Stuff happens between WC2 and WC3

[Ddraig]

Something that always bugged me about WC3 is that the game never really explains what has happened in the years since the end of special operations 2. The intro of WC2 gives a clear transition between the first game and the 2nd which makes things much easier on you story-wise.

So what happens between the two games? I know there are novels that delve into various side stories, etc, but I'm talking about Blair specifically. Is it ever stated anywhere or is it just assumed he "did stuff" in the interim? I see in the WC encyclopedia things about him getting shot up, transfers between ships, etc. Where is this info found?

 

[t.c.cgi]

My memory is terrible but I think Blair was out of action due to injuries.

 

[Sylvester]

The novels End Run and Fleet Action do much to fill in the gaps in the timeline, as does the WC3 novelization. Immediately after Special Operations 2 concludes, Angel is transferred to Special Ops and Blair is transferred back to Concordia, and becomes its Wing Commander. He commands Concordia's wing for over a year (SO2 ends in 2667) through the false truce that goes into effect in mid 2668. He is still serving as Concordia's wing commander when the Kilrathi break the truce during the last week of 2668 and make a direct attack on Earth: The Battle of Terra. Blair is shot down during the engagement; he ejects and sustains serious injuries. His recovery process takes about six months, during which Concordia is destroyed at Vespus and Angel starts her mission to Kilrah. After Concordia's loss, he keeps requesting transfers to frontline carriers (their names escape me at the moment), all of which are denied by Admiral Tolwyn because he wants Blair to be Victory's wing commander when he has Victory escort the Behemoth.

 

[Bandit LOAF]

Where is this info found?

Most of what we know about Blair between the games comes from the novelization of Wing Commander III. The two novels that actually take place between the games, End Run and Fleet Action, don't actually have Blair in them... but they tell us what was happening with the war inthose years.

(The information about his transfer is from the Kilrathi Saga manual, which has a letter from Tolwyn refusing the request).

Angel is transferred to Special Ops and Blair is transferred back to Concordia, and becomes its Wing Commander.

It's actually the reverse order, which is sort of interesting--Blair becomes the Concordia's Wing Commander, displacing Angel, and then she goes off to work with Paladin in Covert Operations (which seems to be distinct from Special Operations).

After Concordia's loss, he keeps requesting transfers to frontline carriers (their names escape me at the moment), all of which are denied by Admiral Tolwyn because he wants Blair to be Victory's wing commander when he has Victory escort the Behemoth.

When Wing Commander III is starting, Tolwyn has just refused Blair's request for transfer to the TCS Bradshaw. That's alluded to in their first conversation in the game.

The outlier reference, also from the Wing Commander III novlization, is that Blair mentions he served with Lieutenant Kevin Tolwyn on the Tarawa... which would have to go between Special Operations 2 and his taking over as Concordia's Wing Commander.