In Rainier's plan, the Battering Ram was just a siege weapon. If Tess could use them as a shield for her Cho-Ko-Nu, he could do the same with his Mangudai. As his Mangudai reached the front of the rams and settled into formation, intending to use their speed and range to thin out the Cho-Ko-Nu, a dozen Two-Handed Swordsmen suddenly dismounted from inside the rams!
This move triggered a collective gasp of amazement from the watching players. Most people present, even those not in the military, had lived through this chaotic era and understood basic military deployments. A situation like this—where units appeared out of thin air in an entirely unexpected way—was the definition of a "masterstroke."
These swordsmen swung their massive blades at the unprepared Mangudai. With their mediocre health and armor, the Mongol cavalry couldn't withstand such close-quarters aggression and were forced to retreat in panic. However, Tess's flanking cavalry had already circled behind them, cutting off their escape.
In Age of Empires II, no ranged unit can withstand a direct melee assault from heavy infantry and heavy cavalry. The Mangudai tried to break through the gaps, but they were not only pursued by cavalry but also pelted by the flaming bolts of the Cho-Ko-Nu, who were firing freely from behind the rams. In moments, more than half the Mongol cavalry were dead.
When the few survivors tried to turn back and fire a couple of vengeful arrows at those swordsmen, the men had already retreated back into the rams and vanished! Furthermore, amazingly yet logically, having more infantry garrisoned inside made the Battering Rams move and attack faster.
McBride couldn't help but remark, "Grand Marshal, a Steam Tank certainly can't fit four or five fully armed soldiers inside."
This time, Wayne spoke up: "This is called 'Infantry-Tank Synergy.' In my world, it's the most basic tactic for ground advancement."
Dughan was confused. "Tank? I've never heard of anything called 'Infantry-Tank Synergy' in all of Azeroth!"
McBride countered, "But what he says makes sense. No rush; let's keep watching. It won't be too late to ask him once he's finished. Wayne has a lot of tricks up his sleeve."
By now, Rainier's mental state was crumbling. He had rushed back to save Arator's base, only to lose half his main force. He knew that if the other two players charged in one by one like this, they would meet the same end. He warned the others to group up while pulling out every reserve unit he had originally intended to use against his allies. He was determined to wash away his shame.
Shortly after his main force departed to regroup with the defeated Mangudai, a warning horn sounded from his own base! Rainier looked around his vision but couldn't find who was attacking him or from where. All he saw were massive, flaming boulders falling from the sky like meteors, smashing into his castle and leaving craters in the masonry.
Rainier frantically asked the players next to him, "What is hitting me? Help me look!"
The group wanted to help but couldn't see anything either, until Hicks spoke up: "Those stones look like they're coming from a catapult."
Many had the same thought, but Rainier's response voiced their collective doubt. "A catapult? Have you ever seen a catapult hurl a rock that high?!"
Sandar added, "True... if the flames were green, I'd think Infernals were falling from the sky."
With his cavalry nearing the front line, Rainier was forced to split his force and send half back to search. Hasana, still in the tree, wiped the sweat from her brow. It was worth coming here. The Alliance's pre-war simulation is revealing all their secrets. I must see where those fireballs are coming from.
On the other side, Tess was using the same tactics against the other two players. This time, facing the dense formation of Teutonic Knights, a new unit appeared behind the Cho-Ko-Nu—two slow-moving, four-wheeled carts that had stayed back until now.
"Now this is a catapult," Tess said with a giggle. The two Mangonels released their tension; a heavy weight dropped, leveraging the throwing arm to rise rapidly and hurl a cluster of burning, oiled stones at the Teutonic Knights. The knights, charging in a tight formation, were instantly devastated. Many who were already wounded died on the spot.
Dughan was stunned. "This... this cannot be seen by the Horde! This thing is far more powerful than their catapults!"
McBride agreed, "A spray of stones like that is simply a nightmare for infantry."
Since Arator's economy had already been crippled, his remaining troops were shredded by the catapults and Cho-Ko-Nu. He helplessly ordered his men to charge forward, accepting defeat while making a final contribution to the battle. Soon, he became the first player to be eliminated.
Rainier's returning cavalry finally circled around and found the culprit behind the "falling meteors"—two Trebuchets. Using the same lever principle, the Trebuchet's arm and height were far greater than a standard catapult, and their accuracy against buildings was superb.
But that wasn't enough to shock the crowd. What they saw next left even the Dwarves, masters of heavy machinery, completely baffled. When the Mongol cavalry reached the Trebuchets, one had just finished destroying a castle. It began to disassemble itself, while a large wooden cart nearby moved away. Rainier didn't know what the cart was, but seeing it move slowly, he decided to destroy the Trebuchet first.
Halfway through, the Trebuchet finished disassembling and turned into a wooden cart itself. Meanwhile, the cart that had already moved into position unfolded back into a Trebuchet and hurled a massive boulder at Rainier's stables!
The outcome was no longer in doubt. Although Verdan tried to train cavalry and spearmen in a panic, he had failed to upgrade his technology and had over-invested in Longbowmen. Once Tess regrouped with a new wave of heavy cavalry from the rear, she turned and wiped out his British camp.
Rainier, his spirit broken, couldn't escape the same fate. The massive gap in troop numbers and neglected technology made his cavalry powerless against the hit-and-run siege engines and the frontal assault. Tess secured the first-ever victory of Age of Empires II in the net cafe.
Wayne, hearing his conversation with McBride, wondered if the Bronze Dragonflight would come knocking again. If this continued, an "Iron Alliance" would appear before the Iron Horde even existed. Was he, the cafe owner, replacing Garrosh in the timeline?
As he joked to himself and handled the flood of post-game questions, Hasana climbed down from the tree. This time, she was truly running at full speed toward Grom'gol Base Camp in Stranglethorn. Because she had been watching from so far away with one eye squinted for over an hour, her eyes were bloodshot and her vision was blurry.
She needed to report to the Warchief and Vol'jin of the Darkspear:
The Alliance has opened a military academy called a "Net Cafe." They train high-ranking officers in individual combat, teaching moves that let warriors breathe fire and mages do somersaults. They are also simulating a war for Arathi, deploying troop numbers unseen in years.
Worse, they have developed machines that summon meteors and catapults that spray clusters of fire. Most infuriatingly, they are provoking the Horde; a black-and-white beast named Chen claims Rexxar was his subordinate and wants to lure Rexxar to Moonbrook for a duel!
She ran faster and faster, telling herself she must bring this vital intelligence back to Orgrimmar before the Alliance strikes.
Blood and Thunder! Strength and Honor!
Victory for the Horde!