Name: Beorning Farmers
Troops: 60
Rating: 1/10, Militia
Attributes: Can hide everywhere, vulnerable to missiles
Weapons and Equipment: Knife, Pitchfork, Clothing
Short Unit Description: These men only fight when their lives are in danger. They can be quite fierce, but because they are mere farmers, their weapons are no match for more professional units.
Long Unit Description: Sometimes there is need for the Beornings to call upon the common folk to go to war. The men who are called upon to fight are mostly farmers living on the fertile banks of the river Anduin, where the ground is suited to agrarian purposes. Although they are scarcely clad and not properly equipped to fight in battles, they are still fierce warriors, since the same blood runs through their veins as that of their Beorning brothers. When their land, their families, or their own lives are endangered these men are willing to take up arms against those that threaten them. The Beorning Farmers wear no armour and only use a pitchfork, which they normally use for their daily farming tasks but which is now carried as a weapon. It is also a useful weapon due to the fact that it has three sharp and deadly points and because of the length of the steel, which allows the Beorning Farmers to engage their enemy from a distance. These men are useful as a scouting unit because they are able to hide in almost all environments. In the open field they are however less dangerous, due to their lack of armour and training. But of all the farmers of Middle-earth, the Beorning Farmers are amongst the best, since they are used to a rough life full of hardships and perils.
Name: Stoor Militia
Troops: 60
Rating: 1/10, Militia
Attributes: Can hide everywhere, vulnerable to missiles
Weapons and Equipment: Knife, Throwing Spears, Clothing
Short Unit Description: Hobbits are inexperienced and weak fighters, but when their lives are in danger, they can be quite fierce.
Long Unit Description: The origins of Hobbits remains a mystery, but it is believed that after coming from the East, the Hobbits have settled in the Upper Vale of Anduin, near the Gladden Fields. It was from this place that they made their first contact with the Northmen who lived nearby. Relations were friendly and soon trade was established. After the arrival of the Necromancer in Dol Guldur, it became dangerous for them to remain in the area where they lived and thus they were forced to flee to safer regions. Most of them inhabited the areas where the Gladden flowed into the river Anduin. Years later they where forced to flee once again from their villages because of the rise of the Witch-King and his evil kingdom of Angmar. While most of the Hobbits went westwards to settle in Eriador, some decided to remain in the Gladden Fields and others forsook the journey to Eriador and went back to their old settlements. Since that time the Hobbits, who are mainly of Stoorish ancestry, have survived in the Upper Vale of Anduin. Despite being weak warriors they have managed to survive, mainly due to their secretive way of life.
The Stoor Militia are regular Hobbits called upon to fight; they carry a knife and throwing spears. And though they do not wear armour, they do wear a cloak which shields them from unfriendly eyes.
Name: Stoor Scouts
Troops: 60
Rating: 2/10, Militia
Attributes: Can hide anywhere, vulnerable to missiles
Weapons and Equipment: Bow, Knife, Clothing
Short Unit Description: Hobbit Scouts are weak in close combat, but when striking from a distance they can shoot quite accurate.
Long Unit Description: The origins of Hobbits remains a mystery, but it is believed that after coming from the East, the Hobbits have settled in the Upper Vale of Anduin, near the Gladden Fields. It was from this place that they made their first contact with the Northmen who lived nearby. Relations were friendly and soon trade was established. After the arrival of the Necromancer in Dol Guldur, it became dangerous for them to remain in the area where they lived and thus they were forced to flee to safer regions. Most of them inhabited the areas where the Gladden flowed into the river Anduin. Years later they where forced to flee once again from their villages because of the rise of the Witch-King and his evil kingdom of Angmar. While most of the Hobbits went westwards to settle in Eriador, some decided to remain in the Gladden Fields and others forsook the journey to Eriador and went back to their old settlements. Since that time the Hobbits, who are mainly of Stoorish ancestry, have survived in the Upper Vale of Anduin. Despite being weak warriors they have managed to survive, mainly due to their secretive way of life.
Due to their small stature, Hobbits try to cover their disability in close combat by wielding short bows to thin the enemies formations. Surprisingly, their marksmanship is disproportionate to their size and discipline.
Name: Mirkwood Hunters
Troops: 40
Rating: 3/10, Militia
Attributes: Combat bonus in woods, vulnerable to missiles
Weapons and Equipment: Bow, Knife, Leather Armour
Short Unit Description: Although not the best archers to be found in Middle-earth, they have gained some experience from hunting animals.
Long Unit Description: The forest of Mirkwood, formerly called Greenwood the Great, has remained a dangerous place even after the successful attack on the Necromancer by the White Council in the year 2941 of the Third Age. Spiders, Orcs and other evil creatures still perform cruel acts underneath the trees; hunting innocent animals, torturing Elves and men and burning large parts of the forest. But with the unification of the various Northmen tribes still living in the Vale of Anduin, the forest has become less dangerous.
Woodmen living in isolated farmhouses protected by palisades now patrol the eaves of Mirkwood and guard the great Dwarven Road. They have become strong people who are now able to defend themselves and even to strike decisive blows at the enemy.
Among these Woodmen some favour the bow as their weapon of choice; they carry a small wooden one of average quality, which however will still serve its main purpose as a hunting tool. As a weapon of war their bow is less useful due to its relatively poor accuracy, however in the hands of these experienced Mirkwood Hunters their bows can nonetheless become a deadly weapon. For further protection they wear leather armour, and carry a small knife for when their supply of arrows is exhausted.
Name: Beorning Ballista
Troops: 20
Rating: 4/10, Regular
Attributes: Vulnerable to missiles
Weapons and Equipment: Knife, Clothing
Short Unit Description: Though the Beorning Ballista is of average wooden quality and handled by untrained Men, it is still a useful machine.
Long Unit Description: Although the Beornings and other men in the Vale of Anduin are not known for their skill in siege warfare, they still possess the knowledge required to construct basic siege engines for assaulting fortifications. Sometimes there is need for a weapon that can knock down enemy walls or kill larger foes from a distance. For this they use ballistae made out of wood hewn from the trees of Mirkwood forest. Although it is not of the best quality and is made of simple wood and rope, the Beorning Ballista can fire an arrow faster and harder then any archer ever could. They fire their projectiles with such power that they can be used to fell the walls and towers of enemy castles or cities, allowing troops to enter. However, the men that operate the ballistae are not trained in the arts of war and do not stand a chance in open combat, therefore it is vital to keep them guarded by the more able troops on the battlefield. The crew are drawn from peasants and as such they do not wear armour. They are unsuited to melee engagements; their only recourse at such times being a knife.
Furthermore, the Beorning Ballista is a relatively small machine compared to the siege engines of the more advanced peoples of Middle-earth. The advantages bestowed by its size allows the Beornings to transport it swiftly and through smaller paths than those its larger bretheren can traverse. Advantages which will surely be necessary in the forested areas of Mirkwood and on the narrow and dangerous paths of the Misty Mountains.
Name: Mirkwood Spearmen
Troops: 40
Rating: 4/10, Regular
Attributes: Combat bonus in woods, can perform shieldwall
Weapons and Equipment: Spear, Shield, Leather Armour
Short Unit Description: Mirkwood Spearmen are only slightly armoured, but many long years in the woods have made them fierce fighters.
Long Unit Description: The men who inhabit the dark forest of Mirkwood are hardy folk that have adapted to the dangerous conditions they live in. For ages they have sheltered in their isolated farmhouses protected by wooden palisades. But now the time of hiding has come to an end; Beorn has united the Northmen tribes inhabiting the Vale of Anduin into a powerful nation. The Beornings have professionalized the army with higher grade equipment and training and have reinforced the many farmhouses near the borders of Mirkwood. The Woodmen inhabiting these places have now become strong enough to resist the evil shadow that grows ever darker in Dol Guldur.
A considerable constituent of the Woodmen’s forces consists of spearmen due to the ease with which their weapons can be forged, particularly near the borders of Mirkwood where wood is plentiful. For protection, they are equipped with leather armour and wield a wooden shield. Their equipment is painted in such a way as to blend with the colors of the forest, something which grants them a great advantage when fighting in forested areas. On the battlefield, the Mirkwood Spearmen fulfill a defensive role and are unsuited to offensive maneuvers. Their shields and training allow them to perform the reliable shield wall formation in which their spears can prove deadly.
Name: Woodmen Warriors
Troops: 40
Rating: 4/10, Regular
Attributes: Can perform shieldwall, combat bonus in woods
Weapons and Equipment: Axe, Shield, Leather Armour
Short Unit Description: Woodmen Warriors are decent soldiers who, due to living in the woods, have become good ambushers.
Long Unit Description: Near the borders of Mirkwood lives a strange folk; secretive people who excel in guerrilla warfare. They are relatives of the Beornings; both trace their ancestry back to the days of the princes of Rhovanion and even further back to the Edain of old. Their mostly blond hair and tall stature has convinced the lore masters of the Upper Vale of Anduin that the Woodmen are descendants of the House of Marach.
A remnant of these ancient people has survived near the borders of Mirkwood even late into the Third Age. They are rough folk, for they have endured the terror of Dol Guldur for many years. It has made them secretive and slow to trust outsiders. It has also, however, made them a brave people and excellent ambushers. The men who belong to the ranks of the Woodmen Warriors are the bravest and strongest of their tribes.
They are protected by leather armor, a choice borne out of necessity rather than choice due to the rarity of metal in Mirkwood. They carry an axe and a shield and are considered to be amongst the best ambushers in the whole of Middle-earth. It should be noted that though they excel at guerrilla warfare, they are less dangerous on the open field.
Name: Beorning Longbowmen
Troops: 40
Rating: 5/10, Regular
Attributes: Can hide everywhere, combat bonus in woods
Weapons and Equipment: Bow, Knife, Leather Armour, Helmet
Short Unit Description: Though not professional soldiers, the Beorning Longbowmen know how to use a bow.
Long Unit Description: Though the Beornings are mostly made up of tall and muscular men, some are not as tall and strong as most of their tribesmen. These men find themselves unable to wield the heavy axes of their larger Beorning brethren. Instead of wielding such an axe, they use a longbow with quality wooden arrows. Their longbow is made of yew wood and is well suited for use in the forests of the North and near the valleys of the river Anduin. The Beorning Longbowmen do not shoot as accurately as their Elven counterparts, nor are they as heavily armoured as Gondorian archers, but they are still decent archers. Besides the longbow, they also carry a small stabbing knife and for protection they are equipped with a helmet and leather armour. These archers are better suited for close-combat than most other archers of Middle-earth, due to their courage and fierceness in battle.
Most Beorning Longbowmen are recruited from Beorn's Halls and the surrounding villages, but others come from villages which are located on the western bank of the river Anduin. Though the Beorning Longbowmen are considered men who care for the land and the animals inhabiting it, it is well known that they sometimes shoot at the Great Eagles if they attempt to hunt their sheep.
Name: Framsburg Guard
Troops: 40
Rating: 5/10, Regular
Attributes: Can perform shieldwall
Weapons and Equipment: Sword, Throwing Spears, Shield, Mail Armour, Helmet
Short Unit Description: The Framsburg Guard are warriors who have become attuned to their surroundings due to the many evil creatures that roam the North.
Long Unit Description: The ancient capital of the Éothéod is situated in the Upper Vale of Anduin, near the spot where the rivers Langwell and Greylin meet to form the river Anduin. It was in this confined area that Frumgar, lord of the Éothéod, built his capital city. After the famous slaying of Scatha the Long-worm by his son Fram; the city was renamed to Framsburg in his honour. For many long years the Éothéod lived in peace in the Vale of Anduin until the Steward of Gondor sent messengers to request aid from Eorl; the new lord of the Éothéod. Eorl answered the call and achieved a great victory at the Field of Celebrant. For his aid he was granted the land of Calenardhon, where he settled along with most of his people.
But some of the Éothéod were too attached to their homes and refused to follow Eorl to the south. The men who remained in Framsburg and the surrounding lands continued to fight the forces of evil and to protect their city. Hundreds of years later the city of Framsburg still stands and is guarded by the Framsburg Guard, which consists of the local citizenry. The Framsburg Guard have received basic combat training and are equipped with mail armour, a long sword, some throwing spears and a helmet. An image of a white horse is painted on their shields, showing they have forgotten neither their ancestors, nor their skill at arms.
Name: Éothéod Scouts
Troops: 40
Rating: 5/10, Regular
Attributes: Vulnerable against missiles
Weapons and Equipment: Bow, Sword, Leather Armour, Helmet
Short Unit Description: These are descendants of the men of Rhovanion, and as such possess a natural talent for shooting from horseback.
Long Unit Description: Near the inflow of the river Greylin into the river Langwell, a great wooden city stands. In the surrounding lands of that city there dwelt horses both strong and swift; legend tells that some of them have the blood of the great white horse Nahar within them. This has given these horses incredible power and intelligence compared to the other horses of Middle-earth. They even have the ability to understand the speech of Men, something which has rendered them as valuable targets for ownership to the Northmen who live nearby. Many of these Northmen who still dwell in the far north are descendants of the Éothéod of old, and as such they have inherited a natural talent for riding and dealing with horses.
The Éothéod Scouts are skillful warriors who have succeeded in capturing and taming these horses. These men are able to shoot at a target from horseback with great accuracy. Their preferred tactic on the battlefield is to encircle the enemy and hit them with their arrows from as many directions as possible, all the while without exposing themselves to close-combat. Once their supply of arrows has been extinguished, they will draw their swords and are capable of engaging the enemy in close-combat. This should, however, be avoided for as long as possible as the Éothéod Scouts wear only light leather armour and a small helmet. Furthermore they are not trained in the finer points of close combat and do not have the courage to stand their ground for long.
Name: Guardians of the Carrock
Troops: 20
Rating: 7/10, Superior
Attributes: Can perform shieldwall
Weapons and Equipment: Sword, Throwing Spears, Shield, Mail Armour, Helmet
Short Unit Description: The Guardians of the Carrock are excellent skirmish troops who also know how to handle a sword.
Long Unit Description: North of the Old Ford, there is a small rocky island in the middle of the river Anduin. The top is flat and accessible through small steps carved out by Beorn in his early years. In later years, when the Beornings began to proliferate; Beorn ordered a special force to guard the Carrock and both banks of the river Anduin. These men were called the Guardians of the Carrock and they were experienced and skilled warriors. They were hand-picked by Beorn himself to guard the Carrock because of their skill in battle and for their courage. An advantage that maintaining a small elite force to guard the Carrock provides is the ability to spy the land from atop the Carrock, which provides an excellent view of the surrounding lands.
The Guardians of the Carrock are armed with a sword and some throwing spears. They are protected by a shield, mail armour and a helmet. Although they are skilled warriors, their primary function is that of a scouting force and so should be kept out of battle for as long as possible. But when they are forced to fight in close combat they can still be relied upon to hold out for a long time, especially due to their ability to perform a shield wall, their excellent armour and their bravery and fierceness in battle.
Name: Mirkwood Marchwardens
Troops: 20
Rating: 8/10, Superior
Attributes: Can hide everywhere, combat bonus in woods
Weapons and Equipment: Bow, Knife, Leather Armour
Short Unit Description: The Mirkwood Marchwardens are excellent troops for guerrilla warfare, especially when using their bows.
Long Unit Description: The Mirkwood Marchwardens are ambushers matched by none in terms of stealth, secrecy and camouflage. They are an elite bowmen unit and are far stealthier than any Elf in Thranduil's army. They carry quality longbows with sharp, poisoned arrows, and if necessary they can draw their knives for close-combat. If there is one disadvantage that the Mirkwood Marchwardens have, it is the fact that they are not protected by heavy armour; they are only equipped with light leather armour. This does, however, make them maneuverable troops, but it does not shield them as well from danger as heavier armour would have. They are supremely suited to guerrilla warfare and should not be expected to perform well in the open field.
Their tasks often take them far away from the borders of Mirkwood, further than anyone from Thranduil's army has ever been; for it is their duty to ensure the safety of the Woodland realm and to keep at bay any invading army that intends to enter Mirkwood.
When confronted by an overwhelming number of enemies, the Mirkwood Marchwardens will sometimes join forces with the Woodmen who live on the borders of Mirkwood. Together they have succeeded in keeping the hosts of Dol Guldur and those of the Misty Mountains at bay for centuries.
Name: Rhosgobel Sentinels
Troops: 20
Rating: 8/10, Superior
Attributes: Can perform shield wall
Weapons and Equipment: Spear, Shield, Mail Armour, Helmet
Short Unit Description: Fully armoured troops who are responsible for the defense of Rhosgobel and the surrounding lands.
Long Unit Description: Rhosgobel has been the dwelling place of the Wizard Radagast for uncountable generations of human lives. It is situated near the western eaves of Mirkwood, not far from where the evil fortress of Dol Guldur stands. Radagast the Brown was one of the five Istari who came to Middle-earth to aid the Free Peoples in their struggle against Sauron and his minions. Radagast, however, forsook his mission and chose to settle down and pay little heed to the burdens of Elves and Men. This was not to last as the growing shadow taking shape at Amon Lanc convinced Radagast to rise up from his isolated existence and become actively involved in resisting the Necromancer. Whereas the Woodmen who lived nearby first viewed him as an old man who warranted little attention, they now looked up to him and saw Radagast for what he really was: a powerful Wizard who seemed to command both nature and beasts at will.
Radagast decided to teach the Woodmen much about the secrets of nature, and in return it was now their duty to ensure the safety of Rhosgobel. To aid them in its protection they wear excellent equipment consisting of mail armour, a spear and a helmet. Furthermore they carry a shield with the image of the Wizard´s staff painted onto it; a display of the extreme loyalty the Rhosgobel Sentinels harbour for their master. The Sentinels are all battle hardened men because they have resisted the shadow nearby for countless years.
Name: Éothéod Knights
Troops: 20
Rating: 8/10, Superior
Weapons and Equipment: Spear, Shield, Mail Armour, Helmet
Short Unit Description: These are descendants of the men of Rhovanion, and as such possess a natural talent for horsemanship.
Long Unit Description: The Éothéod Knights are drawn from the last remnant of their people who have remained in the north after the majority of their kin traveled southwards. These knights descend from a long line of nobility who where related to the ancient princes of Rhovanion. After the fall of the ancient Kingdom of Rhovanion these men went to the north and settled at Framsburg, where they now rule the city and its surrounding lands.
It is said that the Éothéod Knights ride on the legendary horses called the Mearas, who are descendants of the mighty white horse of Oromë called Nahar. As such the majority of the Éothéod Knights still ride on large white horses, which are believed to understand the languages of Men. This has created a strong bond between rider and horse, which clearly serves as an advantage on the battlefield, since the horse immediately understands and fulfills the commands of its master.
Éothéod Knights are armed with a spear and a green wooden shield with the image of a white horse painted on it. Furthermore they are protected by quality mail armour and a helmet. Although they differ from the present day Rohirrim, their common ancestry can still be seen through their equipment; especially their shield which represents and honours this common ancestry. Éothéod Knights have excellent morale and are the last to flee from the battlefield.
Name: Bears
Troops: 5
Rating: 9/10, Elite
Attributes: Vulnerable to missiles, may charge without orders, can go berserk
Short Unit Description: The bears of the Vale of Anduin are dangerous animals to have as your foe, but if you are their friend, they can be loyal and dedicated allies.
The Beornings have always been friendly to the animals who live nearby, especially bearswith whom they share a very special connection. The Skin-changers among the Beornings have the ability to turn into a great bear. In this bear-form the Beornings are able to speak with their animal bear friends. The bears of the Vale of Anduin are the greatest bears in all of Middle-earth and also the most dangerous if you are unfriendly to them. Most bears have either brown or black as their main colour, it is noted that Beorn himself turns into a black bear for example.
Sometimes, when the homelands of the Beornings are threatened, these bears fight to defend their human friends. They do not wield any weapons of course, for their claws and teeth are enough to kill any foe with ease. However, the fact they do not wear armour is one of their biggest disadvantages, for a company of archers might be able to shoot a bear relatively easy from a distance. Aside from this they also have another disadvantage which is the fact that they have no discipline at all. Once unleashed there is no stopping them, not even the Skin-changers are able to control these bears when they are in full rage. A bear is always an ideal friend to have besides you in battle though, for they have had experience fighting giants and if a bear is able to kill a giant, it should be easy for him to kill a horde of Goblins as well.
Name: Beorning Berserkers
Troops: 20
Rating: 9/10, Elite
Attributes: Valurable against missiles
Weapons and Equipment: Axe
Short Unit Description: These men wear no armour at all because it would limit their ability to fully swing their great axe.
Long Unit Description: The Beornings live in the Vale of Anduin and are relatives and servants of their great leader Beorn the Skin-changer. Some of these Beornings have inherited the same ability as Beorn: to change into great bears. If not in bear form, the Beorning Berserkers wield a great fearsome axe, which they swing with great strength. They wear no armour because it hinders the wide arc of their axe swing. They also possess a remarkably high degree of pain tolerance, much higher than that of other humans. Another reason that they do not wear armour is to display their bravery, for these men are expected by their kinsmen to be as brave as Beorn, brave enough to fight without armour. As such, the Beorning Berserkers have a reputation to live up to.
The men who become Beorning Berserkers are often of great stature and are among the bravest warriors of their tribe. To shed any fear for battle; the Beorning Berserkers will often consume alcoholic beverages to bring them into a state in which they care not for pain, nor for the overwhelming numbers of the enemy. When in this alcoholic state, the Beorning Berserkers will charge recklessly at the enemy, hoping to frighten and rout them. One thing that is sure however, is that the Beorning Berserkers will never run away from battle, they would rather die fighting for their freedom.
VALE OF ANDUIN FACTION: COMPATIBLE WITH TATW 2.1! Not compatible with FROME!
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Announcing Vale of Anduin Faction [Don't make any appointments for next weekend. VOA is coming!!]
Originally Posted by Eol_Nauglamir
Thats the only thing I dont know how to do from the list the Elphir said, together we complete each other to cover the list of things required.
