What if? But how many "what ifs" were there in the real world? Every decision was merely a trade-off based on the circumstances at hand. As an army commander, Alleria understood that well, because she often had to make such decisions herself.
Now Alleria had another choice to make: should she immediately lead the troops currently available to seize the vital route connecting the Badlands and the Swamp of Sorrows, or wait until her forces had assembled before striking?
Both choices had clear advantages and disadvantages. Seizing the vital route quickly would certainly be good, but the forces she could actually deploy were limited, with many of her troops still farther behind. If she took those crucial passes with her limited forces, the Orcs might launch a desperate counterattack. In that case, she would certainly fail to hold them, and she would also tip her hand, needlessly alerting the Orcs and prompting them to reinforce the passes. Taking them later would become much harder. Likewise, waiting until her forces had assembled would make it easier to consolidate her gains after capturing the passes, but opportunities in war were unpredictable. They changed far too quickly. What held true today might be completely reversed tomorrow, because there was no way to know exactly what the enemy was thinking. An opening could vanish in an instant.
While Alleria was deep in thought over her choice, a soldier came in to report that roughly two thousand Orc Wolf Riders had been spotted at the entrance between the Badlands and the Swamp of Sorrows. Judging by their movements, the scouts believed their ultimate destination was very likely the military camp she currently occupied.
"Have the Gryphon Riders keep a close watch on those Orc Wolf Riders. Also, find out whether any troops are following them."