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/start role-play thing.

A war that has been brewing for years has exploded into epic proportions in mere days. Factions of Human, Undead, Night Elf and Orc have all begun to clash at the same time. The winner's reward you ask? -- complete domination of the Galaxies. I, Na'zel Erume, have bared witness to an uncountable number of these battles thus far, and have decided to share one such battle with you, in hopes that it will provide you with needed information for your battles to come while retaining some entertainment value (although we resurrected ones care little for entertainment). This detailed report is meant to be viewed by only the Elitists that have been informed of it's creation. Now, sit back, relax, grab some type of beverage and snack f00d (assuming that you do indeed require sustenance) and attempt to learn something, puny mortals!

/end role-play thing.

If in fact you know nothing about the Godly game known as Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, then you either a) live under a rock, b) don't have the hardware to run it c) are to poor to buy it or d) are just stupid. However, if you do in fact know little about the game, I suggest you consult 1) other reports on this site (search reports - name - Warcraft) and 2) Visit Marn Thunderhorn's Warcraft III Strategy Guide. Now, on to the report at hand.

Our players tonight, as can be seen at the top, are one ThEFo0tMaN (Footman) as Random Orange Human, and one Kenichi as Chosen blue Undead. The map can be seen below. This game is brought to you by Pro Gamer Gosu Replays. This report has been done without the Players' consent, and if requested by either of the participants, I will erase it. This is a 1.01 Replay, thus it is the newest version of the game. That's right -- no more BETA reports! The game was recorded at a resolution of 1280x960x32 running at High settings and all pictures have been scaled to fit. If a different resolution is requested for further Reports, it will be changed to suit the viewers' needs.

PLUNDER ISLE:

goblin merchant

Starting Builds

As you can see in the picture above, Footman found his Town Hall planted at the lower-left Start Location while Kenichi's Necropolis was summoned  at the top-right. Footman began by making an Altar of Kings. He also started a farm with another peasant, kept producing peasants and after having 5 on gold, sent 2 to wood in addition to the peasant sent there after building the first farm. He makes a Barracks, Lumber Mill, keeps producing farms and peasants and begins summoning a Mountain King from his alter upon it's completion. Kenichi busied himself by first sending all Acolytes to his Haunted Gold Mine, quickly having 1 build a Crypt, sending his ghoul to wood, and producing 3 Acolytes. During the Acolyte summoning, he summons a Ziggurat. He sends 2 Acolytes to Gold, completing his set of 5. After his crypt completes, he makes another ziggurat, and Graveyard, and yet another Ziggurat. He rallies his Crypt to trees and begins pumping ghouls until he has around 6. He then summons an Altar of Darkness and begins calling upon the services of a Liche once his Altar has been summoned.

Early Game

Kenichi's unit of choice for now would be the Ghoul. He began pumping ghouls from his 1 Crypt like a mad man. He did not stop until he had 8 Ghouls, gathered them together and decided it was time to go Creepin' (y33 haw)! Footman, true to his name, began making Footman from his Barracks. He gathers up 4 Footman and his mountain king, commands another Peasant to start a second barracks, and decides it is time to Creep as well. 

As a quick Aside, many people feel creeping is an unnecessary part of Warcraft III. I agree on the point that you SHOULD be rewarded more for killing your enemies than killing creeps. However, I also feel that creeping, and leveling you hero, both a) take away from the constant monotony of your typical RTS, and b) gives it a little flavor of RPG in it. I don't think it is overwhelming, and I think this is what Blizzard was thinking when they made the game. They didn't want an exact copy of Warcraft II or a Starcraft clone, they wanted something with some depth and flavor.

While creeping, the two warriors are not idle. Both fighters begin expansions around the same time, with Kenichi completing first. Kenichi starts the upgrade to Halls of the Dead at his Necropolis, after which time he begins making dual Temple of the Damned-s. Footman builds a Blacksmith and begins upgrading to a Keep. Both players are now upgrading and continuing to produce both Footmen and Necromancers + Ghouls. Kenichi also researches Adept training and Skeletal Longevity for his soon-to-be-summoned Necromancers. He also places a token few Ziggurats at his Expansion. As soon as him Keep is complete, Footman begins his Castle.

Mid Game

I know we all wished these to brazen warriors could just walk around killing creeps until the nonexistent game timer ran out, but unfortunately, there is conflict a-brewin'! Kenichi begins moving his Lumber-encumbered Ghouls and newly-summoned 6 Necromancers down to have a nice visit with Footman - Tea and Crumpets might be involved. Meanwhile, Footman decided he would come through the backyard and join the Barbeque going on outside at Kenichi's house. Well, Kenichi rings the doorbell first, forcing Footman to take a shortcut (read: Town Portal) to the door. They begin talking of years past and how the kids are doing in college, etc. You can see their very peaceful discussion in the next few pictures.

Unit Statistics:

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The undead scourge advanced on the human encampment just as the humans began moving into the undead base. Noticing that the base was in peril, the Mountain King throws off a quick Town Portal. The King and his Dispatch of footmen are greeted by a rather large group of Ghouls and Necromancers. At the same time, the Castle had been completed and knights were already being trained. This would a vicious battle.

Ghouls clawed, footmen and knights clashed with them, fighting toe-to-toe to the death. As soon as a Ghoul went down, 2 Skeletons would emerge from the ground and become animate, striking out at the Human army, as if angry from being awakened from their eternal sleep. The Humans concentrated attacks defeated the Liche in charge of the attack. The attack being taken over by Ner'zul Himself, he ordered the complete destruction of the Human Mountain King.

Ner'zul's orders were carried out, and soon the Mountain King fell to the ground with a eardrum-shattering cry, and his spirit rose high into the skies. Both armies left leaderless, fell into disorder and eventually both lost the will to fight. Kenichi's skeletons fell to the ground, as dead as they had been after being struck down by the Human war machine and Footmen's men lost their zeal and were soon overtaken by the remaining Undead units.

The remaining 4 Necromancers run and both Commanders begin licking their proverbial wounds. Both species begin resurrection of their Hero units, and continue to turn the cranks of their war machines. Militia that fell during the fight were replaced, and undead units were once again summoned back into existence to service the Scourge via dual Crypts. The Humans expanded once again, unbeknownst to the Undead Scourge Commander.

Kenichi's scourge would not remain silent, and wasted no time returning their undead armies to full force and began advancing on the human encampment. At the same time, Knights pushed forward toward the Undead camp. They soon meet, and clash once again in a dance of sorts, the Humans retreating, the Undead pushing forward, and swords swinging around and lashing out at as Ghouls lunged for the Knights' throats.

Once again they meet on Footman's territory, and battle. Kenichi commanded 8 unholy Necromancers and no less than 20 ravenous Ghouls. The renewed Mountain King calls upon his holy forces and turns into The Avatar, and along with the help of 6 2-2 knights, and more on the way, attempt to squelch Kenichi's onslaught. Alas, even his immense power is not enough to stop the unrelenting scourge, and he is eventually overpowered by the growing wave of Skeletons and Ghouls, along with his comrades. Militia lash out, determined to avenge their leader, and with the help of 2 newly trained Knights, succeed in pushing back the Undead warriors once more. The Liche retreats, with his faithful Necromancers close behind.

Late Game

Once again, the Scourge begins to rebuild with Ghouls from its Crypts and upgrading at the Graveyard. We now see that Footman has once again chosen to make Footmen. With the quick regenerative skills of Kenichi's warriors, is it possible that Footman's life nears an end? Wait second... what is THAT???

It seems that the Human expansion everyone forgot about has been anything but idle... just as his Aviary completes, Footman begins upgrading Storm Hammers and starts yet another aviary. On the other side of the map, Kenichi is upgrading to a Black Citadel and pumping his 2 units of choice. Again, Footman starts yet a third Aviary and begins creating Gryphons as soon as possible. I do not know if Kenichi knew about the aviaries or not, but in either case he decides it was best to attack again while the attacking was good. Hell itself breaks loose as all manner of ghoul and necromancer, under the faithful watch of a Liche, charge the the Human encampment. Claws and Swords clash and wail like banshees (you know, that unit no one uses). The Mountain King once again shifts into Avatar mode, and fights the invaders with the help of his Footmen and Knights. He falls yet again, and the ghouls, skeletons, and necromancers are too powerful for the Humans, and quickly run over them, destroying a number of farms and 2 barracks. 

Well, it seems that all is lost for poor Footman. Well, the BR is over, hoped you liked it, bye.

...

...

Not gone yet? Well, then you called my bluff and realized that this game is not yet over (oh god!), or you just moved your eyeballs a few centimeters to see additional text, either way, I commend you.

Just as it seems that all is lost for Footman, we see something over the horizon. What.. are ... those? Oh my! They appear to be Gryphons! Pumping from 4 Aviaries, the Gryphon Riders swoop in from the other side of the map and lay into the menacing Scourge. They easily defeat the remaining forces due to lack of sufficient anti-air forces.

These new warriors are now on a mission. They must cleanse their land of the menacing Undead forces of Kenichi. Footman sends all his Gryphons (10 at first, by my count) to Kenichi's base. Meanwhile, Kenichi is busying himself by pumping Gargoyles in hopes they will be able to eliminate the harrowing force plowing down on him. The Gryphons destroy Kenichi's only expansion, losing only a few of their number to Spirit Towers. They continue on the Kenichi's main and are greeted by a number of Gargoyles. They flee to the open sea, and fight it out there. The Gargoyle's melee attack is still no match for the mighty birds and their riders and the Gargoyles all explode due to being battered by the Riders' powerful Hammers, managing to eliminate all but 2 of Footman's Gryphons.

Then, almost as to add insult to injury, another contingent of the mighty flying warriors greet their 2 comrades and continue on to Kenichi's main base. The only thing standing between this huge army is a few Crypt Fiends with Web, who are easily defeated by the mighty Hammers of the Gryphon Riders.  Kenichi's spirit towers attempt to defeat Footman's riders, but are easily dealt with. 

With that, I leave you with this:

After-Thoughts

Personally, I enjoyed watching this game a lot. Maybe not after the first 3 times or so, but before that I did :). I found it to be a good game with lots of action, no 1-sidedness, and a rather interesting twist at the end.

 Personally, I thought Kenichi's use of the same units the whole game hindered him. Throwing 6 crypt fiends in the mix would have helped out a whole lot I think, he probably would have won earlier. When facing the gryphons, he could have used Web on 1 at a time, and used his fiends to concentrate fire while using his gargoyles more powerful air-melee attack to take out the ones still in the air, all the while luring them into his Spirit Towers. As for Footman, I am no expert on Humans at all, so I really don't know what he could have done differently. I know that his 2nd expansion helped a lot, and I think it hurt Kenichi to never even look at the other expansion over on his side. Also, Kenichi seemed very content to not use any of the Liche's spells, for reasons I cannot comprehend. He passed up Treasure dropped by the creeps more than a few times, and at the end of the game I still think he had a level 2 Liche with almost no 'add-ons'. Finally, neither player scouted as much as they should have, surgical strikes were never employed and neither of Footman's expansions were ever touched by Kenichi's forces.

I had a lot of fun BRing this game, and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much, or more :). Please give me your feedback in the Comments and ratings. I would also like to quickly Thank battlereports.com for the use of the site and the kick ass Report Center, without it this report wouldn't have been possible.

This has been a binjured© production.

The only way to fix it is to flush it all away.