Hel Gast

We could always let us inspire by http://www.moddb.com.../rise-of-sauron (when it is finished).

Furthermore, a not-completely non-linear thing would be special (but hard to make). Thus: when Frodo is captured early, then the assaults with Sauron will happen sooner. When Boromir survives, then he will fight at Pelennor. That kind of thing. Using the world map (war of the ring) in BFMEI style would be the best at all (with maps giving special bonuses, special objectives giving better troops, that kind of thing).

One question: How did the Balrog survive, and how did Gandalf survive Rohan? Or do we have Gandalf double-white in Gondor?

Note: this is all about resource gathering; not about rebalancing the health of resource structures (the other suggestion in the opening post).

I already described how I think the basic resource gathering can be improved (make resource buildings level up slowly, easy to take down, much lower initial production, so that resource buildings need to be protected, especially when leveled up).

But the resource system can be fine tuned a lot more. The introduction of extra resource sources is one way (fishing, hunting, scavenging, chopping down trees); but refining the resources per faction (as described by some theme) can also provide a more interesting game play.

• Isengard: theme: industry and magic. As such their main resource building is the furnace (Industry), and the performance of the furnace can be improved temporarily by magic spells (already in the Spell Trees). Another option is to give Saruman a passive power that improves resource gathering and/or production speed for buildings in his range (see note 1).
• Moria: theme: scavenging. They should really get most of their resources from dead and destruction of others. There basic resource buildings (the tunnels) should only provide a modest amount of resources, but they should get the already existing scavenger Spell Tree power a lot sooner.
• Mordor: theme: food. The main reason for gathering resources for mordor is to keep its armies alive. As such the slaughterhouse is useful. Mordor shouldn't be a faction with a refined resource gathering system.
  
• Gondor: theme: trade. There resource system is initially based on farms; to support locals. But Gondor can really flourish by trade. By building marketplaces as there secondary resource building (markets equals taxes) they should have a higher income resource building. The farms can be further improved by a Farm markets upgrade (either in spell book or at the marketplaces).
  
• Rohan: theme: farmers. The people from Rohan where basically all farmers; as such they should start with fairly cheap and low resource producing farms. The Rohans can improve income rate by leveling up; such a leveled farm provides a higher income as the leveled up farms of other factions.
  
• Lothlorien: theme: trees. They are in balance with nature; and thus I can see them chopping wood from wood plantations (and thus in balance with nature). Maybe a mallorn tree that produces trees in its surrounding that can be chopped down? As a basic (starting) resource building they can have elven farms.
• Erebor: theme: mining. The dwarvers mined and where craftsman; there current mines are good. But they should have some craftsmen spell allowing for deep mining; giving them access to the special mine (now 3000 resources) with much better resource gathering speed.
• Evil men: Cannot really think about something more useful for them right now; have to play with them first to imagine something about them.

Resource gathering from chopping wood should be possible for any faction (note: in the case of elves: they should be able to replant the trees, balance with nature and so); hunting should also be possible for any faction (maybe use it as some kind of healing for the evil fractions; thus that bloodlust can be used on neutral animals to heal Uruks and Orcs). Spell Tree improvements for the bad factions should be active powers based on quick extra resources or reduce others capability to get resources. The Spell Tree improvements for the good factions should be based on improving the resource gathering rate (thus passive power).

Note 1: I really can't imagine Saruman as a real warrior (he isn't in the movies). He should mainly stay in his fortress improving (boosting performance) of the building in his base. Saruman should thus have some powers to do so; some powers to convert or control enemies; and a power to get enemies of his back (when he is surrounded).

I only imagine him to become a strong fighter with the ring, maybe it is possible to give him a separate power set with ring; without the defensive capabilities but with a powerful leadership and a powerful many-unit attack.

Have seen the ideas on fishing boats: but I should keep that as an extra and basically the same for all factions (not all maps have water, and makes balancing a lot easier). There where some further ideas for reworking resources+spells in the mentioned topic, can reread that part, summarize it and and work that out in a new post if you want?

....

When it says no siege it mean no Siege Tower or seige ladders and grond falls under that. Thats why you can on a 2v2 map.

I checked it for you, rgun is an 8 player map and the description that is visible when starting a skirmisch match doesn't say anything about no siege. I know, most maps with camps are no siege (dead marshes is one), and this no siege is also in the description (build restrictions), so I have checked that already some time ago.

More information as requested:
- The map was Rhun, a non-non-siege map (note: I coudn't levelmy siege works up to level 3 if it was)
- Rohan was with Easy AI. Thus it can be an easy issue, I currently play against all easy AI, teamed up in a single team (Reason: I can level up quickly to just play with all the new stuff. Switch over to harder AI when I know what everything is and does).
- It was all tested with 1.0, currently installing 1.1, will see if anything has changed.

Note: just take the time it needs, quality costs time, and this mod does look like quality.

Edit: Version 1.1: Grond cannot be build at Rhun, same conditions. Rohan medium does build a lot more, ROhan easy still only seems to build hero's, two farms, a well, a statue and a stable (but no unit production).