Conquest: The Last Argument of Kings
Para Bellum's dark fantasy rank-and-flank mass battle game. Regiments of multi-model stands, a hidden command stack that sets who acts when, and reserves that arrive in waves. The core rules are free, and the miniatures also play the skirmish game First Blood.
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"My take on this one is coming soon."
What is Conquest: The Last Argument of Kings
Conquest: The Last Argument of Kings is a dark fantasy mass battle game from Para Bellum. Para Bellum calls it “a mass fantasy battle, rank, and flank style of big table play.” Armies of regiments fight in ranks and files, with a front, two flanks and a rear, so where you hit a regiment matters as much as how hard.
The rules credit Stavros Halkias as creator and Leandros Mavrokefalos as game designer, and say the game is “based on the game system designed by Alessio Cavatore and River Horse studio.” The current core rules are the second edition, updated in 2026, and Para Bellum keeps putting out balance updates, army reworks and new content.
The same miniatures play two games. Para Bellum’s other Conquest game, Conquest: First Blood, is a skirmish game for roughly 5 to 20 models a side that plays in 30 to 60 minutes. The Last Argument of Kings wants about 40 to 80 or more and runs about two hours. In Para Bellum’s words, “the miniatures can simply be taken off the Stands and switch from one system to the other.” Para Bellum sells First Blood Warbands as forces that can be scaled up into this game.
There are ten factions: the Hundred Kingdoms, Spires, Dweghom, Nords, W’adrhŭn, Old Dominion, City States, Sorcerer Kings, Yoroni and Weaver Courts. The range is hard plastic on sprues, so every soldier needs cutting out and building.
Be honest with yourself about the scale. A 2,000-point army is dozens of models to build and paint, and the battlefield is at least 4’ × 4’.
How it plays
- Regiments of stands. Models are mounted on square stands, and stands form regiments. Infantry stands hold four models. Cavalry, Brutes and Monsters are one model per stand. A regiment moves, fights and breaks as one unit.
- The command stack. At the start of each round, both players secretly stack their regiments’ Command Cards face down in the order they want them to act. Then you alternate, each drawing the top card and activating that regiment. You can’t reorder the stack once it’s built, so guessing your opponent’s order is half the game.
- Reinforcements arrive in waves. Regiments aren’t deployed at the start. Light regiments roll to arrive from round one, Medium from round two and Heavy from round three, and everything is on the table by round five. Para Bellum says this creates “a realistic fog of war.”
- Two actions, no repeats. An activated regiment takes two different actions, such as March, Charge, Volley, Clash or Reform. Only March can be repeated.
- Roll under to hit and to save. Dice hit on a roll equal to or under the Clash or Volley value. The defender rolls a die per Hit and saves on a roll equal to or under Defense or Evasion. Unengaged stands behind the front add support attacks.
- Morale breaks regiments. Casualties lead to Morale tests, and regiments can become Broken or Shattered. Attack a regiment in the flank and it must re-roll passed tests. Attack it in the rear and it fails them all.
- Win by holding ground. The rulebook’s scenarios run up to 10 rounds. You score by seizing objective zones, finishing secret Secondary Objectives drawn from your faction’s own deck, and removing enemy regiments.
How to start
- Read the rules for free. The core rules, every faction’s army list and the tournament scenario packs are on the Rules & FAQ page.
- Try a small game. The rules say 1,000-point games “are an excellent way to learn the rules.” 2,000 points is the standard size.
- Get a One Player Starter. Para Bellum points new players at its faction starters. Asmodee’s US store lists the Hundred Kingdoms Supercharged One Player Starter Set at $159.99. It covers both games, with quick start guides for each, command cards, bases, stands, dice, a measuring tool and 2D terrain. You’ll need a second army to play, either a friend’s or another starter.
- Or start small. A First Blood Warband (Flipside Gaming lists the 2026 boxes at $69.99) comes with stands as well as bases, so it’s a cheaper way in that ranks up into this game later.
- Build lists. The free Army Builder and the Conquest Companion App cover both games.
Community & reviews
Para Bellum runs organised play and tournaments, posts tournament scenario packs on its site, and keeps a store locator and events calendar. The community lives on Discord.
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Reviews & coverage
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