[Karinya]

(From the FFXI official website)

The upcoming version update will see exciting developments in Campaign, including the opening of new areas, the introduction of the "Union" system, and a host of other additions and refinements.

The Battlefront Moves North!

The following areas will become potential sites for future Campaign conflicts:
Beaucedine Glacier (S) / Xarcabard (S)


New Campaign Medals!

Currently, the highest decoration players may be awarded through evaluation is the coveted "Wings of Honor." With the new version update, two yet more prestigious distinctions will be unlocked, and the corresponding equipment—including body armors for each nation—will be added to the items obtainable with Allied Notes.


All for One and One for All! Introducing the "Union" System

Building upon the existing parties and alliances, the new version update will allow players to form larger battle regiments known as "Unions." By joining a Union, players may take part in Campaign operations on an expanded scale and receive a wide assortment of battle spoils for successful efforts.

To join a Union, a player need only seek out a Campaign Arbiter while in possession of Allied Tags. Any Campaign Arbiter will heed your request, regardless of nation affiliation.

Great riches await triumphant Unions, including but not limited to the ancient currencies obtainable in Dynamis, a wide assortment of synthesis materials, and the spoils of vanquished Beastman Confederate captains. Such rewards will be distributed via Union treasure caskets after the conclusion of each battle.

Scavengers be forewarned! Those who sit back on the sidelines to let their allies do the dirty work will find themselves denied their share of the spoils. Soldiers must make sufficient contribution to the cause to be eligible to reap the rewards.

[Durahansolo]

Originally Posted by Karinya

ancient currencies obtainable in Dynamis, a wide assortment of synthesis materials, and the spoils of vanquished Beastman Confederate captains.

*Signs Up*

I wonder if this "Union" scale is near what they were thinking about when they mentioned the larger scale battles in FFXIV.

[Kafeen]

Oh, this sounds good. I'm going to have to start doing campaign again.

[Feba]

Originally Posted by Karinya

Such rewards will be distributed via Union treasure caskets after the conclusion of each battle.

Scavengers be forewarned! Those who sit back on the sidelines to let their allies do the dirty work will find themselves denied their share of the spoils. Soldiers must make sufficient contribution to the cause to be eligible to reap the rewards.

wait did SE just implement that loot system I was talking about a couple weeks ago.

[Durahansolo]

Originally Posted by Feba

wait did SE just implement that loot system I was talking about a couple weeks ago.

Self-quotes or it didn't happen.

Ninja lotting is gonna suck though. There will probably be so many people lotting that nobody will really know who got what. Unless the drops are automatic that is.

[Nuriko]

Darn, nothing about fixing the consequences of the fortification nerf ... I've seen fighting in Bastok and Windy recently, they lost all zones.

[Mhurron]

Originally Posted by Karinya

Scavengers be forewarned! Those who sit back on the sidelines to let their allies do the dirty work will find themselves denied their share of the spoils. Soldiers must make sufficient contribution to the cause to be eligible to reap the rewards.

Given the lopsided EXP reward for Healing and Enfeebling compared to straight meleeing in campaign, I see bad things coming of this.

[Ketaru]

The following areas will become potential sites for future Campaign conflicts:
Beaucedine Glacier (S) / Xarcabard (S)

I don't know why, but I wasn't expecting that at all. I half-expected it would be Xarcabard (S), Castle Zvahl Baileys (S), and some new zone.

Given the lopsided EXP reward for Healing and Enfeebling compared to straight meleeing in campaign, I see bad things coming of this.

I gotta say I think that's crap when people say you can't get good EXP for backline play. I was just in Campaign getting buffer back after dying with no raise from an event and got 2250 EXP for a little less than 25 minutes. And that was with no melee at all. All I did was crowd control and held 3 or 4 mobs, as well as claimed stuff off the fort as people killed them. So a majority of that EXP was from enfeebling, as well as the off-chance opportunity sometimes I get hit for damage, some cures and raises going around, and like...2 nukes. A BLM I spoke to gets just as much EXP on his BLM as he does on his WAR.

That may not be my preferred way to play, But apparently, yes, it's quite possible to get just as much EXP as anybody in front. Follow where the in-town announcements are going. Get there first so you maximize your participation time. Before mobs start advancing, cast buffs on other people. Protect/Shell key NPCs too. (these things I do, by the way, even when I go hybrid mage to Campaign). Yes, you might get there early, but you can use the gap in time before Campaign to do a Campaign Ops, getting you another 300 EXP.

[Firewind]

Originally Posted by Mhurron

Given the lopsided EXP reward for Healing and Enfeebling compared to straight meleeing in campaign, I see bad things coming of this.

This and people bitching at me for not possessing precognition so I can heal them before they appear on my screen and just outside of my spellcasting range is why I haven't done campaign since late January

[Vyuru]

I wonder sometimes about people complaining about lack of exp healing/buffing/whatever others and their medal rank.

Now granted, it does seem that melee gets better exp overall, but still...

Great riches await triumphant Unions, including but not limited to the ancient currencies obtainable in Dynamis,

So I get to start working on a relic outside of Dynamis? >.>

SE is officially forgiven for making me wait for the campaign update.

[TheGrandMom]

Originally Posted by Ketaru

I gotta say I think that's crap when people say you can't get good EXP for backline play. I was just in Campaign getting buffer back after dying with no raise from an event and got 2250 EXP for a little less than 25 minutes. And that was with no melee at all. All I did was crowd control and held 3 or 4 mobs, as well as claimed stuff off the fort as people killed them. So a majority of that EXP was from enfeebling, as well as the off-chance opportunity sometimes I get hit for damage, some cures and raises going around, and like...2 nukes. A BLM I spoke to gets just as much EXP on his BLM as he does on his WAR.

That may not be my preferred way to play, But apparently, yes, it's quite possible to get just as much EXP as anybody in front. Follow where the in-town announcements are going. Get there first so you maximize your participation time. Before mobs start advancing, cast buffs on other people. Protect/Shell key NPCs too. (these things I do, by the way, even when I go hybrid mage to Campaign). Yes, you might get there early, but you can use the gap in time before Campaign to do a Campaign Ops, getting you another 300 EXP.

Thats a lot of exp in a short amount of time for doing 2 nukes and just enfeebles. I did campaign regularly on my blm and rdm but never got that much exp in that amount of time. Maybe that much in an hour but not 25 minutes. And yes, I did do buffs on NPC's while waiting for troops to advance and all that jazz too.

And that blm saying he got the same exp on war as he did on blm....well his war must be really gimped then. Hell I think you could be naked and punching on a war and make more exp than a blm could. So I don't believe that one bit.

[Mhurron]

Originally Posted by Vyuru

I wonder sometimes about people complaining about lack of exp healing/buffing/whatever others and their medal rank.

Highest medal rank available. I make more (a lot more) EXP meleeing with BLM then I do nuking/healing/enfeebling.

You know, for one thing there's that pesky resting where you're doing dick all and every other job continues to hit things when you play BLM like a BLM in Campaign.

[Neverslip]

SE making Campaign relevent again... {sweets}. I've been trying to get that highest medal back after being absent from campaign participation. I only ever defend anymore because the B-territories are so badly nerfed. I don't care that the Forts suck ass now. Just wish they'd offset that with mobs (Imps maybe) or something. Felt bad for Windy (Hades)...but Waters(S) did NOT end up falling to the beastmen and they even claimed their front lawn back too. I kinda wanted to see what happens when a nation loses everything.

Really looking forward to more incentive for playing the content in WotG. Had a really good time doing the CoP storyline and I remember WotG CS's being rather amazing. I really enjoyed the storylines up til now (Purple, the New Black) and am looking forward to figuring out how to to get to Beaucedine(S) and Xarcabard(S). We all remember how fun our initial runs in the past were

This Union thing seems pretty epic. Still fairly nebulous as to the mechanics of "Unions" and their implimentation in missions and battle but I'm hoping/guessing it'll be full "win". I really hope this will push SE to make Dancer able to Waltz people out of their immediate party for this. I've never really understood why SE made it so Dancers can't cast Waltz's outside of party.

Can't wait for the new body armors. Guess I'll keep saving my points for a Cobra Top cuz after seeing the garter-style subligar that seem straight outta Dr. Frankenfurter's private collection, I don't think I can bring myself to wear them. Here's hoping the top doesn't have something epically wierd like nipple clamps.

[Akashimo]

With this union system... I foresee finally after letting the goblin in castle z hold it for 3 years, a stage 2 hammer in my future.

[Ketaru]

Thats a lot of exp in a short amount of time for doing 2 nukes and just enfeebles. I did campaign regularly on my blm and rdm but never got that much exp in that amount of time. Maybe that much in an hour but not 25 minutes. And yes, I did do buffs on NPC's while waiting for troops to advance and all that jazz too.

And that blm saying he got the same exp on war as he did on blm....well his war must be really gimped then. Hell I think you could be naked and punching on a war and make more exp than a blm could. So I don't believe that one bit.

I didn't do "just enfeebles". Because I was holding several mobs, I did take damage from time to time, damage that I had to use Cure on. I suppose you could say the "just 2 nukes" was an exaggeration since I did Drain and Aspir whenever they were up as well. I can't say for certain, but I think restoring MP through action is supposed to net EXP as well I believe. I was just pointing out that crowd control is primarily a mage function, one that is easy to stay busy on. And staying busy seems to be the best way to get EXP in Campaign. It's just much easier to stay busy when you're meleeing...in a manner of speaking.

A concession I will make is that it does require for other people in the campaign to be acting in a predictable manner(IE one person tanking a mob so damage to people is limited to occasional AoEs, rather than hate bouncing around, people not attacking your slept/bound mobs). But my experience is that people are more conscientous than most people would give credit for. Though I did have one particular RDM attack one of my mobs which gave me some trouble until he finally got the hint after a few minutes...

EDIT: Has anybody confirmed that the Jeunoan Flag raises Campaign EXP? I use Moghancement: Campaign, if that may have anything to do with it, as well as capped medal...