Zeppelin

For toy zeppelins, see Zippelin.

Zeppelins are flying contraptions created by the goblins, using a lighter-than-air design, with their machines employing bags filled with gas to make them buoyant in the air, compared to heavier-than-air designs, which employ wing surfaces and movement to produce lift, either using a fixed wing, or a spinning rotor.

A goblin zeppelin consists of a gondola of varying size suspended beneath one or more bags of lightweight gas that serve to keep the craft aloft. In keeping with the goblin fixation upon profit, these large crafts tend to be packed with cargo or paying passengers.

History

Second War

Main article: Goblin Zeppelin (Warcraft II)

Zeppelins were ingenious inventions that allowed small teams of goblins to soar above the countryside and spy on enemy positions. The zeppelins were cumbersome, awkward and maintained no armament. Their airborne capabilities, extensive line of sight, and ability to spot underwater units, however, made them an integral part of the Horde's spy network.^[1]

These goblins were members of the Steamwheedle Cartel.^[2] During the Second War zeppelins crews were only a single pilot, but sometimes they also consisted of a pilot and an engine tender.^[3]

• 
  Zeppelin from the Second War.
• 
  Zeppelin from the Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness manual.
• 
  Zeppelin and giant turtle.
• 
  Human using an orc catapult to shoot down a zeppelin

Third War

Main article: Goblin Zeppelin (Warcraft III)

After the defeat of the Horde during the Second War, the goblins realized their mistake and left the Horde. They are now a neutral force, making money off every side. Zeppelins could be hired at special laboratories found all over Azeroth.

In the late days of the Third War, the Scourge started employing special Sky Barges to transport its troops.

• 
  Zeppelin from the Third War.
• 
  Zeppelin in-game.
• 
  Warcraft III: Reforged concept art.
• 
  Sky Barge of the Scourge.

World of Warcraft

In the times following the defeat of the Burning Legion at Mount Hyjal, goblin zeppelins are employed once again by the Horde for the passage of the Great Sea between the continents. Although some of the goblins remain a neutral force, the Horde alone has the privilege of using zeppelins. Modern zeppelins have eight member crews including a sky-captain, a chief officer, a navigator, three crewmen, and two Horde guards. The goblins also worked on creating the Horde gunships, employing a similar technology as the zeppelins.

Lorewise, neutral goblin zeppelins do exist and they allow the transport of soldiers, but heavy weaponry, such as cannons, are forbidden to maintain neutrality.^[4] Playful adventurers can also buy Darkmoon Zeppelins and Paper Zeppelins.

Zeppelin routes

In World of Warcraft, you won't see free-flying zeppelins without a specific course. They now follow established routes with a zeppelin tower at each end point. Some cargo zeppelins can be seen crashed in places.

Kalimdor ↔ Eastern Kingdoms

• The Iron Eagle: Orgrimmar, Durotar ↔ Grom'gol Base Camp, Stranglethorn Vale
• The Thundercaller: Orgrimmar, Durotar ↔ Undercity, Tirisfal Glades (removed in patch 8.0.1)

Kalimdor

• The Zephyr: Orgrimmar, Durotar ↔ Thunder Bluff, Mulgore (added in patch 3.2.0)

Eastern Kingdoms

• The Purple Princess: Undercity, Tirisfal Glades ↔ Grom'gol Base Camp, Stranglethorn Vale (removed in patch 8.0.1)

Kalimdor ↔ Northrend

• The Mighty Wind: Orgrimmar, Durotar ↔ Warsong Hold, Borean Tundra

Eastern Kingdoms ↔ Northrend

• The Cloudkisser: Undercity, Tirisfal Glades ↔ Vengeance Landing, Howling Fjord (removed in patch 8.0.1)

Other zeppelins

Eastern Kingdoms

• One crashed in a tree in Stranglethorn Vale.
• One crashed on the mountains just west of Dun Modr.
• Hellscream warfleet
  • Spear of Durotar
  • Garrosh's Airship
  • Heart of Orgrimmar
  • The Indomitable
  • The Impervious
  • The Skyshredder

Kalimdor

• Beezil's Wreck in Dustwallow Marsh.
• Marvon Rivetseeker's southeast of Thistleshrub Valley, Tanaris.
• One at Unearthed Grounds.

Outland

• Area 52 Death Machines, zippelin guards of Area 52 in the Netherstorm.
• "Screaming" Screed Luckheed's Zeppelin Crash in the Hellfire Peninsula.

Northrend

• The Lady Lug, which has been captured by the Alliance at Westguard Keep in the Howling Fjord and is now used to bombard pirate positions.
• Grom'arsh Crash-Site in the Storm Peaks is a camp built around the remains of a crashed zeppelin, likely also called Grom'arsh.
• At least two that crashed near Warsong Hold in Borean Tundra. One into an iceberg, and one spread out on the mainland.
• An unknown zeppelin brings Varok Saurfang to Icecrown Citadel to collect his son's body after he is defeated by the Alliance.
• A number of destroyed zeppelins near the destroyed Wyrmrest Temple at the beginning of the End Time instance.

Pandaria

• A crashed zeppelin on the Isle of Giants.

Draenor (alternate)

• The Mother Lode, which was destroyed in the Spires of Arak.

Broken Isles

• Rax Sixtrigger and Snaggle Sixtrigger own a zeppelin in Stormheim.

Mentioned only

• The Uberzeppelin, personal ship of Trade Prince Gallywix.

In the RPG

A goblin zeppelin is a form of transportation that consists of a wooden gondola attached to a large balloon, into which hot air is pumped by a phlogiston boiler. They are swift, able to make long journeys, and pass above rough terrain.^[5]

The pilot of the zeppelin can control the direction through the use of ropes which are connected to both the steering wheel in the gondola, as well as fins on the balloon's back. Altitude is maintained or adjusted by the degree of inflation of the balloon, as well as with ballast. Moving in a direction or changing speed requires thrust, given by one or more rotors.^[5]

The zeppelin is an example of one of the most stable technological devices to be found on Azeroth (a trait uncommon of goblin inventions), and malfunctions tend to be non-threatening. Naturally, it is possible for the zeppelin to drift off course or develop a leak, but only rarely will the phlogiston boiler have difficulty, and even rarer still will it explode.^[5]

Since the Second War, zeppelins have become a widespread method of transportation, due to development by the goblins.^[6] After the Second War, the goblins rescinded their alliance with the Horde and began selling their goods and services to the highest bidder. Throughout the course of the Third War, the zeppelins were employed by both the Horde and Alliance. Their speed had increased substantially and the zeppelins were now able to travel over long distances and rough terrain, as well as carry vast numbers of troops.^[6]

Zeppelins come in different designs and sizes, and different zeppelins have different crew sizes. Zeppelins are manned by at least a pilot.^[5] Some are manned by a pilot, navigator, and engineer.^[7]

Wildhammer dwarves do not like goblins, for they see them as materialistic and technology-driven. Wildhammers take pride in zeppelin hunting.^[8]

Zeppelins moved at 40 miles per hour in the Warcraft RPG,^[6] but it was changed to 15 miles per hour in the World of Warcraft RPG.^[5] Zeppelins can cover about five hundred miles in a twelve-hour day of travel, allowing the crew time to rest and make any necessary repairs. An Explorer's Guild trip from Sunwell Grove to Booty Bay was made in just under 80 days.^[7]

Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans

In the canceled Warcraft Adventures, a zeppelin built and piloted by Gazlowe helped Thrall travel around the Eastern Kingdoms. The zeppelin had several components, including a samophlange, and flew during over ten missions during the Second War.

Notes and trivia

• The zeppelin that dropped the mana bomb on Theramore Isle is consistently called a "sky galleon" throughout its appearance in Jaina Proudmoore: Tides of War. This is either an alternate name for zeppelins or a name for the type introduced in Wrath of the Lich King. The ship was also armed with cannons, something not seen in World of Warcraft.
• The crashed zeppelins seen in Azeroth and Outland appear to be of a different, more compact design compared to the functioning zeppelins seen elsewhere, bearing a close resemblance to the Warcraft III Zeppelin with a different paint job. This may be due to the main model being updated, while the destroyed model stayed the same, much like the various iterations of steam tanks.
• Due to recent accidents, the goblin cartels have prohibited anyone from bringing snakes on a zeppelin.^[9]
• The air envelopes of some zeppelins are repaired with the finest silk.^[10] Their texture also indicates that the air envelopes may be made out of kodo skin.
• Zeppelins seems to be resilient vehicles despite their fragile appearance. The Thundercaller is known to have crashed at least eighteen times until it caught fire just one too many times and was finally retired.^[11]
• It is forbidden to smoke or cast fire spells aboard a zeppelin.^[11]
• Zeppelins have a picture of a pineapple on their sails.
• Zeppelins feature in the Blizzard World map in Overwatch, as part of the "Zepplin Canoeing" attraction.

Gallery

• 
  A zeppelin docked in Orgrimmar.
• 
  An Alliance player on a Horde zeppelin.
• 
  A crashed zeppelin in Stranglethorn Vale.
• 
  The zeppelin in the early alpha.
• 
  It was planned to be an enterable subzone during the alpha.
• 
  More crashed zeppelin concept art.
• 
  Marvon Rivetseeker's crashed zeppelin in Tanaris.
• 
  WotLK zeppelin model.
• 
  A zeppelin flying over Icecrown Citadel, seen when the Alliance defeat Deathbringer Saurfang.
• 
  As seen in the comic series.
• 
  As seen in the comic series.
• 
  Concept art for the zeppelin in the Cataclysm trailer.
• 
  The zeppelin seen in the Cataclysm trailer.
• 
  A zeppelin arriving in the recently-constructed Orgrimmar, as depicted in Chronicle Volume 3.
• 
  Horde zeppelin routes in the original World of Warcraft.
• 
  Zeppelin and boat routes in a very early World of Warcraft map.
• 
  A zeppelin on the Orgrimmar battlefield in Hearthstone.
• 
  The Cloudkicker, as depicted in Traveler: The Spiral Path.

Patch changes

• Patch 3.0.2 (2008-10-14): The crews have returned.
  
• Hotfix (2007-12-06): The vendors on the Boats and Zeppelins throughout Azeroth have run out stock and shut up shop, they are no longer able to service you with their wares.
  
• Patch 2.3.0 (2007-11-13): Crews and guards have been added to the zeppelins. Machine vendors were also added on each zeppelin, one for trade goods/reagents and repairing, the other for food and drink.
  
• Patch 1.7.0 (2005-09-13): Some of the zeppelin paths have been modified.
  

See also

• Gunship
• Cataclysm travel guide for a map of all zeppelin routes
•  [Darkmoon Dirigible]
•  [Orgrimmar Interceptor]

References

v e Goblins Organizations Bilgewater Cartel (Kajaro Trading Company) Blackfuse Company B.O.O.M. Smokywood Pastures Steamwheedle Cartel (Blackwater Raiders) Tinkers' Union Trade Coalition Venture Company Venture Co. Mining Division Prominent goblins Siegecrafter Helix Blackfuse Boss Mida Chief Engineer Bilgewhizzle Rocket-Chief Fuselage Jastor Gallywix Trade Prince Monte Gazlowe Gurgthock Sassy Hardwrench Captain Krazz Marin Noggenfogger Mogul Razdunk Baron Revilgaz Railmaster Pauli Rocketspark Trade Baron Silversnap Trade Prince Steamwheedle Goblin cities and territories Neutral Area 52 Bilgewater Port Bogpaddle Booty Bay Cosmowrench Everlook Fuselight Gadgetzan K3 Mudsprocket Nozzlerust Post Pinchwhistle Gearworks Pinchwhistle Point Ratchet Sorrowmurk Undermine Horde Bilgewater Harbor Crapopolis Gallywix Pleasure Palace Goblin Slums Hardwrench Hideaway Krazzworks Nozzlepot's Outpost Town-In-A-Box Goblin technology All-In-1-Der Belt Army boots Army knife Blade barrel Bomb dispenser Clockwerk Goblin Explosive Sheep Harvest golem Junk golem Land mine Mine shoes Mortar Rocket Launcher Rocket Pack Rocketway Samophlange Shredder Super Reaper 6000 Town-In-A-Box Weather Machine Zeppelin Miscellaneous Cartel Goblin hierarchy Goblin language Trade prince Icon of Kezan Goblin category

v e Mass transit in World of Warcraft Alliance Boat Deeprun Tram Horde Great Lift Zeppelin Boat Neutral Boat The Ancient Lift Giant turtle Excavation Lift Midwall Lift Stonewall Lift Vengeance Lift Westwind Lift

v e Transportation Land Mount Wheeled vehicle Carriage Hot rod Rocket car Wagon Lift Rail transport Mole machine Sled Water Aquatic mount Boat Submarine Air Flying mount Heavier than air flying machine and gunship Lighter than air flying machine Hot air balloon Zeppelin Rocketship Air & space craft Dimensional ship Legion ship Teleportation Summon Dimensional gateway Teleportation device Waygate Waystone Lightforged beacon Teleportation Pad See also: Mass transit in World of Warcraft