Rise of Kingdoms: Pincer Formation Buffed with +12% Smite Damage in Update 1.1.10

In August 2026, alongside the massive Update 1.1.10 "Starry Rendezvous," Rise of Kingdoms developers made significant changes to the combat system. Among other additions, the Pincer Formation buff stands out — troops using this formation now deal 12% more smite damage. This change directly impacts the meta and opens new tactical possibilities for infantry commanders.

What Changed in the Pincer Formation

Before Update 1.1.10, the Pincer Formation was already considered one of the most popular among experienced players, especially for infantry marches. However, with the July 30, 2026 patch, developers decided to enhance its effectiveness:

• New bonus: +12% smite damage for all troops in Pincer Formation
• Armament sources: Travels, Dispatches, Formation Choice Chests, Random Armament Chests, and other in-game events
• Two new special inscriptions: Bulwark for Flag armaments (available in the Armament Shop) and Dominate for Scroll armaments (in the Lost Kingdom Inscription Shop of the new season)

How This Affects the Meta

Smite damage is one of the key metrics in Rise of Kingdoms' combat system, especially for infantry commanders such as Scipio Africanus Prime, Sun Tzu Prime, and Guan Yu. The additional 12% to this damage type makes Pincer Formation an even more attractive choice for:

• Rally leaders using infantry troops
• Open field marches focused on sustained damage
• KvK battles where every percentage of damage matters

Community experts are already noting that after the update, Pincer Formation has become practically a mandatory choice for infantry builds, outperforming alternatives on the battlefield.

Army Group Improvements

Beyond formation changes, Update 1.1.10 brought significant improvements to the Army Group system:

• Added Quick Join feature
• Improved Army Group interface
• Faster access to troop status and remaining unit information
• Unit type recommendations when creating Army Groups
• Notifications when a player's troop inside an Army Group is attacked

Additionally, Alliance Bounties now include new quest types requiring Governors to control Army Groups and defeat enemy troops. A new achievement series for destroying enemy units with Army Groups has also been added.

Ark of Osiris Optimization

The Ark of Osiris battle interface also received significant improvements:

• Anubis challenge progress display for both sides
• Anubis defeat information
• Details about the defeating camp and Governor
• Anubis type and defeat time
• New Ark of Osiris and Anubis icons in strategic view

How to Obtain New Armaments

Pincer Formation-related armaments can be obtained through several sources:

1. Travels
2. Dispatches
3. Formation Choice Chests
4. Random Armament Chests
5. In-game events

The new special inscriptions Bulwark and Dominate are available in the respective shops, allowing further customization of builds for specific tactical tasks.

Conclusion

The Pincer Formation update in patch 1.1.10 is one of the most significant combat system changes in Rise of Kingdoms in 2026. The additional 12% smite damage makes this formation a must-have for serious infantry builds, especially in KvK and Ark of Osiris. Players should update their armaments as soon as possible and adapt their builds to the new reality.

Information is current as of August 25, 2026.

Source: LDShop Rise of Kingdoms Guides