‘Doomflayer’ T5 – Empire T2

Today we begin the journey into the realm of the Doomflayer portion of T5, taken out of T2. This tier is open to players 81+, although these players may return to the Sovereign tier and see slightly diminishing returns in their renown. The BOs and Chapter hubs from this tier will drop Doomflayer crests. Also because the maps are getting slightly smaller I have reduced the amount of BOs per pairing down to 18 (instead of 20 like in T3). For a special contest, look for the guest appearance in the Troll Country screenshots! See if you can find SamuelJackson in all the pictures.

We start this journey in Ostland. Because I’ve removed one BO for the T2 maps, Ostland has 5 Order BOs and 4 Destro. I tried to keep both the key Chapter hubs urban centers that would be contested. For Destruction I’ve chosen the Chaos Chapter 5 Town Ferlangen, and for Order I’ve chosen the Empire Chapter 8 town Boshenfels. They are relatively close to each other and central in the lake, which may produce perhaps tenser fights between the realms.

A. The first BO I’ve chosen is the Chaos PQ ‘Silkens’ at the major landmark of Felde Farms. The site is very open with limited obstacles so it should provide the room for the new RR81+s to prove their mettle. No obstacles to win the day here, just pure skill and coordination.

B. The second BO I’ve chosen is the Chaos PQ ‘Bells of War’ which contains one of the iconic bell towers of Ostland. This site covers a lot of ground. The exterior has many tents and some water to add obstacles for the invaders, and the fight within the bell tower itself is very close quarters.

C. This BO is the Chaos PQ ‘Reaper’s Circle’ and I absolutely love it. To me this is what WAR is all about – the death and grim associated with whole-sale war. This site is where the citizens of Felde execute those suspected of witchcraft. It is certainly a grim site worthy of WAR. The location itself has tons of obstacles to add to the mess as the combatants try to add their foes bodies to the scenery. Truly the perfect place to do battle, eh?

D. The last BO for the Destruction side is the Chaos PQ ‘Ragash’s Last Stand’ and I’ve chosen this one for two key reasons, the central location of the BO would be the island in the lake – adding natural snares to the combatants, and also because it abuts the T3 RvR lake so any careless fighting could lead to some chicken-punts.

E. The first BO I’ve taken from the Order storyline is the Empire PQ ‘Hochnar’ which is a small community along the river which divides the two storylines. The BO area is rather big with a large isolated structure to the east, perhaps a warehouse, and then several smaller structures to the west (an inn and houses). The site houses the only bridge crossing the river within the T5 RvR lake and is the key crossroads between the Destruction and Order storylines so it could prove an interesting battleground.

F. The second location I’ve chosen from the Empire Storyline is the Empire PQ ‘Siege of Bohsenfels’ and I think this particular BO could relate directly to the siege on the Chapter hub (which is the second screenshot). The PQ site is littered with siege weapons and is divided by a stream so the fight there could get interesting with the natural barrier, and naturally with the proximity of the Chapter hub it will surely be a hard location for Destruction to take, but should they take it, they can have some ready siege weapons to use for their assault on the hub.

G. My third location in the Order storyline is the Empire PQ ‘Howling Vale’ which is where beastmen ambush Empire caravans heading to Wolfenburg. Why they keep passing this location and getting ambushed no one knows. The clearing in the middle where the second stage of the PQ takes place is relatively open but does has some caravan parts littering it. The second phase of the PQ takes place within the ruined fort, perhaps offering some defensive advantages.

H. My forth BO would have been my intended chief contested point for Order had it not been overwhelmed by the undead. This is Wolfenburg (first screenie from the west looking east, and the second vice versa). This is the capital of Ostland and should in my opinion be the key to the defense of this map. Certainly more weight can be put on this BO. I love the location because it is a large urban environment that doesn’t consist simply of one street and houses along it, but more of a layered town with the mill, the main houses and taverns, the slum, and the Inn across the river.

I. My last BO for Ostland and the fifth/bonus BO for Order is the Grim Monastery major landmark. As you know, I think the BOs should be key locations/structures within a map or strategic points. There is little doubt that a monastery would be among the locations on this list. This particular site is accessible via two paths – through the winding  corridors of the catacombs under the monastery, or up a steep hill blocked with falling trees and brush. This boils down to a choice of long but easy vs short but hard. Once the invaders have reached the doors the battle recedes into the structure itself, offering more opportunities for the defenders to fight back.

Heading to the north we enter Troll Country, home of Tru. This map like High Pass is rather open and I’ve created a larger RvR lake for T5; however, the PQs not flagged as BOs within the lake are safe zones for the T3 players, I just didn’t want to draw more lines. Also the plus to this map is that the barrier between the storylines is a glacier and the swamps, so it is very porous.

J. My first BO in Troll Country is the fifth/bonus BO for Destruction in this pairing. I’ve chosen a site which is neither a PQ nor a major landmark, but instead the highland wilderness of Troll Country which has seemingly no point on the maps (Order doesn’t go here, I don’t know if Destro has quests to go here). I like this location because it is deep in the wilderness of TC and offers the perfect terrain for either complex battles or simple ones – you decide the scale of them. You’ve got mountains, rocks, depressions, lakes, etc. Strategic? No. But the place for a battle royale, yes. Can you find SmauelJackson?

K. The first PQ-site I’ve chosen for Destro is the PQ ‘Tearing the Portal’ which is where the forces of Nurgle are spilling forth into Troll Country, hampering the forces of the Raven Host. The site is receded into the mountains so defending it and holding it would be a little more difficult. Can you find SamuelJackson?

L. The third site for Destro is the Chaos PQ “Plague Alter” which is located up a twisting path in the mountains. While the site itself is a little more open, getting to it is challenging, especially because it abuts the Chaos chapter hub of Trollhaugen, which is the key Destro location for this map. Can you find SamuelJackson?

3. Here is a shot of the Chapter hub of Trollhaugen as seen from the Plague Alter PQ area. Can you find SamuelJackson?

M. The forth site for Destruction is a non-PQ/major landmark site in the highlands of Troll Country. It is just west of the major landmark ‘Great Eagle Nests’ and overlooks the glacier which divides the two storyline. Additionally it is one of the entrances to the highlands. I like this site because it is accessible via a narrow passage and offers more of a defensive advantage, though a solid offense can send the defenders flying. Can you find SamuelJackson?

N. The last site for Destruction is the Chaos PQ ‘Griffon Outpost’ (as seen from the Lursa’s Blight PQ above). The site has some siege weapons to add to the defense, but it is largely open. It can be attacked both from the rear and from the front, though the front is the directions the canons are pointing at. The final location is a little bit more defensible, though in the end it won’t stop overwhelming numbers. Can you find SamuelJackson?

O. Heading over to the Order side our first location is the Empire PQ ‘Plague on the Wind’. This site, although open, has some points of defense. Largely Troll Country is kiter country, and this location speaks of that. The site is located on a hill and the second phase of the PQ takes place up the hill in the fields, while the last phase takes place on the windmill. Not the easiest location to defend – it will certainly require a mobile defense. Can you find SamuelJackson?

P. The second site for Order is the Empire PQ ‘Deathstone Quarry’ and that name doesn’t mean anything, we need to talk (we’ll talk later Tru). This site is within a quarry akin to Frostbeards in Reikland, but it is in many ways more claustrophobic due to the rocks jutting out everywhere. The final fight is in the bottom of the quarry so certainly not a location you want to be caught defending, though perhaps the best defense here is to hide and wait for an ambush. Can you find SamuelJackson?

4. The Order chapter hub for this map is the Chapter 6 town of Felde Castle. This is perhaps the most defensible of the locations in this tier. It can be assaulted from three locations, either through the double doors to the east and west, or through the gap in the wall in the south – but be careful because you try to breach that gap and you’re looking at a chicken-punt. Can you find SamuelJackson?

Q. The third BO for Order is the PQ ‘The Blighted Farm’. This location while open and large has tons of obstacles to complicate maneuvers – ranging from the hay bales to the fences and the buildings. A large site for a large skirmish. Can you find SamuelJackson?

R. My final site for Troll Country is the Order PQ ‘Slayer’s Demise’. I like this location because it is a swamp and the terrain is perfect for slaughter. This terrain is certain to offer a complicated fight, and in that a wonderful fight. There be no SamuelJackson here, sorry.

Blooper shots =P Did you find SamuelJackson?