Armageddon Playing Cards

I must admit that this deck didn't exactly excite me when I first heard about it. Armageddon Playing Cards. In my mind I envisaged a barren landscape in a post-apocalyptic world, perhaps populated with a few zombies, and inevitably some blood and gore. Certainly I wasn't expecting something that would be relatively family friendly, visually appealing, or attractive.

So imagine my surprise when this deck turned out to be quite different than what I'd imagined. Perhaps I'm it was just my expectations that were faulty and unfair, and I'm to blame for being too ignorant about the genre. And maybe the title is a little ambiguous, because the word Armageddon actually originates directly from ancient Greek, and its mention in the Biblical book of Revelation has led it long being associated with the gathering of armies at the world's end, in a final apocalyptic showdown. But to be fair, over time this term has come to be used in describing any end-of-world scenario, and the subtitle does indicate that these are post-Apocalypse playing cards.

Whatever the case, even if it depicts a post-Armageddon scenario rather than the Armageddon itself, the Armageddon deck proved to be a pleasant surprise!



Tuck box

The Armageddon deck is inspired by popular works like Mad Max and Fall Out, which are set in a post-apocalyptic world.

The artist behind this interesting deck is Nick Rovakis, who is a freelance illustrator and graphic designer born in Athens, Greece. His qualifications include a degree in graphic and fine arts. He has over a decade of experience in branding design, packaging, font creation, as well as in doing illustrations for board games and magazines, and he has a special interest and expertise with terrain pieces and miniatures.

Nick explains the genesis and concept of this deck as follows: "I've always wanted to design something that displays characters out of this kind of environment, the ones striving to survive and this would reflect on their characteristics and equipment. When I was given the opportunity to create a deck of cards with a theme of my choice I was more than happy to combine it with this concept. So I've created four different factions with the characteristics I had in my mind for that kind of world."



Court cards

Each suit represents a different faction in this post-apocalyptic world: Wastelanders (Clubs), Enslavers (Hearts), Rangers (Spades), and Brotherhood of Metal (Diamonds). These rough and ready characters are dressed for combat - after all, the world they inhabit requires a battle for survival, and they will need to fight for their lives if they are going to last. Each faction has a unique set of clothing and weapons that captures something about it.

The court cards all have symmetrical designs, to ensure that the deck is also playable and functional, and the level of detail is amazing.



Factions

Here's a closer look at the four factions represented on the court cards in this deck.

Wastelanders (Clubs)



Enslavers (Hearts)



Rangers (Spades)



Brotherhood of Metal (Diamonds)



Aces

All the Aces feature oversized artwork that reflects something of the harsh landscape of this post-apocalyptic world, with metal and wire being common elements.



Number cards

Every single aspect of this deck is 100% customized, including the number cards, all of which also include artwork and a style unique to each faction/suit.



Jokers & Card backs

The Jokers add two unique characters to the deck, a Mutant and a Cyborg.

Meanwhile the card backs have a two-way design with an intriguing look that brings together the kinds of colours and icons you'd expect to see in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by war and destruction.



Extra cards

Two gaff cards (a double backer and a QH/5C double facer) fill out the deck to 56 cards.

There's also a card reveal on the inside flap of the tuck box for the Queen of Clubs.



Impressions

Is the Armageddon deck for you? In terms of handling and quality, this deck has been produced by USPCC in their standard stock with the usual air cushion style finish, so it handles well and give an immediate impression of quality.

The main appeal of this deck lies in the world that it depicts. Taking that premise for granted, it does a good job of capturing the elements of a harsh post-apocalyptic world where everything is about survival. All aspects of this deck - the card backs, the characters on the court cards, the pips, and even the textured background on the card faces - contribute to a look which fits well with this theme.

Unsurprisingly this deck has made a strong and positive impression, and has been well received. All the comments I have seen have been very positive about it, with sample comments from satisfied Kickstarter backers including the following: "Lovely and just what I wanted." "An awesome addition to my growing card collection." "Looks great. Awesome job with the art." "Fantastic!" If you like the concept and theme of this deck, then you'll almost certainly be pleased with making this new release part of your own collection!



​Want to learn more? You can find this deck on PlayingCardDecks.com here:
- Armageddon deck