Timeline of Chapters for the Opening TWoW Battles (Spoilers Extended)

Background

In this post I thought it would be fun to discuss the timeline of chapters early in TWoW when GRRM intends to "cut back and forth between the two big battles":

GRRM: My original intent was to end DANCE with the two big battles, yes… intercutting between the two of them, each told through several different points of view.

and:

GRRM: There were a lot of cliffhangers at the end of A Dance with Dragons. Those will be resolved very early. I’m going to open with the two big battles that I was building up to, the battle in the ice and the battle at Meereen—the battle of Slaver’s Bay. And then take it from there.

I would argue that there are actually 3 or 4 battles at the beginning (the fan named Battles of Blood/Steel) in total: Thoughts on the "Four Major Battles" at the Beginning of TWOW

Note: As with anything that is not published, the same chapters are subject to change (be combined, etc.) and quite old at this point

The Battle of Fire

Confirmed POVs = 3 (Victarion Greyjoy, Tyrion Lannister, Barristan Selmy)

Due to the flow of information on the arrival of the Ironborn, we see the chapters likely unfolding in this order as the battle begins and the buildup to the potential horn blow:

• Victarion I
• Tyrion I
• Barristan I
• Barristan II
• Tyrion II

If interested: Battle of Fire: Post Battle Power Vacuum

The Battle of Ice

Confirmed POVs = 2 (Asha Greyjoy, Theon Greyjoy)

We only have Theon's single chapter and the Asha fragment which seemingly occurs after it:

• Theon I
• Asha ?

If interested: Revisiting the Asha Fragment

The Battle of Blood

Confirmed POVs = 1 (Aeron Greyjoy)

One small issue with the Battle of Blood is whether it entails just Euron's blood sacrifice or also a potential attack on Oldtown (which would add a POV in Sam). This could also happen later in TWoW than the other 3 battles.

• The Forsaken (Aeron I)

If interested: Euron Greyjoy: The Summoning & The Magic in the Opening 4 Battles of TWoW

The Battle of Steel

Confirmed POVs = 2 (Jon Connington, Arianne Martell)

We find out in Arianne II that the Golden Company has likely taken Storm's End (through "guile"). Similar to the Battle of Blood, readers often call both this attack on Storm's End and the potential later battle with Mace Tyrell the same thing (battle of Steel):

• Arianne I
• Arianne II
• Jon Connington I (mentioned only)
• Arianne III (mentioned only)

If interested: The Battle Outside Storm's End & The # of Confirmed Chapters that GRRM has at least worked on for TWOW

TLDR: GRRM plans to open TWoW with 2 (and up to 4) big battles. With several of these chapters released and/or mentioned in numerous forms, I thought it would be fun to build a mini timeline of the battles that GRRM plans to cut back and forth between to start TWoW.