[Campaign] Alternate Second War

[tuxer]

First I will start to say I am a complete noob about WE, as I am just making a small map about the siege of lordaeron by the horde and I can't barely make a quest.

Still I've an idea about a different Second War; the premise basically is: what if Lordaeron (continent) was not at peace when Stormwind fell?

Lore-wise, when Lother lead the survivors of Azeroth to the north, he would a find a plot-convenient continent at peace that could form a united front against the Horde. But what if the Azerothians found say, Gilneas and Dalaran at war, Stromgarde and Quel'Thalas dealing with a troll crusade spearheaded by troll mages while Lordaeron is containing a noble's uprising in Stratholme.

The Alliance is still formed but much different as well weaker composed of Kul Tiras, Lordaeron, the survivors of Azeroth, Khaz Modan (Ironforge and Gnomeregan both) and the traitorous Alterac. This of course would lead to a much bloodier Second War but it would make a good campaign.

 

[cleavinghammer]

Would the campaign be as orcs or humans?

 

[kakuzu]

Are you going to make the orcs to win the second war ?

 

[tuxer]

The campaign would be that at each level, the player would be given the choice of playing with a different factions - and sometimes they are not restricted to orc and human.

For instance, one of the levels I am trying - and failing - to make is the Horde attack on Darrowmere Lake. At the beginning the player has to choose to play as high elves (Caer Darrow), as humans (Stratholme) or as the Horde (Alterac). All factions have their base protected by walls, a gate and towers but have different access to resources.

The Horde controls the human city of Alterac and a rogue goldmine surrounded by dragons. It's units are a mixture of human and orc - it can train priests, death knights and its basic unit is the orc knight - a grunt with knight specs. It has easy access to both gold and wood but is fighting against two allied factions and has to repeal waves constantly. It's objectives are to capture the Runestone and destroy the high elf defense.

The high elves are a mostly magical faction. Their basic unit is elemental mage (frost nova, chain lightning, immolation and ultimate weaker blizzard), it's ranged unit is the high elf archer. It has easy access to wood with rogue - and unprotected - lumber mills where workers are harvesting to the north but the only goldmine in the area is under Horde control. However they have the Runestone which is like a moonwell but also can create "death auras" like the one seen in the siege of Dalaran.

The humans control Stratholme to the east of the map, and while they have most units (fully upgraded) they're the least protected with five towers (but can't they built more). Most of their base is "cityspace" with structures, nice tiles and fountains but little ground for building. They also have a problem with wood (mostly on the north of the map) and with gold (under Horde control). Humans have two barracks, one Castle, one blacksmith, a temple of light and max (60) food units - mostly footmen.

Each faction has different main quests. The high elves have to defeat the dragons before they burn 500 trees. The Horde has to capture the Runestone but faces constant human waves. The humans have as objective to destroy Alterac City.

Regardless of the faction chosen, the ending cinematic will show the Horde taking the Runestone and Alterac burned to the ground. The goal is to do the same to the rest of the campaign, to have the player chose different factions with different goals and strategies but without changing the plot. Basically a linear story where the player sees different POVs.

Also, for Kakuzu, I have decided to give the horde a pyrrhic victory. The horde succeeds in taking Lordaeron city, but the alliance makes a suicide mission to destroy the dark portal. With no warlocks to restore the portal and trapped in Azeroth, the horde defeats the alliance but Kul Tiras, Gilneas, Ironforge and Silvermoon still survive.

 

[cleavinghammer]

Honestly, I'm not sure it's worth replaying a level if it's the exact same ending every time.

Maybe you could make it a multi-part map, where you play as the Alliance first, with sidequests that make it easier for the Alliance later on but harder for the orcs (and vice versa). For example, defending a village on an Alliance level causes Alliance reinforcements to spawn during the orc level and a later Alliance level, while razing the village keeps as orcs them off your back but makes it harder when you're playing Alliance.