AC Training Camp -Round 1

Where one training camp ends, another begins. For Malvigr, she nearly missed this match because of technical issues. Fortunately, she was able to resolve them and log in just in time to enter the first match of the new Alliance Conquest (AC) training camp. She had wanted more time to prepare, but she was ready nonetheless for her favorite game mode. With their main shotcaller present, she was looking forward to his excellent direction for the alliance, especially for those unfamiliar with AC.

As with the SoW Training Camps, the AC Training Camp is designed to give newer players an introduction to a game mode they will become very familiar with later on. Besides winning, the goal is to hit 80k points to hit all reward tiers, maximizing rewards for each person, even if they aren’t able to eliminate as much as other stronger members.

One of her friends, WindStarsSky, had told Malvigr that he was unfamiliar with this game mode, so she dropped into a voice call to explain AC to him. He had also just moved kingdoms, having only 52 thousand troops after deleting many to be able to move with fewer scrolls. Unfortunately, he had moved kingdoms mere minutes before the match began, leaving him very little time to train more. She gave a brief rundown of the mode and promised to help him defend if their opponents sent troops to burn his castle during the match.

Her alliance, sHs, was put on the Lannister side, while their opponent, wh0, was placed on the Targaryen side. With 36 sHs members present to their opponent’s 15, at first glance, the match looked like it might be a cinch. Malvigr took a minute to scout their opponent’s players, seeing a few who could pose a problem. At the sound of a horn, many armies surged forward in a race to take each map location first. Having the benefit of more players, sHs was able to capture nearly all the open map locations. Under ProtocolVPN’s guidance, the alliance sent reinforcements to every location, prioritizing the strongholds and ports. 

When Casterly Rock opened, wh0 won the mad race for the castle, leaving Malvigr and her friends nervous about retaking it. While their opponents had fewer people on the field, several of their players had t4 soldiers. ProtocolVPN mobilized the alliance, choosing the strongest sHs players to set rallies that would all hit immediately after each other. 

As their commander rallied armies and directed orders, sHs armies marched towards Casterly Rock. Swords clashed, blood spilled, and when the dust settled, the first round of rallies had failed, but severely damaged the enemy forces. wh0 was forced to pull back their armies, trying to replace them in the castle before sHs could hit them again. Despite openly anxious sHs members, ProtocolVPN assured them that they could be successful, issuing orders for another round of rallies. With bated breath, Malvigr and her allies sent troops again, marching together towards their objective, the towering castle filled with their enemies. As their armies reached Casterly Rock, thousands of soldiers fell on both sides alike, the battlefield littered with the bodies of the fallen. As each rally hit, the battle reached a high. ProtocolVPN breached the walls of Casterly Rock, claiming the castle for its rightful ruler, the Lannisters. sHs surged forward, and the thundering of troops could be heard racing to reinforce Casterly Rock. 

As the mines opened, both alliances rushed toward them, each gaining control of one mine. ProtocolVPN dispatched orders, distracting wh0 by burning some of their castles. When wh0 responded in kind, Malvigr rushed her spare army to save her friend, WindStarsSky. Her troops reached his castle just in time, safeguarding the few soldiers there from heavy losses. 

With Casterly Rock lost, wh0 never truly recovered from the loss, turning the match into a strong lead for sHs. After sHs depleted their mine, ProtocolVPN ordered a fresh round of rallies to oust wh0 from the Targaryen Mine. After the initial clash, wh0 forces were depleted thanks to distraction tactics at their base, and sHs armies stormed and took over the mine. 

Reinforcing all the most important locations, the lead grew even larger with sHs growing closer to the goal of 80k points. Upon reaching their goal, ProtocolVPN declared new orders, this time to disband the armies at every location. To the newer members, he explained that because the lead was so large and they hit the target points, there was no benefit to growing more points. The more honorable decision was to allow wh0 to gain points towards their goal with the time remaining in the match.

While this match-up had been easier than originally expected, Malvigr still remembered that the tide can turn in a heartbeat. She was relieved that ProtocolVPN’s direction had been excellent, and even more because the alliance had listened to his guidance. Not every fight would be straightforward, nor would sHs have the advantage of more players every time. She assured her friend that next week, he would be able to participate more with his troops rebuilt and experience AC for himself. Personally, while an easy win is more rewards, Malvigr hoped that the next match would be more difficult. Training Camp is meant to teach, and there is no better way to learn AC than through difficulty and being tested under pressure.