The Isle of Conquest

I spent some time this weekend running battlegrounds for honor on my paladin to get her some PvP healing gear, and while I was running around healing anything that moved (or groaned, I guess) one thing became abundantly clear to me: there are a lot of players that have no clue what to do in the Isle of Conquest battleground or what the objectives even are. So today (to make up for yet another PSA) I’d like to talk a little bit about the Isle of Conquest and what you should know when you zone in.

Overview

First, what’s the point of this battleground? To put things in perspective, let’s compare the Isle of Conquest to a battleground you’re (hopefully) already very familiar with: Alterac Valley. On a fundamental level, these two battlegrounds are extremely similar. You’ve got a 40v40 brawl to capture objectives and defeat enemy bosses. The premise of each is the same, but unfortunately that’s where the similarity ends and the confusion begins.

Locations

The Isle of Conquest has many valuable tactical locations spread throughout the map, similar in importance to towers and graveyards in Alterac Valley. These are key strategic points on the map that, without them, victory will be nigh impossible.

The Refinery

In the Northwest, located near the Horde hold, you’ll find the Refinery. Taking this resource gives your team a 15% siege weapon increase as well as reinforcements and a steady stream of bonus honor.

The Quarry

The Quarry is located on the Southeastern side of the island near the Alliance hold. Taking and holding the Quarry gives your team a 15% siege weapon increase in addition to reinforcements and bonus honor.

The Docks

On the Western shore of the island between both the Horde and Alliance holds, you’ll find the Docks. The Docks are considered a key strategic location due to the Glaive Throwers and Catapults available to the side that controls it.

The Glaive Throwers and Catapults can be used to assault the enemy hold, with the Glaive Throwers dealing damage to the doors of the keep and the Catapults launching players over the walls and into the enemy’s base. (Doing so will also likely award you with the Back Door Job achievement.)

The Hangar

On the Eastern side of the island directly opposite the Docks, you’ll find the Hangar atop Mount Conquest overlooking the battle below. Controlling the Hangar gives your team access to the airship that transits the battlefield. Players can use the guns aboard the airship to bombard the enemy keep or as a jumping-off point to parachute into the enemy base. (Doing so will also likely award you with the Back Door Job achievement.)

The Workshop

Located in the middle of the battlefield between the Horde and Alliance bases, holding the Workshop will allow your team to control various siege weapons which you can use to assault the enemy base and break down it’s walls.

Graveyards

There are five graveyards associated with different locations across the isle:

• The Horde base
• The Alliance base
• The oil spill (across from the Workshop)
• The Hangar
• The Docks

In addition to these, there are two default graveyards that the opposing faction cannot gain control of, located in the Northeast and Southwest corners of the island that are used when a team no longer has control of any other graveyards.

Objectives

The primary objective in Isle of Conquest is to lay siege to the enemy keep, breaking down the walls (or Catapulting or Parachuting in) to allow your team access to the Generals found within. Once inside the enemy keep, the similarity to Alterac Valley returns: slay the enemy General to win.

There are several methods you can use to gain access to the enemy keep:

Control the Docks

Controlling the Docks will give your team access to the Glaive Throwers which will break down the walls of the keep much faster, allowing ground troops access.

Additionally, the Docks will give your team access to Catapults which you can use to launch players into the keep. Once inside, players can use explosives found within the keep to blast the doors open from the inside allowing ground troops outside access.

Control the Hangar

Similar to the Docks, controlling the Hangar will give your team access to siege weapons you can use to assault the walls of the enemy keep from the outside while other players can board the airship and drop into the keep providing support from inside the enemy base.

Controlling the Docks or the Hangar (or, preferably, both) is key to victory.

Without one or both of these, players are left with no efficient means to assault the enemy keep and gain access to the General within. Players on foot will be quickly picked off by defenders within the enemy keep and defeat is only a matter of time.

Reinforcements

Taking control of the Refinery and/or Quarry will provide your team with reinforcements similar in nature to those found in Alterac Valley. Each time your team kills an enemy player, their reinforcements drop by 1. When a side’s reinforcements run out, just as in Alterac Valley, the other side is awarded the win. By controlling the Refinery or the Quarry, you buy your team precious time to assault the enemy keep and take control of the Docks or Hangar.

The General

Also like Alterac Valley, a General awaits in the enemy’s keep along with a cadre of guards. (In this case, the guards are non-elites.) If you can get a quick and solid strike force into the enemy keep, even if the walls of the keep haven’t fallen (and this is part of why holding either the Docks or the Hangar is important), slaying the General within will mean victory for your team.

The Keys to Victory

• Quickly gain control of the Docks and/or Hangar, giving your team access to siege weapons and alternate means of accessing the enemy’s keep
• Take and hold the Refinery and/or Quarry to buy your team time to take control of other objectives
• Gain access to the keep via Catapults and/or the airship (or by more traditional means: break down the walls)
• Assault the enemy General, or wait for the opposing team’s reinforcements to run out

That’s all there is to it!

Isle of Conquest Achievements

• A-bomb-inable
• A-bomb-ination
• All Over the Isle
• Back Door Job
• Cut the Blue Wire… No the Red Wire!
• Demolition Derby
• Four Car Garage
• Glaive Grave
• Isle of Conquest All-Star
• Isle of Conquest Veteran
• Isle of Conquest Victory
• Mine
• Mowed Down
• Resource Glut

With the Meta achievement: Master of Isle of Conquest which awards the Tabard of Conquest.

Happy Hunting!