Thoughts on Imaldris

[Eldalf]

Now, there is not entirely all that much published about Imaldris in it's 4.0 incarnation, and the last refuge of the Noldor happens to be one of my points of curiosity, so I thought I would post here my thoughts on what the faction as a whole should be. Please take into account that I have at times in the past been an active modder in the BFME 2 English speaking community, I coded for the RJ-Mod, and worked on the War in the East mod back in 2004.

Imaldris is a refuge, it is a realm that is held safe by the power of enchantment not the force of arms. In this way the Elves of Rivendell should sit as a defensive faction, not defended just by walls but by active spell defenses that let an Imaldris fortress become an anvil upon which it's enemies shall fall. However, Imaldris is the last refuge of the Noldor, the high elves who have the closest connection to Aule. Their artifice and skill with cunning devices is said to exceed that of the dwarves. So it should stand that Imaldris is an army that builds into the offense. It starts as the anvil, and over time morphes into the hammer. It should be army of elite units, and its upgrades should be substantially powerful. However, for the early to mid game it should be a sallying army at best. It's heroes and cavalry need to be the true core of this early game play, enabling the otherwise defensive faction to strike with precision, but this play should be tempered by the risk involved. Elven Cavalry is quick and hard hitting, but should not be capable of sustaining punishment. In the late game it is the time for the elder ages to be seen, when the might of the lost ages is once more uncoiled into a mighty war engine. This war-engine, should while always being outnumbered never be outgunned. Slow moving infantry that is heavily armoured and has a high attack should comprise this phase of the Imaldris play style. In this way the Rivendell faction is thematically the inverse of it's creation. It morphed into a refuge from the base of a powerful army, so should it in game morph from a refuge into the powerful army. Let the faction be one in which it's role shifts over time, from the unmovable object into the unstoppable force.

Anyway, just my two cents about Rivendell and what I would like to see it become. Some of these ideas are ones I have carried around in my notes for almost 10 years now. Others are from discussions and projects 6 years old, from back before Rob had to leave the BFME2 scene. I would love to see some of those ideas of that project be kept alive by Edain.