ive just redownloaded a old gamemaker 7 cant find 8.1 just playing around with the war1 crap i made back long ago...if u go 3d why not use warcraft3?
the graphics in 2d can be ripped but hopefully found on the web.
https://sp.yimg.com/ib/th?id=JN.6LWPGXUX%2bo3pGcV4Oza5Bg&pid=15.1 (crappy qaulity :/)
2d would be the easiest route....that way u got your graphics anyhow and would be true to war2.
if i could finish the pallete in retrogrp id have u the sprites fast, im only like 20% of anything looking like it does in war2.
your in luck wargus got the graphics covered..what pixel size u need them in.
http://postimg.org/image/hpj8r8qfl/ they arent blurry in my .bmp
i can make them all the standard 72x72 as long as as the object dont look like there fighting from 3 feet from each other, tranparency takes care of that doesnt it ..been so long.
https://www.sendspace.com/file/udehwltry that peon standing and walking flip for the left side (u may have to adjust in gamemaker but hack and slash gets things going)