Arathi Basin
The goal of Arathi Basin is for your team to reach 2000 ‘resource’ points before your opponent does.
Strategy / Overview
Each player will be described as follows:
Main Assist – These players are ideally an Arms Warrior, Hunter or death knight. The idea is that the DPS can work with whoever is the main assist in their combat group, allowing for focused fire. The mortal wounds debuff will make it harder to keep the targeted enemies alive.
Healer – These are classes that will not do much besides healing. If you are going to put 2 healers in a combat group, try to distribute them to create some teamwork.
Off Healer – This is a class that could heal if the fight begins to go poorly, such as non-resto Shaman, Shadow Priests, Balance Druids or Retribution Paladins. An off healers responsibility is to make sure the healer stays alive. Thus, if a teams Holy Priest is under attack, an Retribution Paladin/Balance Druid should try to keep him alive.
DPS – A DPS class kills things. It would be advisable to have an assist macro for their teams main assist. Like healing, creating group unity whenever it is possible.
Ninja – Classes that can stealth can be grouped together to strategically attack or cap locations. A ninja team would ideally be able to quickly surprise and kill/cap a location if it is under guarded. Feral Druids and Rogues are ideal, but Mages can be used as well, thanks to invisibility. If there are extra healers, a Resto Druid could be used in this position to provide some crowd control.
Main Assist – These players are ideally an Arms Warrior, Hunter or death knight. The idea is that the DPS can work with whoever is the main assist in their combat group, allowing for focused fire. The mortal wounds debuff will make it harder to keep the targeted enemies alive.
Healer – These are classes that will not do much besides healing. If you are going to put 2 healers in a combat group, try to distribute them to create some teamwork.
Off Healer – This is a class that could heal if the fight begins to go poorly, such as non-resto Shaman, Shadow Priests, Balance Druids or Retribution Paladins. An off healers responsibility is to make sure the healer stays alive. Thus, if a teams Holy Priest is under attack, an Retribution Paladin/Balance Druid should try to keep him alive.
DPS – A DPS class kills things. It would be advisable to have an assist macro for their teams main assist. Like healing, creating group unity whenever it is possible.
Ninja – Classes that can stealth can be grouped together to strategically attack or cap locations. A ninja team would ideally be able to quickly surprise and kill/cap a location if it is under guarded. Feral Druids and Rogues are ideal, but Mages can be used as well, thanks to invisibility. If there are extra healers, a Resto Druid could be used in this position to provide some crowd control.
The Strategy
3 Hard Cap
In this strategy, three bases are held, and little to no offense is played the entire game. Alliance will hold the Stables/Blacksmith/Mine or Lumber Mill. Horde will hold Farm/Blacksmith/Mine or Lumber Mill. The general idea is 1-5-4 defense at Stables/Smith/Mine or Lumber Mill with 2 mobile defenders between the 3 locations.
Your groups should look something like this:
In this strategy, three bases are held, and little to no offense is played the entire game. Alliance will hold the Stables/Blacksmith/Mine or Lumber Mill. Horde will hold Farm/Blacksmith/Mine or Lumber Mill. The general idea is 1-5-4 defense at Stables/Smith/Mine or Lumber Mill with 2 mobile defenders between the 3 locations.
Your groups should look something like this:
Group 1 (BS)
Main Assist Healer DPS/Off Healer DPS DPS *mobile* |
Group 2 (LM / Mine)
Main Assist Healer DPS/Off Healer DPS *mobile* |
Group 3 (Stables / Farm)
Defense |
With Group 1 going to the BS, there should be sufficient DPS and healing to cap this location. In a hard 3 cap, it is crucial to win the BS on the first attempt, as the game can drag out if it is lost.
Group 2 should be able to put up a fight at the Mine / LM. Try to make sure there is a class that has a ‘bubble’ type button (paladin, mage, etc) that will gives them a few extra seconds at the end of a losing battle to keep opponents off the flag.
Group 3 should be a class and player who can survive. Classes that have bubble abilities are ideal. That way, if there is a surprise assault on the Stables / Farm, the defender will have to survive while backup is dispatched.
The initial battle should look something like this:
Group 2 should be able to put up a fight at the Mine / LM. Try to make sure there is a class that has a ‘bubble’ type button (paladin, mage, etc) that will gives them a few extra seconds at the end of a losing battle to keep opponents off the flag.
Group 3 should be a class and player who can survive. Classes that have bubble abilities are ideal. That way, if there is a surprise assault on the Stables / Farm, the defender will have to survive while backup is dispatched.
The initial battle should look something like this:
Early Game
With well balanced groups, and a numbers advantage at both combat bases, all three flags should be capped. If this is true, go ahead and skip to Mid Game Strategy, as the early game has gone well. Here are some possible scenarios that could happen if things go poorly early game:
1- Opponents zerged the Mine/LM, and the battle will not be won with the 5 offensive units sent.
Mid Game
Defense, defense, defense! Remember, the goal is not to cap 4 bases, or win quickly. This will take 20 minutes, but will be a win nonetheless! Too often a team will cap 3, and then proceed to attack at random, spread out, and inevitably lose another base (or two). Instead, it’s time to reinforce what you have.
Mobile Defense
Players should be made aware from the start gate if they will be on static or mobile defense. If a player is on mobile defense they should sit at the crossroad between BS, Mine/LM, and Stables/Farm. This allows the mobile group to be quickly dispersed to groups bases about to receive an incoming attack.
End Game
While three capping can be a bit dull, it is successful, and very formidable against both zerging teams, and teams that try to ninja.
This game will end exactly how the mid-game works, with three bases capped. The game will take approximately 20 minutes to complete.
With well balanced groups, and a numbers advantage at both combat bases, all three flags should be capped. If this is true, go ahead and skip to Mid Game Strategy, as the early game has gone well. Here are some possible scenarios that could happen if things go poorly early game:
1- Opponents zerged the Mine/LM, and the battle will not be won with the 5 offensive units sent.
- Group 2 should call the zerg immediately, as it should be obvious
- Two DPS from Group 1 immediately switch from BS to Mine/LM
- Group 2 needs to play defensively, buying time for the two DPS to reroute
- Send Group 4 to BS, and 1 player from Mine/LM if needed. Send 1 from Mine to cover Stables/Farm. Stables guard will reach BS before Mine runner will.
- Can send backup from BS or Mine/LM as needed.
Mid Game
Defense, defense, defense! Remember, the goal is not to cap 4 bases, or win quickly. This will take 20 minutes, but will be a win nonetheless! Too often a team will cap 3, and then proceed to attack at random, spread out, and inevitably lose another base (or two). Instead, it’s time to reinforce what you have.
Mobile Defense
Players should be made aware from the start gate if they will be on static or mobile defense. If a player is on mobile defense they should sit at the crossroad between BS, Mine/LM, and Stables/Farm. This allows the mobile group to be quickly dispersed to groups bases about to receive an incoming attack.
End Game
While three capping can be a bit dull, it is successful, and very formidable against both zerging teams, and teams that try to ninja.
This game will end exactly how the mid-game works, with three bases capped. The game will take approximately 20 minutes to complete.