Reviews:
Guest 1: huh Nneat *dorkly*
Guest 2: Well certainly if they do Burn Teldrassil (which lets face it, why not at this point) it's certainly not going to be as divisive as it was...nah the Skaven and the Vampires though, there's some grounds for division. Skaven being sketchy allies to everyone they've teamed up with, and Vampires employing enslaved sentient undead AND mindless undead on mass.
Guest 3-4-5: -_- Since you and Cynic started this BS time to call both the dumbasses out. and independently rip each of you apart because 1) I'm an asshole and 2) most of all your BS has already been covered and done to death both here and elsewhere.
As I've stated just recently. Azeroth wins basically because logistics, Zeppelin spam (not flying gunships) and Airships means that they can relocate vital assets far faster than most powers on Mallus, while I think a lot of WoW fans really don't comprehend how much better the elves of Mallus are...yet give NE passes on everything including being straight up more powerful than their Gods... the fact is the very nature of WHFB's elves inhibits their ability to contribute. If it was Horde pre-BFA vs WHFB then WHFB would win because Blizzard devs seem to hate the Horde and literally gave all the authority, power, and OP characters to the Alliance...while leaving absolute retards like Saurfang for the Horde and telling us that commander "just swim across this river under enemy fire while they throw magic lightning and instant freezing spells at you" , Mr "I just caught a spy telling me to go outside, so lets go outside and not raise the alarm", lord "I nearly failed when heavily entrenched and prepared against a foe who divided their forces to the point of excess and all i had to do was attack a single door" is somehow a smart commander... BUT Azeroth as a whole particularly with the Alliance trifacta of the Gnomes, Humans, and Dwarves has enough power to one on one best most of if not all of WHFB to an acceptable degree to call it their win, because there is FAR more to warfare than troop numbers, equipment and training. Particularly when at least on the Alliance side actually do have some competent commanders... as side characters.
While everyone tries to pretend German engineering super power when talking WW2 and pretend sheer numbers spam is why the Germans lost as opposed to the Germans fighting a war they could never win and the Soviets almost losing to the Germans out of sheer Communist incompetence. the fact is that the Sherman was equal to a Panzer 4 and yet outnumbered panzer 4s 5 to 1. and when it comes to the high end tech, particularly since the WHFB Elves are assholes, Azeroth has a mix of that and the mobility factor to salvage vital troops from the absolute suicide situations idiots like Saurfang will inevitably get them into. Combined with the fact Azerotheans never seem to fully commit (often to what i would say would be their detriment in any other setting outside of facing WHFB) they should be able to sustain military fighting long enough to win over most WHFB one by one, as seems to be the way everything on Azeroth goes and WHFB inability to coordinate too effectively...though that's not humanity's fault...fucking elves.
Meanwhile I've already did a reliable numbers estimation of the Skaven if you check my replies, Skaven numbers are great, and ofc their tech matches the Gnomes and Goblins (on average), but after them there aren't too many who can reasonably launch a military campaign or invasion of Azeroth without local supporters first helping them. Particularly based off the Geo-logistical and Geopolitical face of Mallus where really a LOT of their forces can get choke pointed and the "natural hazards" (i.e. Orks) can't really get ignored like they can on Azeroth... Which then further limits mobility which thanks to Zeppelin alone can relatively be ignored. Then well the Landscape on Mallus is fucking Harsh, Sylvania is literally a pool of death magic, the World Edge Mountains are all taller than the Himalayas, the chaos wastes...the fucking chaos wastes... yeah Mallus isn't getting anywhere quick past those obstacles where Azeroth while comparatively to home would be slowed down, are still making good time...except maybe in the chaos wastes where time is instead making them, with a spoon and a dinglehopper. But on Mallus no one has nearly the power projection of Azeroth, they have the power but as the Native American's learned a enemy who you can't counter attack is more or less impossible to beat no matter how you outnumber them nor what you do to close the technology gap.
And that's just Zeppelins, which are frankly on the Mallus side, its something even someone as critical of manufacturing and construction times as myself would say the Alliance or Horde could easily pump out on mass with little issue. And really Zeppelins more or less would hand them victory due to logistics and of course choice of terrain for battles at least until either faction would find their forces caught/trapped. And all this success would be under dumbasses like Saurfang, all while characters who are shown to be far more intelligent get sidelined despite NOT being that mass casualties causing levels of stupid and actually so talented that in my own story I'm straight underselling their skills and abilities as military commanders. (yeah with Eitrigg there Orgrimmar still shouldn't have fallen, but even the best commanders have moments that despite their skill there's little they can do). But once dumbasses like Saurfang all die off challenging guys like Skarsnikk, Teclis, or Archeon to Mak'gora despite the fact it's obvious they'd never accept and would rather magically nuke the guy from well beyond axe range (hi Malfurion doing the same exact thing...multiple times) well then Azeroth could actually use its resources effectively and would win...part of why i say it would be a slog is because just how dumb their commanders are, like their logistics are almost so OP as to break their own internal logic sometimes, but my god are the top commanders dependent on plot contrivances as much as the Villains are. All while sidelined characters routinely show competency to even shame many WHFB commanders and get to just sit in a hallway while the world is coming to a end.
But back to logistics, the more time consuming the journey for Mallus forces that means the greater logistical demands, which means more chances for Azeroth's preferred and, in their own universes logic, ultimate military strategy... attacking logistics, seriously that's practically all I did as a solo adventurer in Burning Crusade and Wrath... that and fetch quests, and after burning your 30th almost unguarded supply depot you wonder why no one has thought to post competent guards around their army's supposedly vital logistics.
Meanwhile any Khorne army would be just as much of a joke to the Alliance as say WoD was, as the blood dipshits would kill a good chunk of their own army each and every day if you applied the same "strict" logic (it's not even that fucking strict I've seen stricter from Iron Kingdoms a setting with a few factions who would each be able to solo huge swaths of either setting and I've got not just feats, but the numbers and IRL equivalencies to back that up) that's routinely expected of the Empire from WHFB fans...because Khorne fucking sucks *got em*.
And if that all seems too out there to comprehend. Look up and read or watch Legend of the Galactic Heroes, if you can keep your eyes open long enough to sit through it you can see the basic of basic logistics, military politics, and civilian-military relations played out enough to get a grasp of why I honestly LIKE the Empire and most of WHFB more as a setting. Because those issues have a place in it, but you'll also see how Azeroth is basically bypassing those issues, cheat coding, or generally being, in their internal universe logic, given a free pass on those issues.
But the Empire is basically locked in place using too small of forces on distant campaigns, as showcased by their military expeditions outside the Empire being outnumbered even by factions known for their small numbers such as the Dawi-zharr. Bretonnia being... well French is somehow the lesser of their offenses against those with intellectual sensibilities. Kislevittes are open to invasion despite two whole mountain ranges each taller than the Himalayas on their flanks. Setra can't get his own people to fucking obey him properly until End Times, cutting him off from most his numbers. Nagash is a asshat and more self sabotaging than Skaven, and the Dawi-Zharr for all their awesome are still just a regional power unable to expand due to a green monke problem, and Norscans have brain hurts when people mention wa-ll and Arro and then their brain go poo-poo. meanwhile the Orks are a threat to everyone...Beastmen, I refuse to shit on beastmen because FU GW you will treat them with some fucking respect for once you bastards...as for whoever killed Kenny you're bastards too. The Elves are too self absorbed to really pose a threat to anyone until it's too late, and the lizardmen well their response will likely look like windows "file not found" but instead be "tablet not found" making them useless shits as well...well more than usual. Remember the Lizardmen literally just stood there and let High Elves do whatever they wanted just because the High Elves coming to their city wasn't in the great plan...until one particular moment then they started the killing but stopped the moment the High Elves left their city... because their worse programmed than a SIMS NPC.
but yeah I've tried to get the metaphysics, and general internal balance of each universe a probed explanation and exploration to contrast and compare to help avoid situations like this. And as you should already realize throwing mountains for BOTH settings isn't a common feat even for the likes of Slaan and Narru...hell even the average magic power level of WHFB is brought down/closer to WoW in the fact that WHFB the majority of magic is blatantly NON-combat even when you just read the codexes, let alone the RPG books. Now a fan of actually exploring worlds i like that detail, but it shows an average 'weakness' to WHFB's magic (part of why i threw a fit at WoW players and their BS about being a nice community back in the day, since no one wanted to explore or play or have a natural adventure, just instance and obsess over that .0001% better gear and grind until they have it never once even reading the flavor text and that was when WoW 'was good'). But considering that Vampire Lords and your average Slann stand nearly on Par and Aleksandr is a good example of a per tabletop/rpg Vampire Lord the bulk of even the Slann are not worth it...almost like the Old Ones had decided to replace them with newer species for that reason rather than electing to keep their lazy asses.
Funny how both yours and Cynics arguments flush down the toilet when you apply the slightest bit of internal consistency to each universe asking questions like "how has the Empire at all survived as long at it had vs all this bullshit, let alone as a dominant power in the world capable of sending sailors and military expeditions to entirely other Continents that are owned by these hostile forces?" and "if WOW's magic and tech is so OP then how are the backwards primitives of stormwind still alive let alone dominant as they elect to commit suicide by fighting in melee using steel equipment with people who can evaporate them with a glance or one v one against species who can break them as easily as a twig?"
Cynic: Now for you. Now lets start 1) Khorne is a fucking moron of a God thanks to GW giving him a lobotomy, gone are the Khornitte philosopher warriors who make arguments that made a LOT of sense (Peace is nothing more than fear which Khorne reigns over, fear of what might happen if you act, fear of violence, fear of pain, fear of others. To embrace war is to be free of fear and to become it is to become power) , and on with the screaming monke slapping themselves in the face while drooling about blood.
2) most leaders who have graced Azeroth's surface make Khorne look smart, I'll go back to Saurfang the fan loved Orc, but lets also look at Hellscream, Malfurion, Cenarius, Cenarius' dipshit of a Son who almost got the Tauren genocided because he's turned on by ugly rocks, Queen Simp herself, and the Old Gods. NONE of these people have shown EVER to possess anything resembling actual military competency and all of them have shown such incompetence that I can only compare them to Generals Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny and Grigory Kulik.
But lets tear into the 6 infinites shall we. I'm assuming 1 of them is the force of life, aka we're referencing the Wild Gods and the Emerald Dream in particular (proof that Azerotheans will just throw "God" on anything even remotely shiny) the Same Emerald Dream that despite having Gods dwelling inside it in "infinity" as you claim requires Druids to be manning it at all times and seldom has the manpower to ever help itself even against a minor intrusion by Old God Forces which was already once defeated.
Then we have the Old God forces, funny how you're listing a defeated Empire whose numbers no longer exist as evidence...which also helps counter the "infinite" claim since their infinite...ended. But then your "pocket dimension" you wouldn't happen to be referencing the city contained by the Bronze Dragonflight, during a war that would have been easily won if the NE did have a incompetent for a commander and no one in place to replace him should he fail? A city that was later invaded and bested by the Horde and Alliance without any of the "infinite" spreading past the southern badlands. no you couldn't be misrepresenting C'thun's bois showing yourself to be as much a hack as you claim the person you're arguing with.
That's 2 out of 6 that aren't "infinite" anymore, but well since were operating post Legion there's another that lost their "infinity" as now their respawn times make the longest Daemonic banishment look short. Then well Shadowlands is self contradictory like the pile of painted turds it is, so psudeo-infinite but not really. Then we can Assume Infinity for the Light except they never displayed it and Feared the far far lesser infinity of the Legion. Then the titans, yeah look up the war against the Black Empire, a LACK of numbers is why Order had trouble there so... yeah not infinite just really really powerful individuals who exist in such limited numbers we can count them on our fingers.
But you claimed "jumping at the high end" at Guest then jumped to stratobombers and Gods...suggesting that yeah you didn't put much thought into either side.
Hell your even stating abilities that, hmm never happened from beings who are still themselves "Gods", (at least never deliberately done by them and using resources that no longer exist, let alone on Mallus) or at least vastly more powerful than the Wild Gods (fuck the Wild Gods weak ass pansies even the NE are stronger than you dips more trouble than your worth) and also super weapons that... oh that's right never got up and functioning and/or can never be used (again).
But lets also challenge "The Bloodwake Vyrkul have thousands of ships per BFA island expeditions" Stormwind has 200 ships in their fleet and are the strongest naval power in the Alliance and we see the near entirety of Kul Tiras's naval power on screen in gameplay...soooo yah you're full of it or the Alliance and Horde are pathetically weak powers when it comes to the thing most fans agree is their greatest strengths. And Gav thropes statement applied to Eldar specifically (good job trying to not only try to use one writer to represent a whole company but expanding his very specific one race specific statement to the entirety of the company), where Blizzard seems to apply their company wide "the story we wanted to tell, and gameplay=lore fuck the contradictions and internal logic breaks this causes", to the entire universe. Case and Point the Bombing of Theramore which is somehow equal to Arthas killing a Enitre city. Theramore, whose map doesn't include any civilian housing, just structures that for a Medieval power are military structures, and a Inn that was housing military personnel and military commanders...
Yet the Bombing was so unforgivable, for a explosion that killed maybe a thousand people that Jaina was willing to commit Genocide against people who had previously shown themselves to be good and worthy to her, despite trying to forgive Arthas...and everyone lets Sylvanas basically off the hook (sorry but making her play the Shadowlands side quests the player basically already did is in no way a fitting punishment especially when the player did most the work already)
If you want to go at it with the numbers STRICT interpretation of Skaven numbers puts each warren, a town equivalent for the skaven at 1 to 10 thousand CLANRATS, Skaven Slaves and Breeders are NOT counted in Skaven census per Foreword, GW, Black Library, and 2nd through 4th ed RP. While not exact we can estimate a Warren for every 1.2 Empire Towns, and at least three Nests which range from 50 to 1,000. Following stricter numbering STILL we know Skaven Slaves exist at roughly 10 per clanrat. Sylvania has 30 known/named towns so following the smallest Skaven numbers in Sylvania alone, only using the NAMED towns, there are 28 thousand Seven hundred and fifty clanrats and 287thousand and five hundred Skaven slaves, and for funsies that's then 325,000 clanrats and 3,250,000 Skaven Slaves putting it all at the upper scale, ranging from a total of 316,250 to 3,575,000 skaven before a Vermintide event which would further multiply the population due to a surge of new birth by as much as 4 to 10 times those numbers. Now do you want me to estimate based of the Empire's population and estimated number of towns for just warrens and nests not counting cities? and then Bretonnia, and then Kislev, and make a guess towards Cathay, and then the Dwarves, and then the Lizzardmen territories which Skaven live in? because were already looking at the Billions following a strict interpretation using the SMALLEST population values and while ignoring the Skaven's cities.
You want me to give population estimates for Stormwind, an almost city state kingdom which has been the subject of a horrific Genocide in the last 40 years, whose biggest ally and neighbor has been subjected to a Genocide that killed 90% of their population, and whose other neighbors have become failed states...also subject to Genocide...with Gnome allies that wait for it, Genocide within the last 25 years, and Dwarves who have had multiple civil wars with a light sprinkling of Genocide? The Draenei who suffered near total Genocide? with the NE the only population that doesn't have a Genocide...just mass invasions by genocidal foes in the last few decades? Oh and the Gilneans who wait for it Genocide! Then all of them fighting routine long range expeditions and world wars nearly without break since Warcraft 3? you know, to be fair like you asked for?
If you want me to do a Dive into the Forces of Chaos and point out even the mathematical "some infinities are bigger than others" from the infinite Hotel thought experiment and show how that applies to Chaos yet not the WoW infinite powers be my guest to play this game of "my God has a bigger dick than your God" Guest Listed active forces and powers who are each actively expanding themselves and improving themselves on Mallus, you cited forces that are defunct and fell back on Gnomes while clearly ignoring the people who actually form the bulk of the populations on Azeroth and never once listed active, present forces just sticking to hypothetical nukes and God powers...almost like your more insulted that someone is challenged your favorite setting rather than giving it an actual analysis and using logic. Let ME break down why Guest's analysis is flawed, don't throw a fit turning my review page into a argument without expecting me to being the receipts, I do historical population and logistical analysis for FUN.
Guest 6: *Looks to my blasts made into the people before* me too.
Guest 7: Yeah Anduin was a weird case of one step forward, one to two steps back. and Regular Reiksguard.
Guest 8: The NE and Orcs in WC3 was back when playing the badguys was accepted and people were not nearly as whining bitches. Back when people celebrated committing digital Warcrimes as Nod or the Soviets in CC. But the Scourge were the ones where Blizzard went "meh Orcs aren't the badguys this time, lets find someone else for the Orcs to fight...hey what are we going to do with this Demon faction we're writing?" "Make them the ultimate badguys but make sure to tell everyone how unbeatable they are but NEVER EVER show that. In fact show nothing but them losing."
Guest 9: Once they learn the suicide by cop dwarves will swarm Azeroth challenging anything and everything to a fight to the death. Meanwhile the Empire probably would adopt something, but well Adventurers have something only Dev Waifu leaders in Azeroth have...excessive plot armor.
Guest 10-13: your first comment decent idea and stuff the Horde would know of and possibly think to do. The next ones wow calm down, and fret not even in WoW canon the burning of the tree did kill a huge chunk of the NE population...just not a portion apparently that anyone actually cared about or provided to the NE society in the slightest. Seriously how did so many deaths only achieve pissing off Tyrande and have little to no impact otherwise, yet "100-200" killed in Statmholme even if we add a extra zero is somehow a nation crippling Genocide to Lordaeron, the NE should be questioning their ability to fight a war and sustain their population, not standing up going "and now to kill 'God' number 976" immediately after the conclusion of BFA.
And as a an annoyed WHFB fan...Skaven aren't Chaos until AoS and mid way through End Times and even then they were just allied. While GHR is considered a Chaos God He's more just a evil God dwelling in the realm of Chaos. He lacks most of the traits, particularly key traits, of the four Chaos Gods or even Hashut and shares more similarities with the Order Gods, but he's trying to usurp the Chaos Gods.
Micelzod: They should have learned these lessons already with Gorrosh but Blizzard forced them to suffer brain damage and magically forget what they learned...best put in universe that they just missed the point of what they experienced. AND Thankyou.
BadOrk11: A rare chapter 1 Review from chapter 1. If you've gotten this far hopefully you can see the differences though Deadliest and I have had quite a bit of Back and Forth since he was willing to be a resource for me to tap for more modern WoW lore and refreshers. While I'm not a fan of Vs debating (pointed glares to a few reviews) I'm always a fan of universe contrasting and comparing as it helps highlight the particulars of universes and realizing the stand out features of each, which is always a benefit when writing even for non-crossovers.
Also whaaaat?, I'm not supposed to ruin an entire world just because a single profit meeting and a new executive pulling a General Grigory Kulik and going "since I don't understand it, it must be sabotage and must be destroyed" only to replace that world with something objectively far more stagnant and far far lazier? And I'm not supposed to waste all my studio's time abusing interns and employees while playing stupid games and rewriting entire expansions because my waifu isn't presented as best girl? Well hope what you've read so far has proven worthy.
Hakuryuu: And this is all what could be consider one large battle, or a small war, wait until I really open up the flood-gates.
That is why I'm going to break this up into multiple stories focusing on different fronts, and why I am still putting out feelers to see where first everyone would like to go/see so I know which of my planned plotlines i should follow first.
And fret not, the angry Dwarf is not forgotten, but just not yet relevant, and Alyzz will come into focus soon enough.
OscuroSignore-51: Enjoy your time with him. But so heartless to Shandris, my my. But Anduin really has no reason to go to the cult of Sigmar, Alliance arrogance will probably still have him and others theorizing that a Naaru is pretending to be Sigmar, particularly since in the eyes of Azeroth the Empire probably looks more like the Imperium of Man in terms of Racism and Sideways thinking.
As for the Dwarves Flying Barge designs in Warhammer (pre AoS where GW lost their god damn minds and just clicked copy paste from WoW and MMORPGs rather than using their own fucking shit!) the Dwarf Flying Barges are actually WW1 concepts and designs for War Zeppelins. The USA was experimenting with Zeppelins as flying aircraft carriers right before WW2 but wind gusts from the rocky mountains slammed one of these flying carriers into the ground and a windstorm destroyed the other, both killing far more people than the famed Hindenburg disaster. But the ball turret designs used in these flying carriers got carried over to the USA's flying fortress bombers. These designs are what the writer referenced for the Flying Barge.
That said the Gunships of Azeroth are of two flavors, the Horde's "it gets a pass" flying hunk of junk, and the Alliance's "it's the flying aircraft carrier from Marvel Comics it can't be beat". One can casually be shot down by a Estallian Cannon, the other requires a lucky shot or multiple volleys from a gunline of great cannons to take out. Speaking "realistically" but clearly both Worlds throw a bit of that to the side for fun.
hideki667: Well I can think of one reason, there's a bit more that I could explain. But basically underneath everything the Alliance are either more racist than the Empire actually (Stormwind) or self absorbed assholes that I'm surprised the world doesn't harbor a grudge against (Night Elves).
The Empire on the small scale will trade with and even tolerate Ork Mercenaries. ORKS the dumb ultra-violent brutes who the defense against them is one of the biggest legends of the Empire. And I've still not been convinced that the "Skaven-don't-exist" open secret and the Skaven's ultra-costly "the world doesn't know about us" magic ritual...a ritual from a book taken from the Magic College in Altdorf isn't a massive Empire Troll in hopes of a sort of coexistence with the Skaven (rather than a mutually destructive war or worse). Meanwhile Stormwind is just casually hostile towards the color green including goblin merchants and treats anyone not as civilized as them (considering they're as civilized as Bretonnians that's a low bar) as if they are sub-sentient beings worthy of pity or contempt.
And the Night Elves...well considering one of their God's created the Centaur and when asked by the Tauren to help they proceeded to wisely, sagely and with great love for their longest standing historic allies...shoot arrows at them screaming "get out of my forest yah fucks". And then there the High Elves who despite being one of the forces to stop the Legion, still ended up fleeing Night Elven persecution all for the crime of wanting to learn and use magic that wasn't directly controlled by the church that rules the state...i mean gifted to them by the Wild God's .
Now if you've watched or seen anything that features a more in-depth look into war...yeah that's not nearly enough to hold them together long enough to not to get destroyed by the Alliance...but I honestly am surprised there aren't MORE hostile races to the Alliance due to just how shitty the NE treated everyone pre-WC3. particularly when the round about "blame the whole race" logic that the NE used to blame the Highborne for Azshara could be used to blame them for well thousands of years of BS and near extinction of races as Old God tainted evil other races drive them to it.
Ironwall: Well they already have a lich spell that raises them after death as a lich, idk why their lich selves don't have a table top representation...likely the fact that lich's and vampires are often at odds.
Formations of Azeroth
Draenei
Now we shall dive into one of the more complex elements of all the military forces active on Azeroth. The Draenei. Refugees whose backstory makes most other fantasy/sci-fi race backstory's look cheerful and certainly makes even the Imperium of Man look competent in compare...but there is no avoiding the power of Blizzard's "the plot demands". And speaking of this backstory let's stab into their first stand out feature.
1) Extremely limited numbers: Which is basically everyone else's bonus vs the Draenei, but where I spent all of five seconds considering listing Velen's dramatically good future sight, i realized that this future sight was like the sliding doors on the Enterprise from star trek existing solely for Drama and not actually working outside of drama or helping end a dramatic scene. All with Velen's future sight telling him that it must happen or the plot wont happen. The Eradar went from a burgeoning science-fantasy race to a massive cult of demons and demon worshippers who would religiously genocide anyone who didn't get on board the whole "lets have demons destroy our planet" plan. So the Draenei changed their name to set themselves apart from the people butchering them, would travel from minor Genocide to minor Genocide until they reached the planet Draenor which they named and forced the locals and everyone else to use their name for the planet, (hint hint to why this is everyone else's benefit).
On Dreanor the Draenei settled in, only for the local Orc population they were ignoring to come into contact with the Legion and the Demons. Sign up for the idea of conquering or slaughtering everything in their path...not realizing their being used as disposable chaff. The Draenei then encountered the next biggest Genocide of their existence. This is now twice that a race who breeds as slowly or slower than elves to suffer a event that's removed over 90% of their population with multiple percentage amount lost Genocides in between...but as we've seen with the AU Dreanor, of not for the Horde's genocide the Draenei would have turned into Spanish conquistadors and Spanish missionaries all rolled into one.
The Draenei's severely limited numbers now serve to keep them in check, cooperating with their allies and allowing said allies freedom of will. With "good guy re-education camps" a unthinkable option (The Genocide must have killed anyone who might of watched My Little Pony) . But with said limited numbers also comes the clear NEED for quality over unavailable quantity, leading to them using the smallest squad size on all of Azeroth. And this Genocide also would lead to doctrinal differences between the Lightforged, with the main Exodar Draenei adopting a highly defensive military doctrine and the Lightforged instead developing basic Shock and Awe, Lighting strike and Raid tactics. Either way the miniscule Draenei population has a much higher enlistment/draft percentage than the majority of WoW races excluding perhaps the Forsaken and Orcs.
2) The Naaru: The Naaru are in terms of power each the equivalent of roughly a Exalted Greater Daemon (and I'm using the term not in reference to the TWW3 but the Lore power level for WHFB fans to compare with) which places each Naaru on par with Old Gods, though the use of their power comes in basically serving as giant batteries rather than a direct corrupting influence or army factory. The Naaru are the power source and patrons of various technologies and due to proximity and the nature of the Draenei they also bless and provide powers of the Light to the entire race and do the same for priests of the light, and Paladins. Due to their connection to the Light, Draenei are naturally disposed towards being Priests or Paladins making these the bulk of militarily capable Draenei if not the bulk of their population, though with their Biology and Naaru tech Draenei can excel in most fields they enter.
3) Army of the Light: The Army of the light are an elite even among the Draenei. Directly referencing the Space Marines of Warhammer 40k (AN Space Marines are overrated Soroitas and Legio Cybernetica are where it's at boi) the Army of the Light are a deep striking, raider force of elite troops dependent on employing overwhelmingly powerful warriors against enemies in controlled limited engagements with exfiltration their highest priority after the initial objective has been completed.
Each member of the Army of the Light has gone through a Light Forging process, becoming entirely corrupted...i mean purified of all fault, by the Naaru. So forged each member of the Army of the Light possesses significant offensive powers and is are themselves a deep well of Light Magic which they can both call upon or on their death unleash their stores energy healing those perceived as allies and harming nearby. enemies
4) biology and tech: The Draenei as a species are basically unfairly OP when put next to the races of Azeroth. Longer lived than elves even able to somehow live well beyond what's supposed to be their natural lifespans, which already are five times longer than WoW Elves, even without divine blessings. physically Draenei are massive, imposing and have the strength to back that up while also having brains that can easily retain information making each Draenei by human standards a valedictorian or even Summa Cum Laude if they dedicate to a field of study. It's almost a blessing to the universe that the Legion foiled what otherwise would have been a successful gambit by the Light to conquer the universe.
Resources for the Draenei follows a tend of unfortunate shortage, only somewhat addressed by moving onto Azeroth and post Legion Expansion. Since most of the Draenei creations are either advanced Light Magic channeling tools, or high end Naaru technology only Argus and Azeroth possess the resources necessary for the Light technology of the Naaru to be properly manufactured. As such beyond what provides for their basic needs the Draenei mainly seek out mine and trade for high end materials particularly crystals that function for the Naaru provided technology they use, which has forced the Draenei since their flight from Argus to mainly use simplified forms of the tech, where the Army of the Light routinely raided Argus for more resources and possessed more of the Naaru's blessed tech...of universal conquest.
In case it wasn't obvious from the resources the Naaru provided the Draenei with tech that if the Draenei hadn't been stopped they would have been on par with AT THE VERY LEAST the WH40K Tau (a race weaker than a non-playable background lore race *FU Tau fan-bois your race sucks! heh got em*) in terms of military might.
In our real world the Draenei would be like a non-national ethnic or religious alliance, with a independent non-national military. If you can't quite see it imagine if the Catholic Church and Islam combined into one group and ISIS the Taliban, and the Catholic church's currently non-military knight orders served as their militant arm to both protect the faithful and of course enforce their will.
-The Army of the Light which was in contact with and eventually lead by Turalyon and the Draenei both had adopted their own variant of the Alliance Organizational structure. The Draenei smallest unit is the Squad.
• Vindicator Squad: Three Draenei Paladins called Vindicators standing two yards apart provide each other mutual support and use their Light Blessings and natural strength to overwhelm significantly more numerous foes.
• Priest Squad: Three Draenei priests of the Light organize like their paladin counterparts but focus on providing healing and supporting existing forces.
• Broken (Krokul) Stalker Squad: Usually lead by an Assassin the Broken were once Draenei but stripped of the Light due to Fel exposure through Legion aligned Warlocks. Distrusted and somewhat persecuted by their former comrades they still form Squads of three to five to support the Draenei, particularly those under prophet Velen.
• Shaman Squad: Taught by the shame spirits that originally taught the Orcs Shamanism, Shamanism is rampant among the Broken whose connection to the Naaru is broken, though some Draenei also practice this magic as well. Either Broken or Draenei will form Squads of Three combat though will be more offensively focused than their Horde counterparts.
• Mage Squad: The Draenei before falling to the Legion and Light were obsessed and masters of Arcane Magic. They still hold remenants of much of this mastery and Squads of three Mages focus on devastating enemy troops.
• Elekk Riders: A squad of three Elekk riders each six yards apart armed with light blessed lances which can project their close ranged paladin spells over a much longer distance.
• Single Entity: The Draenei make extensive use of various individual entities to serve both as front line combat units or supports. These mainly include the Warframe battlemech, the rare Vigilants (think Eldar Wraithguard both loadouts mixed into one unit warhammer fans), the Batteries of the AoL which fires bolts of light autoloaded by the system, and then a repeating ballista which fires crystal crossbolts. Occasional Blade Masters independent of the Orcish Blade Masters also fight as lone champions of the light.
• Lightforged Vindicator Squad: arranged in slightly larger four man strike squads, while the Lightforged are rarer than the standard Draenei they require a larger squad due to the risk of the missions they engage in, these Paladins form a four man square with three to five yards between them.
• Lightforged Warpriests: Arranged like their army's Vindicators, these priests are also of a far more offensively minded than their Azeroth based counterparts. These priests are reluctant to heal, instead focusing on do damage to the enemy and completion of objectives first.
• Lightforged Sharpshooter Squad: A powerful skirmishing unit armed with Naaru designed, light infused Arrows. Independently these archers are skilled enough to match the Night Elf Sentinel elites, or Dark Rangers, but like the Dark Rangers their special equipment dramatically increases their damage potential.
• Purified Auxiliaries: A later addition to the Army of the Light, the Purified are of Human, Dwarf, and Azeroth Draenei serving under the Army of the Light using Army of the Light Equipment and what the Army of the Light considers basic necessary empowerments. On the battlefield they use their own traditional squads.
-The Draenei then use the Alliances Company structure, but with their limited numbers Draenei companies are half or less than the size of Alliance companies.
• Vindicator Company: Five Vindicator Squads form a forward line and two Elekk Squads prepare to flank the battle line or form breaches that are used by their foot paladin comrades or serve as logistical support as needed, behind the main line two Draenei Priest squads with a reserve Paladin Squad support keep all the combatants energized and alive.
• Exodar Siege Company: Four single entities such as repeating Ballista form the core of the Company with three Vindicator Squads as a front line, a Mage Squad or Druid Squads and two Priest Squads support the Ballistas.
• Broken Company: Seven Broken Stalker Squads forming a wide semi-circle with roughly ten yards between each squad are supported by three Shaman Squads clustered in the center who will provide both healing and additional damage for the Broken.
• Magic Support Company: Three Shaman Squads, and three Mage Squads are mixed and spread with eight yards between each, supporting them are two priest Squads and two forward placed Vindicator squads to help intercept hostiles. This Company is reserved for when heavy doses of none-light based magic are necessary.
• Heavy mobility Company: Elekk Rider Squads make up the first five Squads forming a relatively dense front line for the Draenei, after typically two Single Entities, most commonly repeating ballista, bring up support while three Priest Squads keep both rider and mount healthy and ready to go. This force can also quickly move and Deploy the foundations of a Draenei Base camp even well ahead of a Draenei task force.
• Army of the Light Vindicator Company: Four Lightforged Vindicator Squads take to the front of the formation providing security as two Lightforged Sharpshooter Squads provide support from the flanks, meanwhile Two Lightforged Warpriests join the assault and ensure their company members don't die.
• Army of the Light Mobile Armor Strike Company: Built around Brining the most possible firepower with as much mobility as possible four warframe, Battery, or Vigilant Single Entities are supported by two Elekk Rider squads with Lightforged riders, a Lightforged Warpriest squad and a Mage Squad with Lightforged mages.
• Purified Auxiliary Company: Eight squads of Purified Auxiliaries supported by a Single Entity such as warframes or Battery, as well as a Lightforged Warpriest Squad are all united to use the Purified Auxiliaries as a steadfast frontline while the Lightforged Warpriests move about to keep their allies alive while the Single Entity deals damage to enemy forced that expose themselves.
• Combined AOL/Exodar forces: Formed from a combined force of Draenei from Azeroth and Lightforged Draenei this Force Consists of two Lightforged Vindicator squads, Two Draenei Priest Squads, Two Lightforged Sharpshooter Squads, a Mage and a Shaman Squad, as well as a Single Entity, typically a Warframe, and a Purified Auxiliary Squad all combine With the Lightforged Vindicator's to the front with the Draenei Vindicators supporting the rear as the Priests and Auxiliaries take to the center with the Sharpshooters to the flanks.
• The Raid: Almost exclusively used by adventurers, the effectiveness of the 15 to 30 man raid on Azeroth and beyond has not been questioned and national leaders still throw out money to adventurers willing to form raiding groups which often ignore mainline battles, and instead go "boss farming" killing champions, commanders, monsters, and vital assets of a enemy force.
-After the Companies the Draenei make use of the Battalions structure of the Alliance. Though rarely seen in full Battalion force.
• Exodar Vindicator Deployment: Four Vindicator Companies Form a secure block around a Magic support company or Heavy Mobility Company. This half often acts as a defensive block either protecting other halves of their Battalion or holding the Line for the Draenei to raise the defense or evacuate.
• Exodar Siege Defense Battalion: A Vindicator Company forms the Forward intercept as two Vindicator Companies, Heavy mobility Companies or Magic Support Companies provide support and immediate defense for two Exodar Siege Companies. These Battalions are meant to stave off hostile forces and hold a mainline against invades
• Broken Tribe: Five Broken Companies unite to form a Battalion sized movement of their own, often either supporting their Draenei brethren or sabotaging threats to themselves or the Draenei. As such these Battalions sized forces are often hidden and seldom expected to appear even by their kin.
• Army of Light Lightning Strike Force: Meant for swift in and out combat Three Lightforged Vindicator Companies deploy in a scattered drop arrangement with two Army of the Light Mobile Armor Strike Companies deploy after them often with Warframes that are equipped with mission specific or high mobility wargear. These Battalions are meant for swift strikes deep into enemy territory followed by a rapid withdrawal.
• Army of Light Battlefront Force: Two Purified Auxiliary Companies form a solid defensive line, while two Lightforged Vindicator Companies support the front with swift offensive thrusts further supported by a Army of the Light Mobile Armor Strike Company .
• Army of Light Combined Forces Battalion Half: Comprised of two companies worth of Combined AOL/Exodar forces, two Purified Auxiliary Companies, and a Exodar Siege Company or a Army of the Light Mobile Armor Strike Company. these Battalions rely on their Purified Auxiliaries to hold the line saving Draenei from unnecessary casualties as the Lightforged and Draenei combine their forces to wear through enemy forces
The Darkshore Burns
Tyrande unleashed another Starfall spell upon the ratmen horde. Within moments Rats in their dozens burned under the rain of starfire. Slowly the Priestess of Elune and the defenders of Mount Hyjal had begun to push the Ratmen back towards their portal. The thick carpet of rat corpses occasionally causing warriors to stumble.
Tyrande herself had taken a honor guard of both priestesses of Elune and Druids and thrust deep into the ratmen lines, killing countless foes, and destroying much of their corrupt weapons which fouled the lands beneath Nordrassil with tainted mists and their cruel fel-stone. Each time the Priestesses and their Druid, Dragonflight, and Dryad escorts would push through. The Priestesses Moonsabers tearing apart Rats as they pushed forward, as Dryad Hooves crushed skulls, and Dragonspawn crushed the rats beneath their bulk. Yet Tyrande found no grand champions of the Rat Hordes, nor did she find some grand commander. Rather these rat troops seemed to simply throw themselves into battle by command of others hidden even further back.
So denied Tyrande targeted the rats weapons, and against the wrath of Elune, the Warth of Nature and that of the Green Dragonflight, the ratmen were incapable of stopping them. Only if Tyrande pushed for the portal did the Rats present a soild front to stop the High Priestess of Elune, mustering whatever pitiful excuse they had in place of courage to stand against her. And each time they died in their tens against her alone, the might of Elune beyond whatever magics these rats imbued themselves with.
Tyrande threw herself into reaping a toll against the Ratmen, knowing that the weapon that had harmed Malfurion yet still was not among those she had yet destroyed. And so Tyrande kept attacking and probing looking for a opening to push to the Portal and cut off the constant trickle of Ratmen reinforcements. What had once been a mighty typhoon was now little more than a stream, a certain relief for the Defenders, but still not enough of a change to stop the damage being done by the Rats to the base of Nordrassil.
Even as the Night Elf leader readied herself for another go at the portal a bird's cry snatched the Priestess' attention goal as the Wild God Aviana landed next to her. The Lady of Birds stared level with the High Priestess for a long moment before speaking. "Do not try again for the portal. A strong magic has amassed outside of it and is about to pass through. Goldrinn and I plan to end this battle ourselves, these rat prey will blight our mountain no longer." Then the Goddess took flight again.
A powerful leader of the other world passing through a powerful magic that the Goddess Aviana noticed through the portal. Tyrande could not risk such a foe possibility surviving whatever the Wild Goddess and God intended to bring down on the ratmen. Looking to her Priestesses Tyrande steeled herself, "We go for the Portal, we shall slay the leader of these rats. The coward finally elected to reveal himself, we must confirm the leader's death to ensure the collapse of their army."
The Kaldorei, their Green Dragonspawn and Dryad allies charged into a gap between the ranks between the Rats. The powers of Elune, the strength of the Dragonspawn and the rain of arrows and javelins from the force, along with their momentum kept ahead of the ratmen, preventing them from closing around them, though their route of escape was already closed behind them.
Eventually though the force of just shy of fifty members was both surrounded by the masses of the Ratmen to their rear, and heavily armored red painted Black Rats to their front. But Tyrande had no design to fall back, so instead the High Priestesses of Elune dropped her starfall on the heavily armored foes and with a shout sent the Dragonspawn into and through the Red Armores ratmen's ranks. Swiftly three Dragonspawn fell, but the Ratmen ranks were disrupted and atop their Moonsabers and with Dryads at their sides managed to force their way through the rat ranks.
However even as the High Priestess and her escort breached the defensive line, reaching the chaotic and less populous rear of the ratmen where troops were hurrying to move supplies into a mysterious tunnel some sort of device had dug, they had been forces to abandon most of their Dragonspawn allies in the midst of the Ratmen elites. The Dragonspawn were vicious foes, but against the Black furred Rats and their Halberds the Dragonspawn would not survive.
Still Tyrande rode on, Ash'alah tearing into any of the rats she could as she passed. The Saber Cats of the Kaldorei feeling a greater than usual vindictive hate of these particular foes. Soon Tyrande was close to the ruins of the Alliance encampment and the portal. In sight of the Portal Tyrande and her escorts watched as more ratmen marched through the portal. But now at their center was a single Rat with Horns sprouting from his skull and at his side a twisted brutish monstrosity.
"Fel-Rat! You dare invade Azeroth, prepare to die!" Tyrande shouted to the rat, earning little more than a confused and startled squeak. Immediately Tyrande fired an arrow at the Rat only for the massive creature behind to step before its leader and the arrow to sink deeply into its chest. As this happened the Rat's paw slammed into the ground and suddenly green flames errupted from beneath Tyrande's escort. Many priestesses caught in the flame were engulfed screaming, and startled many dryads also screamed though most of their kind were instead unharmed their resistanceto magic protecting them. Even So Tyrande had only just begun to fight the Ratmen's leader and between reaching him and that sudden attack nearly a third of her escorts were dead.
Tyrande then thrust her hands forward a beam of moonfire lancing towards the rat leader. But even as she did her opponent let out a screech and Tyrande could feel magical force leached from her attack, the beam lanced into the Ratman's bulky companion but the beast remained standing. Meanwhile ratmen from the portal unleashed a yell and rushed forward to meet the Dryads and Priestesses in battle, most dying before ever reaching either foes.
Tyrande's foe then pointed a claw towards the Priestess and with a yell cast a bolt of green lighting at Tyrande, but through Elune's blessing the High Priestess caught the attack on her bow deflecting it into the ground. In response, as the rat was snorting a green powder from a stone vial. Tryande empowered one of her arrows launching a the burning projectile at the Rat's bodyguard, while two Dryads charged the beast. As the arrow closed and the Dryads raised their spears the monster's third arm unleashed another torrent of green flame. Tyrande's arrow was consumed, but the Dryads confidently pushed on through the flames.
However to Tyrande's horror as she passed through one Dryad stopped, her hair and fur catching ablaze, and they dryad fell to the ground screaming in pain. Meanwhile her companion pushed through the flames unharmed still and instead roared with an outraged defiance thrusting her spear into the monster's chest, only for a four fingered claw to catch the thrust as the beast's other claw came crashing down atop of her breaking the dryad's back forcing her hind legs to give out.
In response Tyrande quickly called upon Elune to heal the Dryad, however even as the High Priestess spent her energy healing the Dryad the beast holding her used the Dryad like a club slamming her into the ground over and over. Meanwhile Dryad spears and Kaldorei arrows tore into the ratmen thinning their ranks as Tyrande closed on their leader.
Tyrande launched a arrow which struck the shoulder of the beast rat defending the leader, the creatures green lit skull flaring in pain as it roared at her. Then she saw the Horned Rat open his eyes with green energy spilling out as it released a laughing squeak. Suddenly a howl filled the air as a gale of winds filled the battlefield, arrows and thrown javelins seeing their trajectories thrown off as visible winds of green surrounded all the combatants allowing the rats to close into melee.
Still Tyrande pushed on now drawing a blade to strike down her rat foe who smiled cruelly. The High Priestess was matched by the Giant rat beast who tried to stop her advance but Ash'alah's claws met the massive rats and her blade deflected the third arm of the beast which sent a gout of green flame into a mob of ratmen burning them all to death. Then the Rat leader pointed his staff to Tyrande's chest, no beam of light or other force leapt forth but instead suddenly breathing became difficult for the High Priestess, her every movement putting a strain she could feel in her ribs as if they were about to break. Still she managed to push through the pain, and even as her vision blurred fended off a strike from the massive rat beast while Ash'alah pulled a leg from under the protector of the Rat Leader.
But as this happened the Rat began to Squeak out a full incantation and as the little beast rattled on Tyrande and Ash'alah struggled with and eventually pushed past his defender and leapt for the Rat who as they closed a yard away from ripping his skull from his head opened his green glowing eyes and stomped his foot onto the ground. Green energy split the very earth spreading across the entire battlefield, as the rat ducked scurrying away and barely avoiding Ash'alah. The ground split and the green energy struck many from below, others were thrown by the disrupted earth or ever pierced by sudden flying rocks.
Tyrande prepared to bring a starfall down on the battlefield herself when a new crack resounded above. The fighting stopped and all combatants looked up to Nordrassil. The great tree's branches were shaking and shifting aside. At first everyone seemed confused though Tyrande could already hear panicked squeaking from her foes. And then as if a dam had broken, the sky fell.
Snow, ice from frozen dew both small as the size of trees, frozen leaves, and broken branches fell from Nordrassil onto the battlefield. Both armies fled as tides of snow fell onto where they battled, Drakonids were crushed under ice, and entire formations of rats which had required dedicated forces to hold back were lost under blankets of white.
At the portal the Rat leader disappeared then reappeared behind Tyrande with a 'bmph' running into the Hole the rats had dug just before a great branch of Nordrassil followed by tons of snow fell onto it blocking the tunnel. Tyrande then fled herself, Ash'alah running at her fastest with the remaining Dryads and Priestesses on Moonsabers behind her. But the Priestesses all rode white consumed them.
Elsewhere the falling Ice and Snow devastated the battle, great branches crashed into and destroyed the Skaven's lighting cannons. A doomwheel attempted to flee only for leaves to gunk up the machine before ice smashed the device. Hundreds of the rat invaders died in the first few seconds.
The portal found tons of snow crashing onto it and the magical access to the world of Mallus disappeared under broken branches, snow and ice. However as the Ice and Snow destroyed the invader army almost entirely removing their presence on Hyjal, the fall reaped a horrific toll on those on the summit indiscriminately. A shard of ice larger than a tree shattered on the Shrine of Goldrinn leveling the entire area. A massive branch crushed over a hundred in the Verdant Thicket and killed many trees. And even the Shrine of Aviana was now buried under snow and ice. But for now Hyjal was safe and it's defenders had time to recover and prepare.
Tyrande surfaced from the snow gasping for air. Ash'alah pulled both herself and the High Priestess from the snow. Tyrande then was allowed to survey the devastation about her, some of her Dryad allies and fellow Priestesses were pulling themselves out from under the snow and ice. These few were still no more than six, six out of nearly fifty companions.
A bird's cry grabbed Tyrande's attention as Aviana landed next to the High Priestess. "What the hell did you think you were doing?!" The Wild Goddess demanded of the High Priestess glaring down at Tyrande as she slowly picked herself up.
"You said one of their leaders was coming through, I was going to break these ratmen and allow us to win this war." Tyrande retorted harshly glaring back at the Sky Goddess.
"And now that leader has escaped, the link between him and dark beings on the other side of the portal still strong." The Goddess retorted harshly before softening her expression. "We both failed, and You already are suffering enough. But I fear for what is to come because i can still sense that link and both monstrosities that dwell on the other side of it. But now it's too late, both here and for Darkshore."
Tyrande looked to Aviana. "What do you mean?" The High Priestess asked, a nervous knot forming in her stomach.
"The Horde has suddenly ramped up their support for the war. Suramar are disrupting portals from Hyjal and the Horde have established anti-air defenses in Felwood. And this Avalanche has trapped most of our forces here until this ice melts. We can only send very few to Darkshore and we're uncertain of if they will even arrive alive." The Goddess explained.
"Then prepare your Harpies, and get me a Hippogryph, we will just have to break the Horde's Air-defense." Tyrande decided, determined that she would help and save Darkshore from the Horde as she had promised.
"No, You're at the doors of the Night Court. If I allow you to press on anymore, Elune will need a replacement for you. You stay here, and heal." The Goddess countered picking up Tyrande gently.
"No, my people need me." The High Priestess insisted.
"Alive. They need you alive...and we need you alive for what I fear is to come. It will take just a hour in the moonwell, but that should give me time to prepare for your mission as well." Aviana countered causing Tyrande's body to loosen as tension and strength left her body.
Thanquol breathed rapidly, his heart feeling as though it were about to explode. He had been so close, that Elf-thing had nearly killed him. And she somehow brought the entire sky down atop him, but in typical non-Skaven stupidity she brought it down on herself as well.
But still with his brilliant foresight Thanquol had avoided the tide of falling snow saving himself. And like always he, as a Grey Seer, was someone any Skaven should be happy to die in order to protect him. So all those Clanrats he tossed aside as he ran down the tunnel to escape the wall of white chasing after him had performed a glorious service for the Under-Empire.
Still since he had encountered the female Elf-thing in this world a voice had been nagging at him. A constant whisper, telling Thanquol to speak its God-cursed name and call upon it. To enact a summoning and breach the veil between worlds, realms, reason and insanity to bring the voice forth to reap a toll on the Elf-things. That all Thanquol needed to do was go to where the winds of magic met the laylines, to go to a Moonwell and call upon it and they would spill great tides of blood from his enemies.
But Thanquol knew better, even as he marched down the tunnels silently, slaves and Clanrats looking upon the grey seer with both awe and confusion. They were always blind to higher thought and constructions of their better, always so stupid and blind compared to one as beloved by the Horned Rat as Thanquol.
Thanquol would summon the Daemon, if only to hopefully be rid of it. But not now, not until he could ensure there were much more enticing foes to battle than himself nearby once the ritual was complete. And for that Thanquol needed both time and information.
Thanquol need to be saf...no Thanquol needed a scheme worthy of his brilliance! Why just bring forth the Daemon with a army to hopefully kill it, when he can ensure the deaths of his enemies alongside that blasted warp beast! Truly Thanquol was the Horned Rat's greatest and deserved none of the this jealous assaults on his nerves from beings as lesser to himself as Daemons.
Maiev Shadowsong looked across the Wildbend River in the distance and at her side Captain Summermoon did the same. Both leaders could sense the truth of their situation, while more and more allies of the Kaldorei had arrived the Horde had now grown far more resolute and far more bloodthirsty. Even their Rat allies had adapted their tactics, if only slightly, and now the rats used their masses to hold forces so the Horde could catch the Kaldorei or so Horde spell casters could get off better more lethal spells.
But the real disturbing truth was, that unless the mount Hyjal forces arrived soon. This river and everyone manning it's defense was all that stood between the Horde and claiming Victory over Darkshore. The battle in Felwood ironically then becoming vital as suddenly Suramar turned on the Night Elves, where the city had at first washed their hands of the war only sending token forces to support the Horde, now those forces were bitterly involved in the conflict and the Nightborne were steadfastly disrupting the limited portal networks used by the Kaldorei. Even disrupting those in use by Darnassus which forced the Draenei to repurpose their fleet from assisting in combating the Horde to helping evacuate the Kaldorei.
Felwood would be the fastest route to fly reinforcements from Hyjal's summit into the battlefield where certainly Dragons and Wild Gods would be far beyond the Horde's current ability to handle. But The Felwood Sentinels had been struggling, their formal command lost, but their forces alongside Broll were holding the Horde's forces under Saurfang back from supporting Darkshore.
"We hold them here or we die. I plan to lead Champions across the river and strike at the densest concentrations of Horde forces." Maiev stated to the Captain at her side.
"Maiev, speak with the Ancients. There are those among them who are still enraged about their grove, and they might not be able to hold back from attacking any longer. They might serve as a good aid for crossing the river." The Captain provided, earning a grim smile in return from Maiev as thanks.
"I shall make sure their Vengeance is as deep as Elune's shadow." And the Warden was then gone, off to prepare her offensive.
Velbok Mandirt groaned as he sat back, and far away, from the Skaven's war machines while the Skaven leader squeaked out commands to his subordinates. Velbok assumed the Skaven didn't realize but the Horde was slowly learning their language, though the variety of regional dialects and accents was making it difficult. Of course Velbok was probably one in thirty, at most, members of the Horde to be learning the language but still a genius of his caliber needed multiple hobbies, and he certainly wasn't
going to waste his talents working alongside the Gnomes.
Even if he had to suffer multiple indignities, the Gnomes attitude about science could well see his achievements stolen from him by people who not only would act as if they weren't profiting from his work, but even act as though they themselves were the ones to think of it. He'd much rather at least see some financial profit from his work...or in his current case, from observing the works of others.
The Skaven design philosophy itself was surprisingly well rounded, however their fuel source was another issue all together. If Velbok could get them to find a suitable substitute their tech could probably then be miniaturized and he could then help them sell it, for a handsome cut of the profits of course. Already miniaturized versions of the Lightning Cannon as a man-portable weapon were flashing through Velbok's mind, potential designs and theories passing through his thoughts. The general theory of how the Skaven's weapon functioned was easy enough for Velbok to understand, but many specifics of the design still needed to be learned before the Goblin could see his vision made reality.
Of course to achieve that he needed to get in with the Skaven, a people whose nature made them nearly as hostile to him as the nobles of Stormwind. Each time Velbok tried to go 'assist' with operating the cannons the notepad carry goblin was met with knives and swords from hissing ratfolk. Thus the Goblin was forced to stay away from the weapons instead liaising with Ikit Claw, whenever the irate rat would tolerate him long enough to not threaten him away or just ignore him. Still the proposal to use the Shredders as weapon supports or combining weapon designs in the future were mostly brushed off by the rat, though occasionally Ikit would slow down and it felt to Velbok that maybe he was getting through to the rat lord.
Still advice and suggestions shared between the Chief Warlock and the Goblin engineer was limited and primarily focused around securing firing positions for the Skaven's weapons so they could launch their attacks across the river. In particular the Skaven's mortars and the Lightning Cannons were both Ikit and Velbok's priorities. The Lightning Cannons were potentially powerful weapons, strong enough even to potentially down an Alliance Gunship with one shot, if the weapon was operating at it's peak power and not at risk of blowing itself up. Meanwhile the Mortars were from a military sense far more valuable, while maybe not as long of ranged, the light portable weapons when dug in would certainly allow the Horde to unleash severe damage into the Night Elf bitches with little fear of counter volleys.
"If we take this point here the Mortars should be able to strike halfway across the third island of the river. It would put you close to any counter attack, but you would be able to cut off the Kaldorei escape." Velbok suggested to the Skaven who looked over the map provided to him.
"No-no. Cannon's need space to destroy-kill foes!" The Lord protested, pointing to the open firing lines across the river. "We put-shove mortars here! Still hit all three islands still."
"We shouldn't do that, there's the hill there and that third island, the path to the bridge is entirely outside the firing range of where you want those Mortars." Velbok retorted to the Skaven who just groaned.
"Fine-fine! We put it all here then!" The Skaven Lord growled, earning a sigh from his goblin counterpart.
"You're just asking for them to assault your position then!" Velbok pointed out the obvious.
"Then-then prove those inferior Shredders are-definitely not-are worth using!" The Skaven retorted with a shout. He then stormed over to his weapon teams squeaking out orders to the Skaven who all began marching towards the south-western heights near the islands of Wildbend river. Immediately Velbok huffed in frustration rushing back towards the Horde's supply base to demand Shredders.
Aursuun scrambled up the side of the Ancient before the massive oaken creature strode forward each wide step more than several of the Draenei's own. Even as they went the Ancient already was into the river, waters that Aursuun would have had to swim through only coming up to the Ancient's waist. Still his ride continued with determined strides and the Draenei could sense the wrath of the creature beneath him. Aursuun knew the Kaldorei had planned a vital target of the Horde's forces though he didn't know which, though he certainly knew the importance of the mission.
Nearby on another Ancient rode Silandel Lividbrook, the human Eike Brunner close behind her with a pair of pistols in his hands. Then the first splashes and explosions as well as the sound of boulders colliding with the other shore. "Silandel! Hold ready!" The Draenei shouted while preparing to bless her and her mount with a divine shield should he sense the pair were in danger of the green lightning and flying spheres of poison crashing about them. Already Aursuun knew who they were going to face in a moment as the seemingly signature weapons fire of the Skaven showed who he was about to face. A green flash and a instant casting and a sphere of green was deflected from Silandel and into the river her Ancient only being exposed to a minimal amount of the green gas but clearly weakening.
And then Aursuun and his mount were across the river. Rats swarmed while Ancient branch arms crushed them and batted them aside with little concern. With Aursuun atop it, blessing it, the Draenei's mount pushed ahead. Meanwhile at his side, the mount for Silandel and Eike had fallen, weakened by the gas the Ancient was eventually killed by the ratmen's spears. Silandel and Eike within seconds were surrounded the Void Elf and human.
"Silandel, hold on! Move to them you stiff stick fool, please we need them!" The Paladin Shouted, and with some prompting encouraged his mount and ally to the side of his comrades. Swiftly the Ancient took to the side of the pair as Aursuun cast the hand of reckoning. Many of the Skaven, Aursuun could see a righteous wrath fill them or an intimidated fear of the Draenei. Many of the Skaven started lashing out towards Aursuun with their weapons though many still kept on Silandel and Eike, but by the light more Ancients crossed the shore joining the fight. But even as the battle raged, green gases spread and bolts struck down Ancients. Still Aursuun pressed on the power of the Skaven failing to take him and his Ancient.
The Ancients assault on the Skaven closed on the ratmen's weapons already their infantry lines breaking under the bark of the Ancients. Only the red armored heavy infantry of the Skaven stood between the weapons and the wrathful Ancients. And satisfaction filled the Paladin as he spotted the heavily armored Skaven leader rushing to the front to vainly try to stop the Ancients.
With Adventurers, champions of the Alliance, Lightforged of the Army of Light, and now Druids all pushing against them the Skaven line was swiftly crumbling. Then the war horns blew, Horde Champions, Goblin Shredders, and a tide of Grunts charged into the flanks of the assault as Forsaken rose from the waters behind the Allaince forces crossbows unleashing into the backs of the noble defenders or Darkshore. Within a matter of moments absolute victory was snatched from the Alliance assault. But Aursuun and many others grimly determined to take some measure of victory before being forced to either sell their lives dearly or escape if they could.
Ancients threw bolders, champions rushed forth and Lightforged plunged into the Skaven lines. Even as the Horde began to overwhelm them, the Lighting Cannons all save for two were destroyed. Then after several moments of intense fighting more as the encirclement about the Alliance forces began to form, the Assault broke. Men and Women fled from the fighting those able to teleport began to do so, while others even began to teleport comrades from the battle while others began to flee in more traditional manners as even the Ancients plunged into the river to wade away from the fighting.
As the Alliance forces fled green spheres landed among them unleashing clouds of poisons horrific beyond compare. Warriors died as their flesh warped and boiled, or while coughing up their own blood and liquified innards. All the while Blood crazed Orcs pursued the Alliance's soldiers, some even braving the toxic clouds just to attack their hated foes, and Forsaken arrows and bullets rained about the fleeing alliance force.
Aursuun was uncertain who had called the retreat. Recalling seeing Maiev Shadowsong first fighting the Skaven leader one moment but then seeing her blink away the next. But certainly the Alliance's route might have even cost them the battle entirely if not for several Kaldorei ships, loaded with Sentinels and armed with glaive throwers appeared on the river firing into the Horde forces and forcing them away and back into the abandoned Grove of the Ancients. One saving grace for the Alliance also was the lack of the Vampire Count's forces. They had disappeared over a hour ago, but the lack of their presence had certainly been felt across the battlefield much to the Alliance's benefit.
Without their Undead Allies the Lightforged had been pressing much harder and more successfully into the Horde's armies, but now the the Horde was starting to show their own advantages. The river allowed the Forsaken to launch ambushes from beneath the waves while the Orcs relentlessly pressed forward. All while Tauren single handedly created openings that anyone, particularly the Skaven were taking advantage of. And the Ratmen and Goblins brought various weapons to the battle that were now starting to show their strength. If not for the arrival of the Sentinel Fleet Aursuun was certain, the Night Elves would have run out of arrows within a hour of this retreat, simply not able to produce arrows fast enough to match the rate they were firing them into the Horde's forces.
Deftly the Draenei leapt from his Ancient mount watching the massive ally stride back away from the battle while he sought out orders and direction on where to best assist the battlefield. Aursuun found the swiftly dismantling Sentinel command camp, likely pulling back to where the Kaldorei planned their next line of defense. There Captain Delaryn Summermoon was surrounded by multiple aids giving orders and responding to reports. As Aursuun approached eager to offer any assistance the draenei could the Captain's outcry stopped him.
"What do you mean Lor'danel is under siege?!" The Captain demanded, looked between each of her aids.
"The Horde Forces somehow crossed over the Felwood mountains and launched an assault on the town from the southwest of the Ruins of Mathystra. They don't have any heavy equipment, but their approach and numbers has Turalyon convinced the town will fall to Varok Saurfang within hours." The aids reported as the captain thought desperately of how to salvage the situation. Aursuun sadly recognized what that meant for the Alliance, soon they would loose Darkshore to the Horde, and following Darkshore's defeat an invasion of Teldrassil would be inevitable. For any sort of resistance to the Horde saving everyone they could would be necessary.
"Damn it at this rate we'll be forced into a pocket at Auberdine. I'll go to..." The Captain began only to be cut off.
"Lady Maiev Shadowsong already has given orders Captain. She took the Watchers and all of her Wardens and is heading to Lor'danel as we speak. She ordered us to hold the eye of the vortex hill." One of the Sentinels provided earning a further glare and sigh from the captain.
"Damn that woman, even with the Sentinels arriving we can't hold like this!" Summermoon raged. And her statement was truth, the Horde's momentum, and the collapse of anything resembling a ordered defense from the Kaldorei meant the Horde would be able to push north brushing aside any resistance the Alliance tried to stage with ease.
Now Aursuun stepped forward. "We do what we can, but the war is lost. I propose we harass the Horde forces as they travel north, if we can weaken them and threaten a counter-attack from their rear maybe we can force them to disengage or at least halt long enough for us to evacuate and prepare for future assaults." The Paladin suggested.
"I can't abandon Maiev. Prepare forces to engage the Horde as they pass the Eye of the Vortex hill, however we will not commit to the hill. If the horde try to storm the hill we'll allow them to take it and assault it again after their army has passed. I am going to Bashal'aran we will stage our final defense there. Get everyone else to Auberdine and start the evacuation." Immediately the Sentinels set out to follow their orders, and behind them Aursuun began his own trek towards the Eye of the Vortex hill.
Elsewhere Lor'danel was site of brutal combat. Horde champions, Adventures, Grunts and Deathguard swarmed into the town as the Lightforged and Sentinels attempted to stall Horde in blood soaked melees. civilians fled to boats or started to swim to Teldrassil. And at the center of the battle Jarod Shadowsong and Turaylon stood defiant of the Horde. But despite this the wrath of the Orcs, and the curses of Trolls set the town ablaze as their savagery was unleashed.
"Jarod, go escape south, I will hold them here for as long as it takes!" The human leader of the Army of the Light Ordered, his blade holding back three Orcs who tried to strike him down. Each of the Green warriors meeting their end one after another by the Paladin's hand.
"Where would I flee to?" A simple but piercing question as Jarod also fought, his blade and shield already stained as a Tauren collided with the Night Elf throwing him back several yards where the Ancient Hero landed on his feet still ready to battle.
"Anywhere in the Alliance other than here! If you hold on any longer you might not escape. The army of the Light we can still likely break out of any encirclement, but not if you remain. Get to the ships at the shore, NOW!" The General of the Army of the Light ordered with a shouted explanation as Vindicators rushed to their side.
As soon the Vindicators joined their side Jarod took off at a run from the battle. Leaving others to fight for the Kaldorei while he fled proving painful for the Ancient hero. However If the Army of the Light and the Kaldorei needed him and those he could take to leave, then he would.
While the Shadowsong fled he could feel another behind them and spun blocking a powerful axeblow. Deflecting the blow to his side Jarod witnessed the detrmined gaze of Varok Saurfang. The Orc leader glaring to the Night Elf with absolute determination and rage.
"Damn, and I thought I could get away without having to face you." Jarod sighed, a mix of dispair and disappointment in his voice.
"Face me with honor, and your people might yet be allowed to live." The Orc Lord stated firmly with a grim growl in his voice.
And thus two heroes faced off on the shoreline of Darkshore as the town of Lor'danel burned covering with the flicker of it's flames and the shadows between each blaze casting streaks of shadow over the pair.