Wars are a huge part of the endgame content in New World. These large, 50v50 pitched battles take place in either the offense or defense of the various regions across the map.

RELATED: New World: How To Increase Your Gear Score

These battles are fought between two factions, although are declared by a single Company against the Company that owns the territory. Let's jump into the specifics of how to declare war and how the whole process works for the players involved.

How To Start A War

To declare a war you need to have completed enough PvP missions to throw the territory into a conflict state.

These PvP missions are a bit of a slog. In Cutlass Keys, for example, one of the missions requires you to run the entire length of the region and back again.

You must be PvP flagged during these missions. It's a good idea to run as a massive zerg. If you die, you lose Influence points and the PvP mission is automatically canceled.

Each PvP mission turned in by the players adds to the overall conflict influence. If a Company hits 100 percent in enemy territory, it can declare war.

• The Company whose members completed at least 10 percent of the turned-in PvP missions will go into the race to become the "Vanguard", i.e who gets to pick who goes to war.
• This leads to some issues: the largest companies often dominate war declaration for important regions. Many players might not be able to join these wars.
• However, any Company can declare on any territory, and they can then pick who gets to fight.

How To Join A War

You can sign up to join a war at the conflict territory's war board. This does not guarantee you a place in the war, although it does put up there to be picked by the war leader, or Vanguard company. If selected, you will receive a pop-up notification and you'll be placed in a group alongside other players.

War Strategy Guide

This short strategy guide will be divided into two sections: offense and defense. The meta has certainly settled in the first month of New World, so this will cover the best war builds, the best purchases, and general tips, tricks, and strategies.

RELATED: New World: Best Tank Builds

Offensive War Strategy Guide

The meta for offensive battles is still changing. Attacking is not easy. At all. If not handled properly, you'll find yourself in some horrible chokepoints as you exit the fort. Ice Gauntlet and Fire Staff users chuck down a bunch of AoE outside the fort and Muskets ping you from the walls. It can turn sour pretty fast.

• Charging your entire force at a single capture point will inevitably cause a "meat grinder." Tanks thunk together, AoE covers the screen (sometimes completely crashing the game, by the way) and you won't get anywhere.
• Good communication and a split offense is the best strategy. Launching an attack at all three points at the start of the war is a good way to test defenses.
• Great Axe/Hatchet users should flank and pick off the squishy backline. Mages should AoE tanks and focus on the capture points. Healers are a necessity to keep the frontline healthy.
• It's a solid idea to capture both A and C first. You can essentially pincer the middle capture point, B.

Flexibility is important. A solid shot-caller or commander is necessary, really. As the meta progresses, expect to see experienced companies deploy many smaller squads rather than a mindless zerg force. Wars make up a huge part of the game, so expect a lot of changes over time.

Entering The Fort

If your offense is successful, you'll find yourself inside the fort. Be wary of rotations along the walls. You need to keep your squishy DPS players safe. Attacking the fort is the definition of a grind. The entrances are pure AoE chaos.

• Getting into the fort is essential. There are multiple entrances to head through, so whatever you do, don't all pile through the front door.
• Siege weapons are usually set up in front of the gates in an attempt to blast them apart. Boiling oil can also be poured by defenders, so watch out for that.
• Powder Kegs are the best way through the gates.
• Again, split, micro-forces are the best way to win the fort. Splitting up to take height around the fort is a good idea.

Defensive War Strategy Guide

Defending an attack is much more straightforward, and generally considered to be much easier than attacking. It's more an art of responding to what your opponent is doing rather than going in with any real strategy. Your builds are the most important part of leading a successful defense.

Best Builds For Defending A Fort

So far there are four builds that really stick out:

• Tank - Frontline heavy-hitter. War Hammer, Great Axe. Gravity Well and the CC of the War Hammer will keep people on the ground for literally minutes.
• Mage - Fire Staff and Ice Gauntlet. Is there really any other option in the game's current meta?
• Ranged DPS - Bow or Musket, paired with something like the Hatchet or Rapier. Or just take a Bow and a Musket. It's your job to put our raw damage.
• Great Axe/Hatchet - Flanker and frontline assault. Designed to kite enemies and take down squishy mages and ranged units. The Gravity Well ability for the Great Axe is one of the best in the game.

General Tips

You should check out some of our in-depth build guides to get you started with going to war:

• New World: Best Support Healer Builds
• New World: Best Fire Staff Builds
• New World: Best Rapier Builds
• New World: Best Bow Builds

We also have further guides for general PvP combat in Outpost Rush (currently bugged at the time of writing), as well as a list of the best PvP weapons.

NEXT: New World: Complete Guide And Walkthrough