Neutral Structure Archives: -Last Updated 1-21-2001
Unlike it's predecessors, Warcraft 3 will feature many different forms of neutral structures, and not just resource nodes. Many such dot the map, either be totally abandoned, or dominated by hostile neutrals. Often these buildings can captured by a player, and then provide all sorts of benefits, from recruiting neutrals to equipping your heroes with magical items or potions.

Resource Nodes:
Unlike Warcraft 2, resources in Warcraft 3 can come from a wide variety of sources. For instance, the Scourge no longer uses conventional resources, and solely depend on corpses to rise the armies.

Gold Mine:

Provides: Gold Finite Resource? Yes Mined from the rich earth of Azeroth and Lordaeron, this precious metal is commonly used in exchange for good or services in both Orc and Human communities. As a rare substance that is always in short supply, they are required to fuel a war. Many gold mines were abandoned when tales of the Burning Legion spread across the Northern Reaches, peons and peasants alike fleeing for their lives. Since the beginning of the War, both the Horde and the alliance have attempted to operate these sites under military protection, while the Burning Legion and Scourge have done their best to annihilate any Gold Mine from existence.

Neutral Encampments:
Neutral encampments are littered throughout the map in any game of Warcraft 3, providing their services to certain races. A player may find himself offered potions in the store of a greedy merchant, or attacked but a pack of hungry gnolls. Whatever the case may be, they offer a new flavor and a new dimension into game strategy.

To make use a neutral building, a player must 'capture' it with one of his hero units. The building will temporarily switch to the player's color, allowing him to buy potions or recruit troops within. A neutral building will never truly belong to a player, and will switch back to being neutral once the player's hero leaves the building.

Goblin Hut:

Guarded? No Offers: Potions, Goblin Sapper Since Thrall have come to power, the goblins disliked changes made to the Horde. Why should a race base itself upon honor and not greed? Disgruntled, the Goblins have retreated back to their previous lifestyle, selling expensive merchandise to those who have the coinage to pay. While selfish and greedy, they realize that it is to everyone best interest to drive away the legion and scourge, and will only trade with the mortal races. Special Commands: Hire Sapper: A player can hire Goblin sappers from the Goblin hut. Buy Potions: A Goblin hut will often have random potions for sale.

Marauder Hut:

Guarded?: Yes Offers: Gnolls, Centaur and Kobold Units In the chaos of the war, many secluded races have risen from their hiding places, fighting for themselves. Centaurs, Kobolds and Gnolls have banded together for strength and are now a plague from the lone merchant or messenger. Their crude huts dot the wilderness. When encountered, the inhabitants of Marauder huts will often be openly hostile. However once a player subdues hostile forces around the hut, he may enter the hut to hire various different untis to boost his ranks. Special Commands: Hire Centaur Marauder: A player can hire centaur marauders from the Marauder hut. Hire Kobold: A player can hire kobolds from the Marauder hut. Hire Gnoll: A player can hire Gnolls from the Marauder hut.

Abandoned Structures:
Throughout the course of the war, many structures have been abandoned by their inhabitants in fear of an oncoming invasion. Sometimes private homes, sometimes military outposts, they often offer either strategic or monetary value. Encountering such structures is a bonus, one that may mean the difference between victory and defeat.

As with neutral encampments, neutral structures may be temporarily 'captured' for the duration that a hero is inside. Once the hero leaves the structure, the player can longer use its benefits of special abilities.

Observatory:

Race Restrictions: Unknown Function: Scouting Permanent observatories are littered throughout the land, abandoned by whoever was within in fear of been mutilated at the hands of the Legion or forced into internal servitude by the Scourge. These buildings can be captured any hero and can then manned for scouting purposes. Blizzard plans that upon its capture, a player will be able to view the land in a much more slanted angle near the tower if they so wish. This allows the ability to see right in the horizon, and provides a huge tactical advantage. Passive Properties: Increase Vision: A player who controls an Observatory may zoom out further than those without, and hence see more of the map. Special Commands: First Person View: Normal, a player adopts a scrolling bird's eye view in Warcraft 3. The observatory gives the player to option to view the game as if he's standing inside the building, and hence he'll be able to see right to the horizon.

Fort?

Race Restrictions: Unknown Function: Unknown First seen at ECTS 2000, the fort charged owners during the spacing of two screenshots and hence can be confirmed be an logical to assume that this structure will offer a military bonus of some sort.

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