Middle-Earth Campaign: Ithilien 2901

[Doomhippie]

After a long pause, I think it's time for me to come up with some Middle-Earth stories again. This time I'm embarking on a longer trip than just a battle report. I decided to post a thread about an ongoing project that has been in my mind for some time and is slowly actually getting somewhere. I'm working an a campaign in Ithilien, roughly 100 years before the Lord of the Rings story. Ithilien is at that time a war-torm place with lots of opportunity for some interesting games. I am going to post pictures of the project as soon as I have the time to take them and will let you watch as the project grows over time. Of course any played scenarios will be in here as well, hopefully with some pictures to go along.

Today I start out with some basic thoughts about Ithilen and how to represent it on tabletop.

Geography: The land between the river Anduin in the west and the Ephel Duath in the east. In the south the river Poros separates Ithilien from Harondor, in the north the Dead Marshes and Nindalf separate Ithilien from the the plains of Rhovanion. Ithilien is divided into North-Ithilien and South-Ithilien. Some claim the river Morgulduin running out of the Vale of Morgul is the line of separation, others say that the Emyn Arnen further south is actually the dividing line.

Climate: Not being an expert on climate I venture the guess, that the climate is relatively mild. The Anduin valley is the easiest way north for moist air coming from the ocean. Both the White Mountains in the west and the Ephel Duath in the East will probably cause the air to rise, cool down and thus provide for more or less regular percipitation in the area. Accordingly Ithilien is often called the Garden of Gondor. What influence the poximity of Mordor and Minas Morgul has is hard to tell. From what I was able to find on the topic Ithilien's climate is considered to be similar to the valley of the Rhone in France (I've never been there, unfortunately).

History: The campaign is set around the year 2901 (so roughly 100 years before the War of the Rings). At that time Sauron is still in Dol Guldur, however the ringwraiths have organized his return to Mordor. Minas Morgul has been the lair of the Witchking for almost 1000 years. The Ruling Stewart of Gondor at that time would be Turin II., great-grandfather to Denethor. At that time Ithilien was already sparesly populated due to repetitve invasions by Easterlings and Haradrim. The year 2901 saw a marked increase in raids by Haradrim, Easterlings and Orcs, forcing most of the remaining civil inhabitants to leave Ithilien and take refuge west of the Anduin.

Ithilen in 2901 on tabletop: Obviously this time offers a wide variety of possible scenarios. There are no reports of any massive battles, which I hate playing anyway, so it seems obvious to fight a number of skirmishes, as various fractions launch raids against the remaining Gondorian forces. As far as I know there were still regular soldiers in Ithilien. Furthermore it is well known that Gondor employed Rohan troops as auxiliaries.

The Forces of Darkness: I can use Easterlings, Haradim, Orcs and even Corsairs of Umbar for the Dark Side, even if the Corsairs would basically stick to river raids and prabably only in South Ithilien (I'm going to ignore that fact and have them mingle happliy in the north as well). If I feel particularly vicious I might even have one or two Nazgul make an appearnace (though historically speaking they didn't show themselves openly but what the heck? If it makes for a good story...). Unfortunately I don't have all these models, but the idea is of course to slowly build and paint more armies.

The Forces of Gondor: The regular Gondorian army models will find their use here along with the Rangers of Ithilien. I will not use any Dol Amroth miniatures nor any other fiefdom models. First of all because I don't have any, but mainly because they are territorial armies sworn to their own Lord, defending their own lands. Ithilien as a former crown land would be under the direct rule of the Stewart. I might use some Rohirim as auxiliaries. I will slowly expand my collection of models here as well (hopefully).

The gaming table: I really want to have some better gaming table than the usual ones I use BUT... I just don't have the time to build it. At some point along the line though I hope I will add to what I have. Fortunately Ithilien does not have any major city that requires any larger construction work. I will use various ruins and buildings as there must have been quite a few scattered settlements in that area.

Game System: Basically I'll use the GW Lord of the Rings rules but might actually fiddle around with my homebrewed rules (which are completely different but might be more suitable for certain hide and seek scenarios).

[tomogui]

Sounds like a great project. The period and location you've chosen has wide potential to see almost any faction played. No hobbits or Isengard Uruk-hai, though. On the up-side, you can play Saruman as a good guy if you like!

I will be following it with interest. I've really enjoyed your story-driven LOTR battle reports in the past, especially the 'minor heroes of Rohan at the eaves of Fangorn' one.

I also have a large stack of GW LOTR models, which I collected over the years for a similar project: enough to play skirmish-sized warbands for any LOTR faction. Unfortunately, they make up a large part of my lead mountain of shame: almost none are assembled or painted. Your Ithilien project might be the inspiration I need to get started. The White Council against Dol Guldur? The Angmar wars? Hmmm....

I've recently been thinking that SAGA would be an excellent alternative to the War of the Ring rules if you want to play some slightly larger pitched battles of 50 -70 models per side. It's simple and evocative. You could even use the existing SAGA battleboards unchanged: Gondorians as Anglo Danish,  Rohirrim as Normans, Orcs as Vikings, Moria Goblins (or Hobbits!) as Welsh etc.

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens with the Ithilien project. Best of luck! 

[Emir of Askaristan]

From memory the old Iron Crown Middle Earth RPG supplements gave excellent background information on terrain, climate, flora and fauna, settlements, etc. I had a copy of the Riders of Rohan book and it gave lots of the details you might find useful for background.

Sounds likean interesting project - good luck

[NurgleHH]

A interesting think is, that some guys from Hamburg use the SAGA-Rules for Lords of the rings, maybe an alternative. Or 7TV as skirmish rules...
Great Idea...

[Doomhippie]

From memory the old Iron Crown Middle Earth RPG supplements gave excellent background information on terrain, climate, flora and fauna, settlements, etc. I had a copy of the Riders of Rohan book and it gave lots of the details you might find useful for background.

Sounds likean interesting project - good luck

I have almost everything I.C.E. produced at that time. Unfortunately, Ithilien was never a seperate module. There were of course various smaller adventures but mainly in or around the Morgul Vale. Anyway, thanks for reminding me, I might just look at them again for more detail.

[Red Orc]

For general climatic purposes, it's worth bearing in mind that, if Hobbitton = Oxford, then Minas Tirith = Rome. So in effect, Ithilien is Italy. It can get very hot, even in the north; and in the mountains, it can get very cold even in the south. And there should be thunderstorms, as well as strange fogs and darknesses and noisome stenches wafting down from the Ephel Duath or out of Morgul Vale.

Excellent location for a campaign, especially one based around skirmishes rather than massive battles; there are plenty of forts and settlements (both ruined and surviving) as well as the possibility of camps for both the Gondorian and Harad forces.

Looking forward to seeing more of this!

[FramFramson]

One interesting angle is that at the time of your campaign, the east bank of ruined Osgiliath had yet to be recaptured (iirc Denethor mentions it being recaptured "several decades" prior to the LotR). If you want to really stretch the definition of "a few decades", you can offer opportunities for that battle to be included later in this campaign.

[Doomhippie]

One interesting angle is that at the time of your campaign, the east bank of ruined Osgiliath had yet to be recaptured (iirc Denethor mentions it being recaptured "several decades" prior to the LotR). If you want to really stretch the definition of "a few decades", you can offer opportunities for that battle to be included later in this campaign.

Lazy me hopes to circumvent large construction of Osgliliath. I'll just see where the project ends up. Anyway, here the first few pics.
This is a shot of the Rangers I've painted lately.



My photography skills are a little rusty, sorry. The mins are all GW Rangers of Ithilien with the musician and banner bearer from the Blackroot Vale Archer Command. All minis are newly painted. I'll throw in some of the Rangers of Arthedain and have the painted Damrod, Madril and Duinhir flying around somewhere to have some more individual characters.

Next up the command squad in detail (oh, and there is Madril on the left: look at the size difference! Somebody screwed up big time while making this model). I chose to paint the banner in white with a golden tree on it. It's a compromise. The white flag with a silver tree was the banner of Gondor under the Stewarts, but I painted the tree golden to make the contrast a little stronger. I used the black frame to indicate that Ithilien is officially property of the King of Gondor even if the throne is vacant at that time.



The next three shots are just more detailed versions of the rank and file troops.







I still have plenty of ranger models left, but they are extremely time consuming to paint, as I had to mix up every color. Generally speaking each of these cuties are about 6 hours work (that's without using a hairdryer...). Even though these are "just" plastic models, there are lots and lots of details on them. I like them a lot (and think I've done a way better job painting them than GW did . I was really unsure if I should buy them after looking at the photo on the package. But I was pleasantly surprised).

So much for now, I'll try to take some more pics tomorrow.

[Rob_bresnen]

nicely painted. I have tried painting some of these rangers (the palstic ones) and it's not as easy as it looks.

[Captain Blood]

Nice painting Lars 

For general climatic purposes, it's worth bearing in mind that, if Hobbitton = Oxford, then Minas Tirith = Rome. So in effect, Ithilien is Italy. It can get very hot, even in the north; and in the mountains, it can get very cold even in the south.

Really? I always thought Tolkien had somewhere utterly bucolic and further west in the Cotswolds in mind for Hobbiton (like The Slaughters) and Minas Tirith was Oxford.
Or Possibly London.
It's been a few years since I last read the books I must confess, but I don't recall any descriptions of Mediterranean-style climate or flora... I'd have had Ithilien down as a much more temperate and idealised 'garden' landscape.

Mind you, in the recent TV adaptation of Game of Thrones, everyone seemed very comfortable with the depiction of King's Landing as a kind of sweaty, sun-baked Mediterranean or even near-Eastern metropolis. Whereas in the books everything about the description suggests a kind of chivalric-era North European medieval town... (Sunspear is clearly described in later GOT books as the hot place with swimming pools and palm trees... But I digress  )

Anyway, that's fantasy geography for you. One man's Rome is another man's Chipping Sodbury 

[Doomhippie]

For me Middle-Earth has always been more middle-European than anyhing else. I don't think it translates into our world one on one. There are good arguments for Gondor as a more mediterranean area. However, I personally have always seen or "felt" it like the good Captain wrote in his reply.

[area23]

I think you could see Minas Tiritha as Rome or Constantinople form a north european perspective, i.e. written down by people who had never been there, based on accounts from 3rd parties. But all the same it might as well be inspired by Karolingian Aken. So climate would be as you see fit.

I don't think the Eddas or Beowulf neither mention climate at all, unless for a certain purpose.

[Mason]

Great idea for a project.
Well thought out with plenty of options.

Nice start on the painting, too.
Those Rangers look lovely!
 

[Red Orc]

Lovely Rangers there Doomhippie! Beautiful paint jobs.

As for the geography... http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Middle-earth puts Gondor in 'Mediterranean Italy and Greece'. I think given Tolkien's religious beliefs (he was a Catholic) and his use in the story of Aragorn of elements of Arthuriana (in one version of the Arthur story, he conquers Italy and becomes Emperor), because the 'myth' of the Sons of Elendil is a re-working of the legends of Aeneas and his descendants (including Brutus who supposedly named Britain having brought the line of Trojan kings here), and because it's about 600 miles (960km?) east and 500 miles south (about 800km) of 'Hobbiton' - that gives about 780 miles (1300km?) south-east - then I'd say it's Rome, or close enough. The distance (I've just shoved it into google) is apparently 943 miles or 1517km.

Of course, if I'm wrong and Minas Tirith is Ravenna (last capital of the Western Empire) then it's 799 miles (1290km) from Oxford and even closer to the estimates of 780 miles/1300km (Osgiliath might then stand for Rome - the place where the capital was moved from). Whichever way, I think it's pretty clear 'Ithilien' = 'Italy'.

Oh, and I've always assumed that 'Kingsfoil' is supposed to be 'basil', which as far as I know doesn't grow wild anywhere north of the Alps (read 'The White Mountains', which may well be what 'Alps' means).

Having said all of that, I think it's of course entirely up to yourself and your players how you see it. If you think Ithilien is more like Hungary or France or anywhere else, that's really none of my business; but this is my understanding of what Tolkien was trying to do, anyway.

[Doomhippie]

Okay, here are the next pics. I have discovered some flaws in my painting and will mention what I found, feel free to any other things you see.

First are the newly painted Knights of Gondor. Though Gondor is not especially well-known for her cavalry I am certain that as with most armies the cavalry was a prestigeous part of the army to serve in. We can safely assume the riders to be the better trained elite troops of Gondor's army probably consisting of minor nobles and/or second, third sons of the aristocratic elite. Once again I painted the little banners white. I chose to use red for the saddle blankets to add a little more color to the models. The horses are rather dark as is the uniform of the Gondorians. So a dash of color might work well here. Eventually I plan to add some hero/leader model to the force, maybe the Boromir model (that says Faramir on the blister...). He would function as some kind of captain, maybe even the oldest son of the Stewart (as he carries the Horn of Gondor which traditionally was carried by the oldest son of the ruling Stewart). I haven't painted the model yet, but have primed it.





Next up is the infantry command crew. I have to admit that I'm for various reasons not altogether happy with the way they turned out. My first problem: they are finecast... I don't want to get back to the resin debate but I found all my prejudices jstified. Airbubbles on swords and in faces, warped armor (in places it looks like the model was moved a few milimeters before the rest of it was cast), the two-handed sword looks like a LARP sword and is bended in so many ways I almost cried and the banner has see-through holes in between the branches of the tree (so no chance to fill them up). So I tried to hide some of the effects with paint but of course that decreases the overall appearance of the models. They somehow look very untidy this way.

Anyway, here is the group together:



And here individual shots.
The model of The Knight of Gondor is not too bad. I like it somehow. I'm going to use him as the overall commander of the Ithilien forces and will hopefully come up with a cool background story for him. His sword will be a special sword (maybe something along the line of giving the wielder a bonus on his to kill rolls without reducing the to hit rolls).



Next a captain of Gondor. Unfortunately he is just tramping across an orc which looks not very convincing and sucks if there are no orcs present. His sword is a little bent (thanks to finecast). I generally find the faces of the Gondorians hard to paint, as the helmet leaves very little chance of shading the face well. The eyes are so small that I can actually never hit them with a brush. Sorry.



The musician and the banner bearer are nice models as well (but finecast...). I painted the tassels of the horn red for the same reason I included red in the rider models. I'm not sure about that now, maybe a blue would have been nicer. Ah well, I'll just leave it that way. Gee, the sword needs some seeing to - I forgot to paint the heft...