Shiro Games — After Strategy

Northgard Battlegrounds Open Beta: The Viking Auto-Battler Is Live Until July 15

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Northgard Battlegrounds isn’t a sequel — it’s a format gamble. Funday Games, the Finnish studio behind Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor, is taking Shiro Games’ Viking universe and rebuilding it as an async city-building auto-battler. The open beta runs until July 15 as part of Steam TactiCon. It’s the only free window before Early Access.

An Unexpected Studio, a Familiar Universe

Shiro Games didn’t build Northgard Battlegrounds in-house. The game pairs Funday Games — known for DRG: Survivor’s roguelite depth dressed in accessible clothing — with Shiro Unlimited, Shiro Games’ new publishing label for third-party projects set in its IP universes.

The move follows a franchise extension logic more common in mobile than on PC: take the clans, Norse mythology, and resource systems that made Northgard work, strip out the RTS entirely, and rebuild in a format designed for a wider audience. The pitch is honest: Funday Games knows how to layer depth under accessibility, Shiro Unlimited brings the IP and the community.

What the Beta Actually Offers

The beta (July 9-15) gives access to two clans: Raven and Stag, both returning from original Northgard with their own warband stats and building synergies. The loop splits cleanly into two phases:

Build phase: place 50+ structures on a grid map, manage Krowns and Lore, play Fate cards that modify building synergies, and earn blessings from 3 available patrons (Norse deities).
Auto-battle phase: your warband fights automatically based on your settlement layout. Setup decides the outcome — reflexes don’t matter here.

The PvP is fully asynchronous. Neither player needs to be online at the same time, positioning the game closer to Clash Royale or Polytopia than to Teamfight Tactics. On PC, that’s a genuine differentiator — most PC auto-battlers still require simultaneous play sessions.

The Auto-Battler Bet: Credible or Trend-Chasing?

PC auto-battlers have a spotty track record since Dota Underlords. TFT survives on League’s back; most standalone attempts without a major IP have dissolved quickly. The question for Northgard Battlegrounds: does the Viking universe and city-building layer add real depth, or is it a skin on a generic loop?

The beta can’t fully answer that. The 50+ structures and Fate card variability suggest more serious design intent than a generic auto-battler. But reading the async competitive meta takes weeks of post-EA data, not a week-long beta.

What matters is whether the settlement layout leaves room for recovery after a bad round. The announced systems give that question more weight than the Viking theme: a convincing async game needs meaningful planning between battles, not just an attractive roster of clans.

Watch the two-clan balance closely: if Stag dominates Raven in most configurations, it signals an equilibrium problem that’ll only get worse with more clans in EA.

What to Decide Before July 15

Early Access launches sometime in 2026 — no specific date yet. The open beta is the only chance to form a real opinion at zero cost. Funday Games proved with DRG: Survivor that they can build games with genuine depth under an approachable surface. If the same principle applies here, Northgard Battlegrounds has a real shot where most PC auto-battlers have failed.

The beta is free on Steam until July 15, 2026. Search “Northgard Battlegrounds” directly in the Steam library or find it on the TactiCon hub.

More on the Northgard universe: Complete Northgard Viking RTS Guide 2026.

Wartales: Contract Fires in the Capital — Urban Warfare Comes to the Imperial Capital

Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Edoran Is Burning — Wartales Enters Urban Warfare Territory

Wartales, Shiro Games’ open-world medieval tactical RPG, has sent your mercenary band through forests, coastlines, and misty archipelagos. With Contract: Fires in the Capital, the French indie studio takes a new direction: the city. Specifically, the imperial capital of Edoran, torn apart by an internal rebellion your company must suppress before the whole district structure collapses.

Released on April 30, 2026 on Steam and GOG for $12.99, this DLC marks a clear shift in Wartales’ design formula. Fewer journeys between open regions, more cobblestone alleys, angry crowds, and decisions with immediate consequences on urban stability.

Type: Story DLC (Contract)
Setting: Imperial capital of Edoran
Central mechanic: The Chaos system (civic stability)
Price: $12.99 / €10.99 / £12.99 — Steam and GOG

A New Arena: The Capital of Edoran
The Chaos System — the DLC’s Mechanical Core
New Mission Types: Guile, Diplomacy, and Coercion
New Companions and Urban Gear
Quick Verdict

A New Arena: The Capital of Edoran

Previous Wartales DLCs sent your company to rural or maritime settings. Fires in the Capital changes the scale: you arrive in a large city divided into districts with independent tension levels. One side of the capital can be in open flames while another district barely holds together.

The urban environment is built to react to your decisions. Every choice — arresting a ringleader, protecting a supply convoy, or spreading counter-propaganda — ripples through the city’s atmosphere. The game’s usual freedom of movement is channeled through the capital’s dense geography, which creates a new kind of pressure even for series veterans.

The Chaos System — the DLC’s Mechanical Core

The standout mechanical addition is the Chaos system, which tracks civic stability district by district. In practice:

Each district has its own Chaos index
Successfully completed missions reduce local Chaos
Failed or skipped missions increase it
Unchecked Chaos can render a district uncontrollable, triggering chain riots

This forces your company to prioritize. You cannot handle everything at once — sometimes you have to let one corner burn to properly stabilize another. It adds a strategic tension layer that previous DLCs did not provide, and alone justifies the purchase for fans of the base game.

New Mission Types: Guile, Diplomacy, and Coercion

Fires in the Capital introduces several mission types designed specifically for urban warfare:

Hunt brigands through alleyways before they can destabilize a neighborhood
Destroy propaganda posters to cut off rebel factions from their ideological grip on the population
Disguise as bards to shift public opinion without drawing steel
Escort supply convoys through burning streets
Rescue civilians caught in the crossfire

This range breaks from Wartales’ classic formula. Infiltration and social manipulation take as much space as direct combat. For players who found the base game sometimes too combat-forward, this is a welcome shift in pacing.

New Companions and Urban Gear

The DLC adds two unique new companions with their own unlockable traits, designed for infiltration, coordination, or counter-intelligence roles. They integrate into your existing roster without displacing established specialists.

On the equipment side, Shiro Games has added ten new accessories suited for urban combat — light armor, distraction tools, stealth-oriented gear. No new character class, but a genuine expansion of the base game’s already deep customization options.

Quick Verdict

Contract: Fires in the Capital is a well-tuned DLC for players who know Wartales and want a fresh challenge in a radically different environment. The Chaos system delivers genuine strategic pressure, the urban mission types refresh the formula without betraying it, and the two new companions add to the roster without bloating it.

At $12.99, the pricing is consistent with Shiro Games’ previous DLC policy. Expect between 8 and 12 hours to complete the main content if you explore the decision branches.

For fans of tactical medieval strategy who want to dig deeper into Shiro Games’ catalog, our Northgard complete guide covers the studio’s flagship RTS. And if turn-based tactics are your thing, our Heroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era early access review is worth a read.

Northgard: Complete Guide Viking RTS 2026

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Northgard, developed by French studio Shiro Games, brought a fresh perspective to the RTS genre when it launched in 2018. Combining Viking mythology, survival mechanics and multiple victory conditions, it carved out a unique niche between traditional RTS games and 4X strategy. With over 15 clans, an active multiplayer scene and years of post-launch support, Northgard remains one of the best strategy games to pick up in 2026. Here’s the complete guide.

Why Northgard stands out in the RTS genre

Viking theme done right — Norse mythology woven into every mechanic, not just aesthetics
Survival layer — harsh winters, food scarcity, blizzards and wolf attacks create genuine tension
Multiple victory conditions — don’t want to fight? Win through trade, fame or lore instead
Accessible RTS — slower pace than StarCraft, more strategic depth than casual city-builders
15+ unique clans — each plays fundamentally differently, not just stat variations
Active multiplayer — ranked competitive scene with regular balance updates

For more RTS recommendations, check our top 10 PC strategy games 2026.

Clan tier list and breakdown

S-Tier (Competitive meta)

Fenrir (Clan of the Wolf)

Playstyle: Military aggression
Strength: Strongest early military in the game. Berserker unique unit is devastating
Strategy: Rush colonization, build military early, attack before opponents establish defenses
Best for: Players who love offensive play

Huginn & Muninn (Clan of the Raven)

Playstyle: Economy + harassment
Strength: Mercenaries, harbor trade, krowns (gold) generation
Strategy: Build wealth, hire mercenaries, harass opponents economically while building toward Trade victory
Best for: Economic strategists

A-Tier (Very strong)

Eikthyrnir (Clan of the Stag)

Playstyle: Balanced all-rounder
Strength: Fame bonus, colonization cost reduction, strong mid-game
Strategy: Expand broadly, leverage fame bonuses, flexible victory paths
Best for: Beginners and balanced players

Heidrun (Clan of the Goat)

Playstyle: Survival specialist
Strength: Best food production, feasts provide buffs, excellent winter survival
Strategy: Out-survive opponents, feast buffs for military or economic pushes
Best for: Defensive players

Sváfnir (Clan of the Snake)

Playstyle: Stealth + skirmishing
Strength: Skirmisher unique unit, stealth mechanics, guerrilla warfare
Strategy: Sabotage opponents, assassinate key units, win through attrition
Best for: Advanced players who enjoy unconventional tactics

B-Tier (Solid picks)

Clan	Focus	Key Strength
Bear (Bjarki)	Military + lore	Armored Bear unique unit, dual lore/military path
Boar (Slidrugtanni)	Lore + expansion	Altar of Kings, powerful lore victory path
Dragon (Nidhogg)	Military elite	Dragonkin unique unit, expensive but powerful
Horse (Svadilfari)	Mobility	Mounted units, rapid map control
Kraken	Naval + economy	Coastal dominance, Fisherman economy

C-Tier (Niche/situational)

Remaining clans are viable but require specific map conditions or advanced play to compete at high levels. Every clan can win in the right hands — Northgard’s balance is generally excellent.

Economy guide

The 4 core resources

Food — most critical. Feeds your population, required for colonization. Sources: Farmers, Fishermen, Hunters, Sheep (Goat clan)
Wood — construction material for all buildings. Woodcutters are essential year-round
Krowns (Gold) — pays for military upkeep, upgrades, trade. Sources: Merchants, Trade Routes, Sailors (Raven)
Lore — research currency. Unlocks powerful bonuses. Sources: Lore Masters, special buildings

Secondary resources

Stone — required for building upgrades. Limited deposits on the map
Iron — military upgrades. Forge weapons and armor for significant combat boosts
Happiness — population cap. Build Breweries, organize feasts, upgrade housing

Economic principles

Never overpopulate — more villagers = more food consumed. Only recruit when you can feed them
Specialize tiles — each colonized tile should serve a clear purpose (food tile, military tile, production tile)
Winter preparation — stockpile 100-200 food before each winter. Food production drops 50%+ in cold months
Upgrade buildings with stone for significant efficiency gains (upgraded farms produce nearly double)

Military strategy

Unit types

Unit	Role	Notes
Warrior	Basic melee	Cheap, available immediately
Axe Thrower	Ranged	Good DPS, fragile
Shield Bearer	Tank	Absorbs damage, protects ranged units
Warchief	Hero unit	Powerful leader, unique per clan, recruitable once per game
Clan unique	Special	Berserker (Wolf), Skirmisher (Snake), etc.

Combat tips

Scout before attacking — know enemy defenses, tower placement and army composition
Attack in spring/summer — winter combat drains food and reduces morale
Upgrade weapons and armor — iron upgrades provide massive combat bonuses
Use your Warchief — don’t save them for later, they’re strongest in mid-game
Defense towers — place on border tiles, they’re extremely effective against raids

Timing attacks

Rush (Year 1, Month 6-8): Wolf clan specialty. Build 4-5 warriors, attack before opponents have defenses
Mid-game push (Year 2): Standard timing for most clans. Upgraded army with warchief
Late-game siege (Year 3+): Full army with iron upgrades. Only viable if you’ve secured economy

Victory conditions

Domination

Destroy all enemy Town Halls. The most direct victory — build a strong military and conquer. Best clans: Wolf, Dragon, Bear.

Fame

Reach 1200 Fame. Earned through colonization, building prestige structures and winning battles. Best clans: Stag, Boar.

Trade

Accumulate 2000 Krowns in your treasury and build a Lighthouse. Economic victory requiring strong gold income. Best clan: Raven.

Lore

Discover all Lore blessings (research tree). Requires dedicated Lore production. Best clans: Boar, Bear.

Map Special

Each map has a unique victory condition (controlling specific tiles, completing quests). Varies by map — adapt your strategy accordingly.

Pro tip: always have a backup victory condition. If your primary path is blocked by an aggressive neighbor, pivot to an alternative.

Multiplayer guide

Ranked meta (2026)

The competitive scene favors:

Wolf — still the king of aggression
Raven — economic dominance translates to late-game power
Stag — consistent, reliable, hard to counter
Snake — punishes greedy players with raids

Multiplayer tips

Scout your opponents — knowing their clan informs your entire strategy
Wall up borders — defense towers on border tiles deter raids
Don’t turtle forever — passive play lets opponents choose their victory condition
Ally strategically — in free-for-all, temporary alliances can counter a leading player
Control neutral tiles — the map center often has the best resources

DLC and content overview

Northgard’s DLC strategy is clan-focused — each DLC adds a new playable clan with unique mechanics:

Base game: Stag, Goat, Wolf, Raven, Bear, Boar (6 clans)
DLC clans: Dragon, Kraken, Snake, Horse, Ox, Lynx, Squirrel, Rat, Eagle and more
Campaign DLC: “Ragnarok” and “Conquest” add story content and challenge modes
Cross of Vidar: Major expansion with competitive mode overhaul

Each clan DLC is reasonably priced and adds genuine strategic variety — they’re not just reskins.

Comparison with other RTS games

Feature	Northgard	Age of Empires 4	StarCraft 2	Company of Heroes 3
Pace	Medium	Medium-fast	Very fast	Medium
Victory types	5	1 (military)	1 (military)	1 (military)
Survival element	Strong	None	None	None
Multiplayer	Active	Very active	Legacy	Active
Learning curve	Medium	Medium	Very high	High

For other RTS experiences, see our Company of Heroes 3 guide, StarCraft 2 guide and Tempest Rising guide.

Conclusion

Northgard is the perfect RTS for players who want strategic depth without StarCraft-level APM demands. Its Viking survival theme, 15+ unique clans and multiple victory conditions ensure that no two games play the same. The active multiplayer community and ongoing developer support make it a living, evolving game even in 2026.

Whether you’re drawn to the Norse mythology, the survival challenge or the competitive multiplayer, Northgard has something to offer. For more strategy content, visit our Age of Empires 4 guide and our top 10 strategy games ranking.