1.4 : Amazing Balance as Gondor

**brymht** · January 04, 2010, 08:38 AM

I have to say, I'm loving my first 1.4 campaign. The campaign balance issues are completely gone; for me at least. I play on Very Hard/ Hard.

Playing as Gondor has reached a whole new level of deapth for the two front war. Whereas before Gondor used to be able to conquer Harad with a Militia army while holding off mordor; now Gondor is beset.

Harard spams horse units through the early game. This makes it VERY interesting. While Gondor milia CAN beat Harad horse units, they pay a heavy price from not having spearmen to absorb those cavalry charges.

Now, I've gotten well past the third reforms and only taken a few Haradrim territories while JUST BARELY holding off Barad Dur and Invasions against Osgiliath. If this were 1.3, Gondor would have nearly all of Harad now.

Serious Kudos to KK. Amazing achievement to have achieved a perfect balance between fun, difficulty, and balance.

**HarneY** · January 04, 2010, 08:48 AM

I agree the game was good at 1.3 now its simply breathtaking but (not hating on KK) it wasnt only KK even if he did a massive contribution dont forget the little guys

Just incase it was your wondering I was NOT involved in TATW whatsoever and am not annoyed that I'm gettin no loving :p

**Seleukos_I.** · January 04, 2010, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by HarneY

I agree the game was good at 1.3 now its simply breathtaking but (not hating on KK) it wasnt only KK even if he did a massive contribution dont forget the little guys

Just incase it was your wondering I was NOT involved in TATW whatsoever and am not annoyed that I'm gettin no loving :p

What I've heard it was only KK who worked on this patch and MBA who made those videos. Could be mistaken there.
Anyway on topic. I also love it that the game became harder now, but there is another thread right here on the first page discussing the same things.

**Ivan Bajlo** · January 04, 2010, 09:59 AM

No, Gondor is still too easy!

On VH/VH by turn 35 I have pushed back Mordor all the way to plains of Gorgoroth with me holding Cirith Ungol, on Harad front I have taken all of Harandor and moving on. Most of Mordor is empty too and I could probably conquer several minor cities but l after that last stack of 5000 orcs, I've decided to wait a while until I take care of Harad and Isengard before advancing into open.

Harad cavalry is no problem with huge number of generals Gonodor gets, those generals are really overpowered and should be cut down to no more then 10 men each, maybe if Umbar is made into separate faction AI would actually do some real landings in Gondor beside that island?

On a bad side new map changes have created some problems, once Isengard takes Foldburg, AI is no longer capable of defending its western settlements and they fall quickly, I've sent army to aid Rohan early beacuse they got hit by invasion on Edoras at turn 16, this army then started attacking Isengard and wiped out full elite stack lead by Isengard Chieftain which seems to have drasticly reduced pressure on Rohan since they got Helm's Deep back but now I have third front open with Isengard in the west and their Snaga Skirmishers are worse then all of the Orcs of Mordor or Harad cavalry.

Yet another new map flaw was expanding Fornost north which I'm betting is the reason for the war between Dwarves and Eriador with all those trespassing lowering relations, this also triggered break of Eriador alliance with High Eleves and war between them few turn later!

Now Gandalf is killing Eleves and Dwarves...

This basically leaves Isengard free to do what it wants as well as OotMM (who also control Hoarwell?) which use to be under heavy pressure from Silvan Elves who besieged Moria several times but it seems that my advance made Mordor switch its primary offensive towards Mirkwood and they've taken most of it.

P.S.
All the good factions except Rohan hate me despite me holding back both Mordor and Harad and attacking all other evil factions whenever I can, now I know why Boromir was so bitter.

**HarneY** · January 04, 2010, 10:00 AM

Oh if that was so that Oh Praise to KK

I just assumed there would be a team working on it

**BlackViper** · January 04, 2010, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by HarneY

Oh if that was so that Oh Praise to KK

I just assumed there would be a team working on it

Their is almost nothing left of the begining team (with DG leaving its actually only KK I think and MBA for the movies which are very cool btw

)

I just played a gondor campaign in 1.3 and I'm currently turn 50 in my gondor 1.4 campaign and well its certainly a challenge, got beaten back to Minas tirith

made a mistake lest keep it with that

Although I did have the time to make a counter army in Minas Tirith so I'm going to take back Osgiliath and Cair Andros now.

**Kahvipannu** · January 04, 2010, 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by BlackViper

Their is almost nothing left of the begining team (with DG leaving its actually only KK I think and MBA for the movies which are very cool btw

)

Your forgetting Louis Lux guys, hes 2d-work is great

...And I agree with people here, that 1.4 Gondor is way better than 1.3

**HinkeFussJoe** · January 04, 2010, 10:18 AM

I found it hard with Gondor in 1.3.

**Freek** · January 04, 2010, 11:26 AM

Gondor is pretty hard for me in 1.3 with RC/RR, but now its a matter of time before I beat Mordor. The only issue is that most of their armies have at least one troll unit (mostly olog hai) and ofcourse the nazgul keep respawning. I've taken both Black Gate and Minas Ithil, and pushed back Harad very far, so I have no need for huge garrisons in all of the Anduin settlements anymore.

I think the problem with Mordor is they have a few extremely strong units, and a bunch of extremely weak ones. And you've got units like Gondor Swordsmen and Spearmen who are in between that. Harad is useless in terms of units, especially as they run their cavalry right into your stakes and their infantry has pretty poor morale.

**brymht** · January 04, 2010, 12:20 PM

I agree; Harad is only great with Cavalry before Gondor has the resources to start sending hordes of heavy spearmen and stake carryingarchers.

Its a time and resource game with Gondor. Can Gondor hold out against the relentless tide of orcs long enough to build its economy AND take a few key strongpoints?

Once Gondor does that, they are mostly free and clear; until Harad starts sending in Oliphants and/or Isenguard opens up a THIRD front.

Gondor can handle Olog Hai if they are ok with taking some losses and put their Fountain Guards strategically. The only way to beat Oliphants I've found it to let them run rampant all over your men and hit them with a LOT of Balistas..........

**Seleukos_I.** · January 04, 2010, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by brymht

The only way to beat Oliphants I've found it to let them run rampant all over your men and hit them with a LOT of Balistas..........

Pelargir Mariners

**Deedlit** · January 04, 2010, 12:28 PM

Im finding it hard still and im still having to use cheats

when playing as gondor

But hey! 1.4 is awesome.

**derf** · January 04, 2010, 12:28 PM

Just on the subject of difficulty setting, I play on medium difficulty. Is this recommended for balance purposes? Or is it better for some reason to always play on Hard / v.Hard? Also, i'm not a huge fight in hard difficulties.

**Turok** · January 04, 2010, 03:16 PM

Maybe Gondor is balanced as the player, but the AI really struggles to fend off Mordor. Harad do basically nothing all game, same for Rhun but Mordor just overwhelms Minas Tirith so fast.

As Silvan Elves, the plan was to send some troops down to Gondor to help them out a bit. By the time I had some free(turn 50 or so) Mordor had completely overrun Osgiliath, Minas Tirith and was now pushing Gondor back into the West. Now it would be nice if the ai could hold out for just a little bit longer. However, it is good that Harad and Rhun dont do anything all game because if the did Gondor would be royally screwed.