Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring

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cd key XUF5-JUB2-JAB8-JUD3-4947 Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring.txt [by: zaidu] i need help i lost the code u need to install the game and i got a new computer can any one tell me another code i can use to play [by: NEED HELP] why i cannot save my game... everytime i try to save my game, it gave a message wrong name. [by: guest] cool combos 1 with 6 fate make gilimi and leogas. They're really good togeater. 2 with 7 fate, I made gandalf with the firestorm than summoning the ent. 3 or make saurman [by: none] If you have 7 fate points make gilim and leogas. they are really good togeather [by: ?] Where the bar is activated to deposit the cheats? [by: CHANCHITEX] how do u play a map u made? there is nothing to test it [by: dozer] How do you play a map you made on the editor? There is nowhere to test it or to play it. WTF??? [by: lardo] =============================================================================== _ _ _ __ _ _ ___ o ))`)`) ___ __ __ )L` )L ))_ __ ))_) _ _ _ ___ ((,(,' ((_( (| ((_)(( (( ((`( ((' ((`\ (( ((\( ((_( _)) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- |Game: Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring| |Type: FAQ/Walkthrough | |Author: Barry Willemsen | |Updated: 2nd of January 2005 | =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 1. TABLE OF CONTENTS =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [1] Table of Contents [2] Legal Stuff & Contact Info [3] Version History [4] General Information [5] The Interface 5.1) The Menus 5.2) The Game Interface [6] Gameplay 6.1) Good... or Evil? 6.2) General Controls 6.3) Resource Management 6.4) General Hints'n Tips 6.5) Fate 6.6) Places of Power [7] Playing the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth 7.1) Gameplay differences 7.2) Good Buildings 7.3) Good Technologies 7.4) Good Units 7.5) Good Heroes 7.6) Good Fate Powers 7.7) Good-Only Strategies 7.8) Good Campaign [8] Playing the Minions of Sauron 8.1) Gameplay differences 8.2) Evil Buildings 8.3) Evil Technologies 8.4) Evil Units 8.5) Evil Heroes 8.6) Evil Fate Powers 8.7) Evil-Only Strategies 8.8) Evil Campaign [9] Credits =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 2. LEGAL STUFF & CONTACT INFO =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Copyright 2004 Barry Willemsen ------------------------------- Before you read anything of the FAQ, please read this and make sure you agree with the terms and conditions included in the text below: All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by their respective trademark and copyright holders. This may not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other web site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright. In other words, just mail me for permission before placing this FAQ or pieces of it on your site. You can find my e-mail adress in the Contact Info section below. Contact Info ------------- If you discover a major error in this FAQ, would like to submit a strategy that isn't included in here, or have a question about the game that isn't answered in this FAQ, you can e-mail me at the following adress: kryptondragon@hotmail.com Of course, there are some restrictions on e-mailing me: - Don't send me SPAM - Make sure the subject line is recognizable. Weird topics will not be read and deleted immediately. - E-mails with questions that are answered (or soon will be) in the FAQ will not be replied to. - Don't ask for cheats or any other strategies: all tactics I know are in this FAQ - If you have negative things to say about this FAQ you can always send them to me, as long as the mails remain polite and have a normal topic. I'll rewrite some parts of the FAQ if I have to, and credit the one who has located the error in the Credits section. If you have some original strategies to submit or you know easier methods to beat the campaign-scenarios, e-mails will be gladly accepted. I will put the strategy/hint/tip in a highlighted spot with your name above it in the update. Just remember that e-mails probably won't be replied to the first day afterwards. I still have lots of things to do myself and I won't be able to read my mail every day. By the way, my FAQ is authorized to be on the following sites: - GameFAQs (www.gamefaqs.com) - Cheat Code Central (www.cheatcc.com) - Cheat Channel (www.cheatchannel.com) - Cheatbook (www.cheatbook.de) - Neoseeker (www.neoseeker.com) - IGN Faqs (www.faqs.ign.com) - DLH (www.dlh.net) - Cheat Happens (www.cheathappens.com) - Super Cheats (www.supercheats.com) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 3. VERSION HISTORY =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Version 0.6 - Posted on March 5th, 2004 Got the main part of this FAQ up. The aspects of playing the good side are entirely completed. Version 0.8 - Posted on March 6th, 2004 The first part of the Evil section is completed. I'm still having some trouble thinking of strategies for the final levels of the Evil campaign. Enhanced unit section a bit by adding in population costs. Also corrected some minor errors. Version 0.9 - Posted on March 23rd, 2004 This FAQ is just about completed. I only need to add walkthroughs for the last four levels of the Evil Campaign. Might take a while, though, my life's been pretty busy. Version 1.0 - Posted on April 4th, 2004 Complete FAQ! I also got the first strategy contribution up, you can find it in the Evil-Only Strategies section. Credit goes to SThomas1317 for that. Version 1.1 - Posted on April 13th, 2004 I got new contributions from Gene Y. AKA grenka. Also expanded the Places of Power section by request of Manuel Vega 182002. Added the ASCII art on top of this FAQ. Version 1.2 - Posted on June 30th, 2004 New contributions by SThomas1317 and Aragorn1913 for the evil side. Also corrected a mistake in the evil section which was spotted by Aragorn1913. Version 1.3 - Posted on August 13th, 2004 A small but good change. I forgot to mention that you can review all dialogue from the same menu where you can access the hints and objectives from. Thanks to Tyler AKA Morgawr2 for pointing this out. Had a new strategy added thanks to seaspray_68. Also found some small typos and corrected them. IMPORTANT: I HAVE A NEW E-MAIL ADRESS. DO NOT SEND ANYTHING TO THE OLD ONE ANYMORE COZ' THEY WON'T BE READ. PLEASE, HELP ME WITH THIS. Version 1.4 - Posted on August 20th, 2004 Got new contributions from Ryan, and Christo Acheson also known as seaspray_68. The first contributed a strategy for the good side, the second had a useful tip for those struggling to defend the catapult in "The Siege of the Iron Hills". Thanks, guys. Version 1.5 - Posted on September 26th, 2004 My copy was borrowed by a friend so some of the new contributions have not been tested. Please mail me if they're false. Anyway, I would like to thank Telcontar590 for contributing a Good and Evil side strategy, Francis Estoesta for helpful tips with cinematics, and Scott McCall for contributing a Good Side strategy to place in the FAQ. Thanks, everyone. Version 2.0 - Posted on January 2nd, 2005 Well, if you've looked at this FAQ before this update took place the change should be evident: I updated the looks of the FAQ and I hope it is generally easier to understand. Also I read through the WHOLE thing in order to pick out any mistakes. Still, fact remains that my first language isn't English and I may have read past quite a few. I DON'T PLAY WAR OF THE RING ONLINE ANYMORE. SORRY, BUT THE COMP I'M RUNNING IT ON DOESN'T HAVE AN ACTIVE CONNECTION TO THE INTERNET. MY "REAL" COMP NOW PLAYS 'Battle for Middle-Earth' =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 4. GENERAL INFORMATION =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- First off, this is my very first FAQ, so don't think it will be wonderful. I'm just trying to get gamers through the game with simple strategies, consisting mostly of guerilla-attacks and Hit & Run tactics. It's supposed to get people through the scenarios step-by-step. The game can be hard at some points, even in Easy Mode. And since there were no FAQs contributed yet when I started this, it seemed that I had nothing to lose... "The War of the Ring" was developed by Liquid Entertainment and published by Sierra Entertainment, Inc. (Vivendi Universal Games). It is a game based on the popular "The Lord of the Rings" series, waging war in Middle-Earth on either side of the field. Though very entertaining, it can be quite hard at some points. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 5. THE INTERFACE =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 5.1) THE MENUS --------------- Once you start the game, you have several things to choose from in the main menu. These options are: Single Player; Multiplayer; Load; Options; and Quit. Single Player - - - - - - - Starts a new, single-player game. When you select this option a new screen appears with - again - several options to choose from: GOOD CAMPAIGN: Command the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth and help aid them in their struggle to destroy the One Ring. EVIL CAMPAIGN: Command the Minions of Sauron and lead them to victory, forever placing Middle-Earth under Sauron's dark rule. SKIRMISH: Start a quick single-player skirmish game against one or more computer-controlled opponents. TUTORIAL: Play through four tutorials teaching you the basics of this game; three for the Free Peoples and one for the Minions. BACK: Return to the Main Menu. Multiplayer - - - - - - Starts a new multiplayer game. This will give you an opportunity to compete with up to 8 other players in a LAN game over the Internet through GameSpy or at a specific IP address. The following game types are available (this goes for Single-Player skirmish games as well): RAZING: Here you have to destroy all the enemy buildings (including Towers and War Posts) to win. It doesn't matter how many units your enemy possesses; razing all buildings will gain you victory. SURVIVAL: This mode forces you to totally destroy your enemy: all of his buildings AND units must be crushed in order to be victorious. If all buildings of a player are destroyed in this mode, a timer appears. The player without buildings has to construct a Stronghold (for the Free Peoples) or a Goblin Hovel (for the Minions of Sauron) before this timer runs out or his units will be revealed on the map. If he succeeds, his units become shrouded in the Fog of War once again. FAMINE: Each player in this mode starts of with a set amount of resources, and resource collecting is turned off. In order to win you have to destroy ALL enemy buildings and units. This is a Deathmatch-type game. CONTROL: This is the only mode that is limited by time. Now, players have to control Places of Power to be the winner. Each Place of Power in possession gains the controlling player an amount of points. When the timer ends, the player with the most points wins. If all other players are eliminated, the survivor receives an instant win. This also applies in situations where one player has more than 50% of the points that can be collected. CATAPULT: An Ancient Catapult is placed somewhere on the map. Players must seek it out and try to control it by defending it against enemies. The Catapult acts as a Place of Power in this mode. In order for control to shift, all of a controlling player's units near the Ancient Catapult must be crushed. The real objective remains to destroy all enemy buildings and units. However, With the Ancient Catapult, accomplishing this is very easy, as long as YOU are in control of the siege weaponry... Load - - - Using this, you can load a previously saved game. Pretty self-explanatory, isn't it? Options - - - - On these pages you can shift the game's options to your likings. You can set audio, video, and game options here. It also gives you an ability to adjust the game's playlist to your liking, as well turning the worst violence in the game ON or OFF by checking the "Mature" box. Quit - - - Quits the game :( 5.2) THE GAME INTERFACE ------------------------ Once you're playing the game itself for the first time, the interface might seem a bit overwhelming, but you'll get the hang of it soon enough. I'll take you through available options here. - The screen itself has been split into roughly 2 sections: the field of battle and a lower part where you can select what you want to do. - In the lower left corner of the screen, you see a miniaturization of the map. Most of it is probably shrouded by the Fog of War, which takes away your sight on enemy units and buildings when there's nobody of your team there to see them. If you left-click on the Mini-Map, your sight will immediately focus on that spot. - Above the Mini-Map, there are three buttons: Menu, Chat, and Objectives. Menu will return you to the Main Menu. Chat enables you to speak with other players while in multiplayer mode. Finally, Objectives will show you the things you have to do to complete a scenario, and also keeps track of the hints you have gotten throughout the level. - On the right side of the Mini-Map there are six small buttons. From top to bottom they resemble: Look Here; Fight Here; Walk/Run Toggle; Combat Alert; Fire Alert; and Idle Worker. Look Here tells your ally to look to the spot you fired the event in. Fight Here does about the same, only it tells your ally to send military forces into the area. With Walk/Run Toggle you can decide what is the default for your units: walk (slow but units can heal while walking) or run (faster, but you can't heal): Run is the default setting. Combat Alert will take you the spot where your units are battling enemies. Fire Alert will take you to a building that is set ablaze. The last one, Idle Worker, automatically selects a Worker who has nothing to do. - The big box that appears next to the Mini-Map is called the Selection Panel: when you select a Worker, the buildings it can construct are viewed here. If you hold your mouse over certain buildings you get an overview of it. - Above the Selection Panel, you might see small round circles with white stars in it. These are further explained in the Fate paragraph in the Gameplay section (6.5). The little orb above these Fate circles will be covered in that explanation as well. - To the right of the Selection Panel, you'll see the Action Panel. When you select a certain unit, all abilities and upgrades that have been made on this unit will be shown here. In training-buildings, you can select the units you want to create in the Action Panel. Note that some orders in the action panel (like the hero Aragorn's Kingsfoil ability) have to be activated by clicking on it. This is indicated by a gold line around the ability's image. - The last thing you should know is about the three little icons on top of the Action Panel. From left to right, these are: Population; Food; and Ore. All of these are explained in the Resource Management & Population paragraph of the Gameplay section (6.3). =-=-=-=-=-=-= 6. GAMEPLAY =-=-=-=-=-=-= Those who are familiar with the gameplay of Battle Realms (also developed by Liquid Entertainment) will have little trouble adjusting to gameplay. Other RTS-players should follow some of the later tutorials that handle the more advanced aspects of the game. For gamers who are totally new to this genre, there is also a tutorial that teaches the very basic of just about any RTS game. The following section will roughly cover most of the game's aspects. ---------------------- 6.1) Good... or Evil? ---------------------- In this game, you can help destroying the One Ring. Stride valiantly against the ranks of Sauron and aid in the quest to destroy the One Ring. You will command the brave armies of Gondor, seek out the help of Elves and Dwarves, and command the greatest heroes of the Third Aera of the Sun on Middle-Earth to finally free the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth from the dark threat that resides in the east. Of course, you may also choose for the darker side of Middle-Earth. You will then command great hordes of Orcs and other foul beings and lead them to victory in the thick of battle. If you fail, Sauron's wrath will be terrible, allowing for the sneakiest backstabbing attacks to win this great war. ---------------------- 6.2) General Controls ---------------------- I recommend people who don't know much about the RTS-genre yet to play all of the tutorials. There, a Dwarf and an Elf will teach you all the basics you need to know to play the game. The general controls of the game are listed here. If you are familiar with this genre, I suggest you skip this section and move on with the FAQ. - You can select units by LEFT-CLICKING on them. If you hold the LEFT MOUSE BUTTON, you can also drag a lasso around multiple units to select them. All units and buildings in the game are selected this way. - You can make a unit move to a certain spot by selecting it and RIGHT CLICKING on the location on the map where you want him to go. If you do this while a building is selected, you will set up a Rally Point, which means that all troops trained in that building will immediately go there. - To train a unit or make use of a special ability, you can left click the corresponding button in the lower right corner of the screen (this will be referred to as the Action Panel in the rest of the FAQ). If you click on a unit multiple times, it will be queued up and will initiate as soon as the one that was trained before it is completed. Note that you pay the unit once you click the unit button, NOT when it actually starts its training. - When the cursor changes into something different (a sword, for example) you can RIGHT CLICK to make the selected unit make the action that the cursor indicates. A sword, for example, means an attack move. For more on basic controls, play the first tutorial. You can access them from the Single Player menu. -------------------------------------- 6.3) Resource Management & Population -------------------------------------- Like every civilization, you'll need resources to thrive, as well as new Population slots to expand your settlement. In Battle Realms, those resources were Rice and Water. But here, you'll have to collect Food and Ore. This section will show you how to collect resources (you could also learn it from the tutorials, by the way): Food - - - Everybody needs to eat, and the units in this game are no exception (only the Slavemaster of the Minions requires solely Ore). You'll need massive amounts of food to keep a steady stream of soldiers going, as well as to upgrade them and enhance their abilities. Food is always obtained from a Well. The Free Peoples have to build a Mill over the well first to get food from it. The Minions of Sauron like flesh better, and that's why their Workers have to build a Slaughterhouse on top of a well to extract food from it. Food is dropped off at the Stronghold (for the Free Peoples) or the Goblin Hovel (for the Minions). Ore - - Ore is the other important resource. It is essential for weapons, armor, and the construction of buildings. Unlike Food, Ore can be extracted from an Ore Pile immediately, without a building on top of it. Assign Workers on an ore pile to hack the valuable resource from it. Ore is, just like Food, deposited in the Stronghold or the Goblin Hovel. Your Ore gathering rate will improve once you buld a special extraction building on top of it. For the Free Peoples, this is the Forge. For the Minions, this is the Smelter. These buildings work in the same way as the Mill and the Slaughterhouse do. Population - - - - - - Population isn't really a resource. But, since it is needed to train new units as well, it's very important and deserves to be listed here. It's as simple as this: if you've maxed out your population slots, you cannot train any more units until you have open slots again. To build a big invasion army, you'll need to keep an eye on your population all the time, so you can create new population slots for the new soldiers to be trained. Good players can expand the population of their settlements by building new Camps (or upgrading them to War Camps later). Each Camp adds 11 new slots to your current population, while each War Camp upgrade adds another four slots. Evil players, on the other hand, use a special unit to expand their population. The Goblin Slavemasters know how to keep the Minions in line, thus creating 12 new population slots per trained Slavemaster. ------------------------- 6.4) General Hints'n Tips ------------------------- A few tips are listed here on single-player skirmish games. There aren't a lot of them, however, and additional tips would be very welcome. You'll be credited for it. - One golden rule of the skirmish games is that you should never stay put in your base. This game is absolutely war-based, and that's why you should always keep recruiting a steady stream of warriors. - Circling around enemy bases to see their weaknesses is a great tactic to inflict maximum damage with just a small raiding party. It will give you the element of suprise, and you might be able to destroy a key production building, giving yourself a big advantage. - Keep a constant attack on. Think of it like this: as long as you are attacking your enemy, he's not attacking you. Of course, you should watch out for other players, who will find your base undefended during your big invasion. Always keep a few units back to protect your base. - One of the biggest threats for you are the "cloaked" units (like Elves or Haradrim). They can't be seen on screen without a detector unit (Ranger or a Wraith) and can inflict significant damage without you killing them off. Make sure you have detector units, on the offensive as well as in your defensive ranks. Detector units placed in Towers will do well. - You can do the same to your opponent. Little guerilla attacks with your invisible units can actually destroy a whole invasion army. And as long as you keep killing enemy detectors, you won't have any losses at all! - Small things like Heroes or Fate Powers can decide the outcome of any battle. Blinding your opponent at the right time will almost certainly defeat him. - That's why Fate is so important. It's another reason to keep attacking, as you can only get it through battle. Fate is used to summon heroes and to invoke Fate Powers. - There are four types of weaponry in the game: crush, hack, and pierce weapons. Crush is represented by a hammer icon, hack by a sword icon, and pierce by a spear icon. The last type is hero, which can be seen by the aura of light that swirls around a sword icon. Heroes do more damage against all other types. - [Thanks to Francis Estoesta]-> In a campaign, in cinematics where your units die, you can skip the movie to keep those units alive, thus giving you an advantage. Remember, mail me if you know any other good hints. --------- 6.5) Fate --------- You can get Fate through three different activities: exploring, expanding your camp, and through battle. The last one is the fastest at generating Fate, but perhaps the most perilous as well. Fate is represented by the blue circles with white stars in them on the top of the selection panel. The more circles you get, the harder it is to get additional Fate. The Fate has numerous purposes: Heroes - - - - All heroes except for Frodo (Good Side) and Gollum (Evil Side) cannot be summoned without paying a price in Fate Points. They don't cost any Food or Ore, but the Fate itself is going to be hard to acquire if you don't keep the battle going. The Free Peoples and the Minions both have their own heroes. They can turn the tide of a battle with their special abilities and are usually a lot more powerful than normal militia. Fate Powers - - - - - - The other things you can use Fate for are called Fate Powers. These can give you an edge over your opponent and are great when you're about to lose an important battle. The good and the evil side both have their own Fate Powers. The powers differ in costs from two to seven Fate Points. I hope that I've made myself clear enough and you all agree that Fate is one of the most important things in this game. --------------------- 6.6) Places of Power --------------------- On almost any map you can find a Place of Power. You'll immediately recognize one when you see it, because it often looks like a majestic statue and light will be glowing around it. To take control of one of these, you'll have to move one of your units near it. The benefits of the monument will then shift to you. If an enemy is controlling a Place of Power, you'll have to destroy all enemy units around the monument to gain control for yourself. The Places of Power for the Single-Player skirmishes are, in alphabetical order: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= - Ancient Fountain =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ==> Looks like a little water pit with a lion-like animal hanging above it. Take it if you can, it'll reduce the time your survivors need to heal before mounting a new attack. ==> "Built to quench the thirst of warriors and travelers long ago, the waters of this fountain revive the weary soul. Adds a regeneration bonus." =-=-=-=-=-=-= - Dragon Skull =-=-=-=-=-=-= ==> You can't miss it. It looks like a... well, a skull of a dragon. It is one of the best PoP's in the game, this will make upgrades even more cheap than a basic melee unit! ==> "The skull of what must have been a powerful ally of Morgoth, this object radiates with an energy of innovation that makes purchased upgrades less costly." =-=-=-=-=-=-= - Elven Shrine =-=-=-=-=-=-= ==> It's a white pedestal with some plants around it. This one comes in very helpful: extra health is always nice. ==> "An abandoned shrine of Elven design, this relic still resonates with the power to increase the maximum health of all units." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= - Enchanting Willow =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ==> A big, green willow tree. Nothing more, nothing less. ==> "A peculiar sort of tree, this willow sings a soft song that can lull units into a drowsy state. Grants the controller a spell that slows the movement speed and attack rate of enemy units." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= - Globe of Mastery =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ==> It's just the same as the Orb of Hasty Summoning: a pedestal with a black claw that is holding high a green orb. It's only good if you use a lot of heroes. Otherwise, you can live without it. ==> "This magical globe grants the power for Heroes to master their skills, allowing them to gain experience faster." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= - Monument of Narsil =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ==> You all know Narsil, right, the Broken Sword? This PoP is just a big pedestal with a giant, broken sword on it. Its effect will mostly be seen in big-scale battles, because of more of your units will survive them. ==> "This is a monument for the famed sword wielded by Isildur that severed the One Ring from Sauron's hand, giving victory for The Last Alliance. Grants a defensive Armor Class bonus to all units." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= - Orb of Hasty Summoning =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ==> It's just like the Globe of Mastery: a pedestal with a black claw that is holding up a green orb on it. Again, this one's only good if you use a lot of heroes. It will make it more worthwhile to purchase heroes because the Fate cost is decreased by 1. ==> "A powerful device of unknown origins, this Orb allows heroes to be summoned for less Fate cost." =-=-=-=-= - Orc Mask =-=-=-=-= ==> It look's like block of clay at first sight, but at closer range you can actually see an ugly Orc face there. The effect is very good, so try to get it on early and bolster defenses around it. ==> "An ancient Orc totem that grants its controller an attack bonus." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= - Radagast's Aviary =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ==> It's like a witch-doctor's hut on three wooden legs. It has a roof of straw and is entirely brown. Useful for scouting out enemy bases to see their defense's weakness. ==> "A device used by The Brown Wizard to watch over far away lands, the Aviary grants the controller a usable spell to reveal Line of Sight on an area." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= - Radiant Monolith =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ==> Looks like a big, grey pillar with some patterns on it. It's quite unique, so you'll recognize it fairly quickly. Its effect will be very welcome in most games: more Fate Powers/Heroes! ==> "A magical and mysterious relic of ages past, the Radiant Monolith increases the rate at which fate is earned." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= - Silent Watcher =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ==> Another unique Place of Power. It looks most like a giant doll with big, dark claws. The LOS upgrade is only useful for scouting, IMO, so you only need it a lot early on. Maybe for raiding purposes but that's about it. ==> "The likeness of some hideous spy under Sauron's control, this statue is infused with magic to grant all units an LOS bonus." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= - Spires of Siege =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ==> Looks a lot like the Claws of Gorgoroth from the campaign: a red statue with four pins stretching up to the air. Very useful when you're about to attack a base where you have to take out the Towers quickly. ==> "This strange Spire allows greater damage to buildings." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= - Statue of Eorl =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ==> A normal statue of a fierce man with a beard. He has the outfit the Rohirrim wear. Only worth holding if you have a lot of heroes. ==> "Founder and first King of Rohan, Eorl mounted his steed Felarof and started the first band of Riders of Rohan. This statue grants a hit point bonus to all heroes." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= - Steed of Rohan =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ==> An other Rohan statue which has the same colour as the Statue of Eorl. It depicts a rearing horse. If you use a lot of hit'n run tactics, this is the best PoP you can get. ==> "This statue of Felarof, whom the Rohirrim call 'Father of Horses', grants a movement speed increase to all mounted units." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= - Wretched Sentinel =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ==> I don't know exactly what it is, but it very much resembles a wolf cut out from brown stone. Like the Monument of Narsil, its effect can mostly be seen in big battles. ==> "A deformed and grotesque statue of a once-prominent defender of Gondor who was corrupted by Sauron, its magic provides an armor class bonus." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 7. PLAYING THE FREE PEOPLES =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Playing as the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth, you will take command over all who withstand Sauron's rule. Your forces, ranging from Men, Elves and Dwarves to the mighty Huorns, will stride valiantly, their hearts fulfilled with only one, great ideal: the destruction of the One Ring and the downfall of Sauron and his foul creatures. The military units of the Free Peoples aren't very numerous, but they are the absolute elite and will fight without conceding an inch. IMO, the good campaign is a little easier than the evil campaign (though you might think differently about that). ------------------------- 7.1) Gameplay Differences ------------------------- The Free Peoples have several unique characteristics in this game. All of them are listed below: - The Free Peoples use a Mill to collect Food and a Forge to obtain Ore. - The Workers of the Free Peoples drop their resources at the Stronghold. - Workers and Heroes are trained in the Stronghold. - Because the numbers of the good guys are small, your buildings have to be built close to each other. The area in which can be built is marked by a green decal on the surface. - Different technologies, units, and heroes than the Evil Side. - They use Camps and War Camps to expand their Population - Their Towers can be equipped with a powerful Ballista, adding one powerful shot per round. - They have other Fate Powers than the Evil Side. -------------------- 7.2) Good Buildings -------------------- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Stronghold Level 1 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= HIT POINTS: 750 BUILDING COST: 250 Food, 250 Ore ARMOR CLASS: 1 UNITS TRAINED: - Worker - Frodo - Gimli - Legolas - Aragorn - Gandalf RESEARCH HERE: - Stronghold Level 2 - Stronghold Level 3 - Stronghold Level 4 - Stronghold Level 5 The Stronghold is the place where the Workers and Heroes of the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth are trained. It is also a drop-off point for Workers that have collected resources. The Stronghold is the base of any settlement, and one of the most important buildings to protect. The Stronghold is Level 1 upon first appearance, but you can upgrade it up to Level 5. Some buildings and units require a certain Stronghold level before they can be purchased. =-=-= Camp =-=-= REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 1 HIT POINTS: 400 BUILDING COST: 80 Ore ARMOR CLASS: 1 UNITS TRAINED: None RESEARCH HERE: None The Camp is a valuable building because it increases your maximum Population by eleven. To recruit a fine army, you'll need lots of Camps, so plan their placement carefully: they'll have to be well defended from the enemy, or the foe's raiding parties will leave you crippled. The Camp can be further upgraded to a War Camp upon reaching Stronghold Level 2. =-=-=-=-= War Camp =-=-=-=-= REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 2 HIT POINTS: 500 UPGRADE COST: 55 Ore ARMOR CLASS: 2 UNITS TRAINED: None RESEARCH HERE: None When a Camp is upgraded to a War Camp, your Population will be increased by an additional four slots. Other than that, it functions just like a Camp. Perfect when you run out of grounds to build new Camps upon. =-=-= Mill =-=-= REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 1 HIT POINTS: 570 BUILDING COST: 50 Ore ARMOR CLASS: 3 UNITS TRAINED: None RESEARCH HERE: None A Mill must always be built on top of a well to function. This building is used by your Workers to obtain Food and bring it back to a Stronghold. It is one of the first structures to be built in any game. Food cannot be obtained without use of a Mill. =-=-=-=- Foundry =-=-=-=- REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 1 HIT POINTS: 750 BUILDING COST: 80 Ore ARMOR CLASS: 3 UNITS TRAINED: None RESEARCH HERE: None Ore can be obtained from its deposit without any building on top of it, but the use of a Foundry definitely speeds up the rate at which the precious substance is gathered. Workers make use of it in the same way as the Mill: you'll want to build this building immediately at the start of the game to ensure you immediately have enough Ore to train your army. =-=-=-=-=-= Watchtower =-=-=-=-=-= REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 2 HIT POINTS: 400 BUILDING COST: 105 Food, 105 Ore ATTACK POWER: 14 ARMOR CLASS: 2 UNITS TRAINED: None, but four can be garrisoned inside for more shots. RESEARCH HERE: - Ballista Tower The Watchtower is a basic defensive structure to ensure the safety of your camp. It is advised to build a lot of them, especially around buildings that are vital for your survival (Stronghold, Camps). At the borders of your settlement, they can be used to spot incoming enemies so you won't be surprised by sudden raiding parties sneaking around. To increase the shot rate of the Watchtower, garrison more units inside. Note that these units cannot be mounted. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ballista Tower =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 4 HIT POINTS: 500 UPGRADE COST: 150 Food, 150 Ore ATTACK POWER: Ballista=35; Normal=14 ARMOR CLASS: 2 UNITS TRAINED: None, but four can be garrisoned inside for more shots. RESEARCH HERE: None When the player researches this upgrade for the Watchtower, a powerful ballista is placed on top of the tower, bestowing one additional shot per round upon it. The speed of the ballista is NOT measured by the number of units that are inside the Ballista Tower. =-=-=-=-= Barracks =-=-=-=-= REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 1 HIT POINTS: 700 BUILDING COST: 60 Food, 105 Ore ARMOR CLASS: 1 UNITS TRAINED: - Gondor Swordsman - Rider of Rohan RESEARCH HERE: None In this hall, newly recruited warriors of Gondor and Rohan train endlessly to perfect their weapon skills. At the Barracks, players can train the basic fighting units of the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth. =-=-=-=-=-= Dwarf Hall =-=-=-=-=-= REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 1 HIT POINTS: 750 BUILDING COST: 80 Food, 100 Ore ARMOR CLASS: 2 UNITS TRAINED: - Dwarf Axethrower - Dwarf Shieldbreaker RESEARCH HERE: None This rough fighting area was designed specifically for the Dwarves, sturdy fighters who are thoroughly enthusiastic when it comes to combat. Here, a ranged unit, the Dwarf Axethrower, can be trained, as well as the Dwarf Shieldbreaker, a powerful melee unit. =-=-=- Forge =-=-=- REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 2 HIT POINTS: 590 BUILDING COST: 75 Food, 100 Ore ARMOR CLASS: 1 UNITS TRAINED: None RESEARCH HERE: - Iron Blades; Steel Blades; Dwarf Forged Blades - Iron Plating; Steel Plating; Dwarf Forged Plating - Razor Edge - Flaming Axe - Shield Break - Dwarf Engineering - Lookout Tower In this forge, experts in the field of metallurgy are assembled to aid the Free Peoples in their struggles against the Minions of Sauron. With the experience of the Dwarven forges, these upgrades will prove to be the best of the best. Wonderful inventions are crafted inside for the Barracks units, the Dwarf Hall units, and for buildings. =-=-=-=-=-=- Ranger Post =-=-=-=-=-=- REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 2 HIT POINTS: 675 BUILDING COST: 95 Food, 110 Ore ARMOR CLASS: 1 UNITS TRAINED: - Ranger RESEARCH HERE: None The northern wanderers known as Rangers prefer to live in these small posts to scout out the area around them. In the wilderness, they test their superb detection skills before using them to aid the Free Peoples on the battlefield. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Wilderness Outpost =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 2 HIT POINTS: 600 BUILDING COST: 85 Food, 110 Ore ARMOR CLASS: 1 UNITS TRAINED: None RESEARCH HERE: - Etched Blades; Mystic Blades; Runic Blades - Improved Leather; Hard Leather; Studded Leather - Camouflage - Eagle Eye - Elven Cloaks - Eagle Fletching In this building, ingenious Rangers and Elves gather to exchange tactics and new attack plans. Sometimes, this results in great improvements for the Rangers and Elven Archers. With some of the Wilderniss Outpost's upgrades, both become truly fearsome opponents. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Elven Sanctuary =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 3 HIT POINTS: 650 BUILDING COST: 135 Food, 135 Ore ARMOR CLASS: 2 UNITS TRAINED: - Elven Archer - Elven Lightbearer RESEARCH HERE: None This place of meditation was created as a resting point for the Elves. Here, they could enjoy the silence of nature and practice their arts with the bow to aim their projectiles at fast-moving targets. It is the place where all the Elven combatants are recruited. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Nature's Haven =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 3 HIT POINTS: 680 BUILDING COST: 130 Food, 135 Ore ARMOR CLASS: 1 UNITS TRAINED: - Beorning - Huorn RESEARCH HERE: None The mysterious home of the Beorning, the Nature's Havens can also call forth the deadly Huorns from deep inside the forests. They are fearsome to behold, and most deadly on the battlefield. =-=-=-=-=-=-=- House of Lore =-=-=-=-=-=-=- REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 3 HIT POINTS: 625 BUILDING COST: 95 Food, 100 Ore ARMOR CLASS: 1 UNITS TRAINED: None RESEARCH HERE: - Strength of Nature; Strength of the Claw; Strength of the Wild - Nature's Protection; Nature's Defense; Nature's Shield - Bear Form - Savage Blow - Dispel - Light of Lothlorien - Tree Form The House of Lore is a building where those who practice magic can further increase their abilities. The old scrolls residing within the library of this majestic structure hold secrets beyond imagination, and using them will bestow great powers upon Elven Lightbearers, Beornings, and Huorns. ------------------- 7.3) Good Upgrades ------------------- First, I shall list the Forge technologies. After that, there are the Wilderness Outpost and the House of Lore technologies. Iron Blades =-=-=-=-=-= UPGRADE AT: Forge REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 2 UPGRADE COST: 75 Food, 75 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: +1 Attack for Gondor Swordsmen, Riders of Rohan, Dwarf Axethrowers, and Dwarf Shieldbreakers. RATING: 2/5 - This doesn't make a lot of difference... yet. It is needed for the later upgrades (which DO matter), so buy it. Offense over defense, always remember that! Steel Blades =-=-=-=-=-=- UPGRADE AT: Forge REQUIRED: Iron Blades, Stronghold Level 3 UPGRADE COST: 125 Food, 125 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: +1 Attack for Gondor Swordsmen, Riders of Rohan, Dwarf Axethrowers, and Dwarf Shieldbreakers. RATING: 3/5 - You might notice that battles are fought a little faster than before once you've researched this upgrade. And believe me, it gets better. Dwarf Forged Blades =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= UPGRADE AT: Forge REQUIRED: Steel Blades, Stronghold Level 5 UPGRADE COST: 175 Food, 175 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: +1 Attack for Gondor Swordsmen, Riders of Rohan, Dwarf Axethrowers, and Dwarf Shieldbreakers. RATING: 5/5 - Now we're talking. Build up a nice force of Men and Dwarves and go crush the enemy! You should have bought at least one armor upgrade, however, or you won't be able to enjoy your overwhelming power for a long time. Iron Plating =-=-=-=-=-=- UPGRADE AT: Forge REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 2 UPGRADE COST: 75 Food, 75 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: +1 Armor for Gondor Swordsmen, Riders of Rohan, Dwarf Axethrowers, and Dwarf Shieldbreakers. RATING: 1/5 - Buy an attack upgrade before purchasing this. This, again is one of the things you'll have to buy to get access to the more worthwile upgrades. Steel Plating =-=-=-=-=-=-= UPGRADE AT: Forge REQUIRED: Iron Plating, Stronghold Level 3 UPGRADE COST: 125 Food, 125 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: +1 Armor for Gondor Swordsmen, Riders of Rohan, Dwarf Axethrowers, and Dwarf Shieldbreakers. RATING: 3/5 - This is much better than the last one, since you may have noticed that your units last longer in battle. Dwarf Forged Plating =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= UPGRADE AT: Forge REQUIRED: Steel Plating, Stronghold Level 5 UPGRADE COST: 175 Food, 175 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: +1 Armor for Gondor Swordsmen, Riders of Rohan, Dwarf Axethrowers, and Dwarf Shieldbreakers. RATING: 4/5 - Mix this up with Dwarf Forged Blades, and some missile units for back-up, and there you have one unstoppable force! Razor Edge =-=-=-=-=-= UPGRADE AT: Forge REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 2 UPGRADE COST: 100 Food, 100 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: Makes the Dwarf Axethrower's axes pass through the initial target, hitting any enemies beyond. RATING: 3/5 - If you're fond of the Dwarves and use them a lot, this is a must-buy. Throw your axes and watch an enemy army getting killed within a minute. A pack of Axethrowers can thin out an enemy force, making them a "shotgun" unit. Flaming Axe =-=-=-=-=-= UPGRADE AT: Forge REQUIRED: Razor Edge, Stronghold Level 4 UPGRADE COST: 125 Food, 125 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: Makes the Dwarf Axethrower's axes burn, giving them the ability to destroy and ignite buildings fast. RATING: 3/5 - Again, it's a matter of using them or not. If you do, buy this upgrade and send some raiding parties consisting of solely Axethrowers to set a whole enemy war camp ablaze. Shield Break =-=-=-=-=-=- UPGRADE AT: Forge REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 2 UPGRADE COST: 100 Food, 100 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: Gives the Dwarf Shieldbreaker an ability to smash foes with such strength that it permanently decreases their armor class. RATING: 3/5 - With a lot of Shieldbreakers, mixed up with missile units and some melees, you can crush just about any force, unless you're hopelessly outnumbered. This rocks if you use lots of Shieldbreakers! Dwarf Masonry =-=-=-=-=-=-= UPGRADE AT: Forge REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 2 UPGRADE COST: 75 Food, 175 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: Gives buildings more hit points. RATING: 1/5 - Isn't really needed, in my opinion. Is useful only if you're under siege, but since you should be attacking and not defending, you really wouldn't have much use for it. Save your resources for better upgrades. Lookout Tower =-=-=-=-=-=-= UPGRADE AT: Forge REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 2 UPGRADE COST: 100 Food, 100 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: Gives towers a greater line of sight. RATING: 2/5 - Not something you should get immediately, but still useful for spotting those enemy raiding parties early on. Ballista Tower =-=-=-=-=-=-=- UPGRADE AT: Watchtower REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 4 UPGRADE COST: 150 Food, 150 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: Equips the Watchtower with a powerful ballista. RATING 3/5 - Can help you withstand a big attack when you place it at key positions. Don't buy this for all Towers, though, as you should be on the offensive mostly, not defense. War Camp =-=-=-=- UPGRADE AT: Camp REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 2 UPGRADE COST: 55 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: Creates a bigger camp, adding 4 Population Slots. RATING 4/5 - Use this to get additional population when you run out of space to build your Camps in. Gets an armor class bonus as well. Etched Blades =-=-=-=-=-=-= UPGRADE AT: Wilderness Outpost REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 2 UPGRADE COST: 75 Food, 75 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: +1 Attack for Rangers and Elven Archers. RATING: 3/5 - If you like to do raiding with invisible Elves, you need to buy this as soon as possible. Even if you don't, this upgrade pays off by giving your prominent missile units an extra power boost. Mystic Blades =-=-=-=-=-=-= UPGRADE AT: Wilderness Outpost REQUIRED: Etched Blades, Stronghold Level 3 UPGRADE COST: 125 Food, 125 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: +1 Attack for Rangers and Elven Archers. RATING 4/5 - You should be noticing the improvement by now: a great upgrade. One more attack bonus to go. Runic Blades =-=-=-=-=-=- UPGRADE AT: Wilderness Outpost REQUIRED: Mystic Blades, Stronghold Level 5 UPGRADE COST: 175 Food, 175 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: +1 Attack for Rangers and Elven Archers. RATING: 5/5 - Expensive, but well worth it. With an armor upgrade, several cloaked Elven Archers can now wipe out an entire enemy base, as long as they keep killing detector units. Improved Leather =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- UPGRADE AT: Wilderness Outpost REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 2 UPGRADE COST: 75 Food, 75 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: +1 Armor for Rangers and Elven Archers. RATING: 2/5 - Buy the offensive upgrades before purchasing this. You need offense over defense, especially with archers. Hard Leather =-=-=-=-=-=- UPGRADE AT: Wilderness Outpost REQUIRED: Improved Leather, Stronghold Level 3 UPGRADE COST: 125 Food, 125 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: +1 Armor for Rangers and Elven Archers. RATING: 3/5 - They last longer, look at Improved Leather for additional comments. Studded Leather =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= UPGRADE AT: Wilderness Outpost REQUIRED: Hard Leather, Stronghold Level 5 UPGRADE COST: 175 Food, 175 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: +1 Armor for Rangers and Elven Archers RATING: 4/5 - Mix it up with Runic Blades: now they last long AND do a lot of damage. Combine it with their Elven Cloaks to get the ultimate raiding unit! Concealment =-=-=-=-=-= UPGRADE AT: Wilderness Outpost REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 2 UPGRADE COST: 75 Food, 75 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: Rangers can remain unseen as long as they do not move. RATING: 2/5 - Not really needed, scouts will eventually be killed anyway. Unless you find use for Rangers as a PoP defender, which is kewl as armies without detector units will not be able to take over your Place of Power! Eagle Eye =-=-=-=-= UPGRADE AT: Wilderness Outpost REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 2 UPGRADE COST: 75 Food, 75 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: Gives Rangers an LOS upgrade, increasing detection ability. RATING: 3/5 - Actually, it's pretty nice. Will help spotting that annoying invisible enemies earlier. Arms and armor have higher priority, though. Elven Cloaks =-=-=-=-=-=- UPGRADE AT: Wilderness Outpost REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 3 UPGRADE COST: 165 Food, 165 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: Makes Elven Archers invisible, so they can only be spotted by detector units. RATING: 5/5 - THE raiding weapon. Keep killing those detectors and you might find yourself wiping out a complete base with only several Elven Archers! Eagle Fletching =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= UPGRADE AT: Wilderness Outpost REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 3 UPGRADE COST: 150 Food, 150 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: Upgrades the range of Elven Archers. RATING: 4/5 - Very good upgrade. Can keep them out of Tower range while they shoot it to the ground. Very annoying for the enemy as well because they cannot see you through the Fog of War. Combine with Elven Cloaks. Strength of Nature =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- UPGRADE AT: House of Lore REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 3 UPGRADE COST: 75 Food, 75 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: +1 Attack for Beornings and Huorns. RATING: 2/5 - If you like those Huorns (I don't) then you should buy this. Expensive, but needed for weak Beornings anyway. Strength of the Claw =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- UPGRADE AT: House of Lore REQUIRED: Strength of Nature, Stronghold Level 4 UPGRADE COST: 125 Food, 125 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: +1 Attack for Beornings and Huorns. RATING: 3/5 - Another attack upgrade to aid the Beornings and the Huorns. If you use them a lot, buy it, or else leave it. Strength of the Wild =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- UPGRADE AT: House of Lore REQUIRED: Strength of the Claw, Stronghold Level 5 UPGRADE COST: 175 Food, 175 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: +1 Attack for Beornings and Huorns. RATING: 3/5 - See Strength of the Claw for comments. Natures Protection =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- UPGRADE AT: House of Lore REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 3 UPGRADE COST: 75 Food, 75 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: +1 Armor for Beornings and Huorns. RATING: 2/5 - The same as attack, only this is slightly more needed to keep the Beornings alive for them to mend wounds instead of dying pathetically. Natures Defense =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= UPGRADE AT: House of Lore REQUIRED: Natures Protection, Stronghold Level 4 UPGRADE COST: 125 Food, 125 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: +1 Armor for Beornings and Huorns. RATING: 3/5 - Again, this is needed to keep Beornings alive. Natures Shield =-=-=-=-=-=-=- UPGRADE AT: House of Lore REQUIRED: Natures Defense, Stronghold Level 5 UPGRADE COST: 175 Food, 175 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: +1 Armor for Beornings and Huorns. RATING: 3/5 - See Natures Defense for comments. Bear Form =-=-=-=-= UPGRADE AT: House of Lore REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 3 UPGRADE COST: 125 Food, 125 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: Gives the Beorning the ability to transform into Bear Form. RATING: 3/5 - Bears are much better at fighting than Beornings, but they lose their healing ability in this form. Thus, it does not have a very high priority. Savage Blow =-=-=-=-=-= UPGRADE AT: House of Lore REQUIRED: Bear Form, Stronghold Level 4 UPGRADE COST: 125 Food, 125 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: While in Bear Form, the Beorning can give a devastating blow that knocks back all enemies in front of him. RATING: 3/5 - Useful to fight your way out of crowds, and does damage all units in front of him. Nice if you have lots of Beornings with Bear Form. Dispel =-=-=- UPGRADE AT: House of Lore REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 4 UPGRADE COST: 75 Food, 75 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: The Elven Lightbearer gains the ability to cure units from hostile, disadvantageous spellcasting. RATING: 3/5 - Units do not get hit by special magic a lot, but this is very helpful once they do. Reasonable buy. Light of Lothlorien =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= UPGRADE AT: House of Lore REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 4 UPGRADE COST: 125 Food, 125 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: This spell can be cast by the Elven Lightbearer to sear the flesh of all enemies in the affected area with a blinding light from above. RATING: 4/5 - Can damage large invasion armies to stop it in its tracks, weakening it so you can defend your settlement without too much losses. Good when used offensively as well, if you don't mind to micromanage a bit. Tree Form =-=-=-=-= UPGRADE AT: House of Lore REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 4 UPGRADE COST: 100 Food, 100 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: The Huorn gains the ability to plant itself into the ground so he can entangle foes with its roots. In this form, its regeneration rate is also substantially increased. RATING: 3/5 - Very good for defending small passes and such places. While the planted Huorn stops its enemies in its tracks, some missile units behind it can finish off foes easily. Stronghold Level 2 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- UPGRADE AT: Stronghold REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 1 UPGRADE COST: 115 Food, 105 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: +1 Armor and +250 HP for Stronghold. Is needed for some buildings to be built. RATING: 5/5 - All Stronghold upgrades have high priority, because without them you cannot access the better units and upgrades. Stronghold Level 3 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- UPGRADE AT: Stronghold REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 2 UPGRADE COST: 120 Food, 120 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: +1 Armor and +250 HP for Stronghold. Is needed for some buildings to be built. RATING: 5/5 - All Stronghold upgrades have high priority, because without them you cannot access the better units and upgrades. Stronghold Level 4 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- UPGRADE AT: Stronghold REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 3 UPGRADE COST: 125 Food, 135 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: +1 Armor and +250 HP for Stronghold. Is needed for some buildings to be built. RATING: 5/5 - All Stronghold upgrades have high priority, because without them you cannot access the better units and upgrades. Stronghold Level 5 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- UPGRADE AT: Stronghold REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 4 UPGRADE COST: 130 Food, 150 Ore UPGRADE EFFECT: +1 Armor and +250 HP for Stronghold. Is needed for some upgrades to be researched. RATING: 5/5 - All Stronghold upgrades have high priority, because without them you cannot access the better units and upgrades. --------------- 7.4) Good Units --------------- Here, all units of the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth are listed. They all have their own little history and comments with them. There are no heroes, however. They can be found in the next paragraph. =-=-=-=-=- Worker =-=-=-=-=- HIT POINTS: None given ATTACK POWER: None given ARMOR CLASS: None given ATTACK TYPE: None given TRAINED AT: Stronghold COST: 35 Food; 1 Pop UPGRADE AT: None ------------------ SPECIAL ABILITIES: ------------------ Workers don't have any special abilities. ------------------ UNIT HISTORY: ------------------ "A Worker's life is harsh, and the burden of feeding an entire army dwells heavily upon their shoulders. Yet each of them knows, that it is through their hard work that the Forces of Good sustain their never-ending war against the tyranny of Sauron and other entities of evil intent. And thus, they work with glea for their lords, hoping that their children's children will prosper in fields of green once again in the following Era." ------------------ UNIT COMMENTS: ------------------ There is little to say about Workers as their role is prey for many an intelligent creature's common sense: you CANNOT win without Workers. They build training and upgrading structures, gather resources, and it would be wise to keep them away from any hostilities. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Gondor Swordsman =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 1 HIT POINTS: 155 ATTACK POWER: Minimum=10; Maximum=13 ARMOR CLASS: Minimum=0; Maximum=3 ATTACK TYPE: Hack TRAINED AT: Barracks COST: 50 Food; 2 Pop UPGRADE AT: Forge ------------------ SPECIAL ABILITIES: ------------------ Gondor Swordsmen don't have any special abilities. ------------------ UNIT HISTORY: ------------------ "The bulk of the Gondor Army was always a high amount of skilled soldiers. No mere farmers or artisans, all have been trained in the way of battle by the great Captains of the Guard. Though only a grunt, many Gondorians find it an honor to participate in war for the glory of their lords. Whether they live or die, they will always follow the code of the warrior." ------------------ UNIT COMMENTS: ------------------ Cheap, sturdy units that will form your main offensive force in early-game. Excellent to gain an advantage in numbers, for that small sprinkle of offensive force you need to subdue your enemies. Don't ever send them in by themselves, though. They'll die. Meh. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Dwarf Axethrower =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 1 HIT POINTS: 140 ATTACK POWER: Minimum=9; Maximum=12 ARMOR CLASS: Minimum=0; Maximum=3 ATTACK TYPE: Hack TRAINED AT: Dwarf Hall COST: 60 Food; 10 Ore; 2 Pop UPGRADE AT: Forge ------------------ SPECIAL ABILITIES: ------------------ - Razor Edge >>> The Axethrower's axes are sharpened to the point where they are no longer earthly, resulting in the ability to pass through and do damage to multiple units. [Passive Ability] - Flaming Axe >> The forgery of the Dwarves and magical lore of other Free Peoples converge into a metal that perpetually burns with a soaring flame, dealing more damage to buildings and setting them ablaze. [Passive Ability] ------------------ UNIT HISTORY: ------------------ "Dwarves, dwelling in the deep halls beneath mountains, are traditionally devoted to their masterfully crafted battleaxes and other heavy, giant melee weapons or siege equipment. In time, however, they learned that without ranged support, their warriors would falter before the enemies' arrows, and no matter how strong their pride or bravery, they could not neglect this urgent development in warfare. However, isolate and headstrong as they were, they would not abandon their precious axes. The result was the Axethrower, a versatile warrior which would cleave through enemies like a hot knife through butter." ------------------ UNIT COMMENTS: ------------------ Though the role does not suit a Dwarf, Axethrowers are vital assets in early conquests. Not the sturdiest of units, they will need melee support to be truly effective. They aren't even THAT abysmal at close-combat, they just have to be used from a distance. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Dwarf Shieldbreaker =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= REQUIRED: Forge, Stronghold Level 2 HIT POINTS: 305 ATTACK POWER: Minimum=10; Maximum=13 ARMOR CLASS: Minimum=1; Maximum=4 ATTACK TYPE: Crush TRAINED AT: Dwarf Hall COST: 95 Food; 60 Ore; 3 Pop UPGRADE AT: Forge ------------------ SPECIAL ABILITIES: ------------------ Shield Break >>> With this upgrade, Shieldbreakers learn to bash their opponents with such power and precision that the attack permanently damages its armor, decreasing the victim's Armor Class. [Passive Ability] ------------------ UNIT HISTORY: ------------------ "With the wealth the Dwarven empires possessed, it came as no surprise that other, lesser races would seek to plunder the rough warriors' riches. Occasionally, Goblins from the Misty Mountains would harass the Dwarves by wearing armor that would stop most of their berserked blows. One particular Dwarf, though, managed to strike back with such force that a Goblin's shield and armor would crackle and break before the sheer might. Even today this warrior is revered as the idea of Shieldbreakers - hardened warriors which would learn to strike precise blows at weak points in an enemy's armor - was derived from his efforts." ------------------ UNIT COMMENTS: ------------------ Heavy enemies taking a heavy toll on your forces? Get a batch of Shieldbreakers with the Shield Break upgrade and you're set for kickass action. Enormous hitpoints ensure that they will bash a lot before dying. Do have some missile units or other melees to finish the job. Quite slow compared to other units though, definitely not fit for hit'n runs. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Rider of Rohan =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 2 HIT POINTS: 235 ATTACK POWER: Minimum=13; Maximum=16 ARMOR CLASS: Minimum=1; Maximum=4 ATTACK TYPE: Crush TRAINED AT: Barracks COST: 85 Food; 30 Ore; 3 Pop UPGRADE AT: Forge ------------------ SPECIAL ABILITIES: ------------------ Immune to Knockback >>> Riders of Rohan cannot be knocked back by special attacks under any circumstance. [Passive Ability] ------------------ UNIT HISTORY: ------------------ "With the treading of Eorl the Young upon the vales around the great river Anduin, recorded history of the Horse-Lords, or Rohirrim, commenced. It was this trustworthy Lord that truly tamed a prince among horses, a Mearas that went by the name of Felarof. Ever since their Gondor allies gave unto them the lands that are now known as Rohan, the Rohirrim have sought to perfect the art of mounted warfare. When a true rider of Rohan mounts his horse, the two beings are no longer separated while the battle lasts. A rider would mourn the death of his horse as much as that of a dear friend." ------------------ UNIT COMMENTS: ------------------ Very fast and quite useful even later in the game. The fact that they cannot be knocked back may result in panic amongst the defenders, fearing the daunting charge these horsemen may enact. Perfect for scouting, very nice for hit'n run, however, they are quite low on hitpoints for such a cost. As a remedy, upgrade their armor class a bit if you want to use them in late-game. =-=-=-=-=- Ranger =-=-=-=-=- REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 2 HIT POINTS: 200 ATTACK POWER: Minimum=8; Maximum=11 ARMOR CLASS: Minimum=0; Maximum=3 ATTACK TYPE: Hack TRAINED AT: Ranger Post COST: 50 Food; 40 Ore; 2 Pop UPGRADE AT: Wilderness Outpost ------------------ SPECIAL ABILITIES: ------------------ Detection >>> The Ranger is able to see hidden units, that would prove invisible to others. [Passive Ability] Concealment > Allows a Range to hide, robbing him of any kind of movement, though he will be invisible for all but detector units. [Recharge Time = 3 Seconds] Eagle Eye >>> Increases the Ranger's line-of-sight, making them more efficient at uncovering invisible units from afar. [Passive Ability] ------------------ UNIT HISTORY: ------------------ "In the shadows of the trees and stones, the Rangers reside, preferring their outdoors existence over that of a home in a town. Surviving and strolling over the countryside, none but the greater powers have seen more of Middle-Earth than these descendants of Numenor. Some have sought refuge in Minas Tirith, where they help the Steward of Gondor fending off the plethora of attacks that the Minions of Sauron throw upon them." ------------------ UNIT COMMENTS: ------------------ A Ranger is a must for every offensive or defensive force, as they are the only unit that can detect hidden units for the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth. Put some in your Towers on the defensive, and Conceal them on the offensive to keep them alive. Of course, they can stand their ground, but without upgrades they die quite quickly. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Elven Archer =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 3 HIT POINTS: 180 ATTACK POWER: Minimum=14; Maximum=17 ARMOR CLASS: Minimum=0; Maximum=3 ATTACK TYPE: Pierce TRAINED AT: Elven Sanctuary COST: 80 Food; 75 Ore; 3 Pop UPGRADE AT: Wilderness Outpost ------------------ SPECIAL ABILITIES: ------------------ Elven Cloak >>> By wearing these cloaks, Elven Archers mold with their environment, rendering them invisible to all but detector units. [Passive Ability] Eagle Fletching > Equipping the arrows with eagle feathers allows Elven Archers to shoot from a far greater range. [Passive Ability] ------------------ UNIT HISTORY: ------------------ "The elves have always viewed heavy weapons like swords, axes and greathammers with skepticism, preferring the serene grace of the bow. As a result, every Elf is gifted with exceptional archery skills. Combined with their racial traits, which are increased eyesight and hearing, they become a most deadly missile unit, especially when ambushing enemy units with their crafty Elven Cloaks." ------------------ UNIT COMMENTS: ------------------ Probably the best unit for the Free Peoples. It has a huge attack power, can become invisible to normal foes and can upgrade their range. In groups, they can slaughter whole enemy armies, if they manage to get rid of those pesky detector units beforehand. Pretty expensive, especially when buying all upgrades for them, but well worth your resources. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Elven Lightbearer =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 4 HIT POINTS: 160 ATTACK POWER: Minimum=11; Maximum=11 ARMOR CLASS: Minimum=0; Maximum=0 ATTACK TYPE: Pierce TRAINED AT: Elven Sanctuary COST: 100 Food; 85 Ore; 3 Pop UPGRADE AT: House of Lore ------------------ SPECIAL ABILITIES: ------------------ Protection >>> The Lightbearer may cast a greenish glance over an ally or himself which serves as a protective hull against attacks. [Recharge Time = 35 Seconds] Dispel >>> Carrying out order and purity, these masters of ancient lore may cast away any spell that is disadvantageous towards their allies. [Recharge Time = 10 Seconds] Light of >>> The light of the Valar shines in the eyes of Lothlorien the Elves, and for a moment the Lightbearers can call down the Golden Forest's light, so that it may sear the flesh of those with evil intent. [Recharge Time = 45 Seconds] ------------------ UNIT HISTORY: ------------------ "In their era-spanning struggles against the vile Orcs and other wretched creatures in service of the Dark Lord, Elves, especially the Noldor descendants that traversed vales of ice only to kill the servants of darkness, have slowly developed eyes which shine with the fierce, piercing light of purity, and only by looking into them the vile creatures would shout in agony and flee from the Elven wizards." ------------------ UNIT COMMENTS: ------------------ I don't like Elven Lightbearers very much. They are killed way too fast for such a cost. But, I have to admit that their spells sound very nice: Light of Lothlorien helps weakening an enemy army before it gets to your own ranks, especially if hostile troops are cluttered. You had better cast Protection on the Lightbearer itself, as it will probably not last very long without it. =-=-=-=-=-=- Beorning =-=-=-=-=-=- REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 3 HIT POINTS: 235 HIT POINTS BF: 420 ATTACK POWER: Minimum=7; Maximum=10 ATTACK POWER BF: Minimum=17; Maximum=20 ARMOR CLASS: Minimum=0; Maximum=3 ARMOR CLASS BF: Minimum=2; Maximum=5 ATTACK TYPE: Hack ATTACK TYPE BF: Hack TRAINED AT: Nature's Haven COST: 100 Food; 70 Ore; 3 Pop UPGRADE AT: House of Lore ------------------ SPECIAL ABILITIES: ------------------ Healing Herbs >>> In their knowledge of nature, Beornings may use special herbs to heal themselves or their allies. In bestial form, this knowledge disappears. [Recharge Time = 7 Seconds] Bear Form >>> Allows the Beorning to change himself into a Bear, increasing their ability to fight, yet diminishing their healing properties. [Recharge Time = 20 Seconds] Maul >>> Only available in bear form, the Beorning deals knock-back damage with every swipe of a claw. [Passive Ability] Savage Blow >>> The Beorning can, in bear form, strike with such force that it knocks back all enemies in front of him. [Recharge Time = 15 Seconds] ------------------ UNIT HISTORY: ------------------ "The Beornings were isolatory Men of the North, guarding the mouth of Garrock and the mountain paths of Rhovanion against the minions of the Dark Lord. Their name was derived from a powerful combatant named Beorn. This warrior possessed a spell that would turn him into a giant brown bear at wish, and his descendants may do so as well. This legacy has kept the Orcs and Goblins from the Misty Mountains far from invading their homeland." ------------------ UNIT COMMENTS: ------------------ There are two ways you can go with Beornings: one his the most straightforward. Buy Bear Form and Maul for them, then wreak havoc upon the enemy as they are complete powerhouses in bestial form. Or you can keep them in a weaker human form and use them as support, to mend the wounds of any allies that have taken damage in battle. =-=-=-=-= Huorn =-=-=-=-= REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 4 HIT POINTS: 235 ATTACK POWER: Minimum=14; Maximum=17 ARMOR CLASS: Minimum=4; Maximum=7 ATTACK TYPE: Crush TRAINED AT: Nature's Haven COST: 235 Food; 200 Ore; 5 Pop UPGRADE AT: House of Lore ------------------ SPECIAL ABILITIES: ------------------ Tree Form >>> Allows the Huorn to clamp itself into the soil, roots growing in a radius. Any enemies passing through are entangled and kept in place. [Recharge Time = 25 Seconds] ------------------ UNIT HISTORY: ------------------ "Basically, Huorns are downgraded Ents. They seem to have planted themselves into the ground, alive though unable to move. Elves and Ents claim that they move around in shadows, where the living beings that they hate so much cannot see them. Their hearts are rotten, corrupted, yet in all their hatred and blossoming rage, they hate the Dark Lord more than any other. Under the command of the Ents, they have joined forces with the Free Peoples to help rid Middle-Earth from the scourge of the Dark Lord." ------------------ UNIT COMMENTS: ------------------ Ouch! Expensive. They have decent hit points and a very good starting Armor Class, yet you cannot discard the fact that their cost is HUGE and their movement SLOW. I recommend the use of Huorns on the defensive. Position them near Towers so that they may entangle enemies, and the manned defensive structures can shoot them without suffering damage. ----------------- 7.5) Good Heroes ----------------- The Heroes are the special units with unique abilities that can lead your troops into battle. Whenever you train a hero, his picture appears on the right edge of the screen. Clicking on it will select that hero, while double-clicking immediately focuses the camera on the unit. All heroes are immune to knockback. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Frodo Baggins =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 1 HIT POINTS: 305 (Increases at level-ups) ATTACK POWER: Minimum=15 (Increases at level-ups) ARMOR CLASS: Minimum=1 (Increases at level-ups) ATTACK TYPE: Heroic TRAINED AT: Stronghold COST: 150 Food; 100 Ore ------------------ SPECIAL ABILITIES: ------------------ Heroic Aura >>> Shortens the time heroes near Frodo need to recharge their respective abilities. [Passive Ability] Mighty Sting >> Allows Frodo to do extra damage versus Orc units with his Elven blade Sting. [Passive Ability][Cost = 1 Fate] The One Ring >> Turns Frodo completely invisible for every enemy except for the Lord of the Nazgul and the Black Riders, but slowly eats his Hit Points away. [Recharge Time = 0 Seconds][Cost = 1 Fate] ------------------ HERO COMMENTS: ------------------ Frodo is the only hero for the Free Peoples that doesn't cost any Fate Points. He is a great scout with his The One Ring ability, but make sure he doesn't die by using it. Mighty Sting will give him an edge against Evil players as well, but only against the Orc units. Since Frodo is a scout and shouldn't be fighting with the other heroes on the field of battle, it would be better to save the Heroic Aura ability for camp defense. =-=-=-=-= Gimli =-=-=-=-= REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 1 HIT POINTS: 460 (Increases at level-ups) ATTACK POWER: Minimum=20 (Increases at level-ups) ARMOR CLASS: Minimum=3 (Increases at level-ups) ATTACK TYPE: Heroic TRAINED AT: Stronghold COST: 3 Fate Points ------------------ SPECIAL ABILITIES: ------------------ Capture >>> Allows Gimli to capture a hostile Tower and bash all enemies residing in it out of the buildings. Gimli himself mans the Tower thereafter. [Recharge Time = 30 Seconds][Cost = 3 Fate] Sunder >>> Inspires the mighty warrior to slam the ground with his axe, creating a shockwave that stuns all enemies nearby. [Recharge Time = 15 Seconds][Cost = 2 Fate] Siege Aura > Gimli shares his knowledge of construction with allies around him, allowing all units affected to do more damage against structures. [Passive Ability] ------------------ HERO COMMENTS: ------------------ Gimli is a friggin' melee tank, though I don't understand why he has less hit points than Aragorn... whatever, this guy makes breaking down enemy encampments a breeze. First, Sunder is used to cripple the defense force, then the Dwarf takes control of the nearest tower, ejecting detectors inside for allies to slaughter. Finally, Siege Aura speeds up the razing process considerably. Very good unit, though if you have no need for sieging then maybe you should go with other Heroes. =-=-=-=-=-= Legolas =-=-=-=-=-= REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 1 HIT POINTS: 450 (Increases at level-ups) ATTACK POWER: Minimum=20 (Increases at level-ups) ARMOR CLASS: Minimum=2 (Increases at level-ups) ATTACK TYPE: Heroic TRAINED AT: Stronghold COST: 3 Fate Points ------------------ SPECIAL ABILITIES: ------------------ Trueshot >>> Occasionally, Legolas may fire an arrow with such force and precision that it deals more damage and causes knockback to a single, targeted foe. [Recharge Time = 12 Seconds][Cost = 2 Fate] Guardian Wind > When used, the Silvan prince temporarily gives a defensive bonus versus enemy ranged attacks to all units nearby. [Recharge Time = 30 Seconds] Elven Speed >>> Allows Legolas to drastically speed up any allies near him, including Legolas himself. [Recharge Time = 35 Seconds][Cost = 2 Fate] ------------------ HERO COMMENTS: ------------------ This Elf is the ultimate missile unit for the good side, his abilities only accentuating his role as ranged support. A small strategy/hint: if you ever need to defend against an enemy force, position Legolas and ten to fifteen upgraded Elven Archers in a narrow area. Use Trueshot to blast away the leading enemy, Guardian Wind to guard your party from enemy ranged attacks, and Elven Speed to decimate the entire hostile army before it reaches you! =-=-=-=-=-= Aragorn =-=-=-=-=-= REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 1 HIT POINTS: 485 (Increases at level-ups) ATTACK POWER: Minimum=20 (Increases at level-ups) ARMOR CLASS: Minimum=3 (Increases at level-ups) ATTACK TYPE: Heroic TRAINED AT: Stronghold COST: 3 Fate Points ------------------ SPECIAL ABILITIES: ------------------ Kingsfoil >>> With the royal healing powers of this plant, Aragorn may heal up to half the total HP of a targeted, damaged ally. [Recharge Time = 8 Seconds] Anduril's Fury > Greatly increases Aragorn's attack, yields even more damage versus enemy Heroes, the Nazgul, and Wraiths. [Passive Ability][Cost = 2 Fate] Immunity >>> Aragorn cannot be blinded, stunned, slowed, or poisoned while this ability is active. [Passive Ability][Cost = 1 Fate] ------------------ HERO COMMENTS: ------------------ Aragorn is arguably the best hero after Gandalf. Always play offensive if you choose him, and as soon as you get two Fate Points buy Anduril's Fury: his attack power will go INSANE, even for a Hero. Thereby, you can heal your powerhouse units with Kingsfoil, which recharges so quick that it is just too 00ber for this game. Add in Immunity against all kind of status changes and you're set for divide and conquer. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Gandalf the Grey =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- REQUIRED: Stronghold Level 5 HIT POINTS: 450 (Increases at level-ups) ATTACK POWER: Minimum=20 (Increases at level-ups) ARMOR CLASS: Minimum=3 (Increases at level-ups) ATTACK TYPE: Heroic TRAINED AT: Stronghold COST: 4 Fate Points ------------------ SPECIAL ABILITIES: ------------------ Flash >>> Blinds all enemies near Gandalf, stunning them so they may be killed more easily. [Recharge Time = 20 Seconds][Cost = 2 Fate] Rain of Fire >>> Powerful ability that will invoke a shower of fireballs to fall from the skies in the radius selected. [Recharge Time = 60 Seconds][Cost = 3 Fate] Fire Shield >>> Enshrouds an allied unit in a halo of fire that deflects some of the damage taken back onto the attacker. [Recharge Time = 15 Seconds][Cost = 1 Fate] Negate Ability > Temporarily prevents enemies from using any of their special abilities. [Recharge Time = 30 Seconds] ------------------ HERO COMMENTS: ------------------ Nodoubtedly Gandalf is the most powerful Hero for the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth. Not that we would have expected any less for a single unit that costs you a Stronghold Level 5 and four Fate Points, but the Grey Wizard's well worth all you have to pay. Starting out with Negate Ability, which may dispel invisibility for a short while (!), Gandalf becomes even more powerful once he gains Rain of Fire. With this attack he may burn an entire enemy base down to cinders just by himself! Then, there's Flash for any units that would like to make him pay for what he did, so the Wizard can get away quickly. And if Flash didn't affect anything, he still has that great attacking power, with which he can slaughter small armies in conjunction with Fire Shield... --------------------- 7.6) Good Fate Powers --------------------- The Fate Powers of the good side are different than those of the evil side, and thus they gain a separate section away from the others: =-=-=-=-= Blind =-=-=-=-= COST: 2 Fate Points EFFECT: A flash of light on the battlefield that blinds enemy units, making them unable to see anything at a distance. The Blind power is best used on large groups of cluttered enemies, so you may annihilate them without losing a lot of valuable troops. Can also buy you some time to train extra units when your camp is on the brink of destruction. =-=-=-=-=-=- Brambles =-=-=-=-=-=- COST: 3 Fate Points EFFECT: A remnant Elven spell of ancient times that allows the player to rapidly grow a thorny patch of dangerous brambles on a chosen spot. The magical brambles will tear the flesh of any enemy moving through the patch. This power can be very annoying for your enemy when placed on a spot he needs to pass through to get to your camp. It isn't very cheap, however, and you should place it with care. If there are no good spots, you'd better save your Fate Points for something more useful. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Heroic Legacy =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= COST: 3 Fate Points EFFECT: Transforms a player's Hero into a legend for all time by sacrificing his ability to reform at the Stronghold. This adds incredible battle power that is worthy of song and tale throughout the lands. There is only one level where this is very good, and that's the Helm's Deep scenario of the Good Campaign. In skirmishes, this isn't a very good idea, because your Hero will still die eventually and you won't be able to recruit him at the Stronghold again. Only useful for desperate end-game attacks where you need all the power you can get. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Blessed Wind =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- COST: 2 Fate Points EFFECT: In rare moments of seemingly Fate-inspired inter- vention, even an element as simple as wind can grant the champions of a just cause a devastating force behind their missile attacks. Adds Knockback to the attack of ranged units. Actually, quite nice, I've noticed over time. Its efficiency was quite daunting to behold as I totally destroyed an oncoming army with seven Elven Archers. They just keep being beat back. The moment is short-lived for two Fate Points, though. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Summon Giant Ent =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- COST: 7 Fate Points EFFECT: Summons a Giant Ent, protector of Fangorn forest to fight for the player. Ancient and wise, yet powerful and battle-hardened, this severed creature reluctantly uses his natural gift of great strength against any would-be foes. Although this creature is very strong and can take care of whole armies by itself, the price of this power is very high and amassing an amount of 7 Fate Points at a single time is quite hard. When you are invading the last enemy on the map, and have accumulated enough points, you can use the power to add the "finishing touch" to your campaign. Note that the Giant Ent only lasts a set amount of time before being withdrawn again. ------------------------- 7.7) Good-Only Strategies ------------------------- A list of common strategies that are used by the Free Peoples. Credits to all of you who mail me other working strategies: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Start-Game Rohirrim Rush =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Works best on another Free Peoples player. You need to be very quick for this to work. The core factor is to upgrade your Stronghold and building two Barracks as quickly as possible. Then train some Riders of Rohan and rush to an enemy camp. Circle around the camp until you find their resource spot, then attack the workers around there. When fighting evil side, you can go for Slavemasters to decrease their population capacity. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Cloaked Elves Infiltration =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- I use this strategy most of the time. Groups of five upgraded, cloaked elves run around a camp, first killing any detector units in their sights, afterwards destroying other enemy units and finally the buildings. It's hard to do when the enemy has detector units in his Towers, so make sure to upgrade your Elves. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Nature's Defense =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- This defensive strategy requires some Huorns with Tree Form and several missile units, Dwarf Axethrowers with Razor Edge would do very good. As soon as an enemy army approaches, spread your Huorns and use Tree Form to entangle foes and stop them in their tracks. Use the missile units to do significant damage while the opponents can't move. Make sure to have a few melee units which can stop any enemy ranged units from killing your expensive Huorns. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Tactical Offense =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- You need some standing melee units like Swordsmen or Shield- breakers and the Riders of Rohan for this. Armor upgrades are required here, as the infantry has to last as long as possible for this strategy to work. Whenever you encounter an enemy army, wait for the foe's infantry to attack your own infantry. Keep your cavalry out of sight, though. Now ride around the battle with your Rohirrim and attack the archers from the flank, increasing your infantry's chance of winning, especially when you have some missile units yourself. Doesn't work when facing Elven Archers who are cloaked. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Elven-Rohirrim Rush =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= [-- Contributed by Ryan --] Say you have about nine Riders of Rohan and about ten Elven Archers, and you are outnumbered by quite a bit. First, you send a volley of all your archers so the enemy foot soldiers come to shield it, becoming huddled in the process. Then, send your unseen cavalry and take out some enemies. Retreat with your cavalry to an area out of the opponent's LOS. Send a new volley of arrows with your archers, repeating all steps. The enemy will be in chaos, and eventually your cavalry will be able to pick them off. AUTHOR: Works best if you group the Elves and Rohirrim first, of course. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Easy Elimination =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [-- Contributed by Telcontar590 --] When you first start off quickly build a Mill, a Foundry, a Barracks, and two Camps. Then train at least eight Gondor Swordsmen and Frodo. Next upgrade to Stronghold Lvl 2, and research the first two upgrades for the Swordsmen while you look for the enemy camp. Even if the upgrades have not been finished you can still attack the enemy base, and wipe them out. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Concealed Annihilation =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [-- Contributed by Scott McCall --] Take a large group of Elven Archers and some Rangers. (Archers must have Elven Cloak ability and Rangers need Concealment). Send in your Rangers and take out any Detector units, then tell them to hold position and use Concealment. then use your Elven Archers to take out any Melee units. This is a good strategy as your Elves usually die when they take out the detectors and most of your Rangers die trying to kill off all the normal enemies. This way they take out the detectors and then kill the rest of silently, without hassle. AUTHOR: Also, you should make sure you conceal as soon as the detectors are dead... or risk losing them all which isn't good. Try to lure the detectors away if pos- sible. Needs micromanagement, but may very well make some levels utterly painless. More strategies to come... (I hope) ------------------ 7.8) Good Campaign ------------------ This is a walkthrough for the Free Peoples' campaign in the War of the Ring. It contains story and gameplay spoilers, so if you want to figure everything out for yourself, skip this section. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Grey Ledge =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Third Age 3018 "The Iron Hills echo with the sounds of clashing steel, as the Dwarves defend their homeland against a wicked Orc onslaught. With the help of Gimli, son of Gloin, they prepare to rid the cliffs of the savage infestation. Gimli and his warriors must gather their forces, climb the nearby peaks, and crush their enemies under the weight of the mountain." --------------------------------------------------------------- HEROES ABILITIES STATUS --------------------------------------------------------------- Gimli -> Sunder => 2 Fate -> Siege Aura => Available --------------------------------------------------------------- BUILDINGS UNITS UPGRADES --------------------------------------------------------------- Stronghold -> Dwarf Worker => Stronghold Lvl 2 Mill Foundry Camp => War Camp Watchtower Dwarf Hall -> Dwarf Axethrower -> Dwarf Shieldbreaker Forge => Iron Blades => Iron Plating --------------------------------------------------------------- The first level of this Good Side Campaign isn't hard at all. When you start off you see a little cinematic on how some Orcs demolish a Tower. Gimli will give a small speech, and after that it's your turn. The screen will list your objectives as soon as you get control. The main objectives are: - Construct an encampment for reinforcements => Construct a Mill => Construct a Foundry => Construct a Dwarf Hall => Construct a Watchtower => Upgrade the Stronghold => Construct a Forge - Destroy the main Orc encampment - Kill the Orc Captain - (OPTIONAL) Use the boulders on the cliffs to crush the enemy Click the objectives screen away and view your camp. You start with three Dwarf Workers, three Dwarf Axethrowers, two Dwarf Shieldbreakers, and the hero Gimli. Note that your encampment will not be attacked in this scenario, unlike the other levels. So just take it easy and try to get familiar with these Dwarves a bit. To start off, assign two Dwarf Workers to build a Foundry on top of the nearby Ore deposit and use the other one to construct a Mill at the well. In the meanwhile, train another four Dwarf Workers at your Stronghold. In the end, make sure you have three Workers gathering each resource. We will use the single Worker left to build new structures. I suggest you commence the construciton of a Dwarf Hall, and after that an additional Camp, creating a total amount of three camps and a population of 43. Start the recruiting of new Axethrowers for your army, and upgrade the Stronghold to the next level. Use your idle Worker to construct a Forge next. As soon as the Forge is completed, you should research the two upgrades available there (Iron Blades and Iron Plating). With the Forge, you may also train Dwarf Shieldbreakers. While you build your army, use the Worker to construct a Watchtower to complete the first objective. OBJECTIVE COMPLETED: - Construct an encampment for reinforcements. Although you could probably finish the scenario with less than the amount of troops I suggest here, it is still advised that you train an army of about seven Axethrowers and seven Shield- breakers. Together with Gimli, you can now start your campaign to drive the Orcs from the Iron Hills. With your troops, head down the hill to the east. Keep going east and you should meet an enemy patrol consisting of some goblins and an orc archer. No threats here. Head futher eastward until you can't continue, then north, climbing the cliff path. There are some enemies here, but you can dispose of them quite easily. Continue to follow the cliff path, killing the spawning Orcs as you go. At the end of the path, you should see some boulders on the edge of the cliff and the Orc camp that is beneath them. Get a unit and right-click a boulder to push it off the cliff, destroying anything in its rolling path. Do the same with the other boulder here. Now head back to your camp and train reinforcements as you see fit. Run down the east hill again. This time, go directly north. You should pass some water here, with an enemy patrol somewhere. Kill them and head up north. You'll arrive at a little Orc encampment. Try to focus on destroying the Tower here as quickly as possible. It should come down quickly with help of Gimli's Siege Aura ability. By crushing this structure, you can easily defeat the remaining foes and bash their structures to dust. The Place of Power is yours now: it is a fountain that provides your army with a regeneration bonus. By now, you should have two Fate Points. You should use them to purchase Gimli's Sunder ability, which will temporarily stun all enemies around him when used. Very useful when facing a bigger army than your own. As soon as you destroy the Orc encampment return southwards, towards the pond, as there are Orc archers on the top of the cliff. Get out of their range and wait for your forces to heal. When your forces are healthy again, you can run through the pass, neglecting the archers for now. Kill any enemies you encounter, then move up the hill to the east. Enemies reside here as well, but their numbers are small. Explore this cliff entirely to find the Orc Archers that were firing arrows at you while you guided your forces through the pass. Defeat them all for sweet revenge. Now, you need to shove the boulders off the cliff again. Use all of them to weaken the Orc camp beneath to the brink of annihilation. When you're done and healed, head back to the pond again. Train any reinforcements if you need to do so. OBJECTIVE COMPLETED: - Use the boulders on the cliffs to crush the enemy. Use the small strip of land on the northern side of the water to get to the second Orc encampment. There shouldn't be a lot of resistance here after flatting it to the ground with your boulders, so just crush everything, preferably without losses on your side. Cross the water and head for the south directly afterwards. Destroy any resistance here. Make sure your units are healed before continuing: the main, most difficult Orc encampment lies west of this point. It would be wise to cast the Blind fate power on the enemy army before engaging in battle, this way you won't suffer many losses. After the majority of the army is killed, go for the Tower. Destroy any remaining buildings and fight your way to the middle of the camp. There, the Orc Captain is waiting for you. The Orc Captain is as strong as a normal hero, you'll have to focus all your forces on him to take him out quickly. You can use Gimli's Sunder to give yourself an easier time dealing with him. This way, the wretched Orc should be dead quickly. OBJECTIVE COMPLETED: - Kill the Orc Captain. The only thing left to do now is raze the enemy camp. Destroy remaining buildings and victory will be yours. Note that you don't have to destroy the War Posts if you're in a hurry. OBJECTIVE COMPLETED: - Destroy the main Orc encampment. [--> MISSION ACCOMPLISHED <--] =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= The Siege of the Iron Hills =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= INTRO: Third Age 3018 "The Dwarves have spilled Orc blood for hundreds of years in many major wars, and now another such battle is about to begin. The Orcs have come from the west to besiege Thorin's Gate, the common entrance to the Iron Hills. The King under the Mountain has sent his kindred from the mines to defend his realm. Under the leadership of Gimli, son of Gloin, the Dwarf forces intend to complete the construction of an ancient weapon to rid their home of the Orcs." --------------------------------------------------------------- HEROES ABILITIES STATUS --------------------------------------------------------------- Gimli -> Sunder => Available -> Capture => 3 Fate -> Siege Aura => Available --------------------------------------------------------------- BUILDINGS UNITS UPGRADES --------------------------------------------------------------- Stronghold -> Dwarf Worker => Stronghold Lvl 2 Mill Foundry Camp => War Camp Watchtower Dwarf Hall -> Dwarf Axethrower -> Dwarf Shieldbreaker Forge => Iron Blades => Iron Plating => Shield Break --------------------------------------------------------------- This level starts with a cinematic wherein Gimli explains what kind of situation you're in. The Orcs seem to have taken over Thorin's Gate, and the King under the Mountain has assigned you to drive the Orcs away. To this end, Gimli seeks to complete the construction of an ancient weapon, a relic from the Battle of the Five Armies. Your starting objectives are: ! Gimli must survive - Establish an encampment => Destroy the Goblin Expansion => Construct a Stronghold => Construct a Dwarf Hall You start off with Gimli and six Dwarf Axethrowers. Take them all to the northeast and start demolishing the camp. Gimli's Sunder can prevent losing a lot of precious units on your part. After the majority of hostile troops is dead, go for their Towers and destroy them. Now you just have to destroy the remaining enemy buildings to use the area for your own purposes. As soon as all enemy presence is cleared, four Dwarf Workers run into your new camp. Use them to build a Stronghold close to both the well and the ore deposit. Then use three Dwarves to build a Foundry and one for a Mill, while you train another three Workers in your Stronghold. You've probably had to fend off a Warg attack by now. Raiding parties will be common in this scenario, so be on your guard and use Sunder to maximum effect to deal with enemies painlessly. Let none escape. Once you have three Workers on ore and three on food, use the Dwarf left to build a new Camp. Construct two Watchtowers in the same spot as the enemy Towers were. In the meanwhile, upgrade your Stronghold. After that, build a Dwarf Hall to complete the primary objective. OBJECTIVE COMPLETED: - Establish an encampment. NEW OBJECTIVE: - Ancient Catapult => Find the Ancient Catapult => Complete its Construction Don't go exploring yet. You will need a big army to defend the Ancient Catapult while you complete it. Build a Forge right away once your Stronghold reaches the next level, so you may build Dwarf Shieldbreakers to aid in your struggles. Just keep collecting resources and research all upgrades in the Forge (Iron Blades, Iron Plating, Shield Break). While you research all this, it's time to gather your forces. Notice that the enemy has altered their raiding parties: they consist of three Orc Slashers now. You need to kill them all before they get a chance to flee. Sunder can help a lot here to bring them to a halt. To get the needed population needed for your grand army, build another Cam