Campaign Mission Objectives and Walkthroughs (Orc)

Welcome, Warchief! This section will guide you through the brutal Orcish campaign in Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness. Each mission presents unique challenges, and a well-executed strategy is key to overwhelming the pathetic Human Alliance. Prepare for battle!

Mission 1: The New Frontier

Objectives:

Establish a base of operations.
Destroy all Human forces.

Walkthrough:

This introductory mission focuses on basic resource gathering and unit production. You start with a small contingent of Grunts and Peons. Immediately begin harvesting Lumber and Gold.

Initial Setup:
- Assign 3-4 Peons to the Gold Mine directly to your north.
- Assign 2-3 Peons to harvest Lumber from the nearby forests.
- Queue up additional Peons at your Great Hall until you have at least 6-8 working the Gold Mine and 4-5 on Lumber.
Base Expansion:
- Construct a Barracks as soon as you have enough resources.
- Train Grunts from the Barracks. Your starting Grunts can defend your base while new ones are trained.
- Build a Pig Farm to increase your Food supply as needed.
First Engagement:
- The Humans will send small groups of Footmen and Archers from the east. Keep your Grunts near your base to repel these early assaults.
- Focus fire on the Archers first, as they deal ranged damage.
Offensive Push:
- Once you have a force of 6-8 Grunts, begin moving east.
- You will encounter a small Human outpost with a few Footmen and a Farm. Destroy these structures and units.
- Continue pushing east and slightly north to find the main Human base.
Destroying the Human Base:
- The Human base will consist of a Town Hall, Barracks, and several Farms, defended by Footmen and possibly a few Knights.
- Use your Grunts to engage their melee units.
- Prioritize destroying their Barracks to prevent further unit production.
- Once the Barracks is down, systematically destroy the remaining structures and units. Victory is yours!

Mission 2: The Great Sea

Objectives:

Build a Shipyard.
Destroy all Human Transports.

Walkthrough:

This mission introduces naval combat. Resource management and timely construction are crucial.

Resource Gathering & Early Defense:
- Start by assigning Peons to the Gold Mine and Lumber. Aim for a similar Peon distribution as Mission 1 (6-8 Gold, 4-5 Lumber).
- Train 2-3 additional Grunts for base defense. The Humans will send small land patrols from the north and east.
- Construct a Barracks if you haven't already.
Naval Preparations:
- Your primary goal is to build a Shipyard. This requires a Lumber Mill first.
- Build a Lumber Mill near your forest.
- Once the Lumber Mill is complete, construct a Shipyard along the coast to the south of your base.
Building the Fleet:
- From the Shipyard, begin training Orc Transport ships. You will need at least 3-4 Transports to complete the objective efficiently.
- While building Transports, continue to defend your land base from occasional Human attacks.
Hunting Human Transports:
- The Human Transports are scattered across the sea. They are lightly armored and can be destroyed quickly by your own Transports.
- Send your Transports out in a group. Head west along the coastline first. You'll likely encounter the first Human Transport near the western edge of the map.
- Continue scouting the entire coastline, especially the western and northern waters. The Human Transports often patrol or are anchored near small islands or landmasses.
- Engage and destroy each Human Transport you find. They will not retaliate effectively against your grouped Transports.
Victory:
- Once the last Human Transport is sunk, the mission concludes.

Mission 3: The Shores of Lordaeron

Objectives:

Destroy the Human outpost.
Destroy all Human forces.

Walkthrough:

This mission requires a balanced approach to land and sea power. You'll be establishing a new base and facing a more fortified Human presence.

Landing and Base Establishment:
- You start with a few Grunts and Peons on a Transport. Sail your Transport to the designated landing zone on the western shore.
- Unload your units and immediately begin building a Great Hall.
- Assign Peons to the nearby Gold Mine and Lumber. This is your new primary base.
- Train additional Peons and Grunts for defense.
Early Expansion and Defense:
- The Humans will send Footmen and Archers from the east. Build a Barracks and train 4-6 Grunts to defend your initial landing site.
- Construct a Lumber Mill and a Shipyard as soon as resources allow. Place the Shipyard on the coast near your base.
Naval Dominance:
- From your Shipyard, begin training Orc Destroyers. These are crucial for clearing the seas and supporting your land assault.
- Build 3-4 Destroyers. Use them to patrol the waters around your base and engage any Human Frigates or Transports that approach.
- There's a small Human outpost on an island to the northeast. Your Destroyers can bombard its defenses and units from the water.
Land Assault on the Outpost:
- While your navy secures the sea, train a strong land force. Aim for 8-10 Grunts and 2-3 Trolls (from the Barracks after upgrading to a War Mill).
- Load your land units onto a Transport and sail them to the eastern shore, near the Human outpost.
- Unload your units and attack the outpost. Focus on their Barracks and Guard Towers first.
Pushing to the Main Human Base:
- After destroying the outpost, consolidate your forces. You can reinforce them by sending more units across the water via Transport.
- The main Human base is further east. It will be more heavily defended with Knights, Footmen, Archers, and potentially Catapults.
- Use your Destroyers to bombard coastal defenses or units if possible, providing support for your land troops.
- Advance cautiously, using your Grunts to absorb damage and Trolls to deal ranged damage. Focus fire on enemy ranged units and siege weapons first.
- Destroy their Town Hall, Barracks, and any other production buildings to cripple their ability to reinforce.
Total Annihilation:
- Systematically clear the entire map of all remaining Human structures and units to secure victory.