DoM Faction Previews

[CountMRVHS]

That's right, Bercor. The Cult is meant to be a threat, and Adunabar should especially be a rival to the RK as well as other neighboring factions. Speaking for myself, I too want to see Adunabar able to hold its own when under AI control. But of course it's a fine line between making a faction 'strong enough' under AI control and making it 'too easy' under human control.

[Casual Tactician]

Wait! Haven't you got some scripting and/or laucher (as in TNS) that adjusts the starting armies and perhaps even settlement development?

I was under the impression, that DoM would use a launcher or other mechanisms, that make the non-player factions - esp. Adunabar - more powerfull. Eg. either more units, more exp, more provinces, more (military) development or he like. Similar to the TNS launcher?!

[CountMRVHS]

There won't be a separate launcher, but (as I understand it) a seamless script working to tweak the game depending on which faction you're playing. So yes, there will be some adjustability.

[Casual Tactician]

Nice!

[Aradan]

I remember answering that very question not a week ago...

DoM has no launcher. It has a campaign script (runs once and finishes before the campaign starts) that sets the 'basis' so we can have continuing AI-specific advantages throughout the campaign; and there are also various AI bonuses through traits and such.

[Casual Tactician]

Ok, thanks!

So no activation of the script needed? Didn't know that was possible in RTW.

[CountMRVHS]

Have you played Norman Invasion? It's got a similar kind of setup, AFAIK. Each faction has its own setup when the game begins, so the player can get a different experience than the AI (e.g. if you choose to play as the Normans, you get less starting cash and fewer units, whereas if the AI controls the Normans they get some advantages).

[Aradan]

Yes, but the customisation ends there, when the campaign begins.

[CountMRVHS]

Oh, right. Well, still play NI; it's awesome.

[webba84]

[Casual Tactician]

Have you played Norman Invasion? It's got a similar kind of setup, AFAIK. Each faction has its own setup when the game begins, so the player can get a different experience than the AI (e.g. if you choose to play as the Normans, you get less starting cash and fewer units, whereas if the AI controls the Normans they get some advantages).

I downloaded it ages ago and had a short look at it, but never really played it much. I've played Viking Invasion II a couple of times - it's got that nice MTW-charm to it. I've still got NI stored away somewhere and once DoM is out and I reinstall RTW, I'll might just give NI a shot. 'Till then I'll be playing EBII once it's out in two or three weeks...

[CountMRVHS]

The City-kingdom of Tharbad

If the Chiefdom of Rhun has an opposite – in terms of units, in terms of tactics, in terms of strategy – it is surely the City-kingdom of Tharbad. Where Rhun's warriors are aggressive, Tharbad's soldiers tend toward defense. Where Rhun's hordes prefer the all-out charge to decide the battle quickly, Tharbad's companies often prefer to hold their ground in a shieldwall. Where Rhun controls wide lands in the East, Tharbad is straitened along the Greyflood.

On the other hand, both Rhun and Tharbad command somewhat diverse populations – more so than many of their neighbors. Rhun's Easterlings are composed of tribes following many different traditions. And Tharbad's inheritance as presented in Dominion of Men is without doubt the most diverse in all the lands of the West.

The city of Tharbad gets little attention in Tolkien's writings. Probably its most notable mention is when we learn during the Council of Elrond that Boromir lost his horse crossing the river there. In the late Third Age, Tharbad was a ruin.

But in the Fourth Age, with the unification of Gondor and Arnor under one crown, it is reasonable to suppose that such an important settlement would have risen to some prominence. After all, Tharbad lies directly on the route of the North-South Road (or the Greenway, for you Bree-landers) – a route that saw increased traffic during Elessar's reign and surely beyond. Tharbad's position on the Greyflood also gives it access to sea-borne trade. No doubt the city grew prosperous, supporting newcomers and even new settlements in the area.

And these newcomers must have been of many types indeed. Founded and rebuilt largely by men of Gondor, Tharbad also claims settlers from the sparsely populated lands of Eriador to its north, Dunland to its south and east, and Rohan. While following Dunedanic culture overall, the people of Tharbad may claim descent from any of these four groups.

Tharbad's unit roster mirrors this cultural diversity. At its core, Tharbad's soldiery is composed of Dunedanic-style infantry – spearmen, swordsmen, and bowmen. These troops are not so advanced or plentiful as the options available to the Reunited Kingdom, but they are vital to the City-kingdom's success in war. Around this solid core of infantry, troops specializing in other fighting styles round out Tharbad's military and give it a surprising flexibility in battle. From its Rohirrim-influenced light riders to its Dunlending-influenced pikemen, Tharbad can train forces to meet almost any threat.

That's a good thing, because Tharbad's position at the crossroads of trade routes also makes it vulnerable.

The City-kingdom begins play in possession of a handful of settlements along the Greyflood, from Lond Daer – its most distant town, at the river's mouth – to Tharbad itself, guarded both north and south by permanent forts. Ships can travel the Greyflood all the way to Tharbad, making it easy for the City-kingdom to send forces in support of threatened settlements and allowing it to take advantage of lucrative sea trade.

But several factions can be found nearby – and if you're playing as Tharbad, all of them are stronger than you.

Northward, the two Dunedanic giants struggle for mastery of Arnor. To your south, Dunland and Rohan clash over the plains and hills. Keeping mostly to themselves, the Elves and Dwarves have enclaves in the area as well.

So where does Tharbad fit in to all of this conflict? It's a difficult question. On the one hand, Tharbad stands to profit by remaining neutral and trading with everyone it can. Staying out of wars – and even avoiding problematic alliances – gives you a low diplomatic profile and convinces other factions that you're not a threat. On the other hand, wealth alone won't prevent your trading partners from turning on you once their other foes are dealt with.

Because it can't simply conquer in all directions, Tharbad must be especially aware of the status of other factions. Of note here is the special relationship between the Reunited Kingdom and Rohan. These allies will become involved in each others' wars automatically, so if you get into conflict with one you will soon be in conflict with the other. And suppose the RK drives out Adunabar in the north, while Rohan drives out Dunland in the south? You'll be stuck between possibly the two strongest factions on the map.

So Tharbad must make its moves carefully, with one eye to profit and another to long-term security. Focusing on wealth in the early years will allow you to afford a standing army that can take advantage of opportunities as they arise, and your Emissaries will not only earn you trade rights with every faction they encounter, but also act as spies – and bribe or bankroll other factions' forces as needed. Is the RK doing too well in the north? Gift some of your coin to Adunabar to prolong the conflict. Dunland massing troops along your borders? A few well-placed bribes can make some of the barbarians disappear, and make future battles easier.

Some nearby independent settlements offer tempting targets for early expansion, but as with all things, choose with care. Ideally, new conquests will offer sea trade and some worthwhile resources, while also being somewhat out of reach of potential foes. If these criteria point you to a settlement held by a rival faction, well, sometimes being opportunistic means being aggressive. Just make sure you can finish what you start.

Tharbad occupies an interesting position in DoM, both geographically and in terms of gameplay. A faction of many cultures but beholden to none, Tharbad offers defensive-minded players a challenging opportunity to steer the fate of an emerging power in Middle-earth and attempt to chart your course between some of the strongest kingdoms in Dominion of Men.

[Basileos Predator]

Well Tharbar seems to be pretty much the most interesting faction in the mod so far: all-round rooster, very interesting starting position, strong neighbours around, a faction well worth giving a try early on when exploring the mod.

[webba84]

You only think that because you haven't seen Dorwinion yet

[Feanaro Curufinwe]

Well Tharbar seems to be pretty much the most interesting faction in the mod so far: all-round rooster, very interesting starting position, strong neighbours around, a faction well worth giving a try early on when exploring the mod.

They're Freys.

[CountMRVHS]

Heh, well I wouldn't say they're *that* bad. But certainly their claims of independence would be viewed ... less than enthusiastically among the RK.

I'm not sure if Tharbad would make a great 'starter' faction. To a complete newcomer to the mod, I might recommend one of the bigger or more secure factions - the RK, Harad, perhaps Dale or Rohan.

To someone who is looking for a tough start, Tharbad would be a good choice. To someone looking to punch their computer screen, Harondor.

[Basileos Predator]

Well, yeah, from how you described it, they'd pretty tough for newcomers, but more "veteran" players would find the challenge a good, immersive thing. Harondor would probably be for those seeking the difficulty : "Laughing at Live Dragons" . (so to speak)

[The Angry Greek]

One thing that I'm curious about:

- When you play as the Dwarves and Elves, what would be the incentives for expansion? They have the smallest manpower on the map, and are surrounded by factions that are mostly friendly towards them. When playing as either of them, what exactly is their goal?

[CountMRVHS]

To crush their enemies and see them driven before them, hear the lamentations of their women - y'know, the usual.

Victory conditions for all factions are still being discussed. As someone who's been thinking about them for quite some time, I'm curious to hear any ideas.

In general, though, there are some settlements on the map not owned by Elves or Dwarves at the outset that might be attractive to those factions for various legacy reasons. (If you look closely at the map Aradan posted awhile back, you may be able to spot some of them.) The Elves and Dwarves may also hold grudges against some other factions. These things may provide fodder for victory conditions.

And from a gameplay perspective, the Elven and Dwarven homelands present problems in terms of population growth. A player of those factions may need to expand outside of his homelands in order to stay viable as a faction. Also, of course, the Mannish troops trainable by Elves and Dwarves will only be recruitable outside those racial homelands.

[Deathshade]

Also, of course, the Mannish troops trainable by Elves and Dwarves will only be recruitable outside those racial homelands.

So we could recreate the great empire of the Noldor based on the worthless lives of these petty humans ^^

Those are great previews Count, thank you very much.