Fort Aspenwood (mission)


 * This is a Competitive Mission entry. For information on the locations, see Fort Aspenwood (Kurzick) and Fort Aspenwood (Luxon).

Description
''This fortress was designed by the famed Kurzick architect Lord Stein zu Heltzer more than five hundred years ago. One of the few remaining structures of pure stone (which therefore dates from the time before the Jade Wind), Fort Aspenwood has long stood at a key strategic location along the Kurzick/Luxon Border. The Kurzicks have managed to hold the fort against Luxon encroachment for centuries...but this arrangement may not last forever.''

General Mechanics

 * To capture a mine or a strategic point, kill enemy NPCs from that location (Only the Purple or Orange Commander for the Luxons need to be killed to capture the Purple or Orange outposts).
 * Gates are breached when the NPCs guarding it are killed
 * Gate NPCs are resurrected when the gate is rebuilt
 * Gates are rebuilt when amber is given to its respective Gatekeeper (one for purple, one for orange)
 * Gate locks are used by Kurzicks to take down a gate and to put it back up (if the gate's NPCs are alive)
 * Four Luxon commanders direct the fire of the siege turtles
 * The three teleporters within the fort itself can be used by either side

Preparation
While the teams are randomly assembled, however, there are several things you can do to prepare for this mission
 * Talk with others waiting to enter the mission, get an idea of what people doing/aren't doing
 * Choose your skills to be able to fill a role (whether Luxon or Kurzick) in the mission
 * Don't bring a Signet of Capture or resurrection skills, as they are useless in this mission

= Kurzicks =

Mission Objectives

 * Protect Master Architect Gunther
 * Capture the Luxon Positions
 * Build the Vengeance of the Gods by delivering amber to Master Architect Gunther
 * Victory Condition: Vengeance of the Gods is built
 * Defeat Condition: Master Architect Gunther dies

Common Roles
There are several roles (but certainly not the only ones) that will always help your team out:
 * Gatekeeper - Usually a monk, uses the gate to protect themselves from a direct attack, while keeping the NPCs in front of the gate alive.
 * Amber Runner - Focuses on picking up amber from the mines and running it back to either Gunther if the gates are up, or a gatekeeper if the gates are down. Speed is key here.
 * Turtle Interrupter - Sitting on a hill in the keep to keep away from the melee, uses interrupts to keep the siege turtles from firing, while the other party members are killing off the turtle's support.

Strategies

 * Control the amber mines as soon as possible.
 * Keep the Kurzick NPCs at the Amber mines alive, this allows you to mine amber as well as keeps Luxon Player Characters from resurrecting there, much closer to your base.
 * Remember that you are on the defensive. Use spirits to impede enemy advancement. Set traps around doors to slow down advancing forces.
 * The turtles are mobile siege weapons, destroy them quickly. Degeneration, Hexes, high-powered attacks and life-stealing spells are effective against them.
 * If you get a chance, kill the Luxon commanders, then the turtles stop spawning as long as you control that point.
 * Area-of-effect skills are useful, since battles will be concentrated around gates.
 * If there is noone right behind you running amber, use the lock inside the gate to close the gate behind you.
 * Stay near a Juggernaut if the battle comes close to them, because they provide an area-of-effect buff.
 * Have a heavily built Paladin (if there is one available) block the path between the Outer Gates and the Turtle Spawns. The NPC's will stop to try to kill the Paladin, therefore wasting valuable time.

= Luxons =

Mission Objectives

 * Prevent Kurzicks from delivering Amber to the Master Architect
 * Breach the gates in Fort Aspenwood
 * Victory Condition: Kill Master Architect Gunther
 * Defeat Condition: Vengeance of the Gods is built, it reaches the 100% mark

Common Roles

 * Base Defender - Usually a few people (generally Warriors) that defend the Purple and Orange Commanders from attackers.
 * Mine Guards - A person who patrols the two mines, and wards off attackers that attempt to try and take over the minds. Is usually an Elementalist specializing in Earth Magic, or a Ranger with interrupts.

Strategies

 * Gain control of the Kurzick amber mines. Doing so will allow you to resurrect there, and will prevent the Kurzicks from repairing damaged gates.
 * Use the commanders to order siege turtles to breach the gates.
 * Protect your commander from harm. If they are killed, the enemies controlling the command point must be killed to resurrect them.
 * The turtles are mobile siege weapons. Keep them and their NPC protectors alive.
 * Area-of-effect damage is very useful since you will be facing groups of enemies at the mines and gates.
 * Note that Amber from either mine can be used to repair either gate, so don't ignore either one.
 * If a Luxon player chases a Kurzick player to one of the teleporters, they can follow them through the teleporter. A Luxon player can also use them to quickly retreat from the fort if they are overwhelmed.
 * Placing traps directly on the base of where Kurzicks are teleported to can severly slow down the speed at which runners can mine Amber.