Breeland - Imladris subfaction

[Dendrotheos]

Disclaimer: This bit should be read first. I want to acknowledge that Imladris has neither been released nor the official announcements been updated concerning the faction’s content. As a result, this is merely an idea that would be best added, if at all, in patch 4.5, not 4.4 as I know the Edain Team is hard at work and doing a fantastic job of putting Imladris together. Without further ado, here is my proposal for discussion:
As Imladris, with the integration of the Dunedaín and Hobbits, is reminiscent of an Eriador faction, I suggest that Breeland should have some presence. While some men from Bree, such as for example Bill Ferny, tried to hinder the progress of the ring, others like Barliman Butterbur tried to help the Ring-bearer. While this is a tenuous reason for including the faction, I believe it could provide some unique gameplay and tactics to the already diverse Imladris faction.
Gameplaywise, Bree is not prominent enough to have its own faction slot. Breeland simply did not play a large enough role in the 3rd Age to merit this. Instead, I suggest that Bree is implemented as an Outpost building alternative to the Dunedaín outpost, working in a way akin similar to Dale or Mirkwood. This would allow Imladris to have both a 3 plot outpost and a unique fortress-esque outpost.
Concerning how this outpost would work, my proposition is that Bree has a central town hall and 2 build plots. From the town hall, the player could research a couple of economy upgrades that are thematically appropriate, such as Shire trading upgrade that improves the production of all hobbit farms. On the two build plots, the player would be able to choose from 3 buildings: an inn, a house or a gate house. Whichever building is chosen will be constructed with 2 small houses, which both produce 5 resources intermittently, so if both build plots are used then there will be 4 small houses around the town hall to give the outpost a fairly square like shape rather than a rectangular one.
The house will provide 20 resources intermittently, allowing a more economically based player to more quickly improve his resource reserves. The house would cost 400 to build. The Gate house would cost 300 and would provide 2 town guards to patrol around the outpost, attacking anyone who assaults the outpost. Finally, the Inn, which would cost 500-600 resources, would provide a small income of 5 resources a turn and provide town guard and mercenaries for recruitment. A town guard battalion, costing 200 resources, would act as a fast moving minutemen force that could be quickly mobilised to defend farm plots and so have a decent defence but very low attack. Mercenaries would be single unit hero troops. Each mercenary would have a high attack and defence but also cost 400 resources each. They could also be upgraded with heavy armour and forged blades/flaming arrows. There would be 3 available in a sword, spear and bow variety.
Adding Bree into the game would basically add a fairly unique aspect to Imladris; a strong economy building that also provides a mix of cheap, defensive militia and expensive but powerful mercenaries.
I appreciate that this idea is fairly barebones. The main intent of the proposal is to find a way of integrating Breeland into the mod in some way other than just using Bill Ferny as a scout hero. My suggestion, while far from perfect, provides a solution but other ideas would be good to see how others feel Bree should be integrated, if at all. Again I iterate that Imladris has not been fully revealed so this proposal may be shown to be superfluous or void, but while there is no confirmation this is what I would particularly like to see in the mod.
Dendrotheos.

FOR: Fredius, H4lbarad

AGAINST: FG15, DieWalküre, VectorMaximus, Odysseus

[Fredius]

I fully agree with you my friend; Bill Ferny is in my opinion not the right representation for Bree in it's whole. Bree is, as far as I know, still considered to be a town for the Good forces. However there is one thing that I would like to add to your proposal. I see Bree as some kind of resting place for the weary merchants or the Dunedain, that's why I think it would be nice if the outpost had a healing effect at some point; perhaps when the Inn is purchased?

[Dendrotheos]

A very good point that I managed to gloss over. A healing effect would be a good thing to add and the Inn would be the best place for it I think.

[H4lbarad]

Awesome idea!

[FG15]

It is not possible to have more than one outpost with buildplots, and Rivendell already has one.

Also, as far as I know Rivendell had never any connection with Bree and the men of Bree even disliked the Dunedain.

[Walküre]

I appreciate the creativity and the detailed thoughts behind all of this, but I don't agree with the main intentions of this proposal.

Albeit representing also the people of Eriador, I don't think that Imladris is supposed to be made more diverse than it is currently planned to be (in spite of the fact that the faction can already count on a proper level of differentiation, with the addition of the Hobbits and the subfaction of the Dúnedain, as Lothlórien and the Dwarves already do too). The good factions are generally characterised by the implementation of one defined subfaction (with its relative outpost) and other (minor) allied people via diverse means, such as settlements, summoning spells or other mechanics; Gondor and Rohan are probably an exception on their own, since their unique outposts of the Exiled and Dol Amroth belong to the same realm of their main faction.

Furthermore, I don't really think that Bree has a so prominent status in Middle Earth's and Eriador's affairs, so that it should even deserve an outpost as a subfaction. Not to mention that Bree itself, as FG already pointed out, doesn't seem to be strictly or partially related to Imladris at all. The Dúnedain have always watched over Eriador as very loyal allies of Elrond, and they also symbolise the eternal alliance between the Eldar (especially, the High Elves who fought in the War of the Jewels) and the Edain/Men of Númenor; the Hobbits are part of the faction as well, due to their significant role in the Fellowship's quest, and due to the quiet and genuinely good nature of the Shire, among the other lands of the West of Middle Earth.

On the other hand, I honestly don't see so much suitable and interesting properties in Bree. Properties that are valuable enough to grant it a place in the holiest faction by definition of the Edain Mod. Thus, I have to express myself against this suggestion for the explained reasons.

[VectorMaximus]

To start off with; its Bree. Enough said.

But honestly, I don't see any reason why the men of Bree and the Elves of Rivendell would be aligned at all.

The Dunedain of the North make sense; They are the result of a logical chain of alliances going back to the end of the first age. You have the Eriador-Numenor Alliance, which then transforms after the fall of Numenor into the Lindon-Kingdoms in Exile Alliance. This alliance naturally endures to this day (though admittedly the Southern Kingdom of Gondor has let it lie). The Dunedain and the Elves of Imladris (with Lindon as backup) together form what I call the 'peacekeepers of Eriador'. Rivendell serves as a bastion and stronghold for this alliance, serving as a March and  a Watch upon the golbins of the Misty Mountains. The Dunedain are the internal policing force, defeating bandits and any evil creatures that make  it past the bulwark of Imladris. There is a common goal and purpose in their alliance, along with old ties of friendship.

Bree, on the other hand, is simply the largest of the many villages of Arnor Broken. While it seems to be a fairly major hub among those villages, it appears to have no standing army, nor any major diplomatic relations with either the Dunedain or Rivendell. In whole, the breemen seem to distrust the rangers, making an alliance even more unlikely. They are 'Middle-Men', those between the 'High Men' or the Numenoreans, and the Low Men (Men of Darkness), those who allied with Morgoth and foreswore the Elves and the Valar in the early ages of the world. For this reason Imladris itself might be reluctant to ally with them (after all, the elves are shown to be reluctanct to interact with even stalwart allies who are Middle-Men, such as the Rohirrim).

Rivendell does not need, nor is warranted to have another outpost in my opinion(though I do think Lindon could use a greater variety of units). These are not the Imperialist Noldor of the First Age, looking to build and expand mighty kingdoms. They are the last remnant of that folk, instead trying to keep their own slice of heaven on earth (or in this case, Aman in Arda) safe and secure. Being the 'diplomatic' center of Middle-Earth in the 3rd age, it makes sense for Rivendell to use its friends and allies to exert its will outside its immediate territory, save at great need.

So to put it shortly (1 wall of text later!), I don't believe Bree is necessary in the Imladris faction. They are diplomatically uninvolved, have no standing army, and seem lorewise to be more likely to distrust than ally with the rangers and elves. Imladris, in addition to its mighty bastion, has its allies from Lindon and the Dunedain to call upon for military aid, lowering the need for aid from one single town. As such, I must say that I am against the proposal, for all the above reasons.

[Dendrotheos]

Points taken. Your thoughts are logical and fair. Do you think there is a way Bree can be implemented elsewhere though? A subfaction seems illogical by the general concensus, but I think there should be some representation of the people somewhere, as currently we only have Bill Ferny in Isengard.

[FG15]

I believe the best way to include Bree would be by an own men CaH , which covers all the lesser men of Eriador, Rhovanion and Dunland.

[Odysseus]

Dendrotheos went through the effort to write a relatively thorough post, and I always feel a little bit bad when I voice my opinion against it, because of the exact same reasons Walk and Vector mentioned. Let alone the technical reasons provided by FG15. Thus, I am also against this proposal.

However, I think with all the realms that were part of Middle-Earth in the 3rd age, but were of little significance to the War of the Ring or other major events happening at the same time, could always be represented through some other, smaller means, such as CAH. In fact, I think it would be ideal, for there would be a large spectrum to take ideas and inspiration from and still represent some of the realms of lesser importance without distorting the established, major factions.

[Dendrotheos]

The use of Bree in CaH is a good alternative. This would allow for other minor realms too, which on the whole is inclusive and generally good. I would be happy to stand back from my proposal and support a more minor integration akin to the use of Bree in CaH (if it is logistically possible of course).