No, you do because you need to create the military unit. You just don't need to build extra armories/training fields, and the military district needs to be built in Bree.
City Building in Middle-Earth
- Thread starter Sayle
- Start date
-
- Tags
- lotr middle-earth
No, you do because you need to create the military unit. You just don't need to build extra armories/training fields, and the military district needs to be built in Bree.
- Location
- USA
Can't believe I missed seeing this quest but my thoughts are to leave off taking more stone from the ruins since we have cleared the rubble and instead leave the structures there to be used again in the future with a settlement there.
Chaos Blade
Procrastinating Writer
- Location
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
Didn't saw an option in the post, so we build a military district and specify [Bree]?
Can we do this sort of thing in some of our other tributaries? (Orodsir) even if we have to bank roll the costs, adding some basic forticications and what not... or even expanding Orodsir a bit (not now, but eventually)
And I guess the Shire will be a trade market for us, so we might, eventually want to build some sort of military facilities, maybe some redoubts (specially towards the Barrows), etc?
Caer Nurnelen and Mitraith are both gone from the new map?
Big markers are major settlements.
Small markers are minor settlements.
Black markers are controlled.
Grey markers are ruins.
Blue markers are controlled by someone else.
Red markers are independent.
- Location
- Austria
Big markers are major settlements.
Small markers are minor settlements.
Black markers are controlled.
Grey markers are ruins.
Blue markers are controlled by someone else.
Red markers are independent.
On accidentally clicking the image....wow, that's one hell of a size.
Also, can we build the road to the Orodsir?
Where is this coming from? We sold Hardwood to Mithlond last turn.
Did we discover another source of Lebethorn?
You'll be able to build roads a bit later, when things transition more to nation building than city building. Which will be soon.
PLAN VIAGRA
GENERAL
[X] Assess the status of Cor Wilishar's ruins for if it's viable for habitation/as a military outpost , and follow up by checking on Fornost and Annuminas, lest they become the haunts of evil things.
[X] Consider garrisoning a regular detachment at Sarn Ford[Iach Sarn] to secure the ford, and as a staging post to patrol the southern borders of the Barrow Downs and the Old Forest.
[X] Have rangers update maps of the Old Kingdom, with particular attention to known sites of strategic materials, and suspected haunts of Orks, trolls and other enemies.
[X] Establish regular messenger service connecting the Realm's towns and cities.
[X] Establish military garrison at Bree as soon as viable to secure the northern reaches of the Realm.
TRADE
[X] Import 4 Food(Profit +1): -8 gold
[X] Import 1 Stone (Profit +1):-3 gold
[X] Export 3 Metal: +6 gold
[X] Export 1 Hardwood: +6 gold
[X] Import 1 Wood (Cost +1): -4 gold
-3 gold/turn
CONSTRUCTION AND RECRUITMENT
YEAR 1
[X] Upgrade Man-At-Arms to Infantry: 10 gold
YEAR 2[+1 POP]
[X] Fishing (-3 Gold, -2 Wood, +3 Food)[New Population]
[X] Residential District (-5 Gold, -2 Stone, +2 Housing)
YEAR 3
[X] Bridge the River (-10 Gold, -20 Stone)
--[X] Settle the East Bank (-10 Gold, -10 Stone)
YEAR 4[+1 POP]
[X] Logging Camp (-3 Gold, +3 Wood)
[X] Residential District (-5 Gold, -2 Stone, +2 Housing)
YEAR 5[+1 POP]
[X] Military District (-10 Gold, Req. 1 Population)[Bree][New Population]
[X] Recruit Infantry: 20 gold[To Bree]
SHIPBUILDING
YEAR 5
[X] Ciralya (Merchant Ship) (-10 Gold, -10 Wood) [Req. 1 Shipbuilding]
NOTES
Everything hinges on population, so first priority is to increase the size of the Dunedain population.
That means spending a lot on importing food, and then following it up by building a Fishery; Fish because we had to feed Orodsir last turn when their farms failed.
Barring severe environmental fuckery(rolling 1s on our weather roll), we should expand our population by ~25% in the next five years, if my math is correct.
Wood, as a requirement for both ships and surviving Sauron's winters, is second priority, and so a logging camp is the destination of the second new Population unit; Fishing is the destination of the first.
Military is third priority, as Orks and dark spirits become more active, because we do have a responsibility to Bree.
Upgrading men at arms to Infantry; with our net income at ~20 gold/year by the end of this turn, we can afford it, and there seems to be a need for a stronger military. Especially we want it done before we bridge the Baranduin, just in case.
Bridging the Baranduin this turn, because it gives us access to another forest, with, hopefully, more lebethorn.
Since merchant ships do not seem to increase income, scheduled building a new one for the end of the turn, by which time we should have accumulated sufficient excess wood to spare.
GENERAL
[X] Assess the status of Cor Wilishar's ruins for if it's viable for habitation/as a military outpost , and follow up by checking on Fornost and Annuminas, lest they become the haunts of evil things.
[X] Consider garrisoning a regular detachment at Sarn Ford[Iach Sarn] to secure the ford, and as a staging post to patrol the southern borders of the Barrow Downs and the Old Forest.
[X] Have rangers update maps of the Old Kingdom, with particular attention to known sites of strategic materials, and suspected haunts of Orks, trolls and other enemies.
[X] Establish regular messenger service connecting the Realm's towns and cities.
[X] Establish military garrison at Bree as soon as viable to secure the northern reaches of the Realm.
TRADE
[X] Import 4 Food(Profit +1): -8 gold
[X] Import 1 Stone (Profit +1):-3 gold
[X] Export 3 Metal: +6 gold
[X] Export 1 Hardwood: +6 gold
[X] Import 1 Wood (Cost +1): -4 gold
-3 gold/turn
CONSTRUCTION AND RECRUITMENT
YEAR 1
[X] Upgrade Man-At-Arms to Infantry: 10 gold
YEAR 2[+1 POP]
[X] Fishing (-3 Gold, -2 Wood, +3 Food)[New Population]
[X] Residential District (-5 Gold, -2 Stone, +2 Housing)
YEAR 3
[X] Bridge the River (-10 Gold, -20 Stone)
--[X] Settle the East Bank (-10 Gold, -10 Stone)
YEAR 4[+1 POP]
[X] Logging Camp (-3 Gold, +3 Wood)
[X] Residential District (-5 Gold, -2 Stone, +2 Housing)
YEAR 5[+1 POP]
[X] Military District (-10 Gold, Req. 1 Population)[Bree][New Population]
[X] Recruit Infantry: 20 gold[To Bree]
SHIPBUILDING
YEAR 5
[X] Ciralya (Merchant Ship) (-10 Gold, -10 Wood) [Req. 1 Shipbuilding]
START
Food Surplus: +1 [Difference between food production and population]
+1 Growth/turn[Total increase after 50% low tax bonus]
(8/14 Growth to next population or GTNP)
[13/13 Emergency Food Store]
Yearly growth formula = Food surplus + new food supply + 50% low tax bonus
YEAR 1
Food surplus: +1 (8/14 GTNP) [13/13 Stores]
+ 4 Trade + 50% Tax bonus
= +7 Growth
YEAR 2 (+1 POP): FISHING
Food surplus: +0 (0/15 GTNP) [14/14 Stores]
+4 Trade +3 Fishing + 50% Tax bonus
= +10 Growth
YEAR 3
Food surplus: +0 (10/15 GTNP)[14/14 Stores]
+4 Trade +3 Fishing + 50% Tax Bonus
=+10 Growth
YEAR 4 (+1 POP): LOGGING
Food surplus: -1 (4/16 GTNP)[15/15 Stores]
+4 Trade + 3 Fishing +50% Tax Bonus
=+9 Growth
YEAR 5 (+1 POP): MILITARY
Food surplus: -1 (13/16 GTNP)[15/15 Stores]
+4 Trade +3 Fishing + 50% Tax Bonus
= +9 Growth
****
START YEAR 6
Food: +1(1 Growth) (5/17 GTNP)[16/16 Stores]
Food Surplus: +1 [Difference between food production and population]
+1 Growth/turn[Total increase after 50% low tax bonus]
(8/14 Growth to next population or GTNP)
[13/13 Emergency Food Store]
Yearly growth formula = Food surplus + new food supply + 50% low tax bonus
YEAR 1
Food surplus: +1 (8/14 GTNP) [13/13 Stores]
+ 4 Trade + 50% Tax bonus
= +7 Growth
YEAR 2 (+1 POP): FISHING
Food surplus: +0 (0/15 GTNP) [14/14 Stores]
+4 Trade +3 Fishing + 50% Tax bonus
= +10 Growth
YEAR 3
Food surplus: +0 (10/15 GTNP)[14/14 Stores]
+4 Trade +3 Fishing + 50% Tax Bonus
=+10 Growth
YEAR 4 (+1 POP): LOGGING
Food surplus: -1 (4/16 GTNP)[15/15 Stores]
+4 Trade + 3 Fishing +50% Tax Bonus
=+9 Growth
YEAR 5 (+1 POP): MILITARY
Food surplus: -1 (13/16 GTNP)[15/15 Stores]
+4 Trade +3 Fishing + 50% Tax Bonus
= +9 Growth
****
START YEAR 6
Food: +1(1 Growth) (5/17 GTNP)[16/16 Stores]
Everything hinges on population, so first priority is to increase the size of the Dunedain population.
That means spending a lot on importing food, and then following it up by building a Fishery; Fish because we had to feed Orodsir last turn when their farms failed.
Barring severe environmental fuckery(rolling 1s on our weather roll), we should expand our population by ~25% in the next five years, if my math is correct.
Wood, as a requirement for both ships and surviving Sauron's winters, is second priority, and so a logging camp is the destination of the second new Population unit; Fishing is the destination of the first.
Military is third priority, as Orks and dark spirits become more active, because we do have a responsibility to Bree.
Upgrading men at arms to Infantry; with our net income at ~20 gold/year by the end of this turn, we can afford it, and there seems to be a need for a stronger military. Especially we want it done before we bridge the Baranduin, just in case.
Bridging the Baranduin this turn, because it gives us access to another forest, with, hopefully, more lebethorn.
Since merchant ships do not seem to increase income, scheduled building a new one for the end of the turn, by which time we should have accumulated sufficient excess wood to spare.
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Chaos Blade
Procrastinating Writer
- Location
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
Wile I agree with most of your plan, @uju32, I can't disapprove of the year three plans at this point. we haven't grown enough to need a second settlement on the other side of the river, we still have plenty space on our bank AND I think we should add in a pasture or two, mostly because they are more resistant to the weather (fishing is also vulnerable, if for other reasons)
Driven by Apathy
Formerly known as Brain_Caster
While I agree 100% with the intent, I'm not sure the same can be said about the conclusion.
Why would bridging the Baranduin give us access to another forest? Transport is far more efficient by sea than over land, and we have merchant ships now. And from what I understand the forest of Eryn Vorn isn't that close that one could reach it from Ost Falasuin just by crossing a bridge. I'd figure what we really need is a colony in Eryn Vorn with a port.
On the other hand, maybe Eryn Vorn is so close on the other side of the river that improved timber harvesting without need for a colony would indeed become possible if we had a bridge. I just kind of assumed the distance was greater, but I don't recall why exactly. I might have been mistaken.
@Sayle
Will bridging the river allow us to harvest wood more efficiently?
@Sayle
Can we do anything with the merchant ships? Like having them assume general trading duties (there's got to be more goods to trade than just what is simulated) for a small profit in gold, possibly with the size of our active trade fleet being limited by the number of available docks?
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Chaos Blade
Procrastinating Writer
- Location
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
We could build river barges and build a small dock on the other side and it would be, functionally, the same and lack the security concerns the bridging would net us. actually, we will probably need River Barges of some sort if we plan to build a post at Sarn's ford and would make communication both with Bree and the Shire easier, so that is something we might want to do anyway
If the main focus of our garrison in Bree will be general patrol duties and dealing with raiders, then we might want to think seriously about garrisoning a cavalry unit rather than an infantry one.
If we're dealing with scattered raiding bands over a large area, covering a lot of ground and speed will probably be at a premium, less so having to engage large formations. A solid medium cavalry unit like Skirmishers would have the range and mobility to chase down and engage small groups of marauding orcs and creatures. As well as having the speed to be able to ride to the rescue for our rangers if they find themselves in a tight spot. Something to consider, at least.
I mean Lond Daer did have a bunch of rubble lying around that we could recover without smashing any of thepriceless wonders of a lost age ruined warehouses, more or less as I kept exasperatedly saying, so I'm not sure if my predictions come off so terribly here? (I don't want to salvage any more, BTW, this did exactly what I hoped it would, taking the rubble whilst leaving the core intact areas for a future resettlement.) Tharbad and the embassy to the Northmen didn't work, fair does to you, but I did note at the time that they might likely not; my reasoning was that they cost basically nothing to try and would benefit us if they did, so why not? Although given the response I'm almost wondering if we somehow sent an embassy to the wrong group of Northmen. 
DÚNEDAIN DIPLOMACY STRIKES AGAIN
I'm also not entirely sure who you're addressing with "people" here. No one was saying AFAIK that Eriador right now is a stroll in the park. But the more southerly areas of Eriador are absolutely a safer neighbourhood right now than the Upper Vales of Anduin, where your immediate neighbours are 1) goblins, 2) hobgoblins, 3) even more fukken' goblins, and 4) motherfukken' DRAGONS. The Éothéod settling and prospering there for five hundred years despite that is strong evidence that their balls are in fact forged of sheer meteoric iron.
But mostly.... can we not let this argument drag into the next turn? Please Eru?
If we're dealing with scattered raiding bands over a large area, covering a lot of ground and speed will probably be at a premium, less so having to engage large formations. A solid medium cavalry unit like Skirmishers would have the range and mobility to chase down and engage small groups of marauding orcs and creatures. As well as having the speed to be able to ride to the rescue for our rangers if they find themselves in a tight spot. Something to consider, at least.
I mean Lond Daer did have a bunch of rubble lying around that we could recover without smashing any of the
DÚNEDAIN DIPLOMACY STRIKES AGAIN
I'm also not entirely sure who you're addressing with "people" here. No one was saying AFAIK that Eriador right now is a stroll in the park. But the more southerly areas of Eriador are absolutely a safer neighbourhood right now than the Upper Vales of Anduin, where your immediate neighbours are 1) goblins, 2) hobgoblins, 3) even more fukken' goblins, and 4) motherfukken' DRAGONS. The Éothéod settling and prospering there for five hundred years despite that is strong evidence that their balls are in fact forged of sheer meteoric iron.
But mostly.... can we not let this argument drag into the next turn? Please Eru?
Aeir/Number III
Unsustainable Gloom Engine
- Location
- America
Well, if the map is anything close to scale, it's actually quite further south down the coast and not really in our local area at all, albeit only barely outside it. It'd be nice if we had a scale to work with, preferable measured in days/weeks' worth of travel afoot [because that'd be easier and more useful than standard distance notation.]
It would be easier to access it with ships, but they'd be sailing the delta we're built at the base of, not the river itself, which should be taken into account. A colony would be helpful only after it has the surplus pop to harvest lumber in excess of what it needs, which is the same problem we're having already.
Ships would be harder to intercept / raid than a land-route, security concerns of a bridge aside [though it's my understanding the intent was to expend the city over the other side of the bridge, so it's not as much of a security concern as one might think?]
Settling the far bank becomes a good choice when we have population to put there, and stone to build walls and districts there. That might be this turn, or it might be the next one, it will depend on the details of the numbers and how everything is structured. The other choice is trying to get the city fully (or at least mostly) walled before we start building on the other side. Given the Enemy is more active now, that's something to consider seriously as well. There's no "right" answer, IMO, it's more a question of which we want to do first.
- Location
- USA
Was there a limit given on the expansion on our current side?
1)Note that we had spare space around the city of Ost when we established Orödsir, and it's currently our only source of local metal and stone.
Ost is a trading city; it needs feeders to supply it with material, and the wider it's catchment area, the better.
2)Yes, we want to diversify our local food generation; my ideal is for a third from Farms, Pastures and Fishing each.
Unfortunately, we currently need max food generation to kickstart a population boom ASAP, which means that Farms or Fishing have an advantage (+3 Food), over Pastures(+2 Food, +1 gold).
Plus, after Orodsir's farms were frozen by winter last turn, I want a little more margin from non-weather sensitive production.
3)Fishing is not explicitly vulnerable to the weather, according to the spec sheet on page 1.
Farming is the only form of food generation that is explicitly stated to be so.
Fishing is just the most expensive source of food, because it costs wood as well as gold to set up, and provides no free housing.
Farms only cost gold, and provide free housing for it's workers. Pastures cost gold only and provide free housing as well.
There are no other ports on Eryn Vorn.
Mass transport of stuff requires infrastructure: docks, loading equipment, roads for transport. Especially with luxury materials like lebenthorn, which you really do not want to damage.Even wood for construction can get fucked up right quick if handled wrong.
And it's not like we're overflowing with ships at the moment anyway; each ship we have is dedicated to doubling the amount of Food/Wood we can buy or sell.
Orodsir had access to Ost's resources to set up most of that expensive infrastructure, and Lorn Daer was a Numenorean port city, sited in a natural port site. Eryn Vorn does not seem to have any of those advantages.
And note that the eastern bank of the Baranduin is close enough that we can bridge it.
We aren't talking massive distances here; the map isn't supposed to be to scale, as far as I can tell.
Either that, or there's an island mid-river.
Frankly, if Orks are acting up, putting a colony somewhere with no backup and only accessible by sea is a quick way to lose it and its people.First you'll hear they're all dead is when/if a refugee makes it home. At least Ost has a militia as well as a unit of fulltime military, and a bridge means that they can cross and bring rescue or retribution right quick.
And the bridge will be guarded as a matter of course, plus bridges make good choke points for defence.
At worst, we evac everyone behind it and drop the bridge, like Gondor did at Osgiliath.
Not that it would be much good if we're ever on the defensive; armies from the East can ford the Baranduin up at Sarn Ford anyway.
That was how the Ringwraith came to the Shire in Fellowship of The Ring.
TL; DR
A bridge does not make us any less secure than we currently are.
And we could use the econ boost.
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Forgot to address this:
The city has two rings at the moment; three, if you look at the map. The arguments for not adding more atm is
1)Those rings aren't currently completely populated now.
2)There are currently more pressing ways to spend 45 gold that will generate immediate economic output.
I considered advocating for Cavalry, actually.
Problem:
That would entail patrolling the borders of the Old Forest and the Barrow Downs. With horses.
Excitable, sensitive horses.
I think we might want to stick to our two feet for a bit, at least until we can lay our hands on a source of reliable steeds, if any such exist atm.
Canon Dunedain of yore were superb infantrymen, after all.
I think I addressed what security concerns there are above.
Do remember that Sarn Ford is a stone ford; it's name literally means stony ford.
People cross it on foot, and on horseback; the Ringwraiths who came to the Shire first drove off the Dunedain guarding that ford, and then crossed it unaided, and we know Ringwraiths don't walk on water.
FieryMatter
Fire and Fiery
- Location
- Beyond the Sunset Sea
Angmar's forces were basically completely cleansed in the entirety of Eriador. There are of course bands of enemies still left, but not enough to be an existential threat. Sauron cannot focus his attention on both Eriador and Gondor at the same time, not at this crucial moment.
Lond Daer is in the middle of a huge grassland. Spies and communication don't mean much if the enemy has no capacity to invade. Even raiding would be very difficult since all of Lond Daer's value would be in trade and fishing. (Maybe a bit of agriculture)
Yes, we currently lack the resources to trade. However, settlements are not built in 1 day; it will be a bit late to start rebuilding Lond Daer by the time we actually got the resources to trade.
I think your comment regarding xenophobia literally goes against the whole point of LoTR.
The Kin-Strife was caused by roughly the same line of thinking, when Gondor sought to keep the line of 'High Men' pure. The Numenoreans are also not lacking in tyrants - Ar-Pharazon, Castamir, and numerous Black Numenoreans.
Naturally, this mode of thought was what Sauron tries to encourage, as it allows him to use a 'divide and conquer' strategy. Note the simultaneous attacks on both Arnor and Gondor, for another aspect of this strategy. In the end, he still failed during the War of the Ring - Rohan showed up to aid Gondor at the Pelennor Fields, Erebor and Dale fought side by side. The Fellowship of the Ring represented each race of the Free Peoples.
At any rate, I will address your specific examples. Rhudaur's fall was mainly caused by the splitting of the Dunedain realm, there is simply no unified response to any political influence or military invasion from Angmar.
Sharku's situation was a military invasion, NOT unrestricted immigration. It was a failure of the Shire's military, if it ever existed at all, NOT because they didn't build a wall to keep the ruffians out. In fact, if the Shire were not so isolated and more aware of the world outside, Saruman and his thugs could have been repulsed.
Unrestricted immigration is a bad thing, but as long as we keep the spies out, this would serve to keep our nation stronger.
The nearest edge of Eryn Vorn should be around 20 miles away from Ost Falastuin. The southern cape is 100 miles away, Lond Daer 200 miles away as the crow flies.
A bridge shouldn't be too much of a security concern. It is a chokepoint as long as it is well fortified, and any enemy trying to storm it would sustain a disproportionate number of casualties trying. And since we are going to expand on the other side, it will eventually be as well fortified as it is on the current bank.
And yes, ships will be much harder to raid. The Umbarians don't come that far north, Gondor is a much more important strategic target and we are simply too far away. (If they send enough ships to attack us, they will also send far too many ships away to defend Umbar itself and leave it wide open to a Gondorian assault). No other enemy comes even close to possessing a navy, which is not surprising as none of our potential enemies even hold a port at all.
Long story short, as long as we can send in supplies and the enemy doesn't storm through, a siege won't work. A similar situation happened in Middle-Earth before; the Haradrim besieged Umbar for 30+ years and still couldn't take it due to the lack of a navy.
The terrain also makes any of our potential coastal settlements extremely difficult to siege. A settlement in Eryn Vorn means that an outside enemy would have to get their supply lines through a forest, while we could much more easily supply our troops. The enemy will starve before we do. The main danger is if the native woodsmen are hostile to us. They still can't siege our settlements, but they can raid any outbound parties (e.g. lumberjacks) often enough to cause a lot of trouble. Getting them on our side, and we will have valuable allies (any enemies trying to siege will experience a lot of guerrilla warfare, particularly against supply lines).
As for ships, if the Dunedain cannot even build a ship that can travel coastal waters, then they have fallen very low indeed.
Edit: Nothing wrong with salvaging Lond Daer. Cleaning up the rubble might even make it easier when we decide to rebuild the settlement. Less street cleaning, after all.
A settlement at Lond Daer also allows us to control Tharbad's seagoing trade. But that's not a hugely urgent priority. I suggest we build up on the other side of the Baranduin, then rebuild Lond Daer, then rebuild Eryn Vorn (or vice versa).
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For measures of distance, a good metric is that Fornost is 100 miles north of Bree. Yes, Eriador is quite large.
Bridging the river will not increase wood production, and building merchant ships are only useful for trade (and troop transport). Or, in this case, salvaging stone from elsewhere. Fleets should be built in service of an objective, not just having nice things.
Bridging the river will not increase wood production, and building merchant ships are only useful for trade (and troop transport). Or, in this case, salvaging stone from elsewhere. Fleets should be built in service of an objective, not just having nice things.
Chaos Blade
Procrastinating Writer
- Location
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
No, you have not explained why building a bridge and settling the other bank, that is to say putting a big hole in our defenses, is a desirable idea. and am still not seeing how your reply has to do with my quoted text.
as for the ford, you do realize river barges are flat bottom craft?, right? assuming the frod is shallow and it is not a legacy name, we can use that place as a marshaling yard where we switch the cargo from barges to carts... so, I am really not understanding what you mean to say
I really don't see how you are coming to that interpretation. I mean, what happened to the Shire during the war of the ring pretty clearly seemed to be an invasion to me. And paranoia and xenophobia are fairly reliably shown as being bad. Yes, Numenorian-derived stock mixing with races of men who didn't fight Morgoth diminishes them, but so does time and attempts to maintain blood purity diminishes them even more than mixing does. As such, I always interpreted that part of the LOTR world as being Tolkien morning the inevitable, not saying that purity is better than the alternative. As for paranoia, in the stories that was a favored tool used by Sauron to keep the free races divided and fighting amongst each-other as he built his power.
@Sayle:
1. Would it be possible to build a road up to Orodsîr? (Even if said "road" is just a clay track with drainage ditches along side it so that it was passable even during wet weather.) And if so, what effects would such a road have? I am hoping it might allow us to increase wood harvesting and open up more farm and pasture land as well as provide strategic and trade benefits.
2. Do we need to build river barges to trade along the Baranduin? I'm quite tempted by the idea of trading with the Shire for food and am wondering what the prerequisites are.
Excellent quest by the way. It's really drawn me in.
fasquardon
FieryMatter
Fire and Fiery
- Location
- Beyond the Sunset Sea
I'll explain the bridge part.
The primary advantage of a bridge is that we can transport lumber from Eryn Vorn easily. The closest point of Eryn Vorn is only 23-24 miles away from Ost Falasuin. (Yes, I've measured the distance). At these distances, it is conceivable for Ost Falasuin to directly harvest the lumber without needing a further colony, and land transport would also be more efficient than sea. Having a bridge means that we can directly transport the lumber to the north side as well.
Having a river crossing in our capital is also militarily important. Any enemy attempting to besiege the settlement has to do so from BOTH sides, while we control the only river crossing within 200 miles. This allows us to defeat both besieging armies in detail, as there is literally no way they can get the other army on the other side around in time to support (good luck marching 400 miles). That, or they have to take our settlement by storm, which is greatly disadvantageous for the attacker. Settling both sides of the river also means that we can implement some sort of control over the waterway itself; if an enemy navy (e.g. corsairs) is trying to attack, we can raise a river chain. The enemy won't be able to cut it as they would have to secure one of the points controlling the chain, and we control both sides.
As for the 'hole in our defenses', a bridge serves as a chokepoint. If the enemy manages to break through either side (which is harder as they got to split their army), they will have to storm across the bridge to take the other part. Storming across a bridge means their men get exposed to intense archer and artillery fire while their numbers don't really matter due to the narrow front. In the worst case, we could find a way to break the bridge.
On an economic level, a bridge is essential for a Orodsir - Ost Falasuin - Lond Daer road. Once Lond Daer is established, this road would easily link our multiple settlements together. Controlling both sides of the river allow us to toll the land crossing AND the waterway (You don't pay, we don't raise the river chain and let your ship pass).
The bridge and expansion on the other bank of the river don't have to be established next turn, but it should be done soon.
Re: Sarn Ford
There is no reason why ships cannot sail up to, or even past, Sarn Ford. There are ships which are extremely flat bottomed, eg. the Viking Longship IRL that can navigate in waters only 1 metre deep, which is a depth easily passable by humans or horses. TBH I think the ships in Middle-Earth are kinda similar to those. I won't be surprised if ships can actually sail past Sarn Ford, although their cargo capacity may leave a bit to be desired.
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1)No it was not.
It literally wasn't physically possible to run down all the survivors of the climactic battles; the allies broke the power of Angmar comprehensively, but they could not have wiped out every survivor band, nor is there evidence that they scoured Angmar itself. We certainly know they didn't (or couldn't) sanitize the Barrow Downs, and that was in Cardolan.
There has been at least a generation since the battle of Fornost in TA 1975, and Orcs breed when not under pressure.
The Dunedain in canon spent a thousand years after the defeat of the Witch King sanitizing this area and keeping new infestations of evil things out.
2)Sauron literally has the Witch King running Minas Ithil at the moment.
For most of the 1000s, he had the Witch-King leading the assault on Arnor while his agents stirred up groups like the Wainriders to pressure Gondor.
He does not need to focus on either kingdom to keep up a running campaign of irregular warfare and harassment.
And events like the Great Plague, the Wainrider Invasion and the coming of the Balchtoth suggest that Sauron can indeed walk and chew bubblegum at the same time.
I vehemently disagree.
1)The Kin-Strife was caused because Castamir et al were preoccupied with blood-purity, not because they objected to immigration ; that's a subtle but distinct difference. They were angered by the mixing of blood, not by the association with Middle-Men per se; a very apartheid way of thinking, if you think about it.
2)Rhudaur was explicitly a prolonged, subtle campaign of infiltration by the Witch King over six hundred years.
It started out unfriendly to Arthedain and Cardolan, and descended into outright hostility as the Witch King infiltrated the place and ended up allied to Angmar. It's last kings were not of Numenorean descent. The Witch King annexed it in the 1400s; it wasn't conquered.
An alliance of the forces of Rhudaur and Angmar killed Argeleb 1 in 1356, at least fifty years before Rhudaur's annexation.
3)Sharku did not stage an invasion. No one came to the Shire with sword and fire.
They were invited in. They operated under the charter of Lotho Sackville-Baggins, who first leveraged the prestige of his family name to begin buying up real estate and everything of value, legally and with money, and then progressed to intimidation of people objecting to his behavior and power.
It was only when Saruman arrived in the Shire that a quiet putsch sidelined him and put Saruman/Sharku in direct control.
And then Wormtongue shanked him while he slept, with no Hobbit realizing Lotho was dead.
Note the similarities between what almost happened to the Shire and what happened in Rhudaur.