A Fleeting Faction Focus – Kings of War Armada

So you've just got the new Taster Set?

Perhaps you’re looking to choose your first or next faction?

Wondering how the different fleets play in Armada?

Well, in this blog you’ll find a handy guide to each fleet, describing their play style and what you can expect when you face them across the oceans!

BASILEANS

Basileans can heal damage quicker than other races thanks to their unique options. It’s probably best to close with the enemy as quickly as possible, unleash point blank broadsides, and then repair while you turn around for another pass. Boarding actions should only be attempted if you have the superior crew strength and are confident you can finish the ship off quickly.

ORCS

Orcs are intent on one thing and one thing only – destruction. They are equally adept at this whether it’s through shooting or boarding actions. Their unique upgrades can enhance either, or both, meaning a ship that gets too close will definitely be in a worse state following the engagement.

DWARFS

Dwarfs are probably the ‘jack of all trades, master of none’. They have decent shooting, decent boarding action abilities and can repair quickly too. They can also significantly boost their boarding action effectiveness by taking The Berserker Captain – Gruffydd Egilax. They don’t have a squadron available, nor a standard Large ship, but their support ships are probably the most unique in the game. They can also be the most forgiving fleet to use for a new starter, thanks to everything having Advanced Engines.

THE EMPIRE OF DUST

The Empire of Dust are more a shooting oriented fleet, and their Large and XL vessels boast destructive Broadside batteries. They also have numerous ways of setting enemy ships ablaze thanks to Balefire, Lightning Bolts and Fire Oil, which will cause your opponent to drastically change their plans. While their Crew Strength might be slightly below other fleets, the Curse of Undeath can swing the fight back in your favour, but you probably don’t want to stay grappled for too long, unless it’s the Khopeshii.

TWILIGHT KIN

Twilight Kin sail under a Shroud, offering additional protection from the enemy’s warning and ranging shots. A lot of their damage will be dealt while close to the enemy thanks to the amount of Close Quarter weapons available. These can unleash a devastating volley, ready to soften up the targets before the deadly Blade Dancers are unleashed onto the decks of the enemy ships. Nothing will stop the Twilight Kin from inflicting agony and torment on enemy captains, and they have a unique upgrade allowing them to grapple enemy ships travelling at Full Speed.

ELVES

The Elves act on water the same way they do on land – with grace. Their Masters of the Waves ability allows them to quickly outmaneuver the enemy. They are probably best staying out of boarding actions unless they have superior crew strength though. Instead concentrate on sailing into point blank range and delivering a point blank broadside before sailing past the ship. Adding Thrennian Sea Guard to the crew can add extra defence against enemy boarding attacks, just in case you’re facing a foe that likes to get up close and personal.

Salamanders

Salamanders are natural sailors, their ships have been developed through millennia of naval actions. The basic statistics for the fleet are well balanced, meaning that it is possible to optimise ships for either shooting or boarding actions, and build either a balanced fleet or a skewed fleet concentrating on one or the other attribute.

Special race upgrades also offer shooting or boarding upgrades to further enhance the ships’ capabilities. For Boarding Actions, Corsairs add one to a ship’s crew strength and also add a plus one modifier to grappling attempts.

Northern Alliance

The Northern Alliance are known throughout Pannithor for being able to spring surprise attacks on the enemy, and they continue this trait in Armada. Northern Alliance ships are able to utilise their Glide ability and move further than normally allowed once per activation, providing they first pass a Skill test. This can really catch your opponent off guard, if suddenly your ship moves into grapple range, or swings around to the stern ready to unleash a point blank rake.

The Busse is the standard XL ship of both the Northern Alliance and Varangur. This ship boasts an impressive broadside, putting out 3H, 4C weapons and 2IW shots. The Busse has no bow gun though, so you’ll have to be patient before unleashing its array of projectiles.

Varangur

The Varangur meanwhile, are known for their vengeance. Their special rule is Retribution, which means any time a Varangur ship loses a boarding action, the winning ship(s) immediately suffer additional damage. This means through a war of attrition, the Varangur should come out on top… eventually.

The Varangur Main battle ships can be equipped with the Infernal Runes. These give one additional attack from one weapon position each activation, and if it hits, will set the enemy ship ablaze. They are short ranged and do not benefit from the usual modifiers, but when they work, they can really alter your opponent’s plans.