Beyond the safety of the Central District and the wild lands where guilds raise their outposts lie the War Territories — contested ground where the only law is who holds the line. Here, Factions march. They are seasonal war orders built for one purpose: to fight, conquer, and carve their name into the history of Orbis. The first War Season hasn't begun yet — we're in Season 0, the preparing phase — but the banners are being raised right now. Reserve your name, rally your soldiers, and be ready the moment the fronts open.
What is a faction?
A faction is a war order — a banner that players rally behind to fight for territory during a War Season. Factions are bold, competitive, and built for conflict. When a season opens, your faction marches into the War Territories and battles rival orders for control of the fronts. When the season ends, the standings are sealed into Orbis's history, and the next season begins fresh.
Factions live entirely in the War Territories — the contested, seasonal-PvP regions of Orbis. There are no land claims here: no plots, no outposts, just ground you hold by force and ground you lose by it. Your strength is your members, your coordination, and your will to push the line.
Factions vs Guilds
It's easy to mix them up, so here's the clean line: Guilds are your permanent, peaceful home. Factions are your seasonal war machine. They serve completely different purposes — and the best players use both.
| Guilds | Factions | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Peaceful community — social, economic, building | Seasonal PvP warfare |
| Lifespan | Permanent — always active | Seasonal — tied to each War Season |
| Where | Wild Regions (guild outposts), with their home in the city | War Territories only |
| Land claims | Guilds claim outposts in the Wild Regions | No claims — territory is held by force |
| Vibe | Your long-term home and economy | High-stakes conquest and glory |
How a War Season works
A War Season is a fixed chapter of conflict with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Factions choose a side, the fronts open, and for the length of the season every battle pushes the line one way or the other. When it ends, a victor is crowned and the result is written into the permanent war archive.
- Preparing — the season is announced. Factions form, recruit, and rally their soldiers. The fronts are still locked. (This is where we are now: Season 0.)
- Active — the fronts open and war is live. Factions battle across the War Territories for control of each front.
- The fight — push enemy lines, hold ground, and out-coordinate rival orders front by front. Control can swing back and forth all season.
- Finished — the season ends. The dominant faction is crowned the season's victor and the results are sealed into Orbis's history.
- Reset — the next season opens fresh. Standings reset, alliances shift, and every faction starts the climb again.
The fronts you'll contest
The War Territories are divided into fronts — distinct battlegrounds, each with its own terrain, character, and challenge. When a season goes live, factions fight for control of each front independently, so a war can be won on one edge of the map and lost on another. Right now every front is locked, waiting for the first season to begin.
Southern Front
A harsh, scorched battlefield where the season's first campaigns are expected to ignite.
Eastern Front
A frontier of forests, roads, and contested supply routes — control the roads, control the war.
Northern Front
A cold, defensive region. Hard to take, harder to hold — a fortress-maker's prize.
Western Front
A rugged borderland built for relentless faction conflict and constant skirmishing.
Controlling territory
Holding a front means dominating its battlefield while the season runs. Unlike the Wild Regions, where guilds raise protected outposts, War Territories can't be claimed or fortified into safe ground — control is earned through combat and held only as long as your faction keeps winning the fight there.
- Each front is contested separately — your faction can dominate one while clinging to another.
- Control can swing all season long; nothing is locked in until the season ends.
- The faction that comes out on top across the fronts is crowned the season's victor.
- Every result is recorded in the war archive — past winners are remembered forever.
Ranks within a faction
A faction is a chain of command, not a crowd. Every member holds a rank, and rank decides who can recruit, who can lead, and who calls the shots on the battlefield. New members start at the bottom and earn their way up.
| Rank | Role |
|---|---|
| Recruit | Just joined — proving themselves on the field |
| Soldier | A trusted member of the fighting force |
| Vanguard | Front-line veteran who leads the charge |
| Officer | Manages members, recruitment, and orders |
| Commander | Leads the faction and steers its war strategy |
| Founder | Created the faction — its first and lasting authority |
Create or reserve your faction
You don't have to wait for the war to start to stake your claim. Right now you can reserve a faction name and start building your war order, so when the first season opens you march in ready — not scrambling. Names are first-come, first-served, so the legendary ones won't last.
- Link your in-game character to your site account — use your /link code in-game, or Sign in with Hytale.
- Open the Faction Registry on playwoa.com and choose Create or Reserve Faction.
- Pick your faction's name and tag — choose carefully; the best names go fast, and yours represents your war order.
- Set your emblem, colors, motto, and a description so recruits know what you stand for.
- Set recruitment to Open, Invite-only, or Closed, and start rallying members.
- Prepare for war — grow your roster, organize your ranks, and be battle-ready when Season 1 opens.
How to join a faction
Not everyone wants to lead an army — and you don't have to. Joining an existing faction is the fastest way into the war. Browse the Faction Registry, find an order whose style fits yours, and sign up.
- Link your in-game character to your site account if you haven't already.
- Browse the Faction Registry and filter for factions that are Recruiting.
- Open a faction's profile to read its motto, roster, ranks, and any join requirements.
- Apply to join — or accept an invite if an officer reaches out to you.
- Once you're in, rise through the ranks and be ready to fight when the fronts open.
- Recruiting — applications are open; anyone can apply.
- Invite only — you'll need an officer to bring you in.
- Closed — not taking new members right now; check back or find another order.
Get ready for war
Season 0 is your head start. The factions that will dominate Season 1 are being built right now — quietly recruiting, organizing their command, and claiming the names everyone will fear. Don't watch the first war from the sidelines.
- Reserve your faction name before someone else takes it.
- Or join an order that's already recruiting and start climbing the ranks.
- Build your roster and sort your command structure now, not on day one.
- Connect with your faction and the wider server on Discord to coordinate.
- Watch for the Season 1 announcement — when the fronts open, you want to already be marching.