Imperial Armada was a subtheme of Pirates that was introduced in 1996 and only had 3 sets that lasted one year. The Armada replaced the Imperial Guards as adversaries of the pirates. Imperial Armada minifigures were based on the Spanish conquistadors and the Spanish Navy of the 16th and 17th century.
1996 LEGO Sets
In 1996, the LEGO Group continued its legacy of innovation, though it was nearing a challenging period in its history. This year saw the company's ventures into digital media, with the establishment of LEGO Media, marking its initial foray into the world of video games and multimedia. Additionally, the Technic line was rebranded to create a more coherent global brand identity. While traditional brick sets remained popular, the mid-90s marked the beginning of a time when the company recognized the need for diversification and modernization to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving toy market.