Rhudaur is one of the hardest positions to play in ME1650. To make it exciting declare for the DS and early! It's only worth doing this if the Witch-King player is prepared to communicate and co-operate. Without Rhudaur's help the Witch-King nation will fall. The game will then be extremely dull for you. I advocate declaring for the DS on turn 1 if the Witch-King player is competent. You should then try and recruit the Dunlendings to the DS cause. Then the situation becomes interesting!! Once you are a DS nation, the Cardolan, Arthedain and Noldo will be after you, you can expect a lot of fighting and to lose lots of troops, characters and population centres. It's not all bad news though! With support from DS agents from Mordor, the odd dragon and the intervention of the Dunlendings, you have a real chance of coming out on top and racking up lots of victory points.
Rhudaur has hardly ever placed in a game of 1650, and as far as I know never won. If you want a real challenge and are interested in fighting lost causes then give this position a go.
Strategy Guide by Brian Mason
Strategy Guide by Tom Walton
Anatomy of a game Turns 1-19 by Brian Mason
Rhudaur Start Information
Strategy & Tactics: Rhudaur
From Brian Mason
As this is the position I've played the longest of all in a game of me-pbm, I suppose I feel a close kinship with the position. Conventional wisdom, as I have heard regarding this position, was that you could not afford your military and you needed to decide early. Before discussing specific strategies and recommendations, let's take a look at the
Basic Data.
How does Rhudaur compare to other nations? At the start of the game they rank as follows (Allegiance Comparison Tables, Tom Walton, "The Mouth," #3):
among all
among Neutrals
Total Tax Base
tied for 14th
tied for 4th
Resource Base
tied for 12th
4th
Combat Strength
6th
2nd
Character points
tied for 23rd
tied for 4th
Artefacts
tied for 15th
1st
Rhudaur has pretty good production, mostly because of the terrain types on which population centres are located. Expected production (Population Centre Development, Brian Mason, "The Mouth," #2) which has not been adjusted for climate for Rhudaur would be as follows:
le
br
st
mi
fo
ti
mo
go
production
692
217
103
4986
1178
179
2998
Rhudaur is a one of the few positions to never have "placed" in a game of me-pbm (Winners & Losers in Middle-earth, Tom Walton, "The Mouth," #8).
Rhudaur and the Witch-King
The discussions below are based upon the assumption that Rhudaur will maintain neutrality until at least turn five, and possibly as long as turn ten. Of all the armies in the Eriador area, those of Rhudaur are the strongest. However, joining a side and attacking early will probably result in you bearing the brunt of the retribution. Some of the discussion from an earlier S & T article on the Witch-King bears repeating. Of all the neutrals, none has a position which is so closely linked with that of an aligned nation than Rhudaur and the Witch-King. They share virtually the same map, and all of Rhudaur's population centres are well within striking distance of the Witch-King. Should Rhudaur join the Free, all of his population centres become prime targets for the Witch-King, being the closest enemy. Should Rhudaur join the Dark Servants, her population centres are more vulnerable to attacks from both Cardolan and the Dwarves than those of the Witch-King.
It is not difficult for me to see why this position is so difficult to play. Should Rhudaur join the Dark Servants, many places open up for camp placement, as you really do not care what the Witch-King sees. Again, the jumping off spots where the Cardolan and Dwarf maps do not overlap: 1808, 1810 and 1812 are good.
Should Rhudaur join the Free, the issue of camp placement is a bit more problematic. It is certainly advisable to place some on the Witch-King map (if only so he will think that you are developing mostly near home), but most of your population centre development should be far offmap, to protect them.
While it is difficult for Rhudaur to maintain her very expensive armies, wise use of resources and selective retirement can make this possible.
Army Strategy
The Rhudaur army is very strong, and given time to redistribute troops (as any neutral does), you can organise them into three effective battle groups. The first step is to retire all the men-at-arms. Assuming you are going into battle immediately, you might want to keep them: however, the cost (not so much in gold, but in food) is rather high if you are attempting to maintain your neutrality.
Army group 1 (600 hc, 600 lc): This is the area where you should attempt to make the greatest growth, taking advantage of low prices in necessary commodities and recruiting at Fennas Drunin (on the plains). Either West and North against the Witch-King, or West and South towards Cardolan a large Cavalry strike force can be your primary offensive weapon.
Army group 2 (1500 hi): This group is not very effective fighting in the rough terrain of Rhudaur, nevertheless it can take quite a punch. Build this one up with more heavy infantry to be used as a defensive force if you attack the Witch-King or as a second attacking army if you go after Cardolan and Arthedain.
Army group 3 (1800 li, 1500 ar): These are kept together as they both have better modifiers than the other two in the terrain of Rhudaur. While they would form an effective defence if you attack Cardolan and Arthedain, they would make a formidable strike force if you go after the Witch-King. Your primary objective here would be the Major Town of Mt. Gram.
Character Strategy
First of all, two of your exposed population centres have no fortifications. Using your very good timber production you can rectify this situation pretty quickly. Second, once you decide which side to join you will need lots of orders for downgrading relations. Having multiple characters for this is necessary. Third, you start with no adequate agents, mages, or emissaries. Spend the gold to make some good ones and get them cracking improving their abilities. In the interval Briam can improve his emissary rank while Sispar improves his agent or mage rank.
Each of the three armies has a good commander and an adequate backup. Every turn, the back-up commander should do GrdChar and TrpsMan while the commander does ArmyMan and possibly buys +/or sells at the population centre where he is stationed.
Your production also allows you to make war machines. After you have fortified Fennas Drunin and Nothva Rhaglaw, it will be possible for you to make a large number of these. When attacking either the Witch-King or Cardolan, they are blessed with good fortifications, which will make your position difficult and expensive in troop losses unless you are prepared to destroy the fortifications.
This is one of the more difficult positions to play well. If you come out on the winning side in Eriador, you may emerge strong into the endgame, however, should the Eriador campaign drag on, you are bound to lose much, as yours is the most vulnerable position to attack, no matter which side you join.
Strategy & Tactics: Rhudaur
From Tom Walton
Rhudaur is a loser nation, no doubt of that. It also appeals to me as just about the worst underdog one could possibly pick to play. As such, if I ever opt to take this position I plan to go evil on turn 1.
With this in mind, my notes here probably aren't very useful.
If I played Rhudaur, I'd do so just to see if I could beat the Free and emerge intact. I can't see any other reason to actually CHOOSE this nation over the other 24 in the game.
The situation is desperate in Eriador, not only for you but for the Witch-King. In order to have some small hope of actually beating your economically (and militarily, when combined) superior opponents, you must strike hard and fast right away.
Here's a rough idea of what I might do:
declare allegiance immediately. This assures the Witch-King you aren't bluffing and allows him to deploy his full might against the Free. It also means that you can place camps in the Misty Mountains without having them constantly under attack by dragons (in fact, the dragons will now RAISE loyalty instead of lower it - a big plus against those Noldo emissaries).
send the bulk of your army south-west within striking distance of both Arthedain and Cardolan. Scout out the terrain to see if Cardolan is massing quickly or slowly. A quick build-up means trouble for you, a slow one means that you can pivot and hit Arthedain with your forces.
march a second army into Imladris to destroy the Noldo army. Continue on to Goblin-Gate. With luck, you'll be in time for the inevitable Free People barbecue held at the town, and just might be able to save it for the Dragon Lord.
Very good for you, as this essentially secures the pass against the Free. Extremely good for the poor Dragon Lord, another loser nation.
limit character creation to commander-agents and emissaries. Make a point of building camps in the mountains, then improving them to villages and towns. This effort can make it quite difficult for the Free to track down and root out your pop centres, should things go bad in Eriador.
work on the Duns constantly to come in on your side. If the Duns go good, you're...well, done for.
Other than that, fly by the seat of your pants and pray to Morgoth for divine aid. You'll need it.
Game 97: From Rhudaur's Point of View
By Brian Mason
A few months ago, a few of the players in game 97, namely Tom and I (on the Free Peoples side) and Brian Lowery and Steve Latham (on the Dark Servants side) agreed to give some kind of summary evaluation of the game. At the time, I suppose both sides felt the game would be further along than it currently is, so this is not a summary report. Rather, at least in my case, it is a story of the development and destruction of a position. I've chosen to go through it for the first 20 turns, from turn zero to turn nineteen, as this will adequately demonstrate my development and subsequent failure in my attack upon the Blind Sorcerer and Witch-King.
The format of this is as follows: First, I'll list the following evaluative numbers: victory points, total population centres (by type), character points (by type), and offensive and defensive combat ability. Then, on each subsequent turn I'll list activities responsible for the changes.
Turn 0:
Population Centres: (Major Towns: 2, Towns: 4, Villages: 1, Camps: 1)
Character Points: (Command: 230, Agent: 40, Emissary: 10, Mage: 30)
Army Strength: (Offensive: 31490, Defensive: 51960).
Significant Actions: Retire all Men-at-Arms. Move all armies to capital. Name emissary.
Turn 1:
Victory Points: 600
Population Centres: (Major Towns: 2, Towns: 4, Villages: 1, Camps: 1)
Character Points: (Command: 232, Agent: 43 Emissary: 44, Mage: 35)
Army Strength:(Offensive:27002, Defensive: 41400).
Significant Actions: Regroup armies into three groups (as per this months S&T article), name second emissary.
Turn 2:
Victory Points: 575
Population Centres: (Major Towns: 2, Towns:4, Villages: 1, Camps: 1)
Character Points: (Command: 263, Agent: 45,Emissary: 77, Mage: 38)
Army Strength: (Offensive: 27542, Defensive: 41400).
Significant Actions: All armies keep high maintenance schedule.
Name third emissary. Create first camp.
Turn 3:
Victory Points: 550
Population Centres: (Major Towns: 2, Towns: 4, Villages: 1, Camps: 2)
Character Points: (Command: 296, Agent: 50, Emissary: 115, Mage: 41)
Army Strength:(Offensive: 28514, Defensive: 41400).
Significant Actions: All armies keep high maintenance schedule.
Name third emissary. Create first camp.
Turn 4:
Victory Points: 600
Population Centres: (Major Towns: 2, Towns: 4, Villages: 1, Camps: 2)
Character Points: (Command: 322, Agent: 63, Emissary: 124, Mage: 45)
Army Strength: (Offensive: 29199, Defensive: 41400).
Significant Actions: Again, the regular increases in agent and command ranks are due to each army group (with two commanders) executing three character improvement orders (ArmyMan, TrpsMan, GrdChar). First emissary dies in encounter with Dragon. Two camps created.
Turn 5:Victory Points: 633
Population Centres: (Major Towns: 2, Towns: 4, Villages: 1, Camps: 4)
Character Points: (Command: 362, Agent: 75, Emissary: 106, Mage: 45)
Army Strength: (Offensive: 30009, Defensive: 41400).
Turns 6, 7, 8, 9, 10:
Victory Points: 667, 667, 667, 600,808
Population Centres: (Major Towns: 2, 2, 2, 2,2, Towns: 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, Villages: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, Camps: 4, 6, 7, 9, 9)
Character Points: (Command: 388, 410, 430, 450, 514, Agent:84, 94, 104, 141, 203, Emissary: 112, 121, 128, 138, 84, Mage: 51, 51, 81, 87, 90)
Army Strength: (Offensive: 30798, 51558, 32433, 33658, 33660, Defensive: 41400, 41400, 41400, 41400, 41400).
Significant Actions: One commander/agent, one commander, two agents, and one mage named.
Five camps posted. Armies and attributes of army commanders and subcommanders continue to improve.
Turn 11: Victory Points: 867
Population Centres: (Major Towns: 2, Towns: 4, Villages: 1, Camps: 8)
Character Points: (Command: 522, Agent: 207, Emissary: 115, Mage: 90)
Army Strength: (Offensive: 35220, Defensive: 43950).
Significant Actions: Decision made to attack Witch-King and Blind Sorcerer. Plans for an assault on Mt. Gram.
One camp dissolves. One emissary named. 400 light infantry recruited.
Turn 12: Victory Points: 875
Population Centres: (Major Towns: 2, Towns: 4, Villages: 2, Camps: 7)
Character Points: (Command: 543, Agent: 207, Emissary: 117, Mage: 90)
Army Strength: (Offensive: 38510, Defensive:57906).
Significant Actions: One camp improved to a village. One emissary named.
400 archers recruited. 400 heavy cavalry recruited. Steel armour added to all cavalry troops. 36 war machines built.
Turn 13: Victory Points: 950
Population Centres: (Major Towns: 2, Towns: 4, Villages: 2, Camps: 7)
Character Points: (Command: 555, Agent: 211, Emissary: 117, Mage: 92)
Army Strength: (Offensive: 45767, Defensive: 68746).
Significant Actions: 300 light infantry recruited.
One camp improved to a village. 400 heavy cavalry recruited. Army moves on Mt. Gram.
Turn 14: Victory Points: 950
Population Centres: (Major Towns: 2, Towns: 5, Villages: 3, Camps: 6)
Character Points: (Command: 568, Agent: 221, Emissary: 117, Mage: 96)
Army Strength: (Offensive: 47022, Defensive: 74748).
Significant Actions: Capture Mt. Gram. One camp improved to a village. Cavalry army moves around West end of Rhudaur towards Witch-King. One village lost, one town gained, three camps dissolve.
Turn 15: Victory Points: 729
Population Centres: (Major Towns: 2, Towns: 6, Villages: 2, Camps: 3)
Character Points: (Command: 571, Agent: 240, Emissary: 125, Mage: 101)
Army Strength: (Offensive: 38031, Defensive: 63495).
Significant Actions: Army facing five Dark Servant armies, as the Witch-King fails to downgrade relations. Only have to fight one army. One character assassinated.
Turn 16: Victory Points: 700
Population Centres: (Major Towns: 2, Towns: 6, Villages: 2, Camps: 3)
Character Points: (Command: 494, Agent: 216, Emissary: 128, Mage: 105)
Army Strength: (Offensive: 38609, Defensive:67995).
Significant Actions: One character killed in army combat, one assassinated, two kidnapped. First attacking army destroyed.
Turn 17: Victory Points: 667
Population Centres: (Major Towns: 2, Towns: 6, Villages: 2, Camps: 4)
Character Points: (Command: 395, Agent: 194, Emissary: 128, Mage: 107)
Army Strength: (Offensive: 36340, Defensive: 68220).
Significant Actions: Second attacking army destroys two Dark Servant armies. One character assassinated, one character executed. One town lost to emissaries.
Turn 18: Victory Points: 575
Population Centres: (Major Towns: 2, Towns: 5, Villages: 2, Camps: 4)
Character Points: (Command: 255, Agent: 147, Emissary: 128, Mage: 87)
Army Strength: (Offensive: 27351, Defensive: 47215).
Significant Actions: Second attacking army destroyed. One character killed in combat.
Turn 19: Victory Points: 400
Population Centres: (Major Towns: 2, Towns: 5, Villages: 2, Camps: 4)
Character Points: (Command: 175, Agent: 155, Emissary: 131, Mage: 89)
Army Strength: (Offensive: 13961, Defensive: 24700).
What were the costs/gains of the attack?
Cost: Rhudaur lost 36 war machines, 2530 light infantry, 2200 archers, 1400 heavy cavalry, 600 light cavalry, two commanders (70, 66), and three commander/agents (75/46, 22/32, and 80/35).
Gain: From this, Rhudaur destroyed troops totalling 5580 heavy infantry, and 750 men-at-arms. No commanders or subcommanders are believed to have died. One Major Town/Fort was captured, a Town/Tower and a Camp/Tower were threatened, and a Village/Tower was destroyed. The more substantial cost was the evisceration of the military might of Rhudaur, and the opening up of it to subsequent attack, both by the military of the Witch-King and Blind Sorcerer, but also to their corp of emissaries.
What could have been done differently to make it succeed?
The plan, as originally conceived by me, was a three pronged thrust, whereby, the Witch-King would lose all three of his starting population centres: Mt. Gram falling to Rhudaur, Mt. Gunabad to the Dwarves, and Carn Dum to a coalition of the Noldo, Arthedain, and Cardolan. Only the attack of Rhudaur went off on schedule, subsequently allowing the Dark Servants in the North to attack and destroy the forces piecemeal.
Future course of the battles: Subsequently, the Blind Sorcerer moved in and destroyed my backup capital. My starting characters, painstakingly improved were quickly decimated by the vastly superior characters of the Dark Servants. There has been some ebb and flow in the region, but currently the Dark Servants have a significant upper hand.
To the best of my count, there have been at least eight different instances of dragons involved in combat for the Dark Servants since turn 18.