Encampment

Basic Info

• Type: Action
• Cost: 2
• Effect: +2 Cards / +2 Actions / You may reveal a Gold or Plunder from hand. If you don't, return this to its Supply pile.
• Split pile: 5 Encampment / 5 Rocks per pile.

Rating

Tier A. Empires' premier super-village. $2 for +2 Cards / +2 Actions, with a "return-if-no-Gold" twist that is often a feature: free deck thinning + free draw + free actions.

Top of split pile with Rocks. Drain to expose Rocks.

How to Play

$2 turn — Encampment auto-buy. Cheap, dense, multi-purpose.

Cycle play: early, no-Gold reveal returns Encampment to Supply — you net +2 Cards / +2 Actions and a thinner deck. Mid-game with Gold, hold and chain as super-village.

Drain Encampments to flip Rocks pile.

When to Pick / Skip

Almost always pick. Skip when:

1. Heavy attacks disrupt actions.
2. Very short games.
3. Better village exists and Encampment redundant.

Open 2-3 copies, target full 5 to flip pile.

Key Combos

Encampment + KC / TR: doubled, return-or-keep choice.

Encampment + Gold / Plunder: hold-and-chain.

Encampment + Rocks: same pile.

Encampment + draw: engine base.

Encampment + Engineer: cost-2 gain spam.

Encampment + Smithy / Royal Blacksmith: terminal-draw chain.

Synergies

• Gold / Plunder: hold.
• KC / TR: doubled.
• Rocks: split pile.
• Engineer: gain at cost 0.
• Strong draw: engine base.
• Remodel: upgrade.
• University: free gain.

Counters & Bad Matchups

• Strong attacks (Witch, Minion).
• Short games.
• Gold-poor early board (but return is fine).

Advanced Tips

Early no-Gold = deliberate return for thin-and-cycle.

Mid-game Gold-reveal = held super-village chain.

KC + Encampment: +4 cards / +4 actions; return-or-keep choice.

Encampment + Rocks split pile timing: 5 Encampments drain → Rocks open.

Mirror: first to Gold wins the chain race.

Engineer + Encampment: gain at $0, near-infinite super-village fuel.

Returned Encampments reshuffle into supply — same card cycles back.