Warfronts are one of the major new features in World of Warcraft. Here you will find all the important information regarding the BfA feature.
To open the Warfronts, we have answered all the important questions for you. With our information, you are well prepared for the new content.
What are Warfronts?
In Warfronts, Horde and Alliance fight in Battle for Azeroth for control over strategically important points in Azeroth. One faction occupies such a position, while the other tries to take it. If successful, the tables will turn.
The first Warfront in Battle for Azeroth will be the Arathi Highlands. However, there will be more Warfronts at a later date. There are already hints that the Barrens will become a Warfront.
Do I have to play PvP for this?
No. Warfronts are a pure PvE activity for up to 20 players who fight in a battle for control. Players build a base and lead troops into the field.
The goal is to eliminate one of the various enemy NPC commanders that can occupy the points before they can repel the attack.
When is the release?
You will have access to the Warfronts on September 5th. They will be released together with mythic dungeons, the Uldir raid, and the first PvP season in Battle for Azeroth.
What rewards are there?
If you participate in Warfronts or if your faction controls a Warfront, you can grab various rewards.
Weapons and armor from the Warfronts
The Warfronts reward you with cosmetic armor and weapons that you can use for transmogification. The gear is based on the model of PvP gear for Season 26, the first PvP season in BfA.
The gear comes for the Arathi Warfront in a specific color combination that reflects the colors of the Horde and Alliance. There are three variants of the armor:
- The “Tier 1” variant you receive randomly after completing a Warfront. Several pieces can drop per week.
- The “Tier 2” variant you receive from rare enemies and world bosses in Arathi and from reputation vendors of your war faction (Tidebound or 7th Legion).
- The “Tier 3” variant may be randomly included in the reward chests for the weekly Warfront quest.
Quests and world bosses
If your faction has taken a Warfront, you gain access to outdoor activities in the Arathi Highlands. The area will be phased for you, where you can kill rare enemies and a world boss or complete quests.
As long as your faction holds the Warfront, you can be transported directly from the capital to the area. For participating in Warfronts, preparing for the Warfront, and completing quests, you will gain reputation with the Tidebound (Horde) or the 7th Legion (Alliance).
The world bosses in the areas, Azerite War Machines of the Horde or Alliance, drop loot with an item level of 370.
Pets, toys, and mounts
When defeating rare enemies or world bosses, you also have the chance to loot specific mounts, pets, and toys.
In total, you can collect six different mounts, nine pets, and nine toys in the Arathi Warfront.
How to start a Warfront
Warfronts are divided into four phases that cycle continually, lasting longer or shorter depending on player participation. The Warfront around Stromgarde will proceed as follows:
Phase 1: The Alliance holds the castle of Stromgarde at the start of the feature. Alliance players then have access to various activities such as world bosses, quests, and rare enemies.
During this time, the Horde collects resources to start a siege. You can daily hand in war resources, gold, or materials in Atal’Dazar to advance the war effort. You will receive Azerite and reputation for this.
The war efforts will advance for the entire region, similar to the Broken Shore in Legion. Once the progress bar reaches 100%, the entire region will move to Phase 2.
Phase 2: The Horde starts their attack. During this time, all Horde players can sign up for a Warfront scenario and participate. Registration will be available for a certain time.
Phase 3: After the Horde has taken Stromgarde and fortified their own castle of Ar’Gorok, the Alliance begins the preparation phase. In Boralus, you can now hand in the necessary materials and prepare for battle.
During this time, the Horde has control over Arathi and access to the content in the Arathi Highlands.
Phase 4: When enough resources are available, the Alliance will launch their counter-attack to reclaim the Arathi Highlands. Now Alliance players can sign up for the scenario. After that, the cycle starts over.
Register for a Warfront and join it
In the phases where you can register for a Warfront scenario, you must complete a short questline to unlock Warfronts for yourself. The questline starts after you have gathered enough resources.
Once you have qualified for Warfronts, you can sign up for a scenario in the capital, similar to how you would for island expeditions. Warfronts are designed for 20 players.
To participate, you must reach level 120 and complete the war campaign far enough to unlock world quests.
How long does a Warfront take?
A Warfront scenario is expected to last about 45 minutes, and you should be able to sign up for it at any time during that period.
The individual phases last according to information from wowhead roughly 2 days. However, this duration depends on how quickly players can gather resources. Whether you win or lose a Warfront scenario should not matter.
How a Warfront scenario is structured
A Warfront operates differently than the previously known content from World of Warcraft. You do not directly fight enemies like in a battleground, but build a base and command troops like in a strategy game.
Resources
In a Warfront, you must gather resources to build, upgrade, or train and strengthen troops. There are two regular resources and one rare resource.
Wood: You obtain wood by logging in the Axe Ridge. After you have taken the area, you can fell trees with a quest axe or collect already felled piles to obtain wood. A maximum of 100 units is possible.
Iron: Iron is produced in the Drybark Mine. Once you have captured the mine, you passively receive iron. If you upgrade your base, you will receive more iron as well. To collect the material, click on the chest in the main building or from carts in the mine. Players with mining can mine iron directly. A maximum of 200 units is possible.
Essence of the Storms: The Essence of the Storms is unique and can be looted from some enemy units. The essence can be exchanged at the Altar of Storms for a buff that increases your health points, healing, and damage by 150% and movement speed by 50%.
The buff lasts for 5 minutes and also strengthens nearby troops. Your teammates will be notified when you receive an essence.
Buildings
There are various buildings in Warfronts that you can build and upgrade, in which you purchase troops and upgrades. Buildings are constructed by players contributing until enough resources are available.
The Main Building
Your attack begins at the main building. You must build and upgrade it to access further buildings.
- Level 1 – “Great Hall”: Required to build other buildings. You must kill the enemy officer to take it over.
- Level 2 – “Stronghold”/”Keep”: Requires 380 iron and 180 wood, as well as an Altar of Storms and an arsenal for the upgrade
- Increases the number of workers gathering iron.
- Increases the rate at which units are trained in the barracks.
- Unlocks special units in the barracks.
- Level 3 – “Fortress”/”Castle”: Requires 620 iron and 260 wood as well as a workshop for the upgrade
- Increases the number of workers gathering iron.
- Increases the rate at which units are trained in the barracks.
- Increases the damage of devastators/siege machines.
- Commanders can use special abilities.
Barracks
In the barracks, you can train troops. For construction, you need 140 iron and 140 wood as well as a main building. Training troops costs you iron, and you can train as many as you want.
Trained troops appear at the barracks and move towards the enemy along all three available paths to engage them in combat.
War Workshop
The War Workshop is your primary building for upgrading the weapons and armor of your troops. For construction, you need 260 iron and 140 wood as well as a barracks.
You can donate wood or iron in the War Workshop for research on better armor or weapons for your troops. These enhance the health points or attack power of the units.
Altar of the Storms/Altar of Kings
At the Altar of the Storms, you can buy upgrades for yourself. Building this requires 260 iron, 140 wood, and a barracks.
In exchange for iron, wood, or an Essence of the Storms, you can buy various buffs here that increase your health points, healing, and damage.
Workshop
The workshop is required to build war machines such as devastators/siege machines. For construction, you need 500 iron, 220 wood, and a “Stronghold” upgrade for the main building.
Devastators/siege machines can be purchased in the workshop for 80 iron and are needed to tear down siege towers or the gates of Stromgarde castle. You must escort them to fulfill their purpose.
Bases
During the battle, you can capture tactical outposts in various ways, which will grant you advantages. To capture a base, you must kill the occupying officer. The enemy can also launch a counter-attack once you have taken a base.
- Axe Ridge/The Highlands sawmill – western path, first base: Produces wood.
- New Farm – western path, second base: Unlocks cavalry in the barracks and gives you access to a mount with special abilities for 60 iron directly on site.
- Drystubble Mine/Galson’s Mine – eastern path, first base: Produces iron.
- Circle of Elements – eastern path, second base: Unlocks shamans and gives you access to an elemental spirit as a companion for 50 iron directly on site.
- Northcross/Hero’s Call Pass – central path, first base: The bases are guarded by two siege towers that must be destroyed by the devastators/siege machines. Only then is the way to the fortress free.
- High Position – central path, second base: Unlocks flight routes between the bases. Devastators/siege machines will stop here and begin the siege.
What is the goal of the Warfront, how do you win?
You must use the devastators/siege machines to tear down the fortress gate to gain access to Stromgarde/Ar’gorok. There, many enemy troops await you that you must repel to progress.
Once you are deep enough into the fortress, you must defeat the commander of the opposing troops. Each faction has one of three possible opponents:
Horde
- High Exarch Turalyon
- Muradin Bronzebeard
- Danath Trollbane
Alliance
- Rokhan
- Eitrigg
- Lady Liadrin
Once you have defeated the opposing commander, you have won the Warfront for yourself.
Along with the Warfronts, the new raid Uldir also opens its doors. This is how you are ideally prepared for Uldir and Mythic+.
