Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness
Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness

Building Statistics and Functions (Orcish Horde)

Reference guide to Orcish Horde building statistics and functions in Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness. Understand costs, prerequisites, and optimal base developm.

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Building Statistics and Functions (Orcish Horde)

Mastering the Orcish Horde requires a deep understanding of each structure's purpose, cost, and strategic implications. This section details every Orcish building, providing actionable advice for optimal base development and unit production.

Great Hall

  • Cost: 500 Gold, 250 Lumber
  • Prerequisites: None
  • Functions:
    • Resource Drop-off: Serves as the primary drop-off point for Gold and Lumber collected by Peons. Position it centrally to your Gold Mine and Lumber Mill for maximum efficiency.
    • Peon Production: Trains new Peons (40 Gold, 100 Food). Prioritize constant Peon production in the early game to establish a strong economy.
    • Technology Gate: Required for constructing most other advanced buildings.
  • Strategy: Your first building. Always keep Peons working on resource collection and ensure a steady stream of new Peons. Upgrade to a Stronghold as soon as resources allow to unlock higher-tier units and structures.

Barracks

  • Cost: 400 Gold, 200 Lumber
  • Prerequisites: Great Hall
  • Functions:
    • Unit Production: Trains basic Orcish ground units:
      • Grunt (60 Gold, 20 Lumber, 2 Food)
      • Troll Axethrower (50 Gold, 20 Lumber, 1 Food) - Requires upgraded Barracks (War Mill).
    • Upgrades:
      • War Mill: Upgrades the Barracks to allow production of Troll Axethrowers and unlocks further upgrades.
  • Strategy: Build early to establish a defensive force and begin map control. Grunts are your frontline, while Troll Axethrowers provide crucial ranged support.

Lumber Mill

  • Cost: 250 Gold, 150 Lumber
  • Prerequisites: Great Hall
  • Functions:
    • Lumber Drop-off: Secondary drop-off point for Lumber. Essential for efficient lumber collection, especially if your Great Hall is far from trees.
    • Upgrades:
      • Wood Cutting: Increases the amount of lumber collected per trip by Peons. Research this early and often.
      • Shipyard: Required for constructing the Shipyard.
  • Strategy: Place near a dense forest. Two to three Peons per Lumber Mill is a good starting point. Researching Wood Cutting upgrades is vital for sustained resource income.

Watch Tower

  • Cost: 100 Gold, 50 Lumber
  • Prerequisites: Great Hall
  • Functions:
    • Defense: Attacks nearby enemy units with arrows.
    • Vision: Provides a small area of sight around the tower.
  • Strategy: Build these at choke points, around your Gold Mine, and near your Great Hall for early defense against scouting units and initial attacks. Upgrade to Guard Towers and Cannon Towers for increased firepower.

Pig Farm

  • Cost: 80 Gold, 20 Lumber
  • Prerequisites: Great Hall
  • Functions:
    • Food Supply: Each Pig Farm provides 4 Food. Food is required to train and maintain units.
  • Strategy: Build these as needed to support your growing army. Do not overbuild early, as they consume valuable Gold and Lumber. Monitor your Food counter carefully.

Stronghold

  • Cost: 1000 Gold, 500 Lumber (Upgrade from Great Hall)
  • Prerequisites: Great Hall, Lumber Mill
  • Functions:
    • Resource Drop-off: Retains all Great Hall functions.
    • Technology Gate: Unlocks more advanced buildings and units, such as the Ogre Mound and Temple of the Damned.
    • Upgrades:
      • Keep: Further upgrade to unlock the Dragon Roost and more advanced unit upgrades.
  • Strategy: A critical upgrade. Aim to get this as soon as your economy can support it to unlock your mid-game unit production and tech tree.

Ogre Mound

  • Cost: 600 Gold, 300 Lumber
  • Prerequisites: Stronghold
  • Functions:
    • Unit Production: Trains Ogres (80 Gold, 40 Lumber, 3 Food).
    • Upgrades:
      • Ogre Club: Increases Ogre attack damage.
      • Ogre Armor: Increases Ogre defense.
      • Ogre Mage: Upgrades Ogres to Ogre Mages, allowing them to cast spells.
  • Strategy: Ogres are powerful melee units. Build an Ogre Mound when you need a stronger frontline. Upgrading to Ogre Mages provides invaluable spellcasting support, especially Bloodlust.

Temple of the Damned

  • Cost: 800 Gold, 400 Lumber
  • Prerequisites: Stronghold
  • Functions:
    • Unit Production: Trains Death Knights (120 Gold, 60 Lumber, 4 Food).
    • Spell Research: Researches Death Knight spells:
      • Death Coil
      • Haste
      • Unholy Armor
      • Raise Dead
  • Strategy: Death Knights are powerful spellcasters and support units. Their spells can turn the tide of battle. Prioritize researching Death Coil for offensive capabilities and Raise Dead for sustained pushes.

Altar of Storms

  • Cost: 500 Gold, 250 Lumber
  • Prerequisites: Stronghold
  • Functions:
    • Unit Production: Trains Goblin Sappers (100 Gold, 50 Lumber, 2 Food).
    • Spell Research: Researches Ogre Mage spells (if Ogre Mage upgrade is complete):
      • Bloodlust
      • Eye of Killrog
      • Runes
  • Strategy: Goblin Sappers are excellent for destroying enemy buildings. The Altar of Storms is also crucial for unlocking Bloodlust for your Ogre Mages, a game-changing buff.

Foundry

  • Cost: 400 Gold, 200 Lumber
  • Prerequisites: Stronghold, Shipyard
  • Functions:
    • Unit Production: Trains Orcish naval units:
      • Orc Transport (100 Gold, 50 Lumber, 2 Food)
      • Orc Destroyer (120 Gold, 60 Lumber, 3 Food)
    • Upgrades:
      • Submarine: Upgrades the Foundry to allow production of Orc Submarines.
  • Strategy: Essential for naval dominance. Destroyers are your primary offensive ships, while Transports are vital for amphibious assaults.

Shipyard

  • Cost: 250 Gold, 150 Lumber
  • Prerequisites: Lumber Mill
  • Functions:
    • Naval Construction: Allows the construction of naval units and the Foundry.
  • Strategy: Build this on a coastline to begin your naval operations. Protect it from enemy attacks.

Oil Refinery

  • Cost: 300 Gold, 150 Lumber
  • Prerequisites: Stronghold, Shipyard
  • Functions:
    • Oil Drop-off: Allows Oil Tankers to drop off Oil.
    • Oil Platform Construction: Required to build Oil Platforms.
  • Strategy: Build near an Oil Patch. Oil is crucial for advanced naval units and certain upgrades.

Oil Platform

  • Cost: 200 Gold, 100 Lumber
  • Prerequisites: Oil Refinery
  • Functions:
    • Oil Extraction: Extracts Oil from Oil Patches.
  • Strategy: Place on an Oil Patch. Protect your Oil Platforms with Destroyers or Submarines, as they are vulnerable.

Keep

  • Cost: 1500 Gold, 750 Lumber (Upgrade from Stronghold)
  • Prerequisites: Stronghold, Ogre Mound
  • Functions:
    • Resource Drop-off: Retains all Stronghold functions.
    • Technology Gate: Unlocks the Dragon Roost and further unit upgrades.
  • Strategy: The final upgrade for your main base. Essential for unlocking the most powerful Orcish air units.

Dragon Roost

  • Cost: 1000 Gold, 500 Lumber
  • Prerequisites: Keep, Temple of the Damned
  • Functions:
    • Unit Production: Trains Dragons (150 Gold, 75 Lumber, 4 Food).
    • Upgrades:
      • Dragon Training: Increases Dragon attack damage.
      • Dragon Scale: Increases Dragon defense.
  • Strategy: Dragons are your ultimate air superiority units. Build a Dragon Roost to gain air control and assault enemy bases from above.

Guard Tower

  • Cost: 150 Gold, 75 Lumber (Upgrade from Watch Tower)
  • Prerequisites: Watch Tower, Stronghold
  • Functions:
    • Enhanced Defense: Stronger attack and more hit points than a Watch Tower.
  • Strategy: Upgrade your Watch Towers to Guard Towers for improved base defense as your economy grows.

Cannon Tower

  • Cost: 200 Gold, 100 Lumber (Upgrade from Guard Tower)
  • Prerequisites: Guard Tower, Keep
  • Functions:
    • Siege Defense: Deals splash damage, effective against groups of units and buildings.
  • Strategy: The most powerful defensive tower. Place these strategically to defend against large enemy pushes and siege units.