Warhammer Online at Ten Ton Hammer - Taking MMOG Gamers to the Next Level!

By Cody “Micajah” Bye, Managing Editor

When you think of classic confrontations, who do you typically choose as the two combatants? Ali and Frasier? Nazi Germany and the United States? Lion-o versus Mumra? These are all valid choices (especially the homage to Thundercats) but there is one specific example of classic faction battles that wasn't listed. The Dwarves and the Greenskins.

Arguably the two races that serve as the main combatants at the Gates of Ekrund are even more classic than any of the three contenders listed above. Mentioned time and time again in Western fantasy, The Dwarves and the Orcs have clashed on numerous occasions, and their hatred for one another is almost always palpable in any fictional setting. Perhaps that's why I took particular pleasure in pursuing my enemies in the Gates of Ekrund RvR scenario. I knew the history behind these two races, and our conflict at the Gates of Ekrund made it all the sweeter.

A map of the Gates of Ekrund.

Again, this article is simply a basic look at the Gates of Ekrund scenario and some of the strategies and tactics players can use to get an advantage in this conflict. If you’re looking for open battleground RvR guides, go check out our selection at the Warhammer Online community site. New players to the RvR game should go check out Tony “RadarX” Jones’ RvR Basics guide. However, if you’re ready to learn the ropes to the Gates of Ekrund, you’ve come to the right spot.

A Look at the Gates of Ekrund

Capture the Gate Switch, Supply Room and the Ammunitions Cache located on the upper floors of the gate. Most important, kill all the enemies you find! – from the WAR developers

Arguably, the Gates of Ekrund is the most bloodthirsty Tier 1 RvR scenario. This is a sheer slaughterfest, even compared to the incredibly intense Nordenwatch and Khaine’s Embrace battle fields. For most gamers, and especially casters, dying four or five times won’t be such a bad outcome. If you’re a player that loves to simply jump into the middle of a brawl and have it out with other players, this is the scenario for you.

The Gates of Ekrund RvR scenario again applies the same “take and hold” principle to this instanced encounter. Three flags stand at the top of the Gates of Ekrund, and it’s up to you and your faction to climb to the top of those gates and fight for the three objectives. Like in every Tier 1 RvR scenario, one objective on each side of the map is easily attainable by players from either the Destruction or Order spawn points, while the flag in the middle stands as the “contested” objective.  

Starting at the players’ spawn point, there are multiple avenues of reaching the top of the Ekrundian gate, but the closest, quickest, and safest avenues are directly in front of the spawn points for either faction. There are two of these “quick” ramps that lead players onto the gate: one plops players directly on top of their “easy to attain” objective, while the other directs players to the middle of the gate where the “contested” flag sits.

Though in my previous two RvR scenario guides I discussed how the developers “bottle-necked” players into certain areas where they knew there would be a blood bath, I didn’t see the true nature of “bottle-necking” until I played my first round through the Gates of Ekrund. Essentially, the entire top of the Ekrund gate is one giant bottle-neck. If players want to vie for that “contested” flag, they’ll be forced to jump into the middle of the action and really attack their opponents. Ranged combatants could stay on top of their objective balcony and away from the lower “contested” area, but most of the ranged participants won’t be able to actually hit many of the enemies unless they’re right at the very edge of their overhang.

Just like in the other two low tier RvR scenarios, most of the players at the Gates of Ekrund will be low level Dwarves and Greenskins. However, there were a fair number of other races thrown into the mix as well. Perhaps as the Warhammer Online game matures, more players will know about the various war camps and simply decide to play through their favorite scenarios rather than wasting their time with scenarios they don’t particularly enjoy.

For most players, the Gates of Ekrund will be a blood bath.

A Few Strategies

Frankly, there are fewer strategies to be employed in the Gates of Ekrund encounter than in any other of the low tier RvR areas. This is just a knock-down, drag-out fight to see who can win the objectives. This also means that the Gates of Ekrund is one of the fastest RvR scenarios in the game. If you’re undermanned or outgunned in the Gates, you’ll feel it almost immediately.

Perhaps the only true strategy for the Gates of Ekrund is to bring plenty of DPS firepower. Frankly, healers seem to have very little chance of healing their warriors at the Gates, especially if the other team is intelligent and willing to concentrate their firepower. Teams with the most DPS seem to win this scenario nine times out of ten, so if you’ve got any Bright Wizard or Witch Hunter friends, tell ‘em to tag along.

Class Assignments in the Gates of Ekrund

All of that’s terrific, but what should each individual archetype do at the Gates of Ekrund. Thankfully, I can help you out a little bit with this question. Here are a few basic “Do’s” and “Don’ts” for the player that wants to gain an upper hand.

Tanks

- Do: At the Gates of Ekrund, you’ll really be little more than a “meatshield” for most of the other classes in your faction. Unlike Khaine’s Embrace and Nordenwatch, there’s relatively little “charging” to do to get to the opposing flag. Once you’re on the battlefield, the objective is practically sitting in your lap. This means that you may not be as useful in this particular scenario as you’re used to.

That doesn’t mean that tanks are completely worthless in the Gates of Ekrund RvR scenario. On the contrary, efficient tanks can turn life into living hell for players on the opposing team. If you spot any ranged classes sitting back underneath the awning of their opposing flag, go tear them apart. Those are the characters you want to get rid of as quickly as possible.  

- Don’t: As is the case with most of the classes, don’t expect to live an inordinately long time. The Gates of Ekrund is a killing ground, and you’re one of the prime targets for players to aim at. Thankfully, that’s one of the best parts about your job, so take the damage and keep on smiling.

Melee DPS

- Do: While you really do excel at most of the RvR scenarios, the Gates of Ekrund is probably your ultimate choice for dealing out large amount of up-close death and destruction. Unlike Nordenwatch or Khaine’s Embrace, players have almost no where to run on the Gates of Ekrund. Once you get a player in your sights, it’s game over. Let the slaughter begin.

Do not fight in the contested area. What I'm doing here is wrong.

With that attitude in mind, you should really focus on killing as many of the other DPSers that you can find. If you can get rid of those characters, your faction should be well on its way to winning the scenario.

- Don’t: There’s no need to be overzealous. Like in the other two scenarios, if you get separated from the rest of your group, there’s no way that you’ll be living much longer. A player will find you and kill you; that’s the simple fact. At the Gates, there’s no need for you to go charging down a ramp in pursuit of a player. You’ll do just find standing by the contested flag, waiting for the enemy to come to you.

Ranged DPS

- Do: Like the melee DPS classes, you really are crucial to victory at the Gates of Ekrund. Between you and the melee DPSers, you should be able to eliminate most of the other combatants on the battle field. You’re in a particularly good position as a ranged DPSer, simply because you can use some of the height advantages that the Gates has built in.

- Don’t: You really aren’t needed anywhere near the contested area of the map, so don’t risk likely death by venturing down into that area. Either stay in the back of the contested area or remain high on the overlooking balcony. This way you’ll stay relatively safe and out of sight of other DPSers.

Healers

- Do: Try, try, try to stay on the upper balcony as much as possible. While it’s tempting to go down and try to take the contested flag, you will die. It’s that simple. If you can stay up high and away from the DPSers, you’ll do extremely well. Rain heals down on your allies and keep them alive as they take the objective from your opponents.

- Don’t: I’ll say it again, try to stay away from the middle of the map. You will die over and over and over again if you get anywhere near the contested flag. It’s that simple.