Help needed with Akil'zon trash

[tarmc0]

Our guild have only attempted ZA 3 times. We have downed the first boss each time but seem to be struggling on the trash before we can even get to Akil'zon. We know this is a gauntlet and trash will keep spawning on a regular basis so the faster we do it the better. However, it just seems that we are being over-run by adds by the time we get to the top. After wiping so many times we have decided to give it a break for some better gear before attempting again.

However, after reading what other gear people have then I think we should be at a position to be trying this on a regular basis. I am the MT with 17.5k armour and 15k health unbuffed. We have run Kara religiously for the past 3-4 months and practically all the group has what we need from there so this seems like the next logical progression.

The main trouble is we only have warrior tanks in guild and we seem to struggle to hold the birds while our locks aoe. If we take too long to down them then adds spawn from behind. If we move forward to soon we are over-run.

It will be after the holiday period before we attempt to do it again but would like to hear from other people how/what they feel is the best way.

Thanks!

[tarmc0]

Please ignore my post. I just read further down and saw a comprehensive strategy by Atank. Seems the elites from behind hit for practically nothing so it is best just have one tank keep them in check until you have downed the guy at the top to stop summoning the adds. Perfect!

[Narshe]

If you don't manage the adds then its dps problem because the only thing that hit hard in this gauntlet is the last guy at the top and even that guy should be manageable in blues.
Try to use a paladin to tank the birds, any good geared holy or retri (if you don't have prot pally ofc) could hold the agro and don't die on them. After the agro is held (3-4 seconds of consecration) aoe can start.
You don't need to finish one trash pack to continue walking ahead, just keep aoeing the birds while the two tanks start building agro on the next two mobs.

[faitas]

we never kill the birds, they despawn if you go up

[Wedula]

Or, you can have one member take off all his gear, stand behind while everyone else runs up and start the event. Have the whole raid just at the bottom of the hill out of aggro range. He gets's killed by the trolls comming from behind, the first birds comming down despawns and you skip the event all togheter. :)
Saves some time.

[Bonerot]

Whats working for us is to just push forward killing everything. One tank in the front, one in the back. Kill the front elites, bring the back 2 to the front, kill the birds & back adds then move forward.

We make a steady pace to the top that way, I'm sure it's not the fastest way to the top but it seems to be the most reliable for us. We aren't getting there on the timer anyway since we are just starting to tackle this place in kara/gl gear so speed to the top doesn't matter to us as much.

[Dragaan]

honestly, you can also just have a paladin (any spec) consecrate and hold the birds. they won't be in any danger by doing this, and that way one tank can stay in the rear and the other can keep pushing forward towards the tempest.