Original Thread

An idea came up in an excellent thread about adding/changing things in PvP, and I wanted to give the idea its own thread for review and feedback. Someone suggested the general notion of escort quests, which lead me to consider the following:

There was a thread about supply lines a good while back, but it was more about capping stronghold resources. What if there were supply convoys, like a wagon, that acted like a moving "flag" to be defended or capped, no new quest needed. They would periodically leave from one stronghold or town to a destination with a contingent of NPC guards. You could choose to escort or not at any time, either because you planned to or just ran across one of them. They would stop moving when attacked, and you would get an O-tick for capturing the wagon or a D-tick for defending it, just like a stronghold or outpost.

There are already NPC guards who escort captured NPC prisoners in Cyrodiil, so that could be added as another type of "moving flag".

Capping these moving flags could have benefits beyond AP, such as loot. But capping and defending them could also have additional effects, either on resources, strongholds, or the players involved in he fight. Buffs, debuffs, etc.

Would you like to have new objectives/opportunities such as this, especially those suited to small groups, that can impact the flow of the war and have effects on the strategic moves of an Alliance? Is there anything you'd add or modify to this kind of idea?


Further Elaboration/Examples

Imagine then a supply caravan en route between Roebeck and Brindle. There are several tough NPC guards escorting it. You and a few allies decide to hit it. Once you start your attack it shows up on the map of the Alliance associated with the caravan. It was on no ones map before that. So you've got a time table. If you can cap it quickly enough, you get whatever the rewards are (see above). If not, and some folks from the defending Alliance are nearby, they have a shot at driving you away and, after a minute, getting a defense tick.

While you are hitting the caravan an NPC jumps down and sprints away. It's a courier, who functions like an IC treasure scamp. If you can chase him down before s/he get away there is a big bonus. Similarly, spies creeping around near strongholds would work the same way as couriers but without being tied to a mobile flag.

Now picture going after a prisoner transport. It follows the same basic mechanics as a supply caravan encounter, only substitute intelligence officer for courier. The rewards (loot, buffs/debuffs, etc) would be distinct, and visually they would have some differences. The NPC arrangement and composition could be different to give the fights a different feel.

These encounters would come with a new set of achievements, and could also have their own quests from the mission boards.