Twin Peaks
The goal of twin peaks is for your team to capture your opponent/s flag three times, while maintaining control of your own. Flags are held in the center of each team's base.
Strategy/ Overview
There are three different strategies to capture the flag. The most basic and easy to organise is a 7-3 offense/defense lineup. The next strategy is the 10-0 zerg and the last one is the 3-6-1 strategy.
Each player will be described as follows:
Flag Carrier (FC) – A flag carrier needs to be a team member who can absorb large damage, and escape snares, and preferably travel at an enhanced speed. A Feral Druid is the ideal runner, followed by a Druid in general. Protection spec’d Warriors are another good choice due to the intense amount of damage they can take with their tanking cooldowns. Rogues can also be used due to sprint ability. Finally, a Frost Mage, due to the frost novas (including the elementals frost nova), various shields/wards, frostbite, and, of course, blink.
Healers – Healers play a support role for the flag carrier. They need to both keep the runner alive, as well as allowing the runner to stay mobile. A paladin is idea for blessing of freedom, the ability to dispel, and a relatively fast flash of light spell. Restoration Druids are also great for their poison abolish, and ability to stay mobile while healing with their HOTs.
Offense – The classes used for offense change depending on the team. In most strategies, the offense must return to the midfield after a death.
Defense – The defense on the team is responsible for killing enemies who make it through the midfield and in to the base. Having a Hunter on defense is best due to the ability to track humanoids and set frost traps near the flag. An Elemental Shaman is good due to the totems that can be set up, and the ability to off-heal after a fight and Warlocks are nice due to the paranoia buff from a felhunter, which will allow the party to detect any stealth trying to capture the flag. Due to the need for major damage, it is best to keep your healing spec’d players on offense.
Ninja – Classes that can stealth should be used, almost exclusively, on offense. The preferred ninjas will usually be Rogues, followed by Druids, followed by Frost Mages.
Each player will be described as follows:
Flag Carrier (FC) – A flag carrier needs to be a team member who can absorb large damage, and escape snares, and preferably travel at an enhanced speed. A Feral Druid is the ideal runner, followed by a Druid in general. Protection spec’d Warriors are another good choice due to the intense amount of damage they can take with their tanking cooldowns. Rogues can also be used due to sprint ability. Finally, a Frost Mage, due to the frost novas (including the elementals frost nova), various shields/wards, frostbite, and, of course, blink.
Healers – Healers play a support role for the flag carrier. They need to both keep the runner alive, as well as allowing the runner to stay mobile. A paladin is idea for blessing of freedom, the ability to dispel, and a relatively fast flash of light spell. Restoration Druids are also great for their poison abolish, and ability to stay mobile while healing with their HOTs.
Offense – The classes used for offense change depending on the team. In most strategies, the offense must return to the midfield after a death.
Defense – The defense on the team is responsible for killing enemies who make it through the midfield and in to the base. Having a Hunter on defense is best due to the ability to track humanoids and set frost traps near the flag. An Elemental Shaman is good due to the totems that can be set up, and the ability to off-heal after a fight and Warlocks are nice due to the paranoia buff from a felhunter, which will allow the party to detect any stealth trying to capture the flag. Due to the need for major damage, it is best to keep your healing spec’d players on offense.
Ninja – Classes that can stealth should be used, almost exclusively, on offense. The preferred ninjas will usually be Rogues, followed by Druids, followed by Frost Mages.
The Three Strategies
7-3 Lineup
In this strategy, three players are dedicated to flag defense, followed by 7 players that are assigned to take control of the midfield, and play offense.
Teams should be divided something like this:
In this strategy, three players are dedicated to flag defense, followed by 7 players that are assigned to take control of the midfield, and play offense.
Teams should be divided something like this:
Group 1:
Flag Carrier Healer Healer |
Group 2:
Offense Offense Offense Offense |
Group 3:
Defense Defense Defense |
The initial few seconds should look something like this:
In the first few minutes the offense should fight to control the middle of the field and try to determine what type of strategy the opposition is using. Control of the middle is crucial as it will allow your team to reduce (or completely destroy) any offense sent by your opposing team. If a couple of opponents manage to sneak through, there are still three defenders in the flag room who they have to defeat, plus a hostile mid field to get back through with the flag.
Once the midfield is cleared, try to determine what type of defense they are likely using (based on the amount of offense you just engaged), and determine how many players you will need to send in to capture the flag. You can send as little as just the 1 flag carrier if you feel that there is no-one at their base, or you could send the entire 7 if you think the majority of their players are waiting there.
An important thing to note, is that when an offensive player dies, they should always return to the midfield unless the midfield is controlled.
In an ideal world, your mid game will look something like this
Once the midfield is cleared, try to determine what type of defense they are likely using (based on the amount of offense you just engaged), and determine how many players you will need to send in to capture the flag. You can send as little as just the 1 flag carrier if you feel that there is no-one at their base, or you could send the entire 7 if you think the majority of their players are waiting there.
An important thing to note, is that when an offensive player dies, they should always return to the midfield unless the midfield is controlled.
In an ideal world, your mid game will look something like this
10-0 Offensive Zerg
The idea behind the 10-0 zerg is to unnerve your opponent. If possible, put a paladin in each group for their crusader aura, and have the appropriate healers in your flag carriers group.
The groups should look something like this:
The idea behind the 10-0 zerg is to unnerve your opponent. If possible, put a paladin in each group for their crusader aura, and have the appropriate healers in your flag carriers group.
The groups should look something like this:
Group 1:
Flag Carrier Healer Offense (Paladin) Offense Offense |
Group 2:
Healer (possibly a Paladin) Offense (if the healer is not, then Paladin) Offense Offense Offense |
The first few minutes should look something like this:
In the first few minutes both groups should crush the majority, or preferably the entirety, of the opposition going midfield and prepare to charge into the base to gather the flag. What remains of the opposing defense should stand little chance against a wave of 10 players. Any opposition that res and get your flag will be intercepted on the way out by the zerg returning to base.
The idea behind this strategy is to unnerve your opponent in the first couple of minutes of the game, so that several basically give up and, either sit at their graveyard, or fight aimlessly in the middle.
After the first flag cap, if possible, several of the offense should spawn camp the opposing graveyard, discouraging players from moving to useful positions, and instead fighting the first person they see.
A successful 10-0 mid game will look something like this:
The idea behind this strategy is to unnerve your opponent in the first couple of minutes of the game, so that several basically give up and, either sit at their graveyard, or fight aimlessly in the middle.
After the first flag cap, if possible, several of the offense should spawn camp the opposing graveyard, discouraging players from moving to useful positions, and instead fighting the first person they see.
A successful 10-0 mid game will look something like this:
In this strategy, all dying players should return to midfield immediately to resume the zerging. This strategy is difficult against a well organised team.The opposition will likely have proper healing support making them harder to kill quickly.
3-6-1 Lineup
In this strategy three players are dedicated to offense, but will rarely kill anyone, six players are assigned to take control of the midfield, and one player defends the flag. This is also a great lineup to run if you have plenty of healers, as it requires long-term control of the midfield.
The teams should be set up like this:
3-6-1 Lineup
In this strategy three players are dedicated to offense, but will rarely kill anyone, six players are assigned to take control of the midfield, and one player defends the flag. This is also a great lineup to run if you have plenty of healers, as it requires long-term control of the midfield.
The teams should be set up like this:
Group 1:
Flag Carrier Healer Healer |
Group 2:
Healer Offense Offense Offense Offense |
Group 3:
Offense |
Group 4:
Defense |
In the first few moments, the flag carrier group should move away from the fighting, while the others gain control of the midfield.
The map should look something like this:
The map should look something like this:
n the first few minutes, the offense try to take the middle as quickly as possible. If they die they should immediately return to the middle. Any opponent that makes it through the offense will have to deal with the lone defender left at the base. For this reason, the defender should be a player who is confident in their pvp skills, and has some good resistance to snares and cc's. An ideal class is a BM hunter, who can track humanoids, lay frost traps, and send a pet, which is immune to everything, after whoever takes the flag.
If your flag is captured, which will happen from time to time, it is vital to stop it in the mid-field.
The goal of Group 1 is not to kill anyone, but rather run in, grab the flag, and head out of the base as quickly as possible. Snares and CC's can be used to stall the defenders as the carrier runs out of the room, returning to a friendly midfield, and eventually the base.
The general game play should look something like this:
If your flag is captured, which will happen from time to time, it is vital to stop it in the mid-field.
The goal of Group 1 is not to kill anyone, but rather run in, grab the flag, and head out of the base as quickly as possible. Snares and CC's can be used to stall the defenders as the carrier runs out of the room, returning to a friendly midfield, and eventually the base.
The general game play should look something like this:
Tips and Tricks
Sacrificial Lamb/Double Sprint Flag Capture: 2 or more rogues can stealth in to a base. One grabs the flag and takes off top side using sprint and cloak of shadows. The defense inside hopefully will all chase after the rogue, killing him around the graveyard spawn point. Meanwhile, the second rogue has moved in to position back at the flag return point. When it is returned, the second rogue will grab the flag, sprint towards the boots in the tunnel, and then use the boots to sprint out into a hopefully friendly midfield.
What to do when you have your opponent’s flag, and they have yours:
Ideally, your midfield control will allow you to focus damage on any enemy flag carrier before they make it back to the safety of their own base. However, there will be times when both teams have the flags. When this happens you need a ninja to go and scout out the other team. Try to determine what defenders the flag carrier has, how many healers, what type of healers, etc. If the enemy has 3-4 players with the flag, you will have to send the appropriate numbers in to retrieve it. Be sure to send classes who can control healers, while providing good burst on the flag carrier. Mages, Rogues, Warriors, Hunters, are all good candidates. Keep your healers with your flag, but keep at least 1 or 2 dps classes as well, to ward off attackers.
If the enemy team has an extreme turtle around the FC and you need to bring 100% of your dps, or you need your healers to support your dps, you will have to bring the FC along also. The flag carrier can dps, but the healers need to be very, very conscious of the FCs health. Once the flag is returned, it will likely be picked up by the opposition again since you have all 10 players in their base now. Treat this like it was the start of a 10-0 zerg. The opponent with the flag should be intercepted and killed midfield, which should be easier, as s/he will not have enough support. Return the flag again, and bring yours in for the cap and point.
What to do when you have your opponent’s flag, and they have yours:
Ideally, your midfield control will allow you to focus damage on any enemy flag carrier before they make it back to the safety of their own base. However, there will be times when both teams have the flags. When this happens you need a ninja to go and scout out the other team. Try to determine what defenders the flag carrier has, how many healers, what type of healers, etc. If the enemy has 3-4 players with the flag, you will have to send the appropriate numbers in to retrieve it. Be sure to send classes who can control healers, while providing good burst on the flag carrier. Mages, Rogues, Warriors, Hunters, are all good candidates. Keep your healers with your flag, but keep at least 1 or 2 dps classes as well, to ward off attackers.
If the enemy team has an extreme turtle around the FC and you need to bring 100% of your dps, or you need your healers to support your dps, you will have to bring the FC along also. The flag carrier can dps, but the healers need to be very, very conscious of the FCs health. Once the flag is returned, it will likely be picked up by the opposition again since you have all 10 players in their base now. Treat this like it was the start of a 10-0 zerg. The opponent with the flag should be intercepted and killed midfield, which should be easier, as s/he will not have enough support. Return the flag again, and bring yours in for the cap and point.