Comments - NetoD20

I should have stopped to comment this earlier, but the voice acting looks like it will be one of your best additions to the game, holy damn!

Well, the race of men did achieve technological progress, given that Middle-Earth is supposed to be our own Earth from an immemorial time.

Elves have somewhat of an unchanging air, but they did progress magically and in crafts, there's Fëanor forging the first sword in Aman to be leveled against his own kin, and I might be sorely mistaken, but I think lembas bread was invented in Doriath. The whole idea that elven magic is almost indistinguishable from art suggest that there have been many new inventions and advancements in craft for that people. The whole idea of the Noldor being the Deep Elves, the Gnomes, who have learned the most beside the Valar, but particularly Aulë, hints at that. Also, remember, Saruman and the dwarves were also a disciples of Aulë.

Bra
-bícimo, meu parcerin

OH BOY OH BOY

Voted!

Oh, just the way their big muscled arms look when the pikemen are hunched over, you know? Not actually the brown parts, although those could maybe use some polishing?

I'm almost sure there are better passages in the Lotr (I think Two Towers) about Mordor orc blacksmith, but the one I can remember right now is this one from The Hobbit:
"Now goblins are cruel, wicked, and bad-hearted. They make no beautiful things, but they make many clever ones. They can tunnel and mine as well as any but the most skilled dwarves, when they take the trouble, though they are usually untidy and dirty. Hammers, axes, swords, daggers, pickaxes, tongs, and also instruments of torture, they make very well, or get other people to make to their design, prisoners and slaves who have to work till they die for want of air and light. It is not unlikely that they invented some of the machines that have since troubled the world, especially the ingenious devices for killing large numbers of people at once, for wheels and engines and explosions always delighted them, and also not working with their own hands more than they could help"
If I happen to find more, I'll post it here, but I'm almost certain of a quote about the great blacksmithing of Mordor orcs.

Believe it or not, Jackson chose that trashy look for the orc armor and weapons in the films, but you can find reference in Tolkien saying the orcs are great smiths.

I'm not a big fan of the current Gundabad models shown in this last post... the pikemen are kinda looking like apes.
Whether or not they are based off BotFA, I'd like to see more heavily armored Gundabad orcs to show off the orc's/goblin's great skill at blacksmithing.

Although I also do like the original concept from way back of more lightly armored Gundabad orcs like the ones we see in Unexpected Journey chasing the Company.

Welp, we do not necessarily need trolls from BotFA, Misty Mountains just needs some damn cool trolls and giants, and I think Edain will be able to provide those.

I do think some jam bags are in order

I updated to 4.5.5, but still couldn't select the gate thingy

So... I just can't close the gates of Imladris' castle.

Oh, I really thought this was a clip of the armored Gundabad orc army, it's actually the Dol Guldur orcs... So yeah, when I said MM needed an elite option, I was thinking of Gundabad, not Dol Guldur, which is already incorporated into Mordor

Yeah, I do think the MM need an elite army option, I like both these designs and the hunter design from An Unexpected Journey

Yeah, of course Shelob's a joke, but I still love and support the idea of having spiders (other than Shelob) in Misty Mountains

Yeah, I'm much more in favour of one of these guys for MM rams:

Mind you, I'm not in favour of adapting any and all things from The Hobbit, but this one is pretty cool, and significantly better than the Great Beasts, IMHO

Kinda sad Gorkil doesn't get the scorpion mount, it was so iconic alongside the spider riders; and in the field of non-canon creatures, I think they are way better than these great beasts, though a comprehend the beast's "mechanical" role, so to speak.

Their models are amazing, I really like their Imladris units in particular.

What this filthy orc said ^

I'd very much love to have permanent Smaug

I'm guessing the rust aesthetic has to do with the looks of the Gundabad tower in the film.

It would be nice to see an updated design to the original game's Giants, but I don't know if the film stone giants are... appropriate? I generally like the idea of giants-made-out-of-stone, but I don't know... the film design looks too... edgy? I guess...

I love EVERYTHING about this update
I'm just sad I'm a very defensive player, and just not capable of succeeding with Lórien/Mirkwood

Just a suggestion

Willow Ents: Melee ents who carry 2 or 3 archers on their boughs and act as a sort of mobile tower.

Are this and the mallorn trees only for maps are they going to get incorporated into the Lothlórien faction somehow?

Updating: I've experienced this with Lothlórien, but I don't remember having this problem with Imladris or Erebor.

Anyone else having trouble with units not attacking? Whether you command them to or they simply don't react to incoming enemies?
This has happened to me both when I commanded units to attack very near or far away targets.

"Then Felagund a spell did sing
of changing and of shifting shape;
their ears grew hideous, and agape
their mouths did start, and like a fang
each tooth became, as slow he sang. (90)
Their Elvish raiment then they hid,
and one by one behind him slid,
behind a foul and goblin thing
that once was elven-fair and king.

(...)

"Then Sauron laughed: 'Patience! Not long
shall ye abide. But first a song
I will sing to you, to ears intent.'
Then his flaming eyes he on them bent, (245)
and darkness black fell round them all.
Only they saw, as through a pall
of eddying smoke those eyes profound
in which their senses choked and drowned.

"He chanted a song of Wizardry, (250)
of piercing, opening, of treachery,
revealing, uncovering, betraying.
Then sudden Felagund there swaying
sang in answer a song of staying,
resisting, battling against power, (255)
of secrets kept, strength like a tower,
and trust unbroken, freedom, escape;
of changing and of shifting shape,
of snares eluded, broken traps,
the prison opening, the chain that snaps. (260)

"Backwards and forwards swayed their song,
reeling and foundering, as ever more strong
the chanting swelled, Felagund fought,
and all the magic and might he brought
of Elvenesse into his words. (265)
Softly in the gloom they heard the birds
singing afar in Nargothrond,
the sighing of the sea beyond,
beyond the western world, on sand,
on sand of pearls in Elvenland. (270)

"Then the gloom gathered: darkness growing
in Valinor, the red blood flowing
beside the sea, where the Noldor slew
the Foamriders, and stealing drew
their white ships with their white sails (275)
from lamplit havens. The wind wails.
The wolf howls. The ravens flee.
The ice mutters in the mouths of the sea.
The captives sad in Angband mourn.
Thunder rumbles, the fires burn - (280)
and Finrod fell before the throne.
A vast roar echoes in the halls of stone.
Behold! They are in their own fair shape,
fairskinned, brighteyed. No longer gape
Orclike their mouths; and now they stand (285)
betrayed into the wizard's hand."

- The Lay of Leithian, Canto VIII