[LoTR AAR] The world is changed.

[zznɟ ǝɥʇ]

I amar prestar aen.
The world is changed.
Han mathon ne nen.
I feel it in the waters.
Han mathon ne chae.
I feel it in the earth.
A han noston ned 'wilith.
I smell it in the air.
Much that once was is lost. For none now live who remember it.



We are the Noldor, an elven race. Our time here is is ending, and soon we will leave to return to the Undying Lands. There is war across Middle-earth. We will weather the storm. It is all we can do with our diminished numbers. This is our story, here now at the end of the Third Age.

[zznɟ ǝɥʇ]

This AAR will follow my Noldor campaign for Lord of the Rings:TW 2.0 open beta. The mod is for Rome: Total War Alexander.

I am playing on H/H, and I'm planning on only attacking orcs and other fell creatures that might pass into my lands. But I have not yet decided if I will let myself take settlements and expand in ways unrealistic to Tolkien's work. These are, after all, the Noldor. But then again it is TW so who knows? I'm also not sure how I'll narrate this, as I have become unfamiliar with the lore.

I will focus on them but also give accounts of the War of the Ring as they happen.

The first update should come tomorrow. Er, much later today.

[Selifator]

Sounds interesting. Hope that the update comes soon.

[czePowerslave]

And bring screens!

[zznɟ ǝɥʇ]

We will stand and face the shadow. It is decided. Our numbers may be few, but we hope to aid where we can, and perhaps one day retake the lands of the enemy.

In Rivendell, or Imladris in the elven tongue, in the lands of the old kingdom of Rhuduar, dwell Elrond, Glorfindel, Elrohir, and Elladan.

To Rivendell's north lies the Ettenmoors.

In the west of Eriador, Cirdan watches over the Gray Havens, or Mithlond, as well as the surrounding regions.

South of Mithlond lies Emyn Beraid. Wicked men have taken residence in what was once a fair land. Gone is the palantir that once sat in the tower of Elistirion. The towers Gil-Galad built an age ago are weakened and in ruins. We come to reclaim these lands.

Our emissary Erestor has made contact with the Dunedain of the North protecting the free peoples of Eriador. We have reaffirmed our friendship and pledge to aid each other in times of crisis. And the Dunedain are busier than ever now, with the orcs to the north seeking to rebuild Carn Dum.

Meanwhile we move to retake the once great tower of Elostirion.

We wait for the rabble of wicked men to us as we wait outside the land. And soon they come pouring down the hillsides, towards us.

The wicked men are untrained. Our arrows rain down on them and they run about.

Soon they gather their wits and charge at us.

We will wait.

The wicked men are fierce, but ultimately no match for our elves. We have seen thousands of years of combat against far tougher foes.

The few remaining men flee to the distant hills.

We now must look inward to regain even a fraction of our former strength. Our spies wander across Middle-earth keeping track of happenings.

Rohan finds itself under constant attack.

The orcs in the northern Misty Mountains muster in the fell lands of Angmar.

Gondor finds itself desperately fighting Mordor.

And in the north our Silvan brethren and the dwarves are destroying the goblin holds in the lands.

Soon, we hope to aid them.

[bomberboy]

Wow this is good fuzz.

[Selifator]

Great AAR! Nice to see a LotR tale.

[Prince_of_Macedon]

Makes me want to watch some of the battles from the movie

[IndianPrince]

Amazing AAR ... Do continue. Eagerly awaiting ... Its really beautiful.

+rep

Prince

[zznɟ ǝɥʇ]

The Dunedain report that the town of Hoarwell is under attack by the goblins. They are growing bold in these days. Elladan and Elrohir venture out to aid the Dunedain and people in the settlement--but the hour is late and they may arrive after the goblins have their way with the people.

And it is too late. Wasting no time, Elladan and Elrohir move in on the settlement. The goblins will not take these lands.

The elves quickly enter the settlement. Only goblins and orcs dwell here now. The bodies of men are seen in every house and the streets. The goblins wait in the center of the town.

The goblins are scared in the sunlight, and their numbers do them little good.

Elrohir sustained a serious wound in the battle. Here he has no way to get elven medicine so he must rush back to Ilamdris and rest in its Houses of Healing.

But in the west the wicked men have reformed and come out of the Tower Hills and Ered Luin. They lay seige to Harlond. Elven soldiers scramble to come to its aid.

Meanwhile, Elladan sites uneasily in Hoarwell as goblins and orcs traverse without fear outside it.

Our warriors could not reach Harlond in time. The wicked men attack. (I know Finrod is elven, but it's a beta version, so pretend with me. )

The elves defending Harlond are few in number and even less have adequate armor.

Soon the walls are breached. Our archers fire into the smoke without even seeing the enemy, but their screams are confirmation that the arrows are hitting their mark.

But the dust clears, and the wicked men are inside.

The gate also falls, and the fighting is thick.

Our forces are buckling under the wicked men. They simply have too many.

It is only now that our troops reach Harlond. They beseige it but the wicked men have taken care to repair the walls and gate.

Back in Imladris the goblins and orcs come swarming out of the mountains and attack. Elrond, Glorfindel, and Elrohir will defend.

The goblins and orcs continue to grow confident, attacking in full daylight. Yet we have not the numbers to deal with them. We can only defend until more of our populace is trained to fight well.

It seems the goblins have brought hill trolls from the Ettenmoors.

Elrond and his troops rush from the walls to deal with the trolls. These elves are ancient and well versed in battle. The hill trolls kill many but quickly are overcome with fear and run amok.

Goblins try to take advantage of Elrond's weakened troops but he orders them into the open gate to fight the oncoming goblins.

None pass here, nor on the walls.

Our realms are continually in danger, and once Harlond is retaken, we still have many places that need our attention. Southeast Eriador is full of wicked men, and northeast Eriador is being overrun with orcs from Carn Dum and Gungabad. The dwarves can only hold them for so long.

I'narr en gothrim glinuva nuin I'anor.
The bones of our foes will gleam under the sun.

[Selifator]

Nice, looks difficult to gather an army with the elves.

[Subzeroplainzero]

very eventful and well documented!

[The Sundance Kid]

Like it, mucho rapido more-o!

[Ephialtes The Dog]

Sweeeeeet AAR. How are you able to play the elves in a campaign?

[Selifator]

I think that there are two big lotr mods, LotR-Total War and Fourth Age Total War. LotR plays in the third age and has usual factions, elves and dwarfs.
Fourth age plays(surprisingly....) in the fourth age and has succesor factions which are modelled after the factions of third age.
At least I think that they did that.

[zznɟ ǝɥʇ]

^Yeah that's right, afaik. LOTR only follows the War of the Ring though, in the 3rd Age. The third age was quite long so it's more correct to refer to it as covering just the war.

I've got some exams so I probably won't get a chance to update for a few days.

[Selifator]

I've started my own Lothloriën campaign, and I can say that it is not very difficult. With one exception, Trolls. Celeborn was killed while besieging Dol Goldur. Very annoying.

[Ephialtes The Dog]

Is it worth spending 15 dollars on Alexander tw to play this mod or should I wait for them to make it for rtw 1.5?

[Selifator]

The game is still in beta fase, so I think that they will polish it first for Alex and maybe then export it to 1.5 or 1.6
EDIT:
And you might want to buy it for Alexander itself. Though that isn't worth much.

[Vault Dweller]

Awesome AAR! I'm going to find excuses to give other people rep so i can give you more than one!