TL;DR: It makes perfect sense that Kul Tiras has a large fleet. It obviously doesn’t make sense for Zandalar to have a fleet of any kind.
And yet the Zandalari did anyway.
The Horde actually owe a lot to Jaina and Kul Tiras. It’s thanks to them that pirates are kept at bay and inter-continental trade can flourish. The Horde should honestly all thank Jaina and Kul Tiras for existing.
Sure.
They’re a nation, on an island. Pretty sure that makes them an island nation.
Just because they don’t control the entire island doesn’t stop them from being an island nation.
Apparently they did until it was destroyed during BFA. While I harbor doubts they could rebuild it in just six years, even with resources from the Horde, this is Blizzard we’re talking about. They can literally just go, “Oh yeah, the ORIGINAL Zandalari Fleet was out at sea during the entirety of BFA, looking into Avaloren. What we saw in BFA? Not even like, 1% of their fleet. No one mentioned that because not only are the Zandalari proud, but they also wrote off their fleet as gone.”
But I cannot agree with any sort of logic that an island nation would not have a fleet, let alone that a nation living on an island isn’t an island nation. I don’t understand your logic.
They were literally trapped beneath a Dome. They had no reason to have a fleet.
A much reduced fleet thanks to Azshara’s use of the Tidestone that wrecked most of it.
Fleet doesn’t imply large numbers. Remember in the original Star Trek the fleet was only 13 ships and that number took some hits during the course of the series.
If we’re going quality over quantity the Zandalari might be in an excellent situation since their fleet got sabotaged, they didn’t lose their experienced sailors and officers to enemy action (unless they died at Daz’ralor).
We can see from Anduin’s short story that they are doing a fantastic job of that too!
They don’t have the fleet that they used to have.
Zandalar: Hostile jungle full of cultists, naga, and wild beasts.
Nazmir: Hostile swamp full of cultists and undead.
Vol’dun: Hostile desert full of sethrak, pirates, and exiles. Kul Tirans literally have a bigger presence here than the Zandalari, let that sink in.
There is no “Zandalari island-nation”. The Zandalari do not control the entire island. They barely control their own capital. They have neither the resources nor manpower to rebuild their fleet.
They’re a nation, on an island. Island nation. Just because they don’t control the whole island, doesn’t change that.
You missed the coastlines. I mean, one of the Zandalari Loa is a SHARK!
There is no “Zandalari island-nation”. The Zandalari do not control the entire island. They barely control their own capital. They have neither the resources nor manpower to rebuild their fleet.
There’s no Zandalari Island-nation? Man that’s funny, Blizzard sure thinks different then you do considering that they consistently call it the Zandalari EMPIRE.
Vol’dun: Hostile desert full of sethrak, pirates, and exiles. Kul Tirans literally have a bigger presence here than the Zandalari, let that sink in.
‘Let that sink in.’ Implying that’s supposed to mean anything? You’re aware the Ashvane Company isn’t loyal to Kul Tiras, yes?
And there’s no rule that says that “island-nations” must have a fleet.
Also, the nation wasn’t founded on an island. It was founded on land-blocked mountains. The Zandalari were never a sea-faring people.
The Cataclysm certainly didn’t miss the coastlines, which is why they are all wrecked and ruined.
That shark loa only had one temple, which was destroyed and submerged by the Cataclysm, and was never rebuilt.
Just common sense, which the Zandalari, of all troll tribes, have never lacked for.
Zandalar has been an island for over ten thousand years. Sure, it was originally built on a mountain. Now, it’s an island. You don’t think ten thousand years of being an island is enough time for them to go, “You know, we should probably build a fleet. Lots of dangerous nonsense in and on the ocean.”
Also, the nation wasn’t founded on an island. It was founded on land-blocked mountains. The Zandalari were never a sea-faring people.
Sure, just ignore the time the Zandalari set sail to fight the Soulflayer, when they set sail to record the downfall of the Drakkari Empire, when they started exploring islands after the Sundering, when they set sail after the Cataclysm…
Yet the Golden Fleet was considered one of two of the best fleets in the entire world. The only fleet to rival them was the Kul’tiran fleet
And now it no longer exists after a gnome pressed a button, and there’s no evidence whatsoever that the Zandalari are rebuilding it.
Until the fleet is relevant again
Y’all really don’t understand how story telling works do you?
And it will never be relevant again, along with the rest of that backwater, monster-infested isle.
Not really that difficult to understand, but you’re welcome to remain on copium support.
Tell you me you don’t understand how story telling works without telling me you don’t understand how story telling works
Not really that difficult to understand, but you’re welcome to remain on copium support.
says wrong thing
gets corrected
says the others correcting him are on copium support
The irony.
His troll baits are on life support. That’s about it 
And it will never be relevant again, along with the rest of that backwater, monster-infested isle.
Says who? Do you work at Blizzard?