Topic
• [War Effort] • The Borderlands Campaign •
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Edited by Waywatcher on 20/01/12 10:05 (UTC)
The Borderlands Campaign - intro The conflict in the Twilight Highlands is not yet long forgotten, but the north has licked its worst wounds. Warlords of the Horde are talking: the time could be right to cut off the last remnants that unite the southern lands to the Alliance’s last feeble strongholds in the north – Aerie Peak and Stromgarde. The stubborn Gilnean people, as well, have to be punished for their continuous struggles against the Forsaken fronts. Troops of Quel’thalas and Lordaeron are massing. Longboats filled with warbands of Kalimdor disembark to the shores of the north. A massive invasion is quietly brewing under the winds of winter. Meanwhile, commanders of the Alliance, brooding over maps and figures of lead, plan for desperate counter-measures. The recent spy reports from the north make it clear that the Horde intends to retaliate the strike against Dragonmaw Port soon. To prevent this, several free companies of the Alliance are sent over Thandol Span, their mission to man the strongholds, weaken the Forsaken grasp in Arathi Highlands and eventually to re-open the roads to Gilneas. The Borderlands – including Silverpine Forest, Hillsbrad Foothills, Arathi Highlands and Wetlands – stand in the brink of a newly rising tide of steel and blood. The Borderlands Campaign draws near. Hello there, folks of Argent Dawn! It was earlier asked by Twinkelspark in the forums if it would be possible to make an RP-PvP campaign without the PvP part. I answered that it would be entirely possible. And now I present to you, a long-waited sequel to the Highlands Campaign (played one year ago) – the Borderlands Campaign! The Borderlands Campaign will be played for several weeks, starting from 1st of April. It will introduce a strategic approach to warfare. All player-versus-player battles played during it are voluntary – guilds and individuals can play them if they wish. And more importantly, when they wish. Skirmishes will not have any effect on the bigger picture of the campaign. The actual campaign proceeds using MISSIONS, which are Dungeon master –led adventures available each week for the armies. Accomplishing missions will give the armies victory points that eventually define the winner of the campaign. Mostly NPC characters are battled during these missions and they are meant to be more chances for roleplaying than competitive PvP. Like the Highlands Campaign, this one is likely to involve lots of people. This is why individual characters cannot sign up for it (even though they're still highly welcome to roleplay in the area during the campaign - they're just not a part of the military effort). Signing up happens through guilds. If you wish to be a part of this, it is recommended that you either join to a guild that is participating (or ally yourself with them without leaving your current guild) or quick-create your own guild with your friends to form up an army unit or an independent mercenary group. If this succeeds, we will have the north of the Eastern Kingdoms filled with moving troops and army camps struggling against each other for weeks. It will be massive and tremendous like the Highlands Campaign was… or even better! This will be the big boomer of this Spring, if not the whole year – something you don’t want to miss. Got yourself interested? Then read on! There’s plenty of text down there waiting. |
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Edited by Waywatcher on 10/03/12 21:55 (UTC)
The Alliance units Crimson Dusk (Mister Adaeron Fridelund) - Menethil Harbor The Stormguard (Field Marshal Amarae) Unit specialty: Infantry - Menethil Harbor Bayerleyn Retinue (Lord Shonn Bayerleyn) Unit specialty: Infantry - Refuge Pointe Ironforge Mountaineers (Captain Jaeryn Waywatcher) Arathi Honour Guard (Eorl Felian of Redhall) - Stromgarde The Northern Watch (Commander Glennah Gallagher) Unit specialty: Stealth - Stromgarde Ashenleaf Offensive (Lt. Commander Nymirra Bladestar) Unit specialty: Infantry - Refuge Pointe Anvilmar Iron Brigade (General Grannd Thunderbraid) Unit specialty: Infantry - Dun Algaz Royal Loreseeking Society of Ironforge (Feranos Nottheim) Unit specialty: Trappers - Menethil Harbor The Northshire Vigil (Templar-Captain Arthedun Averheim) Unit specialty: Cavalry - Menethil Harbor Eleventh Regiment (Colonel Theronus MacArthur) Unit specialty: Infantry Swords of Silver (Captain Alastar Revellian) - Menethil Harbor The Amber Gauntlet (Grand Master Aedeus) Unit specialty: Cavalry - Stromgarde Lordaerons Order (Grand Marshal Serion Freed) Unit specialty: Infantry - Stromgarde The Medrigan Dynasty (Lord Rurthas Jonathan Medrigan) Unit specialty: Cavalry - Refuge Pointe Children of Arathor (Lord-Commander Archios Tylisian) Unit specialty: Infantry - Stromgarde Sons of Lothar (Commander Calisa Blacklake) Unit specialty: Cavalry - Menethil Harbor The Horde units Blood Knight Guard (Knight-Lady Amythia Ashfall) Unit specialty: Cavalry - Ruins of Seradane Hellscream's Vanguard (Legionnaire Tazkram) Unit specialty: Infantry - Hammerfall The Sanguine Eye (Overseer Talenthiel Sunshard) Unit specialty: Artillery - Ruins of Seradane The Hand of Agony (Head Apotechary Akru Deathblade) Unit specialty: Artillery - Tarren Mill Moklohn Command (Warlord Savonyth) Unit specialty: Infantry - Hammerfall Chains of Sargeras Penal Unit (Deathbringer Dreadmaw) Unit Specialty: Looters - Tarren Mill The Darkspear Tribe (Yecurzo) Merged into Hellscream's Vanguard House Sinalar (Thalerin) - Hammerfall The Ashen Company (Arindir Firebrow) Unit specialty: Infantry - Ruins of Seradane The Queens Vanguard (Executor Mortilus Plaguethorn) Unit specialty: Infantry - Galen's Fall The Frozen Anguish (Dread Commander Glorvar) Unit specialty: Infantry - Tarren Mill The Office of Allegiance (First Seeker Terrestra Emberwraith) Unit specialty: Stealth - Seradane Dawnherald (Drannach Phoenixborne) Unit specialty: Infantry - Galen's Fall Warband of the Wolf (Gamork) Unit specialty: Cavalry - Hammerfall Farstrider Expedition (Kenara Sunglimmer) Unit specialty: Stealth - Ruins of Seradane Mercenary units Blackwatch (Coloner Ordgar) Unit specialty: Stealth - Refuge Pointe Grey Cloak (Reinhardt Bennett) Unit specialty: Stealth - Refuge Pointe Crimson Company (Commander Kapena Skulltaker) Unit specialty: Infantry - Hammerfall The Naz'kahet (Deathlord Angelus Arenthil) - Refuge Pointe Vestige of Catan (Lord Darill Mehlar Catan) Unit specialty: Infantry - Refuge Pointe Grim Dawn (Lord-Doctor Mussé Morland Slock) Unit specialty: Artillery - Refuge Pointe The Underground (Seh'jaka) Unit specialty: Looters - Hammerfall Other involved groups* The Silver Gauntlet (Commander Anastre Sunrise) The Argent Crusade Mardenholde Dawn (Commander Koriandr) The Argent Crusade Thorium Brotherhood (Finnsbrough) Weapons and armor merchants Walkers of the Wind (Harbinger Brockyfang Swiftwind) The Iron Vulture (Fyne) Goblin air-pirates *(These groups are not UNITS and will not participate in the campaign's missions, nor are the bound by the campaign's restrictions. They may be encountered in the area during the campaign.) Storytellers Waywatcher (executive storyteller) Elzarius Rhogor Tratius To sign up your group as an unit - do the following: - Post to this thread - Clearly tell the unit's name (this can be different from the guild's name, if the unit isn't representing the whole guild, or if it includes outsiders. Example: Ashenleaf Sentinels ->Ashenleaf Offensive) - Clearly tell the name of the unit's leader. Subcommanders don't have to be named here. - Choose an unit specialty (can be chosen later) - Choose a starting settlement (can be chosen later) |
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1. To get started! The Borderlands Campaign gets its name from taking place in the contested territories between the Forsaken and Sin’dorei settlements in the north and the Dwarven and Human kingdoms of the south. The involved regions are: Gilneas, Silverpine, Hillsbrad Foothills, Hinterlands, Arathi Highlands and Wetlands. There is a lot of information to be read here, but the start of the Borderlands Campaign is still months away, and especially the would-be unit leaders have plenty of time to read and understand how it all works. 1.1 Storytellers The campaign is mostly played freely without moderation, but the events that actually make difference to the outcome of the entire campaign are directed by a group of storytellers. The storytellers are required to run every MISSION (see: 2.3) and the executive storyteller (Waywatcher) will publicly announce the situation of the overall campaign weekly. From this DEPLOYMENT REPORT (see: 2.1) players and bystanders can see what has happened over the week and which unit is moving where. The storytellers also do minor moderation by observing that the participating guilds are playing by the mutually agreed rules. Individuals or groups that fail to do this can be removed from the campaign. In the previously mentioned missions, the storyteller acts as a raid leader who announces things through /raid warnings. He usually requires one or several rolls during the mission. These rolls define how well the characters perform in the given mission and if some characters are wounded during the attempt. 1.2 Units and deployment Participating characters will have to be a part of a larger group of characters (referred as “units”). This is because the Borderlands Campaign is a large military operation, and individual characters won’t make any difference to the big picture. Participating in the campaign is most easily done by becoming a part of an already existing unit or creating your own. Each unit has a commander who speaks for the unit to the storytellers and receives information from him. Read more of the units in 3.3. The units move on the game map fairly slowly. Each unit is allowed to re-deploy itself to another location once in a week. All unit movements are explained in the weekly deployment report by the storytellers. Read more about this in 2.1. 1.3 Victory points, gaining and losing them When the campaign begins, both armies (Alliance and Horde) have 0 victory points. Both armies aim to raise their victory points to 100, in which case the campaign ends (read more in 2.9). Armies can gain victory points through successfully completing missions (read more of them in 2.3), and they lose victory points through casualties (2.5) or when their settlement is bombarded by the enemy artillery (see: 3.3). Mercenary units gain victory points to the army they’re currently fighting for (read more of mercenaries in 3.2). Victory points of the previous week are calculated on Mondays. Victory points show how much of their goals an army has reached, without losing overly much troops while in it. |
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Edited by Waywatcher on 19/01/12 10:05 (UTC)
1.4 Mission days Missions will be played on Tuesdays and Thursdays. These missions will be hosted by the storytellers on both sides from 19:00-20:00, 20:00-21:00 and 21:00-22:00. Outside these scheduled events, all players are welcome to make up their own events that can include camp roleplaying (see: 2.4) or PvP activities (see: Skirmishes in 2.6). Unit leaders will request for a chance to take upon a mission on their weekly report to the executive storyteller (see: 2.1). Communication between the storytellers and the players will be done through Argent Archives mail or direct whispers in the game. The involvement of a storyteller on each mission is fairly short (hour is maximum) but the unit is welcomed to use much more time in its preparation and aftermath. There are twenty-five starting missions available in the campaign, and they can be found from The Borderlands Campaign: List of Missions. A few bonus missions could be added as the campaign progresses. 1.5 But what about the individuals?! The whole thing seems to be centered around “units”. So are leaders going to do all important stuff, while we others just walk along as stupid units? No. Absolutely no! Although leaders represent their unit and speak for it to the storytellers, this campaign is all about individual roleplaying. Since most of the campaign’s content is played in freeform, there will be many weeks of time for individual characters to build up different kinds of plots to the war-torn area. Rivalries, friendship, camaraderie, loyalty, betrayal… The characters should mingle and interact freely. There can even be character-level sub plots. When a couple spies slips into the enemy camp, it surely creates exciting roleplaying – even moreso, if they’re trying to rescue a prisoner. I repeat: The Borderlands Campaign is all about individual characters and unprovoked roleplaying in the area! 1.6 Timetable Monday, 26th of March: The troops should start moving to their starting deployment zones or start roleplaying preparations there. No missions are played this week. Sunday, 1th of April: First deployment report. By midnight, the unit leaders should announce the actions of their units and possible missions they take upon next week. Monday, 2nd of April: First campaign announcement. After the announcement, the units are free to move towards their destinations for the following week or roleplay in the destination. Missions are hosted by the storytellers on coming Tuesday and Thursday. Tuesday, 3rd of April: Missions are hosted from 19:00 to 22:00 by the storytellers. Thursday, 5th of April: Missions are hosted from 19:00 to 22:00 by the storytellers. Sunday, 8th of April: Second deployment report. Same deal as above. Monday 9th of April: Second campaign announcement. Same deal as above. Rince and repeat until the campaign ends. 1.7 How to sign up and how to prepare? At the time being, guilds can sign up for the event by expressing their interest to do so here in the forums. I will try to contact all guild representatives personally as soon as possible, to discuss more about their involvement. I also recommend that those who are not in appropriate guilds, would start considering if they could form up a mercenary band or a unit of their own with their friends. Individual characters could also ally themselves with a guild and join its unit with the unit leader's agreement. There is much text included in The Borderlands Campaign Primer (found here:). But not everyone has to read it all. A casual player could skim it through and read the sections concerning Wounded characters (2.5) and Supplies (2.7) more carefully. A player who’s more interested in the campaign mechanics, or who seeks to play as a unit leader, should read it all and carefully. Take your time, the event will not launch tomorrow! 1.8 Diplomacy As there isn’t any single appointed general in either of the armies, all organization falls upon the individual groups and players to work with. Both armies could select a single leader for the campaign if they can make up their mind. If not, each unit acts independently and chooses its own targets and directions. There may as well be independent companies of mercenaries that can be hired by either faction. Read more of these units from 3.2. Since each mercenary band an army manages to hire is one more unit to do your weekly missions, diplomacy is an important factor! Treaties and agreements could be made with the opposing faction as well, if the players put some thought and effort to it. If you’re still with us, continue to the full description of the campaign’s functions in the following chapters. - The Borderlands Campaign Primer: http://www.argentarchives.org/node/99514 - The Borderlands Campaign: The List of Missions: http://www.argentarchives.org/node/99513 |
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I'd like to sign up Hellscream's Vanguard for this, to see how you work it out.
And as you said, we are free to do "what ever we want" outside of the two days, which I prefer. The orcs will come and war on those who intrude on Horde lands! |
Whatever you want to an extent. Like you can see with a closer look, the movement of units will be restricted in the campaign area. But within their current region, they're fairly free to do what they please during the week - and individual characters have even more freedom. I expect that some guilds enjoy spending this time doing plenty of skirmishes. Others probably enjoy camp roleplaying more. |
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I of course am promptly curious to hear if there is a place in all of this for an Argent regiment. Nothing like being beat up by -both- sides.
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Good luck.
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I enjoyed the Highlands Campaign quite a lot, so I'll probably place a character in this one too. However, given that Verathia here isn't currently affiliated with any militaristic group, would there be any space for her I wonder?
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How about outside sources that aren't attached to guilds?
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Argent Dawn/Crusade or other "third faction" troops are too scarce and without powerbases in the Borderlands that they could fight on their own - at least to make any effort in the campaign. They could form "mercenary bands" (independent groups) that can ally themselves with either of the factions, though. Or just wander the area without taking part to the missions, and engage in operations of diplomacy (or skirmishes).
I recommend that those who are not in appropriate guilds, would start considering if they could form up a mercenary band or a unit of their own with their friends. Individual characters could also ally themselves with a guild and join its unit with the unit leader's agreement. Generally, Verathia & Seigfield, characters that aren't part of the campaign's official units can travel and frequent in the area, but they have no effect on the campaign's outcome, as they can't participate in the missions. They're free and highly welcome to engage in the roleplaying scene, however, playing all sorts of roles. Refugees, travelers, merchants, healers, diplomats, brigands, journalists and runaway soldiers quickly come in mind. |
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Oh dear. Have already had problems trying to find a decent guild to even put my healer in.
Would otherwise love to be somekind of Mercenary-hired-mender 8'D |
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So, for example during a RP-PvP campign, wheres let's say.. Similar to the barrens, one wouldn't be allowed to participate?
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I can definitely see us Argents trying to assist civilian refugees and the wounded of either faction while trying to knock some common sense into heads here and there. Consider us in, as that third faction who cannot affect the outcome but can help provide scenery and atmosphere.
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Hmmh.. Alrighty, well thanks for the swift response!
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I'd be very happy to add my guild to the list. Poke me over AA message or in-game, I have a few questions to ask and would like to discuss exactly what part we'd be playing.
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Oh dear. Have already had problems trying to find a decent guild to even put my healer in. Sav could drag you along as his personal healer? "OI, YOU, WOMAN. Keep my brother and I alive or else" >:D But this sounds awesome. The Highlands Campaign was mind-blowing, but this sounds even better yet. I'll nag Rak'shu to sign the Moks up for this! |
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Waywatcher, this has excited me in previously unknown ways. I thoroughly look forward to it.
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Seigfield: Non-unit members are welcome to take part in skirmishes (2.6) and all roleplaying in the area. They are not welcome to join unit missions (2.3). Savonyth & Baladan: Glad to hear of your enthusiasm. Needless to say, I share it! |
