Warcraft: Orcs & Humans Part #7 - Act 5: Tying up loose ends

Part 7: Act 5: Tying up loose ends

Act 5: Tying up loose ends

: Damnable orcs, pressing further against the king's land. I'll see them struck down upon my blade!

: What makes this battle any different than the last, sire?

: I will forgive your uncouth speech, peasant, for today is a good day. Today...

: ...I have an army.

: I'm so glad to be out of that... mine of death.

: The humans call it the Deadmines for a reason, Chieftain.

: Vilefeast have fun. Get souvenir.

: That's... unbelievably foul.

: Thank you! Me try very hard!

: Would you two be quiet for one second? There's something up ahead.

: Humans...?

: Yes, and attacking a forward base, too. I think we have some troops left over from our... "excursion."

Here's a little twist to the simple "build base, slaughter enemies." This time around, you're given a nearby base that begins under attack and a small army to repel them. Before, a sizable army like this would completely stomp the opposing town, but this is barely enough to even stand a chance against this assault.

: Is best day ever!

: To battle, Groinbiter! Lok'tar ogar!

: ...we gave him a wolf and he named it...

: Groinbiter, yes.

: Ooh! Humans have muscle beasts! Like in story! Groinbiter! Kill!

: Chieftain, the base is taking severe damage.

: What was that thing that just collapsed anyway?

: And there goes another one.

: Bloodgut! I hope your memory is good, because I want those... things rebuilt as soon as possible!

: Hehehe!

: He's like a child in a butcher's shop.

: That image is burnt into my mind, thank you.

: Alright, enough playing around. When you finish up there, Vilefeast, I want you in defensive positions.

This may look like quite a lot for defense, but you'll see how long it lasts.

: Aye, aye, Chieftain!

: Oooh, human come to test Vilefeast?

The AI raids pretty constantly from here on out. Sometimes they're pretty pathetic like this lone wolf footman attack, other times you may be staring down several knights bolstered with priests. And this is not particular to this mission; the raids are fairly persistent throughout the game from here on.

: Aw, spearmen have all fun! ...wait, me know this. Is tactic Bloodgut tell me about. It faint! It faint!

: Men! About pace! Er. About case! Grrr... turn around! Smash that way!

: Ha, hah! Me am too smart for you!

: Did Vilefeast just... think?

: I hope that doesn't keep up. I don't want him to realize that I've been paying him with pinecones.

Here you can see the AI actually does something intelligent. The enemy has a number of different paths it takes to your base that would give the illusion of an ambush if you haven't properly scouted the area. It's a nice variation, and if you aren't prepared for it, it could take you out quickly.

: Good boy. Good boy.

: It seems he named his wolf appropriately.

: In less disturbing news, chieftain, I've scavenged the materials from the former building and rebuilt it. It appears to be some form of... armory.

: I-it... beautiful.

The blacksmith, coming later in the game than one would usually expect, serves a number of purposes. You can, as you expect, upgrade weapons and armor here for most of your troops. Melee upgrades for the grunts and raiders, and armor upgrades for grunts, raiders, and spearmen. Sorry, necrolytes aren't seeing better armor. As well, the blacksmith allows access to the next stage of buildings, of which we get to use one in this mission.

: GIMMIE BIGGER AXE. GIMMIE NOW OR SMASH.

: Vilefeast! Calm down, it's just an axe! It'll take time for us to make!

: You're an idiot you know that, right Bloodgut?

: JUST AXE!? JUST AXE!? RAWGH!

: ...he ran away.

: You are one lucky gronn-sucker.

: Me no need mean Bloodgut. Me need axe. Me need- Ow. What this?

: Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Stop. Ow. Ow. Stop. Ow.

: Pursue him, men! Let no orc persist in these lands!

: Me should -ow- tell Chieft-ow-ain about this. Ow. Stupid arrows.

: Launch the ambush!

: Bloodgut stop arrows? Bloodgut not mean no more?

: Well I couldn't let you die, Vilefeast, you're a valuable asset to-

: You do good job! You get bonus! Have this!

: ...a pinecone.

: Shhh! No let other orcs see. Is special.

: Vilefeast? What is this place? There's wolves everywhere.

: It's a kennel, Chieftain. We can breed wolves here.

: Breed?

: Mate them to achieve optimal results.

: ...

: Chieftain?

: You sick fuck.

: Oooh! Bloodgut gross! Give back pinecone!

And here is the kennel, which is one of the buildings that can be built after the blacksmith. As you see, it let's us breed faster wolves so that our raiders are speedier. At their highest level, a raider can effectively become just that: a unit who preforms hit-and-run attacks and harasses the enemy effectively before escaping to cover. Anyway, as you probably guessed, the kennel also let's us...

...produce raiders!

: Not the time, Chieftain! Those footmen are tearing through our ranks!

: What? How?

: This is not never ungoing to not happen no more! Smash warriors!

: I think I see the root of the problem. Those priests on the bridge there must be keeping the footmen alive.

: Vilefeast, you have your orders.

: RAWRGH! SMASH! SMASH!

: Don't get carried away!

: Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow.

: Chieftain...

: Ugh. Fine. I don't say this often, but retreat!

: They're still pursuing. Chieftain, we need to think of a way-

: Easy men, we must savor this victory over the savages.

: Wait, they're leaving. How?

: My cunning genius.

: That doesn't make any sense.

: Doesn't it, Bloodgut?

: Genius.

: Ugh. Anyway Chieftain, it's that time again.

: Victory.

: No, Chieftain. The goldmine-

: -has collapsed.

: You taunt me so.

: I do what I can. Speaking of, I already secured a nearby route for our next gold mine. No need to thank me.

: Good, I had no desire to. Now let's put that gold to good use.

: Oooh, shield have horns like me. Show power! So strong!

: Yes, now Vilefeast, put that power to good use.

: What that Groinbiter? You have idea? Okay, me listen.

: Oh, draenei piss, he's gone off the deep end.

: Is good plan! Let's go! You spearmen, hit them humans! Then come here!

: And me kill. Is good plan! Groinbiter get extra pinecone for din-din!

: Hehe. Me not even tired.

: I have no words.

: ...If he thinks much harder we could be in some serious trouble.

: Groinbiter away! Lok'tar ogar!

: Nothing can stop him. I don't even know if we can control him anymore.

: Well, I won't be the one to ask him to leave.

: If it comes to it, Bloodgut, I'm going to throw you at him and run. Hopefully, you'll be able to sate his bloodlust.

: We both know that isn't true, Chieftain.

: I know. Nothing will sate Vilefeast.

Meanwhile, across the bridge...

: Where humans go? Hellooooo? Huuuuumans?

: They no here. Or there. Where humans?

: Ah! Humans! Vilefeast sma-

: -sh?

: Drop your weapon, foul orc, or be struck down where you stand.

: 'Kay.

: Good, now... Uh, hey-

: What?

: Men, retreat!

: They no hear you. Blood stuck in head. Me get out though!

: Oooh, soft human. Me men know what do.

: Hehe, what little humans do now?

: HAHA! Good fight now!

: Looks like Vilefeast is in trouble...

: Yup, his troops are retreating across the bridge now.

: Thank the ancestors.

: He isn't invulnerable.

: Grrrr...

: Hey, there champ. How's it going?

: More men.

: What?

: MORE MEN.

: Well, we have begun work on a temple, perhaps the necrolytes there can assist.

: Mmm, seems they have some new runes over here...

Dark Vision is just one of those spells that can be somewhat effective if you get it early. The problem is that it lacks in so many areas. What it does is allow you to view any area of the map for a small expenditure of magic. However, the area viewed is very small, and the cost of the spell is very high. By the time you get it, it's quite possible you'll have explored much of the map already. The campaign, fortunately, starts you off with it on much of the later levels.