Fantastic episode. Zag Kala battle one of the best you have done. You are so right with how Total War became worse by removing some of the things you can do. Getting a man of the hour is so rewarding and hate that you have to have leaders in the later games to move armies.still think ai passivity is a problem but at the same time if your allies were really proactive it wouldn't be great. Mengalen is a good example you now have to wait to control it. I'm going to try and see a live one over Xmas if I can.
🤣 The only time allies aren't passive is with neutral settlements, they love them. Even when they've gone full passive (which Bree isn't yet) they'll still beeline a neutral settlement if one appears. Be great to see you live over the holidays sometime.
You think he's just chilling, he's climbing down little holes chasing out all the goblins. Then playing cards and cooking up a feast to show them fine Dunedain culture.
I suggest just ignoring Angmar and targetting Dunland and Endwaith. Isenguard will be occupied or will be the shield against mordor and Angmar is just going to be a pain to fight without a recruitment center or economy. Endwaith and Dunland are strong yes, but their troops do poorly against yours especially Endwaith because of their low armour, Dunland will be a pain, but you can cut that off when Byrig falls. Lets hope the dwarves elves and Dale fall quickly so Gundabad attempts to cannabalize Angmar. I say dwarves will hold with the autogarrison and them being dwarves I say the front won't move from Gar Helegoth for some time and I expect the elves and villages to fall, but the AA should supplement that.
Lovely bit of progress in this episode. I know you are fan of the Tax traits assoc'd with high taxes but since so many of your settlements are pathetic hovels it might be wise to lower the taxes to grow the ones that you are planning on holding at (I'm assuming at Metraith and Tharbad, ?Ost in Edhil) so that you can get them to the best possible defensible position.
Fair, I was in eek out any money mode. Tharbad is fine, it is already a huge city (I think). Ost Sul I don't mind since it has the custom map, Ost en Edhil I have a nice little defence set up but that probably could still be done on next tier not as well but it shouldn't have as much pressure now. Metraith is the one that I could probably lower to get towers in that one.
@@Alwman thanks, man. There are similar/same melodies here: m.th-cam.com/video/yoeAUlnV9Nw/w-d-xo.html and also many other songs are from that Adrian von Ziegler, he has a whole channel on youtube with “free” music.
a rangers hall at tier 2 gives sworn infantry and will let you be able to retrain your rangers, it's a really good one. in my campaign bree had the tier 3 one so I could get sworn infantry and Steelbowmen while waiting to get culture up. it is my favorite guild to get as the rangers. Plus if you wanna boost public order why not get the way stations that give the 10% public order bonus after the libraries before the tier 2 culture?
A tier 3 one is worth but extremely unlikely, as you had happen with Bree. I would keep that. You can only get one tier 2 one as well. Overall, I just prefer the melee bonus on all troops. Culture because that will long term get the unrest down. Getting culture higher is the cure, getting the waystation is putting a band aide on it.
So what I suggest is that you take most of the army out of Ann en Orod and just siege Khazadum west until you can finally get Gandalf out as it seems that the goblin's doomstack won't spawn even after it falls.
In the second battle of the episode why not target the unit who push the ram the goal is to win the battle with the less losses on your army , the better way to do that is the ennemy cannot enter the city gate
You are at war in Enewaith now , I said in the 1ST episode build the carpenter hutt , the meeting hall, the warcamp and the armoury in all your starting settlement before sending the army in the field to attack settlement , this building are of the most importantce in the early stage of the Arnor campaign it is the key of survival I said recruit the pure ND unit when you can
Same melee attack, DR have one higher missile attack, 1 higher charge, 1 lower defence skill. DR have same range, 4 less missiles (400 less shots), very high accuracy compared to exceptional accuracy of IR. Same moral and move speed, both have bonus in forest and malus on barren but DR have bonus in shrubs. Both have excellent stamina and can hide anywhere but DR have inspires nearby troops. I think the main difference that matters the most is the amount of arrows and accuracy which Ithilien are both better. Yes, DR have 1 extra damage so in theory they might be better at taking out high value targets but it's marginal at best when ammo and accuracy are added. I think Ithlien are better but I also think the Ithilien get soem pretty good early game opportunities to shine at Cair Andros. If you had DR at Cair Andros they would do the same job with minimal difference. In the open field though that acccuracy bonus really helps the Ithlien lads and the extra defenc helps them if they get caught.
Turn 43 and I'm making ~15k total income from 12 Settlements. I went down the river south of Tharbad. Built Masons Guildhouse in Tharbad, built Bridge of Tharbad and got some Tharbad Royal Guard. woo! This is like my 4th run though... Trial and error pays off lol
Why do you never put the wardens in shield wall even when using them to block? Feels like I'm missing a trick since I tend to put them in shield wall in settlement streets when they can't get flanked and surrounded.
So, if they work as intended it's good. Problem is most of the time they end up 'pushing' forward in shieldwall and they fight horrendously when they 'push'. Basically, it's only good to make an opening in a breach to get more troops in. Another consideration is most of the time wardens are not there to deal damage but to hold while archers fire. With that in mind, if my units are are bunched together in wall more friendly fire is likely to occur. Personally, it comes back to what is on average a better decision, what will give me a decent result 9/10 times not what will give me an outstanding result 1/10 times.
Also is it possible to give Narya's trait to Aragorn from Gandalf? Then if/when Gandalf the Grey dies and comes back as Gandalf the White, will you get two rings of power at once?
Mate try to get culture up with spies till 50% in your Arnor regions so you can get barracks and Dunedain units as they have very cheap upkeep. For example every time you get Arnor region send spy get that 50% and rush baracks so you can instantly produce units dont waste money on Breelanders where is not needed. Dont sell regions to Enedwaith as they control regions you want slowly try to grind them down. Good job with Goblins they are almost out :)
Breelanders are fine, they are just front line so the archers can fire. They are cheap and expendable. I'm working on the settlements, I've only just got an income. Things will take some time. And I don't want to immediately flush my profits away with new units, I need to develop some settlements so I can have a couple of actual armies not just a few lads in a settlement.
@@peterhe6699 Nah, if a unit is recruitable it has upkeep (excluding the wraith units for DG and Huvorn). Both Thranduil and Celeborn have generals that are only recruitable if you take a certain script but they are still recruitable and have upkeep.
The Goblins hold land that Angmar and Gundabad want. That is usually a declaration of war on the Goblins by Angmar and Gundabad. You'll need to provide Aragorn with an army. I would not mind, if the Elves remove all their generals from Imladris and Bruinost and lose those settlements to the Goblins. The High Elves do not really have anywhere to go, but to war with Enedwaith. To relieve pressure on Tharbad from Enedwaith you need to take Argond. I think you really do need to take Khazadum West and sell it to the Dwarves for 70k gold to be able to recruit the troops needed on 4 or 5 fronts. Fortunately isengard is fairly weak in this game. Enedwaith looks to be in the same position Dunland is usually in when it then declares on all its neighbours. I think you should be able to finish off Dunland, before the Elves lose Bruinost and Imladris. Looking at the battles, those Wardens need armour and weapons upgrades. They're just melting in combat.
I'm surprised the gobbos are still allies with them. I'll continue to move south with Aragorn and Gandalf to try to take out Goblins and Dunland (easier said than done). The other fronts will hold now that I have some cash. It would be somewhat helpful if the Elves did lose their settlements but I don't think they will now that I've helped them.
@@gumbyshrimp2606 If you're selling those kind of settlements, you're doing it for short term reasons. Khazadum is one of the few factions that has real money this early in the game. It would take about 20 turns for the Dwarves to recoup 70k. You strengthen the Dwarves by allowing them to concentrate on defending and attacking against first the Goblins and then the Snow Orcs. The money provides the ND with the resources to build armies and get the buildings in settlements to unlock better troops. The ND need the money from the Dwarves to be able to afford the House of the King building in Annuminas, once the settlement is taken. It just takes too long to build up the treasury otherwise. When the Goblin army spawns near Moria, it will have to go north and attack either Aragorn or Imladris. If Aragorn has the stronger garrison, it'll be Imladris that gets attacked. If Enedwaith ends up at war with all its other neighbours, Isengard will likely dow as well. Enedwaith will have dowed Dunland, if the ND recruit an army at Ost Sul and take Argond. If the Enedwaith want Tharbad , the only way through is through Dunland. Strategically as the ND, you don't want Bree distracted from fighting Angmar. You don't want Gondor distracted from fighting Mordor by needing to defend against Enedwaith and Isengard. Getting a province to link up with Gondor is essential, if you're going down the Re-united Kingdom path, but still necessary to stop Isengard from attacking Gondor. If you've a chance to kill isengard off, early, take it.
You can't start a fire
You can't start a fire without a spark
This gobo's for hire
Even if we're just goblins' in the dark
The hobbit armies have taken Annuminas the age of the hobbit has come!
Fantastic episode. Zag Kala battle one of the best you have done. You are so right with how Total War became worse by removing some of the things you can do. Getting a man of the hour is so rewarding and hate that you have to have leaders in the later games to move armies.still think ai passivity is a problem but at the same time if your allies were really proactive it wouldn't be great. Mengalen is a good example you now have to wait to control it. I'm going to try and see a live one over Xmas if I can.
🤣 The only time allies aren't passive is with neutral settlements, they love them. Even when they've gone full passive (which Bree isn't yet) they'll still beeline a neutral settlement if one appears.
Be great to see you live over the holidays sometime.
Dunedain Chris Pratt holding the line while Aragorn chills in his mountain chalet. Who's the true heir to Isildur?
You think he's just chilling, he's climbing down little holes chasing out all the goblins. Then playing cards and cooking up a feast to show them fine Dunedain culture.
Holy Crap
I suggest just ignoring Angmar and targetting Dunland and Endwaith. Isenguard will be occupied or will be the shield against mordor and Angmar is just going to be a pain to fight without a recruitment center or economy. Endwaith and Dunland are strong yes, but their troops do poorly against yours especially Endwaith because of their low armour, Dunland will be a pain, but you can cut that off when Byrig falls. Lets hope the dwarves elves and Dale fall quickly so Gundabad attempts to cannabalize Angmar. I say dwarves will hold with the autogarrison and them being dwarves I say the front won't move from Gar Helegoth for some time and I expect the elves and villages to fall, but the AA should supplement that.
I say that you ransom troops in Ost Sul because the place is untakable.
Take Moria next episode 👍
seems like Gondor is doing the opposite of what typically happens all Gondorian troops are going to mordor.
Lovely bit of progress in this episode. I know you are fan of the Tax traits assoc'd with high taxes but since so many of your settlements are pathetic hovels it might be wise to lower the taxes to grow the ones that you are planning on holding at (I'm assuming at Metraith and Tharbad, ?Ost in Edhil) so that you can get them to the best possible defensible position.
Fair, I was in eek out any money mode. Tharbad is fine, it is already a huge city (I think). Ost Sul I don't mind since it has the custom map, Ost en Edhil I have a nice little defence set up but that probably could still be done on next tier not as well but it shouldn't have as much pressure now. Metraith is the one that I could probably lower to get towers in that one.
3:52:50 anybody knows the name of the soundtrack?
Circle of life, Adrian von Ziegler th-cam.com/video/OdTcwlOq8Cs/w-d-xo.html
@@MikulasKrupa you are my hero sir. I salute you!
@@Alwman thanks, man. There are similar/same melodies here: m.th-cam.com/video/yoeAUlnV9Nw/w-d-xo.html and also many other songs are from that Adrian von Ziegler, he has a whole channel on youtube with “free” music.
@@MikulasKrupa thanks again bro
a rangers hall at tier 2 gives sworn infantry and will let you be able to retrain your rangers, it's a really good one. in my campaign bree had the tier 3 one so I could get sworn infantry and Steelbowmen while waiting to get culture up. it is my favorite guild to get as the rangers.
Plus if you wanna boost public order why not get the way stations that give the 10% public order bonus after the libraries before the tier 2 culture?
A tier 3 one is worth but extremely unlikely, as you had happen with Bree. I would keep that. You can only get one tier 2 one as well. Overall, I just prefer the melee bonus on all troops.
Culture because that will long term get the unrest down. Getting culture higher is the cure, getting the waystation is putting a band aide on it.
So what I suggest is that you take most of the army out of Ann en Orod and just siege Khazadum west until you can finally get Gandalf out as it seems that the goblin's doomstack won't spawn even after it falls.
A stack spawns when you take Moria regardless of number of settlements remaining.
@@epmtotalwar That gonna be trouble then, but you should still weaken and try to take west moria.
In the second battle of the episode why not target the unit who push the ram the goal is to win the battle with the less losses on your army , the better way to do that is the ennemy cannot enter the city gate
You are at war in Enewaith now , I said in the 1ST episode build the carpenter hutt , the meeting hall, the warcamp and the armoury in all your starting settlement before sending the army in the field to attack settlement , this building are of the most importantce in the early stage of the Arnor campaign it is the key of survival
I said recruit the pure ND unit when you can
Because that would be entertaining, end turning 25 turns while I build in 3 settlements.
Are northern rangers better than Ithilien rangers? They seem stronger or is it just weaker enemies in the north?
Same melee attack, DR have one higher missile attack, 1 higher charge, 1 lower defence skill.
DR have same range, 4 less missiles (400 less shots), very high accuracy compared to exceptional accuracy of IR.
Same moral and move speed, both have bonus in forest and malus on barren but DR have bonus in shrubs. Both have excellent stamina and can hide anywhere but DR have inspires nearby troops.
I think the main difference that matters the most is the amount of arrows and accuracy which Ithilien are both better. Yes, DR have 1 extra damage so in theory they might be better at taking out high value targets but it's marginal at best when ammo and accuracy are added. I think Ithlien are better but I also think the Ithilien get soem pretty good early game opportunities to shine at Cair Andros. If you had DR at Cair Andros they would do the same job with minimal difference. In the open field though that acccuracy bonus really helps the Ithlien lads and the extra defenc helps them if they get caught.
Turn 43 and I'm making ~15k total income from 12 Settlements.
I went down the river south of Tharbad.
Built Masons Guildhouse in Tharbad, built Bridge of Tharbad and got some Tharbad Royal Guard. woo!
This is like my 4th run though... Trial and error pays off lol
Why do you never put the wardens in shield wall even when using them to block? Feels like I'm missing a trick since I tend to put them in shield wall in settlement streets when they can't get flanked and surrounded.
So, if they work as intended it's good. Problem is most of the time they end up 'pushing' forward in shieldwall and they fight horrendously when they 'push'. Basically, it's only good to make an opening in a breach to get more troops in. Another consideration is most of the time wardens are not there to deal damage but to hold while archers fire. With that in mind, if my units are are bunched together in wall more friendly fire is likely to occur. Personally, it comes back to what is on average a better decision, what will give me a decent result 9/10 times not what will give me an outstanding result 1/10 times.
At least Endwaith doesn't have a lot of armour? HaHaHa?
Early they don't. I'm not concerned with later right now.
@@epmtotalwar trueeee
WOOOOO
Gandalf's Halbrad's son! He's also 22?
Imagine Christmas dinner at Tharbad. "Pass the sauce Gandalf." "Please, call me son, Dad."
Also is it possible to give Narya's trait to Aragorn from Gandalf? Then if/when Gandalf the Grey dies and comes back as Gandalf the White, will you get two rings of power at once?
I don't think it works like that and it might just be non-transferable.
@@epmtotalwar this must be tested for science
Mate try to get culture up with spies till 50% in your Arnor regions so you can get barracks and Dunedain units as they have very cheap upkeep. For example every time you get Arnor region send spy get that 50% and rush baracks so you can instantly produce units dont waste money on Breelanders where is not needed. Dont sell regions to Enedwaith as they control regions you want slowly try to grind them down. Good job with Goblins they are almost out :)
Breelanders are fine, they are just front line so the archers can fire. They are cheap and expendable. I'm working on the settlements, I've only just got an income. Things will take some time. And I don't want to immediately flush my profits away with new units, I need to develop some settlements so I can have a couple of actual armies not just a few lads in a settlement.
Balin and Souron get free upkeep right?
Yes, they would also be in the category.
@@epmtotalwar Is Thranduil part of the category? The only possible other guy would be Gundabad.
@@peterhe6699 Nah, if a unit is recruitable it has upkeep (excluding the wraith units for DG and Huvorn). Both Thranduil and Celeborn have generals that are only recruitable if you take a certain script but they are still recruitable and have upkeep.
@@epmtotalwarAhhh I forgot my bad.
Harad can never get a break huh?
The Goblins hold land that Angmar and Gundabad want. That is usually a declaration of war on the Goblins by Angmar and Gundabad. You'll need to provide Aragorn with an army. I would not mind, if the Elves remove all their generals from Imladris and Bruinost and lose those settlements to the Goblins. The High Elves do not really have anywhere to go, but to war with Enedwaith. To relieve pressure on Tharbad from Enedwaith you need to take Argond. I think you really do need to take Khazadum West and sell it to the Dwarves for 70k gold to be able to recruit the troops needed on 4 or 5 fronts. Fortunately isengard is fairly weak in this game.
Enedwaith looks to be in the same position Dunland is usually in when it then declares on all its neighbours. I think you should be able to finish off Dunland, before the Elves lose Bruinost and Imladris. Looking at the battles, those Wardens need armour and weapons upgrades. They're just melting in combat.
I'm surprised the gobbos are still allies with them. I'll continue to move south with Aragorn and Gandalf to try to take out Goblins and Dunland (easier said than done). The other fronts will hold now that I have some cash. It would be somewhat helpful if the Elves did lose their settlements but I don't think they will now that I've helped them.
Selling any settlements in this game is foolish unless they are worthless and going to revolt
@@gumbyshrimp2606 If you're selling those kind of settlements, you're doing it for short term reasons. Khazadum is one of the few factions that has real money this early in the game. It would take about 20 turns for the Dwarves to recoup 70k. You strengthen the Dwarves by allowing them to concentrate on defending and attacking against first the Goblins and then the Snow Orcs. The money provides the ND with the resources to build armies and get the buildings in settlements to unlock better troops.
The ND need the money from the Dwarves to be able to afford the House of the King building in Annuminas, once the settlement is taken. It just takes too long to build up the treasury otherwise. When the Goblin army spawns near Moria, it will have to go north and attack either Aragorn or Imladris. If Aragorn has the stronger garrison, it'll be Imladris that gets attacked.
If Enedwaith ends up at war with all its other neighbours, Isengard will likely dow as well. Enedwaith will have dowed Dunland, if the ND recruit an army at Ost Sul and take Argond. If the Enedwaith want Tharbad , the only way through is through Dunland.
Strategically as the ND, you don't want Bree distracted from fighting Angmar. You don't want Gondor distracted from fighting Mordor by needing to defend against Enedwaith and Isengard. Getting a province to link up with Gondor is essential, if you're going down the Re-united Kingdom path, but still necessary to stop Isengard from attacking Gondor. If you've a chance to kill isengard off, early, take it.
I suggest moving the woodland hunters out of Ost en Edhil. They aren't adding much value and would be better of returned when replenished
That would probably be smart, on the other hand, they don't want to abandon their friends.