Faction Strategy Preview: North Rhûn news - The Fourth Age: Total War mod for Rome: Total War

Originally posted by CountMRVHS on Total War Center.

North Rhun

I'll start with North Rhun, since I have a weakness for the Easterlings.

A player of the North Rhun faction will find himself in possession of some of the most bleak and barren terrain in Middle-earth, apart from the wastelands of Far Harad.
Nearby lie the Iron Hills and the halls of the Dwarves. To the west are the frontier possessions of Dale and the independent kingdom of Dorwinion. South lies the powerful chiefdom of Rhun. East lies the wholly mysterious Edge Of The Map.

So a chief of North Rhun is somewhat straitened, and must decide how to expand and grow his fledgling chiefdom.
War with Rhun would have the benefit of a sympathetic and related culture, making it somewhat easier to rule any conquered lands - but of course Rhun is a strong chiefdom in its own right.
On the other hand, Rhun often finds itself in prolonged conflict with several factions, such as Adunabar. A cunning chief could exploit these wars by choosing the right time to strike against his southern kinsmen.

Expanding to the west brings conflict with some smaller factions with rich lands, but those lands are less likely to be happy with your barbaric rule. War with Dale means war with their allies the Dwarves, whose warriors are formidable.
It may be more desirable to strike at Dorwinion first, with the aim of destroying their kingdom and sending their dynasty into exile to trouble factions further west. Of course, war with Dale may be unavoidable, since you are certain to share borders with them sooner rather than later.

North Rhun can take advantage of some strategic terrain in the area to make their initial conquests easier. Rivers flow from Esgaroth and the Iron Hills to the Sea of Rhun, making control of those crossings crucial (and fairly straightforward for the infantry-heavy men of North Rhun).
Likewise, the Sea itself is somewhat of a barrier, insulating you from your southern neighbors. Gaining port access and building a few boats can be a great way to launch a surprise raid on Rhun when the time comes.

In terms of units, North Rhun benefits from some strong infantry types but lacks cavalry. Overall, though, their units are typical of what you'd expect from a 'barbaric' faction without access to great smiths or
technology.
Battles must be decided quickly, and you may find that simply outnumbering your foes is not enough. Expect to suffer at the hands of Dale's archers in particular unless you can counter them with a screen of your own (weaker) missile troops while bringing the infantry to bear.
Similarly, the enemy cavalry of factions like Rhovanion and Rohan may sweep away your attack-oriented infantry. So snap up mercs as they are available, and take advantage of the regional troops available in cav-friendly areas like Rhovanion.