Wainriders FAQ and Q&A Thread
Wainriders FAQ:
What is the setting/time period?
The nineteenth century of the Third Age is a fascinating time that is largely unexplored in games or mods. It saw decisive conflicts in Arnor, the formation of new groups of Northmen that would have profound effects on the history of Gondor - and, of course, the invasion of a mysterious and strong people from the East.
The campaign opens in the year 1864 of the Third Age, in the aftermath of the disastrous Battle of the Plains, in which the Wainriders, a mysterious new power from the East, defeated the army of Gondor and slew King Narmacil II.
Following this victory, the once independent peoples of Rhovanion have been subjugated or scattered, with invaders occupying their lands. Some have moved west into the Anduin Vales, while others have fled up the Celduin.
In Eriador, the North-kingdom holds out against the growing power of Angmar, while Orcish tribes infest the mountains and clash with the Dwarves and hardy Men who attempt to settle nearby.
To the south, Gondor must be on guard not only against the Wainriders, but against the power of Umbar and the desert tribes of Harad.
And on the fringes of these proud kingdoms, lesser folk make their own moves: the tribes of the Eryn Vorn and the coasts of Minhiriath and Enedwaith; the descendants of the men of the White Mountains; reclusive Elves; and hardy Men in league with Dwarves out of the unknown East.
What makes this mod different than Third Age?
Wainriders is a stand alone submod for the Fourth Age: Total War and uses RTW:ALX as a base rather than Medieval II.
Why Alexander Total War?
Alexander: Total War offers some unique mechanics and possibilities for modding, such as "immortal" characters, factional mercenaries, more unit models, and more. It's really the only RTW option for representing the many famous long-lived figures from the period. Plus we have some fun ideas for some of the other ATW features too!
How is this different from the base FATW?
Fourth Age: Total War takes place after the departure of the Rings of Power, in a Middle-earth that is witness to the diminishing of the Eldar and the rise of Men.
Wainriders too focuses on the kingdoms of Men and their wars, but ancient powers – both good and evil – have a much stronger presence than in the Fourth Age. In Wainriders, there are more non-Mannish factions than in FATW (3 Elven factions, 3 Dwarven factions, 1 Orkish faction), and recruitment of non-Mannish units is less hindered by population mechanics than in FATW.
Since it takes place before the forging of the Reunited Kingdom, Wainriders features separate kingdoms of Gondor and Arthedain. Eorl has not yet ridden from the North, so Calenardhon is occupied both by forces of Gondor and hereditary native chieftains who man the strong places at Angrenost and Aglarond. In the North, the Witch-realm of Angmar has wrested territory from the ruins of Arnor, while in the South a Corsair kingdom threatens the isolated Gondorian harbor of Umbar.
Additionally, Wainriders utilizes the Alexander .exe, which allows for several mechanical differences from FATW.
Will the map be different from Dominion of Men?
Wainriders will use the base map found in Dominion of Men, with some changes to settlements and provinces to account for the different historical focus and improved gameplay for the new faction starting locations.
What are the factions?
We'll be releasing information about the factions in a series of previews over the coming months, but there will be 18 playable factions covering every major and some not-so major powers of the time.
How will immortal characters be handled?
In two ways. Some characters will use the Alexander mechanic to prevent their dying of old age. Others are better represented through building effects or ancillaries.
Will the mod/unit design be similar to the movies?
Wainriders will largely take its design cues from the work already done in Fourth Age: Total War, which tends not to draw visual influences from the Lord of the Rings films.
Will there be Orc factions?
Yes!
Will there be a Sauron faction?
This mod takes place before Sauron returned to Mordor and declared himself publicly. As such, while there will be a Sauron faction, it will be unplayable, inaccessible, and will primarily exist to ensure hostile diplomatic relations between certain factions. The machinations of Sauron during this period of Middle-earth history will be present and visible in the mod in many ways.
Will there be Drakes/Balrogs/Giant Spiders/Ents/etc?
The focus of the mod will not be on "creatures," since they played little role in the events of the period. That said, we do have permission to use the assets of some other LOTR mods that include some creatures, so if it fits the lore and we have time to put them in, we won't say no!
When will it be released?
1:00 p.m. EST, March 31, 2030. Just kidding! It will be released when it's finished.
Feel free to post your questions about the submod in this thread. Wainriders is currently in development, so some elements are still being determined and as a result it may not be possible to answer all questions definitively - but conversation is welcome!
Join the Fourth Age Discord community to talk about the mod, and drop by the Wainriders channel for discussion of this submod: https://discord.gg/GtwJcy8
Reply With Quote
Generally speaking the more 'worldly' elves of the east will have a bit of an easier time with expansion, while the High elves will be especially reliant on their home territories. With the faction specific mercenary feature of Alexander, we have the option of preventing them from having any non-elvish units at all, which is quite an attractive route to go for several reasons.
Originally Posted by _zzz_
