The Campaigns Addon (for LotRTW v3.0+)

[CapnDan]

I guess you deserve to be pretty happy!! Your modifications made LotR-TW even more thrilling and exciting!!

Thanks!

I think I have to fight for Gondor in one of my next campaigns watching the AI Numenoreans with spies...

Idea: The surviving forces of Gondor might go north to fight under Elessar's banner after Gondor's defeat...! This could result in lower recruiting times for Numenorean units or Gondorian militia units could be available in Fornost or something like that...

AI Numenor doesn't do much (that you can see ) other than just survive for 60-80 turns or so. But, the Gondor campaign is definitely something special all to itself. Both the Gondor and Rohan campaigns are very 'last stand'-y and have significantly altered victory conditions and scripting from the original base mod. Plenty of epic defending needed in both of those. Mordor actually managed to take Minas Tirith from me fair and square this one time.

Do more ancillary scripts exist than "export_ancillaries1.txt", "export_ancillaries.txt", "export_descr_ancillaries.txt"??

Well not Ancillary scripts per-se but rather campaign scripts based on the presence/existence and location of the ancillaries, as well as some of the character traits (naval command and electability if I remember correctly) caused by those ancillaries. Anduril, the one ring, and a couple of others actually have quite a bit of hidden coding attached to them.

REPORT: Legendary death of Elessar!!! Elessar was killed by an orcish arrow 5 seconds before victory at Rivendell!!!!! "History became legend. Legend became myth. And for two and a half thousand years, the flame of the west passed out of all knowledge..."

Haha, epic!

[Halvar von Flake]

Thanks!
AI Numenor doesn't do much (that you can see ) other than just survive for 60-80 turns or so. But, the Gondor campaign is definitely something special all to itself. Both the Gondor and Rohan campaigns are very 'last stand'-y and have significantly altered victory conditions and scripting from the original base mod. Plenty of epic defending needed in both of those. Mordor actually managed to take Minas Tirith from me fair and square this one time.
Well not Ancillary scripts per-se but rather campaign scripts based on the presence/existence and location of the ancillaries, as well as some of the character traits (naval command and electability if I remember correctly) caused by those ancillaries. Anduril, the one ring, and a couple of others actually have quite a bit of hidden coding attached to them.

Haha, epic!

Elessar's death was epic indeed! When I attacked Rivendell I was especially worried about the reinforcements standing next to the city because I had only a small army in field. I thought a quick strong stride and Imladris would be mine before the orc reinforcements arrived. I suffered heavy losses by missile fire and strong melee defense but made it to the centre of the city realizing that I had to capture the bridge for victory! Thus, Elessar and a few surviving Numenoreans ran back to hold the bridge but orc reinforcement had made it close to it meanwhile. Elessar and his bodyguards were in the lead and got under missile fire and the other Numenoreans tried to guard him but i was too late...a black arrow found his way into Elessar's breast. He never really had recovered from his wounds he carried away from the black gate and his frail body was too weak to compensate this vital blow...

By the way, did you change the missile mechanics? Missiles appear to be more deadly for me in V2.6...I attacked, for instance, a orc rabble hunter skirmisher unit standing on walls with four Numenorean spear units and all of them suffered heavy losses...hmm...

And I still have CTDs in the Numenor campaign although I use unchanged V2.6 ancillary.texts. I think there might be a problem with the gondorian buildings in the free peoples cities...hmm...something is not running smoothly...but maybe you have another explanation...?!

Maybe I go for a Gondorian last stand campaign next week, so I can figure out if I suffer more, less or no CTDs with this faction in the Numenor campaign modus...

Another question/idea...is it possible to increase the chance of troll armies attacking a city directly? This would be great fun and in many cases more challenging!!

And I still think it would be nice to have the choice with the Numenor faction to recruit Rangers of the North...

[Halvar von Flake]

I made a clean reinstall of RTW-TW and LotR-TW before I installed your V2.6 addon but I could have forgotten the "lotrtw_3.02_Bugfix.zip"...
...so, I will make up the leeway...copy the 3.02-Bugfix into the lotr-folder and then V2.6.! Thanks a lot!

[Halvar von Flake]

Everthing is fine now! I forgot the 3.02-Bugfix! No crashes anymore!

Now, I can continue my Numenor campaign without worrying about multiple AI-attacks!

Suggestion: Hobbit Archers, Hobbit Militia, Hobbit Stonethrowers (and Free Peoples' Hunters would be nice either) available for Numenor faction! It's such a fun to defend the Shire!! And, as you know it belongs to the lost realm of Arnor...

[Halvar von Flake]

Little Report Numenor campaign, turn 78: I toggled fog of war for a moment and saw that Southrons have taken all Gondorian territories. Shaman leaders look very nice but appear to be as powerful as mumakils as far as the strat map is concerned...

[CapnDan]

Everthing is fine now! I forgot the 3.02-Bugfix! No crashes anymore!

Suggestion: Hobbit Archers, Hobbit Militia, Hobbit Stonethrowers (and Free Peoples' Hunters would be nice either) available for Numenor faction! It's such a fun to defend the Shire!! And, as you know it belongs to the lost realm of Arnor...

Glad to hear it and maybe something to think about I guess.

Little Report Numenor campaign, turn 78: I toggled fog of war for a moment and saw that Southrons have taken all Gondorian territories. Shaman leaders look very nice but appear to be as powerful as mumakils as far as the strat map is concerned...

Nope, that's totally intentional and is the regrouped/remaining umbar pirates actually attacking from the West while Mordor attacks from the East. Like I, and the campaign description says, the Gondor campaign is very much a desperate last stand. In the Return of Numenor campaign, the AI will regularly and almost without exception trounce Gondor by about turn 35 or so. The trouncing is totally fair, by design, and in my estimation at least, epic to play.

[Halvar von Flake]

Glad to hear it and maybe something to think about I guess.


Nope, that's totally intentional and is the regrouped/remaining umbar pirates actually attacking from the West while Mordor attacks from the East. Like I, and the campaign description says, the Gondor campaign is very much a desperate last stand. In the Return of Numenor campaign, the AI will regularly and almost without exception trounce Gondor by about turn 35 or so. The trouncing is totally fair, by design, and in my estimation at least, epic to play.

Yes, indeed, it is epic to play! And it will take outstanding efforts to repell the forces of evil out of Rohan and Gondor...!! Some ranger and hobbit units could help doing so...

Elessar was cured for several rounds in Fornost with a medium fountain of healing inside but the frail body trait never left...Earendur now leads the Dunedain of the North with Sting into battle...!

Narya was found with Thranduil in Mirkwood! What happened to Mithrandir?!? Maybe he will accompany Elessar in the fire ball unit outfit to Fornost in the next version of this awesome addon...?!

[Halvar von Flake]

Report, turn 116:

The lost realm of Arnor now extends from Kibil Dum to Gundabad and from Lunelaith to Rivendell. Mordor armies march on Gundabad and Dunlending attacks increase significantly whereas Orc Rabbles struggle with extinction. The Elven factions, Dwarves and Dalian men still own 3 to 5 territories in average and Eomer holds Woldberg as the last Rohirric retreat. A Numenorean and Noldor army is going to cross the misty mountains at Kydrol Sym pass to chase an Easterling warlord sighted by a spy in Thoronburg carrying the One Ring…

Suggestions:

- Catapults recruitable at Fornost
- Gondorian Miltia Archers recruitable for Numenor in Gondor
- simply take all Free Peoples` units as militia for Numenoreans including special units like ents and beornings, rangers and hobbits as the Free peoples territories cover more or less the lost realm of Arnor - this would be even awesomer!!!

[CapnDan]

Gandalf is gone, missing perhaps, but gone since the battle at the Black Gate.

As for other units:
-a limited selection of hobbits of Numenor seems reasonable and probably just an oversight that they're not there already
-Eoryn I will likely also be back in a next version if one comes (also kind of an oversight)
-Catapults I kind of felt were against the theme of the desperate and disparate army (of heroes basically) so they're not there
-rangers, ents, and beornings aren't available for numenor both for story and gameplay reasons. Usually they don't fit the story for the faction/campaign and/or the intended design for the feeling of being limited when you play this faction.

[Halvar von Flake]

I guess Gandalf will come back to us at the turn of the tide...maybe as an easter egg...?!?

I understand you have a slightly different interpretation of the Numenor campaign than me. Although I think ents and beornings would help Elessar with his disparate army when facing the hordes of darkness... ...and catapults could have very long recruiting times...! I generally prefer when you have the choice...and by the way catapults make a lot of fun! And you will need them after the defeat of Mordor against Southrons, Isengard and Easterlings...

[Halvar von Flake]

Some more suggestions:

- make a choice of mercenary units available consisting of units of a destructed faction for allied factions, i. e. if Gondor is destroyed make some Gondorian troops available as mercenaries for Rohan, Dale or Free Peoples etc. on Gondorian territories (for instance catapults or mounted knights). Or if Orc Rabbles is destroyed Mordor, Isengard can hire hill or cave trolls or other orc rabbles units as mercenary units in former orc rabbles' regions.

- use the spy model if possible as strat map model for ranger units and smaller weathertop models as watch towers for free peoples and ranger captains for free peoples units - some older suggestions by me...just to remind you...

Nice you made spies available for free peoples! And very nice rangers of the north are recruitable and used as general units!!!

[CapnDan]

Some more suggestions:

- make a choice of mercenary units available consisting of units of a destructed faction for allied factions, i. e. if Gondor is destroyed make some Gondorian troops available as mercenaries for Rohan, Dale or Free Peoples etc. on Gondorian territories (for instance catapults or mounted knights). Or if Orc Rabbles is destroyed Mordor, Isengard can hire hill or cave trolls or other orc rabbles units as mercenary units in former orc rabbles' regions.

- use the spy model if possible as strat map model for ranger units and smaller weathertop models as watch towers for free peoples and ranger captains for free peoples units - some older suggestions by me...just to remind you...

The first suggestion you have is actually already implemented, hidden away in the game code.
Although it's not actually as mercenaries as the precise suggestion you've made is not really possible, but most factions can recruit a limited number of non-factional units if they control the right regions and/or have the right buildings to training those unit types. Generally it's lower tier units though (and rightly so I'd say).

As for stratmap models, these are tricky, tied to the culture type (which numenor is sneakily sharing with gondor in the game code and dealing with that is a whole other bag of worms completely), and for me personally, I don't think these changes would add anything to the game. I've grown rather attached to the idea of the Free Peoples militia being just farmers and townspeople, and it fits with the story lore to boot.

[Halvar von Flake]

I see, I have to search for the regions where new mercenaries are available. So, I have to spent more time in CapnDan's Middle-Earth...!

I like the Free Peoples as they are very much at the moment! And the little changes you made, of course! What I was thinking about if it was a good idea to take the same strat and battle map model for Michel Delving as for Hobbiton. And if it is possible to find a way to capture siege machines from other factions...hmm...and if the Aragorn unit could get a mount effect against Sauron +4 or +8 for Anduril...and many other things but I should think about them "deeplier"...

[CapnDan]

Well they're not there as mercenaries "as is not really possible, but most factions can recruit a limited number of non-factional units if they control the right regions and/or have the right buildings to train those unit types. Generally it's lower tier units though" It's set up this way as there are certain limits to mercenary recruitment (it cannot be changed by scripted conditions for example).

Anduril mount effect and possible siege weapons for Numenor I have made notes of and maay end up being things if I eventually find myself with a chunk of free time again at some point.

Settlements remain far beyond both my computer software and hardware limitations, so as I've said so many times before, there is sadly nothing I can do there. ..

[Halvar von Flake]

CapnDan, thanks a lot! Enjoy your time without modding!!! It is never good to spent unholy amounts of time in front of the screen!! The best ideas come when your are not working on things...!!!

[Halvar von Flake]

Numenor campaign with Gondor is one of my best campaigns ever!!! Treebeard still defending Isengard…!!!

[CapnDan]

Numenor campaign with Gondor is one of my best campaigns ever!!! Treebeard still defending Isengard…!!!

[Halvar von Flake]

AAAAAAAARRRGGHH!!! My best campaign ever suddenly ended on turn 46 by the destruction of Mordor!
How can I change this? I do not want Mordor to die by accident or Dunedain special mission...!

[CapnDan]

AAAAAAAARRRGGHH!!! My best campaign ever suddenly ended on turn 46 by the destruction of Mordor!
How can I change this? I do not want Mordor to die by accident or Dunedain special mission...!

Haha, well if you don't like that I've posted some steps below which should remove it.
This destruction of Mordor thing was the result of my trying to balance out the campaign end game. I found it was both too long and kind of a repeat of the regular stock campaign without this different ending. I'd though about coding it as like a 40/60 success/not success thing to give the player a chance to fight until Gondor's very last but in the ended just decided to go with the reliability of a shorter campaign that fits with the modified description and victory conditions.

Okay steps that should be able to remove the Ranger Success script without breaking anything (I think, no guarantees though, haven't tested it myself)
1. Go to ...lotrtw/data/scripts/show_me and open returnofnumenor_script.txt
2. Make a backup just in case
2. Search in returnofnumenor_script.txt for:" Numenor's Mordor attack around turn 45 "
3. Delete the entire section (but only that particular section though)
4. Close and save
5. Delete the advice file in ...lotrtw/preferences/
6. Start the game and if it loads with no errors open a new numenor campaign with Gondor and click End Turn one time (to check errors and regenerate script files)
7. Exit from the game you'd started and re-load a save game from your campaign and you should be good to go.

[Halvar von Flake]

Ah, god save the Queen and CapnDan, now I can continue my awesome campaign!

Maybe, you can change the ranger success into an optional choice where a screen is popping up asking the player if he wants the ranger mission to be completed or not...I was hoping when I reached turn 45 there would be Dunedain reinforcements coming without upkeep costs...8 units of Rangers of the North or something like that...!

Another suggestion would be to give Gondor (or Rohan either) a new building like the Numenorean call of the Noldor for Dunedain reinforcements...

And what about Elrond leading the Noldor reinforcement for Numenor and Elessar leading the Dunedain reinforcements for Gondor...that would be really, really cool if the true king returned to Gondor in this desperate situation at turn 45!!!

EDIT: Treebeard fell in Isengard but Eomer is still defending Helm's Deep!