In Ashes of Creation this month, the focus is on the fortresses and the nodes. Therefore, further details about the battles for the fortresses have also been released.
What makes fortresses special? In Ashes of Creation, there are five large and structurally different fortresses, each controlling 20% of the entire map. Accordingly, there is a strong incentive for a guild to conquer such a fortress.
Fortresses also automatically control three nodes in the areas surrounding them. All three are military and reinforce the fortresses the further they are upgraded.
The game provides clear rules for the process of conquering the fortresses.
This is how the conquest of a fortress takes place
This is how the first conquest goes: At the start of the game, all five fortresses are controlled by NPCs. The first conquest is meant to resemble a massive raid.
The guilds must first expand and the players themselves must equip themselves before a first attempt at conquest can be started.
Once the fortress has been taken by players, the real battles for control over the world of Ashes of Creation begin.
This is how the preparations for the attack go: After the fortress has been conquered by players, it can only be attacked four weeks later. This does not apply to the nodes around the fortress.
The conquest follows a fixed cycle:
- In the first week after the conquest/defense of a fortress, node 1 can be attacked
- In the second week, node 2
- In the third week, node 3
- In the fourth week, the fortress itself
For attackers, it is important to weaken the three nodes of the fortress so that the fortress itself loses defensive power as well.
According to the developers, the attack itself should be more tactical in nature and not just rely on winning with a mass of players.
How does the attack take place? The battle for the fortress begins with siege weapons tearing down the outer walls of the fortress.
Defenders, on the other hand, can erect siege weapons to use against attackers. Depending on how well the three nodes of the fortress have remained, these weapons are stronger or weaker.
Within the fortresses, there are capture points that affect resurrection rates. Additionally, the capture points reinforce the respective faction.
While initially, of course, the defending faction controls these points, attackers can gradually push further into the fortress and also achieve small victories over these points.
At the core of the fortress, there is a crystal. Once this is conquered, the fortress changes ownership.
Details in the destruction of the fortress: In the latest blog post from Intrepid Studios, it is mentioned that a lot of emphasis is placed on details in the battles.
Siege weapons are supposed to create only small holes when destroying the walls and not tear down the entire wall directly. But even these small holes can be useful in the conquest.
Differences between fortresses and cities
Fortresses control 20% of the world; however, there are also many nodes within them, and within those, cities that can be expanded by smaller guilds.
How do fortresses and cities differ? Cities can be attacked and defended just like fortresses. Cities can be expanded and start as a small outpost, evolving into a massive metropolis.
Cities, however, fall under a fortress and pay taxes to it. In return, the fortress should strive to defend attacked cities. After all, the owners of the fortress also want their cities to assist them in the great battle.
Managing a fortress is said to be more challenging, requiring the collaboration of an entire guild. Cities, on the other hand, can be managed more easily but can also be conquered.
Housing in the cities: In the cities, players can build houses themselves and design them as they wish. The larger a city grows, the more and larger the houses become.
Fortress mode in Apocalypse
The PvP standalone Apocalypse is set to receive the fortress mode soon to test these massive battles. Battles of 200 against 200 players are planned.
What about classes and siege weapons?: In this fortress mode, the first classes and siege weapons are also set to be used. When exactly the game mode will be released has not yet been revealed.
More about the fortress mode can be found here:
