Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos/Where Wyverns Dare

At the same moment, near the base of Stonetalon Peak…

Mission Objectives
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 * Main Quest - Stonetalon Peak
 * Destroy the Human base guarding the peak

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 * Optional Quest - Wyverns
 * Find the Wyverns
 * Save the Wyverns from the vile Harpies

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 * Optional Quest - Defiled Fountain
 * Kill the Centaur Khan
 * Return the Glyph of Purification to restore the Fountain

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Preparations
First of all fortify your base by building Watch Towers and researching upgrades for them. For Hard mode you will need 9 towers at the main entrance and 9 above your Great Hall (protecting path to Gold Mine from air strikes). Humans will cycle through several army layouts when assaulting your base. Groups with Mortar Teams or Hero Wizard are the most dangerous. Take these units out first. Use Cairne’s War Stomp ability to interrupt Blizzard.

Being able to move your army quickly around the base is the key to effectively defend from ranged threats. Don’t build towers too close to each other. Lure melee enemy units into following your army deeper into the base while towers are softening them up.

Wyverns
Saving noble Wyverns of Kalimdor and enlisting their aid is by all means optional. Wyvern isn’t your top pick for assaulting the Stonetalon peak but the quest is still worth doing for items you’ll find along the way. Assemble an army of 3 Grunts, 3 Raiders, Shaman, Witch Doctor and both Hero units. This quest can be squeezed in between Human attacks if you act fast.

Turn left just as you exit your base. Use Raiders’ Trap ability to bring down Harpies and collect Pendant of Mana off their Queen. Continue past the Goblin Merchant (no time for shopping) and butcher a pack of Quilboar Hunters. Keep an eye on healing wards during the fight within Razormane camp, they must be destroyed quickly. Medicine Man drops Health Stone but Chieftain has Periapt of Vitality. Harpies guarding caged Wyverns at the end of canyon have no leader and no treasures.

Saving Wyverns will double the size of the army and may even force you into High Upkeep. Get back to your base immediately.

The Lordaeron Brigade & Fountain
Grab five peons along with all of your army and proceed to the north. Clear any Centaurs you meet and set up an outpost at the second Gold Mine. Build Watch Towers first. Follow the same layout as with your main base fortifications. In between human attacks try to lure some of the Centaurs from north east into your new base. Centaur Khan will drop Glyph of Purification. Return it to the Fountain to complete the quest. Once outpost is established assault the Lordaeron Brigade base to north west.

Bring 3 Grunts, 3 Raiders, 2 Catapults, 2 Witch Doctors, Shaman, Kodo and Wyverns from the previous quest. Drop healing wards. Set Bloodlust on auto-cast. Focus fire enemy Hero Wizard and interrupt his Blizzard spell, while catapults hit enemy towers and unit production buildings. Trap flying units with Raiders. Protect your siege weapons at any cost.

Stonetalon Peak
Blue base is located high up in the mountains and can only be reached using flying units. You already have one Zeppelin, buy 2 more at the Goblin Laboratory. Your army needs to be slightly bigger now due to complications with delivery of fresh troops: 4 Grunts, 3 Raiders, 3 Catapults, 3 Witch Doctors, 2 Shamans and a Kodo. If you still have any Wyverns left bring them too.

Before you start the attack there is one optional trick. Build Watch Towers south of Human Expedition (right where the mountain starts). This will ensure enemy Zeppelins will be destroyed before unloading the forces. Inappropriately unloaded units are unable to move or attack for a few seconds and are an easy target for your towers. Towers will also lure down Gryphons that are guarding the mountain pass. Trap them with Raiders.

You may now board Zeppelins with your army. Leave only peons behind. Land as far away from the Human base and as far right as possible. There’s a tight spot between the edge of the mountain and trees. Wait for humans to send down their Zeppelins or Gryphons. Counter attack. The best moment to hit human forces is when their hero is still being revived after previous attack but Gryphons force only just left.

Strategy #2, "Rush"
Technically, this is not a rush, hence the quotes in the caption. (See glossary, for example.)

Warning: This strategy depends on full clairvoyance (knowing where everything is) and prescience (knowing all future events), so you will not be able to implement it on a first play-through of the scenario without first reading the walkthrough.

Once the mission starts, take all of your troops and three Peons north to the gold mine in the middle of the map. Continue producing Peons at your first base. Ignore Harpies. Destroy Centaur camp and start building Watch Towers right above the second gold mine. First human attack will arrive by the time you finish your third Tower. Stay within no-upkeep limit. Build reinforcements only if your army grows thin. For hard mode, 6-7 units (not including Heroes) and 9 Towers is enough to defend against any threat.

This is your main base of operations now. You may set up unit production here to save time. Right away, start researching every upgrade available and building army for the assault of Stonetalon Peak. You can ignore the Wyverns quest and any items found within the canyon along the west map edge. However, if you want the Pendant of Mana, which is a very important item, you will need to kill the Harpy queen, and that will almost certainly complete the Wyverns quest. Ignore Lordaeron Brigade base. Ignore Fountain quest too, although Centaur Khan needs to be killed anyway. He will prevent you from luring down the Gryphons that are guarding the mountain. Buy Zeppelins. If you don't have Wyverns, you will need to figure out some other way of securing your landing, such as the Tower trap described above.

Treasures

 * Health Stone from the Razormane Medicine Man within the canyon leading to Wyverns
 * Periapt of Vitality off the Razormane Chieftain in same canyon
 * Scroll of Protection in same canyon
 * Potion of Mana in Harpy base
 * Pendant of Mana is dropped by Harpy Queen

Only items 1, 2, and 5 are worth anything.