On a side note, I don't think the Dunlendings should be anymore of an "elite" mini-faction than the Isengard core faction (if by 'elite' you mean better than Isengard's, Moria's and Gundabad's units in every respect):
In the books, the Dunlendings were usually portrayed as a mob during wartime. A hardy, fierce, vengeful, easily roused and opportunistic people, but as a fighting force were usually poorly armed, poorly trained, unused to the battlefield and above all, superstitious and fearful of their percieved foes, which has done wonders in sapping their morale.
They have had a history of only attacking their enemies at their weakest and most vulnerable (which is most often a larger invasion from another force or natural disaster, events that are not begun by the Dunlendings) and minor engagements with their enemies, generally small-scale raids on herds and unpressed attacks on the Westmark garrisons of the Isen. They have never been found to engage their enemies directly in large-scale battles (for obvious reasons) unless supplemented with other more "organised/respecful" forces (Isengarders, Corsairs, Easterlings, etc), heavily outnumber their enemies and know (or think) they will be the victors, or by accident (an unfortunate encounter with King Deor on an expedition to Isengard). Even the taking over of the Ring of Isengard was accomplished not by siege, but by assimilation.
"All Isengard must be emptied; and Saruman has armed the wild-hillmen and herd-folk of Dunland beyond the rivers, and these also he loosed upon us."- The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, Book Three, Chapter VII, Helm's Deep.
"They were without body-armour, having only among them a few hauberks gained by theft and in loot. The Rohirrim had the advantage of in being supplied by the metal-workers of Gondor. In Isengard as yet only the heavy and clumsy mail of the Orcs was made, by them for their own uses. [Author's note.]"-Unfinished Tales, Part III: The Third Age, The Battles of the Fords of Isen
(Already the Dunlendings don't seem much like a reliable, seasoned fighting force here, on the contrary, they seem to be more of an angry plundering rabble. Isengard only arms them and doesn't even see fit to supply the Dunlendings with armour. While I don't doubt that
certain Dunlendings (the chieftains, their household and their guards for instance), might have possessed their own weapons and armour (perhaps some of which might've even been made by Durin's Folk during their stay in Dunland before they moved to the Ered Luin, and this is stretching it as that was more than 300 years ago and I doubt the Dunlendings were instructed in proper metal maintenance or any of the Dwarves stay there) and that maybe the Isengard weaponry was of far better quality than anything they had, but one would think that a people experienced in war would have their own equipment for such times.)
"But the shieldwall held. Then, since the Orcs were of less avail in such fighting because of their stature, fierce companies of the Dunlendish hillmen were thrown against it. But for all their hatred the Dunlendings were still afraid of the Rohirrim if they met face to face, and they were also less skilled in warfare and less well armed. The shieldwall still held."- Unfinished Tales, Part III: The Third Age, The Battles of the Fords of Isen
(Ah, so they were brought in to deal with the Rohirrim shieldwall simply because they were bigger than the Orcs, possibly able to outreach the orcs and overpower the shieldwall, not because of any particular fighting skill, which they didn't have much of anyway. They even feared direct confrontation with their most hated enemy.)
Even Saruman's Agents (or Sharky's Men), who were Dunlendings or of Dunlendish origin (with a few presumed "half-orcs"), and accorded a higher level of independence and initiative, were more of a band of ruffians and brutes, relying primarily on intimidation and bullying, than any well-organised force of men capable of curshing a persistant revolt. They were successfully driven off/defeated by both Bree and the Shire, realms regarded by those accustomed to battle, such as Aragorn and the Rangers, as inexperienced and "simple".
"[The ruffians] knew that the countryside had risen against them, and plainly meant to deal with the rebellion ruthlessly, at its centre in Bywater. But however grim they might be, they seemed to have no leader among them who understood warfare. They came on without any precautions..."- The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Six, Chapter VIII, The Scouring of the Shire.
While, in the end, the Dunlendings don't seem to be anymore disorganised than their Isengard allies (in the books anyway) and capable of limited guile and cunning, I don't think it's plausible to make Dunland the "elite mini-faction", simply because they were larger than the Orcs and were Men. They always seem to be the ones who are called in for heavy lifting than anything else (attacking the shieldwall at the Fords of Isen, wielding the shielded Battering Ram at Helm's Deep.) Instead, I think they should be the "relatively cheap but heavy shock" mini-faction.
Edited by Bard, 26 April 2008 - 03:12 PM.
