Choose a city faction, enlist with its Faction Commander, activate your faction flag and look for a contested Province on the World Map. For your first runs, join nearby non-lethal fights, clear Small Faction Camps and help capture Outposts. Build up your Faction Points before trying red-zone events.
What Is Faction Warfare in Albion Online?
Faction Warfare is a faction-based PvP activity on Albion's Royal Continent. You join a city faction and fight players from rival factions while completing objectives that contribute to your city's control of the map.
There are two kinds of rewards to think about: your personal rewards, such as Faction Points and loot, and your faction's progress, measured through the Supply system in contested Provinces. One small objective can contribute to both.
The Realm Divided update launched on November 24, 2025 and introduced the Province system, new Camps and Chests, Faction Transports and Fortress Sieges. Realm Divided Part II followed on February 23, 2026 with Battle Standards and a major Bandit Assault rework.
Start with small objectives
Fight bandits in Small Faction Camps, capture Outposts with nearby allies and learn group combat in non-lethal Provinces before taking bigger risks.
Fight for the whole Province
Coordinate with your faction during Supply contests, major Fortress Sieges, Battle Standards and red-zone Bandit Assaults.
You can flag up and play Faction Warfare as a solo player. Groups make some objectives easier, but the system has plenty of things to do on your own.
How to Join Faction Warfare
Faction Warfare has two separate steps: joining a faction and activating your Faction Flag. Being enlisted doesn't automatically mean you're always fighting other factions.
- Choose the city you want to represent.
Travel to the Royal City you play from most often. If you're a new player, starting with your normal home city usually makes banking and preparing equipment easier.
- Enlist with the Faction Commander.
Talk to the faction NPC in that city. You need the appropriate Adventurer progression on your Destiny Board to enlist.
- Prepare at least 700 Base Item Power.
The requirement uses Base IP, not your total Average IP after equipment quality or specialization bonuses. This is important if you use a high-specialization low-tier set.
- Raise your faction flag.
Activate Faction Flagging when you're ready to take part in faction combat. Enemy faction players can attack you while the flag is active, even in zones that normally feel safe.
- Find an active Province.
Open the World Map's faction overlay and locate a nearby Province that your faction owns or is contesting. Look at Outposts, Camps, Chests and any ongoing Siege.
- Start with one objective.
Join allied players, clear a small camp or help capture an Outpost. You don't need to understand every system before earning your first Faction Points.
After you switch from one faction to another, you must wait 24 hours before switching again. This restriction doesn't apply after your first-ever enlistment.
Which Faction Should You Join?
You can join one of six city factions. They all participate in the Royal Continent's war, but each has its own Faction Points, Standing progression and faction-themed rewards.
| Faction | Royal City | Example faction reward |
|---|---|---|
| Martlock | Martlock | Martlock Cape, Bighorn Ram |
| Bridgewatch | Bridgewatch | Bridgewatch Cape, Moabird |
| Lymhurst | Lymhurst | Lymhurst Cape, Wild Boar |
| Fort Sterling | Fort Sterling | Fort Sterling Cape, Winter Bear |
| Thetford | Thetford | Thetford Cape, Swamp Salamander |
| Caerleon | Caerleon | Caerleon Cape, Greywolf |
Caerleon is the special, more lawless faction. Its PvP rules differ from the normal five Royal City factions, so I'd avoid starting there until you understand faction combat and the risks.
Which city is best? That can change with the number of active players and which Provinces are being fought over. I'd choose the faction where you already have your bank, builds and friends rather than trying to chase a permanent ranking.
I mainly use Lymhurst when I do Faction Warfare, and even though I don't play this activity as much as I used to, I still think it's one of the more accessible ways for new players to earn Fame and silver while experiencing PvP.
Non-Lethal vs. Lethal Faction Warfare
Not every Faction Warfare fight has the same risk. The Royal Continent includes non-lethal and lethal Provinces, and your faction flag changes which players can attack you.
Learn in Blue and Yellow Zones
These are the best places to learn Outposts, Camps and faction combat without the normal red-zone full-loot risk. Faction rules still allow enemy-flagged players to fight you, so don't treat them as a guaranteed safe space.
Full-Loot Red Zone Battles
Red-zone faction activity comes with real gear and inventory loss. It's where you'll find some of the most intense conflicts, including the reworked Bandit Assault. Bring equipment you can replace.
With your faction flag active, enemy faction players can engage you in areas where unflagged players ordinarily wouldn't have a PvP fight. The rules for knockdowns, execution and respawns are faction-specific, so learn how they work before roaming alone.
Even in non-lethal Faction Warfare, being knocked down can interrupt your activity and cost durability. In red-zone Provinces, a death can cost your whole set and everything in your inventory.
How to Earn Faction Points and Silver
Faction Points are your personal faction currency. You earn them through eligible faction activities and spend them with your faction's merchant. Faction Standing is separate: it tracks progression and ranks, which can unlock additional rewards and point bonuses.
You can earn points by helping with Outposts, Camps, Faction Chests, PvP, and other faction-related objectives. Some eligible activities also award points through Fame earned while flagged. The most useful source will depend on your faction, the active conflicts and how many people are competing for objectives.
Outposts
Join friendly players to attack or defend Outposts. Holding them contributes Supplies over time, and capturing them helps move the Province conflict forward.
Small and Medium Faction Camps
Defeat the bandits, unlock the camp's chest and receive your share of the rewards. Small Camps are a good beginner-friendly option.
Faction Chests
Open chests in active conflict regions to gain loot and contribute Supplies. Nearby same-faction players can share in the reward even when they aren't in the same party.
Faction PvP and major events
Fight rival faction players, participate in Fortress battles, contribute to Battle Standards and join Bandit Assaults when you're ready for bigger fights.
What should you spend Faction Points on?
Visit your faction merchant and compare the value of available rewards, including city Hearts, faction capes, mounts, crest-related items and cosmetics. The best silver return changes with the market, so don't assume the most expensive-looking reward gives the most profit.
If you're trying to turn points into silver, check how many Faction Points an item costs, what it actually sells for after market fees, and how quickly it sells. A modest but liquid reward can be better than something that sits on the market for days.
Faction Points are a currency, not automatically silver. Calculate the market value of what you can purchase with them before judging how profitable an activity is.
How Provinces and Frontlines Work
Realm Divided split the Royal Continent into 20 Provinces: 15 non-lethal and five lethal. A Province contains multiple zones and can be owned, attacked, defended or cut off from a faction's Royal City.
A Province becomes contested when a neighboring enemy Province attacks it. The two sides then compete for Supplies through objectives inside the region. This means you don't have to wander randomly around the entire continent hoping to find faction PvP: check the map and move toward a contested Province.
Faction-flagged players receive additional Fame, silver and loot bonuses in Provinces their faction controls or is contesting, making the frontline useful for PvE as well as PvP.
What is a cut-off Province?
If a Province loses its friendly connection to its faction's Royal City, it becomes cut off. Cut-off Provinces lose the usual faction PvE bonuses, don't spawn Faction Camps or Chests, and no longer run a normal Supply contest. Under certain conditions, their Fortress can still be attacked.
That means the map isn't just decoration. Province ownership and connections can affect which objectives are available and how worthwhile they are to farm.
What Are Supplies and How Do They Work?
Supplies are the score used to decide a fight over a Province. Unlike Faction Points, they're not something you spend at a merchant. Instead, everything your faction earns contributes to its performance in that local conflict.
| Activity | How it adds Supplies |
|---|---|
| Holding Outposts | Generates Supplies over time for the controlling faction. |
| Opening Faction Chests | The first faction to open the chest gains Supplies. |
| Clearing Faction Camps | The first faction to open the completed camp's chest earns Supplies. |
At scheduled points, the game's Province conflict scores are compared. If defenders win the Supply contest, they hold the Province and may launch a new attack elsewhere. If attackers win, the conflict progresses to the Fortress Siege stage.
Since the January 2026 changes, attacking factions generate 33% additional Supplies from all sources to compensate for the defender's natural advantage. A faction that falls far behind can also receive a comeback bonus to make lopsided conflicts more competitive.
Even a Small Faction Camp can help decide the larger war. You don't have to be the person leading the Siege to contribute to your city's progress.
Faction Outposts, Camps and Chests Explained
Faction Outposts
Outposts are capturable locations inside active Provinces. They give factions a strategic foothold and continuously generate Supplies for the side that controls them. Capturing one can also attract nearby enemy players, so check the map and don't assume the objective is uncontested.
Small Faction Camps
Small Camps are overrun by bandits and intended for solo players or smaller groups. Defeat all the enemies and open the unlocked chest to claim your rewards. If your faction is first to open it, you also generate Supplies for the Province.
Medium Faction Camps
Medium Camps work similarly but are better suited to groups. If you're alone, you may spend longer fighting enemies while competing faction players have time to arrive, so I'd prioritize Small Camps unless you know the area is safe.
Faction Chests
Chests appear in contested Provinces in different rarities. Faction-flagged players can open them, and nearby players from the same faction can receive loot whether they're in the same party or not. Rival factions can also contest or steal the reward under the chest's loot rules.
Small Camps + opportunistic chests
Good for learning the mechanics and making steady progress without needing to organize an army.
Outposts + Medium Camps
Better suited to several allies, especially when an active enemy group may contest your objectives.
The presence of several friendly players can split the reward. Judge the value of your share rather than the value of the chest alone.
How to Use Faction Transports
Faction Transports were introduced with Realm Divided to make reaching active fights quicker. You can find them near the faction leader in a Royal City and at eligible friendly Fortresses.
While faction-flagged, you can choose a valid destination such as a contested Province, a friendly Outpost or Fortress, an open allied party at the frontline, or your faction's Royal City. Where you actually arrive depends on the destination's status and the route allowed by your faction's territory.
Transport costs depend on how far you're traveling and what you're carrying. Some nearby non-lethal routes can be free, but avoid carrying an unnecessarily expensive inventory just to reach a camp.
How to join an allied group quickly
Look for parties advertising Faction Warfare in your faction chat or Party Finder. Some party leaders can open their group as a Faction Transport destination, making it much easier to join an active fight.
As a beginner, this is a very useful alternative to riding across the whole map by yourself and arriving after the battle has ended.
How Fortress Sieges Work
A Fortress Siege is the final stage of an attacking faction winning a Province's Supply contest. The defenders try to hold their Fortress while the attackers attempt to break through and take control of the central objective.
The game announces the Siege and its preparation period through the World Map. The current Siege times can be checked through the map's schedule dropdown, so there's no need to memorize old schedule screenshots.
1. Preparation and the Siege begins
After attackers win the Supply contest, the Fortress enters its pre-Siege stage. Groups can gather, choose their composition and prepare to attack or defend.
2. Attackers break through the defenses
Attackers damage walls and gates using Siege Hammers. Defenders try to repair the fortifications, hold chokepoints and delay their enemies.
3. Fight over Weapons Caches
Weapons Caches appear around the Fortress and offer combat buffs. During ordinary Sieges they can also swing the Fortress Defense progress, making them important objectives outside the main walls.
4. The Last Stand
Once attackers reach the inner defenses, powerful faction guards join the fight. Attackers need to defeat these guards before they can complete the capture.
5. Win the Fortress
Attackers must control the central tower without defending players inside long enough to complete the capture. Defenders win if they successfully hold through the Defense progress. The result decides who controls the Province.
These fights are designed for large, coordinated groups. Follow your faction's caller, stay with allies and learn where you should stand before trying to carry the entire engagement yourself.
Faction Enlistment Bonuses and Rallying Cry
Not every faction has the same number of players or controls the same amount of territory. Albion uses several bonuses to keep Faction Warfare competitive.
Faction Enlistment Bonus
Factions with fewer recruits can receive a larger Faction Point bonus to encourage players to join them. As of the March 11, 2026 update, the maximum Enlistment Bonus is 200%, increased from 150%.
The same update reduced the Standing penalties when switching to a less-populated faction. Players moving between factions can now retain up to 1,000,000 Faction Standing, depending on the destination faction.
Rallying Cry
Rallying Cry is a catch-up combat bonus in non-lethal Provinces. A faction that controls fewer Provinces than the strongest faction in the conflict can receive extra damage and defense against enemy faction players.
| Province ownership gap | Damage and defense bonus |
|---|---|
| 1 Province | None |
| 2 Provinces | +5% |
| 3 Provinces | +10% |
| 4 Provinces | +15% |
| 5 Provinces | +20% |
These bonuses don't necessarily mean that joining the weakest faction is always best. You still need allies, active fights and a good way to reach objectives. Check the map and faction bonus before you switch.
How Faction Battle Standards Work
Battle Standards were added in Realm Divided Part II on February 23, 2026. They're capture-the-flag style objects that appear inside Provinces with active faction conflicts.
Once a Standard unlocks, a faction-flagged player can pick it up and carry it. While it's being carried, participating in faction combat, killing enemies and capturing Outposts builds up its Prestige. Higher Prestige means higher potential Faction Point rewards.
How do you cash in a Battle Standard?
Carry it to a friendly Outpost and hand it to Fiona Fableheart, the bard who receives Battle Standards. The carrier and participating faction allies can earn Faction Points based on the Standard's Prestige and their contribution.
What makes Standards dangerous?
Other factions can kill the carrier and steal the Standard, keeping its Prestige progress. A Standard can't be moved from a non-lethal to a lethal Province or vice versa, and you can't carry it into cities or dungeons. Lethal Standards can travel through eligible red-zone tunnels following the March 2026 update.
You must carry the banner on foot, so moving alone makes you a very visible target. Its carrier gains special movement behavior while traveling without taking damage, but that doesn't guarantee a safe escape.
If you want to farm Faction Points from Standards, bring allies who can fight and escort the carrier. Solo carrying is possible, but it's a risky way to protect a valuable reward.
How the Reworked Bandit Assault Works
Bandit Assault is the biggest recurring red-zone Faction Warfare event. The February 2026 rework integrated it with Provinces and Supplies, and Caerleon now competes for the event's rewards alongside the other factions.
The event lasts 60 minutes, divided into two phases.
All five lethal Provinces
Caerleon takes over all red-zone Outposts for the event. Factions rush to complete Camps, capture Outposts and claim Chests to earn Bandit Assault Supplies.
Two selected Provinces
The contest narrows to two Provinces with greater Supply generation. Rival factions can breach the Fortresses to compete for valuable chests, while defenders try to keep the loot.
What happens in the final Fortress phase?
During the Bandit Assault finale, the two selected Fortresses contain valuable chests. Attackers try to break through the walls and claim them, while the owning faction defends. Unlike a normal Fortress Siege, these Fortresses are not captured during Bandit Assault—the objective is the chest and its Bandit Assault Supplies.
How are rewards decided?
At the end, factions are ranked by the Bandit Assault Supplies they earned during both phases. Faction Points are awarded based on placement. Flagged participants in active event Provinces can also receive additional Fame, silver and loot bonuses.
Even if you usually do safe-zone Faction Warfare, entering the event's red-zone Provinces carries full-loot danger. Bring an affordable set, stick with your group and understand how to get out.
A Beginner Faction Warfare Farming Route
If you want to try Faction Warfare without organizing a massive group, here's the route I'd recommend.
- Enlist in the city you already use.
Keeping your bank and equipment nearby makes it easier to prepare, repair and replace a set if you need to.
- Use a budget build with enough Base IP.
Meet the 700 Base IP requirement without spending more than you're comfortable risking, especially if you plan to enter lethal areas later.
- Open the World Map and find a safe active Province.
Pick a non-lethal conflict that isn't far away. If you're unsure where to go, use a Faction Transport or follow an allied party.
- Clear Small Faction Camps and nearby chests.
These are good first objectives. You get familiar with the mobs and learn when players from other factions arrive to contest the rewards.
- Join nearby Outpost fights.
Help your faction capture or defend an objective. Stay with allies and get used to how group fights begin and end.
- Check your earnings and decide what to do next.
Look at your Faction Points, Fame, loot and silver value. Bank your inventory and repeat, or move to larger objectives when you're comfortable.
Once you've played enough to understand the map and group fights, you can try Fortress Sieges, Battle Standards or Bandit Assaults. You don't have to rush into the most dangerous content on day one.
Is Faction Warfare Worth Doing Solo?
Absolutely. I don't play Faction Warfare as much as I used to, but I still consider it one of the better beginner-friendly activities, especially if your goal is to gain Fame and silver while getting comfortable with PvP.
You can clear small camps by yourself, pick up objectives while roaming and join a larger faction group without committing to a permanent guild.
Prioritize mobility and small objectives
Small Camps, opportunistic Chests and helping nearby friendly players are more reliable than trying to solo an organized enemy group.
Coordinate captures and fights
Outposts, larger Camps, Fortress Sieges and Standards become more attractive because you can protect one another and focus your damage and defenses.
The biggest advantage of Faction Warfare is that it gives you a reason to be active in the open world. You can farm, fight and contribute to something larger without spending your entire day waiting for the perfect encounter.
What Builds Should You Use for Faction Warfare?
There's no single best weapon for every faction activity. A build that's great for Small Camps may not be ideal for a large Fortress Siege, and a full ZvZ setup can feel awkward when clearing PvE on your own.
Damage + Mobility
Bring reliable PvE damage, enough sustain to clear safely and mobility to disengage when you spot another faction approaching.
Small-scale utility
Good damage, control, defensive options and mobility become more important as players contest objectives.
Group composition
Coordinated groups need frontline tanks, healers, damage dealers and support. Follow your caller's build requirements when joining organized fights.
Affordable, replaceable sets
Build for group PvP but remember the red-zone risk. Don't enter with more gear than you're comfortable losing.
I have several Faction Warfare-friendly weapon guides, and you can filter the complete collection on the Albion Online Build Guides page. If you don't understand IP or specialization yet, read the Item Power Guide before investing in expensive equipment.
Common Faction Warfare Mistakes
Flagging without checking where you're going
Your Faction Flag changes who can attack you. Know whether you're entering a non-lethal Province or a red-zone fight before committing.
Ignoring the 700 Base IP requirement
A high total IP thanks to specialization doesn't necessarily satisfy the faction requirement. Check the base value.
Going straight into a Fortress Siege alone
Large battles require coordination. Join a faction group, follow the caller and learn the objective before expecting to make a major impact.
Forgetting that Supplies and Faction Points are different
One is a Province war score and the other is your personal spendable currency. You can help the faction while still needing to think about your own rewards.
Carrying too much valuable inventory
Faction Transports can cost more when you're carrying expensive items, and red-zone deaths can wipe out your inventory. Deposit unnecessary items first.
Switching factions only for a short-term bonus
Enlistment Bonuses are useful, but the 24-hour switch cooldown, Standing changes and active player population also matter.
What Changed in Faction Warfare in 2026?
Many older Faction Warfare guides explain the pre-Realm Divided system. Here's what matters for the version of Faction Warfare you'll play in 2026.
November 24, 2025: Realm Divided
The Royal Continent gained 20 Provinces, Supplies, new Faction Camps and Chests, Faction Transports and large Fortress Sieges. These systems fundamentally changed where and why players fight.
December 17, 2025: Realm Divided Patch 2
Faction activity and transport requirements began using 700 Base IP, a 24-hour cooldown was introduced for faction changes, and Rallying Cry helped smaller factions fight back in non-lethal Provinces.
January 26, 2026: Realm Divided Patch 3
Attackers began generating 33% more Supplies from all sources, making Province conflicts more competitive and encouraging more Siege opportunities.
February 23, 2026: Realm Divided Part II
Battle Standards were introduced, and Bandit Assault was rebuilt into a 40-minute Supply phase and 20-minute Fortress finale.
March 11, 2026: Realm Divided Patch 5
The maximum Faction Enlistment Bonus increased to 200%. Switching factions became less punishing for Standing, and rewards around Fortress defense were improved.
Faction Warfare is a living system. Changes in province ownership, current bonus percentages, rewards and player population can affect the best strategy from one week to the next.
Albion Online Faction Warfare FAQ
Can you do Faction Warfare solo in Albion Online?
Yes. Join a Royal City's faction, raise your flag, and complete nearby objectives such as Small Faction Camps, Faction Chests and Outposts. Large Fortress fights are easier with a coordinated group.
Do you lose your gear in Faction Warfare?
Non-lethal Province fighting does not follow normal full-loot red-zone death rules, though you can still be knocked down and face faction-specific combat rules. In lethal red-zone Provinces you can lose your equipment and inventory. Always check the zone and whether you are faction-flagged.
How much Item Power do you need for Faction Warfare?
You need at least 700 Base Item Power for Faction Warfare activities and Faction Transports. Bonuses from specialization and equipment quality do not count toward this Base IP requirement.
How many factions are there?
Six: Martlock, Bridgewatch, Lymhurst, Fort Sterling, Thetford and Caerleon. Caerleon has its own more aggressive faction rules.
How do you earn Faction Points?
Enlist and flag for a faction, then participate in faction gameplay including capturing Outposts, clearing Camps, opening Faction Chests, helping in conflicts and completing other eligible activities. Use your points at your faction's merchant.
What are Supplies in Faction Warfare?
Supplies measure each side's performance in a contested Province. Outposts generate Supplies over time, and the first faction to open a Faction Camp or Chest also earns Supplies. The Supply contest determines whether an attack progresses toward a Fortress Siege.
What is the difference between Faction Points and Supplies?
Faction Points are your personal currency for rewards. Supplies are a Province-level contest score, generated by your faction's objectives and used to determine which side wins the local conflict.
How do Battle Standards work?
A Battle Standard can spawn in an active conflict. Carry it, build its Prestige through faction activity, and deliver it to Fiona Fableheart at a friendly Outpost to reward the carrier and contributing faction allies with Faction Points. Enemies can steal it.
How long does Bandit Assault last?
The reworked Bandit Assault lasts one hour: a 40-minute opening phase across lethal Provinces, followed by a 20-minute final phase focusing on two Fortress Provinces.
Can you change factions whenever you want?
After changing factions, there is a 24-hour cooldown before switching again. The cooldown does not apply to your first-ever enlistment.
Which faction is the best for beginners?
Usually the faction of the Royal City where you already have your bank, equipment and friends. Check active conflicts and Enlistment Bonuses rather than choosing based on a permanent tier list.
Can you earn Faction Points without joining a guild?
Yes. Faction Warfare is available to independent players. You can enlist, participate in objectives and join faction groups without being in a guild.
Join a Faction. Find your first fight.
You don't need to understand every Province, Supply timer or Fortress mechanic before starting. Enlist, clear a small camp, follow your faction into an Outpost fight and see what happens. As you get comfortable, work toward the bigger rewards and battles.
Mechanics references: Official Realm Divided update, November 2025 Realm Divided patch notes, December 2025 Patch 2, January 2026 Patch 3, February 2026 Part II, and March 2026 Patch 5. Check the live game for later changes and active bonuses.