Introduction to the War Campaign
The War Campaign is the side storyline that will follow you through your adventures in Kul Tiras, and works in a similar fashion to the Order Hall Storyline from Legion. This time, the War Effort will serve as a continuation for the faction war storyline for Battle for Azeroth, displaying the Alliance's efforts of setting forward operating bases in Zandalar, as well as preparing for strikes upon Horde territory. The War Campaign storyline should expand as the expansion rolls out, so we might even see more content in the future!
War Campaign Reputation Improvements
In patch 8.2.5, all reputation requirements to do the War Campaign were completely removed. You can progress through the whole War Campaign without worrying about the next stage needing reputation.
War Campaign Rewards
The War Campaign is necessary to start several systems in Battle for Azeroth. Here is a list of the rewards you will receive through the first part of the War Campaign:
Access to the Mission Table of Battle for Azeroth, as well as 5 Champions by the time you're done with the Campaign;
Access to the continent of Zandalar;
Access to the War Effort Advancements, equivalent to the Order Hall Advancements of Legion;
Access to the 7th Legion Reputation;
Revered with them is required for Azerothian Diplomat, required for Battle for Azeroth Pathfinder, Part One, and Exalted is required to unlock the Dark Iron Dwarf Allied race.
World Quests in Kul Tiras and Zandalar, as well as Flight Master's Whistle functionality in both Kul Tiras and Zandalar;
At the end of the 8.0 War Campaign, you will receive the achievement Ready for War;
Ready for War is a requirement for both the Battle for Azeroth Pathfinder, Part One achievement, and part of the criteria to unlock the Dark Iron Dwarf Allied Race.
At the end of the 8.1 War Campaign, you will receive the achievement Tides of Vengeance;
Tides of Vengeance is part of the criteria to unlock the Kul Tiran Human Allied Race.
Completing Stay of Execution on any character is required to unlock Tauren Heritage Armor.
At the end of the conclusion to the War Campaign, is the achievement, The Fourth War, and the title, %s, Veteran of the Fourth War.
Two Sides to Every Tale
Completing Tides of Vengeance along with the Horde-equivalent Tides of Vengeance awards two mounts in Patch 8.1.5:
Ironclad Frostclaw: Captured in the snows of Alterac Valley, this bloodthirsty hunter now roars for the Alliance.
Bloodflank Charger: Stolen from the Arathi Basin stables, this fire-hearted charger now steeds for the Horde.
Completion Tool
Not sure what achievement criteria you have left for Ready for War, The Fourth War and Tides of Vengeance ?
Simply go to the BFA attunement tracker, hit Load Character, enter in character info, and see what you still have to complete!
Completion Tool
Not sure what achievement criteria you have left for Ready for War, The Fourth War and Tides of Vengeance ?
Simply go to the BFA attunement tracker, hit Load Character, enter in character info, and see what you still have to complete!
8.0 War Campaign Pre-120
The first part of the War Campaign happens during the leveling process. Although it is not required to complete this part while you're leveling, completion of the first steps is required in order to unlock World Quests and a functioning Flight Master's Whistle in Kul Tiras and Zandalar. Completing these steps also unlocks access to the opposite faction's continent and Island Expeditions.
Level 110: Introduction to the War Campaign
The War Campaign chain starts immediately after you land on Boralus, and choose a zone to start questing on. After being introduced to the war campaign effort located in either of those zones, on the quest The War Campaign, you will receive your very first quest, The War Cache. On this quest, you're introduced to War Resources, the resource used to funnel missions and troops in Battle for Azeroth, and tasked to collect 100 War Resources.
Before level 120, War Resources are pretty scarce, only obtainable by collecting treasure chests in Kul Tiras/Zandalar and as rewards for scattered storyline quests, so this quest might take a bit to be completed. However, this quest will autocomplete once you manage to loot all 100 War Resources. After completing this part, you return to Boralus on Time for War and receive a hefty sum of Azerite Power.
Introduction to the Mission Table
The next part of the introduction is to this expansion's mission table, located atop the Wind's Redemption. On the quest Mission from the King, you're formally introduced to the mission table, and receive your first champion, Falstad Wildhammer. You will also receive 100 War Resources back.
Next, on the quest War of Shadows, you will send Falstad on the mission Shadow of War, which will last 2 hours. After they return from their mission, you will complete War of Shadows and receive the quest Reinforcements, where you will earn the ability to invoke troops to aid your champions on the mission table's missions.
Levels 110, 114 and 118: Establishing Footholds
The next part of the War Campaign triggers after the introduction, where you can step into enemy territory to establish your first foothold. Footholds are places in the opposite faction's continent that you can access from your faction's boat. After the introduction, you can choose your first foothold to go to, and the other 2 will be available at levels 114 and 118.
The Alliance can choose between footholds in Zuldazar, Vol'dun, and Nazmir. Completing each foothold awards you with access to the zone from the foothold location and a new mission table follower:
Zuldazar: Kelsey Steelspark
Vol'dun: Magister Umbric
Nazmir: John J. Keeshan
After establishing the first Foothold, you will also receive some Azerite Power and the choice of an item level 280 Azerite piece.
Alliance Footholds in Zandalar
Zuldazar - Xibala
In Zuldazar, you first land at Talanji's Rebuke, and find out the Alliance has been flanked by a Horde fleet. You need to save the survivors on Granting a Reprieve, Save Them All, The Troll's Tale, That One's Mine and Disarming the Cannons.
After sorting out the surviving members, you move ahead to the second possible outpost in Xibala. Arriving there, you find the Dark Iron Dwarves fighting against the Horde to gain access to the foothold, and help them out on Mole Machinations and Rocks of Ragnaros. Afterward, you wipe out the Horde opposition with the help of a Fire Elemental from the Firelands on Fragment of the Firelands. With the outpost in Xibala secured, you go back to Boralus with news of your success.
Vol'dun - Shatterstone Harbor
You arrive by boat at the ruins of Shatterstone Harbor, an ideal place to set a foothold. You first clean out the Sethrak opposition on Ooh Rah!, and afterward you Establish a Beachhead in Shatterstone Harbor.
We then go after Sergeant Ermey on Honor Bound, who went to rescue Private James, captured by the Sethrak. We arrive at Ermey's location, who has a friendly Sethrak, Vorrik, who is dying from poison. We craft the Sethrak an antidote on Unexpected Aid and Poisoned Barbs. After healing Vorrik, he offers us safe passage to the Sanctuary of the Devoted, the home of his people, on Friends in Strange Places. Arriving there, the Sethrak temple is being attacked by a faction of hostile Sethrak, called the Faithless. We help clean up the outskirts of the temple on Defang the Faithless and Break the Siege, and rescue Private James on Breaking Free.
After clearing the outskirts of the Sanctuary, Vorrik tells us the story of the Sethrak people on The Keepers' Keys, and mentions how Private James unknowingly saved his life, by holding a precious key in his pockets. With an Alliance with the Sethrak created, we return to Shatterstone Harbor to finish the foothold, then return to Boralus.
Nazmir - Fort Victory
In Nazmir, you arrive by boat to the ruins of Fort Victory and find John J. Keeshan and Bronn Bronzebeard as responsible for the foothold. In Dubious Offering, you go with Bronn to the blood troll settlement of Zalamar, to find Captain Conrad, an officer that got captured by the blood trolls. Arriving in Zalamar, you're trapped in a pit and find out all the Alliance soldiers sent to rescue the Captain became offerings in Honoring the Fallen, and kill the responsible in Blood of Hir'eek. Afterward, you fight your way out of the pit in Zealots of Zalamar, and manage to get back to Fort Victory in Flight from the Fall.
One of Captain Conrad's colleagues, "Silvermoon" Harry, says she went to Zul'Nazman. So we arrive there, and we disrupt the blood trolls on our way on Nazmani Cultists and Offerings to G'huun. We finally find Captain Conrad, and in Lessons of the Damned, we learn that she became mad with power due to the blood trolls treating her as a messenger from G'huun, and we regrettably have to kill her to stop the madness. After this, we simply return to Boralus.
Level 114: War Effort Advancements
At level 114, Alleria Windrunner offer the quest Adapting our Tactics, where you can start researching for War Effort Advancements. These work similarily to the Order Hall Advancements from Legion, where you can research for improvements to help your outdoor world experience. Below are the War Effort Advancements you can research:
Tier 1 - 4 hour research time, 15 War Resources
Seafarer's Hearth: Harness the power of the sea, reducing the cooldown of your Hearthstone by 40% when used in Kul Tiras and Zandalar.
Swift Landing: Capture the momentum from your recent flight path, increasing your mounted movement speed by 20% for 5 minutes upon landing.
Tier 2 - 1 day research time, 100 War Resources, requires 3 Champions:
Upgraded Troop Barracks: Construct a larger barracks for your army, increasing the maximum number of troops you can house by 2.
Troop Portal Network: Open a portal for transportation of troops from Stormwind, allowing troops to be recruited instantly.
Tier 3 - 1 day research time, 150 War Resources, requires completed Expeditions to 5 different Islands:
Island Plunderer: Learn the pirate secrets of spotting treasure, granting you a chance to receive additional Seafarer's Dubloon on Island Expeditions.
Island Archeologist: Learn the secrets of ancient civilizations, increasing the duration of effects from shrines by 20%.
Tier 4 - 1 day research time, 200 War Resources, requires 5 Champions:
World Azerite Detector: Construct an Azerite detector on your ship, granting you a chance to find additional Azerite when completing World Quests.
Local Transportation: Upgrade your Flight Master's Whistle, allowing you to call for a quick flight back to Boralus when using your whistle directly next to a flight master on Zandalar or Kul Tiras.
Tier 5 - 1 day research time, 250 War Resources, requires a Warfront victory against 3 different commanders:
Warfront Resourcer: Learn more efficient ways to gather resources under pressure, increasing resource gathering speed by 15% while fighting in a Warfront.
Warfront General: Learn how to best inspire allies in combat, increasing the effectiveness of your recruited troops by 15% while fighting in a Warfront.
Tier 6 - 1 day research time, 500 War Resources, requires Azerothian Diplomat achievement:
Alliance Ambassador: Open up additional lines of trade with your new allies, granting additional War Resources from emissary quests.
Level 116: Island Expeditions
Note: These require TWO FOOTHOLDS UNLOCKED as well as Level 116.
At level 116, you will unlock the questline to start Island Expeditions, a new kind of scenario in Battle for Azeroth where you and two other players explore uncharted islands in the seas of Azeroth, in search for precious Azerite. Island Expeditions are the most effective way of grinding Azerite for your Heart of Azeroth.
To learn more about how Island Expeditions work, and the most effective ways to reap the rewards for your adventures, please check our Island Expeditions Guide!
Level 120: Uniting the Nations
After completing all 3 footholds for your faction, at level 120, you'll receive a new mission from Halford Wyrmbane/Nathanos Blightcaller, Uniting Kul Tiras. These missions require you to get Friendly reputation with all the factions in Kul Tiras (Proudmoore Admirality, Order of Embers and Storm's Wake).
Completing this quest awards you with World Quests in both Kul Tiras and Zandalar, and it also enables your Flight Master's Whistle to work in both continents. Like the Uniting the Isles quest in Legion, you only need to complete the reputation requirements once on your account - Afterward, all you need to do is hit 120 and complete the first steps of the War Campaign to gain access to World Quests on your alts.
8.0 War Campaign: Level 120
After you hit level 120 and unlock World Quests, this is how your Ready for War achievement should look like (ignore the completed frame portion):