WARDOGS Beginner Guide: Factions, Control Zone, and Your First Hours

WARDOGS is a large-scale multiplayer military sim (MMO with building and vehicles) from developer BULKHEAD, published by Team17. It launched in Steam Early Access on September 10, 2026 for $39.99, and the game explains very little of itself. This page collects the confirmed basics first, then the things new players trip over.

#The quick answer

Pick a faction, buy gear with the money you earn, and play the objective. There are no fixed classes — your loadout defines your role. In the flagship Control Zone mode, your faction scores 1 point every 30 seconds while holding the zone, and the first faction to 100 points wins.

#The three factions

Every match is a three-way fight between 100 players split across:

• Valkyra
• Lonestar
• Manticore

These faction names are confirmed in the official Steam FAQ thread.

#No classes — gear is your role

WARDOGS has no class system. The official FAQ states there are no fixed professions: the equipment you buy defines what you do. Want to be a medic, an AT gunner, a pilot? Buy the gear that does the job. Your money and unlock progression are therefore the real "skill tree".

#Control Zone scoring

• Your team earns 1 point every 30 seconds while controlling the zone.
• First to 100 points wins the match.

That scoring rule is official, from the developer FAQ.

#Wipes: your progress resets

WARDOGS wipes progression. The first full progression wipe was announced for 2026-09-25 15:00 UTC, marking the start of Season 1. Expect unlocks and balances to change around wipes — every guide on this site is stamped with the date its numbers were reported. See Wipes & progression explained.

#What new players should do first (community consensus)

1. Learn the economy before the gunplay. Money buys your role. Read the money farming guide — Ural trade runs are the community's standard early grind.
2. Don't panic about armor yet — but know it matters. High-tier helmets currently soak an absurd number of hits; see armor tiers & TTK before you wonder why your shots "aren't registering".
3. Expect technical rough edges. Early Access launched with a known crash (WD-L020) tied to a Windows update — if the game won't start, see the WD-L020 crash fix.
4. Squad up. WARDOGS is built around teams; see how squads and teams work.

#Platforms

• PC (Windows, Steam) — available now in Early Access.
• Consoles — officially planned for 2028.
• Linux / Proton / Steam Deck — officially not supported (details).

#Sources

• Steam thread (official FAQ): WARDOGS FAQ — factions, Control Zone scoring, no classes, console 2028
• Steam thread (official): Progression wipe announcement — wipe at 2026-09-25 15:00 UTC
• Steam thread (official): Linux/Proton support statement
• Steam store: WARDOGS (app 1867240) — price, release date, genre

Balance-related notes are as of 2026-09-25, Season 1 post-wipe. Early Access patches change things — if something here stops matching the game, the page gets updated.