First off I am so happy to see a mod based on the movies and books both for Rome 2 awesome. Thank all you guys for a "third age" for Rome 2, I wish you all the luck.
Some suggestions
1] Please have the battles be epic to match the feel and lore of middle earth. Third age did a great job of this with medeivel 2, they slowed down the battles into grind it out large strategic hard fought epic battles. Rome 2 vanilla is imo the opposite of epic, fast paced retreat hardly any fighting in it.
2] balancing hero units
ents as example.
Not sure who is in charge but... I hate when games such as i mentioned above with ea games and battle for middle earth the original ents before any patches were pretty good, there natural armor great to anything but fire, they were very powerful and could easily take down gates and stone walls with punches. By the time battle for middle earth 2 came out [and patches middle earth 1] they were nothing but a artillery unit [took normal damage etc]because of balancing. To me that ruined the game, it was no longer a lotr game but a rts game in a lotr shell. I would hate for this mod that has so much potential, to lose the reason we play, lotr lore, because of balancing. I think third age did a great job representing the ents, yet they did not make a big impact on war because they were so rare to get. Why instead of making them something they are not [less effective units in game] make them harder to build, take longer,have less of them etc? also they do have one big weakness, fire and actually axes to a lesser extent.
To me this should apply 100% to all units, if they are too powerful, trolls,ents,balrog,mumakil,leaders etc please balance in a way that does not take from the lore and power of the unit. To me it was clear Tolkien wanted these creatures and leaders galadrial,gandalf, many other leaders , to be a cut above the rest almost epic, stuff of stories. Just my opnion and i shall shut up know.
3] Include places of power.
Places of power/wonders of the world rome 2
having certain territories give some kind of bonus, maybe for gondor its owning the pillars of kings, if they own it than it makes them happy if it is taken away they begin to fear etc. Places of power I guess is what i am saying, similar to the wonders of the world in rome 2. If a certain faction owns the territory of object, than it gives bonuses. Especially if the place is ancient. Capturing those places could give bonuses. The bonus could effect the whole faction, or just the single territory/object.I was also thinking maybe, if not bonuses, I think maybe they should at least cause a popup and maybe short history of the object/place of power.
places of power ideas-not all factions need one, but a half dozen to a dozen would add to the mod imo.
gondor argonath/ pillars of kings
Rohan-Golden hall of Meduseld/ or helms deep/ horn of helm hammerhand
Elves- of lothlorien- Mallorn trees or Caras Galadhon maybe even nenya
Isengard-orthanc/palantiri.
Dwarves-Arkenstone
4] Isengard/crebain
I think isengard would be very interesting if they had both a plantiri and crebain, two separate ways to scout. One way they could be used is on campaign map, simply they act like a spy, Yet appear like flying birds. Rome 2 has birds/eagels flying around on campaign map so I would think it could be done.
5]Suggestions to increase immersion of middle earth.
I think the more immersion to the game the better, i think a lotr mod should not just be re-skinned gondor and mordor units and the like, rome 2 in a lotr skin. but should try to do its best at bringing middle earth to life. I think as much as possible you guys should try to bring in the history and lore of middle earth. I think this can be done with intros to factions, but in game especially, i think popups can do a great job of this. So while the player is playing they are also learning about middle earth places,events, etc I think the more popups the better. Find any excuse to fit info into the game. When I first played medieval 1 total war, I was both learning history of the time period and playing the game, it made it my all time favorite game, I was so immersed in the game i felt like i was there, that should be a goal of this mod and popups and history are one great way of doing that.
6] Include huorons, i see them as not as strong as a ent, more equal to a troll maybe. If i remember right they were pretty much trees in appearance. Would be nice addition to units.
7] include the army of the dead as a recrutabel unit. Maybe a one off recruit for gondor, can only be used in one battle, or maybe even a time limit in the one battle.
8] include warning beacons of gondor[http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Warning_beacons_of_Gondor] I think would make for a great "wonder" or even better, to be functional somehow in game. To be used in diplomacy as call for aid, to alert to danger etc. I would also add to the lore just seeing them on campaign map even if not a wonder or functional.
9] distinction
I think a key to middle earth lore and part of what makes it great is distinction between factions. The way they fight,look and act. For example rohan should be red,orange,yellow [gondor black/brown] bearded guys with horse design all over flags/armor etc. Tolkien was accused of being racist because he wanted his cultures so distinct in the way they were. I think the more you can find ways to add make and create distinction in gameplay,fighting formations, look and any other way, the better the mod.
questions
Will The mirror of galadriel and the palantiri be in the game?
if mordor gets the ring can they recruit sauron?