arena of honor,bully team, season 3 round 1: the old ******

The time has come and we are returning to the glorious battlefields of Arena of Honor. The third season just started and we are going to witness the battle of the season opening following the adventures of lord Alatunn(CrimsoNDawn) within the Bully team. Previous efforts brought our champion to the high final score and even though some of the battles were too one-sided and even dull there were a few grand clashes in the 2nd season against FFS and WxC teams. Let's see what a new day will give us!

Previous season Bully team made their best to catch up with team from WxC and even they were close after all just a few points kept them away from the highest places in score ranking of second season. Now it is time to seek for a new ideas and ways to fight or new season might end up like previous one – good but can be better 😀

Once again team leadership sent a call to rally all the warlords as time to fight approached with every day. Day after day and at last new Sunday has arrived, tick-tock, tick-tock, only a few minutes left and it is time for the team to move on the tournament battlefield. When everything prepared it works without any delay: troops are about to march to build up first war camps, maesters transporting healing potions for upcoming battle from event shop together with boots, where can you go without them, it all will lasts forever and of course it is time to send scouts to find out who will be opposing to Bully team this time.  

The battle promised to be fun right from the first encountered enemy located on the left of us. It was a team of HOH players led by one of their strongest infantry warlords AK0086 supported by two other good fighters BaluOhneCrew and R0nY. Even though the group still lacked strength to fight over City of Glory presence of formidable rally leader promised them good chance to hold their own territories and getting of some mine shafts.

Even further to the left our scouts discovered a mixed team led by CruCio with a few of friends. However, the second part of the group looked like random players that could significantly undermine their fighting capacity despite the leader of the group being a well-known old-timer warrior with a great list of achievements. That day they were assigned by Old Gods to defend the honor of House Stark. It is for sure they have expected a hard and exhausting battle to come.

Now let's look on the other side of the battlefield where a group of BTa players led by one of the alliance officers aromous and one of the strongest spearmen rally leaders Michael Lee placed their forces near Tyrell’s clan house. Even though the group had some not bad fighter lack of experience together with the need to face off top fighters of Westeros left them not much chances for the good outcome.

The opening of the season would never be good without a good fight. Even further to the right our scouts detected the presence of a serious enemy. It was a team of WxC placed to fight under the banner of House Lannister. There were a few famous fighters led by NlGHTQUEEN, MeNat and GA1A and supported by two strong infantry warlords: Sagitarius A and DarkCrixo. Another formidable infantry-spearman rally leader KARASA seemed to be a random participant or a guest there. It is for sure they had everything to challenge us and they were going to do it as the rivalry between BaN and WxC is known in Seven Kingdoms to almost everyone who is curious about what's going on in Westeros. 

At last on the opposite side of the battlefield near the clan house of the most furious Baratheon’s warriors we discovered a very mixed team. Luckily for them there was a BaN fighter among them – Олег М – and we always support groups having BaN members. Today they got really lucky as their messenger that visited us returned back with good news and the battle that was to be fought ahead was promising to be hard and merciless.

Even before the battle had started, a plan represented by team leadership was obvious and clear - we had to challenge our main enemy from the start and take away any bonuses they could acquire from holding altars. Of course except strategies there were a lot of things behind the scenes including long term uncompromised rivalry lasting from times of DEP domination when conflicts often crossed all borders and became very personal. Grudges are grudges but battles have to be fought!

Lord Alatunn patiently waited when his construction works ended and he would be able to enter the battle. It was somewhat annoying that some of his teammates left him finishing it on his own while taking their troops away. At last war camp was improved to maximum level and his cavalry squad was able to enter the battlefield. There were so many possible targets and serious clashes already started near clan house Lannister where our group redirected main forces and strongest warlords. First Alatunn’s troops encountered some spearmen troops but they were no match for heavy cavalry but it seems not only our hero was hasting to enter the battle when to revenge for his battle comrade arrived Dark Crixo with infantry troops that obviously had nothing to do near altar of warrior. Fear and panic gripped the infantrymen as their  warlord brought them to the slaughter against cavalry armies!

It could become a lesson to not attack blindly but the battle was so intense and fierce right from the start and both sides tried to beat their opponent without giving an opportunity to get reinforcements that following example of Dark Crixo lord Alatunn threw his cavalry into flames of war without properly scouting. NlGHTQUEEN was waiting near altar of Crone with mixed army having spearmen in front line and even cavalry staying behind was no match to Alatunn’s counterpart, heavy spearmen managed to stop powerful charge even not without casualties while second part of the army couldnt help a lot. As a result of the bloody mess both sides got seriously beaten and had to retreat for refilling but Alatunn retreated first leaving the battlefield to the head of alliance under whose banner he fought a while ago. 

Despite serious pressure caused by our armies, Lannisters counterattacked without a moment to rest. They had to fight only for their lands while Targaryen's armies had bigger ambitions to take over some other territories and hold the City of Glory. All of that took almost all of their armies putting under the question can they even do it? On the other hand, since most armies of two strongest factions stuck fighting against each other, the rest of participants got a sudden chance to get way more than they could expect. At the top of the battlefield a fierce “free for all” between Greyjoys, Starks and Baratheons was at full swing. The battle got balanced and everyone was trying to snatch his pieces of the cake! 😀

First, House Tyrell unexpectedly lost their clan house and Targaryen didnt miss their chance. It was a catastrophe for BTa group but also a great opportunity for Targaryens and a hidden menace for Lannisters as first ones quietly started to rebuild captured trading posts into even more war camps than they had before to attack Lannister with double effort while their main armies stuck with attempt to push impudent invader out of their lands! 😂 

It took some time and some luck when at last defenses of Lannisters clan house got breached and Crimson immediately sent his armies to take over rivals main fortress. Just a few moments after Lannisters discovered the terrifying truth, what seemed to be impossible became reality; they did not just lose their clan house, it already was full of enemy troops. Time was running out and all of their armies were called back for a grand battle, all or nothing. There is no way to succeed at Arena of Honor if you are losing the main citadel.

First attack led by MeNaT was successfully repelled encouraging defenders for further resistance but it caused slightly recognizable effect - most of infantry troops placed in first line were killed and just in a few moment another army led by NIGHTQUEEN and fully consisting of spearmen landed critical strike breaching defense and forcing leftovers of Alatunn troops to retreat.

Happiness in Targaryen's camp changed with some frustrations as the desirable goal to capture 2 clan houses per battle, especially taking into account one of them belonging to mortal enemies started to fade away. If the enemy manages to hold their ground and take the clan house back they will never repeat the mistake! A call to arms was sent and three rallied armies started assembling, trying to suck in every soldier, horse and dragon that were in the war camp at that moment. Right after preparation was done 3 “iron snakes” quickly crawled toward the enemy clan house and the last attack returned the desirable fortress into Targaryen's hands. 

The scales tipped back again but the enemy fought furiously and didnt plan to surrender – scouts returned back telling that rivals were assembling their own armies. For some reason not all of them were completely filled up and even MooON almost made it to withstand enemy onslaught but last cavalry army ruined our hopes and the clock start counting time from the start again. 

It could last forever – flames of war oiled with personal beefs and grudges pushed each side to return fighting no matter the cost when on the next round of counterattacks Targaryens champion and strongest warlord Meridianos took over clan house of Lannister. It was the best chance to end resistance of the enemy and every available soldier was sent to reinforce the dreadful warlord. Since Lannisters had 3 main rally leaders: one infantry, one cavalry and one spearman, the biggest hopes were put on the results of a cavalry attack that could significantly weaken Targaryen defenses. Suddenly all 3 armies got defeated and it turned out that GA1A didn't manage to fill up their rally entirely as a result numbers advantage together with superior equipment of Meridianos allowed them to decisively defeat the last chance of Lannister`s. It seems that the outcome significantly undermined the desire of the WxC team to fight and the rest of the battle they never returned to attempt to take back their main fortress. 

The fierce and uncompromised battle that was raging like a storm eventually ended up and both sides spent the rest of their time mostly resting after bloody slaughter. Once again the Bully team managed to beat their opponent and prove them to be one of the strongest teams at Arena of Honor. As for lord Alatunn his reward always was and always will be a good battle and that day Old Gods decided to reward him and sent decent enemies. One day you win, one day you lose, but you fight every day 🙂

Final results

Final map

Best fighters

Most resilient warriors