Factions

Holdfast Factions: Nations At War & Frontlines

Contents

On this page

Overview

Nations At War

Frontlines WW1

Naval & Coastal Warfare

How Factions Play

Overview

Holdfast is built around large battles across multiple eras. The factions give those battles their identity, from smoke-filled Napoleonic lines to the trenches of the Great War.

In Nations At War, players fight as historical powers using muskets, bayonets, sabres, cannons, cavalry, rockets, and sailing ships. In Frontlines WW1, the fight shifts to rifles, machine guns, artillery, trenches, and more modern battlefield roles.

The official Holdfast site describes the game as a battle across eras, with line volleys in the Napoleonic Wars, WW1 charges at the officer's whistle, naval warfare from the age of sail, and dreadnought bombardments at Gallipoli. This page keeps the focus on the playable factions and how they fit into that wider battlefield.

Nations At War

Nations At War is the classic Holdfast setting. These factions fight across land battles, sieges, coastal assaults, and naval engagements depending on the map and mode.

Playable Nations

	Faction	Historical Context	Primary Combat Theatres	Notes
	The British Empire	A major Coalition power and one of Holdfast's most recognizable factions.	Land, Naval, Coastal	Known for strong naval presence, line infantry, rocketeers, and bagpipers.
	The French Empire	The dominant continental power under Napoleon.	Land, Naval, Coastal	Versatile across most modes, with iconic infantry, cavalry, and command roles.
	The Kingdom of Prussia	A key Coalition state during the Napoleonic Wars.	Land	A disciplined army roster suited for line battles, sieges, and organized infantry play.
	The Russian Empire	A major eastern power with a long campaign history against France.	Land	Often associated with hard defensive fights and strong close-range pressure.
	The Kingdom of Italy	A Napoleonic client kingdom tied closely to French influence.	Land	Brings another continental army style to land battles and sieges.
	The Austrian Empire	A major Habsburg power and repeated opponent of Napoleonic France.	Land	Fits large infantry engagements, defensive holds, and traditional line fighting.
	The Spanish	A fierce Peninsular War faction shaped by regular armies and local resistance.	Land	Suited for rugged infantry fighting, ambushes, and close battles around towns and farms.
File:Hui-emblem-pirates.webp	Pirates	A less formal fighting force built around raiding, boarding, and chaos at sea.	Naval, Coastal	Best suited to boarding actions, messy deck fights, and aggressive naval play.
	American Patriots	Revolutionary fighters standing against imperial rule.	Land, Coastal	Focused on battlefield identity, community events, and the American Holdfast Revolution theme.

Frontlines WW1

Frontlines WW1 changes the pace of Holdfast. Instead of slow musket volleys and bayonet lines, players fight with bolt-action rifles, pistols, machine guns, artillery, smoke, trenches, and squad movement.

Coalitions

	Coalition	Description
	The Allied Powers	A coalition including British, French, Australian, and American forces depending on the Frontlines content being played.
	The Central Powers	The opposing WW1 coalition, represented mainly through German forces, equipment, and uniforms.

How It Feels

Frontlines is still Holdfast, but it is more lethal at range. Good players use cover, smoke, timing, and teamwork instead of standing in open lines. Officers help push the team forward, medics keep groups alive, engineers build and repair, and artillery can break a position before infantry moves in.

Comparison of Eras

Feature	Nations At War	Frontlines WW1
Primary Weapons	Muskets, sabres, pistols, cannons	Rifles, pistols, machine guns, artillery
Battlefield Flow	Lines, volleys, charges, sieges	Trenches, cover, smoke, squad pushes
Team Focus	Officers, musicians, surgeons, artillery crews	Officers, medics, engineers, machine gun teams
Atmosphere	Smoke, drums, flags, close volleys	Mud, wire, explosions, trench pressure

Naval & Coastal Warfare

Naval and coastal battles are where faction identity often becomes loudest. Captains shout orders, crews load broadsides, marines pick targets from the deck, and carpenters try to keep the ship alive while cannonballs tear through the hull.

Key Naval Roles

Role	Primary Responsibilities	Equipment & Utility
Captain	Commands the vessel, handles positioning, and calls broadsides.	Uses a spyglass and pistol, and is responsible for steering ships.
Sailor	Loads guns, fights on deck, boards enemy ships, and helps keep the crew moving.	Useful in close naval fights and boarding actions.
Marine	Provides musket fire from the deck, rigging, or firing positions.	Good for picking off exposed crew and enemy captains.
Coastal Guard	Defends land-based positions during coastal sieges.	Built around holding forts, walls, batteries, and beach approaches.
Shipwright	Repairs hull damage and leaks during combat.	A ship without repair support will not survive long under fire.

How Factions Play

Factions in Holdfast are not only about uniforms and flags. They shape the mood of a match, the types of battles players expect, and the way groups organize themselves.

Public Matches

In public servers, faction choice gives the round flavor. Players rally around familiar flags, voice lines, uniforms, music, and rivalries. A British line with bagpipes, a French charge, a pirate boarding party, or a WW1 trench push all feel different even when the objective is simple.

Organized Events

Regiments often build their identity around factions. Some prefer strict historical line battles, some focus on naval crews, and others lean into casual fun, roleplay, or community events. The official site highlights Holdfast as a community game with roleplay, proximity voice chat, regiments, casual players, and funny moments all sharing the same battlefield.

Picking A Side

If you are new, do not worry too much about picking the "best" faction. Choose the side your friends are on, follow the group with the clearest orders, or pick the uniform and setting you enjoy most. The team that communicates and plays the objective usually matters more than the flag above it.