I beg to differ.

The fact of the matter is this: barring totally unbalanced matches or terrible draws for one commander, every war in Conquest is hard-fought and grueling, and that makes the victory that much sweeter. Especially in a tournament, you really have to carefully sculpt your domain, manage your army well, and make bold, strategic moves to defeat your opponent. Isn't that glory worth the occassional draw?

Well, to help appease these individuals, I've made some suggestions for ways to deal with these stall battles.

Be Offensive
The first and most obvious suggestion is to simply be more offensive. When you have control of the battlefield, don't be afraid to run all or most of your units out (obviously this depends on the situation). I've seen so many commanders have five or more units deployed, facing an opponent with one mid-sized unit (let's say a 30/30), and rather than bringing everything out, they just keep their one units (let's say a 40/40) ruining one upgrade each term. This is the perfect opportunity to bring everything out and hit them hard! There may be casualties, but this is war, man.

Also, remember that in almost all cases, it takes two terms for a commander to kill your battlefield units. First, they have to play the units for the job. Then, they have to move out and attack. So, rather than instantly retreating, formulate a plan for what you'll do once his/her big unit comes out. It might be worth your while to keep that unit out there as bait, forcing his/her unit out.

Lastly, remember that you can bluff! If you have a spell-heavy or mana-heavy domain (or even if not), having lots of free mana and a bunch of resources in arsenal is a great opportunity to bluff. Don't overdue it, but if there's no logical reason for you to be keeping your unit out there, it might freak your opponent out. Of course, don't put too much on the line, but remember that this is a feasible strategy in moderation.

Keep Finish Tricks
There are plenty of resources that can turn your offensive lead into victory that term. To name a few: frenzy before your big assault, sap or forest of illusion on your opponent's key defender, adrenalize, motivate, and many more. Powerful damage spells also can work for taking out the defending unit. If you have a domain with no tricks, it's no wonder you can't finish the job. So add a few finish tricks!

Beware Too Many Support Units
Many of the domains that have trouble finishing the war are based on support units: archers, wizards, and craftsmen. If this is your case, you need to supplement with some powerful warriors, creatures, items...something. Once you take control, the goal should be to destroy. Not to sit around enjoying your control for the next half hour.

All Else Fails, Bring Out the Catapult
If your opponent is absolutely fighting like a dunce, refusing to use any offense, just throw a Sevidore catapulter into your domain. Trust me, that'll bring them out real soon.

It can be frustratingly difficult to finish a war, and the tides of the battle can change quickly. Rather than letting this get your spirits down, let this motivate you to plan carefully and take decisive, bold action. And when you do win the war, take joy in your victory! Just, don't rub it in too much.

What's your secret to finishing the job? This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it