The Kingdom Heroes team has released their first developer blog. The Aeria Games title, slated to enter closed beta in late Spring of 2010, is shaping up to be an interesting entry in the increasingly crowded free-to-play market. Gameplay includes a number of different siege mechanics, including the ability to recruit and customize NPC soldiers to form a personal army, conquer enemy strongholds using troops, siege engines, mounts, and ships, as well as the ability to establish and defend player-controlled cities. Additionally, Kingdom Heroes will feature fully crewed player ships, something the initial blog goes to great lengths to explain.

"There are a variety of ships with different crew sizes, gun types, and features for players to choose from. The smallest of these vessels can hold a crew of seven, while the largest offers stations for up to eleven players. Although you aren't required to have a complete crew on board to use a ship, if you aim to put up a good fight against other player vessels, you'll probably want an experienced navigator at the helm with a full complement of seasoned gunners, repairmen, and raiders," the blog states.

You can check out the full text on Aeria's official Kingdom Heroes forums. Also be sure and browse the screen shots in the gallery below.