KARDS - The WW2 Card Game: Soviet-Italy La Russa Guide

To pilot the aggressive Soviet-Italian "La Russa" hybrid deck in KARDS - The WW2 Card Game, capture the frontline by turn two with cheap Russian infantry, then use Italian tactical disruption to pin defensive Guard units and strike the opposing headquarters directly.

Traditional pure Soviet aggressive decks struggle when opponents deploy heavy Guard units because Soviet units must sacrifice health to clear taunts. Splashing Italian utility cards introduces cost-effective pins, retreat mechanics, and attack buffs, allowing your main damage dealers to bypass blockers entirely instead of taking unfavorable trades.

Core Card Synergies

An effective La Russa deck relies on Soviet units to contest physical board space and Italian tactical tools to neutralize defensive blockers.

Over-investing in Italian tactical orders without sufficient Soviet units leaves you without board presence. Conversely, cutting Italian utility turns the deck into a standard swarm that stalls against heavy armor. Maintain a stable ratio of cheap infantry to utility orders so every deployed unit has immediate support.

Mulligan Strategy and Opening Turns

Your primary goal is securing the frontline by turn two. Shape your opening hand around proactive low-cost deployments and targeted removal:

1. Keep 1-Kredit Soviet infantry: Retain units such as the 84th Rifle Regiment to contest the battlefield immediately.
2. Prioritize Bloody Sickle: Keep this removal order against aggressive decks to eliminate turn-one enemy scouts before they take the frontline.
3. Mulligan high-cost cards: Send back 4-Kredit armor like the T-34-76 and multi-Kredit Italian buff orders to find opening ground troops.
4. Advance immediately: Move units into the frontline on turn two rather than floating Kredits for passive value. Occupying the center forces your opponent to respond defensively.

Managing Enemy Guard Units and Closing Matches

By turns four and five, defensive opponents usually deploy armored Guard units to absorb attacks. Do not ram multiple damaged infantry units into a high-defense target.

• Freeze rather than trade: Apply an Italian pin effect to immobilize the Guard unit for a turn. This suppresses its blocking capability and leaves your frontline free to target the enemy Headquarters.
• Combine damage with stat buffs: If an opposing unit must be destroyed, combine direct-damage orders with an Italian attack modifier so a single unit completes the trade cleanly.
• Shift to HQ burn below 10 Defense: When the enemy Headquarters reaches single digits, spend Kredits strictly on pushing lethal damage. Avoid board-maintenance trades unless an enemy unit directly threatens lethal on the counterattack.

Matchup Adjustments and Resource Management

Because this archetype runs low deployment costs, poor resource management can quickly lead to an empty hand.

• Against British or American Control: Avoid deploying your entire hand into potential board sweepers. Keep two or three threatening units on the field to demand removal, holding reserve infantry in hand to retake the frontline immediately after an area-of-effect clear.
• Against German Blitz or Japanese Aggro: Race for the frontline on turn one. Use Bloody Sickle to remove fast attackers and leverage the higher base defense of your Soviet units to win early combat trades.
• Conserve operation Kredits: Unit movement and attack actions cost Kredits. Do not spend Kredits maneuvering units across the support line unless that reposition directly advances your damage clock or sets up lethal within two turns.