Dev Blog: Setting Sail

[p][/p][p]Greetings Warriors of Calradia![/p][p][/p][p]Welcome to the War Sails developer blog series. We’re excited to share our progress on the features taking shape, though as with all things in development, please note that details may shift as we navigate our course towards the release of the expansion in Early Fall 2025.[/p][p][/p][p]With War Sails, Calradia’s horizons have grown — quite literally. Today, we want to take you behind the scenes of the world map expansion and share how we’ve reshaped the land and sea to support the introduction of the newly added Nords faction and naval gameplay. We’ll also be diving into the systems that shape life at sea — from the flow of ship movement to the tactics of naval blockades, and the stormy hazards that test every voyage across Calradia’s waters.[/p][p][/p][h2]New Shores, New Struggles[/h2][p]The world map in War Sails now stretches beyond its former borders with an expansion to the north. We can divide these additions into three parts, starting with a new rugged long strip of a south-facing coastline — the Nordvyg proper. Passing through this terrain often means crossing rocky mountains and pushing through valleys filled with dense forests, not to mention the icy, cold winters.[/p][p]
Nordvyg proper[/p][p][/p][p]To the west of Nordvyg and across the sea, we find a recently colonized Island of Beinland — the land of bones. This refers to either the walrus ivory that drew the original settlers there or the remains they left along its desolate shores.[/p][p]
Island of Beinland[/p][p][/p][p]To the east of Nordvyg, you may find yourself wandering through the Jumne river area, where mysterious burial pits left by some long-forgotten people lie scattered along the riverbanks. The river runs south, eventually reaching Khuzait lands, allowing Nords to raid and trade along the shores of lakes Laconis and Tanaesis.[/p][p]
Jumne river area[/p][p][/p][h2]Strategic Considerations & Blockades[/h2][p]Adapting Calradia for naval travel meant more than opening the seas — it required reshaping the very veins of the continent. Certain rivers have been widened to support inland navigation, allowing ships to reach far beyond the open sea, while bridges have been reconsidered to maintain vital overland routes. [/p][p]
Widened rivers[/p][p] [/p][p]Several towns have also been relocated closer to water, weaving them into the expanding maritime trade network. For settlements now hugging rivers and coasts, danger sails closer — rival ports are now just a voyage away. To meet this new maritime threat, both parties and armies can now travel by water, gaining access to naval movement and combat. Armies, in particular, are restructured into fleets once they set sail — retaining much of their land-based functions, though with some changes and limitations.[/p][p][/p][p]Parties with ships and fleets play a major role in supporting sieges of coastal settlements — not by storming towns from the sea, but by enforcing naval blockades that cut off reinforcements, trade, and escape. When a force besieges a coastal settlement and has ships available, a blockade is automatically formed once the siege camp is established.[/p][p][/p][p]Naval blockade[/p][p][/p][p]Maintaining a blockade introduces new risks and decisions. Enemy naval parties may attempt to aid the defenders — the besieging player must then choose to engage in a naval battle or withdraw. Victory keeps the blockade intact; defeat lifts both the blockade and the siege; withdrawing preserves the land siege, but allows enemies to reinforce the town by water. [/p][p][/p][p]The player can also attempt to reinforce a besieged town from the water — either by breaking through the blockade at the cost of some troops, or by attacking the fleet directly to lift it. Likewise, if trapped inside, they may try a costly breakout or sally out straight for the enemy ships.[/p][p][/p][h2]Hoisting the Sails[/h2][p]Your naval journey begins at any town with access to the sea or a river. From these ports, you can purchase or sell ships, repair and upgrade them — all for the right price in denars. Ships can also be given to your clan — either through the port, which requires a few days and a small escort of troops for delivery, or instantly by speaking to the clan members directly, where you can also take command of any ships they currently control.[/p][p][/p][p]Ship management[/p][p][/p][p]Once your ships are ready, you're free to set sail in any direction across Calradia’s expanding waters. You can then return to any town with naval access or disembark at suitable landing areas — though some coastlines, such as sharp cliffs and rugged shores, are not accessible for landing. Disembarking and boarding take time based on your party size and inventory weight, so consider this when pursuing enemies or trying to escape quickly.[/p][p][/p][p]After landing, however, you may find yourself busy raiding and sieging enemy settlements, eventually wandering far off from your ships. To set sail again, you can either head back to your anchored ships or make for the nearest coastal town and summon your ships to meet you there.[/p][p][/p][h2]Naval Speed, Wind & Currents[/h2][p]How swiftly you cut through the seas on the campaign map in War Sails depends on a range of factors, from ship design to shifting winds. A party’s base speed is determined by the ships it commands — their hull types and any upgrades they have. Ships with shallow drafts — like the Nordic longships — gain a speed bonus in coastal and river waters but are slower on the open sea. Open waters themselves offer a speed boost, while going over crew or cargo limits and operating with too few crew members leads to slower movement. Larger fleets also suffer penalties, mirroring the mechanics of land parties.[/p][p][/p][p]Movement speed over water is dependent on typical wind direction and local currents, which is represented visually by the direction of the waves and an arrow indicator. Ships going against the wind on the campaign map will automatically be shown with lowered sails.[/p][p][/p][p]Ship movement on the campaign map[/p][p][/p][p]To give an example, sailing downstream along a river is noticeably faster than going upstream, and not all rivers have the same flow strength. The seas, too, have defined flows — these do not shift over time and are set through a flowmap that influences movement speed across the water bodies.[/p][p][/p][p]Flowmap in the scene editor (not visible while playing)[/p][p][/p][h2]Sea Attrition, Seaworthiness & Storms[/h2][p]Life at sea in War Sails wears down even the sturdiest hull. Ships take gradual damage when navigating the open sea and when under harsh weather conditions. This damage is influenced by weather strength, ship size, and a vessel’s innate seaworthiness — a stat that helps reduce the toll the seas take.[/p][p][/p][p]Previously mentioned wind effects are further intensified when sailing through storms. Storms are circular, dynamic weather events that move across the open seas with various degrees of strength and sizes, all the way up to hurricanes. They can form at open sea, and then continue to grow — or dissipate when crossing land terrain.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Storms[/p][p][/p][p]Traveling into a storm is dangerous, but with the right ships and distance from the storm’s eye, it's possible to ride the outer edge and gain speed without taking damage. Managing your ship’s condition is vital — damaged ships must be repaired at port, and poor planning can leave your vessels battered or even destroyed long before the enemy arrives.[/p][p][/p][p]But what happens if you lose all your ships at sea? If you're not captured by the enemy, you and your surviving troops will make a desperate journey on rafts to the nearest shoreline — but not without cost. Along the way, some units may die or get incapacitated due to starvation. The same applies if you escape captivity while still at sea — you'll drift alone to shore on a raft.[/p][p][/p][p]And that’s a wrap! We will be answering your questions in another War Sails Q&A next week, so drop them in the comments below. In the meantime, join us on our socials where we continue to share development updates and chart the course ahead for War Sails.[/p]