Broken Arrow Deck FAQ: 12 Questions New Players Ask

How many units does a deck have?

There is no fixed unit count — a deck is limited by points, not slots. You fill it up to the 9,500–10,000-point budget with as many cards as you can afford. A card can also hold multiple copies (availability), so a single card might give you one expensive tank or a dozen cheap infantry squads.

In practice a balanced deck ends up with roughly 20–35 cards spread across the seven categories: recon, infantry, fighting vehicles, support, logistics, helicopters and aircraft.

Why won't the game accept my deck?

The most common reason is being under the minimum: a deck must spend at least ~9,500 points, so a half-empty list is blocked. Fill the remaining budget with cheap useful cards — extra logistics, a recon vehicle, or another infantry squad.

The other reason is a doctrine restriction: every card must belong to your chosen faction and one of your two doctrines. If you switch a doctrine, cards that no longer fit are dropped from the deck.

Can I just copy a pro player's deck?

Yes — importing a deck code is the fastest way to start, and studying a strong list teaches you more than building blind. Grab a ready list from the community deck showcase or the best USA / best Russia deck guides, import the code, and play it.

One caveat: decks are tied to a game patch. A list built before a balance change can shift in strength, so check when it was made. Once you understand why a deck is built the way it is, start swapping cards to fit your own style.

Can I change my deck during a match?

No. You pick your deck before the match starts and it's locked for the whole game — you can only deploy the cards that are already in it. That's why a balanced deck matters: if you brought no anti-air, you cannot add it mid-game when planes arrive.

You can, however, choose which cards to deploy and when. The deck is your menu; the match is deciding what to order and in what order.

What does a good first deck look like?

Cover all the bases before you optimize: 2–3 recon options, several infantry squads (some with anti-tank), a core of fighting vehicles, at least two layers of anti-air, some artillery or support, and enough logistics to keep income flowing. Add a helicopter or aircraft once the ground is solid.

Don't spend half your budget on premium tanks. A leaner, well-rounded deck you can actually sustain beats a shiny list you can never afford to deploy. Build and validate one in our in-browser builder, then read the deck-building guide to refine it.

How do I share or save a deck?

Every deck exports to a short code (or a .dek file) you can copy into a message, forum post or guide — the recipient imports it exactly. Keep a note of the patch it was built for. The full walkthrough is in the import-and-share guide, and you can publish yours to the community showcase for feedback.