Warlords!
The altar is set. It is time to awaken the divine.
When the battle hangs by a thread, whose name will you cry out?
In the new season map, City on the Lake, this is no longer a myth—it's your ultimate weapon.
The choice is yours: Will you call upon the Lord of the Fifth Sun to scorch the earth and ignite your vanguard's charge? Will you invoke the Lord of Rain to cleanse your broken lines and restore their strength in the chaos? Or will you unleash the Lord of the Night, tearing open a void in the darkness to drag your foes into oblivion?
This time, every Warlord possesses Divine Favor. Once fully charged, it is entirely up to you which god to invoke, where, and when. Meanwhile, the two buildable and destructible bridges over the canal will plunge Attackers and Defenders into a race against time right from the start.
How the frontline shifts between the canal points, whether a flank will come from behind the high ground, which gate of the Great Temple will ultimately be breached, and the exact moment a god will descend—these are the ultimate suspense of this map.
The new season map, City on the Lake, officially launches on October 22. Today’s battlefield intel will give Warlords an early tour of this waterborne citadel!
Drums of War, Scales of Fate
Above the waters, a city floats in the center.
Surrounded by the murky waves of Lake Texcoco, crisscrossing canals slice the districts into a chessboard, with two towering Great Temples standing side by side. This is the capital of the Aztec Empire.
Sacrifices are dragged up the long steps of the pyramid, offered to the gods before the masses in exchange for power. Blood and war drums are the chips thrown onto the scales of victory, and this time, both Attackers and Defenders are raising the stakes.
Which way the scales will ultimately tip is written not just on the altar, but in the choices you make.
Map Structure: Three Stages, Bridges, and Gods
The new season map City on the Lake features four capture points spread across three zones:
Canal Zone: Point A, Point B
Temple Plaza Front: Point C
Great Temple Plaza: Base
Flow-wise, the Attackers must push from the canal all the way to the Great Temple Plaza; the Defenders will rely on the waterways, high ground, and temple gates for a layered defense.
But what truly sets City on the Lake apart are two elements: Bridges and Gods. Bridges dictate who can maneuver troops faster during the canal phase, while the gods' influence spans the entire battle, ready to alter the course of any skirmish at a moment's notice.
I. Global Mechanic: Max Out Divine Favor, Invoke a God
Everyone holds Divine Favor. When and where to invoke is the Warlord's call.
In the City on the Lake, offering sacrifices to the gods allows you to request a Divine Descent.
Every Warlord starts with a gauge of Divine Favor. It regenerates naturally over time and accumulates steadily as you score kills, deal damage, and take damage. In other words, the Warlords holding the line at the front and those dishing out damage from the back are all preparing for their next Divine Descent.
When Divine Favor is fully charged, you may choose one of three gods to descend upon the battlefield:
Lord of the Fifth Sun: A Crashing Sun, An Ignited Offensive
Centered on the caster, a miniature sun crashes down. Upon impact, it deals one instance of burning damage to nearby enemies and grants a buff to allies: for a short duration, attacks will inflict a stackable burning effect.
Lord of Rain: A Sudden Downpour to Hold the Line
Generates healing waters around the caster, immediately restoring a chunk of Health to nearby allies and cleansing them of control effects; it then provides continuous minor healing over a short duration. After a brief delay, the waters burst, delivering another massive burst of Health to allies in range.
Lord of the Night: Tearing a Void in the Enemy Ranks
Creates a small void at a targeted location, slowing any enemies who step inside. After a short delay, the void collapses, dragging enemies toward its center and dealing minor damage.
Unlike the first two, the Lord of the Night can be cast at a specified location.
Three gods—one focused on offense, one on sustain, and one on crowd control. With every Warlord on both sides wielding Divine Favor, the timing of a single Divine Descent could decide the fate of a capture point.
II. Canal Zone: Two Bridges, A Race Against Time
Attackers need only one point to advance; Defenders must protect both.
Build your bridge, destroy theirs.
The Canal Zone is the first stage of City on the Lake, a maze of waterways and bridges hosting Point A and Point B.
Capturing either of these points will unlock the next zone.
This means Attackers can focus on a main thrust or bounce pressure between the two points. Defenders, meanwhile, must watch both—if either falls, the entire defensive line must retreat. The canal phase tests both sides' battlefield awareness and troop deployment.
And what dictates the speed of this deployment are the two bridges over the canal. Bridges can be destroyed or rebuilt, but construction takes time.
Defender's Bridge: Located closer to the Defenders, connecting Point A and Point B. It starts fully built, allowing Defenders to quickly reinforce between the two points.
Attacker's Bridge: Located closer to the Attackers, connecting their spawn to Point B. It starts unbuilt. Once constructed, it allows Attackers to shift forces much faster.
Thus, the canal skirmishes add another layer of tactical depth: Should the Attackers destroy the Defender's Bridge first to cut off reinforcements? Can the Defenders smash the Attacker's Bridge before it’s finished to disrupt their tempo?
The time gap between a bridge's destruction and its reconstruction is often the exact window when a capture point is most vulnerable.
III. Temple Plaza Front: The High Ground of Point C, the Real Threat is Behind
Attackers: Beyond the front, the second floor and side paths are all viable routes.
Defenders: Hold the front, but watch your back.
After breaking through the canal, the battle moves to the Temple Plaza Front. Point C sits on high ground, surrounded by complex terrain, making this the most route-heavy section of the map.
For the Defenders, the high ground itself is an advantage. Using terrain and artillery, they can set up layered blockades along the Attackers' inevitable paths.
But for Attackers, a frontal assault is never the only option.
They can use the second-floor structures to strike directly at the Defenders' Supply Point in the rear, or take the side paths for a flank, emerging where the Defenders least expect. Once the supply line is cut and enemies appear behind the formation, the Defenders' high-ground advantage will evaporate.
Therefore, the key to Point C often lies not at the flag itself, but in whether the Defenders can spot the dagger at their backs in time.
IV. Great Temple Plaza: Frontal Assault or Flanking the Side Gates?
A wide plaza, the perfect stage for cavalry and arrow volleys.
The final showdown takes place in the Great Temple Plaza. The terrain here is wide open, with the Base flag sitting in the center. Attackers can enter through two routes: the main gate or the side gates.
For Attackers, they can force their way through the main gate, or send cavalry through the side gates for a flank. Once inside the plaza, the open space provides ample room for cavalry charges and arrow volleys.
For Defenders, the plaza offers no cover, making the gates the best line of defense. Relying on the chokepoints of the main and side gates to bleed the Attackers' strength and stall for time is a proven path to victory.
Thus, victory in this phase hinges on whether the Attackers can breach the gates, and whether the Defenders can keep the slaughter outside.
If the battle at the gates turns into a stalemate, a well-timed Divine Descent might be the exact spark needed to break it.
How to Win City on the Lake: Four Keywords to Remember
To quickly master City on the Lake, remember these four keywords:
Gods: The overarching mechanic. Three gods catering to offense, sustain, and control. The timing of your Divine Descent can decide a point.
Bridges: The lifeline of troop movement in the canal. Build yours, break theirs—timing is everything.
Flanks: At the high ground of Point C, there is more than just the front. Defenders must guard against the second floor and side paths.
Breach: The main and side gates of the Great Temple. Whether the Attackers break in or the Defenders hold them out decides the final outcome.
Every stage of City on the Lake has its own solution, and the three gods add a new realm of possibility to every clash.
Which God Will You Invoke? Share Your Tactics!
Sun, Rain, or Night—when and who will you invoke? As an Attacker, will you push Point A or Point B? Build first, or destroy first? As a Defender, how will you protect the blind spots of Point C?
Conclusion
This time, the chips are in the hands of every Warlord.
The new season map City on the Lake opens soon. The altars are prepared, the gods await. Warlords, enter the city!
