De Bellis Middle Earth v5.01 - copyright Thane Maxwell 2001
Contents:
Introduction:......
The Forces of the Dark Lord:......
The Elves:......
Men:......
Dwarves:......
Aggression Factors:......
Command Break Points:......
Numbers of Commands:......
Terrain Features:......
Dates:......
DB-ME Quick Reference Sheet:......
Optional Rules:......
Heroic Generals:......
Wizards:......
Morgoth: Master of the Fates of Arda......
Acknowledgements:......
Forces of the Dark Lords:......
Morgoth: FA......
Second Age Mordor: SA 1000-3262, then 3320-3441......
Misty Mountain Orc, Orcs of the White Mountains or Orcs of Mirkwood: SA - TA......
Third Age Sauronic: (Including Dol Guldur from c. TA 1000, Mordor after TA 1980 and Minas Morgul after TA 2002)
Angmar: TA c.1300 - 1975......
Isengard: TA 2990+......
Men of the Shadow:......
Hillmen: FA to TA (Including the Hillmen of the Trollshaws TA 1636-1975)......
Dunlending or Dunmen (FA to TA) or Early Easterling (FA)......
Later Easterling: SA - TA......
Rhun: TA......
Harad: SA and TA......
Far Harad: SA and TA......
Variags of Khand: TA......
Corsairs of Umbar: SA 3262 - TA 933, TA 1448-1810, then c. 1856+......
The Dunedain:......
Edain: FA......
Numenorean: SA 1200 – 3261......
Realms in Exile: Arnor and Gondor SA 3320 – TA 2......
Early Arnor and Gondor: TA 2 - 829 (Gondor) or 2 - 861 (Arnor)......
Arthedain: TA 861-1975......
Cardolan: TA 861-1636......
Rhudaur: TA 861-1636......
Gondor of the Ship Kings: TA 830 - 1431......
Kinstrife Gondorian: TA 1432 - 1635......
Later Royal Gondor: TA 1636 - 2050......
Gondor of the Stewards: TA 2050+......
Men of the North:......
Woodmen and Vales of Anduin: TA......
Dale, Esgaroth and Dorwinnian: TA......
Rhovanion or Eotheod: TA 1-1977 (Rhovanion), TA 1856-2510 (Eotheod)......
Rohan: TA 2510+......
The Elves:......
FA Sindar: Doriath, Falas and Teleri......
Laiquendi: FA......
Host of Feanor and Gondolin: FA......
Noldor Realms of Beleriand: FA Hithlum, Dorthonion, Sons of Feanor and Nargothrond......
FA Noldor Remnants: Balar, the Mouths of Sirion, Later Sons of Feanor and Later Ossiriand....
War of Wrath Valar: FA......
Second Age Host of Lindon (SA) or Eregion (SA 700-1697):......
Second Age Mirkwood and Lorinand (SA – TA 1981) Nandor:......
Third Age Host of Lindon: TA 1-1975......
Lorien (TA 1981+) and Third Age Mirkwood Elven:......
The Dwarves:......
Houses of the Dwarven Fathers: (Khazad-Dum FA - TA 1981, Belegost and Nogrod FA)......
Dwarven Exiles: (Iron Hills, Ered Luin, Erebor or Grey Mountains) TA......
Magical Beasts:......
Ents: FA to TA......
Eagles: FA to TA......
The Dead: TA......
Index:......
Introduction:
The following represents the major armies described by JRR Tolkien in The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion for use with DBM. They are entirely my own interpretations as to proportions of troops, often fighting styles, and sometimes even, equipment. Tolkien's military knowledge of pre-gunpowder warfare was from Anglo-Saxon sagas and a reading of the Classics. As such, he is not always as 'realistic' as is desirable, although far better than most fantasy writers are. The starting point for my interpretation of Tolkien is that the societies and warfare he is describing in the late Third Age are roughly equivalent to Dark Age Europe, with 11th or 12th century technology. Feudal relationships are at an early stage in the most advanced societies (Arnor and Gondor), whilst older (Noldor, Sindar or Numenorean) civilisations are akin to classical societies, others are primarily tribal in nature. The most sophisticated armour available was mail, and only some dwarves use closed helms.
Although Tolkien often describes individual’s equipment and that of bodies of troops, it has been necessary to extrapolate forwards and backwards from better-documented troop types in some cases (e.g. The Second Age Lindon list). I have tried to give a sense of development over time (e.g. the degeneration in the case of the Dunedain). In addition I have fleshed out most armies with supporting troop types to fill roles which similar historical armies had. I have plundered ICE's excellent Middle Earth modules for additional detail but almost all the basic troops are as close to that which Tolkien describes as possible. Finally, in adapting the various beasts and nasties of Middle Earth I have tried to stay close to DBM types so as not to distort game balance.
It is worth emphasising that these lists are in the end a question of taste and balance but should provide a game that is fun and distinctively heroic. Everyone will have a slightly different conception of how the various peoples should perform and the source base is too narrow to settle many questions definitively. I have tried to re-check as many of my assumptions and references as possible when redrafting the lists. I would strongly recommend house-rules for different scenarios not covered here, but to exercise caution in tampering with the lists, as small changes can have a large impact on overall game-balance. These lists and rules are still under play testing but I hope they provide a workable framework, any comments are welcome. Both Dave Brown and Luke Ueda-Sarson have produced lists of their own with considerably different interpretations, both are well researched and well worth looking at.
Distances are given for 15 mm / 6 mm and will need to be converted for 25 mm. These lists are written for massed battles (c.500+ AP recommended), rather than Warhammer type skirmishes. As such, there are no lists included for The Shire, Woses, Pukelmen or Wolves by themselves, as they could not form large enough bodies to count as armies under DBM.
NB: The disproportionate classification of Orcs vs. other troops is effectively balanced by the Numberless Hordes rules (q.v.). These emphasise the heroic nature of conflict in Middle Earth and create balanced, exciting games.
The Forces of the Dark Lord:
The majority of Orcs were weaker than their Human or Elven opponents, but were present in far greater numbers at major battles. Where they won it was usually due to wearing down the enemy or outflanking them. Where they lost it was usually due to loosing critical command figures. Orcs also suffered from inter-tribal rivalries, which were only overcome by fear of powerful commanders or by the will of Sauron. My solution to this is to introduce Numberless Hordes and to limit the numbers of reliable generals operating at a distance from Nazgul. These rules apply to all Morgoth, Dol Guldur, Mordor, Angmar, Isengard or Outland Orc armies (hereafter collectively referred to as Dark Lord’s Armies).
Vulnerability to daylight is ignored for all Dark Lord’s troops for game purposes, it is assumed they would not fight without some form of artificial darkness (smoke, bats, etc.) and that such artificial darkness is not sufficient to invoke the penalties associated with night battles for Humans.
Numberless Horde Commands: Morgoth, Sauron and (to a lesser extend, Saruman) were able to drive their vast armies on by the force of their will, taking little account of losses. To reflect this, the numbers of troops and their low classifications, any Dark Lord’s command led by an ally general does not count towards army demoralisation. If it becomes broken, the Dark Lord player may either treat it as demoralised as per the DBM rules or optionally recycle the entire command. If recycled all its elements are removed from the table at the start of the first Dark Lord’s bound in which it counts as broken. A replacement command, exactly the same as the broken one, or as stipulated in the appropriate list or scenario notes, is brought on from a rear table edge sector at the beginning of the Dark Lord’s next bound. On a roll of a 1 or 2 they arrive on the left rear edge, 3 or 4 the centre rear edge, 5 or 6 the right rear edge. No command can be brought on if there are any of the opposing player’s elements within 6” of the entry point. Allocate random 24" sections on the base edge for larger boards. If necessary, dice randomly between the available sectors. If there are no free sectors the command is held off table until a sector becomes available. Numberless Horde commands do not require baggage.
NB: Commands that include any Black Numenoreans, Dragons or Mumakil that recycle are replaced by an equivalent command of the same nationality and of equivalent points value (up to the maximum permitted size), but that excludes these troop types. Any Warg commands that are recycled convert all Wg(O) to Wg(I) and make up the lost points with additional Wg(I) . This is because these types of elite troops were in very limited supply, whereas the recycling rules attempt to replicate the enormous reserve of manpower (or orc-power) available to the Dark Lords.
The option to recycle 'Numberless Horde' allied commands ceases if at any point the only Dark Lord elements left on table belong to either a C-in-C’s and/or a Sub-general’s command.
CinC and Sub-Generals: The army lists specify how many of these an army is permitted. Each such general can only command the specified troops. These are the only commands in the Dark Lord’s army that count toward army demoralisation and hence, for winning and losing. Elements that are in a CinC’s or Sub-General’s command are thus subject to the normal demoralisation rules and are not recyclable.
The maximum size for any Dark Lord’s CinC’s or Sub-General’s command is 27 element equivalents. The CinC’s command should normally be deployed in good going and fully within the central sector, to allow him to dominate his army.
Ally-Generals: These simulate the occasionally unreliable, unenthusiastic and squabbling nature of Orcs, especially that between different tribes. They can become unreliable, but will never change sides if their opponent’s forces contain Elves, Dwarves, Dunedain, Northmen or Numenoreans (other than Black Numenoreans).
These commands become unreliable if in the first turn, or when arriving on table having recycled or flank-marched, their PIP roll scores a 1; unless their general’s element is within 18” of a Sorcerous Captain element, in which case they can not become unreliable.
Sorcerous Captains: A Balrog, Dragon, Nazgul or Ringwraith CinC may transfer PIPs from his own command to any other single command whose general is within 18" of the CinC at a rate of 2 sent for every 1 received, provided the Sorcerous Captain’s element is not in hand-to-hand combat. The recipient command cannot have its PIP total increased to beyond a total of 6 PIPs by this method.
Trolls: Irr Bh(I) Factor 6 vs. foot, 5 vs. shooting, 3 vs. mounted. Move 3”, counts as foot, subject to impetuosity, no quick-kills, treat scrub, boggy ground and marsh as good going, otherwise normal terrain effects apply, except terrain they count as difficult going reduces their movement to 2”. Trolls were huge creatures, swift in the attack, with rudimentary armour (if any) and big bashing weapons. They were a match and more for the best Dunedain and Elven troops, but occasionally brittle.
Olog-hai: Irr Bh(O) Factor 6 vs. foot, 5 vs. shooting, 3 vs. mounted. Move 3”, counts as foot, subject to impetuosity, no quick-kills, treat scrub, boggy ground and marsh as good going, otherwise normal terrain effects apply, except terrain they count as difficult going reduces their movement to 2”. Olog-hai were specially bred warrior trolls, using some armour and not as susceptible to daylight as other trolls. They are described in Lord of the Rings as possibly a mix of Trolls and Orcs but far exceeding their lesser brethren in strength and ferocity, so I class them as a tougher version of the occasionally unreliable trolls.
Fell Beasts: Irr Exp(O). Assorted semi-magical beasts, never defined in detail. A good excuse for any assortment of weird and wonderful figures you might have, possibly similar to smaller dinosaurs.
Giant Spiders: Irr Hd(S). Huge arachnids mainly found in forests, famously in Mirkwood in The Hobbit.
Orcs:Orcs were generally well armoured and armed with a variety of swords, scimitars, axes and spears and supported at close range by archery. They didn’t fight individually and were rarely prone to impetuous behaviour (unless fighting vastly inferior opponents). Orcs could move swiftly when motivated, operated effectively in rough terrain, and yet could resist strongly. Orcs were not a match for well disciplined opponents and were usually smaller than humans.
I emphasis the difference between Orcish Garrisons and other troops directly under the Dark Lords’ control (referred to as Legions) where larger and more ferocious types fought separately, and the wild tribes of the mountains (referred to as Outland Orcs). The harsh discipline used to control Orcs would, in my opinion, have limited their effectiveness. This is reflected by the propinquity of Mordor Orcs to desert when things went wrong, it also makes the basic Orcs cheap and plentiful.
Legion Orcs: Reg or Irr Ax(I) or Ax(O) with supporting Ps(O): contain only the smaller Orc and goblin types, normally armoured they would count as blade but for their size.
Outland Orcs: Irr Wb(X): Count as Wb(F) in all circumstances except Combat Factor vs. foot is 2. Less well armed or disciplined Orcs (often called goblins) of a mixture of sizes, usually from outlying mountainous areas such as the Misty Mountains. Effective raiders and mountain troops but unreliable in open battle.
Orc Archers: Bw(I)*: As per Bw but move +50p. Armoured or unarmoured archers concentrated for a specific purpose (such as sieges). Although bows were widely used by Orcs, battle accounts all mention archery as being subsidiary to close combat, so most archers are classed as supporting psiloi.
Great Orcs: Irr Bd(F) with supporting Ps(O): Well armed and armoured with large scimitars, axes and spears. These were the main Orcish shock troops prior to the breeding of Uruks. They attacked quickly and savagely and rate impetuous classification.
Uruks: Reg Bd(F) with supporting Ps(O). Armed with scimitar (Mordor) or short-stabbing sword (Isengard), shield and mail Uruks were better disciplined than other Orcs, quick in attack and used in positions of command or for special missions, they were as effective as most good human troops. Isengard Uruks are mentioned in the raid that captured Merry and Pippin as also armed with a long yew bow. There are no accounts of their use en masse in battle and accounts emphasis their role as shock troops. Some Uruk-hai can be re-graded as Bw(O)*.
Warg Riders: Irr Wg(O). Fight as if LH vs. Mounted, as if Wb vs. foot and train and as Cv vs shooting. Quick-kill Pk, Sp, Bd, Ps & Kn, quick-killed by Bw or Ps(O) in contact. Move 4”, subject to impetuosity. May count +1 rear support for a single extra rank of Wg of the same grade against enemy foot in going Wg count as good. Wg treat RG as good, otherwise they move as if cavalry. These have been difficult to classify, Warg riders were swift and able to defeat Knights when they cut them off (see p365 Unfinished Tales) but could also be used as shock troops (as at the Battle of Five Armies).
Wargs or Wolves: Irr Wg(I) Unridden Wargs and Wolves, as per Warg riders, but (I).
Werewolves: Irr Wg(S). As per Warg riders, but (S).
Dragons: Irr Dg(S), (O) or (I). Factor 4 vs. Foot & shooting, 3 vs. mounted, move 4”, quick-kill all except Dwarven Bd(S). Dg(S) may be based on double frontage as described in Here Be Dragons, but must pay double points for this additional frontage. Move as per impetuous expendables. Dragons can only be pinned to their front. Each 40mm frontage of a dragon (O) or (S) counts as 2 element equivalents for demoralisation purposes. Dragon (O) or (S) should have 80mm+ base depth, more as required, dragon (I) 40mm+. These are all ‘wyrms’, i.e. flightless dragons there is no account of winged Dragons accompanying armies except in the War of Wrath that ended the First Age and is outside the scope of these rules.
Other Behemoths: Many manufacturers produce imaginative & fun figures which players might wish to include but are too large for fell beasts. Substitute for trolls or Balrogs as appropriate.
The Elves:
Elven warfare flows from one central relationship: That elves live until slain and their opponents defeat them by virtue of a higher birth rate. Elven children are very rare, those of humans or Orc spawn numerous in comparison. The elves are the embodiment of late 19th Century fears around racial theory. Once killed they are effectively exiled for eternity to the shadowed halls of Mandos, far from their beloved Middle Earth. Their approach to warfare involves plans covering centuries (e.g. the Siege of Angband or the war against the Witch-King of Angmar). Any outbreak of direct conflict represents a long-term defeat for the elves. They attempted to work through proxies where-ever possible (usually the Dunedain), but when forced to fight elves turn out armed to the teeth with finest weapons available, centuries of discipline, practice and training, and a fervent commitment to see the thing finished. Their inherent magical nature often allowed them to overcome physically larger opponents. The most common description by Tolkien is of the “cold ferocity” of elves in battle. They are, almost by definition, ‘superior’.
Tolkien gives a number of useful descriptions of Elven military equipment (probably the best description of the Noldor is in The Lost Tales when he describes the gate guard of Gondolin). They fought with spear, sword and bow. Mail is usually mentioned whenever he describes the appearance of elves in battle. Spearmen and many archers used shields. Non-avari (wood elf) armies all include significant numbers of cavalry, many or all armed with bows and yet charging fiercely. Nobles could fight either mounted or on foot, and they and their guards were significantly more dangerous than other Elven troops. The Laiquendi are mentioned as being exceptional for elves, lightly armed and inexperienced in warfare, as were the early Second Age Woodland Realm and Lothlorien armies. Other elves were tactically clever, experienced, well armed, and attacked aggressively. The only instance of impetuous is mentioned at the Nirnaeth Arnoediad (the Battle of Unnumbered Tears when Morgoth broke the power of the First Age Noldor kingdoms - a central military and social tragedy in Elven lore) and originated with individuals, rather than bodies of troops. Dunedain and Orcish wedge and shieldwall tactics probably have their origins in Elven military practice.