The Adventures of Wundertweek: Season 20 - TQL vs. EDF

In the vast digital realms of the Game of Thrones: Winter is Coming, the sun rose on the day of the grand Alliance Conquest. Wundertweek peered out the window to watch the sunrise, with only a hint of cloud, the sky was lit with hues of orange and gold, a canvas of fleeting beauty. The cold of the season had set in, and winter had most definitely come. The ground had frozen, cool winds howled through the landscape, and in the distance there seemed to be whispers of a coming storm.

And with that season came another series of Conquest clashes. It was time to prepare. There was a field to conquer, structures to defend, and armies to set. It was an anticipated clash between two formidable factions: the Quokka Legion and the EDF, a predominantly German alliance from faraway Kingdom 419, the Dark Angels.

(Wunder thought about his favorite new Dark Angel - her name is Stephanie Vaquer. Look her up!)

The Quokka Legion, known for their meticulous strategies and relentless drive, had earned a reputation as the conquerors of the realms. They had faced and overcome the most harrowing of challenges in all sorts of events, and had forged strong bonds amongst their members.

As the match commenced, the virtual skies were lit with the fully risen sun, but partially darkened with the shadows of dragons and armies. The Dark Angels, clad in their signature ebony armor, set their banners with unwavering determination. The Quokkas, veterans of nineteen seasons of Conquest battle, set their castles as they had done so many times before, equally prepared.

Both alliances had brought an equal 69 participants to the day’s event. “Equal numbers usually mean a competitive event,” Wunder mused to himself. “But not always.” So many times he had seen alliances bring huge numbers and lose due to a lack of experience, inconsistent tactics, or overall disconnection between members. Discipline was so critical to team events, and it remained to be seen how much each side could muster.

The Quokkas and the Dark Angels faced off on the familiar field of battle, the ground beneath them covered in a thin layer of frost, demonstrating clearly that winter had indeed settled in. The air crackled with tension as the two alliances prepared for battle. It was time to begin.

TQL began the match with the much needed alacrity they required, taking the outpost and Mother Tower, only seconds too late to catch the Warrior Tower. However, Mapesa was prepared and able to wrest control of the Warrior Tower.

Wunder noted a new feature, apparently introduced for this season: bonus buffs and points for having control of combinations of multiple buildings. “This could make each match much more strategic overall,” he mused. Now, instead of just random targeting and haphazard tactics, alliances could focus on specific buildings and goals in an effort to keep pace when trailing. Wunder could see that this could make matches far more competitive going forward once players understood the parameters for those bonuses!

EDF managed to secure a critical port, but that didn’t last long as Bronn Castle was able to take it back. It appeared that despite the even numbers, TQL had the advantage of power and experience on their side, and Wunder felt a surge of confidence mixed with some relaxation.

The feeling was fairly short-lived, however, as EDF managed to put on a fantastic counterattack – Plux was able to take Casterly Rock and his allies quickly filled it with powerful reinforcements. “This won’t be as easy as we thought,” Wunder said out loud.

Often such events resulted in alliances holding onto Casterly with singular focus, only making token attempts at other buildings. But that was not the case for the Dark Angels, who put together very impressive rallies and coordinated efforts, securing both vital strongholds, a port, and the Warrior Tower again to tilt the tides of war even further in their favor. “This will most definitely not be easy,” Wunder said out loud again, and it seemed to be true.

It took TQL some time and organization, under the generalship of the Quokka Queen, to regain control of the field, except for the central CR. The Queen and her valiant generals deftly directed TQL armies to the various buildings to strengthen the garrisons.

Despite this ensuing setback, the Dark Angels continued to fight bravely, wresting control of several buildings for critical moments to keep the score as competitive as they could, but TQL was able to counter-attack steadily and regain control of the field, solidifying their lead, as the event reached the point that seemed to bring every Conquest event to its resolution: the opening of the field’s mines.

Each side was able to initially gain access to their side’s mine, but TQL was able to overpower the EDF defenders to secure the day. Once they reached the 80K threshold, TQL retreated, satisfied with the days’ results, in a show of respect to the Dark Angels who had fought with bravery and intelligence.

As the sun began to set, the outcome of the battle was certain. The Dark Angels occupied the field for what points remained, regrouping and steeling themselves for the season's upcoming challenges. They came away with a decent point total, which was a refreshing change from so many lopsided results that Wunder had seen in the past.

And so, as the night descended upon the frozen north, the Dark Angels and the Quokkas retreated to their respective strongholds, their minds already turning to the next battle. For in the world of Game of Thrones: Winter is Coming, the struggle for power and supremacy never truly ends.

Now that the Conquest had ended though, it was time for Wunder to retire from thoughts of Westeros, to cheer on his own favorite Dark Angel in her quest to reach the top of her professional stage. Her time would be coming soon too.