WARDOGS Factions: LONESTAR, VALKYRA and MANTICORE Explained
Learn the backgrounds of the three official WARDOGS factions and choose one by world-building preference and team identification.
WARDOGS currently has three factions: LONESTAR, VALKYRA and MANTICORE. Their clearest difference today is background and identity. Official material has not announced faction-exclusive weapons, vehicles, passive abilities or progression, so choose by world-building preference and team recognition rather than strength.
Who are the three WARDOGS factions?
| Faction | Official identity | Best fit for |
|---|---|---|
| LONESTAR | A western paramilitary force known for a hard, pragmatic combat style. | Players who prefer a western paramilitary background and a clear team identity. |
| VALKYRA | A force working to restore the Soviet Peoples Republic to its former strength. | Players who prefer the Soviet Peoples Republic setting and its story tone. |
| MANTICORE | The Persian Kingdom’s shadow army from Tehran. | Players who like the Tehran, Persian Kingdom and shadow-army setting. |
These descriptions come from BULKHEAD’s official TOP QUESTIONS announcement. They explain the world and team identity, not a class or skill system.
How should I choose a faction?
Until official mechanical differences are published, use this order:
- Start with the background. Western paramilitary, Soviet restoration or Tehran shadow army maps to LONESTAR, VALKYRA or MANTICORE respectively.
- Consider team communication. When playing with friends, pick a shared faction marker everyone can recognize quickly to reduce confusion when calling positions or regrouping.
- Watch for official mechanics. If a later announcement adds exclusive equipment, abilities or progression, reassess using those actual differences. For now, do not change your loadout for rumors; choose weapons by the current shop, cash and objective instead.
Why you cannot choose by “strongest faction” yet
WARDOGS has three teams fighting over the Control Zone, so faction names currently serve identity and team recognition first. Official sources have not tied any faction to exclusive weapons, vehicles, abilities or progression, leaving no reliable basis for a strength ranking. A faction’s style is not a stat advantage: “shadow army” is background text, not a published stealth ability.
The practical answer is simple: choose the background and team marker you like, then reassess if the developers publish real mechanical differences.
Sources and update boundary
- BULKHEAD / official WARDOGS page on Steam
- Official WARDOGS Steam TOP QUESTIONS announcement
- Team17 WARDOGS: three teams and Control Zone rules
This page reflects official information. Faction backgrounds and mechanics may expand during Early Access.
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