Azur Lane currently features 18 different factions, one of which is the Meta faction, and it consists of five super rare and powerful ships.
Azur Lane is a popular simulation, role-playing and side-scrolling video game. It is set in an alternate timeline of World War II.
The game allows players to obtain female moe anthropomorphic characters, based on warships, from the war’s major participants.
Players can collect characters from the Royal Navy, People’s Liberation Army Navy, Republic of China Navy and the French Navy.
Additionally, players can collect ships from the United States Navy, the Imperial Japanese Navy and the Soviet Navy. Players can organise their ships into fleets of six to confront artificial intelligence (AI)-controlled enemies.
That being said, players can also participate in battle against other players. Other gameplay elements, such as customising in-game characters and dormitories, are also present.
When players first start to play the Azur Lane, they can choose a starter ship. Personifications of the Japanese destroyer Ayanami, British destroyer HMS Javelin, German destroyer Z23 and American destroyer USS Laffey are available.
Battle
As mentioned above, players can participate in battle, either against computer-controlled ships or against other players. When preparing for battle, players should build two fleets consisting of a front and back row.
It is important to note that there are three slots available in each row. This means that players can allocate three ships in each row.
In the back row, players can place aircraft cruisers, aircraft carriers and repair ships. Additionally, battleships and battlecruisers can be placed in the back row, while destroyers, light cruisers and heavy cruisers can be placed in the front row.
Players should remember that different combinations of ships are required to achieve victory in different combat situations. After creating fleets, they can select and enter a map.
When entering a battle against computer-controlled bots, the player’s fleet is placed on a grid-like map similar to that in the Battleship video game.
The map contains a variety of nodes, including non-combat nodes and combat-nodes. Combat nodes are enemy fleets, while non-combat nodes provide players with ammunition.
It is important that players navigate optimally and assemble their fleets tactically to clear obstructing enemies. The goal is to reach the map’s boss.
It is also important to note that when players move their fleet across the map, they can be ambushed in random encounters, which forces them to use ammo and fuel.
Fuel is one of the two in-game resources, while ammo points are assigned to player fleets at each map, one ammo point will be deducted at each battle.
Additionally, players can participate in a player-versus-player (PvP) game mode. They can prepare a defence fleet and build an offence fleet to challenge opposing players’ defence fleets.
When players defeat an enemy, they can earn tokens. Exclusive characters and items can be obtained by using the tokens.
Players’ ranks will also rise if they defeat the enemy’s fleet. However, the ranking system is refreshed every 15 days. Players should remember that they will not receive a penalty if they lose a challenge, or if their defence fleet is defeated by other players.
Nations
Azur Lane currently features 18 distinct nations. It is important to note that each ship forms part of a specific faction. The following table indicates the available nations, collaboration nations and the siren nations:
| Available nations | Collab nations | Siren nations |
| Sardegna Empire | The Idolmaster | Meta |
| Vichya Dominion | Venus Vacation | |
| Iris Libre | Hololive | |
| Northern Parliament | Kizuna AI | |
| Dragon Empery | Utawarerumono | |
| Eagle Union | Neptunia | |
| Universal | Bilibili | |
| Iron Blood | ||
| Sakura Empire | ||
| Royal Navy |
Azur Lane: Meta faction
Meta
Meta is a mysterious faction of an unknown alliance in the game. The nation’s ships are war-scarred variants of the original ships. However, it is believed that the Meta ships come from an altered timeline.
Ark Royal Meta
Ark Royal Meta is a powerful Aircraft Carrier. It is important to note that players may have a difficult time obtaining her, as she is a super rare ship in Azur Lane. They should be aware that Ark Royal Meta cannot be built.
Helena Meta
Similar to Ark Royal Meta, Helena Meta is also a super rare ship. This means that it may take some time before players can collect her. She can be crucial to any fleet, due to her unique skills. Helena is able to use the following skills: Ashen Might, Information Addiction, Scanner Hacking and Shadow-wing Torch.
Hiryuu Meta
Just like the above-mentioned Meta ships, Hiryuu Meta is super rare and cannot be built. It is important to note that Hiryuu Meta’s statistics will increase as she reaches higher levels. For example, her base health statistics is 946, while her health on a higher level is 4 721.
Other ships in the Meta faction
In addition to the above-mentioned ships, players can also obtain Souryuu Meta and Fusou Meta. They are very similar to the other ships, as they both are super rare and cannot be built.