Server:The Venture Co US/Battle for the Keep

The Battle for the Keep
This battle took place on "The Venture Co." realm, between the Horde forces - Blacktooth Grin, Grunts, and Suncrown, as well as assorted others - and the Keepers of Stromgarde as well as their allies. With the Keepers having given a challenge to the Blacktooth Grin that their NPC leader, Prince Galen Trollbane, would not be defeated so long as they guard the Keep itself.

With that challenge in mind, the Grin got to work amassing a large quantity of Horde forces to defeat the Keepers, including their new Blood Elf allies from Suncrown, as well as their long standing allies, the Grunts. With their forces assembled in Hammerfall before the battle, they sent out several scouts, who reported a large gathering of alliance at the entrence to the keep.

The Battle Itself
The assembled Horde forces, under the command of Blacktooth Grin, moved into position outside the Keep itself. Suncrown and the other assorted Horde forces were sent to the west, to exploit a small breach in the walls, while the Grin and Grunts were sent on a frontal assault down the main entrence.

Grin and Grunt Forces
The Grin and Grunt combined forces moved in right on schedule, as agreed upon before hand. They found heavy resistance, as the majority of the Keeper's forces were arranged upon the bridge overlooking the main entrence, giving their magic and ranged forces the ability to strike the attacking armies, with less fear of retaliation. The attackers, though, had the advantage of numbers. For a few moments, the battle raged, with neither side gaining the upper hand.

Suncrown Forces
The Suncrown assault went over perfectly. Only a few Keepers had remained to defend the breach in the wall, assuming incorrectly that the Horde did not know of it's existence. With the Suncrown and other Horde forces exploiting this breach, they quickly found themselves facing the Keepers defending the bridge; Keepers that remained focused on stopping the invasion from the main entrence.

The Suncrown division made short work of the Keep defenders, allowing the Grin and Grunts to approach, ressurect their wounded, and push on into Prince's chambers, defeating him and solidifying their victory over one of the major supporters of the Alliance.

Onward to Ironforge
Their bloodlust unsated, the Grin decided to push onward to Ironforge, reckoning that it had the numbers to potentially take the Dwarven stronghold. While the Grunt contingient suffered setbacks, soon all forces were gathered at Dun Algaz for the final push into Dwarven territory.

The Approach
However, the Alliance had been made aware of the loss of Stromgarde, and the subsequent departure of the Horde's forces. Assuming, correctly, that the Grin's next target would be Ironforge, they had already begun an uncoordinated defense of their capital. Several Alliance stealth forces began to pick off slow, weak, or separated members of the attacking force. Before the Horde forces made it to the base of Ironforge's mountain approach, already a significant number of their forces were depleted. Further, their forces were spread out and disorganized, half of which were still attempting to catch up. The Grin commander made the decision to camp at the base of the mountain, allowing the rest of his troops to gather.

This proved costly, as the wait gave the Alliance enough time to gather sufficient numbers. Throughout the wait, they had managed to gather large quanties of troops from most of their major guilds. By the time the Horde began their attack, there were almost as many Alliance as Horde, in addition to the usual contingient of Ironforge guards. With the war cry "REMEMBER STROMGARDE" (reference to The Alamo) the Alliance rallied and thus charged the Horde lines

The Attack
The Horde forces, through sheer weight of numbers, managed to push in as far as the Auction House, before being turned back by the Alliance. Two major factors are cited for it's failure to go farther: The Alliance, combined with the Ironforge Guards, had the numbers to sucessfully turn back the Horde forces, and the Horde, when faced with a choice to go left or right through the Ironforge gateway, were unable to choose.

Aftermath
Both sides had suffered losses, with the Horde forces returning home to recoperate and replenish their losses, the Alliance began to mount counterattacks on Horde targets such as the Undercity, Tarren Mill, and Hammerfall. The Keepers anounced that Trollbane had made a full recovery from his wounds, and renewed their war on the Grin.

The Second Battle
In commeration of the Keepers of Stromgarde's second anniversary, a "Battle of the Keep 2.0" was staged. Forces from the Keepers, Midnight Reveries, Imperium, and various other Alliance guilds arrived to assist in the defense, while the Blacktooth Grin, Grunts, Suncrown, and various Horde guilds arrived to attack. On the first rush, Horde forces attempted the same tactic that won the original battle, distracting the Alliance at the main gate while sending a second force through the wall-breach. This was nearly successful, but a quick redistribution of Alliance forces managed to fight back the Horde.

After a brief rest, the Horde attempted to charge their entire force through the breach, but this was violently repulsed and led to the Horde wiping. Their forces regrouped at Northfold Manor and rallied for a second assault. This time, they committed their entire force to breaching the front gate, but were met along the land bridge to the Keep. After intense fighting that spanned the entire bridge, the Horde were again forced back.

The interim between the second and third waves was significantly longer and saw many exhilirated Alliance scattering between the Manor and Stromgarde. The Horde used their smaller force much more conservatively, picking off stragglers and eventually grouping on a large hill just outside Stromgarde. Alliance forces surrounded this hill with ranged players shooting back and forth. Numerous Alliance assaults up the hill were repulsed until a final Alliance push gathered at the rear approach to the hill and rushed up the eastern side. Despite a valiant defense, the Horde forces were outnumbered and forced off the hill, resulting in a clear victory for the Alliance.