Young Portuguese starlet Mateus Mane helped set Wolves on their way on 14 minutes when his cross deflected into the path of Armstrong and the £7m former Blackburn Rovers, Southampton and West Bromwich Albion striker made no mistake.
Armstrong might quickly have had a second goal only to hit the post before Vale then wasted three decent chances to level, the most glaring of them from Jordan Gabriel, who stuck a toe out to make sure of guiding on-loan Wrexham man Mo Faal’s goalbound header across the line, only to be distracted into fluffing it wide of the target.
Vale were then made to pay further when Wolves doubled their lead on 34 minutes with a well-worked set-piece as Yerson Mosquera nodded on for Andre to head only his second goal for the club.
And it was 3-0 by the break when Rodrigo Gomes helped set up a first goal for the club for £19m Spaniard Lopez.
Brady’s men looked like they might get some reward for their truly valiant second-half efforts 11 minutes after the restart when Mosquera brought down Faal, but former West Brom striker Faal fired his penalty straight at Wolves keeper Daniel Bentley.