Board Thread:Suggestions forum/@comment-27783854-20160212160709

I have been playing as a Ranger of the North for over a year on the official server, and I have noticed several things that are missing or seem to be at some kind of impalance.

First of, I will take a look at all factions that can invade the Lone Lands and Eriador and compare all NPCs:

- Gundabad: after the recent improvements, Gundabad can provide regular Orks, Ork Archers, Wargs, as well as Banner Bearers and Gundabad Uruks.

- Angmar: including the Rhudaur Hillmen, there are Angmar Orks, Ork Archers, Ork Banner Bearers, Wargs, as well as Hillmen, Hillmen Axe Archers, Hillmen Warriors, and Hillmen Banner Bearers.

- Rangers of the North: Rangers and Ranger Banner Bearers.

Neither Elves nor Blue Dwarves or Hobbits invade Eriador, Lone Lands or Minhiriath. It is rather obvious that there is a 'slight' imbalance in favour of the evil factions.

So, to come to the actual topic, how could this be fixed? The easiest way would be to implement some more variety to the units spawned in Ranger invasions: Rangers riding horses, for example. There could be some kind of Ranger apprentice NPC, a bit weaker than the average Ranger and without the ability to cloak, but that wouldn't make much sense, why should an apprentice join an invasion?

To end all those rhetorical questions, here comes the real thing: Northern Dunedain Settlements. Those Settlements would be quite simiular to the Hillmen villages, but with a few differences: The houses are build mainly out of Arnor Bricks or Stone Bricks, they would be a bit bigger, and there would be a kind of Farm with a field for crops. In the center of the Settlement is a small fortification, including a tower and a blacksmith. The inhabitants of those villages would live rather peaceful, but are not unarmed: Bearing the arms of there forefathers, they carry old Gondorian Swords (for simplicity: Gondorian Swords), while others carry newly forged bronze or iron weapons, even though the weapon of choice would be a bow. They don't display their weapon until attacked, and carry mostly no armor, rarely leather or chainmail, and occasionally some gondorian armor parts. Guarding the village is a local militia, better armed and stronger. In the fortification of the settlement, a blacksmith is open to trade ores for new weapons, mostly bronze and iron, rarely gondorian and ranger equipment. Additionally, the local Dunedain chief can be found in the fort. You can hire Dunedain Militia NPCs as well as Dunedain Warrior from him. Duneadain Warriors are basically succesors of once great Norhtern Dunedain Lords or Knights, and have protected their subjects even after the decline of Arnor. They are rather expensive to hire to represent how few of these great warriors are left.

Invasions: A Dunedain villager Invasion features the following NPCs: Dunedain Militia, sometime mounted on a horse, a few Dunedain Warriors, and some Rangers. Some Banner Bearers are regular Militia Units carrying a Banner. The invasion would be uncommon in Eriador and Minhiriath, and rare in the Lone Lands. (Representing how common setlltements can be found in those biomes.)

So, a quick summary for all those to lazy to read it all or who might have forgotton something:

-Adding Mounted Rangers to Ranger invasions,

-Adding Northern Dunedain Settlements/Villages generating in Eriador and Minhiriath, rarely in Lone Lands

-Adding Northern Dunedain Villagers, Northern Dunedain Militia, a Northern Dunedain Blacksmith, Northern Dunedain Warriors, Dunedain Chief.

- A Northern Dunedain Invasion, spawing Northern Dunedain Militia, Warriors and Rangers

If you have any suggestion or improvement, feel free to comment. 