MY take on tactics in the scenario tactics
All scenarios in WAR are timed to 15 minutes and/or 500 points. So whoever first scores 500 points wins, or the game ends after 15 minutes when the side with more points wins. Sometimes when your side is in the lead it is thus better to wait for the clock to tick rather than try something risky and lose it all.
Tier 1 scenariosYou can enter Tier 1 scenarios while being ranks 1-11. If your rank is below 8, you will be boosted to rank 8 (your stats and skills are boosted, but you do not recieve any new skills from the boost) for the duration of the scenario.
NordenwatchThis seems to be the most popular scenario in Tier 1. It is a very simple "AB-clone" (excuse me the WoW term, I know AB is a clone from DAoC) and it is situated in the most popular pairing (Empire-Chaos). The queues are instant, so this is the place to where you get reknown ranks the fastest if you hit ranks 7-9 and notice you don't have the needed renown 5 for the excellent gear from renown traders.
The battlefield is (even if doesn't appear so when you stare at the map) triangle shaped, with one of the tangents being the less-used flank for both sides. Using that flank route at the correct time is crucial for victory, as 2-3 toons (one must be a healer though
)can easily make the flank move and bag the game home.
Gates of EkrundThe battle takes place inside a small keep in the Dwarf-Orc pairing. Both sides have four routes into the keep where there are three rooms to be captured (basically an AB-clone again). Inside the corridors have twists and turns, and there is one bigger open area. The fights in this scenario tend to be small skirmishes compared to bigger zergs in Nordenwatch and Khaines Embrace. As there are relatively few dwarf characters around, this scenario seems to have the longest queue of all (even at peak hours you have to wait a couple minutes as Order, and on Destro side on Karag Orrund the queue seems to be very long the few times I have tried to get in), even though it is in my opinion more fun than Nordenwatch.
In my opinion, the key to victory in this scenario is to hold the central flag. All the ranged classes should stack there, on the ledge or under them. Classes that can punt people are crucial here, as they can people down from the keep. Meanwhile a melee "hit-squad" dashes back and fort the other two flags, taking the flag and then rushing for the other (no point in defending it, as Destro will simply overrun it after the message that the flag is taken), and the hit-squad should have an easy time run through the friendly-controlled center to the other flag.
Khaines EmbraceKhaines Embrace has a different mechanics from the other two opening scenarios, as you get points (in addition from killing opponents) only when you succeed to take and hold *both* flags for 10 seconds. At that point Khaine releases his wrath, killing everybody close (close meaning everybody within sight of the flags) to the flags and the side who released the wrath scores a hefty bunch of points and resets the flags. Much of the tactics revolve around running away from the flag at the last seconds so you don't die in the blast, but the opponents can then capture the flag and prevent the blast, and basically who ever loses more toons in the blast starts short-handed for the next "round".
The map is pretty straight-forward with an intesteting twist. Both sides have a clear route to "their" flag, and from there you can advance along two routes to the opponent side; either through the tunnel or over the hill. You can also run backwards to your starting area and run around the hill; it will take longer time to get to the opponents side, but you are then closing in from their, often un-guarded, side.
Tier 2 scenariosYou can enter Tier 2 scenarios at ranks 10-21. If you are below 18, you are boosted to rank 18.
Stonetroll crossingThis scenario is quite popular because it is in the popular empire-chaos pairing. However, many players seem to find it confusing and do not actually know what the hell is going on... The scenario is run-the-flag scenario; run up the hill and take the flag and then run it to each troll camp .
The scenario has three troll camps. In the center there is a mountain peak, upon which stands a Troll-pacifier, a magic standard that will pacify the trolls and make them fight for you (not in the scenario though, just the fluff, altough the random ). Your side gets points by bringing the standard to the troll-camps, and if you get to all three camps, then you score a hefty load of bonus-points.
The scenario thus revolves around the flag carrier. The side with the flag tries to keep the carrier moving, while the opponents try to stop the carrier. If the flag is dropped, it immediatly resets back to the mountain top and the trolls revert to neutrality again; thus it is important to also control the site where the flag resets, so your side picks it up when the carrier eventually croaks.
Mourkain TempleThis murder-ball seems to be the most confusing scenario of all. WoW doesn't have any murderball scenarios, so that may be why it may feel so confusing and people are avoiding it.
On top of the temple there is an ancient artefact (the "murder ball"). Who ever wields it, get great powers but also becomes fragile. The longer the character holds on to the artefact, the more damage he takes.
You score a point for each kill, but kills by the murder-ball carriers are counted as ten (or is it 50 now?) times points, and also killing the murderball-carrier is worth 10 points too. Because of this, there basically there are two tactics here: Either the artefact carrier goes rampart and kills everybody (this needs *a lot* of healing), or he hides back near own zone and hopes his sides DPS will be able to kill off any opponents trying to close in on him.
Phoenix GateThis is a pure CTF scenario. The only interesting thing is that the scenario has siege weapons, so you can mount a bolt-thrower and nuke people with flying logs. However, again the flanking attacks are what wins this game. While the main-forces clash at center, ~3 toons (at least one healer and one tank) have to do the flanking run to the enemy flag, cap it and run home. If two healers are present at the flank-run, the other should commit kamikaze (ie stop and fight hostiles; they will draw to the kamikazing healer like flies to dung and thus the flag-carrier gets a free run).
