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Thread: DoM Faction Previews

  1. #1

    Default DoM Faction Previews

    Welcome to the faction preview thread for Dominion of Men! In this thread, I'll be posting previews of each playable faction in the final version of the Fourth Age: Total War.

    These previews will be text-only (at least for now), as some work remains to be done on the mod (or you'd have your hands on it currently!). The idea here is to present you with our vision for the general strategic and tactical options available to these factions, as well as convey the 'feel' of each realm you can steer to your own version of glory in the released mod.

    Please note that information included here is subject to change, and may be updated as the Dominion of Men nears its completed state.

    I plan to update this thread with a new faction preview roughly once per week, as the real life/modding schedule allows. So be sure to check in!

    Like many of you, I have been eagerly awaiting the release of Dominion of Men for years. Being a member of the team gives me some insight to the development of the mod, but I'm not sure it makes it much easier to wait to start conquering Mordor with a Khandian horse-archer army, or to secure the far reaches of the Grey Mountains for the Dwarves! Hopefully these previews can give us all something fun to think about while we wait.

    Feel free to comment and ask questions. I'll see you in the thread.
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  2. #2

    Default Re: DoM Faction Previews

    North Rhun

    I'll start with North Rhun, since I have a weakness for the Easterlings.

    A player of the North Rhun faction will find himself in possession of some of the most bleak and barren terrain in Middle-earth, apart from the wastelands of Far Harad. Nearby lie the Iron Hills and the halls of the Dwarves. To the west are the frontier possessions of Dale and the independent kingdom of Dorwinion. South lies the powerful chiefdom of Rhun. East lies the wholly mysterious Edge Of The Map.

    So a chief of North Rhun is somewhat straitened, and must decide how to expand and grow his fledgling chiefdom. War with Rhun would have the benefit of a sympathetic and related culture, making it somewhat easier to rule any conquered lands - but of course Rhun is a strong chiefdom in its own right. On the other hand, Rhun often finds itself in prolonged conflict with several factions, such as Adunabar. A cunning chief could exploit these wars by choosing the right time to strike against his southern kinsmen.

    Expanding to the west brings conflict with some smaller factions with rich lands, but those lands are less likely to be happy with your barbaric rule. War with Dale means war with their allies the Dwarves, whose warriors are formidable. It may be more desirable to strike at Dorwinion first, with the aim of destroying their kingdom and sending their dynasty into exile to trouble factions further west. Of course, war with Dale may be unavoidable, since you are certain to share borders with them sooner rather than later.

    North Rhun can take advantage of some strategic terrain in the area to make their initial conquests easier. Rivers flow from Esgaroth and the Iron Hills to the Sea of Rhun, making control of those crossings crucial (and fairly straightforward for the infantry-heavy men of North Rhun). Likewise, the Sea itself is somewhat of a barrier, insulating you from your southern neighbors. Gaining port access and building a few boats can be a great way to launch a surprise raid on Rhun when the time comes.

    In terms of units, North Rhun benefits from some strong infantry types but lacks cavalry. Overall, though, their units are typical of what you'd expect from a 'barbaric' faction without access to great smiths or technology. Battles must be decided quickly, and you may find that simply outnumbering your foes is not enough. Expect to suffer at the hands of Dale's archers in particular unless you can counter them with a screen of your own (weaker) missile troops while bringing the infantry to bear. Similarly, the enemy cavalry of factions like Rhovanion and Rohan may sweep away your attack-oriented infantry. So snap up mercs as they are available, and take advantage of the regional troops available in cav-friendly areas like Rhovanion.
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  3. #3

    Default Re: DoM Faction Previews

    Khand

    Almost nothing is known of Khand in canonical Tolkien sources, apart from its location and the phrase "Variags of Khand", so the dev team had a difficult task in creating a faction that would fit within Middle-earth. Fortunately, geography and nomenclature can be used to great effect in inferring reasonable details, especially from a writer so deliberate as Tolkien.

    In Dominion of Men, the Chiefdom of Khand lies to the south of the Chiefdom of Rhun, and northeast of the easternmost holdings of the Empire of Harad. Farther south is the Principality of Far Harad, and farther west is Mordor and the towns of Adunabar. This is a region of few hills and fewer forests, where open plains of grass, scrub, and sand are the only dominant features. In a place where the towns of the settled Variag headmen are so far apart, and where herding and raiding are more lucrative than toiling in a field, it seems obvious that horses play a major role in peace as well as in war.

    Players of TNS will know Khand as a region from which the Chiefdom of Rhun can draw some specialized horse-archer units, so it will come as no surprise that Khand is "the horse-archer faction" of DoM. And indeed a "cav-only" approach - where field armies are composed almost entirely of horse archers, plus some melee cavalry - can be incredibly effective, especially against the low-tier units of factions like Harad and Rhun. (Though in a quick test of a Khand campaign tonight, I saw two units of HAs shredded by a unit of Mumakil the Haradrim had brought along - I seriously underestimated the speed and tenacity of those monsters! I had to send half my HAs off to cautiously encircle the beasts while trying to stay out of trampling range before they were eventually brought down.)

    The Mongol/Eastern appearance of Khand is reinforced not only by inferences from Middle-earth's geography, but also by the fact that Middle-earth can be viewed as an analog of our own world. You may have seen the images that superimpose a map of Middle-earth over a map of Europe, placing the Shire in England and Gondor at roughly the latitude of Italy or Greece. In such a view, Khand could correspond to Turkey, or west Central Asia.

    But Khand is not simply a faction of steppe nomads. The term "Variag" is of interest here. It seems related to the word "Varangian", which refers to the Scandinavian mercenaries and traders who followed the river routes south through Russia and ultimately into the service of the Byzantine army. In DoM, this real-world correspondence suggested to the devs the idea of a group of mercenary outlanders who, through the vicissitudes of fate and fortune, found themselves sworn into the employ of the Khandian lords. These men are imagined as the descendants of Northmen, no doubt kin of the men of Rhovanion who threw in their lot with the Easterlings in the distant past but maintained their own separate identity down through the years. As such, a chief of Khand may recruit some units of these warriors, who fight and arm themselves in ways reminiscent of the Northmen, though influenced by the long centuries of service to Eastern warlords. There is a "Russian" vibe to these units that strikes me as very cool, especially when paired with the unruly horse archers and exotic Dragonshield Guard.

    So Khand has some flexibility on the battlefield - some staying power to complement the range and punch of the steppe outriders.

    Strategically, the East is a much more active place in DoM. It's certain that Rhun and Adunabar will come to blows over the settlements of eastern Mordor, and likely that Rhun will expand westward both north and south of the Sea of Rhun, bringing them into conflict with many factions. That conflict - and an initial alliance between Rhun and Khand - will likely leave a Khandian chief free to consolidate his borders in the south and southwest.

    The big rival in the early going, then, is likely to be the Empire of Harad, which is eager to expand its power eastward. Alliances with Far Harad and Harondor - both, like you, minor factions who are likely to find themselves at war with the Empire - would be prudent. But don't expect them to last. Some initial success against the Empire will leave you sharing a long border with Far Harad, which may prove too much of a temptation for them to resist. A more aggressive player who is confident of holding off the Empire for a few years may feel more comfortable eliminating the Principality of Far Harad before making further gains in the west.

    On the other hand, a strike north against an already-occupied Rhun may spell a quick death for that faction, and offers the benefit of a shared culture to more easily build your legitimacy upon the smoldering ruins of defeated Easterling towns. With Rhun knocked out of the picture, factions like Adunabar, Rhovanion, and North Rhun might have more of a chance to grow powerful in the early years.

    Despite having its eastern border secure against the edge of the map, Khand is actually in the middle of some rough-and-tumble action. Squeezed between two major factions and capable of influencing the fortunes of several lesser powers, Khand in some ways is at the fulcrum of power in the East. With no nearby terrain obstacles such as rivers, mountains, or heavily forested regions to serve as a check upon expansion, Khand is both vulnerable to invasion and able to scramble its armies of horsemen to swiftly take advantage of any opportunity. On the strategic map as on the battlefield, "holding the line" is not nearly as important for Khand as it is for factions like the Reunited Kingdom.

    And that's the thing I'm so eager to explore with Khand once DoM is finished & released: the opportunities. Will I stable my horses in the palace of the Emperor at Umbar? Or will I push north over the swollen hordes of Rhun? Will a Khandian chief hold court in the haunted Black Land of Mordor, or will the thunder of his army's hooves beat upon the plains of Rohan? Middle-earth has many lands, but none so far away as to be truly out of reach for a cunning and bold warleader.
    Last edited by CountMRVHS; June 10, 2014 at 02:04 PM.
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  4. #4

    Default Re: DoM Faction Previews

    Dorwinion

    Before I get into a discussion of our Dorwinion faction, I'd like to recommend curious readers to the following link, which discusses some probable background for the region and its people: http://lalaith.vpsurf.de/Tolkien/Bladorthin.html As I understand it, some of the inspiration for the DoM version of Dorwinion came from that very interesting article.

    Dorwinion is the only faction in Dominion of Men to start with just one region. Even relatively poor or upstart factions, such as the Beornings or Tharbad, have at least a few settlements to lord over. But a leader of Dorwinion will begin the game in control of only the province of the same name.

    But what a province it is! Most readers will be familiar with Dorwinion as presented in The Hobbit: a region known for its wine and trade with the northern powers of Dale and the Elvenking. And in DoM, Dorwinion is blessed with fertile farmland and vineyards. Strategically, too, the faction is well-positioned. Bounded on the east by the Sea of Rhun, on the south by the highlands of the Ered Rhun, and protected from northern invasion by defensible river crossings, a leader of Dorwinion could expect to grow his wealth and defend it from greedy neighbors.

    The trick is staying alive long enough to accomplish those goals.

    No doubt the gravest immediate threat to Dorwinion are the Easterlings, whether these belong to the powerful Chiefdom of Rhun or to the smaller - but hungrier - Chiefdom of North Rhun. It is almost certain that Dorwinion will come into early conflict with one of these factions, and possibly with both.

    Other neighbors in the region include the Dwarves, who have a stronghold in the Ered Rhun, and the Northmen of Rhovanion and Dale. Since Dale and the Dwarves share a steadfast alliance, it would be wise to rely upon these factions as peaceful trading partners and bulwarks, aiding them when possible. A leader of Dorwinion who runs afoul of these two powers is unlikely to survive for long!

    Rhovanion is a more ambiguous power. On the one hand, Dorwinion and Rhovanion share much - they are both Northmen, culturally speaking, and their armies look rather similar (many of Dorwinion's early units are in fact drawn from Rhovanion stock). But both are also small, fledgling kingdoms trying to hold on to their own lands and expand their influence. A weakened Dorwinion may make a tempting target for a king of Rhovanion - and the reverse may also be true, especially if peace can be brokered between Dorwinion and its traditional Easterling enemies. As a single-province faction, Dorwinion will need to be opportunistic if it hopes to retain its independence.

    Perhaps more than any other faction, a player of Dorwinion will need to be sensitive to strategic and political shifts in fortune. Agents are vital for expanding trade routes, but also for determining the right time to strike out against a rival. Is North Rhun faltering against the stalwart men of Dale to the north? The time may be ripe to spend some of that wealth on an army to take one of the chiefdom's settlements. Is Rhun expanding too quickly, sending its hordes far into the west while leaving its homelands unguarded? Send a ship across the Sea of Rhun to secure some more land.

    Culturally, Dorwinion counts itself among the Northmen, but like Khand, there are strains of other cultures' influences to be found. The article linked above - and the devs' interpretation of the region - posits a link to the Dunedanic forces who once held sway from the Sea to the land of Rhun. So we envisioned a Dorwinion that still recalls some of the grandeur and military might of that ancient time. In game terms, some of Dorwinion's units resemble those of the staunch, sword-armed infantry of Reunited Kingdom. Though the resemblance may be only a half-remembered imitation, it lends a depth to Dorwinion's portrayal and a sense of continuity to the world - fragmented, maybe, but continuous nonetheless. I like to think of Dorwinion as the 'Romano-British' of DoM: essentially left to their own devices after the shield of Gondor was removed from their region, they maintained a spiritual connection to the great kingdom, and became, like Dale and Esgaroth, an island of civilization in a sea of barbarism.

    If Dorwinion resembles the Romano-British politically, on the battlefield they recall the foot-bound armies of Flanders and the Low Countries. Their Dorwinion-specific units tend to be defensive in nature, often favoring weapons like the spear and halberd - weapons that can be used to great effect against the mounted or poorly-armed raiders of the East, especially when exploiting the natural defenses of Dorwinion's borders. Other units are drawn from the hinterlands of Dorwinion, and resemble the lightly-armed infantry of their Rhovanion neighbors. Dorwinion has limited options for cavalry, as much of its arable land is dedicated to the famous farms and vineyards that are renowned throughout Middle-earth. Even its captains prefer to fight on foot.

    All this means that Dorwinion will be a great faction for those who favor defense and carefully-planned battlefield maneuvers on the tactical side, and well-orchestrated alliances and invasions on the strategic side. Maybe you will make the Sea of Rhun into Dorwinion's lake, planting loyal settlements all around its rim while fending off the predations of Easterling chiefdoms. Perhaps it is time for Dorwinion to rule all the lands west to the Great River, serving as a defender of the West from the wild men who have too often threatened it from the East. Or perhaps you will turn a covetous eye upon the newly-rich lands of Dale - a faction that, if left unchecked, may well seek to pull Dorwinion into its own orbit.

    Surrounded by potential allies and potential threats, Dorwinion promises one of the most risky and unpredictable campaigns in Dominion of Men.
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  5. #5

    Default Re: DoM Faction Previews

    Beorning Chiefdom

    The Chiefdom of the Beornings is centered on the narrow lands between the Anduin and the eaves of the Greenwood. Here the Woodmen have carved out simple steadings for themselves and their families, and have largely lived apart from the greater powers of the world.

    Many geographical features come together near the Beornings' lands to both aid and complicate the player of this faction. Perhaps the most dominant feature is the Greenwood itself, a great belt of thick forest, impassible save for a few pathways linking the Beornings' settlements. (Only the Elves command more forested land.) This makes for a very effective barrier, and also provides many opportunities for a careful chieftain to lay ambushes for unwary invaders. On the other hand, the forest also isolates the Beornings' holdings from one another, making reinforcement difficult. In the early going, each settlement will have to be largely self-sufficient.

    The Great River and its tributaries shield the Beornings to the west, with a few fords allowing for the passage of trade and armies. Farther west march the Hithaeglir, the Misty Mountains, with only a single pass suitable for traffic into Eriador. To the north rise the Grey Mountains, and south and east of the Beornings' holdings spread the plains of Rhovanion.

    Despite this apparent isolation, the Beorning Chiefdom has no lack of neighboring threats and opportunities. Orc-holds in the mountains threaten travel and may even threaten settlements, and several villages of wary independent folk can be found in the region, particularly south along the Anduin. In the north, Framsburg stands sentinel for the lord of Dale. Deep in the forests on both sides of the River can be found Elven settlements. And the Beornings' one settlement in the eastern eaves of the Greenwood looks out upon the plains of the newly-risen Kingdom of Rhovanion.

    Two broad strategic options, then, present themselves: either to secure the nearby independent settlements and scour the lands of Orcs, or to expand by striking out against a major faction immediately.

    In some ways, I find the Beornings' initial situation similar to that of the Welsh faction in the Viking Invasion expansion for Medieval: Total War - their lands are relatively easy to defend, but somewhat difficult to expand from. The units available to the Beornings reinforce this impression. Early forces are made up of Woodmen, armed with spears, axes, or bows, with only minimal cavalry. These men are well-suited to defending the uneven, wooded terrain of their homeland, but less used to open war upon the battlefield. Unless their great bows of yew can be brought to bear against enemy riders or melee infantry, it is likely that these units will cause great damage among the lightly-armed Woodmen.

    At higher levels of development, Beorning settlements can train men who fight with the power and ferocity of their namesake. These large warriors, armed with great two-handed axes, are fearsome in the attack, and can decide the battle swiftly if their charge is well-timed. The Beornings' well-trained war hounds can lend even more aggression to the fight. But against larger factions capable of training well-armed professional warriors, the Beornings will need to use all of these tricks carefully if they hope to expand.

    One of the most interesting things about playing the Beornings is that they occupy a position roughly in the center of the map, giving them an opportunity to observe the clash of factions all around them. Sometimes Adunabar will expand into the north, pushing into Rhovanion and threatening Beorning settlements. In other games, Rohan may sweep eastward across the Anduin. Or Dale may carve out a wide realm for itself, at the expense of other factions - or your own.

    Of course, you may be swept up into this conflict sooner rather than later. Or you may choose to remain insular, quietly pushing back the wild men and Orcs on your borders, only to enter the larger fray once your homelands are secure. For the player of the Beornings, a good deal of the fun will come from choosing exactly when and where to weigh in in the wars that plague Middle-earth.
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  6. #6
    Aikanár's Avatar no vaseline
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    Default Re: DoM Faction Previews

    What a great read! Keep it coming!


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  7. #7

    Default Re: DoM Faction Previews

    Quote Originally Posted by Aikanár View Post
    What a great read! Keep it coming!
    Indeed. Love it.

  8. #8
    Aikanár's Avatar no vaseline
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    Default Re: DoM Faction Previews

    I'm already in love with Dorwinion! As much as I'm looking forward to the RK on a full map, Dorwinion just reads like a lot of fun!


    Son of Louis Lux, brother of MaxMazi, father of Squeaks, Makrell, Kaiser Leonidas, Iskar, Neadal, Sheridan, Bercor and HigoChumbo, house of Siblesz

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  9. #9

    Default Re: DoM Faction Previews

    Good decision to make Dorwinion playable instead of emerging faction as it was initially planed. There are many fans of it already.

    Beornings seem pretty similar to Northern Rhun unit-wise. However, their position on the map is quite different - looks like both curse and blessing.

    P.S. In my opinion this deserves to be a Sticky Thread.

  10. #10

    Default Re: DoM Faction Previews

    Yeah, I'm excited about Dorwinion. You may recall that originally, Dorwinion was slated to be an emerging faction (and thus unplayable) - somewhat like the Romano-British in Barbarian Invasion. I'm glad we went this route; these guys are going to give some very interesting campaigns!


    Edit: Ha, ninja'd by Jagmodo!

    I'm actually fine with this being an un-stickied thread, at least for now. Once we get closer to the release date and the information gets firmed up, this could probably be stickied. But the forums are fairly quiet these days, so there's no danger of the thread being buried in any case.

    You're right to notice the similarity between the Beornings and North Rhun. Of course one difference I forgot to mention (which should be obvious to most readers anyway) is that the Beornings are Northmen, and thus will have an easier time assimilating their conquests in their vicinity. Basically the lands between Mordor and the Grey Mountains and between the Great River and the Sea of Rhun (with some exceptions) are Northmen in culture. That gives the Beornings a bit of an edge in the early game, whereas North Rhun will struggle to consolidate their gains if they turn west against Dale, Dorwinion, and Rhovanion.

    The other major difference is big frickin' war hounds!
    Last edited by CountMRVHS; June 10, 2014 at 06:43 PM.
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  11. #11
    Feanaro Curufinwe's Avatar Primicerius
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    Default Re: DoM Faction Previews

    I am anxious to see how playing as the Reunited Kingdom on a full map will be. Sounds like an enormous challenge.
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  12. #12

    Default Re: DoM Faction Previews

    Quote Originally Posted by Feanaro Curufinwe View Post
    I am anxious to see how playing as the Reunited Kingdom on a full map will be. Sounds like an enormous challenge.
    Well, at least “distance to capital” penalty was compensated with law/happiness bonuses in Arnor provinces.

    I guess at the start of the campaign we would have to play RK/Adunabar northern and southern parts as two separated factions (oh the irony for the RK), because those parts are completely cut off one from another.

  13. #13
    Feanaro Curufinwe's Avatar Primicerius
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    Default Re: DoM Faction Previews

    Quote Originally Posted by Jagmodo View Post
    Well, at least “distance to capital” penalty was compensated with law/happiness bonuses in Arnor provinces.

    I guess at the start of the campaign we would have to play RK/Adunabar northern and southern parts as two separated factions (oh the irony for the RK), because those parts are completely cut off one from another.
    I was thinking on the difficulty of linking them back together.

    Maybe use navies a lot?
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  14. #14
    Aikanár's Avatar no vaseline
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    Default Re: DoM Faction Previews

    I cannot put it in words how I long for the release since years that is


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  15. #15

    Default Re: DoM Faction Previews

    Quote Originally Posted by Feanaro Curufinwe View Post
    I was thinking on the difficulty of linking them back together.

    Maybe use navies a lot?
    I will just stomp everyone in-between.

  16. #16
    Feanaro Curufinwe's Avatar Primicerius
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    Default Re: DoM Faction Previews

    Quote Originally Posted by Bercor View Post
    I will just stomp everyone in-between.
    Well, I'd prefer to refrain from that if possible. Also, I'm thinking that it would be unwise to open even more fronts. A player of the RK will probably need to be wary about the allocation of his armies.
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  17. #17
    Beorn's Avatar Praepositus
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    Default Re: DoM Faction Previews

    Really interesting

  18. #18
    Ryoga84's Avatar Biarchus
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    Default Re: DoM Faction Previews

    I'll take the Beornings, thanks

    with a lot of ketchup
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  19. #19

    Default Re: DoM Faction Previews

    These previews are really nice .

    Can we know a bit more about the south factions ?

  20. #20

    Default Re: DoM Faction Previews

    Certainly. I'll be getting around to every faction eventually.

    For the next preview, I thought I'd join in on some of the discussion that was started above. So next week we'll focus on DoM's largest faction, the Reunited Kingdom.

    I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit that the RK is the only faction in TNS that I have never played to completion in a campaign. My impression is that the RK is the favorite faction for a lot of players. For some reason I always had more fun playing the smaller factions, or large but new factions like Adunabar. But the RK in DoM has some new dimensions that make it quite compelling.
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