WARDOGS Factions: LONESTAR, VALKYRA, and MANTICORE Guide

WARDOGS features three distinct factions contesting the region of Kolchia: LONESTAR, VALKYRA, and MANTICORE. This guide breaks down each faction’s identity, their role in three-way battles, and what developer Bulkhead has confirmed regarding mechanical differences.

The Three Factions in WARDOGS

WARDOGS features three factions confirmed by developer Bulkhead in February 2026: LONESTAR, VALKYRA, and MANTICORE. Community discussions often describe them as mercenary factions rather than national armies, and LONESTAR is explicitly framed as a private contractor. Each represents a distinct ideological and operational force clashing over Kolchia. [source] [source]

Faction	Allegiance & Origin	Core Description
LONESTAR	Western para-military	The heavy-hitters of the Western para-military sphere, defined by corporate private-contractor roots and Texas-tough grit.
VALKYRA	Soviet People’s Republic	A restorationist force dedicated to returning the Soviet People’s Republic to greatness in an alternate timeline where the USSR never collapsed.
MANTICORE	Kingdom of Persia	Tehran’s shadow army, operating covertly on behalf of a Persian monarchy in a setting without the 1979 revolution.

[source]

Three-Way Match Design

Instead of traditional two-sided engagements, WARDOGS splits up to 100 players across all three factions to contest a 2 × 2 km Control Zone on the 256 km² Kolchia map. The first team to reach 100 points secures the match victory. [source]

Note: The triangular format is an intentional design choice to prevent stagnant front lines. When one team overextends or gains the upper hand, pushing hard exposes their flank to the third faction, creating a shifting dynamic where leading teams become high-priority targets for both rivals. [source]

The Setting These Factions Imply

Read together, the three descriptions sketch an alternate present rather than a near-future one. A Soviet People’s Republic that needs returning to greatness did not dissolve in 1991. A Kingdom of Persia means no 1979 revolution. And the Western entrant is a para-military contractor rather than a national army, which makes the proxy-war framing coherent: this is a war fought by proxies over a 256 km² stretch of Kolchia. [source]

Note: Bulkhead has not published a timeline, a date or any backstory beyond these three descriptions. The previous paragraph is inference from the words used, not official lore. [source]

Gameplay Differences and Confirmation Status

While each faction possesses a distinct identity and thematic background, Bulkhead has not stated whether the factions differ mechanically. It remains unannounced whether choosing a faction alters available shop items, weapons, vehicles, passive traits, or economic modifiers. [source]

Feature Claim	Current Status
Three factions exist (LONESTAR, VALKYRA, MANTICORE)	Confirmed
Faction identities and background descriptions	Confirmed
Up to 100 players divided across three teams	Confirmed
Faction-specific weapons, vehicles, or traits	Unconfirmed
Match-level faction assignment rules and persistence	Unconfirmed
Faction-locked cosmetics or progression tracks	Unconfirmed

[source]

The unconfirmed items remain unconfirmed because no source exists, not because they have not been looked for. There is a reasonable case either way: the three identities are distinct enough to carry asymmetric kit, while the shared persistent economy suggests loadouts are decided by what you can afford, and faction-locking the shop would cut across that. Both readings are speculation. [source]