Friend Fleet
The Friend Fleet system is a system mechanic which has been left in KanColle as a greyed out placeholder in the menu section since it's launch in April 23rd, 2013. This mechanic was intended to engage players to use others players fleets, but due to the popularity boom of KanColle, this mechanic would be postponed for a very long time and would remain inactive.
It wasn't until the Fall of 2017 during the KanColle Naval Review when during the show they would make a big announcement that the long awaited "Friend Fleet" System would finally be making it's long awaited entrance upon entering Phase 2 of KanColle which is scheduled being work during the Spring 2018 Mini Event and take up until the Summer before the migration is complete (give or take possible delays)
As of current, the Friend Fleet system has been introduced in the game in a early test model during the Winter 2018 Event in the form of an NPC Friend Fleet. Tanaka revealed through the April Issue of Comptiq that the current version was made for testing and the final version will be completed by the time Phase 2 begins.
History
The past behind the delay has been vauge with little to no details known other than that the Friend Fleet system was delayed for a long period of time. However come around Fall 2017, some details would come to be at the KanColle Naval Reivew.
During the KanColle Naval Review in one particular segment of the show. A large gathering of Seiyuus gathered up on the stage floor, all holding scrips in hand. The lights dimmed on the stage as a screen came down and being to display a film of a bunch of girls in cosplay as Kanmusu.
In this skit, the Seiyuus provided the voices of the Kanmusus as the film played out. The summary of the plot focused on a batch of ship girls fighting off against the Abyssal Fleet in Tokyo (at the Tokyo Big Sight area). They however were facing off against a batch of powerful Abyssal Fleet Himes that they were having difficulty trying to defeat. All seemed hopeless until they decided to enter into night battle which then as the screen faded to black the following option appeared on screen:
Do you wish to send in a Friend Fleet Support into Battle?
Dispatch / Hold Back
The Yes option was selected and soon several foreign Kanmusu appeared on screen as they helped aid the other KanMusu until the Abyssal Fleet ran off from the battle.
The Kanmusu celebrated thier victory and then at the end of the play segment, the following word appeared on the screen.
"Friend Fleet System" will be coming soon in 2018.
At the end of the KanColle Naval Review, they showed one more text announcing that the Friend Fleet System would be coming along with Phase 2 at the 5th Anniversary of KanColle.
NPC Friend Fleet
NPC Friend Fleets were introduced in the Winter 2018 Event as a new mechanic that would appear in various event maps where during boss fleet battles when you entered into night battle, an extra fleet would appear in the start of the fight to lend a hand in battle and deliver extra damage against the enemy fleet.
This fleet would take thier turn attacking the enemy fleet until they completed thier turn. Once done, they would fall back and then your fleet will take turn attacking the enemy fleet.
NPC Friend Fleets are unique in that they can be influenced by certain factors that include the following:
- NPC Friend Fleets that appear are randomized base upon a preset group of fleets.
- You can control who appears in the NPC Friend Fleet by using certain ships to govern who may or may not appear.
- Some NPC Friend Fleets cannot be removed as they may be set as a default fleet (See 19th Destroyer Division in the Winter 2018 Event Friend Fleet's Section)
By using the factors to help remove certain friend fleets, you can make it possible to help improve your chances of good NPC Friend Fleets appearing to help aid you.
Current Expectations
Currently, the NPC Friend Fleet has introduced and showcased how this system might work in terms of combat. However, since Tanaka confirmed that this was more of a "beta test" content is subject to change over time. Until Phase 2 commences, the current version of the Friend Fleet system is what we have to work with.
More details are to come as more info of the Friend Fleet System is revealed.