Siege of Durnholde

The Siege of Durnhorde was a strategic military operations in the regions of both the Arathi Highlands and Hillsbrad Foothills. With Lord Commander Garen Lionblood's final determined goal to lay siege to the forgotten holdout of the Forsaken. The region of Hillsbrad now stands as the single area the Forsaken have complete dominance over in the Eastern Kingdoms. Their end goal; to remove all traces of the unnatural creatures and their Horde allies.

Prologue
With the Horde reeling from their defeats in Zandalar and Darkshore, it was only a matter of time before the Banshee made her next move. With the once great nation of Arathor rising from the ashes of war, the time seemed right to crush the Alliance spirit by squandering the shimmer of rebirth. Skirmishes began to breakout along Thoradin’s Wall. Horde troops were seen heading South from Silvermoon to quickly flood Hillsbrad. The Horde’s purpose was clear: To launch a second assault on the Highlands. Preemptive planning began among Alliance High Command, scouting parties were dispatched, and battles were pitched to hinder and slow Horde progress. The solution became obvious: Invade Hillsbrad, cripple the Horde army, and destroy their headquarters, which happened to be the border fortress of Durnholde Keep...

January 25th/26th - Arrival
Alliance forces began to arrive in Stromgarde, then. Soldiers of all creeds and banners from all corners of Azeroth filled the city, packing it with munitions, supplies, and Alliance patriotism. Few events of importance occured, as the coalition army was under holding orders to await the beginning of the Siege. For many, these would be their final nights.

May 27th - The Cove
Mobilization began in the late evening as the Alliance prepared to set out for the march Westward. Their plan was interrupted by an amphibious assault by a Horde battle fleet with a mission to seize Faldir’s Cove and flank the rallying Alliance forces. Defensive forces were quickly assembled and sent out to their respective battle stations. Infantry platoons launched a bloody and violent counterattack into the harbor, slaughtering the Horde landing crews that had overran the Cove. Alliance Aerial units crossed Thoradin’s Wall to engage Horde support units and a flagship laiden with a payload of enough explosives to level Stromgarde four times over. Naval crews fought tooth and nail in the Bay all through the night. With the conflict on land drawing to a victorious close, the defenders of Stromgarde were able only to watch the light show at sea and pray that fortune favored their sailors. In the early morning hours of May 28, Horde vessels began to sound their retreat, leaving the Alliance wholly victorious.

May 28th - The Foothills
Recovered from the Horde assault on Faldir’s Cove, the emboldened Alliance army stormed the border in a trident blitz, targetting three key positions in Eastern Hillsbrad. Coastal defenses and artillery batteries were destroyed, and supply depots were razed and torched to cut off Horde lines of reinforcements. A daring assault on Eastpoint gave the Alliance a forward base from which they would launch their final assault. Horde armor units denied the Alliance total victory, however, as they routed the tank and cavalry column and sent them into full retreat back to Dun Garok. By midnight, Alliance forces had reunited and dug in to lick their wounds for the coming assault.

May 29th - Finale
With Durnholde surrounded, emboldened Alliance forces launched their assault on the keep, while armor crews rallied what little they had left to fend off the waves of reinforcements swarming from Tarren Mill. Dispatched flank patrols discovered plague wagons in Hillsbrad with plans to be implemented on the battlefield outside Durnholde Keep. The wagons were intercepted and destroyed, allowing Alliance forces to lay seige to the fortress without interruption. The outer walls and lower courtyards were taken almost effortlessly, but just as the Alliance stood on the cusp of victory atop the hill, a Horde aerial force arrived from the North to force a retreat. In their escape, the Alliance bombarded and torched Durnholde. The keep that became ruins has become the ruins that became a pile of rubble. Alliance forces rallied in safety after a mutual retreat, and set out to march to the Highlands the following morning.