Overhauling Wars Against Scourge To Be More Accurate/Closer To Roleplay

[usfshihy]

Hello! This is a part of a longer suggestion I posted since Zumbak asked me to narrow it down. While I know the work on the CK2 version has stopped, this could offer some useful suggestions for the upcoming CK3 one. Now I just finished a nearly 30 year playthrough of the Goldrinn of Shadowfang Keep. My goal was to establish a rival human/Worgen resistance to the Scourge and one that looks at Garithos with suspicion and as someone who can form an important piece in our resistance rather than we form an irrelevant piece in his.

The mod has a real problem when it comes with alliances, whether we are talking about Horde, Alliance or the Scourge. Any 5-10 year playthrough would result in a world mainly split between those powers and the eradication of most small/medium sized states. For example, Garithos can always win the civil war by just calling all the Alliance armies, and the Scourge won't stop winning since it can put in it's 100k army wherever it pleases always beating the Forsaken in a few years. That's why, gameplay wise, Pandaria is by far the most fun continent to play in as it's the one with the least obvious power projectors, it's filled with small powers making for an amazing interregnum like experience for a CK game where anything can happen (It's the same reason why Elder Kings, another great mod focuses most on it Interregnum start date as it is by far the most popular). I rarely play in Lorderaon as I'll always find myself squished between those great powers so I tried to make my playthrough more fun by first controlling Thrall and Varian and making them break up the Horde and the Alliance and then giving independence to all the smaller Scourge vassals to add more singularity and personality to the world rather than 3 big blobs.

And so it began! With the great powers broken up, so much more fun scenarios began to brew up. An Ironforge-Shadowforge war (which wouldn't have started if Ironforge had 50k soldiers behind it) blew up, putting central Azeroth at risk. The Dragonmaw began seizing territories in the highlands and made 5 failed invasions on Grim Batol. Eventually forming an alliance with the Rend Blackhand who rebelled from Nefarien and slaughtered him giving a rise to a true "Dark Horde". The Newly split Scourge power of Tranquillien ruled by the traitor Dar'Khan Drathir began a major offensive against Quel'thalas, losing in the process and quickly falling back in both power and land giving sway to a reunited Quel'thalas (Again, wouldn't have happened if he had the 100k Lich King behind him). The Scarlet Crusade began to advance and capture parts of Northern Trisfal and eventually made an attempt to take Strathholme, taking control of the Burning City for 5 years and appearing as the renewed bastion of Humanity in Lorderaon before collapsing in a three way civil war with one side led by Saidan Dathrohan holding the lands around the Capital City and the Monastery, another controlling parts in the plaguelands and the last holding Tarren Mill(If the Scourge was united, the Scarlet Crusade usually dies off in 2 years and that's that). In the south, a rising alliance between the Atal'ai and the Gurubashi began to threaten Stormwind making considerable raid incursions deep in Azeroth's territory. The two sides fought each other in 4 wars with no side showing any signs of stopping (They usually get curb stomped if the Alliance is there with full power). In Andorhal, Araj the Summoner began an attack against Scholomance trying to enlarge his territory giving way to a more complex Scourge than the one usually exists. The Forsaken made several major offensives against Dalaran eventually taking control of the great city (Forsaken usually get humiliated by the Scourge in 2-3 years). And finally, perhaps my most favorite development, a scarlet light uprising took place in Stromgarde forcing Galen Trollbane to flee to the newly captured Durholde Keep (A very unique development that wouldn't have happened since Stromgarde usually dies from Horde in the first 10 years along with the death of Scarlet light religion as it also falls apart in 2 years).

I think the wars fought against the Scourge should be considerably different. I don't see the Scourge signing a peace offer or them giving away lands they occupy just because of their casus belli. Wars between anyone and the scourge should have no white peace option, no peace treaty timer and always end with the winning side taking control of all the areas they occupy, akin to an invasion casus belli. This will allow for far longer and more drawn out wars as it should be and will retain roleplay situations as the Scourge are not ones to either walk away from territory or sign peace deals. The end of war messages can be altered as well to represent this unique form of war as:

"We have driven the Scourge from the contested areas and stopped their offensive for now. This is a great victory!" rather than "You have won for now.".

"The Scourge forces have overwhelmed our defenses and we can no longer compete with them on that front, I fear we have lost this battle my liege." rather than "We accept your offer of surrender.".

"Scourge forces have began a new offensive against our territories. Our scouts confirm their goals are XXXX." rather than "This is a formal declaration of war!".

Similar versions can also be made when the Scourge are the ones winning/losing and not the humanoids.