Lord of the Rings: The Strategy Game

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(if you want to help developing the game, please send me a message or write to lotr.sg@gmail.com)


About the game

The game is a mix based of a 4x strategic game engine with a hex framework and RPG elements, moddable and customizable by XML files to create different scenarios. The first release will contain a only a LOTR based scenario, but with basic knowledge of XML anyone could make his/her own scenario. New scenarios made by our development teams are also not discarted, as based for example in GoT.

The scenario gets its inspiration by CIVILIZATION saga (http://www.civilization) Fallen Enchantress (https://store.steampowered.com/app/216390/), Civ V LOTR Scenario (http://lord-of-the-rings-civ-v.wikia.com/wiki/Lord_of_the_rings_civ_v_Wiki) and Middle Earth, play by mail games (http://www.middleearthgames.com).

Nations and allegiances

The quantity of allegiances and nations is configurable by xml, the default LOTR scenario has 3 possible allegiances: free people, dark servants and neutrals. Neutrals can join any side at any moment of the game, but once done it, they can't reverse their decision. Neutrals will be tempted with different proposals to join one or other side during the game.

Initially there are 26 nations: 10 Free People, 10 Dark Servants and 6 neutrals (although this will be completely moddable).

FP Nations: Woodmen, Northmen, Riders of Rohan, Dunadan Rangers, Silvan Elves, Northern Gondor, Southern Gondor, Noldo Elves, Sinda Elves and Dwarves.

DS Nations: The 9 nazguls (Witch-king, Fire King , Ice King, Dragon Lord, Long Rider, Dog Lord, Quiet Avenger, Cloud Lord, Blind Sorcerer) + the Dark Lieutenants of Sauron (Gothmog and Urzahil, the Mouth of Sauron).

Neutral nations: Corsairs, Rhun Easterlings, Dunlendings, White Wizard, Khand Easterlings, Harad

Terrain and resources

Map hexes are of the following types: mountain, hills, water, forest, grassland, coast, swamp and desert. TODO: think about the resources types / graphics / functionality.

Military, naval units, armies and commanders

There are 6 basic unity types: heavy infantry, light infantry, heavy cavalry, light cavalry, archers and men-at-arms.Each of them has its own weapon, armour and training level, as well as morale. They consume food when not in a population center hex. If they move without food, they lose morale, increasing the changes of disbanding.

These unity types are combined forming an army, and there are no restrictions of armies in an hex. All armies must be commanded by a character (a 'commander'), or the army will be disbanded.

Characters can travel with the army and help in battles. If a character wears a combat item, its effect will apply to the whole army. If a mage travels with the army, he/she can cast spells on it.

Armies with only cavalry move faster that if they contain any infantry unit.

Armies can embark from coastal tiles into transport ships. A commander can order create warships too, and then an army becomes a 'navy'. Navies can move through water tiles and coastal tiles with rivers.

Characters

Apart from commanders, there are 3 other character types: agents (a combination of assassins - thiefs - sabotagers) emissaries (kind of rulers - diplomats - spies - settlers) and mages (wizards - artifact sages). Each character type has its level. Mixed characters can be trained (emissary - agent, commander - mage, emissary - agent - mage, etc.)

Characters' abilities

Commanders: hire an army, train troops, improve armour, weapons, create siege weapons, embark into navies, create forts, attack, defense, siege, change taxes, etc.

Agents: Steal gold / resources, assassinate, sabotage, kidnap, harm, steal, scout area, etc.

Emissaries: Create pop. centers, increase / decrease their sizes, transfer cities to other nations, increase morale, decrease it in enemy PC, bribe, double enemy characters, start diplomacy, spread false rumours, find rumours, etc

Mages: Learn spells, cast spells, look for artifacts, retrieve artifacts from hex, hide artifacts, etc.

Artifacts

Some of them start assigned to a character (Narya to Galdaf, Nenya to Galadriel, Palantir of Orthanc to Saruman, etc.). Others are hidden randomly in th world. Only mages can find / retrieve hidden artifacts. Once retrieved, and if they have survived the encounter, they can transfer them to other characters.

Artifacts give bonuses to the beares: skill bonuses, bonuses to movement, magical powers (scrying, hidding / revealing powers, access to lost spell list...).

There are some artifacts that can trigger events in the game. In LOTR scenario, the One Ring, for example, will radically change the direction of the game.

Encounters

Characters can bump into encounters. There are two types of encounters: individual and collective (the character is a commander of an army or a company). As a results, characters can get bonuses, get injuried, know information, discover things about the world / enemy nations, receive artifacts. There are different encounter types: characters / monsters, riddles, etc. Encounters have levels: if the level is too high for you to deal with, is better to run away.

To retrieve a hidden artifact, you will always have to deal with an encounter.


Buildings and Features

By now, only city fortifications (tower, fort, keep, castle and citadel) city harbor/port, hex fort, hex harbor/port, roads, bridges and fords.


Fore more information, check the articles and posts or send me an email to lotr.sg@gmail.com

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Nations & Playing Game Style in LOTR: The Strategy Game (Free People)

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Available Nations and Playing Game Style

This is a list of the main advantages and disadvantages of choosing one or another nation in the main scenario of the Lord of the Rings: the Strategy Game. Each nation has its own game style, its advantages and disadvantages. Using them well could lead you to the victory.


Free people

imgNation1

The Woodmen:

  1. Starting Place: Mirkwood
  2. Economy: Bad economy
  3. Characters: Average, but periodically they get the support of Radagast
  4. Armies: Weak
  5. Magic: Low knowledge
  6. Game style: Survival
  7. Advantages:
    • Good resources
    • Skin-changing ability for some characters
    • A good coordination with Elves and Northmen can win the Mirkood area
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Permanent at war in Mirkwood and the Great River
    • Average potential
  9. Difficulty: Hard


imgNation1

The Northmen of Rhovanion:

  1. Starting Place: Rhovanion
  2. Economy: Good economy
  3. Characters: Average
  4. Armies: Average
  5. Magic: Low knowledge
  6. Game style: Economic support of allies
  7. Advantages:
    • Gold surplus
    • Good resources
    • Not in the center of the war
    • A good coordination with Elves and Northmen can win the Mirkood area
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Attacked from the North (Witch King) and the South / Mirkwood (Dragon Lord)
    • Average potential
  9. Difficulty: Average


imgNation1

Rohan:

  1. Starting Place: Rohan
  2. Economy: Average
  3. Characters: Good commanders
  4. Armies: Good
  5. Magic: Low
  6. Game style: Militaristic
  7. Advantages:
    • Horses surplus
    • Good cavalry armies
    • Good commanders
    • Great potential
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Leads the negotiations with 2 neutral nations (Dunlendings and White Wizard)
    • Could be hard if surrounding neutral nations go Dark
    • Must support Gondor
  9. Difficulty: Hard - Average


imgNation1

The Lost Realm of Arnor:

  1. Starting Place: Eriador
  2. Economy: Average
  3. Characters: Good
  4. Armies: Average - Weak
  5. Magic: Average
  6. Game style: Militaristic
  7. Advantages:
    • Good characters (Aragorn, Elladan, Elrohir - sons of Elrond)
    • Far from war
    • Some fortified centers
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Weak armies or armies with low levels of weapon / armour
  9. Difficulty: Easy - Average


imgNation1

The Wood Realm (Silvan Elves)

  1. Starting Place: Mirkwood
  2. Economy: Average
  3. Characters: Good (Thranduil, Legolas...)
  4. Armies: Average - Weak
  5. Magic: Good
  6. Game style: Support
  7. Advantages:
    • Good characters
    • Some hidden pop.centers
    • Good level of army weapons/armour
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Low number of troops
    • Close to war in Mirkwood
  9. Difficulty: Average


imgNation1

North Gondor:

  1. Starting Place: North gondor
  2. Economy: Good
  3. Characters: Good
  4. Armies: Good
  5. Magic: Low
  6. Game style: Militaristic
  7. Advantages:
    • Good characters
    • Large and well-provided armies
    • Good economy
    • Big fortified pop. centers
    • Good cities infrastructure (fortifications)
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Permanent aim of almost all enemies
    • Must coordinate with allies to survive
  9. Difficulty: Hard


imgNation1

South Gondor:

  1. Starting Place: South Gondor
  2. Economy: Good
  3. Characters: Good
  4. Armies: Good
  5. Magic: Low
  6. Game style: Militaristic (Navies)
  7. Advantages:
    • Good characters
    • Large navies
    • Good cavalry units
    • Good cities infrastructure (fortifications, ports)
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Permanent at war
    • Must cope with surrounding neutrals
    • Must coordinate well with North Gondor
  9. Difficulty: Easy - Average


imgNation1

Dwarves:

  1. Starting Place: Dispersed (Blue, Grey Mountains...)
  2. Economy: Good
  3. Characters: Average
  4. Armies: Average - good
  5. Magic: Low
  6. Game style: Militaristic
  7. Advantages:
    • Surplus to gold obtained in Dwarven mines
    • Well-supplied armies (mithril)
    • Far from war
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Low movement
    • Dispersed
  9. Difficulty: Average


imgNation1

Sinda Elves:

  1. Starting Place: Grey Havens & Valley of Imladris
  2. Economy: Good
  3. Characters: Very good
  4. Armies: Good
  5. Magic: Good
  6. Game style: Militaristic & Character support
  7. Advantages:
    • Good characters (Galadriel, Celeborn...)
    • Several high-level artifacts
    • Well-provided units
    • Some hidden pop. centers
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Permanent at war at Mirkwood and The Great River
  9. Difficulty: Average


imgNation1

Noldo Elves:

  1. Starting Place: Grey Havens & Valley of Imladris
  2. Economy: Good
  3. Characters: Very good
  4. Armies: Good but low numbers
  5. Magic: Good
  6. Game style: Character & Economic support
  7. Advantages:
    • Good characters (Elrond, Cirdan, Arwen, Glorfindel...)
    • Several high-level artifacts
    • Well-provided units
    • Average army
    • Far from war
    • Some hidden pop. centers
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Low number of troops
  9. Difficulty: Easy




Dark servants

imgNation1

The Witch King (Murazor, the 1st Nazgul):

  1. Starting Place: Angmar & Minas Morgul
  2. Economy: Average-Low
  3. Characters: Good
  4. Armies: Average
  5. Magic: Good
  6. Game style: Militaristic
  7. Advantages:
    • Good characters
    • Start with some magic artifacts
    • Has pop. centers outside Mordor
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Permanent at war
    • Bad provided and trained troops
    • Direct confrontation with Gondor and Dunadan Rangers
  9. Difficulty: Hard


imgNation1

The Black Easterling (Khamul, the 2nd Nazgul)

  1. Starting Place: Mirkwood
  2. Economy: Average
  3. Characters: Good
  4. Armies: Average
  5. Magic: Average
  6. Game style: Militaristic
  7. Advantages:
    • Good characters
    • Good resources
    • Has pop. centers outside Mordor
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Permanent at war
    • Bad provided and trained troops
    • Direct confrontation with Woodmen, Elves and possibly Rohan
  9. Difficulty: Hard


imgNation1

The Dark Marshal (Dendra-Dwar, the 3rd Nazgul)

  1. Starting Place: Dagorlad
  2. Economy: Average-Low
  3. Characters: Good
  4. Armies: Average-Good
  5. Magic: Low
  6. Game style: Militaristic
  7. Advantages:
    • Good characters
    • Average armies with some mounted troops
    • Some pop. centers outside mordor
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Close to war
    • Bad provided and trained troops
    • Must negotiate actively with surrounding Rhun Easterlings
  9. Difficulty: Average - Hard


imgNation1

The Black Assassin (Ji Indur, the 4th Nazgul)

  1. Starting Place: Mountains of Shadow (Ephel Duath)
  2. Economy: Average
  3. Characters: Good
  4. Armies: Average-Good
  5. Magic: Low
  6. Game style: Militaristic
  7. Advantages:
    • Good characters
    • Average armies with some mounted troops
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Close to war
    • Bad provided and trained troops
    • Inside of Mordor
  9. Difficulty: Average - Hard


imgNation1

The Gloom of Nurn (Akhorahil, the 5th Nazgul)

  1. Starting Place: Nurn
  2. Economy: Average-Good
  3. Characters: Mainly mages
  4. Armies: Low
  5. Magic: Very good
  6. Game style: Magic support
  7. Advantages:
    • Good mages
    • Good resources
    • Several magic artifacts
    • Access to lost spells
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Small armies
    • Bad provided and trained troops
    • Must negotiate actively with Khand Easterlings
  9. Difficulty: Easy


imgNation1

The Black Threat (Hoarmurath, the 6th Nazgul)

  1. Starting Place: North Ithilien - Isenmouth
  2. Economy: Bad
  3. Characters: Good
  4. Armies: Average
  5. Magic: Low
  6. Game style: Militaristic
  7. Advantages:
    • Several armies
    • Good characters
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Permanent at war
    • Bad provided and trained troops
    • Direct confrontation with Gondor
    • Bad economy
  9. Difficulty: Hard


imgNation1

The Dark Messanger (Adunaphel, the 7th Nazgul)

  1. Starting Place: Poros & Near Harad
  2. Economy: Average
  3. Characters: Good
  4. Armies: Low
  5. Magic: Average
  6. Game style: Diplomatic
  7. Advantages:
    • Pop. centers outside Mordor
    • Good characters (emissaries and agents)
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Small armies
    • Bad provided and trained troops
    • Must be in constant negotiations with neutrals (Corsairs, Harad, Khand Easterlings)
    • Its survival depend on the negotiations with Neutral Nations
  9. Difficulty: Average - Hard


imgNation1

The Unclean (Ren, 8th Nazgul)

  1. Starting Place: Cirith Ungol
  2. Economy: Low
  3. Characters: Good
  4. Armies: Average
  5. Magic: Average
  6. Game style: Militaristic
  7. Advantages:
    • Good characters
    • Average armies
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Permanent at war
    • Bad economy
    • Direct confrontation with Gondor
  9. Difficulty: Hard


imgNation1

The Horseman (Uvatha, 9th Nazgul)

  1. Starting Place: Rhun, Rhovanion & Khand
  2. Economy: Average
  3. Characters: Good
  4. Armies: Average (mainly mounted)
  5. Magic: Low
  6. Game style: Militaristic
  7. Advantages:
    • Good characters
    • Mounted troops
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Permanent at war and surrounded by Free Peoples
    • Bad economy
    • Must be in constant negotiations with Khand & Rhun Easterlings
    • Direct confrontation with Northmen, Dwarves and Elves
  9. Difficulty: Hard


imgNation1

The Lieutenants of Sauron (Gothmog & the Mouth of Sauron)

  1. Starting Place: Gorgoroth
  2. Economy: Average
  3. Characters: Very good
  4. Armies: Average - Good
  5. Magic: Good
  6. Game style: Militaristic
  7. Advantages:
    • Good characters
    • Good armies
    • Several magic artifacts
    • Not directly exposed to Free People's attack
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Bad economy
    • Inside Mordor
    • Controls Mt. Doom and must protect it
  9. Difficulty: Hard



Neutral nations

imgNation1

The Corsairs:

  1. Starting Place: Umbar
  2. Economy: Good
  3. Characters: Average
  4. Armies: Good (navy)
  5. Magic: Low
  6. Game style: Militaristic (sea attack) / Diplomatic
  7. Advantages:
    • Good fleet
    • Good economy
    • Isolated from war
    • Start not aligned
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Close to Dark Servants but at 1-turn distance of South Gondor fleet
    • Must be in constant negotiations with neutral neighbors (Khand, Harad)
  9. Difficulty: Easy


imgNation1

Rhun Easterlings:

  1. Starting Place: Rhun & Rhovanion
  2. Economy: Average - Good
  3. Characters: Average
  4. Armies: Average - Good (mounted)
  5. Magic: Low
  6. Game style: Militaristic
  7. Advantages:
    • Good mounted armies
    • Not bad economy
    • Start not aligned
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Dispersed
    • Surrounded by both Free People and Dark Servants
  9. Difficulty: Average


imgNation1

Dunlendings:

  1. Starting Place: Dunland
  2. Economy: Average
  3. Characters: Average - Low
  4. Armies: Average - Low (mainly men-at-arms)
  5. Magic: Low
  6. Game style: Militaristic
  7. Advantages:
    • Good position in map
    • Bonus to stealth
    • Start not aligned
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Surrounded only by FP
    • Must be in constant negotiations with the White Hand
  9. Difficulty: Easy


imgNation1

The White Hand:

  1. Starting Place: Gap of Rohan / Dunland / Misty Mountains
  2. Economy: Low
  3. Characters: Good
  4. Armies: Average
  5. Magic: Good
  6. Game style: Militaristic
  7. Advantages:
    • Good characters (Saruman, Wormtongue, Bill Ferny...)
    • Magic artifacts (Palantir of Orthanc...) and lost spells
    • Starts not aligned
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Surrounded mostly by FP
    • Must be in constant negotiations with the Dunlendings
    • Movement partially blocked by Rohan
  9. Difficulty: Average


imgNation1

Khand Easterlings:

  1. Starting Place: Khand
  2. Economy: Average-Good
  3. Characters: Average
  4. Armies: Average-Good
  5. Magic: Low
  6. Game style: Militaristic
  7. Advantages:
    • Good resources and economy
    • Good army size
    • Start not aligned
  8. Disadvantages:
    • Surrounded by Dark Servants
    • Must be in constant negotiations with the neighbor neutrals (Harad, Corsairs, Rhun Easterlings)
  9. Difficulty: Average


imgNation1

Harad:

  1. Starting Place: Near Harad
  2. Economy: Average
  3. Characters: Average
  4. Armies: Average-Good
  5. Magic: Low
  6. Game style: Militaristic
  7. Advantages:
    • Good mounted units (Mumakils)
    • Starts with a navy
    • Average economy
  8. Disadvantages:
    • After choosing an alignment, will be permanently at war
    • Direct confrontation with Gondor or Dark Servants
    • Must be in constant negotiations with neutral neighbors (Khand, Harad)
  9. Difficulty: Average

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corralonmatsur
corralonmatsur - - 115 comments

tell me if this is alive? please

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Adrianfry66
Adrianfry66 - - 14 comments

Fantastic idea. What is the progress of this mod so far?

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