
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Warhammer 40,000: Conquest – Gift of the Ethereals
- 2 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2014

2014
Rules assistance for Warhammer 40,000: Conquest
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Warhammer 40,000: Conquest is a board game released in 2014 for 2 players, 30–60 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Eric M. Lang, Nate French, and Brad Andres and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Area Majority / Influence.
In Warhammer 40,000: Conquest, a two-player Living Card Game, you take the part of a warlord, leading your armies into battle against your opponent in a bid to claim glorious victory. Even as you lead your bravest warriors into battle, you must plan for the future, establishing a presence on planets before the tides of war consume them in blood and fire. You must conquer the Traxis sector by strength of arms for in the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war. Warhammer 40,000: Conquest introduces seven distinct factions: Space Marines, Astra Militarum, Orks, Chaos, Dark Eldar, Eldar, and Tau. Each of these factions possesses a unique flavor and style of play, and an alignment wheel introduces the possibility of forming an alliance between two factions. At the start of play, the Traxis sector lies open before you, with planets awaiting the tramp of armies on the road to war. Each round begins with you and your opponent preparing for battle. Planet cards are arranged in a row between the players at the beginning of the game, and the planet farthest to the left of the starting player is the first planet. Each round, you or your opponent will clash at the first planet, and the victor will capture the first planet. Capturing planets is your ultimate goal. Some planets possess essential materials necessary for the armies of the 41st millennium. Others offer strategic advantages to those who hold them, while yet others are home to great technological wealth. Each of the planet cards possesses one or more symbols in the upper left hand corner, designating that planet's assets. These symbols grant no abilities by themselves, but the first player to collect three planets sharing a common symbol dominates the sector and wins the game. Your warlord grants powerful special abilities, determines your starting resources and hand size, and serves as a vital part of your army, so you'll want to build your deck around your warlord to take full advantage of his strengths — and cover his weaknesses, as defeating the opponent's warlord is another way to victory.
Warhammer 40,000: Conquest supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Warhammer 40,000: Conquest is 30–60 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Warhammer 40,000: Conquest for ages 14 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Warhammer 40,000: Conquest has a complexity rating of 3.1 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Warhammer 40,000: Conquest belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fighting, and Collectible Components. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Area Majority / Influence. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Warhammer 40,000: Conquest are: Eric M. Lang, Nate French, and Brad Andres. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Warhammer 40,000: Conquest as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.