In one of the most unexpected announcements about the eagerly anticipated
Patch 3.1 PTR, Zarhym announced a
new world event called The Argent Tournament. The event will be included in the PTR, even though he makes it clear that many aspects of the event will still be under development. It looks like a pretty big event, based on the Argent Crusade faction in Icecrown. Some highlights include:
- Mounted combat - Blizzard wasn't clear if players would be using their own mounts or special vehicle-type mounts, but the say that the tournament was to prove one's worth to their own capital city
- A tournament coliseum - Daily quests to build a coliseum will likely be similar to the multi-phase daily quests in the Isle of Quel'danas
- New Achievements
- All new rewards -Zarhym promises new items, titles, tabards, pets, mounts, and banners (possibly like the Honor and reputation-bought Battle Standards?)
This looks like a pretty big event and Blizzard managed to keep it under the radar. With all the excitement about Ulduar and the massive work that's certain the content entails, it's a pleasant surprise that Blizzard had this planned all along -- promising more festivities as time goes by. We over here at WoW Insider are giddy with the thought of the event, and as
Daniel put it, it makes us feel like we're
"back in High School being teased by the cutest girl in senior year". Uh, yeah. That means we're kind of excited. You should be, too.
Tags: Argent-Crusade, argent-crusade-coliseum, Argent-Tournament, Breakingnews, Caught-Us-With-Our-Pants-Down, News, Patch-3.1, PTR, ptr-3.1, ptr-patch-3.1, public-test-realm, pvp-coliseum, Surprise, wow-coliseum, wow-patch-3.1, wow-ptr
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Feb 23rd 2009 at 9:00PM 
Reader Comments (Page 4 of 5)
miko Feb 24th 2009 12:08AM
then i concede
tournaments on the Lich Kings doorstep still don't fit the Argent Dawn/Crusade tho.
Eisengel Feb 24th 2009 12:31AM
I think it fits the Crusade and their M.O. They're bad mothers that take no crap from no one no how... but the whole offensive against LK has been draining their ranks and supplies, to the point where they're having to pull back from some areas since the newer troops they do have aren't exactly battle-hardened (i.e. Gun'drak quests). The AC was a handpicked force from the AD, so it should be much smaller than the AD, and the AD was a defensive garrison, more like a National Guard than a fully organized and manned force-projection military unit.
My guess is that Tirion bit off a tad more than he can chew. Sure he has the best and brightest of the AD, and they pushed back LK, but they don't have the frontline experience of how to conduct an invasion, how to organize supply and logistics in foreign lands, how to gain intelligence and scout on the enemy's doorstep, partisan actions and guerrilla warfare against a superior foe. The AC has some things going for them, they're good at killing undead, certainly, they have nearly total air superiority provided by friendly factions, and they have the Knights of the Ebon Blade, who can provide invaluable intelligence and frontline experience from decades of invasions.
What Tirion needs now, desperately, are experienced, battle-hardened NCOs and line officers to train and school his new forces in how to fight to take ground, not just defend it, as well as partisans and guerillas to keep LK off balance while the AC switches gears from a rapid-response home guard to an actual invading force-projection army. Best way to find those kinds of people in Azeroth? Games. Offer a few prizes and find some adventurers that will buy your time for you, or have previous experience fighting the LKs forces and who know Icecrown and have contacts amoung the factions in the area (Taunka, trolls, the Knights..), as well people that know how to build siege machines and other material, or organize logistics. Makes some sense to me. The AC is a good start... but it's only a start. They kept from being annihilated and were able to turn a quick counterattack, but if he wants to actually win, Tirion needs a lot of help.
RogueJedi86 Feb 23rd 2009 10:47PM
I have thought of the perfect faction to run this: the Darkmoon Faire. We'll just make sure it's a non-deadly colisseum, and make it a semi-permanent outpost of the Darkmoon Faire. I think Silas Darkmoon would be up for a bit of light-hearted jousting to occupy people while the Lord of Death threatens to destroy everyone.
RogueJedi86 Feb 23rd 2009 10:48PM
Why would the Lich King tolerate goofy jousting tournaments in his backyard? That's like hosting the Darkmoon Faire inside the Sunwell Plateau raid.
Omegon01 Feb 23rd 2009 11:07PM
Can't they spend 5 minutes at least coming up with a Vrykul faction to handle this? Even that would make more sense than the Argent Crusade.
Thealliance Feb 23rd 2009 11:18PM
No but given the amount of testing this will probably go through, the Ice Stone will probably melt by release or within 2 weeks
Thealliance Feb 23rd 2009 11:20PM
>< i knew it would do this to me
how do you delete comments?
tonedeff Feb 23rd 2009 11:33PM
So does this new world event have anything todo with the ice melting bs?
BTW im looking forward to this new world event!
Llany Feb 24th 2009 12:56AM
if i remember correctly the Ice Stone issue was actually part of the mid summer festival's lord ahune event.
And the bug that happened with 3.0.9 was probably from blizz doing small updates that somehow started making ht emote come up
Aries Feb 24th 2009 2:11AM
LOL @ at all the self-righteous people talking about how it doesn't fit into the "lore" when the event isn't even live yet.
None of you have ANY idea what blizzard is up to.
So... stfu, sit back, and save your crying until later. We all know you will anyway.
miko Feb 24th 2009 2:42PM
how bout you stfu, quit the sanctimonious bullshit and save your sitting forward and making like a seal for later. We all know you will anyway.
we are allowed to offer our opinions on developments on the game past, present and future (and anything else for that matter), hence why this site exists, hence why the official forums exists, hence why this comment exists.
who the feck are you to judge anyone else or tell them to stfu ?
a no one that's fecking who, a meaningless worthless voice in the ether, a grain of sand...
in conclusion: no u!
Aries Feb 24th 2009 4:26PM
Wow, Miko, I am absolutely blown away by your command of the English language.
When you can form a logical argument, please let me know.
Thank you.
Argothaur Feb 24th 2009 3:48AM
There was talk about a kind of arena where people don't fight each other in regular arena style pvp combat, but rather they fight mobs in a pve centric arena.
Personally I don't see room for an additional pvp arena system in the game. I do see room for the above and nothing has been stated to the contrary.
Perhaps the arena is some kind of front line of defence, where heroes make their stand against what ever it might be Arthas sends against the new Argent Crusade settlement, Justice Keep.
Kemikalkadet Feb 24th 2009 5:16AM
Oh god, argent crusade is the only faction i havn't worked on yet, almost all the others are at exhalted and AC is in the low reaches of honored >.< time to grab my tabard and power some heroics i guess.
Faeries Wear Boots Mar 17th 2009 12:24PM
Does anyone else think it's odd that with the seriousness of what's going on in Northrend that the Argent Crusade/Dawn have time to throw a party? ...and build a Coliseum?!?
Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of an event. This jut seems misplaced.
Drow Feb 24th 2009 10:04AM
It's about time! I remember gethering suplies and opening the gates of AQ, daily after daily to get the Isle open, and now, we finally get another one. Plus, the Argent guys are my favorite faction in the game. Lets hope we either get a new faction to grind, or the Sunreavers step in and let us get faction with them...I mean...why not...if we are building a collosium, these factions are all about the PvP anyway.
ayalafatalis Feb 24th 2009 2:14PM
I was considering quitting the game for a little while due to general burnout (my 10 man is the only thing keeping me in. really cool people) but then I saw this.
My thought?:
"Just when I thought I was out...they pull me back IN!"
rosencratz Feb 25th 2009 7:19AM
I disagree, jousting tournaments for example originate froma time where you would try and raise peoples morale whilst simultaneusly weeding out all of your best soldiers/knights/archers etc.
It's very much in the spirit of things in my opinion as the Argent Crusade NEEDS champions and the people of Azeroth really need a boost to morale lately, especially after that delightfully entertaining zombie plague.
rosencratz Feb 25th 2009 7:22AM
Gah! that was in response to Faeries Wear Boots.
Who said:
"Does anyone else think it's odd that with the seriousness of what's going on in Northrend that the Argent Crusade/Dawn have time to throw a party? ...and build a Coliseum?!?
Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of an event. This jut seems misplaced."
evankimori Feb 25th 2009 3:22PM
I can just imagine TLK now:
"Dern kids and their Coliseum! Making noise all hours of the night and keeping me awake!
Hey you dang blasted kids, get off my lawn!" *shakes Frostmourne threateningly*