Part 18: Mission 4: Vengeance on the High Seas

Episode 4: Attack on Zul'Dare or Vengeance on the High Seas



: Just once I'd like to get a nice warm station... maybe in Quel'Thalas?

: Yer jus' actin' like a wee babe who's ne'er seen a true Ironforge winter.

: I prefer the company of elves over drunken, taciturn mountain dwellers.

: Oh, aye, I dun blame ye.

: I- eh?

: Sure, who wouldn't prefer living in a tree with a bunch of wizards who are clearly too amazing to live with the rest of us?

: I see that dwarves have finally discovered sarcasm...

: Ahem.



: Stupid guard duty.

: This ne'er'd happened if ye didn't complain all the time.



: You're pointing your fat dirty finger at me?

: Well I'm nae pointin' it at the orc ship there!

: You picked the wrong mage to- orc what now?



KABOOM!

: Retreat! Retreat!

: Oh! If ye hadn't o' said it, I'd've stood like a daft fool and eaten cannonballs fer dinner!

: There's that famous dwarven sarcasm again...

Later...



: Ugh... why is Varin making us work together? It's just one boat! I can take care of it myself.

: Lad, ye barely know your way around a library, much less the open sea. Best to have ol' Ruku Firefist back ye up!



: Let's just take care of this, alright? I have domestic affairs to look after, mercenary.

: 'Oi, th' high and mighty act? Jus' 'cause I blow things up fer money dun make me any less reputable than you.



: Got 'im!

: That's quaint, thinking you can use a fine machine like this with those stubby fingers of yours.

: I hit the "EXPLODE ORCS" button better than ye, ya daft noble!

Back at the base...

: All I need is two minutes away from Gaz and Ruku... For once I can focus on the affairs of the land.



: Excellent. Our mill is up and timbers are being cut for the ships. I'm certain that Admiral Proudmoore would give our staging ground a seal of approval. And I....

: If ye'd open yer eyes, ye'd see that it were my shot that pierced the mast!

: Oh, good. ...They're back...



: Captain Wells, could you please tell this buffoon-

: 'Oi! Watch yer mouth, 'afore ye wake up with an oil soaked rag in it. An I'll be holdin' th' torch.

: Varin-

: Enough.

: ...

: I am the commanding officer for this campaign, and in our last two excursions, you two have battled back and forth. I have had enough of it. Perhaps if you knew the gravity of our mission, you might be a little more... amiable towards each other.



: Those destroyers are on loan from Admiral Proudmoore, who believes that he's discovered the source of the recent orc assaults on Southshore; a small island not far from here... the trolls call it Zul'Dare. While Proudmoore's forces defend Hillsbrad, we're to destroy Zul'Dare entirely, hopefully halting all orcish attacks in this region.

: Something's different here, Varin. I've never seen you so fully engrossed in a mission before.

: There was something mentioned in the Admiral's reports: an orc wearing a human top hat and monocle.

: Now, Varin, that could-

: -could be any orc? Yes, we've seen that these orcs are quite up on human fashion. No, Gaz, this is my quarry. If the reports are accurate, we may find the bastard here.



: And with our shipyard completed, I now have the means to do exactly that. If you'll excuse me, I'm going for a little trip. I want the two of you to manage the base... together.



: What goat trampled his grapes?

: ...Captain Wells has a lot of demons that he must face. He fought by his father's side in the First War. Their enemy was a ruthless orc chieftain who used cunning tactics to beat back their forces. The Wells family had many... heirlooms... stolen by that chieftain.

: A hat and a monocle? I dun see a reason to lose yer marbles.

: The First War changed Varin. He witnessed a lot of atrocious acts that the orcs committed in the name of their dark gods. As well his father...



: Hmmm? Hey Ruku, what's going on over here?

: But what about th' Captain?

: That? There's time for that later. What is this?



: Are ye tha' daft lad? It's a foundry fer ships. Allowin' ya to steel plate yer ships and cannons. It's essential in naval combat!

: Steel boats.

: Aye.

: And who ever said that dwarves didn't come up with genius ideas?

: Well, glad to hear some praise from ye.

: ...You may know sarcasm, but you certainly can't detect it.

Meanwhile, on Varin's destroyer...



: Alright you damned thief! Where are you!? Tell me where your commander is!



: You're just as useful at the bottom of the sea. Now where is he...

Back at base...



: Another dwarven invention, Ruku?

: Eh? I've no idea how ye humans made it this far without dwarven guidance.



: When ye get yer oil brought back, ye got to treat it, else ye will ne'er have a supply that'll go farther than yer shoddy ships!

I didn't go into much detail about refineries before, but not only do they serve as a drop-off point for oil (rather than building another shipyard), but they also increase oil production by 25 (meaning each trip brings back 125 oil rather than 100). It's the little things.



: Speakin' o yer shoddy ships, I went through th' trouble of requesting a specialty craft built.

: It's almost entirely metal...

: It's fer stormin' enemy beaches! Have ye heard of strategy!?

: Ugh.

On Varin's destroyer...



: Where is this secret base? I've seen barely even a hint of orcish forces.



: Ah, a troll, eh?



: I'm on the right track.

Back at base...



: And now to train th' forces ye'll be needin'.

: By the Light, Ruku. Don't you think we should wait on Captain Wells before we start making reckless orders like this?

: Reckless orders? If I know that lad th' way I think I know him...



: ...then reckless...



: ...is just his style.



: So long as he get's his vengeance.

: Well, I suppose it's better than waiting for him to arrive with news.

: 'Oi? Y'hear tha?



: No, I don't hear anything. I-

: Charge, men!



This is also the first map where the opponents actually send a force to harass you. At the moment, these are essentially pushovers, but later they seem to always strike at your weakest point or unguarded expo.

: Orcs!?

: How'd ye think they got from Azeroth ta Lordaeron in th' first place? They got boats too, ye know.

: I think we need to get some assistance out to Varin. If the orcs are being this aggressive, it must mean that he's been discovered.



: I'm sure he's fine.

: Give the order to send the men searching for him. I have a bad feeling...

Hours later...



: VARIN! VARIN!?

: I dun see 'im, lad. The orcs are heavy here, though. There's been battle.



: There! In that wreckage! Archers, take out those sails, I don't want any orcs leaving this bay!



Archers/Axethrowers en masse are pretty damn good at taking out naval units if they aren't being targeted.



: VARIN!

: *cough* I... I found the orc base.

: Ye daft fool! Ye coulda been killed!

: Yeah, yeah... I'd really prefer to return the favor instead, now.

: Heh, that's to be expected, I guess. Alright then, Master Firefist, would you like the honors?

: Men! Forward! CHARGE!







: Someone's been training the men, I see.

: Yes, well... Ruku is especially good at motivating the troops.

: Aim fer the dangly parts! Tha's where it hurts!

: So I see.

: We should be receiving some reinforcements shortly... I asked for our pilots to make a return trip.



: And there they are.

: The two of you didn't even need me, did you?



: What? We couldn't get anywhere without ye!

: Indeed. I am ashamed to admit that we probably wouldn't have considered working together were it not for you, Varin.

: Related topic, lads! Have ye see the orc with th' top hat?



: This town is nearly bereft of orcish life... I fear that he may have eluded me yet again.



: We'll get him one of these days, Varin. I know what you must be feeling.

: Perhaps you do...



: Or perhaps I know something you don't.

: Captain?

: 'Oi, Varin?



: I overheard one of the shiphands discussing something. It may have been nonsense, but I distinctly heard the words "Tol Barad."

: Stromgarde's famous "Tower Island?"



: That's what I heard. I can only assume that the orcs have their sights set on it as their next target...

: Tha's an awful reach. What if ye're wrong? We could cost the crown thousands of gold transporting our army to a false alarm.

: Or we could save the lives of every soldier of Tol Barad. Stromgarde would be in our debt.

: Indeed. There is also the chance that we'll come upon the haberdasher orc.

: Eh, s'not my money. Let's do it.



: We have some time, I hope. I propose that we celebrate with a-

: Victory drink!