Vorondil's army in coastal Gondor sees an opportunity to attack a large concentration of RK forces just outside Romefalas Keep.
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While catapults thunder in the background, Orc-champions cleave through ranks of enemy swordsmen.
Thanks to our ranged superiority, the enemy are destroyed with little loss.
The victory frees up our forces in the area. But at the end of the season, a large army of Rohan lays siege to Aldburg. More troubling is the news from the South: Harondor has been eliminated! The large and expansionist Empire of Harad is now at our doorstep - allies for the moment, but we must be wary.
Summer 383
In the east of the realm, king Zimrahil rests at Athrad-morn and turns over the leadership of the field army here to an untried family member, Urthel. His first battle is that very season, as a large Easterling force has gathered at our borders.
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As this army has relatively few archers, this will be a proper infantry clash, where Easterling ferocity will be tested against Dunedanic steel and discipline.
The thin line of swordsmen bends, but holds steady while other troops flank.
Our mercenary swordsmen and Variags take heavy losses, but cut down the enemy with ruthless determination.
Urthel acquits himself well. In the wake of his first victory, a Dunedanic Hero joins his retinue.
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From here, Urthel will head northeast on another punitive expedition against the Chiefdom of Rhun.
On the other side of the kingdom, the noose around Tharbad draws tighter. Only 2 settlements remain to the City-kingdom: Greyholm and Lond Daer, at the mouth of the Greyflood. Agrahil marches on the latter, and, finding an abandoned Tharbad camp, captures it for Adunabar. He besieges Lond Daer while Elentirmo and Dervorin (another young, untested captain) join forces and besiege Greyholm. Though we have little love for Tharbad, the goal here is not annihilation, but annexation: it would be to our benefit to keep Tharbad as a complacent vassal and buffer on the southern side of the river.
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Despite our earlier victory against the Reunited Kingdom, our rivals have more bodies to throw at us. They besiege Tarnost at the end of the summer.
Also that season, it seems the first moves in a war are being made...
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I recruit soldiers to send to South Ithilien, fearing a Haradrian army may cross the Poros soon.
Winter 383
Vorondil attacks the RK army threatening Tarnost. The enemy force boasts some of the most powerful troops available to the RK...
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But we command a dramatic height advantage.
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The enemy wisely choose to withdraw, but not before our catapults destroy a unit of the Company of the Guard. Inspecting the battlefield, our soldiers discover an enemy battle-standard. It is returned to Tarnost, ensuring that that settlement will be the focus of the RK's fury for years to come.
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The siege of Aldburg looks grim... but from the east come Orcish reinforcements! These fresh troops attack the Rohirrim and send the survivors racing back toward Edoras.
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Passing the besieged settlement on the south, our forces attack from the high ground. Catapults bombard the Rohirrim position, wreaking havoc among the Guards of the King's House and felling the enemy general. Archers creep forward and shoot down the surviving riders, and Orcish infantry charge down the slope.
We are now in a strong position with respect to Rohan. Soon it will be time to strike at Meduseld itself...
But our position in the south is suddenly weakened. Corsairs have landed at Dol Amroth - Harad has betrayed us!
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This opportunistic move sets off a chain of diplomatic reactions. Khand, our longtime ally, drops the alliance and declares themselves for Harad. Meanwhile Rhun, sensing a shift in the balance of power (and seeing the approach of our army) requests a ceasefire.
We accept - after first negotiating for some payment. Our emissaries continue the negotiation, and a further deal is struck.
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Time will tell if this new arrangement will hold. But for now, there is peace on the eastern front - and a new threat uncoils from the deserts of the South.
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While Eriador effectively belongs to Adunabar, it seems we have a new neighbor...
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Over the next few seasons, Dale loses the High Pass Stronghold to rebels, but their appearance this far west is a reminder that we cannot assume the North is safe. We are not at war with Dale... for now.
In Rohan, Borondir presses the advantage, attacking an army outside Aldburg.
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The Orc-champions perform well, using the wooded terrain to their advantage and cutting down the enemy riders.
The enemy captain is surrounded by Orcish spearmen and slain.
A victory - but at great cost. Borondir has lost a third of his army. Still, our forces seem able to handle anything in the area. Borondir presses on to the woodlands east of Edoras, setting up an ambush.
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In South Ithilien, Haradrian soldiers force Arathorn into battle.
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The odds are clearly against us, but Arathorn has little choice - and he is eager to see what these Southrons can do.
Swords of the Shadow can do well in a straight-on fight, but these Haradrian swordsmen cast javelins that do terrible damage to our armored men.
A not-unexpected defeat. Arathorn at least is able to escape with his bodyguard to Emyn Arnen, where more troops are gathering to push back the Black Serpent.
Winter 384
The Rohirrim have not taken the bait of Borondir's ambush - but they have brought up more men to defend their chief city. Thinking to eliminate this new threat and take the city in one stroke, Borondir attacks.
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The odds are against us, but Borondir has faith in our fearsome catapults and many archers.
But these riders are led by a decisive chief who is ill-disposed to sit and suffer bombardment. The plain darkens with dust as men and horses surge toward Adunabar's lines.
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Soon all our forces are engaged. The terrain favors the enemy's horsemen, and our Orcs are dismayed at the sudden onslaught.
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Borondir falls!
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This is a decisive defeat. Although we still hold Aldburg, only a tiny garrison mans its walls - and it is soon besieged by the victorious Rohirrim. Worse, any troops that could come to Aldburg's aid must now contend with the threat of Harad. The call goes out across Mordor and Gondor to muster as many men and Orcs as can be trained and send them toward Minas Anor. If it comes to it, we can at least hold the Rohirrim there...
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I'm (pleasantly) surprised at how strong Rohan is. It was relatively easy to rush Gondor/Arnor and put the RK on the back foot, but Rohan was free all that time to expand into Dunland and train some tough units.
Also, this war with Rohan is important because Dol Baran (i.e. Orthanc) is on my VC list! So even though I'm only 5-6 provinces away from the 45-province requirement, I need to push past Edoras to win.
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Re: AdunabAAR!
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Originally Posted by Davosz
