Throughout 2021, hundreds of you entered dozens of contests run by the Conqueror’s Blade community team and served up your creativity on a platter!
We want to shine a light on those fabulous admissions that never got to be seen by our community—just because these entries didn’t win, doesn’t mean they weren’t amazing!
Check out the ten best contest entries of 2021 (that didn’t win)!
Avatar Creation Contest
The Avatar Creation Contest was a call to action for the community to submit their designs for a new Avatar to be used in-game! While the winners received their rewards and accolades, we want to put the spotlight on a couple of entries that astonished us.
Wiins Sicania (EU2), an illustrator, submitted this incredible Japanese-inspired Avatar design.
Moose (NA3) offered this beautiful image for the contest, which they named "Prefecture Hearts".
Lunar Festival Lantern Contest
The Lunar Festival Lantern Contest invited players to celebrate by letting their creativity come to life on a Lantern template. The entries produced were beautiful and really captured the spirit of the season. In particular, one hand-painted entry by Hurmushka (EU1) didn’t quite make the winners circle, but deserves to be shown off!
Loading Screen Contest
To celebrate the second anniversary of Conqueror’s Blade, we tasked players to create epic loading screens to use in-game—and they delivered! Thvmper (NA) created this fiery battle scene featuring the fan-favourite maul.
Longting Screenshot Contest
To commemorate the launch of Season VIII: Dynasty, we asked players to explore the new region of Longting and capture its beauty with screenshots. There were so many fantastic entries that we couldn’t feature—until now!
ImPerT0Ry1
Alconchloe (NA3)
Amaniell (EU1)
DeathlyNyx (NA3)
House Recruitment Contest
The House Recruitment Contest invited you to prove you had the best recruitment tactics around with video, text, or images. There were two entries that didn’t win but demonstrated their strength in conscripting!
House: DeathPilgrims (EU2)
[previewyoutube="g5GpZYQqOxs;full"]
House: Valiance (NA West)
Thank you to all our players and community members who grace us with their creativity, passion, and talent in every contest. There’ll be even more chances to win prizes in new contests coming soon in 2022!
What’s New In January 2022
Keep up to date on Conqueror’s Blade with the latest news and events. Check out what’s happening in January as we embark on a brand-new year with special events and big surprises to come this month!
SEASON X: HIGHLANDERS IS HERE
Cry freedom in Season X: Highlanders! Unite the clans and recruit warriors from the far reaches of the Highlands, including the morale-boosting Bagpipers, greatsword-wielding Claymores, and the animal-handling Houndsmen (coming soon!).
Venture into a new Seasonal Campaign and ascend the Nobility ladder in the Battle Pass to earn over 100 levels of Premium rewards.
Stand with the sons and daughters of the Highlands in their fight for freedom with this free update, available now in Conqueror’s Blade.
FIGHT IN TERRITORY WARS
Territory Wars occur every Tuesday and Saturday throughout Season X beginning on January 4, and participation in these server-wide PvP battles is essential if you crave more action! Join a player-controlled Free House or Alliance, or a Cohort (NPC-controlled House) to take part before the Season ends and earn epic rewards.
WINTER WONDERWORLDS
The magical events and sales of Winter Wonderworlds continue! Claim two more free gifts in January, and check out what’s inside the big red mitten today (spoiler: it’s an Epic Armour Schematic Crate)!
COMMUNITY CONTESTS
Can’t wait to get your creative juices flowing in 2022? Well, you won’t have to wait long, as on January 15 you can let your artistic talent show on your very own face with a Face Paint Contest! Stay tuned for more info.
We will also announce the winners of the Yule Bread Contest on January 14, so check back to see if your perfect pastries have won a prize!
CONQUEROR’S BLADE ON TWITCH
Join the Community Team on the official MY.GAMES Conqueror’s Blade Twitch channel every week, with streams scheduled to start at 17:00 CET throughout January! Tune in for giveaways, trivia, or simply to watch your Community Managers become Community Manglers as we meet you on the battlefields!
Don’t forget to tune in on January 26 for a very special event—trust us, you don’t want to miss this!
More information will also be arriving this month about the details of the international CBL Champions match-up where our victors will battle it out on the global stage—stay tuned!
Follow Conqueror’s Blade on Twitch, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Discord for more of the latest news throughout the month. You can also subscribe to the official newsletter to get awesome content straight to your inbox. See you on the battlefield!
IMPORTANT: The dates and content featured in this article may be subject to change. Please stay tuned to official Conqueror’s Blade channels for further news and announcements.
Happy New Year From the Conqueror’s Blade Team!
As we look forward to 2022 and everything it will bring, we’d like to take a moment to reflect on a great year and thank all the Conqueror’s Blade players for being part of our amazing community!
The game has grown so much in the past year, including recently releasing our milestone tenth Season, and we couldn’t have done it without the support of our fantastic players.
From everyone at MY.GAMES and Booming Tech, have a safe and happy new year—here’s to 2022!
Don’t forget, you can still finish the year strong with 50% Boosted Unit and Hero XP until January 3, and pick up your free Winter Wonderworlds gifts!
Tiny Tyrants #12: Auld Lang Syne
Tiny Tyrants is a webcomic brought to life by the Conqueror’s Blade team at MY.GAMES. Follow the escapades of a fearsome band of chibi-style warlords and see Conqueror’s Blade from an all-new, much smaller perspective!
Tiny Tyrants #12 wraps up 2021 with a look back at fellowships forged in battle and a promise of new beginnings, featuring words by the iconic Scottish poet Robert Burns.
Tiny Tyrants #12 was illustrated by Maggie Fess, a 2D artist based in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Stay tuned for more adventures from our diminutive despots!
It has always been our goal to make Conqueror's Blade a game that is constantly evolving and becoming better than before. Now that the game has been up and running for ten seasons, we have collected tons of feedback and have also learned that there is room for improvement. One of these improvements is to balance our units, and we are aware we may not have addressed issues quickly enough when they arose, which we apologise for and now endeavour to fix.
One of the biggest balance issues has been with the Axe Raiders from Season IX: Tyranny. We have looked into why that is and have come up with the following reasons:
1) The development team has pooled too many resources into creating new content for new seasons and overlooked the balance of current units.
2) Due to controversies about the Fire Lancers adjustments, we have been too conservative in changing popular units. We want to give each unit its own place in the game via systematic changes rather than altering certain problematic units. Naturally, this has led to us not being able to address certain issues in time.
The game's balance is of utmost importance and an issue we must face head-on. We will immediately start rolling out a series of balance changes based on the following:
AdjustmentData
According to the data, the ten most-used units make up a total of 46.8% of all units used. This means that the other 80+ units don't see much usage. This situation is in stark contrast to the diversified battles we have in mind. We are planning to make relative data public regarding units and roll out a series of changes to make battles more varied and balanced.
A goal we have always had is for more units to have their own unique roles in the complex battlefield of Conqueror's Blade. We have also made attempts to do so since Season VII: Wolves of Ragnarok. For example, changes for Ironcap Swordsmen and Iron Reapers have made them usable once more. Conqueror's Blade is made up of almost one hundred units, and in the future, we want to increase the speed and quality with which we change units that need changing. All in all, we want our players to enjoy more units in battles.
Adjustments to Units
The Axe Raiders are strong in several ways. They are tankier and deal more damage than average units of their leadership cost, leading to high usage and win rate. Based on their characteristics, we have decided to tune down their survivability to better fit into their category as squishy light infantry. These changes will make them weaker when affected by other units. The Modao Battalion has always been a highly used unit. Data shows that they are exceedingly tanky and deal high damage. Their tight formation and easy-to-use skills have led to them being overly powerful in organised group battles. While we don't want to change their characteristics, we will be nerfing a reasonable degree of their damage to other infantry, especially infantry using shields.
There are many aspects affecting balance, including Heroes’ weapons, runes, maps, and so on. We will continue to monitor balance and roll out grounded and systematic changes. In the near future, we will also be changing some underused units based on data and community feedback, such as firearm and heavy shield infantry.
Please check out the announcement on balance changes we will be publishing in the near future for more information.
We estimate that this round of changes will hit the servers on January 13, 2022.
We will also issue the following compensation to all players as a form of apology:
Have Your Say with Feedback
We also want to improve communication with our players and provide timely responses to your feedback. Let us know if you have any thoughts or ideas about these balance changes or other improvements to units via the balancing_feedback channel on Discord.
The Future of Conqueror's Blade
Diversity and balance are integral topics to Conqueror's Blade. We want to shorten the time required to roll out balance changes based on communicating with our players.
During past seasons, we have continued to launch new heroes, units, maps, and other content, all to bring you a more diverse gameplay experience. In doing so, we have overlooked the importance of what's already there, for example, the aforementioned balance issues. This has made it difficult for players to wage war the way they want to. Going forward, our focus will be on creating a more balanced, transparent, and varied Conqueror's Blade.
Once again, thank you for all your feedback and encouragement. Conqueror's Blade is only here because of you. And we hope to create an even better world in Conqueror's Blade with your help.
We wish you all a happy new year and we’ll see you on the battlefield!
Discover Hogmanay and Get +50% Unit & Hero XP!
The table is set, the shortbread is baked, the whisky is poured, and your fellow kinsmen in Season X: Highlanders are ready to celebrate the Scottish New Year—Hogmanay!
From December 21 to January 2, Scots celebrate the New Year with everything from giving out coal, singing the signature song of Hogmanay, and tucking into a special steak pie!
So you can better celebrate Hogmanay (Highlanders style), we’re offering up a New Year’s helping of 50% Boosted Unit and Hero XP!
Hogmanay Heritage
Hogmanay has been a traditional Scottish celebration for hundreds if not thousands of years. Derived from Norse and Gaelic observances of the Winter Solstice, many historians believe that the invading Vikings brought the tradition to Scotland around the 8-9th centuries.
The word ‘Hogmanay’ itself is believed to come from the French word ‘hoginane’ (meaning ‘gala day’), and is thought to be a result of Mary Queen of Scots’ return to Scotland from France (1561).
Hogmanay was also celebrated in various parts of England, and went by many monikers, such as ‘Hagmena’, ‘Hogmina’, and ‘Hagman-heigh’.
Coal, Cake, and Other Customs
Beginning on December 31, Hogmanay customs and celebrations vary across the country (and the world). The most common custom is ‘first-footing’—starting at midnight, the first person to cross the threshold of a friend or neighbours house sets the luck for the rest of the year, and often includes bringing gifts (usually food and drink such as shortbread and whisky). Traditionally, the first-footer will also bring a lump of coal to signify keeping the house warm during the winter months. The first-foot should also be a tall, dark-haired man—fair-haired fellows would suggest a Viking invasion!
A typical greeting from a first-footer would be: “Good sir, I bring you salt to salt your meat, and I bring you coal to keep your fire lit. From me and mine, to you an yours Happy New year, and lang may your lum reak!”
As the clock strikes midnight bringing all party-goers into the new year, singing ‘Auld Lang Syne’ (based on the poem by Robert Burns) in a circle of linked arms is customary, because who doesn’t like a good singsong?
Honour Hogmanay Today
If you’d like to honour the clans of the Highlands in Conqueror’s Blade and celebrate Hogmanay yourself, here are a few ideas.
Unfortunately, the all-night celebrations that usually take place in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen have been cancelled for the past couple of years, so you won’t be able to party with the Scottish lads and lassies in the usual fashion with parades, music, and fireworks—but there’s plenty you can do at home!
Stick Auld Lang Syne on the stereo, cook the special New Year’s Day special dinner of steak pie, and be the first to visit your loved ones at stroke of midnight.
Haud Hogmanay to all!
Server downtime - December 30
Please be aware that from 7:00 CET on December 30 (22:00 PST 12/29), the Conqueror’s Blade servers will be inaccessible. The downtime is expected to last for 4 hours.
Please refer to the Patch Notes for documented changes. Meanwhile, stay tuned to our Discord channel in case of any immediate server updates.
Season X: Campaign Dates
Recruit warriors, forge alliances, and seek glory on the battlefield as you embark on this new Seasonal Campaign in Season X: Highlanders!
To participate in the Campaign, you must belong to an NPC or player-controlled House/Cohort or Alliance and fight alongside your fellow warlords via the ‘Battle’ interface or in the open world to gain control of settlements. Season X’s Territory Wars begin on January 4 and will occur every Tuesday and Saturday throughout the season. For more information about Territory Wars, check out our top tips here.
The Season X Campaign is divided into five stages. The Borderlands is the core region, with the main objective being Turul Város (Capital of Ungverija) in Stage 5. As stages progress, access is granted to neighbouring regions, which then become conquerable. Fiefs will grant Influence to their captors’ Alliance, and whoever controls Turul Város will be the victor. The winning House’s liege will receive the Hegemon title, and all members will receive additional rewards.
[/td][td] ● No Territory Wars will be fought between December 21 and January 4 due to the holidays. Rewards for this stage will be sent out once the stage is over (on January 4) [/td][td] ● N/A [/td][/tr][tr][td] Stage 2: Eye of the Storm
[/td][td] ● January 4 - January 17
● Territory War in: The Borderlands, Ungverija, Ostaria
● Inaccessible: Anadolou [/td][td] ● Fight for your House or Cohort in any two Territory Wars. [/td][/tr][tr][td] Stage 3: All is Chaos
[/td][td] ● January 17 - January 31
● Territory War in: The Borderlands, Ungverija, Ostaria, Anadolou [/td][td] ● Fight for your House or Cohort in any three Territory Wars. [/td][/tr][tr][td] Stage 4: Usurp the Throne
[/td][td] ● January 31 - February 14
● Territory War in: The Borderlands, Ungverija, Ostaria, Anadolou
● Battle for the capitals: Reginopolis (Capital of Anadolou) and Augolia (Capital of Ostaria) [/td][td] ● Fight for your House or Cohort in any three Territory Wars. [/td][/tr][tr][td] Stage 5: Imperial Dawn
[/td][td] ● February 14 - February 27
● Territory War in: The Borderlands, Ungverija, Ostaria, Anadolou
● Battle for the capitals: Reginopolis (Capital of Anadolou) and Augolia (Capital of Ostaria)
● Battle for the core capital: Turul Város (Capital of Ungverija) [/td][td] ● Fight for your House or Cohort in any three Territory Wars. [/td][/tr][/table] Rewards from taking part in Territory Wars and completing campaign quests during the Season X Campaign include Chests of Bronze and Treatise in various quantities (check in-game for more details).
The final Territory War will take place on February 26. The Season X Campaign ends February 27, when the Alliance with ownership of Turul Város will be crowned the victors. Good luck, warlords!
Conqueror’s Tales: Animals in War
Just as the Houndsmen will soon bound into battle with their faithful furry companions in Season X: Highlanders, so too have millions of soldiers throughout history.
It isn’t just dogs who have entered the fray, however, as brave animals from birds, to rats, to horses, and even sea creatures have all helped humans in their wars over the centuries. During the Cold War (1947-1991), dolphins were employed by the U.S Navy to find submarines, recover objects lost at sea, and clear mines. Homing pigeons were also used to carry important messages across battlefields, and cats were used as pest control onboard navy ships.
Their helping hands (or paws, or fins) have helped with transport, communication, bomb-detection, as weapons themselves, or simply provided morale and companionship.
Sworn to carry your burdens
Before tanks and other vehicles became the norm in warfare, horses were still widely used to transport soldiers and goods, and even enter the battle themselves by pulling chariots, wagons, or acting as part of a cavalry force.
Horses were widely used in World War I, even operating as ambulances for the wounded. The 1982 book War Horse by Michael Morpurgo (since adapted for the stage and screen) tells the story of one such horse named Joey, who is sold to the British mounted infantry during WWI, and whose owner searches to reunite with his beloved equine pal. The book imparts the wisdom that while war is hell for humans, it is just as severe for the animals forced to be part of it too.
Horses weren’t the only animals used for transport and haulage, however, as elephants, camels, and other exotic animals were used on the frontlines during conflicts in World War II.
Going back even further to the Second Punic War (Spring 218 – 201 BC), Carthaginian General Hannibal famously led a troop of war elephants across the harsh conditions of the Alps to use in the Battle of Trebia (which he won, by the way).
A painting by Adriaen van Nieulan (1624) depicting Maurits, Prince of Orange, a famous war-horse breeder
Furry freedom fighters
The first usage of dogs in war dates back to Ancient Greece and carries through to the present day. Used for attacking, carrying messages, bomb detection, as sentries, and more—our four-legged friends have undoubtedly changed the fate of many conflicts (and lives).
While the Houndsmen in Conqueror’s Blade were drafted into war alongside their hunting dogs, canines trained specifically for battle are not rare. The Romans trained dogs known as Molossians (a large Mastiff-like hound), giving them spiked collars and armour and sending them off into battle.
Pups aren’t just useful for their gnashing chompers and powerful paws; they also served (and still do) as a potent morale-booster for those facing the dangers and misery of wartime. Used as mascots for units to raise their spirits in the trenches, dogs in WWI performed this job to the letter.
But enough about canines—what about felines? Ancient Egyptians revered cats (thanks in no small part to the cat-god Bastet) and in fact, their love for the kitties extended to dishing out death as a punishment for harming one. During the Battle of Pelusium (525 BC), the attacking Persian forces knew of this adoration, and King Cambyses II ordered his troops to carry a few of the kitties, assuming the Egyptian defenders would not fight back for fear of hurting the pussycats. As it turns out, he was right, and they stormed the city using the psychological tactic, resulting in the first Persian conquest of Egypt.
Messenger dog with its handler, in France, during World War I (1918)
When you next sit down with your pampered pet, remember the lives lost in war extend to their kind as well, and perhaps give them an extra treat for being a good boy.
Unit Guide: Claymores
Known for their fearlessness, the Claymores are soldiers given a great honour— a prized greatsword. Charging into battle at the side of their clan chieftains and able to fend off many more foes than their numbers, their cumbersome weapons become lethal in the hands of these freedom-seeking warriors.
The Claymores will fight by your side with freedom in their hearts and bravery etched on their faces in Season X: Highlanders.
[previewyoutube="_M8t5z309uU;full"]
Unlocking
The Claymores can be unlocked by completing Seasonal Unit Challenges. They also enjoy a Seasonal Bonus in the form of Leadership requirements decreased by 10 points for the duration of Season X.
Gameplay
The Claymores possess great power which, combined with their courage, makes for a formidable combination in the face of any foe. This unit is able to rouse itself to not only increase its attack strength, but also its own health, speed, and defence.
Each greatsword-wielding soldier will go all out with every attack, but will then enter a weakened state when that effect fades.
Just the facts: Claymores (4-Star)
Formations
Unit Traits
Unit Orders
Claymores are now available to unlock via Unit Challenges.
NOTE: The above information is correct as of the time of publication. Please check in-game for the most up-to-date Unit information.
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