Wing Commander: Armada
| Company type | Video game developer |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Founder | Richard Garriott, Robert Garriott, Owen Garriott |
| Headquarters | Austin , United States |
| Parent | Electronic Arts |
Wing Commander: Armada is a computer game set within the universe of Chris Roberts' acclaimed Wing Commander series. Created by Origin Systems and released by Electronic Arts in 1994, Armada marked the franchise's inaugural entry to incorporate multiplayer functionality. Launching shortly before Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger, it debuted a new graphics engine capable of rendering fully 3D spacecraft models, an advancement over the sprite-based visuals used in Wing Commander II: Vengeance of the Kilrathi.
Gameplay
Players can engage with Armada in both single-player and multiplayer formats. The single-player experience involves battling AI-controlled adversaries across multiple game types, whereas multiplayer facilitates both competitive and cooperative engagements.
Battle
This mode is exclusive to multiplayer and centers on direct dogfighting encounters. Participants choose their fighters from either the Terran Confederation or Kilrathi fleets, with victory awarded to the player who successfully destroys the opposing ship.
Gauntlet
Available for solo and multiplayer play, this cooperative mode places players on either faction's side as they confront 15 levels, each comprising three escalating waves of enemy fighters. Starting with light craft (Arrow or Dralthi), players advance through medium and heavy ships as they progress. The mode concludes once all waves are defeated or a player's ship is destroyed.
Origin released a patch introducing a level code system for "Gauntlet," enabling players to resume at specific stages without replaying earlier waves, thereby improving user convenience.
Armada
The core mode of Armada is strategy-oriented and playable in both single-player (player versus AI) and multiplayer (player versus player) settings. The game unfolds within a procedurally generated space sector map consisting of star systems linked by space lanes. Players select either the Confederation or Kilrathi faction and begin positioned on opposing sides.
Each faction starts with a carrier accompanied by two light fighters. Resource acquisition occurs through mining installations on planets, facilitating the construction of shipyards to produce additional fighters or fortifications for defense. Gameplay advances in turns, allowing players to move units or build structures. Victory is secured by locating and destroying the opponent’s carrier with heavy fighters, triggering a cinematic depicting its destruction.
Campaign
The "Campaign" mode closely follows the "Armada" gameplay style, featuring 11 consecutive scenarios. Success requires defeating one faction by eliminating its carrier. At campaign end, an overall winner is determined based on points accumulated throughout, accompanied by a cinematic showing either Earth or Kilrah’s devastation. This mode supports both solo and multiplayer participation.
Reception
The PC edition received a three-star rating out of five from Next Generation, which suggested that those seeking competitive gameplay might prefer waiting for Wing Commander 3. James V. Trunzo of White Wolf Inphobia gave it 4 out of 5 stars, commending its combination of one-on-one dogfighting action with strategic war elements.
Reviews
- Power Play (July 1994)
- MikroBitti (December 1994)
References
- Paul Pettengale, "Wing Commander: Armada," PC Format, September 1994
- Paul Galancey, "Wing Commander: Armada," PC Review, November 1994
- Wing Commander: Armada Player's Guide
- Wing Commander: Armada "Voices of War" instruction manual