Conquering and pillaging may be easier said than done. Warlords IV completely scraps the tactical battlefield skirmishes that appear in most games of this sort, and, instead, uses a fast-paced combat system reminiscent of a collectible card game. Essentially, each opposing army "draws" a creature from its marching order, and the two creatures trade blows until one defeats the other. Then the next monster in line replaces its fallen comrade until one army is victorious. As such, fragile creatures placed near the front fight first; subsequently, they usually die first--as cannon fodder. However, the last surviving creature to strike the final blow in battle receives bonus experience points that can bring it much closer to gaining another level. So, you may find yourself carefully lining up your armies based on their attack and defense power, as well as according to your enemies' ranks. You may then find yourself attempting to line things up so that your favorite critter runs the risk of participating in the final encounter against your enemy's toughest soldier, in hopes that it will survive to gaining a level afterwards.