Is this entire expansion a bait-and-switch?

[Atlaworks]

You have to realise that the city-state of Ala Mhigo has been under Garlean occupation for the last 20-25 years, and it has the full backing of the Garlean Empire.

In comparison, Eorzea had trouble dealing with a single rogue Garlean legion during A Realm Reborn. We're not just gonna roll into Gyr Abania and just liberate a city-state. The Warrior of Light needs way, way more allies to even begin to deal with Garlemald, and helping the people in Othard is a good start of that.

Besides, have you seen Gyr Abania? I don't think it'd be large enough to have an expansion's worth of content.

To be fair, we also punked Thordan so hard he browned himself before dying. We've come a long way since 2.0.