The Last Alliance, mepbm variant.
STATS: In order to maintain game balance (or perhaps that should be a
familiar imbalance!) I have taken the stats of the 1650 scenario and juggled
them to fit LA. All such juggling has been either within nation, or between
nations of the same allegiance. I have not taken stats from one allegiance
and awarded them to another. Therefore, the tax base, army strength and
constitution, and total character stats, for each allegiance, are very close
to 1650, altho there are lots of differences between 1650 nations and those
of LA.
NAMES: when Tolkien gives a 'new' name for a person or place in LA I have
used it; however such names are rare. A surprisingly large number of pops
and immortal characters survived LA into 3rd Age, whilst all races, to some
degree, recycled the same names generation after generation. Therefore, do
not be surprised to see names in LA which you recognize from 1650. They are
not necessarily the same people! I have added some new names, particularly
for the 'new' nations, but I did not want to be immodest enough to do this
across the board.
LA NATION LIST (where changes not mentioned, those aspects of the nation
much like 1650):
1) Woodmen: pops and army much like 1650, but given a combat art, and top
character has been beefed up so that even if he can't single-handedly cut a
swathe thru hostile armies like Beorn at the Battle of 5 armies, at least he
stands a fair chance in challenge against orc leaders. Also given mage
skill and access to conjure food (the way Beorn fed Thorin & co demands
nothing less) in place of challenge bonus.
2) Northmen: lose pops around Dale and Rhun to new nations, but compensated
by other pops further north, which puts them well out of reach of any DS
armies. Lose shipbuilding bonus but gain SA 7 (4th Age list): armies
without food etc.
3) Eothraim: as 1650 except for minor changes to character stats. It's
interesting that the location of Eothraim both in LA and 1650 rests upon a
single (long!) sentence in Unfinished Tales: 'They were a remnant of the
Northmen, who had formerly been a numerous and powerful confederation of
peoples living in the wide plains between Mirkwood and the River Running,
great breeders of horses and riders renowned for their skill and endurance,
though their settled homes were in the eaves of the Forest, and especially
in the East Bight, which had largely been made by their felling of trees.'
4) North Kingdom: embraces lands later held by Arthedain, Cardolan and
Rhudaur. Includes pops from the first two and one or two surprises if you
haven't studied the books. A first-rate economic and military power.
Headed by Elendil the Tall, his family and household: all new characters.
5) Silvan Elves: like the 2950 nation, but bigger and better. SAs 7 & 14
sacrificed for x2 to scout/recon orders.
6) Dale: new nation of Northmen race. All pops at/near the Long Lake or
connecting waterways. All new characters, SAs 8 = 20% adjustment to market,
9 = new emis at 40. Army/navy much like 1650 Nor.
7) South Kingdom: territorially embraces the whole of what was later N & S
Gondor. Holds many pops which in1650 belonged to either NG or SG but which
still may not be enough if the combined DS launch a determined, co-ordinated
pre-emptive strike. All characters are changed from 1650 for historical
reasons, and the 1650 SA name new mages at 40 is swapped for new commanders
at 40.
8) Dwarves are much as in 1650, except they have a starting mage (Tolkien is
very clear Dwarves DO have access to magic) and they can Conjure food. How
else d'you think they supported city-sized populations in mountains which
produce no food?
9) Sindar: lose some 1650 pops to Silvans, but are compensated elsewhere.
Note their realm at the time of LA also extends over the forest EAST of the
Anduin (including where afterwards was Dol Guldur). The King of Lorien is
Amdir, but the most powerful characters are Galadriel and Celeborn, who with
their daughter Celebrian indulge in the traditional Elven activity of
'wandering' so who knows where they will start?
10) Noldor: much like 1650, only stronger; therefore have bigger starting
armies and more pops to support them. I was loth to increase the Noldor
power except the LA script demanded it. Hopefully it will give the Noldo
player more problems than answers. In 1650 it's a fairly straightforward
decision to disband most troops and concentrate on a character war. In LA
Noldo have a bigger army and pop base and their allies are looking to them
to lead by example!
11 & 12 Witch-king and Dragon-lord. At the time of LA, neither of them had
yet established realms outside Mordor. Therefore, Witch-king and Dragon
lord, like the other Nazgul at the time of LA, have their realms inside
Mordor. Their power like the rest of the Mordor nations is similar to 1650.
Dragon lord, as befits his title, has a dragon in his entourage; some small
compensation for the absence of any other dragon in the scenario.
13-19 see little if any change from 1650.
20) Dark Lord: The big change is that in LA this nation is now the nation of
the Dark Lord and includes Sauron himself. The nation loses Urzahil, and
some of the lesser minions lose a few points in order to make Sauron
formidable but not invincible.
21) Black Numenoreans: this nation is the predecessor of the 1650 Corsairs,
and has similar strengths, territory and characteristics, except a weaker
navy. This nation is pre-aligned DS.
22) Harad: this nation is the predecessor of the 1650 nation of the same
name. The differences are, in LA its armies should start from much further
south than in 1650. There is NO justification in Tolkien for Harad having a
navy at any time, but just for the sake of variety and excitement, LA allows
Harad a small navy. This nation is pre-aligned DS.
23) Dunlendings: this nation is much as in 1650. Having been ravaged by
Sauron's armies during the War of the Elves v Sauron earlier in the 2nd Age,
the Duns are unlikely to be drawn in on Sauron's side so soon afterwards.
Moreover surrounded as they are by FP, North Kingdom to the North, Elves and
Dwarves to the east, and South Kingdom to the south, every strategic
instinct tells Duns to declare FP rather than DS.
24) Dorwinion: This nation replaces Rhuduar from 1650, except, the location
is totally different. Dorwinion was a nation on the shores of Rhun which
sent wine to the Silvan Elves and by implication, traded with Dwarves and
Men of other races also. The parallel between Dorwinion and the city-states
established by Swedish vikings in Slavic Russia is striking. I visualise
Dorwinion in LA as a rich city-state ruled by a Norse aristocracy slowly
getting absorbed by the predominant Easterling population. At the time of
LA, and indeed right up to the time of the War of the Ring, the economic
benefits of trade with the 'western' world kept Dorwinion firmly on the side
of the FP.
25) Easterlings: have lost a few pops around the sea of Rhun from 1650.
They hadn't penetrated that far by LA so I've pushed them as far back as
possible without pushing them right off the map (which they ought to be!).
They are the same strength as in 1650 and are firmly on the side of the DS.
Richard.
(I have no sympathy for the noldor in case you