New place for Legolas and Tauriel - border patrol
(http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/38000000/-Legolas-and-Tauriel-legolas-greenleaf-38039885-1920-1200.jpg?fbclid=IwAR3xZtTeAMX1SyY0ah3ZkrAC630PrJFLP8VfRFwq-nUoP2GzxVphSdIi8eA)
Crafted by Tiberius Ogden and Tienety. :o 8-)
There are two most common arguments from the fans:
1) Mirkwood deserves greater importance in Lorien faction (or even deserves to be separate faction), because of its presence in the whole Hobbit trilogy, plus Legolas in LOTR trilogy.
2) Tauriel should be playable permanently, because of her importance in the Hobbit movies and also that in the mod aren't enough women's heroines. She would be brilliant scout hero with movie feeling but such role already have Rumil and Orophin. ... But scout hero can't be part of the outpost.
So far Mirkwood occupied only outpost.
Speaking in general logic - you need from the outpost mainly that kind of units that isn't in the main base ... and in the settlement you should find units that are cheap and fast.
In the Lothlorien's case light units are in the base, while heavy units belong to outpost. It fits. What doesn't too fit are settlements - part of them are beornings and ents, so neither cheap, nor fast units.
Concerning heroes:
Thranduil is army leader and tank, he fits well as leader of Mirkwood units.
Opposite case is Legolas, mass slayer with hero killer aspect, but we can say that he is primarily interesting agile hero for whom is quite late to be recruited from outpost.
Tauriel is agile scout hero with a melee focus. Currently is only summonable through spellbook for short period of time. Adding her now shouldn't be problem concerning numbers cause Frodo and Sam will be gone and we also support idea to make Rumil and Orophin as a one-hero concept.
To sum up:
1) Legolas should be recruitable earlier
2) Tauriel should be permanent and work as a scout for players who don't prefer Rumil and Orophin
3) Settlements need fast, cheap, and agile units in the beginning of the game
And in general - Mirkwood deserves greater importance in the whole faction
Solution is quite simple and connects all points:
Border patrol
In the movies, we can see that Legolas definitely isn't ruler like his father, rather agile and quick elf who enjoys forest and team work with Tauriel and other light elves, who are on duty to guard borders.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/UC6sKTqfgg8 (https://www.youtube.com/embed/UC6sKTqfgg8)
So we suggest to move Legolas from the late outpost to earlier settlement, together with Tauriel who now be permanent (not to mention that her full skillset teams up with Legolas), and Mirkwood guards who will be recruitable as the cheap and fast units in the settlement as well.
(https://media.moddb.com/images/articles/1/173/172689/auto/lorienrangerrender_1412865821.jpg)
... of course not the one with the deer ...
(https://scontent-prg1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.15752-0/p480x480/50636730_231153021123656_8959212070474088448_n.png?_nc_cat=100&_nc_ht=scontent-prg1-1.xx&oh=350a56bd2a50251a08542a29f14e82c1&oe=5CF926D0)
... fits but deserves some graphic attention ...
And what will be the new spellbook spell instead?
Feasts of Mirkwood
The Elves of Mirkwood raise a feast which offers the best vine from Dorwinion. The feast generates resources, raises the commandpoints by 30 and reveals stealth units. Dorwinion's vine provides fear resistance and +15 % attack bonus to nearby allied units. If enemies get very near the feast, the elves will vanish immediately. The feast may only be summoned thrice at the same time.
(https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/edain-mod/images/8/80/Thranduil%27s_fairgrounds.png/revision/latest?cb=20170524154141)
It's well known Thranduil's ultimate ability. We think that suits much better as a spellbook spell, fits into defensive row but mainly works with the overall hit and run gameplay tactic.
Problem is that Thranduil is tank and army leader ... and such skill is quite out of place in his skillset (although without doubt lore accurate).
We removed healing effect cause it's now implemented in Refuge in the Woods spell, and added attack bonus and fear resistance through the vine - at least some connection to Dorwinions. Also blessed Galadriel will lose skillset, which means also passive aura which provides fear resistance will be gone.
Again - and what will be Thranduil's new ability instead?
Just check our completely reworked Thranduil thread! :)
https://modding-union.com/index.php/topic,35644.msg472687.html#msg472687 (https://modding-union.com/index.php/topic,35644.msg472687.html#msg472687)
We think that our idea connects all Mirkwood wishes and problematic faction's aspects into one compromise solution.
We are looking forward to debate with you, but mainly Edaining! xD
Concerning Mirkwood: What heroes do you think could they have? Thranduil, Legolas, Tauriel and mabye that captain of the guards? Four all together. All other factiones have Five at least.
Yes, Feren, plus Galion (Thranduil's butler). Also Beorn and Radagast fit more to Mirkwood, than to Lorien. In total seven heroes.
And what outpost optiones could Mirkwood have? Laketown?
Probably yes, cause there are geographical and economical ties. Ered Luin has nothing to do with Lake Town. Their heroes just stayed there for a while during the time of Hobbit, that's all.
With my friend, we prepared detailed faction plan for Mirkwood, from settlements to main base, from units to heroes and their roles, ... we even reworked spellbooks - Lorien has mystical spells while Mirkwood more "woodland" spells. In general, we tried to make both factions different as much as possible.
We wrote it in 2014 and updated every year. Our ideas are pretty complex, cause we like Edain standards, so it's not surprising that fit only to this mod.
But it's pointless to discuss now. Maybe sometimes in the future. :)