wow mob:Icecrown Gunship Battle  

The Icecrown Gunship Battle is the third 'boss' encounter in Icecrown Citadel. Much like the Faction Champions in Trial of the Crusader this fight use different skin for both faction, but is essentially the same encounter. It is an aerial battle between the gunships Skybreaker and Orgrim's Hammer. Muradin Bronzebeard and High Overlord Saurfang are the gunship commanders.

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Abilities

Alliance Side

Gunship Cannon

Cannon Blast - Launches a cannonball at the target. Inflicts 1000 Siege damage and generates 6 to 10 Heat. This is the cannon's main attack.
Incinerating Blast - Consumes all of the cannon's Heat to launch a massive ball of fire at the target. Inflicts 1000 Siege damage plus additional damage per point of Heat. Used once the cannon as built sufficient heat.
Muradin Bronzebeard
Cleave - Deals 150% weapon damage to up to three nearby targets.
Battle Fury - Increases all damage done by 10%. Stacks up to 10 times.
Skybreaker Sorcerer
Below Zero - Freezes the target in a block of ice by concentrating and freezing moisture in the air. The caster must channel to maintain the ice block.
All of the Skybreaker mobs - except the Sorceror - will also gain the following buff over time, making them more potent:

Experienced - Damage done increased by 30%.Attack and casting speeds increased by 20%.
Veteran - Damage done increased by 60%.Attack and casting speeds increased by 40%.
Elite - Damage done increased by 120%.Attack and casting speeds increased by 80%.
Skybreaker Sergeant
Bladestorm - Whirls around dealing AE damage for a short period. Can't be crowd controlled.
Wounding Strike - Inflicts 200% weapon damage and leaves the target wounded, reducing the effectiveness of any healing by 25% for 10 sec.
Desperate Resolve - Increases armor by 120% and attack speed by 60%.
Skybreaker Mortar Soldier
Rocket Artillery - Launches a rocket that explodes on impact.
Skybreaker Marine
Desperate Resolve - Increases armor by 120% and attack speed by 60%.

Horde Side

Gunship Cannon

Cannon Blast - Launches a cannonball at the target. Inflicts 1000 Siege damage and generates 6 to 10 Heat. This is the cannon's main attack.
Incinerating Blast - Consumes all of the cannon's Heat to launch a massive ball of fire at the target. Inflicts 1000 Siege damage plus additional damage per point of Heat. Used once the cannon as built sufficient heat.
High Overlord Saurfang
Cleave - Deals 150% weapon damage to up to three nearby targets.
Battle Fury - Increases all damage done by 10%. Stacks up to 10 times.
Kor'kron Battle-Mage
Below Zero - Freezes the target in a block of ice by concentrating and freezing moisture in the air. The caster must channel to maintain the ice block.

All of the Kor'kron mobs - except the Battle-Mage - will also gain the following buff over time, making them more potent:

Experienced - Damage done increased by 30%.Attack and casting speeds increased by 20%.
Veteran - Damage done increased by 60%.Attack and casting speeds increased by 40%.
Elite - Damage done increased by 120%.Attack and casting speeds increased by 80%.
Kor'kron Sergeant
Bladestorm - Whirls around dealing AE damage for a short period. Can't be crowd controlled.
Wounding Strike - Inflicts 200% weapon damage and leaves the target wounded, reducing the effectiveness of any healing by 25% for 10 sec.
Desperate Resolve - Increases armor by 120% and attack speed by 60%.
Kor'kron Rocketeer
Rocket Artillery - Launches a rocket that explodes on impact.
Kor'Kron Reaver
Desperate Resolve - Increases armor by 120% and attack speed by 60%.

Breakdown

The goal to deal more damage to the enemy airship than it deals to yours. When the encounter starts, you will see the health bar for both ships. Before triggering the encounter, you should make sure everybody grabs a rocket pack - while not everybody will need it, it helps to have back up in case some of your raiders die.

You will need to split up your raid into 2 'teams', a offense group and a defensive group. Each group will require it's own tank and healers.

You will also need player to use the cannon on deck.

Defense

Periodically, a portal will appear on your deck and enemies will start pouring out - those needs to be taken out, as they will deal damage to your ship if they are left unchecked. You will need a tank to pick them up, healers to keep your tank alive and dps to kill them.

Offense

The offense party needs to use the rocket pack in order to jump across on the other ship. Their main target once on board is to kill the Sorcerer/Battle-Mage, as those mobs can freeze your cannon, preventing you from dealing damage to the ship. You will need a tank to hold on to the enemy Commander and he as well as dps will need to be healed. Once the Sorcerer/Battle-Mage has been dealt with, dps should try and kill as many adds as they can, because those become stronger if left alive (see the Experienced, Veteran and Elite buffs above) and if too many of them become elite, healers will be sorely pressed to keep people alive.

A core mechanic here is the Commander's Battle-Rage. As the fight progress, his rage will built up. The tank will eventually be unable to survive his assault and as such will need to jump back on his ship. DPS and healers need to follow, or the Commander will kill them. You need to wait for the debuff to fade away before you return and resume. No dps should go on the Commander, he is only tanked.

So to summarise: DPS kill the Sorcerer/Battle-Mage, than move on to adds. Tank holds the Commander. When the Commander's Buff get to high, everybody gets back on their ship and wait for the buff to fade. Rinse and Repeat.

How many buff you can afford to have the Commander build up before you need to switch will greatly depend on your tank and healers' capability.

While the offensive party is waiting for the Commander's debuff to wait, they can help the defensive team clear up the boat, so it's not necessary to have a 50% split, the offensive party can be bigger.

Gunners

Players who get inside the gun will get the Vehicle UI and have two abilities: Cannon Blast & Incinerating Blast. The first ability is their main ability and they need to use it to damage the enemy's ship. Once they have maxed out heat, than they can use Incinerating Blast to max out their damage. Be mindful that if your heat goes over 100, you will overheat and both ability will be locked for 5 seconds - do not let this happen. Both attack deal damage to the ship and to enemy units, so you should angle the attack to hit them as well.

The cannons will eventually be frozen by the Sorcer/Battle-Mage and while the gunners cannot fire while this is in effect, they can (and should) get out of the cannon and help out in some other fashion (Either helping the defensive or offensive team). It's usually easier for them to help the defensive team since it's quicker for them to get back in the cannon once the freeze is over.



Everybody just need to stick to their role and repeat them, you should have no problem keeping ahead of the enemy's damage if your cannon remain unfrozen and you can clear your deck of enemy units. When the enemy ship drops to 0 hp, you win.

Achievements

I'm on a Boat (10 Player) / I'm on a Boat (25 Player) - Claim victory in the Gunship Battle without any raid member visiting the enemy gunship more than once in 10/25-player mode.
Storming The Citadel - Defeat the first four bosses in Icecrown Citadel.

Video

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This page last modified 2009-12-18 00:22:37.