wow Battle for Azeroth War Campaign Official Recap

[Starym 3,800]

 

Blizzard have just posted a big recap of the entire war campaign, with a video combining all the relevant cinematics (although unfortunately skipping any in-game ones), as well as an extensive summary of all the quest steps. It's a solid recap if you want to remind yourself of everything that's happened, or if you glossed over a few steps, or even if you're just interested in how the story has developed if you've only been checking the cinematics.

We have a rundown of both faction campaigns, so make sure to read up on the other side if you're only finished one.

BfA War Campaign Recap (source)

The War Campaign has reached its epic conclusion in the most recent content update, but if you haven’t completed it yet, we have a handy recap to catch you up to speed.

 

• Horde War Campaign
• Alliance War Campaign

 

Horde

At level 110 and after you’ve completed the opening quest lines of Battle for Azeroth, you're introduced to the new War Campaign and begin the road to opening new Footholds over time in the opposite faction’s territories.

Your first quest is The War Campaign, which introduces you to War Resources. After the quest Mission From the Warchief, you're introduced to the mission table, which will allows you to begin sending followers you gain through your adventures out to carry out missions.

Access to Footholds will become available as you level through Zuldazar, Nazmir, and Vol’dun. At each key point in your journey (level 110, 114, and 118) you’ll be able to establish a new Foothold in Drustvar, Stormsong Valley, and Tiragarde Sound. At level 120, you’ll begin focusing more on reaching reputation milestones with The Honorbound.

Ready for War (Achievements)

Complete the War Campaign in Zandalar and Kul Tiras.

• Drustvar Foothold
• Tiragarde Sound Foothold
• Stormsong Valley Foothold
   
• Chapter 1: The First Assault—Requires level 120 and Friendly reputation with The Honorbound to begin the associated War Campaign quests to earn this achievement.
  • Quests: Breaking Kul Tiran Will, Into the Heart of Tiragarde, Our Mountain Now, Making Ourselves at Home, Bridgeport Investigation, Explosives in the Foundry, Explosivity, Ammunition Acquisition, Gunpowder Research
     
• Chapter 2: The Marshal’s Grave—Requires at least 4,500 into Friendly reputation with The Honorbound to begin the associated War Campaign quests to earn this achievement.
  • Quests: A Stroll Through a Cemetery, Examining the Epitaphs, State of Unrest, Our Lot in Life, The Crypt Keeper, What Remains of Marshal M. Valentine
     
• Chapter 3: Death of a Tidesage—Requires at least 3,000 into Honored reputation with The Honorbound to begin the associated War Campaign quests to earn this achievement.
  • Quests: Tracking Tidesages, No Price Too High, They Will Know Fear, Scattering Our Enemies, Commander and Captain, Zelling’s Potential, Whatever Will Be, To Be Forsaken
     
• Chapter 4: At the Bottom of the Sea—Requires at least 7,500 into Honored reputation with The Honorbound to begin the associated War Campaign quests to earn this achievement.
  • Quests: Journey to the Middle of Nowhere, Deep Dive, Seafloor Shipwreck, Checking Dog Tags, The Sunken Graveyard, Biolumi-Nuisance, Captain By Captain, The Undersea Ledge, Water-Breathing Dragon, Grab and Go, With Prince in Tow
     
• Chapter 5: The Strike on Boralus—Requires Revered reputation with The Honorbound to begin the associated War Campaign quests to earn this achievement.
  • Quests: When a Plan Comes Together, Old Colleagues, The Bulk of the Guard, A Well Placed Portal, Relics of Ritual, Forfeit Souls, Tidesage Teachings, Gaining the Upper Hand, Return to the Harbor, Life Held Hostage, The Aid of the Tides, A Cycle of Hatred

Tides of Vengeance

Complete the Horde Tides of Vengeance War Campaign.

• Chapter 6: The Day Is Won—Requires the completion of the Ready for War achievement to begin this quest line.
  • Quests: Our War Continues, Azerite Denied, The Fury of the Horde, Cleaning Out the Estate, Machines of War and Azerite, With Honor, The Hunt Never Ends, Ride Out to Meet Them, The Day Is Won
     
• Chapter 7: Mekkatorque’s Battle Plans—Requires the completion of the War Campaign chapter The Day is Won and at least 7,000 into Revered reputation with The Honorbound.
  • Quests: A Mech for a Goblin, It Belongs in My Mech!, Avoiding Lawsuits 101, The Right Mech for the Job, Necessary Precautions, Test Case #1; Mech vs. Mekkatorque, Insurance Policy, Insurance Renewal, Killing on the Side, Mekkatorque’s Battle Plans, Mech Versus Airship, A Goblin’s Definition of Success
     
• Chapter 8: Through the Front Door—Requires the completion of the Mekkatorque’s Battle Plans chapter of the War Campaign and at least 14,000 into Revered reputation with The Honorbound.
  • Quests: Breaking Out Ashvane, Face Your Enemy, Be More Uniform, A Brilliant Distraction, Catching a Ride, Through the Front Door
• Chapter 9: Fly Out to Meet Them—Requires the completion of the Through the Front Door chapter of the War Campaign.
  • Quests: War Is Here, Ride of the Zandalari, No One Left Behind, A Path of Blood, Retaking the Outpost, Putting the Gob in Gob Squad, Re-rebuilding the A.F.M.O.D., It’s Alive!, The Battle of Zul’jan Ruins, We Have Them Cornered, Zandalari Justice, None Shall Escape, Breaking Mirrors, Telaamon’s Purge, Parting Mists, Fly Out to Meet Them

Tides of Vengeance Part 2

• Chapter 1: Message to the Lord Admiral—Requires the completion of Chapter 9 of the Tides of Vengeance War Campaign.
  • Quests: Righting Wrongs, Ships in the Night, Under Locks and Keys, Dead in the Water, A Bitter Reunion, Casting the Bait, Under False Colors
• Chapter 2: Warfang Event—Requires the completion of the Message to the Lord Admiral chapter of the War Campaign.
  • Quests: Securing Warfang Hold, Spy Games, Communication Breakdown, Tickets Please?, A Display of Power

Rise of Azshara

Requires: All War Campaign chapters through Tides of Vengeance Part 2

Horde players begin the new leg of the War Campaign in their newly established hub in Nazjatar—Newhome. Lor’themar Theron has a quest for you—Visions of Danger. A spiritwalker has had a vision in which Baine Bloodhoof is executed. There are two different branches to the story available depending on the choice to remain loyal to Sylvanas or to join Lor’themar Theron and his Allies against her.

Joining the Allies: Stay of Execution.

Lor’themar Theron has declared he’s no longer allied with Sylvanas and sends you to Orgrimmar for the quest Old Allies. Once in Orgrimmar, you’ll meet up with Thrall and Saurfang and begin the quest Stay of Execution where you’ll experience a scenario. Your goal is to rescue Baine Bloodhoof from his imprisonment beneath Orgrimmar.

Loyal to Sylvanas: Stay of Execution

If you’re loyal to Sylvanas, you’ll be sent to let Nathanos Blightcaller know of the treachery at hand. You’ll serve as his spy and follow through on meeting with Saurfang and Thrall in the Stay of Execution scenario. Distracting the Dark Rangers is a slightly different experience for those loyal to Sylvanas though the remaining portion of the scenario plays out the same whether you’re a loyalist or not.

When the Stay of Execution scenario is complete, you’ll be sent once more to report to Nathanos Blightcaller.

Complete the Battle for Azeroth War Campaign

In the 8.2.5 content update, you're able to choose again which side of the Horde’s history you will be on and complete either Old Soldier or Most Loyal to earn the achievement The Fourth War and receive the title, “Veteran of the Fourth War”.

• Saurfang Loyalist Questline: The Eve of Battle, This Ain't Mine, Saving the Siege, Already Among Us, Strategic Development, Before the Gates of Orgrimmar, The Price of Victory, Old Soldier
• Sylvanas Loyalist Questline: They Move Against Us, Leaders of the Horde, Siegebreakers, Propaganda Takedown, Militia, Most Loyal

 

Alliance

At level 110 and after you’ve completed the opening quest lines of Battle for Azeroth, you're introduced to the new War Campaign and begin the road to opening new Footholds over time in the opposite faction’s territories.

Your first quest is The War Campaign, which introduces you to War Resources. After the quest Mission From the King, you're introduced to the mission table, which will allow you to begin sending followers you gain through your adventures out to carry out missions.

Access to Footholds become available as you level through Tiragarde Sound, Drustvar, and Stormsong Valley. At each key point in your journey (level 110, 114, and 118) you establish a new Foothold in Nazmir, Zuldazar, and Vol’dun. At level 120, you begin focusing more on reaching reputation milestones with the 7^th Legion.

Ready for War (Achievements)

Complete the War Campaign in Kul Tiras and Zandalar.

• Nazmir Foothold
• Vol’dun Foothold
• Zuldazar Foothold
   
• Chapter 1: Blood on the Sand—Requires level 120 and Friendly reputation with the 7^th Legion to begin the associated War Campaign quests to earn this achievement.
  • Quests: The Vol’dun Plan, Comb the Desert, Dirty Work, Classic Reliquary, Never Stop Combing, A Message to the Zandalari, Improvised Survival, They Have Alpacas Here, Delayed Deathification, Full of Arrows, The Big Boom
     
• Chapter 2: Chasing Darkness—Requires at least 4,500 into Friendly reputation with the 7^th Legion to begin the associated War Campaign quests to earn this achievement.
  • Quests: How to Kill a Dark Ranger, The Savage Hunt, Tortollans in Distress, They Can’t Stay Here, One Option: Fire, Ending Areiel, Meeting of the Minds, Target: Blood Prince Dreven
     
• Chapter 3: A Golden Opportunity—Requires at least 3,000 into Honored reputation with the 7^th Legion to begin the associated War Campaign quests to earn this achievement.
  • Quests: Our Next Target, The Void Elves Stand Ready, The Void Solution, Find the Paper Trail, Chasing Gallywix, I Take No Pleasure in This, We Have Him Cornered, Gallywix Got Away
     
• Chapter 4: Blood in the Water—Requires at least 7,500 into Honored reputation with the 7^th Legion to begin the associated War Campaign quests to earn this achievement.
  • Quests: Hunting Blood Prince Dreven, Broadside Bedlam, The Wildhammer Specialty, An Unnatural Crew, Foul Crystals for Foul People, Kings’ Rest, Ending the San’layn Threat, A Clean Escape
     
• Chapter 5: The Strike on Zuldazar—Requires Revered reputation with the 7^th Legion to begin the associated War Campaign quests to earn this achievement.
  • Quests: Bringing Down the Fleet, How to Sink a Zandalari Battleship, Under the Cover of Swiftwing, Ship Logs, Sabotaging the Pa’ku, The Enlarged Miniaturized Submarine, My Enemy’s Enemy Is My Disguise, Intelligence Denial, Right Beneath Their Nose, Void Vacation, Victory Is Assured, Leave None Alive, Silencing the Advisor, An End to Killing

Tides of Vengeance

Complete the Alliance Tides of Vengeance War Campaign.

• Chapter 6: War Marches On—Requires the completion of the Ready for War achievement to begin this quest line.
  • Quests: The Calm Before, To Anglepoint, Stand Fast, Zero Zeppelins, Repel the Horde!, Squad Goals, Besieged Allies, Outrigger Outfitters, Gunpowder Plots, Masking for a Friend, Free Plumeria!, Shots Fired, Stopping the Sappers, Express Delivery, War Marches On
     
• Chapter 7: The Sleeper Agent—Requires the completion of the War Marches On chapter of the War Campaign and at least 7,000 into Revered reputation with the 7^th Legion.
  • Quests: Sensitive Intel, Real Big Power, A Beast With Brains, Out of Options, Freedom for the Da’kani, Bittersweet Goodbyes, The Needs of the Many, Bring the Base, Fit for Grong, Calibrate the Core, The Embiggining, Total Temple Destruction, A Nice Nap, The Sleeper Agent
     
• Chapter 8: Mischief Managed—Requires the completion of The Sleeper Agent chapter of the War Campaign and 14,000 Revered reputation with the 7^th Legion.
  • Quests: The Abyssal Scepter, The Treasury Heist, Mischief Managed
     
• Chapter 9: He Who Walks in the Light—Requires the completion of Mischief Managed chapter of the War Campaign.
  • Quests: The Fall of Zuldazar, The March to Nazmir, Repurposing Their Village, Dark Iron Machinations, Fog of War, Lurking in the Swamp, Zul’jan Deluge, Showing Our Might, Taming Their Beasts, The Mech of Death, Taking the Blood Gate, He Who Walks in the Light

Tides of Vengeance Part 2

• Chapter 1: The Freehold Discovery—Requires the completion of Chapter 9 of the Tides of Vengeance War Campaign.
  • Quests: Loose Ends, Ashes to Ashvane, Correspondence Conundrum, Getting a Clue, Reporting In!
• Chapter 2: The Proudmoore Reunion—Requires the completion of The Freehold Discovery chapter of the War Campaign.
  • Quests: Don’t Shoot the Messenger, My Brother’s Keeper
• Chapter 3: Spying on Warfang Hold—Requires the completion of The Proudmoore Reunion chapter of the War Campaign.
  • Quests: Spy vs. Spy (requires completing the mission Spy on WarfangHold), The Gathering Storm, Retaliation Coordination, Lost in the Field, Reassembly Required, Seeking higher Ground, Listen Up!, Shaw’s Shank Redemption

Rise of Azshara

Requires: All War Campaign chapters through Tides of Vengeance Part 2

Alliance players begin the new leg of the War Campaign in their newly established hub in Nazjatar—Mezzamere. Jaina Proudmoore has a quest for you—Payment in Kind. Jaina lets you know that Anduin has personally summoned you back to Stormwind Keep. There, you’ll reunite with Jaina, Anduin and Matthias Shaw to repay a debt to Baine Bloodhoof by rescuing him from Sylvanas and his imminent execution at her hands. You’ll then take part in the Stay of Execution Scenario.

Complete the Battle for Azeroth War Campaign

In the 8.2.5 content update, you’ll complete each part of the questline culminating with Old Soldier to earn the achievement The Fourth War and receive the title, “Veteran of the Fourth War”.

Alliance Questline: The Eve of Battle, This Ain't Mine, Saving the Siege, Already Among Us, Strategic Development, Before the Gates of Orgrimmar,  The Price of Victory, Old Soldier

 

The War Campaign is just one part of earning flying in Battle for Azeroth. Learn more about earning reputation and earning your wings in Battle for Azeroth Unlocking Flying Part 1 and Pathfinder Part 2.

[Migol 433]

Unfortunately at this point the recap for BFA is "Filler Expansion".

The whole war campaign story was completely lifted from Garrosh's Mists of Pandaria line, you could make a powerpoint on the a to b to c storylines that were replicated in order.    For all of Blizzard's "Not Garrosh 2.0" we got EXACTLY Garrosh 2.0, down to ending with a Siege of Orgrimmar and Garroshvannas escaping to appear in another plotline's setup.  

The bad part though is this was a POORLY TOLD Garrosh 2.0.    Sylvannas, the Brilliant Strategist and Manipulator, can't hold her tongue and yells in "Atmosphereic Rending" voice that she hates the horde because she got a small cut on her face.    THAT somehow ends the war, 10 minutes later Anduin is making a speech in Orgrimmar.     That's very similar to how the war began in earnest because Sylvannas, who was going to basically take the Nelf homelands as a hostage to prevent a world war, changer her mind in a rage because a dying elf dared cry for her.

Just...damn.    I know Golden was hired well after most of this mess was already set in stone, but I really hope they pick up and dust off the playbook for creating good stories and cohesive Lore for next expansion, this one has been glaring plotholes, a war that somehow became secondary to fighting pirates, blood trolls and some foxes/snakes, and making everyone in charge seem like idiots.

[Starym 3,800]

13 minutes ago, Migol said:

Unfortunately at this point the recap for BFA is "Filler Expansion".

The whole war campaign story was completely lifted from Garrosh's Mists of Pandaria line, you could make a powerpoint on the a to b to c storylines that were replicated in order.    For all of Blizzard's "Not Garrosh 2.0" we got EXACTLY Garrosh 2.0, down to ending with a Siege of Orgrimmar and Garroshvannas escaping to appear in another plotline's setup.  

The bad part though is this was a POORLY TOLD Garrosh 2.0.    Sylvannas, the Brilliant Strategist and Manipulator, can't hold her tongue and yells in "Atmosphereic Rending" voice that she hates the horde because she got a small cut on her face.    THAT somehow ends the war, 10 minutes later Anduin is making a speech in Orgrimmar.     That's very similar to how the war began in earnest because Sylvannas, who was going to basically take the Nelf homelands as a hostage to prevent a world war, changer her mind in a rage because a dying elf dared cry for her.

Just...damn.    I know Golden was hired well after most of this mess was already set in stone, but I really hope they pick up and dust off the playbook for creating good stories and cohesive Lore for next expansion, this one has been glaring plotholes, a war that somehow became secondary to fighting pirates, blood trolls and some foxes/snakes, and making everyone in charge seem like idiots.

I feel the Golden hired after the fact is a bit of a cover/lie. She's had plenty of time to change things.

See the BIG mistake most people that discuss story and plot make is assume that almost any story can't be fixed with proper writing without touching the events. Unless they literally hired her and then didn't allow her to touch ANY LINE in BfA this is as much her fault as anyone's. You could literally keep every single element of the plot intact and still have it not be this retarded by simply rewriting some dialogue and minor details. The story would end up in the same place, but you wouldn't hate what they've done with all the characters. I'm not going to do one of those reddit style posts where i actually write that story (but I really, REALLY could, and so could most people) but I'm 100000% sure it's doable and not even that god damn hard either.

To hope that Blizzard will ever again have a decent story in their games is just stupid. These are the people that OKed Diablo 3 AND Starcraft 2 as far as stories go, how in the hell can we expect them to ever tell anything but a generic cliched 14-year-old level of "heroes beat the villains" crap?

Luckily for me, I'm mostly focused on the game part of games these days, or I'd have had to kill myself after enduring the Borderlands 3 story and writing.

[jinsu2301 273]

17 minutes ago, Migol said:

a war that somehow became secondary to fighting pirates, blood trolls and some foxes/snakes, and making everyone in charge seem like idiots.

This is probably my biggest gripe about this expansion so far. They never committed to the idea of an all out 4th War. It never was a war. We had two or three larger battles but apart from that just the same old border skirmishes we had seen since Cata. And for something that "changes everything", the Azerite really did a whole lot of nothing apart from slightly sparklier explosions.

This was the perfect stage for a Cold War situation, complete with M.A.D. weaponry and a proxy war on the new continent(s).

[durdyenglish 298]

If they had made the faction assaults pop up all over Azeroth (like the Legion pre-patch event, same "wave with boss" format instead of the world quest oriented assaults that came later in Legion and now in BfA), it would have been enough to convey a sense of total war. They could have just used the current format of assaults as the 7th Legion emissary so there was world quests in the current content that played along side. That's probably my only real gripe with the presentation of the Fourth War.

More warfronts would have been fun for me too, but unfortunately it looks like the player reception of them stopped future investment (similar to the garrisons from WoD). I really thought both of them were tight, immersive experiences and acted as perfect playable cinematics and story-telling mediums. I feel like there was room for one more to accurately represent the stages of the war built into the patch cycle.

[durdyenglish 298]

By the way, the brilliance of The Reckoning is not that it erodes Sylvanas's character. It is in Saurfang understanding that she IS using the Horde and all he needs to do is push her to reveal it. For her, it's all fun and games until Saurfang lands several blows - verbally and finally, physically. Realizing that despite all her power she isn't invulnerable, she loses interest in toying with all of us and renounces the ruse in favor of action. As she has transcended BEING us, she now has transcended even the NEED for us as pawns.

[durdyenglish 298]

1 hour ago, jinsu2301 said:

This is probably my biggest gripe about this expansion so far. They never committed to the idea of an all out 4th War. It never was a war. We had two or three larger battles but apart from that just the same old border skirmishes we had seen since Cata. And for something that "changes everything", the Azerite really did a whole lot of nothing apart from slightly sparklier explosions.

This was the perfect stage for a Cold War situation, complete with M.A.D. weaponry and a proxy war on the new continent(s).

Your last line is interesting to me - furthermore I suggest that it was a missed opportunity to use both faction leaders as raid bosses: the citizens of Azeroth band together to stop their warmongering leaders, defuse their ultimate weaponry, and end the cycle of hatred collectively.

[Arcling 898]

2 hours ago, Migol said:

Just...damn.    I know Golden was hired well after most of this mess was already set in stone, but I really hope they pick up and dust off the playbook for creating good stories and cohesive Lore for next expansion, this one has been glaring plotholes, a war that somehow became secondary to fighting pirates, blood trolls and some foxes/snakes, and making everyone in charge seem like idiots.

Story can change quite far into development, like during beta (removal of Wrathion from Legion is one such example). It's important to note Golden isn't the only writer. Things can sometimes get messy, if there are different people contributing. Steve Danuser is one of them, and he has been rather heavily criticized for his work.

[Valhalen 1,484]

The lore of WoW has been going down the hill ever since Metzen left Blizzard.

[durdyenglish 298]

I see a lot of people talking about the decline of WoW for a variety of reasons, so here's some food for thought: the problem with the perception of modern WoW is in part due to the advanced cynicism and loss of idealism long-term players have found in life at large as they progress through adulthood. Because WoW has been apart of our lives for so long, it suffers the same deflation/depreciation factor that other portions of and relationships within our everyday life do.

That is to say, it's not entirely the fault of developers that the game is less appealing now. I think after 15 years, it's difficult to keep people satisfied with something that is by in large unchanged (at core concept) from its conception. Like a marriage, our relationship with the game goes through highs & lows, often with mountains being made from molehills. We love deeply and rage hard. I think Blizzard knows this, which is why they've paired the release of Classic alongside what appears to be mounting and fundamental changes to dynamic within the "retail" version of the game. By leaning into the division within the player base (regarding the tones & themes of the gameplay/narrative design & execution), they have created an Azeroth that appeals to players seeking the original experience and one for those looking to engage the WoW universe under the lens of modern game design. Essentially, an open marriage between Blizzard and the player base that allows for freedom within commitment. 

As a result, I think they will be able to better create worlds for both sets of perspectives and dissent over their decisions should be reduced (maybe).

[Ragingwolf 310]

The only thing I can foresee now is the division of the Alliance through Tyrande and Genn Greymane where the Alliance players will be given a set of choices to make just as the Horde players in the previous patches with Saurfang or Sylvannas. For this will eventually start the possibility of the 5th war. Unfortunately these 'choices' are just basically an illusion.   There is no dire consequence for these choices that the players are given to make unlike the choices you choose from games like Mass Effect, SWOTR, or Dragon Age for your character.  Instead, for BFA, you are given an extra cutscene with very limited dialogue.

The story within itself as a whole in BFA has been barely luke warm with minor/limited tidbits of info here and there for players to pick up on.   I think Golden and Blizzard could of done a better/proper job of story telling with a better diverse set of world dynamics, consequences, and actions to actually get players hooked.  Integrating story more strongly into warfronts, assaults, island expeditions, along with select zones in the Eastern Kingdom and Kalimdor would of been a better start imo.

[Guest]

On 10/1/2019 at 8:57 AM, Valhalen said:

The lore of WoW has been going down the hill ever since Metzen left Blizzard.

Notice how class design has too *cough* . WoD was the very last one I believe and class design theory crafting with the talents multistrike etc where still amazing. After that it became an ever so pruned shitfest.