Elvish Military

**Brightblade+** · January 18, 2010, 08:51 AM

Greetings and salutations to all!

First time poster here, though I have been reading the forums for quite some time now. Let's get the typical thing out of the way: FANTASTIC MOD!

I will also say that I am an Elf faction lover, so I may be a bit subjective in this post

The Elf-kingdoms represented in this game are fantastic. The feel of Mirkwood, of Lorien... of the Grey Havens. They are depicted quite well, I think, and if you add in RR/RC, then the Elvish experience of being a dying civilization (save for Mirkwood) is really immersive.

One thing though: The rosters lack depth. Let me try and be short and to the point:

Swordsmen, spearmen, archers. All well and good, but I think the most highly disciplined, deadly and graceful fighting force on Middle Earth would certainly have developed military units that require more formation-based tactics. I mean, if goblins had developed a pikewall, shouldn´t the Elves have one?

That said, both Thranduil and Cirdan/Elrond would have developed such units in their military (Phalanx pikemen, I mean long pikes not halberds..)

So! With that in mind... any plans from the Mod to make Elven standing armies with pikes? Sort of like the Macedonian sarissa pike phalanx. Or any other units?

Once again, thank you for this great mod.

**Jean=A=Luc** · January 18, 2010, 09:00 AM

It's true that the elven roster is a bit limited but that's just something we have to accept for now. Many people still find elves fun to play. There are currently no announced plans for expanding the elven factions but there is an upcoming submod that may interest you, just scroll down until you get to the elves: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=323812

**FOR GONDOR** · January 18, 2010, 12:05 PM

Originally Posted by Brightblade+

Greetings and salutations to all!

First time poster here, though I have been reading the forums for quite some time now. Let's get the typical thing out of the way: FANTASTIC MOD!

I will also say that I am an Elf faction lover, so I may be a bit subjective in this post

The Elf-kingdoms represented in this game are fantastic. The feel of Mirkwood, of Lorien... of the Grey Havens. They are depicted quite well, I think, and if you add in RR/RC, then the Elvish experience of being a dying civilization (save for Mirkwood) is really immersive.

One thing though: The rosters lack depth. Let me try and be short and to the point:

Swordsmen, spearmen, archers. All well and good, but I think the most highly disciplined, deadly and graceful fighting force on Middle Earth would certainly have developed military units that require more formation-based tactics. I mean, if goblins had developed a pikewall, shouldn´t the Elves have one?

That said, both Thranduil and Cirdan/Elrond would have developed such units in their military (Phalanx pikemen, I mean long pikes not halberds..)

So! With that in mind... any plans from the Mod to make Elven standing armies with pikes? Sort of like the Macedonian sarissa pike phalanx. Or any other units?

Once again, thank you for this great mod.

i agree with you i too am an sivian elves/high elves lover and u should check out my thread silvian elves need better roster and welcome to the forum

**el Cid** · January 18, 2010, 01:40 PM

Elves are mostly oriented on bows, not pikes. And besides, I love the Elven factions, though the Silvan is a bit of a wannabe HE faction as they copy it but do not best them.

**Brightblade+** · January 18, 2010, 01:48 PM

Elves are mostly oriented on bows? I heartily disagree. Dating back to the First Age, Elves have a long tradition of fielding armies that are heavily armoured, and well equipped with weapons (swords, spears)

Tolkien makes several references to these "bright spears and swords". Aeglos, Snow-point (Gil-galad's spear), Glamdring and Orcrist (almost magical swords that glow blue when Orcs are close... ), Noldorin daggers (Sting!).

The craft of such weapons may have waned over the years, but their use in Elvish standing armies is well documented.

Perhaps if you referred to Mirkwood and Lorien "rangers", which used the bows as a primary weapon, then yes. But certainly, any standing armies fielded would have counted heavily on melee weaponry.