Location: Warsong Gulch, The Barrens and Ashenvale (Respectively)

Faction: Neutral

I’m not going to even touch on the fact that the whole point of this “strategic” battle is to grab the other sides flag. We all know that it is ridiculous and requires a magnanimous leap of willing disbelief. So, no need to talk about it. But how about the fact that this big dispute between two warring factions that each have not one, but MULTIPLE armies at their disposal are settling their differences with a volunteer force playing a 10-on-10 match?

I have met blades many times with both the Sentinels and the Outriders outside of those battlegrounds, and I would not describe them as needing additional help. So why get a group of ten rag tag adventurers to do the dirty work for you? Well, I suppose it is economical. Why waste your own forces in a senseless battle when a bunch of punk kids would do it for “honor” and a piece of wood that can be traded for something later on. I can see the reason in it all. But even if I can reason why you would take ten random people and put them into a fight, what are they fighting for? This is claimed to be a strategic point of conflict. What is so strategic about it? Arathi Basin is a hub of powerful resources, Alterac Valley is a stretch a land that’s control would ensure a staging ground for overwhelming control of the remaining territories in Lordaeron, The Eye of the Storm is a point of controlling territories in a hazard area (Similar to the towers of the Eastern Plaguelands). But what does Warsong Gulch offer?

It has trees. That’s the best I can find. Trees. Are you kidding me? We’re grabbing cloth for trees?
Let’s list the other territories that can offer an abundance of lumber: Stonetalon, Feralas, The Barrens, Winterspring, and even Felwood, albeit dangerously. The only arguement against these is territory disputes with the Venture Company, but it would be easier butting heads with the goblins than the elves. So ultimately, we are fighting for trees that we don’t need, by grabbing pieces of cloth, and beating each other senseless. Kinda puts the whole blood elf thing in perspective. Killing things because they’re in your way sits with me a bit better than killing people for extremely stupid reasons. At least the blood elf method has some kind of a wild west, honor amongst thieves ring to it. The Outriders and the Sentinels really don’t have any reason other than trees, which there are plenty of, and for a grudge started back in the Third War.

So, in essence, Warsong Gulch is an environmental battle. Sentinels want to keep the trees. Outriders want to cut them down. I’ll give them credit for making it more entertaining than CNN filming an extremely weird person sitting in a single tree for weeks so that one tree doesn’t get cut down. But still, flags? I know I said I wasn’t going to talk about it, but COME ON! They’re waging a battle of the forest for resources or preservation by stealing large pieces of fabric? I have a tailor on another realm, can I just make a flag and capture it? Was there some manner of political accord reached to decide that flags were the currency of the land? I would have LOVED to be in that meeting:

“Well, how do we decide that someone has earned the right to that land?”

“Well, what if I take your flag? Surely that displays that we have the righteous side in this conflict.”

“Indeed! Stealing a flag is completely analogous to being morally correct and over all superior soldiers.”

/facepalm