With our 5th anniversary just around the corner, we’ve sat down with some of the incredible team members who make our game what it is. In this special interview, we chat with Greg, our LiveOps Manager, who keeps everything running smoothly; Benji, the artist behind our game’s amazing visuals; and Harry, known to many as MadEmp, our creative game designer. From our first battle to today, it’s been an epic journey! They share memorable moments, discuss challenges, and give a sneak peek into the future. Read the full interview below: 

What inspired the creation of Warhammer Combat Cards, and how has that vision changed in the past five years?

HARRY: It all started with the original cards printed by Games Workshop, I even had a full set of the 2nd Printing! The appeal then, and what we’ve tried to stay true to, is that “army in your pocket” feel, letting people play with factions or models they never would normally. All while using the amazing ‘Eavy Metal miniatures to bring it all to life!

BENJI: Beginning as the brainchild of a few passionate individuals working into the wee hours, alongside other budding projects at the time, Combat Cards flourished when we cemented our partnership with Games Workshop.
The idea was to create a portable version of Warhammer 40,000 that you could play anywhere, with any faction or models you so choose. Since then, we have increased the card roster to over a thousand cards spanning all factions, and are representing bigger vehicles, creatures and characters from the extended roster of Warhammer 40,000 Forgeworld catalogue. We also aim to make all characters as closely represented to their tabletop counterparts as possible, with an ever-increasing roster of traits and abilities that are fully upgradable.

GREG: The mantra has always been to “own the impossible army”. In recent years, we’ve started adding larger miniatures, such as lords of war, supreme commanders, and Forgeworld models. We’ve also leaned into encouraging epic games on an apocalypse scale. In my opinion, the vision remains true.

How do you balance staying true to the Warhammer lore while making a fun and engaging game?

HARRY: It’s actually quite easy! Warhammer is, and always has been, a miniatures game, with rules and abilities, and the lore has just sprung up around it. Taking ready inspiration from the tabletop has always been an easy conversion into our game. With the lore being so expansive and detailed it actually provides more avenues and flexibility when it comes to designing cards and features and allows us to go beyond what the tabletop can provide while staying true to the central intellectual property.

BENJI: We face the same issues as the tabletop, balancing lore with fair and interactive gameplay. For example if we followed the lore too closely, then the Custodes and Titanic cards in particular would out-class most other factions.
This doesn’t provide a fair and equitable experience, especially for fans of balanced card games. Balancing Warhammer 40,000  lore and gameplay in Combat Cards requires deep understanding and respect for the source material; something our team is highly knowledgeable of – as active players ourselves. We engage with the community for feedback and continuously iterate and refine our game, to provide an enjoyable experience for both card game fans and new/older patrons of Warhammer 40,000.

GREG: Honestly, it practically writes itself. We base our content on public knowledge and established lore, ensuring everything aligns with the spirit of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. The cards are inspired by the tabletop rules, and our campaigns and events draw from the rich Warhammer 40,000 lore. We’ve even started mimicking popular bundles like combat patrols and battleforce box sets. I’m really pleased that our game captures the feel of playing a tabletop game in minutes rather than hours. I really enjoy creating thematic decks, similar to how detachments are encouraged in the codexes.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during the development and growth of the game?

HARRY: I think our biggest challenge overall has always been the size of our team. We’re all passionate Warhammer fans in the studio, and we’ve all wanted to add more and expand further at every opportunity. We feel the same passion as our players for both the game and the setting, and having to sit back and temper what we want to achieve is always challenging, especially when we’re keen to get it in front of players as soon as possible!

BENJI: We must rely on new and innovative ways to promote our product, by engaging with our community, and maintaining synergy with Warhammer’s product line to ensure an exciting lineup of future cards, packs and cosmetics.
We also have a relatively small core team, so the number of new features we work on must be cherry-picked in terms of importance and enhancement of the core gameplay experience. 

GREG: Keeping up with Games Workshop’s release schedule is challenging, but it’s also a blessing because there’s always something exciting happening 🙂. It’s been great to have a plan and cadence in place. When Games Workshop releases a new book or campaign, we know to create a relevant battle pass, combat patrol, battleforce box, new cards, supreme commander, and potentially a new campaign. This consistency helps users know what to expect, which we hope they find beneficial and engaging.

Looking back, what are some of the most memorable moments or milestones in the game’s history? Do you have any fun stories or highlights from behind the scenes?

HARRY: I think one of my biggest highlights was bringing in secondary traits. There had always been a “I want to give this character more” or feeling like one trait didn’t do that card enough justice when capturing its identity. It also gave an exponential amount of new combinations and differentiators and means even today we can be releasing cards that are totally unique! Behind the scenes there was a huge amount of debate between all of us, well actually mainly Tom and I, around which combinations made the most sense. And that really sums up the joy of working on the project, where two mega fans can debate the finer points of the lore and gameplay to justify how a card takes shape! 

BENJI: When the Leagues of Votann were announced. There were many meetings called, resources pooled and an effective battle plan was drawn to add the ninth faction to Combat Cards in a matter of weeks – never have we pulled together such a major feature so quickly and so cleanly.
This involved sourcing art for all the new cards and creating them, changing every instance of UI to include a ninth faction, and all the coding behind the scenes to pull it all together, it was surely a miracle we put it together as quickly as we did.

GREG: Sometimes, while watching Casual Dad, Shintobean, or other livesteams, I notice bugs in the game. I love being able to jump on my PC and fix them right away to improve the experience for everyone. I’ve even made updates to the shop from my mobile while heading to watch Portsmouth F.C. play football on a Saturday. It’s all part of the passion I have for ensuring our game is the best it can be!

How has the player community influenced the development and direction of the game?

HARRY: As a former member of the community I can say a huge amount! The team’s willingness to listen to the community has given me a chance to join the team, and I’ve always tried to carry that forward into my own work. I always keep an eye on the Discord for where the balance changes are needed or what gaps new cards can fill, and even some key features have been influenced by the discussion and musings of the community!

BENJI: The community is replete with examples of suggestions and contributions they have made to improve our overall gaming experience. Examples of these would include but are not limited to:
– Extending the upgrading tree
– Implementing Horde Mode
– Skip the card reward sequence button
– Speed modifier button
– Community chosen modifiers and cards to be created
– Speeding up player progression.
– Raising issues via Discord that allows us to tackle various issues/bugs in niche cases to further polish the game.

GREG:  The player community has significantly influenced the development and direction of the game. Thanks to their feedback, we’ve implemented numerous features and improvements, such as new gameplay modes, enhanced customisation options, and streamlined progression systems. Community input has also shaped the introduction of popular new cards and gameplay modifiers. Overall, player engagement and suggestions have been instrumental in making the game more enjoyable and aligned with what players want.

Are there any standout community events or interactions that have particularly stuck with you over the years?

HARRY: Maybe because it was my first big event but the first time we did Exploration campaigns was for Skulls 2021. We introduced the “Boss” Warlords of Guilliman and Skarbrand and had 400pt games for the first time, as well as fully curated decks! The buzz and excitement was amazing and was my first experience of seeing something completely handcrafted going out and being met with excitement and positivity, which was amazing.

BENJI: The greatest event I’ve personally enjoyed has been Warhammer Fest 2023. It was one of the first times I’ve engaged with our player base directly and got to speak at length about Warhammer Combat Cards and Warhammer 40,000 in general.
I’ve been to many before, but not as part of a company that represents the brand, and with attendees so enthusiastic about that same brand, and it was a genuine pleasure to talk to so many at the event.

GREG: Attending Warhammer Fest 2023 was both fun and rewarding, especially meeting so many passionate players in person. One of the highlights was finally adding the Night Lords to the game, a promise I made to someone. I hope they see this and remember our conversation. It was great to turn that promise into reality and to connect directly with the community – that makes everything worthwhile.

Can you give us a sneak peek into any upcoming features or updates that players can look forward to?

HARRY: There’s a lot coming through at the moment, and a lot of it long requested! Players will soon find they have the ability to handpick which cards to level, and I think that’s going to open up a huge amount of player agency, as well as the chance for new and exciting metas! I want to share it all, but the best place to get the hottest news off the press will be to join me on the Livestreams, which are now back to a more regular cadence which is fantastic! 

BENJI: We are hard at work developing a new feature that is aimed solely at giving our players a significant boost in customising and upgrading specific cards in their collection. No spoilers for now, but this will be one of our grandest features yet, one that has long been anticipated by our community.

GREG: REDACTED

As Combat Cards approaches its 5-year anniversary, we’re curious: What does reaching this milestone mean to you and to the team?

HARRY: Personally, I think it’s incredible. To have a mobile game in this day and age reach 5 years of continual running is rare and to be celebrated. I think it’s a testament to both the team and community and really shows that we’ve made something special and have got an amazing player base to be incredibly grateful for!

BENJI: Warhammer Combat Cards is one of the core reasons why I joined Well Played Games. As an active competitive card player myself, a long-time fan of Warhammer, and having worked on a myriad of other card games in the past – it was a no-brainer to make the switch. I feel my familiarity with the Warhammer 40,000 universe has improved our output of accurately represented cosmetics, ideas for campaigns and future features.
Personally, I’m nearing my fifth year working on Combat Cards, and it gives me great joy and satisfaction working on an IP I grew up with, as well as providing narrative and artistic steer along the way. In this industry, you never know where you’ll truly land – so I count myself incredibly fortunate to be working on a Warhammer 40,000 game.

GREG: I like to think of my job as a way to bring joy, entertainment, and variety to others. Reaching this milestone, which is a significant achievement that many don’t reach, reassures me that we’re on the right path. It reflects not only the hard work we’ve put in but also the strength of our supportive and engaged community. Knowing that we’ve made a positive impact and that our efforts resonate with players is incredibly fulfilling and motivates us to keep striving for excellence.

Are there any special events or features planned to celebrate the 5-year anniversary with the community?

HARRY: Oh boy, is there! Hand on heart, it’s going to be the most generous we’ve ever been in an event. It’s huge, and I’m so excited to be here for it, and know it’s going to be a great event for players at every level.

BENJI: As much as I’d like to, I am refraining from spoiling any of our upcoming events. However, I can state they will be some of our very best and most generous yet!

GREG: No spoilers! But I can say it’s been the most generous celebration I’ve been part of since the launch.

Is there a message you’d like to share with the players who have supported the game over the years?

HARRY: Just to say to all of you; THANK YOU! From those of you who started by supporting my fan reviews of new cards, and my rating system on the in-game forum; to those cheering me on when I got the role as a developer; onto all of you who have joined in on the livestreams over the years. Chatting and laughing in Discord and being turned into memes… It’s been amazing and genuinely changed my life. After 5 years of amazing support, I can’t wait to give back, in what is sure to be an amazing Anniversary week, and I will continue to keep close to you all and continue to make this game of ours the best it can be!

BENJI: I would like to take a moment to thank our steadfast community and supporters of Warhammer Combat Cards. While we have the vision and tools to provide you with the experience, our in-game community has supported us to where we can continue to innovate and refine the experience further for all to enjoy. Thank you to our wonderful players, and collaborators who have helped us define a whole new horizon of Warhammer Combat Cards, and we endeavour to do so for many years to come, as long as there are passionate individuals to both work on, and play our game.

GREG: Just like with your tabletop or personal miniatures collection, your collection will grow over time into something you can truly be proud of. We’re committed to making the experience enjoyable and rewarding, ensuring that every addition is both fun and meaningful. Whether you’re shouting “Death to the False Emperor!” or “Waaagh!” In celebration, we’re here to make every moment exciting. Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm!