[Discussion] The Hobbit Influence

[Mr.Jox]

We know this, and alot of equipment for dwarves already done.

[Al-Fatih The Great]

I would suggest that the Dwarfs, Elves, Dale, and Gundabad Orcs units must be centered around The Hobbit More than leaning to LOTR. For Example make the Mordor orcs based on LOTR and the Gundabad orcs should be entirely based on The Hobbit.

[Mr.Jox]

Yup we know it

[Privatecamping]

One thing that I didnt like in the Hobbit was that those orks were huge i mean almost Like Uruks in lotr...

[Mr.Jox]

Lol they were not just like Uruks but they were taller than men. Ugh it sucks...

[Ngugi]

I think the best title for them is Lazy-Hai, because that was just a cheap and lazy attempt to rehash the reputation and impression of the Uruk-Hai, in an attempt to make the threat somewhat 'real' and emotional.
Assume it would helped that cause if their armour was not made of paper, to boot.

[peakcoot]

the armor of mirkwood elves and dwarves of erebor would be great, with the iron hill dwarves armor is out you could use that armor for seperate factions. but i highly reccomend sticcking with mainly axes and hammers of dwarves considering that is supposed to be their main weapons, dwarves almost never used swords

[Bercor]

That's not really lore accurate. In Tolkien's work, various dwarves are noted to wield swords/daggers (Thórin, Azhagal, etc). The iconic dwarven weapons, however, are the axe and the mattock.

[Privatecamping]

Azaghal was an axe warrior... If you wana say that he used a sword that isnt 100% correct cos he stabed Glaurund with his knife (not a sword) but yes not all Dwarves are normal axe and hamer fighters some prefere a sword or a spear. Some Dwarven lords used Swords also. Younger Dwarves would prefer a sword then an axe becouse it is easyer to handle and it was also used as a side weapon

[Bercor]

Azaghal was an axe warrior... If you wana say that he used a sword that isnt 100% correct cos he stabed Glaurund with his knife (not a sword)

That's why I said "swords/daggers". I didn't argue that Azaghal didn't used an axe, only that he also wielded what Tolkien calls a dagger. Besides, I suppose a dwarven sword would be pretty much a dagger for an elf.

Naugladur is also said to wield a sword, which Beren uses to kill him.

[Privatecamping]

W8 Nauglamír was a necklace. Might be. But it is said however that dwarves maid longswords and broadswords.. I dont know how long is a dwarvish sword btw

[Bercor]

Yeah, sorry, I don't know what I was thinking (though, to be fair, Nauglamir and Naugladur are pretty similar names ).

[Privatecamping]

Yea they are

[Wintercross]

W8 Nauglamír was a necklace. Might be. But it is said however that dwarves maid longswords and broadswords.. I dont know how long is a dwarvish sword btw

Well judging by the height and proportions of Dwarves in the movies at least, I'd say a dwavish sword would likely be a little longer than a short sword for a man or elf.

I too would like to see proper weapon diversity among the dwarves. Yes, they might favour axes, mattocks and the like.. but they still were capable with bows, swords, spears and daggers.

[Privatecamping]

I agree with almost everything. But dwarves dont use bows

[Mr.Jox]

I agree with almost everything. But dwarves dont use bows

What about ranger dwarves? It's too heavy and too advanced to use crossbows. Maybe axethrowing is good one too.

[Privatecamping]

You will have to think of smt : ) but I know that they didnt use nows : D maybe some light crossbows?

[Bercor]

In The Hobbit book, the dwarves of the Company are armed with bows:

The food would not last for ever: it was in fact already beginning to get low. They tried shooting at the squirrels, and they wasted many arrows before they managed to bring one down on the path.(...) Out of the gloom came suddenly the shape of a flying deer. It charged into the dwarves and bowled them over, then gathered itself for a leap. High it sprang and cleared the water with a mighty jump. But it did not reach the other side in safety. Thorin was the only one who had kept his feet and his wits. As soon as they had landed he had bent his bow and fitted an arrow in case any hidden guardian of the boat appeared.

On the other hand, there's not a single reference to crossbows in all Tolkien's works related to the Arda legendarium.

[Ngugi]

As Bercor say.

In DCI we went with giving Dwarves a low tier archers unit, based on the lousy performance seen in The Hobbit (presumably because while Dwarves were not total strangers to bows, in lack of other information, they presumably did not practice it much, living underground), and using wooden 'small bows' what damage and range concern.
For a better ranged unit, beside Northmen mercs, we provided "Orocarni Archers" as rare mercs, who like units from the Easterlings, with whom they are neighbours, use composit bow. That weapon, while never refered to in lore but still is closer to generic 'bow' than crossbows are, would be perfect for Dwarven stature, and give a compairable effect in damage and range to a longbow, making such a rare unit a valuable boon to an otherwise obviously melee focused roster (as they properly should be; what's the fun if all factions are alike, having all kind of units in fair balance?).

[Privatecamping]

I realy dont know what to say. Its hard with the dwarves cos Tolkien never did actualy say what did the dwarves use for ranged combat beside axes (ofc). I tought that crossbows would be nice for them cos it has a degree of advance that the dwarves had in forging building etc.