We made our stand on the Field of Strife

Or, how the Horde broke a losing streak in Alterac Valley entirely by accident

Saturday morning, I decided to see how close I could get to Exalted with Frostwolf before I got bored. (The answer? From around 3000 to 16448 into Revered.) This was flummoxed after I got into 9 losing rounds in a row. Not even good losses — we were losing in about five minutes, without even a shot at Vann.

So by round 10, the group has kind of gotten to know each other — we've obviously been queueing at the same time every time. Someone says, "I'm sick of losing all the time."

N: We should just meet them on the Field of Strife and kick some ass. At least that'd be fun.
B: Are you serious?
N: I don't know, do you guys want to?
F: That would be fucking epic.
Me: OMG YES.

Other people have similar reactions. We decide that we will stop and dismount at the Field and when the Alliance rode through, we'd all just slow them down and see how many we could kill. Hunters dropped frost traps. Shamans dropped Earthbind totems. The Alliance rode over the hill, and slammed into our lines. Most tried to keep going — tried and failed. The baaing of those sheeped by our mages and the romantic sounds of succbi were nearly as loud as the clang of sword and shield.

A few broke through, and some of us split away and rode them down, destroying them at Tower Point.

A silence fell over the field.

N: Oh my god, we actually killed them all.
F: Okay, healers and stealthers go defense, everyone else take Bal and then hold them off at the choke point.

The Alliance, disoriented by the stunning curb-stomp they had just received, obviously had no backup plan. Rather than waiting until all had rezzed and mounting another massive attack, they straggled to the choke point, four or five at a time, and were quickly returned to the spirit healer by our DPS. Meanwhile, the forward troops quickly took Stonehearth and Icewing Bunkers.

N: Move forward to Dun Balder!

The Alliance was slightly more organized at the graveyard, but not by much. A handful, perhaps 15, slipped through our front lines and were picked off by those who stayed behind to defend. We moved forward, inch by bloody inch, to take Dun Balder. As the Stormpike Graveyard fell, a handful of Horde returned to the choke point, to slow our enemies and give our defensive lines some breathing room.

Our generals checked the intelligence. Not a single Horde tower had fallen. Not a single one had even been attacked. We controlled the road, the graveyards, and the battle.

F: We need a tank. Then let's get Vann.

Two brave souls volunteered. We entered the stone keep and marked Vann. The Stormpike General stood by helplessly as his bodyguards fell, and then ... we attacked.

It was a short battle, and at the end, the Alliance was utterly broken. They held not a single point on the map, they had no reinforcements, and their general was fallen. The Horde exulted. It was a hard-won victory, and it was ours.

30 seconds later, after re-entering the queue, we were back in the Valley, ready to fight again. One or two of our number had fallen, replaced by fresh recruits.

N: Alright, so what we're going to do is head to the Field of Strife ...