[Dwarves AAR] Fall of Mordor

[Ivan Bajlo]

Hello, I have been long time lurker on TWC but I didn't want to join so I could have more time for playing.

But since I had very interesting game I would like to share my thoughts and help improve this mod.

I've started several campaigns, I give up on Rohan once it become clear to me I would have to fight waves of invasions (maybe later when I'll have much more free time to fight each battle carefully), Eriador turned out to be boring with Elves and Dwarfs fighting each other and me in a very bad position with militia army facing Orcs of the Misty Mountain and Isengard which just crushed Rohan.

So I started Dwarves just as a test without any additional submods and it turned out to be quiet interesting experience, sorry no images now, didn't take them since I got so hooked I forgot about those.

Early land grab was standard Wormcove, although in a rush I managed to grab both Kugavod and Dorwinion just in front of Dale and Rhun armies, attempt to take Dain Halls early on got halted by several thousand orcs coming my way and in a sort of Mexican stand off both armies stood and looked at each other for several turns bringing in reinforcements. Being quicker stalemate was broken by very nice massacre of orcs even though those Snaga skirmishers took their toll (where did those tribal orcs find tons of armor piercing javelins anyway, even Uruk Archers do less damage? ). Also Lunelaith and Nenuial got captured with minimum troops and heavy casualties so remains of the western army were left as garrisons and remained passive for the rest of the game.

Now with Dain Halls and Dragonslayers (which I got at lest dozen units for free thanks to missions) I managed to move quickly through the mountains and reclaim everything down to Moria, AI was more interested in crushing elves then stopping my advance. Even with garrison script there was little problems, biggest problems came with cleaning of what AI has captured since Cerin Amroth, Amon Gastal, Beorn's Halls, Imladris were full of orcs.

My diplomats managed to make alliance with all the good factions (minus Eriador) and trade agreements with everyone although how usefully they are is very doubtfull since high level markets raise trade profits by only 50-100, only ports give some extra trade cash (roads give double bonus but mines are realy money maker).

On other fronts as usual High Elves and Eriador fought over Shire for something like 100 turns (despite my attempts for peace) before Isengard which has naturally crushed Rohan very early attacked Eriador and took Staddle, Bree, Hoarwell, Eryn Vorn after further 50 turns coming into contact with High Elves and attacking them and pushing them back also. Gondor fought over Osgiliath for some time but lost it once evil crusade allowed Mordor to take Minas Tirith, surprisingly Gondor managed to recover Minas and hold it for sometime before losing it once more in invasion to Harad who also took Linhir and is advancing on Arnach and Pelargir despite me pouring money into Gondor, in other crusade Gondor lost Dol Amroth also to Harad. OTOH several attacks by Isengard on Gondor have been successfully beaten back.

On home front Silvan elves lost Caras Galadhon, central and east Mirkwood to Mordor, while Dale was steadily loosing ground to Rhur when they got hit by crusade against capital, it came at the bad time since most of my elite troops were at Misty mountains. Building of a new army in the east took some time and Dale was losing badly despite my money and using my troops to block those neutral crusades and helping Dale wipe out last main army of Misty mountain orcs, just when three new full stack armies were ready Mordor took Dale and wiped out royal family in a single blow making Esgaroth and Riverrun rebel towns with Rhun armies preparing to grab them. No time to lose, war declared on Rhun, one army took poorly guarded Rhomen (catapults rule), while second made naval landing at Kelepar and took that town, was planning third army to land at capital Mistrand but it was full of troops, my "navy" got sunk by two Rhun corsairs but mission accomplished. Third army advanced from Erebor, took Dale which was guarded by remains of Mordor crusading army and immediately took Esgaroth from rebels (four cities in single turn and none of them has single dwarf in them, it will take forever to convert them). Riverrun fell on the following turn but now Rhur (and not to mention Mordor) was pissed. They had their entire army in the field but luckily for me they had no idea what to do with it, another good thing is that autoresolve favors Dwarven armies over Rhun.

Now comes meat grinder, something for which Dwarfs seems to be perfect, taking Galadhon from Mordor and helping elves take Dol Guldur cutting of troops in the north, elves liberated central Mirkwood while I took eastern for myself (no point in giving it back they'll just lose it again ). Massive elf armies basically halted here, they got tons of troops, no money, but after losing some minor battles have stopped sending armies against Mordor at Thoronburg which I'm afraid to take since elves might decided to attack me instead. Besides Mordor keeps sending all its troops to this front where I can send 4-5 stacks of Iron Guards with catapults to fight his stacks which have started to have 5-6 Olog hai!

In the east my advance against Rhun resumes and they are beaten back all the way to Khand with my eastern army in perfect place for advance into Mordor through the backdoor, hasty defense they've made are pathetic and Nurnen falls with "only" thousand casualties taking out Nazgul and several Olog hai, leaving enough troops to take Nargroth which had single unit as defense. With reinforcements coming up quickly rest of Mordor falls quickly Barad Dur, Durthang, Minas Morgul, orc encampments, only heavily guarded Black Gates remain.

What to do next is the question attack Harad in order to save Gondor or attack Isengard in order to save Eriador and High elves? Or attempt both and see what happens?

But that is the another story... (hopefully with some pictures).

P.S.
One of the funnier things was running into Witch king agent moving around the map right next two of my assassins first got killed despite success chance of 80% but second did it - no more Witch king!

[Anchorman55]

Good story! Would have benefited from pictures though...also attempt to attack both Isengard and Harad! The free peoples need help!

[matt will]

Yeah attack both Harad and Isengard. Will be even more exciting with pics, but nevertheless is good without.
Must have been a hard campaign?