Rookie
Well-rounded and dependable. A solid shell with a medium blast.
1000 HP Medium moveWeapon: Standard Shell
Special: Twin Shot: two shells in quick succession, every 3 turns
Crater Corps
A free turn-based artillery game for 2 to 8 players. Pick a gunner, read the wind, and shell the other team off the hill.
Play free in your browser No download or sign-up
What is Crater Corps?
Crater Corps is a free online artillery game you play in a web browser, on a computer or a phone. Two teams take turns firing shells across hills, mountains, canyons and floating islands. Every explosion digs a crater, so the ground changes with each shot, and the wind changes with each turn.
It is built for quick matches with friends: one person creates a room, everyone else joins it by name, and the host starts the battle when the teams are ready.
- Genre
- Turn-based artillery
- Players
- 2 to 8, in two teams (1 vs 1 up to 4 vs 4)
- Price
- Free, with no ads or purchases
- Plays on
- Desktop and mobile web browsers
- Sign-up
- None; you just pick a nickname
- Content
- 8 gunners, 4 maps, 5 items
How a turn plays out
-
Move
Walk to better ground. How far you can go depends on your gunner.
-
Aim
Raise or lower the barrel and check the wind gauge at the top of the screen.
-
Charge
Hold Fire to build power, and let go when the bar looks right.
-
Land it
The blast hurts anyone nearby and carves a crater. At 0 HP, or in the water, a player is out.
Each turn lasts 30 seconds. The last team with anyone standing wins the match.
Eight gunners
Each one has their own health, movement and weapon, plus a special shot that recharges after a few turns.
Bouncer
Lobs grenades that skip along the ground before going off.
950 HP Medium moveWeapon: Grenade: bounces twice before exploding
Special: Cluster: splits into four bomblets on its first bounce, every 3 turns
Driller
Tunnels into the ground to reach enemies hiding under cover.
1000 HP Low moveWeapon: Drill: bores through 60 units of ground
Special: Deep Drill: bores much deeper and leaves a huge crater, every 4 turns
Scatter
Nimble and spray-happy: many small shells in a spread.
900 HP High moveWeapon: Scatter: three small shells in a narrow spread
Special: Barrage: five small shells in a wide spread, every 3 turns
Skycaller
Marks targets for bombs that fall straight from the sky.
900 HP Medium moveWeapon: Light Shell: fast, small blast
Special: Airstrike: five bombs drop around the marker, every 4 turns
Phaser
Fires energy bolts that ignore gravity at first, and can jump across the map.
850 HP High moveWeapon: Phase Bolt: flies straight for one second, then falls
Special: Phase Jump: teleports you to where it lands, every 3 turns
Heavy
Slow and tough, with shells that flatten hills.
1300 HP Very low moveWeapon: Heavy Shell: slow, big blast, high damage
Special: Megaton: an enormous blast and crater, every 5 turns
Sniper
Fragile but precise: fast rounds that barely drift in the wind.
800 HP Medium moveWeapon: Rifle: fast, half wind drift, small blast
Special: Piercer: passes through every gunner in its path, every 4 turns
Four battlefields
Rolling Hills
Grassy hills with a valley in the middle and water below. Open sight lines make it the easiest place to learn.
Twin Peaks
A snowy mountain with the high ground in the centre. The summit sees everyone, and everyone can shoot at the summit.
Sky Isles
Floating islands over open water at dusk. Blast away the ground under an opponent and they drop into the sea.
Rift Canyon
Two desert mesas split by a gorge that runs down to the water. Lob shells over the gap or bounce them along the rim.
Items
Take up to four into a match, at most two of the same kind. You can use one per turn, but not on the same turn as your special shot.
Levels and gold
Every match earns XP: 10 for taking part, 1 for every 10 damage you deal to the other team, 50 for each knockout and 100 for a win. Winners also get 50 gold and everyone else 10. Room hosts can set a gold bet, and the winning team splits the pot.
Gold is only a score inside the game. You can't buy it, sell it or cash it out.
Double Shot
Your shot is fired twice with the same angle and power.
Power Boost
Your shot deals 30% more damage.
Heal
Restore 300 HP. Uses your turn.
Teleport
Fire a teleport shell instead of your weapon and appear where it lands.
Shield
Take half damage until your next turn. Uses your turn.
Questions
Is Crater Corps free to play?
Yes. Crater Corps is completely free. There are no ads, no purchases and nothing to download.
Do I need an account?
No. Pick a nickname and play. Your level, XP and gold are saved to the browser you play in.
Can I play on my phone?
Yes. It runs in any modern mobile browser held sideways, with on-screen buttons to walk, aim and fire.
How many people can play together?
2 to 8 players in two teams, from a 1 vs 1 duel up to 4 vs 4.
How do I play with friends?
Create a room, optionally with a password, and tell your friends its name. They join it from the room list, pick a team and press Ready.
What happens if my connection drops?
Your soldier waits for you. Reconnect within 90 seconds and you carry on in the same match; your turns are skipped while you are away.
Is the gold real money?
No. Gold is an in-game score. It cannot be bought, sold, traded or cashed out, and bets between players use only this gold.
Which browsers work?
Current versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari on desktop, Android and iPhone.
Ready to fire?
Pick a nickname, create a room and send its name to a friend.
Play Crater Corps