Gamespot.com-The Lord of the Rings the Battle for Middleearth II Walkthrough

8/9/2019 Gamespot.com-The Lord of the Rings the Battle for Middleearth II Walkthrough

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The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II

Walkthrough

gamespot.com /articles/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-battle-for-middle-earth-ii-walkthrough/1100-6146219/

By: Doug Radcliffe

Design: Randall Montanari

EAs real-time strategy sequel The Battle for Middle-earth II takes place during J.R.R. Tolkiens books

and Peter Jacksons award-winning film adaptations (as well as the first game!). But its a new location-

-the northern lands where the Elves and Dwarves held off hordes of Goblins and Orcs of Mordor.

The Battle for Middle-earth II refines some gameplay elements--new resource model and you can build

structures anywhere on the map--and adds new playable races, the Goblins, Elves, and Dwarves

(Gondor and Rohan from the first game are combined into Men of the West). This game guide contains

tips for all the new units, heroes, and abilities as well as complete walk-throughs and solutions for thetwo huge campaigns.

This Gamespot game guide for The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II includes:

Forces of Good: This section provides tips for the Elves, Men of the West, and Dwarves,

including strategies for units and heroes.

Forces of Evil: Goblins, Mordor, and Isengard are covered here with tips on using units and

heroes in battle.

Good Campaign Walk-through: Look here for solutions to all objectives and bonus objectives

for the good campaign.

Evil Campaign Walk-through: This section offers complete mission walk-throughs for the evil

campaign.

Multiplayer: General strategies and coverage of all Evenstar and One Ring powers are found in

this multiplayer section.

War of the Ring: Complete territory bonuses list and tips for War of the Ring mode.

Chapter 1 - Forces of Good

One of the most important concepts in The Battle for Middle-earth II--and its similar to many real-timestrategy games--is the rock-scissors-paper approach to combat. This means that certain units are

better suited to fight other specific units. For example, pikemen are best used against cavalry while

cavalry are best used against archers.

In general, The Battle for Middle-earth IIfollows this logic: swordsmen beat pikemen, pikemen beat

cavalry, cavalry beat archers, and archers beat swordsmen. There are some exceptions and, of course,

other unit types to consider (such as trolls, giants, and spiders). However, remember that rule and

youll know how best to counter the makeup of an enemys army as well as how to micromanage the

fight when the moment of combat approaches.

This section covers the forces of good: Elves, Men of the West, Dwarves. Youll find details on heroesand units and general strategies for using each group in battle. Note that this chapter was written on

the retail version of The Battle for Middle-earth II.

Elves
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Two words: Silverthorn Arrows. The Elves excel with bows; their upgraded archers are extremely,

extremely formidable and several of the Elven hero units implement bows (including the mighty

Legolas) as well. The Elves are certainly the ranged race. The Elves unique Silverthorn Arrow upgrade

has many players wondering if the Elves are simply too powerful. Apparently the games executive

producer thinks so as well; Mike Verdus blog stated that the Elven Silverthorn arrows will be toned

down a bit in a future patch.

For now, battalions of fully upgraded Elven archers can wipe out "powerful" late game units like eagles

or even the Balrog. Indeed the upgrade is powerful (and arguably unbalanced given Mike Verdusstatements) but its also quite an expensive investment. If you rush to Silverthorn Arrows, youre

exhausting an enormous amount of resources that your opponent may be using to rush your base. The

Elves can excel in late game but arent as powerful early.

Elves plus Silverthorn Arrows: expensive but incredibly powerful.

Being weaker early leaves the Elves vulnerable to an aggressive opponent. Acquiring the Silverthorn

arrow upgrade is pricey. Building the Eregion Forge, upgrading it, then researching the upgrade, then

applying the upgrade to your archer battalions is a big investment. It also means your Eregion Forge

must be well-protected to avoid a disastrous setback. An effective counter is not allowing the Elves to

sit back and fund upgrades until they possess a near unbeatable army.

The Elves use two structures to train their primary army. The Elven Barracks builds warriors (counter

pikemen), archers (counter swordsmen), and the Mithlond Sentries, which are the Elven pikemen to

counter cavalry. There are two archer types: Lorien and Mirkwood. The Mirkwood Archers can stealth

(great for gaining sight on enemy areas for power usage) but are unable to improve with the Elven

Armor upgrade at the Eregion Forge.

The Green Pasture creates the Elven cavalry units primarily used to rush and flank opposing archer

lines. The Elves can also build the Entmoot and construct Treebeard or Ents as siege weapons to

topple defenses.

The following chart reveals the Elven heroes, cost, command points (CP) and a rundown of each


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heros abilities.

Hero Cost CP Abilities

Haldir 2000 50 You can switch Haldir between sword and bow. You must reach level sixbefore unlocking his first ability: Leadership (which Elrond can acquire atlevel three). Leadership boosts nearby allies +50% damage and armor aswell as accelerating experience gain. Golden Arrow is Haldir s only otherability at level ten; its high damage and can stun certain evil units.

Glorfindel 1500 50 You can toggle Glorfindel between mounted or on foot (and receives thestrengths and weaknesses of each). Blade of Purity unlocks at level threeand boosts Glorfindels damage and armor +100% for a short time (bestused while in combat, of course!). Wind Rider increases speed and armorwhile mounted. Starlight is like temporary leadership but also heals nearbyallies.

Arwen 800 25 Arwen is an inexpensive hero but lacks a potent ability until reaching levelten. She can be used mounted or on foot. At level two Arwen receives

Athelas (Elrond has this at the start), which heals nearby heroes. Floodunlocks at level 10; Arwen summons a flood to damage enemies or put out

fires. Think of it as a version of the similar Evenstar power.

Legolas 3000 75 Legolas comes equipped with Hawk Strike, a high-damage double-arrowattack. Unlock Knife Fighter at level two for a melee attack that increasesLegolas armor. Train Archers at level four is a useful ability because it helpsenhance the Elves strength: archers. Use it to provide archer battalions withexperience. Finally Arrow Wind at level seven is used to launch acontinuous volley of arrows at a specific target.

Thranduil 2500 75 Thranduil offers several stealth abilities. Wind Walk allows Thranduil toshoot while invisible. Use Move Unseen, unlocked at level three, to allowtargeted allies to become temporarily stealthed. Elven Cloak at level four

allows Thranduil to remain invisible while standing still (spy!). Dead Eye atlevel seven grants a temporarily increased to damage while Thorn ofVengeance at level ten is a powerful single-shot attack suited for a hero orhigh-hit point unit.

Elrond 2500 50 Elrond comes equipped with Athelas and provides Leadership at level three.Use Farsight at level six to reveal map areas. Whirlwind at level sevensummons a powerful tornado that can send enemy battalions flying. FinallyRestoration at level ten heals allies and fully refreshes special ability timers.Use this to essentially give your heroes two special attacks in the span ofseconds.

Men of the West

The Elves love archers and the Men of the West love cavalry. The Battle for Middle-earth IIbasically

combined the forces of Gondor and Rohan into a new faction: the Men of the West, which feature

heroes and units from both (essentially a mixture of the best of the best), creating a hero-laden race

that offers solid soldiers and awesome cavalry.

The versatile Rohirrim (ranged or melee) are the class of the Men of the West. Combine the Rohirrim

with the leadership bonuses offered by several of their heroes (Boromir, Theoden, Faramir, Aragorn) as

well as bonuses to cavalry (Eomer, Theoden) and you have a fast, mobile strike force that can crash

through and over weakly armored warriors and archer lines. Keep Eomer close for the Horse Lord

ability (cavalry near gain +50% damage and armor and gain experience twice as fast) and Theoden for

the Glorious Charge (Theoden and nearby cavalry take only 10% of normal damage).

Expect the enemy to train pikemen (or the equivalent) to counter the Rohirrim. Support your Rohirrim


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with Gondor Soldiers or Gondor Tower Guards (though the Tower Guards are primarily pikemen

themselves) to counter the enemys pikemen that are attempting to counter the Rohirrim! Also, dont

forget the Rohirrims ranged ability to keep your distance from enemy pikemen On sight, switch to

bows and remain at long-range then send your soldiers in against the enemy pikemen.

Three separate structures train the Mens units: the Barracks the soldiers, the Archery Range the

archers, and the Stable the cavalry. Erect the Blacksmith to research blade and armor upgrades;

research Fire Arrows for Gondor Archers at the Archery Range. Dont neglect the Ithilien Rangers,

which can use stealth and gain sight on enemy armies and structures. Plus theyre solid ranged unitsas well.

The Men also feature a unique structure, the Marketplace that offers economic upgrades that can pay

off big in long games. The improvements are: Grand Harvest to boost the output of farms, Siege

Materials for essentially a 50% refund upon destroying one of your structures, and Iron Ore to reduce

the cost of certain upgrades.

The following chart reveals heroes, cost, command points (CP) and abilities for the Men of the West.


Eowyn 1200 25 Eowyn lacks both Leadership and bonuses to cavalry, typically making her aseldom used hero. But her abilities dont require high level. Smite is a single-shot attack that does higher damage. At level three, Eowyn can mount ahorse. Disguise at level four makes Eowyn appear as a normal Rohirrim.Finally, Shield Maiden at level five can boost Eowyns armor 65%.

Eomer 1000 25 A cavalry-heavy strategy should include Eomer and his Horse Lord ability,which is essentially Leadership for cavalry (+50% to damage and armor andfaster experience gain). Outlaw Leadership at level two means nearby alliesscore resources per kill. At level five, Eomer gains Spear Throw, a single-shot higher-damage ranged attack.

Boromir 1250 50 Boromir is one of several Men of the West heroes to provide Leadership (inhis case, at level five). The Horn of Gondor unlocked at level two can stunnearby enemies. The Captain of Gondor at level seven can be used to givetargeted units experience.

Theoden 1200 50 The King of Rohan provides leadership, invaluable benefit to cavalry, andexperience boost as well--a must have for the Men of the West. Theodencomes with the Leadership ability. At level four unlock Glorious Charge,which strengthens Theoden and nearby cavalry by making them take only10% of normal damage (Theoden must be mounted). Like Boromir, Theodencan give targeted units experience with Kings Favor at level six.

Faramir 1200 50 Faramir can use a sword or bow. Wounding Arrow unlocked at level twocauses target to flee (use against most threatening foe!). At level threeFaramir gains the ability to mount. Faramir gains Leadership at level six andCaptain of Gondor at level seven, two abilities he shares with Boromir.

Aragorn 2000 50 Aragorn, the heir to the throne of Gondor, is the second most expensive herofor the Men of the West and offers a wide variety of abilities. He arrives with

Athelas, to heal nearby heroes. Blade Master at level two boosts his damageand armor +100%. Aragorn gains Leadership at level four. At level six, unlockElendil to cause nearby units to flee (soon to be trampled by your Rohirrim!).

And perhaps best of all, at level ten Aragorn can summon the Army of theDead with Oathbreakers.


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(like soldiers are good against pikemen) and Phalanxes, which counter cavalry. The Archery Range

trains Axe Throwers (upgrade with Forged Blades) and Men of Dale (upgrade with Fire Arrows). Finally

the Forge Works serves as both an upgrade center as well as the production center for Dwarven siege.

The following chart reveals heroes, cost, command points (CP) and abilities for the Dwarves.


Gloin 1500 25 Gloin comes equipped with Slam, which causes area effect damage tosurrounding units and high damage to structures. Shake Foundation is unlockedat level four. Use it against an enemy structure to disable its abilities. At level tenGloin receives Shatter Hammer, which creates a small earthquake causingdamage to surrounding units.

KingDain

2500 50 King Dain provides Leadership out of the gate, which is a big benefit for anyDwarven troops (+50% damage and armor, gain experience twice as fast).Mighty Rage at level four heals targeted units and also provides +50% damageand armor. Stubborn Pride at level seven grants nearby units resistance to fear.King Dain unlocks Summon Royal Guard at level 10: call in several battalions ofexperienced dwarves to fight at King Dains side.

Gimli 4000 75 Although the cost seems high, Gimli is certainly worth the effort when usedeffectively. Gimli comes with Axe Throw, a single-shot ranged attack that inflictshigh damage. Leap Attack at just level two inflicts high area-effect damage toenemy units. At level five unlock Slayer, which increases Gimlis damage +200%and doubles his attack speed. Although Gimli doesnt feature many abilities,theyre low level and very effective.

Chapter 2 - Forces of Evil

Concepts that apply to the forces of good also apply to the forces of evil. Consider unit counters

carefully as you train your hordes of warriors, archers, or mounted units. In general, the forces of evil

rely on overwhelming numbers to defeat their enemies. Goblins and Mordor can create cheap troops

quickly and pressure a foe early and often with harassing attacks.

This section covers the forces of evil: Goblins, Mordor, and Isengard. Youll find details on heroes and

units and general strategies for using each group in battle. Note that this chapter was written on the

retail version of The Battle for Middle-earth II.

Goblins

The Goblins rely heavily on the numbers advantage. Their basic warriors and archers arent nearly as

strong as other races but theyre inexpensive--youll simply have more of them for the same amount of

resources used. Because the Goblins can create inexpensive units, its a good idea to put pressure on

your enemy early and often. Harass enemy structures and units with Goblin Warriors, Goblin Archers,

and eventually fast Spiderlings to try and cripple an opponents resource production.

Similar to the Dwarves, the Goblins employ a networked tunnel system as their resource production

structure. You can keep them protected and move them quickly around base for an agile defense or

attempt a diversionary or flanking attack. The Goblins Spider Pit also trains Spider Riders, which are

the Goblins cavalry unit and can be used to trample enemy warrior or archer lines; the Spider Riders

can also utilize spear for close-range combat or bow for ranged warfare.

The Goblin heroes include Drogoth the Dragon Lord.

The Goblins ability to pressure early is important but its also vital to utilize the Fissure structure for

longer games. The Fissure produces Half-Troll Marauders, which are the Goblins pikemen, Cave

Trolls, and Mountain Trolls. The Goblins troll units are pricey but powerful as both melee and ranged


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(think siege) units. You wont be able to rely on them alone. Support your most powerful units with

cheap and numerous Goblin hordes.

Enhance cheap Goblin units with the One Ring Powers and provide support with a wide array of

summon powers (Wildmen, Spiderlings, Wyrm, Watcher, Dragon, and Balrog all included!). Scavenger

is a good choice for its extra resources for kills, especially if you plan to be aggressive from the start.

The following chart reveals heroes, cost, command points (CP) and abilities for the Goblins.


GoblinKing

3000 25 Unlock Skull Totem at level two. You can place the Skull Totem on the groundand it remains until destroyed; while active, the totem reveals shroud, detectsstealth, and provides armor, damage, and experience bonus to nearby troops.Obviously helpful in battle but its a small area. At level three, the Goblin Kinggains the ability to mount. Youll receive Leadership at level four andPoisoned Stinger at level six. Poisoned Stinger stuns the targeted enemy andalso suffers poison damage over time. Call from the Deep is a powerful levelten ability; the Goblin King summons three Fire Drakes.

Shelob 2000 50 The spider from the pass of Cirith Ungol offers three abilities. Unlock InstillFear at level three, which as the name suggests causes fear in nearbyenemies. Poisoned Stinger at level six poisons the enemy unit and causesmore damage over time. Finally Tunnel at level ten allows Shelob to tunnelunderground and emerge at any unshrouded location.

DrogoththeDragonLord

5000 75 Drogoth is extremely expensive but provides powerful abilities. Beware ofupgraded archers! Drogoth comes with Fireball, which launches a ball of firecausing area effect damage. Wing Blast at level three shoots a shockwavealso causing area effect damage. Unlock Fire flight at level six to launch afiery missile and Incinerate at level ten to ignite an area with dragon fire.

Mordor

At its most basic, Mordor is similar to Goblins: cheap warrior and archer line used to aggressively

pressure an opponent (in the case of Mordor, the units are Orcs not Goblins). Instead of the Fissure,

Mordor constructs the Troll Cage for Mountain Trolls, Attack Trolls, and Drummer Trolls. Attack Trolls

are the races premiere unit; support the Attack Troll with cheap Orcs as well as heroes. Maintain

pressure early with Orcs and Nazgul and move to Attack Trolls as the game progresses. Remaining

unit selections can depend on what units your enemy produces.

Mordors Haradrim Palace provides its counter cavalry unit, the Easterlings, as well as another ranged

unit, Haradrim Archers. The monstrous Mumakil are produced by the Mumakil Pen. The impressivelooking unit counters structures and cavalry and its riders can be upgraded with fire arrows. Be careful,

however; Mumakil are expensive and are rather easily disposed of by enemy pikemen.

Build the Tavern for its unit improvements. The structure also trains yet another unit, the Corsairs of

Umbar, which counter pikemen (an escort for the Mumakil). Add the Great Siege Works for catapults

and battering rams to level enemy bases. Despite its foundation of Orc hordes, Mordor features a lot of

structures and varied units.

The following chart reveals heroes, cost, command points (CP) and abilities for Mordor.



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Nazgul(3)

1000 25 You can train up to three Nazgul heroes and toggle the mount as well. TheNazgul are cheaper than most heroes but also fragile, especially againstcounter cavalry. Dread Visage at level two reduces enemy armor anddamage. Unlock Morgul Blade at level six to cripple a targeted enemy andinflict poison damage (try killing someone with it!). At level ten, the Nazgulreceives Screech, which causes enemy units to flee in terror.

Mouth ofSauron

1500 50 You can use the Mouth of Sauron mounted or dismounted. At level four, hereceives Doubt, which reduces enemy damage and armor. Dissent at level

six can cause targeted enemy units to turn hostile to each other. At level ten,unlock Evil Eye; its a ray of light that inflicts high damage to targetedenemies.

Fellbeast(2)

3000 50 Fellbeasts are aerial units that feature one ability: Screech, which causesenemies to flee in terror. You can train two Fellbeasts. Theyre formidable butvery vulnerable to upgraded archer fire.

TheWitch-King

5000 75 The pricey Witch-King can be used mounted or dismounted (by mountedhes essentially a Fellbeast). His abilities include Dread Visage at level two,Screech at level six, and Hour of the Witch-King at level ten. The latter abilitycauses enemy special ability timers to exhaust. The Witch-King seems more

vulnerable while mounted. Keep him on foot to fight alongside the orcs ofMordor.

Isengard

Harass enemy buildings and units with fast Warg Riders.

The Uruk-hai are Isengards army. Unlike Mordor and its numerous unit-producing structures, Isengard

condenses most of their units into a single building, the Uruk Pit. The building creates the Uruk-Hai

(counter pikemen), Uruk Crossbowmen (counter swordsmen), Uruk Pikemen (counter cavalry and use

against trolls and giants), and the Uruk Berserker (counters infantry and good at killing heroes).

Construct the Warg Pit to train Isengards answer to cavalry, the Warg Riders. Use the Warg Riders to

trample and flank enemy archer lines. Use the Howl ability when entering combat or attacking a

structure. A Warg-heavy strategy should be combined with Sharku, Isengards hero unit that features

the Blood Hunt ability at level five. Blood Hunt boosts nearby Wargs and Warg Riders damage and

armor by 50%.

Isengards One Ring Powers include several boosts to economy, including Devastation, Industry, and

Fuel the Fires. Both Devastation and Fuel the Fires rely on forestry (Devastation turns trees instantly

into resources and Fuel the Fires increases output from harvesting trees by 100%). Added resources

can help fund upgrades for the formidable Uruk-hai as well as Isengards siege.

The following chart reveals heroes, cost, command points (CP) and abilities for Isengard.


Wormtongue 800 50 The spy for Saurman is inexpensive and offers a few abilities. Escapecomes natural for Wormtongue; use Escape to become stealthed andunable to be attacked for a short period of time. Venomous Words atlevel three reduces enemy armor and damage. Back Stab at level sixinflicts high-damage and poisons. Unlock Corrode Allegiance at level ten,

which allows Wormtongue to control a targeted enemy hero.


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Lurtz 1200 50 Lurtz can wield a sword or bow. Use Cripple when armed with the bow topin an enemy hero in place. Unlock Carnage at level three to give Lurtz+100% damage and +50% armor (only with sword equipped). Lurtzprovides Leadership (+50% armor and damage and gain experiencetwice as fast) at level five. Youll receive Pillage at level six. Keep Lurtz atthe front line and youll gain resources for kills.

Sharku 1200 25 Sharku is the leader of the Warg Riders. Tame the Beast at level twogives Sharku control of target Wargs or Warg Riders. Unlock Blood Hunt

at level five to boost nearby Wargs and Warg Riders damage and armor+50%. At level ten, Sharku receives Man Eater. Youll replenish Sharkushealth and receive +50% damage and armor for a short period.

Saruman 3000 75 Saruman comes equipped with Wizard Blast to knock back enemies.Unlock Fireball at level two to inflict area-effect damage. TheWormtongue ability at level four gives Saurman control over targetedenemies for a short period. Unlock Speech Craft at level five to grantexperience to targeted units. Use Thunderbolt, received at level ten, toinflict big damage to a targeted enemy.

Chapter 3 - Good Campaign Walkthrough

This section provides general strategies and a complete walkthrough for the good campaign. You begin

controlling the Elves and move on to the Dwarves. Walkthroughs include solutions for completing all

objectives and bonus objectives and tips on succeeding in specific battle situations.

One of the most important tips is to remain patient. In most missions, there is no hurry to complete

objectives (unless theres a specific countdown on the screen). It pays to play defensive and

concentrate on building structures, upgrading those structures, maximizing your command limit with

powerful units, and improving those units with researched upgrades.

A patient strategy also pays off late in missions when you should have a larger sum of resourcesavailable for additional defenses at your base or additional defenses (like a Fortress with multiple

expansions) used offensively!

Another important tip is to maximize the level of your heroes during each mission. Lead battles with

your heroes and reach that missions "level plateau" where the hero will stop gaining levels. This way

you can have faster access to abilities.

Likewise, maximize the number of Evenstar power points you can acquire during each mission. Youll

gain points while eliminating enemy units and structures but each level has a plateau where you wont

gain any more points. Reach that level, if at all possible, before completing the level.

Evenstar Powers

The campaigns feature a power set unique to the forces of good and evil. This section provides a

rundown of the most important Evenstar Powers--the powers available to the forces of good--that you

may choose from during the good campaign. Tips for using each are also provided in the mission

walkthroughs. You may acquire more than the powers listed below but these are certainly the "must

haves" for the campaign. Number of points required to acquire the power is listed in parenthesis.

Elven Gifts (5) : This power provides a 50% boost to hero damage. Your heroes will be at the

front line of many battles. Plus its important to use heroes frequently to advance level andacquire new abilities. Elven Gifts is a passive power; once purchased, Elven Gifts provides a

permanent increase. No recharging required!

Elven Wood (5) : Creates lush terrain that provides +50% armor to ally units. The benefit only

applies to units on the terrain so the enemy could retreat and force you off lush terrain and away


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from the benefit. Dont use on moving enemies. Use when the battle commences.

Heal (5) : This power can quickly turn the tide of a tightly contested battle. Heal is especially

useful on high hit point units such as heroes or Ents. Hold the power back until you have

suffered high damage for maximum effect.

Summon Tom Bombadil (10) : Use this power to summon Tom Bombadil, the mysterious

stranger that saved the Hobbits in the Barrow Downs, to the battlefield. Tom Bombadil is most

effective against enemy battalions. Summon him to aid against hordes of enemy goblins. Dont

forget to use his ability! Wipe out a full battalion in swift fashion. Hes effective as a "meatshield". Hell soak up damage and provide distraction while the rest of your army obliterates all

enemies. Save power points and pick up Summon Tom Bombadil as early as the second

mission.

Rebuild (10) : Rebuild is to structures as Heal is to units. You certainly want to have Rebuild in

your arsenal by the time you reach Erebor--its ability to repair a heavily damaged Fortress is

invaluable in this difficult defensive mission.

Rallying Call (10) : Cast on a group of units to boost damage and armor by 50%. Like Elven

Wood, use Rallying Call just as an important battle begins. Ideally use Rallying Call on your

high-damage, high-armor units (that have full upgrades) for maximum effect.Barrage (15) : This power bombards the targeted terrain with devastating artillery. Use the

power against enemy units or structures, though its much harder to hit a moving target since

the targeted terrain remains constant and the fiery boulder artillery isnt immediate. If you use

Barrage against units, launch against stationary units or units moving through a chokepoint or

tightly enclosed area.

Earthquake (20) : Acquire Earthquake near the end of the campaign, most likely at Erebor. Use

the power to create a powerful Earthquake that causes heavy damage to structures. Although

ideally used against buildings, Earthquake can be used against enemy units. Youll use it to aid

against the attack waves in Erebor and to demolish towers at Dol Guldur.

Flood (20) : Summons a powerful flood to crush enemy units. Wash away battalions of enemy

forces! Effective point usage and you should be able to acquire Flood and Sunflare for the

campaigns final mission.

Sunflare (20) : Calls a fiery beam of sunlight to scorch the battlefield--which means it torches

enemy battalions.

1 - Rivendell

Objective: Bring Glorfindel and his elves to Rivendell.

The good campaign begins at the outskirts of Rivendell. Your initial units include the hero Glorfindel

and some Lorien Warriors; youre positioned in the southwest corner of the map. Select your units and

proceed east. Group your forces as you see wish but its useful to place Glorfindel in his own group

and the warriors in a secondary group so you can lead with your hero.

As stated, keep Glorfindel in the lead; his hero status means hes powerful enough to handle the

opposition, at least in this particular mission. Plus its wise to start leveling him up to increase his power

and abilities. Glorfindel can be used on foot or mounted.

As you continue east, youll encounter groups of goblin warriors and archers. Send Glorfindel in first

and assist with your Lorien Warriors. Youll encounter other warriors under attack by goblin forces.After aiding your allies, add the remaining Lorien Warriors to your battle group.

The largest battle so far takes place at the bridge near the eastern edge of the map. As before, lead

with Glorfindel then move in your other warriors. Now would be a good time to utilize Glorfindels Blade


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of Purity ability, which increases his damage and armor. Upon eliminating the goblin threat, cross the

bridge and receive additional objectives.

Objective: Warn Elrond of the approaching goblin army.

Find Elrond and Gloin on the northern edge of Rivendell. Approach him to complete the

objective.

Enter Rivendell and move toward the northern edge of the map. There you will find Elrond and Gloin.

Move Glorfindel to Elrond to complete the objective.

Objective: Defend Rivendell from attack.

Bonus Objectives: Train a battalion of Lorien Warriors from your barracks. Gloin must reach level 2.

Now would be a good time to consider which good campaign powers you want to begin with. You have

enough points to acquire one of four powers now. Increase your points through combat; you can only

reach certain point plateaus in each mission (to prevent you from acquiring something like Earthquake

by the third mission!). Of your initial choices, Elven Gifts is a solid selection because it increases hero

damage +50%. Youll want to utilize your heroes heavily always but even more so in these early

missions to level them up quickly.

Elven Wood creates lush terrain, which increases ally armor +50% and debuffs present enemies by

eliminating their leadership bonuses. Drop Elven Wood on a large battle to assist your forces but

battles can move and dont always last long so it can be a quickly used power. Enshrouding Mist works

in a similar fashion; though decreases enemy armor and damage instead of improving your own. And

Heal is self-explanatory. Acquire Heal later in the campaign when you have more expensive units and

more powerful heroes where the use of Heal could change the tide of a huge, important battle.

You can now add both Elrond and Gloin to your battle group (have them join Glorfindel). Locate the

Elven Barracks southeast of Elronds location and begin training Lorien Warriors to add to your secondbattle group. Position troops toward the western side of Rivendell to prepare for the goblin attacks.

Utilize Glorfindel and Gloin as the front line of your defense. These heroes play a big role during the

good campaign so you want to level them up as quickly as possible. You should be able to reach level

three during this mission if you use them primarily during battles.

A reinforcement army of Lorien Archers arrives from the west. Place the archers in a new battle group

and continue to add additional troops using the Elven Barracks. Youre told the Eagles have spotted

more approaching goblin forces and are going to lend aid.

The next wave of goblin forces contains Cave Trolls and a Mountain Giant. Focus archer fire and yourhero attacks (use special attacks if theyve regenerated) on these tougher foes. Activate Gloins slam

attack against a tightly packed group of goblins for big damage as well as Glorfindels Blade of Purity

power during large battles. After the battle, Arwen arrives with a reinforcement group of Rivendell

Lancers. Add them to your melee battle group or use them in a fourth group of units and use them to

flank enemy groups that are currently engaged with your heroes or warriors.

Objective: Destroy the goblin base to the south.

When the Eagles arrive, its over for the goblins.

Intercept goblin forces approaching from the bridge. Work your way across the bridge; youll receivethe Eagle reinforcements once youve penetrated the maps southern section where the goblins have

set up their base. Locate the goblins at work to the west and utilize your new winged allies to crush the

goblin structures.


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Expect groups of goblin warriors and archers to intercept your forces. Charge the goblin archers with

lancers and counter the goblin warriors with your own warriors and the Lorien Archers. Dont forget

your powers or your hero special abilities. Continue to lead with your heroes if you require additional

experience to make their plateau level; if theyve suffered heavy damage, retreat your heroes out of the

battle.

When you spot the Mountain Giant, task your heroes immediately on the imposing enemy and call in

the Eagles as well. Destroy all goblin structures to trigger the arrival of the Wyrm. Use the Eagles

against the Wyrm; defeat the beast to complete the mission.

2 - High Pass

Objective: Establish a base in High Pass. Build a Mallorn Tree.

This mission is somewhat of a primer for base building as the early objectives require you to build

specific base structures. Begin with the Mallorn Tree, the resource gathering structure for the elves.

Place the Mallorn Tree on the highest percentage you can find; explore around the Fortress and to the

north to locate a spot with a percentage in the high nineties. The higher the percentage, the faster your

resource gathering becomes. Construct additional Mallorn Trees to quicken resource production.

Objective: Build an Elven Barracks. Build a Green Pasture. Build a Battle Tower. Add a Watch Tower

to the Fortress. Train Lorien Archers and Rivendell Lancers.

The next set of objectives come one at a time and require the building of specific base structures or the

training of specific units. Use your builder to construct the Elven Barracks, which trains melee and

ranged troops and then the Green Pasture, which trains the Rivendell Lancers, the elves cavalry unit.

Select the builder and construct the Battle Tower (note that you can place archers inside for greater

firepower and also upgrade the towers shot to Silverthorn Arrows) on the northern side of your base.

Select the build spots around the Fortress and add the watch tower. Finally, select the Elven Barracksand the Green Pasture to add Lorien Archers and Rivendell Lancers to your army.

Take your time and construct all available base structures and research all improvements.

Note that you arent limited to these base structures. You can also build three more important

structures: the Eregion Forge, Mirror of Galadriel, and the Heroic Statue. The Eregion Forge provides

improvements to Elven troops; the Mirror of Galadriel heals nearby troops that arent currently engaged

in battle; and the Heroic Statue offers a leadership bonus to nearby troops.

Construct a Mirror of Galadriel within your base; you can use the location as a retreat point between

battles to mend troop wounds before seeking out new enemies to combat. Erect the Eregion Forge andas resources become available begin upgrading the force and research the improvements starting with

Silverthorn Arrows to upgrade your archers then Elven Armor to upgrade all troop types and finally the

Forged Blades upgrade for your melee and cavalry units. Finally, place a Heroic Statue near the tower

and your base to provide leadership to your defensive units and structures should your base come

under attack.

This mission, like many others, becomes much easier if you take the time to maximize your command

points and acquire all the unit upgrades available before venturing into enemy territory.

When youre ready to proceed, move your units north; lead with Glorfindel and Gloin and utilize them

primarily in battle to continue to provide them with experience to increase their level. Locate the goblin

lair just north of your base. Eliminate the goblins and wait for more to appear for additional experience.

Destroy the structure when youre ready.

Send your heroes north along the western edge of the map; a Mountain Giant there topples an icy


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tower and blocks the path.

Bonus Objective: Kill all Mountain Giants.

Return to the area just north of your base and find the path eastward. Led by your heroes, move your

units east and discover more goblin structures. Discover a larger goblin force here; the group includes

a Mountain Giant. Target the Mountain Giant with your heroes and their special abilities. Utilize your

cavalry against goblin archers and your warriors and archers against the goblin warriors. Continue to

crush any goblin structures along the route; between battles, retreat any wounded battalions to yourbase and to your Mirror of Galadriel.

Move into the southeastern corner of the map. Gloin should have reached level four by now and

possess the Shake Foundation ability. Use this new weapon on the enemy tower.

Bonus Objective: Destroy all Goblin Tunnels.

Youll discover the first of three Goblin Tunnels in the southeastern corner. All three are marked on the

mini-map. Eradicate all enemy units and structures from the southeastern corner. Explore the far

eastern edge to discover a Cave Troll lair. Like the Goblin Lairs, you can use heroes or units to

eliminate the troll and wait for another to spawn effectively gathering experience until you finallyeliminate the lair.

Follow the path north and discover another hero, Haldir, trapped on a plateau; hes under attack from

goblin forces.

Objective: Rescue Haldir.

Obliterate the goblins attacking Haldir then add the new hero to your group.

You dont need to rush to Haldir s aid as he fends for himself rather nicely. Dont avoid eliminating the

goblin forces between your units and Haldirs position. Crush the Mountain Giant lurking about (your

second of three to complete the bonus objective) and move through the pass west and to the plateau

containing Haldir.

Free Haldir by eliminating the surrounding goblin forces. Add Haldir to your hero grouping; he provides

a leadership bonus to nearby troops. Wait for the goblin counterattack to arrive from the north. Pepper

the enemy forces with your upgraded arrows and charge the wounded adversaries with your Rivendell

Lancers.

Proceed northwest toward the second of three Goblin Tunnels. Use Gloins Shake Foundation as well

as your Lorien Archers against the enemy towers that defend the pass. Eliminate the Goblin Tunnel

and other enemy structures. To complete all bonus objectives, its important to comb every inch of themap to ensure you dont miss a tunnel, a Mountain Giant, or a Giant Fissure, which is featured in the

final bonus objective.

Bonus Objective: Destroy all Giant Fissures.

The final Goblin Tunnel is located within the main base to the northeast. Expect to encounter more

defensive towers, plenty of goblins, and a new adversary, the Spider Rider protecting the areas goblin

stronghold. Counter towers with heroes, Shake Foundation, and your upgraded archers. Allow enemy

forces to advance to your position where you wait with heroes, archers, and charging cavalry. Avoid

advancing into the very northeast corner of the map until all goblin forces have been eliminated.

Objective: Kill the Watcher in the Water

Theres a spectacular beast waiting for your troops in the northeast corner. Concentrate all archer and

hero might on the Watcher in the Water to eliminate the threatening beast. Destroy any remaining


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fissures and tunnels to complete bonus objectives. Demolish the final structure to the north and finish

the mission successfully.

3 - Ettenmoors

Objective: Reach the Elven settlement.

Your initial units include Glorfindel and Gloin alongside some Lorien Warriors. Check the northwest

path to find some hidden treasure, which is added to your resource reserve. Assemble your units

northeast and find a battalion of Lorien Archers. Quickly add them to your battle groupings because

goblin warriors and archers approach from the northwest. Repel the threat with your heroes and

supporting units.

Bonus Objective: Destroy 8 Goblin Tunnels.

The goblins can use their tunnels to move quickly around the map. Destroy eight of their tunnels to

complete the bonus objective. Find the first along the western edge of the map. As you arrive, quickly

task your Lorien Archers to counter the fire of the goblin archers perched on the high cliff. Rendezvous

with more Lorien Archers from the north; gather them into your ranged battle grouping.

Proceed north and defeat spiderlings and more goblins as you approach the settlement, which is

currently under attack from enemy forces.

Objective: Drive the Goblins from the Elven settlement.

Drop Elven Wood to help eliminate the enemies occupying the Elven settlement.

Locate Mirkwood Archers from the western shore and use them to assist your forces against the goblin

attackers and their Cave Troll. Use your hero abilities as well as your good powers if necessary to

repel the attack. Once the enemy forces have been cleared from the settlement, its time to begin base

construction.

Objective: Free the dormant Entmoot.

Your next objective is to free the Entmoot located within the northeast corner of the map. A couple

builders arrive to aid in base construction. Theres also a building to capture inside the settlement; use

a hero to capture the Inn, which can train Hobbits. Begin base construction with a Fortress. Expect

Haldir to return around this time; add him to your hero battle grouping.

Select your builders and construct two to three Mallorn Trees. Construct in prime locations (green

percentages) for faster resource production. Defend the eastern edge of the settlement with some

Battle Towers. Construct an Elven Barracks and Green Pasture to add melee, ranged, and cavalry

units to your army. Leave some command point room for later in the mission when you can train Ents

from the Entmoot.

Like the previous mission, you should take the time to build an Eregion Forge and all its upgrades as

well as a Mirror of Galadriel to heal wounded troops and a Heroic Statue or two to provide leadership.

Between battles you can return your army to the mirror for healing. Take the time to upgrade units and

towers before venturing east toward the enemy positions.

With an upgraded army, proceed east and trigger some goblin attacks. Easily fend off the assault with

the aid of your towers, statues, and the mirror to heal troops after the battle.

Bonus Objective: Destroy the Goblin Sentry Towers.

Search southeast to discover a goblin tower that triggers a bonus objective. Eliminate the tower with

upgraded archers, heroes, as well as Gloins Shake Foundation ability. Find the second tower on the


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northeastern side of the settlement.

Bonus Objective: Destroy the Mountain Troll and the Giant Drum.

Searching the area north of your settlement triggers another bonus objective. Theres a giant drum on

the cliff north of the Elven settlement. When you trigger the objective, a Troll appears ahead of your

troops and begins running to use the drum and summon Mountain Giants. Eliminate the Troll before it

reaches the drum. Use Glorfindel on horseback along with your upgrade archers. Search the

surrounding area for treasures and destroy the drum. Find a Cave Troll lair nearby for extraexperience.

After freeing the Entmoot, build an Ent or Treebeard--or both.

Proceed east along the maps northern edge and eliminate goblins and goblin structures along the way

(remember youre specifically looking to eliminate tunnels to complete the bonus objective). The

Entmoot is in the maps northeastern corner; eliminate the Cave Troll defending the Entmoot to

complete the objective. Select the Entmoot and train an Ent or Treebeard (or both).

Continue south and eliminate spider pits and some more goblin tunnels. The goblin stronghold is

located in the maps southeastern corner. Destroy the wall protecting the stronghold.

Objective: Destroy the Goblin Kings stronghold. Slay the Goblin King.

Focus fire on the most threatening targets: Mountain Giants, Cave Trolls, and the Goblin King before

turning your attention to the goblin battalions. Be ready for a counterattack (a great time to use any

powers you have ready). Locate the last goblin tunnel in the southern corner of the base. Complete that

bonus objective before destroying the goblin stronghold to complete the mission.

4 - Blue Mountains

Objective: Slay the Dragon

You begin the mission with a combination of Elven and Dwarven forces: these include Lorien Warriors,

Milkwood Archers, Dwarven Axe Throwers and Guardians, and Demolishers. Your trusted heroes

Glorfindel and Gloin once again lead your army.

Collect some treasure north of your start position then locate a spider lair to the northwest.

Bonus Objective: Eliminate all Spider Lairs.

Clear the cave of its spiderling, spider, and lair infestation. You must clear the cave to receive the next

objective.

Bonus Objective: Build a Fortress inside the cave.

Select a builder and construct the Fortress in the caves center. Goblin attacks arrive from the eastern

side so defend that point with towers and your army. Use a builder to construct a few Mine Shafts (the

Dwarven resource structure) within the cave. Locate spots that offer the highest percentage for

resource production.

Build a Hearth (heals nearby units that arent engaged in battle) and a Forge Works. You can add a

Heroic Statue to aid in base defense. Upgrade the Forge Works to unlock Dwarven Improvements to

melee and ranged troops damage and armor. Dont forget the Dwarven Hall of Warriors and ArcheryRange to train more units.

Keep your construction indoors--theres a dragon lurking outside.


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The main challenge to this mission is the nefarious dragon hovers above the exterior catwalks that

connect your base position from the maps eastern and southeastern section. You must make your way

through this center section and avoid the dragons wrath to continue with the mission. Listen for the

dragons auditory cue that indicates its arrival. While the dragon circles overhead, avoid the exterior

section. Listen again for the dragons auditory cue that it has left the area temporarily.

While the dragon is gone, use your heroes to eliminate the goblin tunnels, units, and spiderlings

occupying the exterior section. Theres a Signal Fire on the opposite side; capturing the Signal Fire

reduces your power recharge rate times. Note that the dragon will destroy your Signal Fire, though itcan be repaired for a cost of 500 resources.

Bonus Objective: Demolish the Citadel door.

The door into the citadel is located in the southeastern corner of this exterior area. You can use heroes

to eliminate the door or move in your Demolishers to take it down. Remember to wait for the dragon to

leave before shuffling troops through the perilous exterior section of the map.

Theres a cave that opens near the Signal Fire. A large group of enemies lurks inside. Its best to lure

these enemies back to your Fortress defenses. You could also invoke a power to aid in the battle (you

should have acquired Tom Bombadil by now). Dont venture inside this cave unless you are prepared torepel a large force of goblins and spiders.

Bonus Objective: Build two Mine Shafts.

The Dwarven resource production centers, Mine Shafts, can also be used to transport troops from one

map location to another: essentially an underground tunnel network. You probably have already built a

couple Mine Shafts in your initial base which meets the bonus objective but its a wise idea to construct

at least one more Mine Shaft in the southeastern tunnels so you can quickly transport troops from your

Fortress base area to the southeastern section to avoid the dragon hovering over the exterior section.

Also construct a Hearth in the southeastern section as an area to gather troops for healing between

battles.

These southeastern corridors arent too complicated. The northwest entrance forks eastward and

southward. You can explore eastward and into the northern cave if you havent already. The large

enemy force gathers there (if you havent triggered it already). Before engaging the large enemy force,

its wise to have your powers recharged and forces fully upgraded. Clear out this northern cave then

continue south into the corridors.

Be sure to gather any treasures found along the way (use the new funds to acquire remaining upgrades

or to maximize your command point limit with more troops).

Bonus Objective: Eliminate all Fire Drake Lairs that infest this cavern.

Locate a hole on the southern side of the corridor. It leads into a cave that contains the first of three Fire

Drake Lairs. Dont underestimate the Fire Drake. A couple Fire Drakes fire breath attack can eliminate

your heroes quickly. Your heroes can soak up damage better than your Elven or Dwarven battalions

though so begin the attack with your heroes but move in your ranged forces to provide support. Utilize

Glorfindels Blade of Purity and Gloins Slam to increase damage against the Fire Drakes. Upon

eliminating the drakes, destroy the lair. If you forget to destroy the lair, additional Fire Drakes will spawn

(which could be used to generate more experience for your heroes or troops).

Beware of goblin counter attacks from the northwest while exploring the Fire Drake cave. Continuetoward the maps southeastern corner and find another Fire Drake cave. Eliminate the Fire Drakes and

the lair; this was the second of the three lairs.

The third Fire Drake Lair is in the maps center. You can reach it from moving north from the second

lair then going west or you can return to the areas main entrance (from the exterior area) and moving


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eastward. Destroy the third and final Fire Drake Lair to complete the bonus objective.

Towers will help take down Drogoth--or a whole army of Axe Throwers.

The far eastern room is blocked by Blue Mountain Gates. Eliminate the gates with your heroes,

Demolishers, or even Gloins Shake Foundation ability. Eliminate enemies and structures within the

cavern.

The northern chamber contains the dragon (and supporting enemies). The dragon is certainly a

powerful menace but can be taken down quickly by your upgraded archers and plentiful battalions of

Axe Throwers. For additional firepower you can construct some Battle Towers in the chamber just

south of the dragon for further ranged damage.

Destroy the gate to reveal the dragons chamber. Concentrate all ranged firepower on the dragon while

your heroes and melee forces combat remaining enemies. Utilize your powers for aid against the

remaining enemies while ranged troops battle the dragon (as well as lure the beast toward your

towers). The northern room contains plentiful treasure but its hard to recover the goods unless you

sacrifice units or heroes. The mission ends as soon as the dragon dies so you may not have time to

gather the treasure unless you clear the enemies while keeping the dragon intact.

5 - Gray Havens

Objective: Clear all enemy forces out of the Gray Havens.

You start near the maps northern edge; heroes Glorfindel and Gloin lead battalions of archers and

warriors toward the harbor Grey Havens to the east. Quickly assemble your troops and move east to

engage enemy forces currently ransacking the Grey Havens.

Enemy forces are currently attacking a Mallorn Tree, Elven Barracks, and the Fortress. You must use

archers (or a power like Tom Bombadil) to counter the enemies bombarding the Mallorn Tree. Workquickly to save it. Split your remaining forces and send half to counter the enemies at the Elven

Barracks and the enemies assaulting the Fortress. Clear all enemies out of Grey Havens to complete

the first objective.

Objective: Secure both Shipwrights in the Gray Havens.

Its time to expand the Grey Havens. Select the Fortress and train a couple builders. Use the builders

to construct additional Mallorn Trees to hasten resource production. If you lost the Elven Barracks in

the initial battle, replace it with one of your builders (and a Green Pasture for cavalry). Construct an

Eregion Forge and research all upgrades and improvements and add them to all battalions. Erect a

Mirror of Galadriel for healing troops (used primarily near the end of the mission). Maximize yourcommand points with additional battalions. Upgrade them fully.

Plan ahead. The end of this mission contains a vicious attack from goblin forces. The attack arrives

from the area west of the Grey Havens. As resources permit, begin construction on several Battle

Towers along the western path into the Grey Havens. Support the Battle Towers with garrisoned,

upgraded archers and a Heroic Statue.

Theres no rush. Take your time to complete all base structures and upgrades before sending heroes

south to the Shipwrights. Capture the two Shipwright structures to gain control of the Grey Havens

docks.

Objective: Build a fleet of no less than four Elven Warships.

After capturing the shipwrights, start construction on your Elven Warships. Dont forget

their upgrades.


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Select each dock and begin construction of Elven Warships. These are pricey vessels so it may take

some time to complete construction of four ships. There are a couple upgrades available for the

warships. Select the vessel and acquire the armor upgrade along with Cirdans Craftwork, which allows

the ship to restore its health over time. Acquire the upgrades before building the next ship.

Keep an eye on the mini-map. Look for red dots moving north from the maps southern section; this

indicates an enemy vessel is heading your way. Group your Elven Warships into a single battle group.

Counter enemy vessels by focusing all of your Elven Warship firepower on a single enemy ship. Once

its destroyed, focus fire on another enemy vessel. Watch your ships health carefully and retreat anyheavily damaged ship back toward the Shipwrights. If youve acquired Cirdans Craftwork then the ship

will automatically restore its health.

Objective: Destroy the Corsair Naval Blockade.

Upon completing construction of the four Elven Warships, a large number of enemy Corsair vessels

moves into position near the maps southern section. A new ship becomes available in your dock to aid

in the destruction of the imposing blockade.

Objective: Build an Elven Storm Ship.

Youll use the Elven Storm Ship to ram a ship in the blockade. The Storm Ship must hit an enemy ship

or it wont serve its purpose. Once the Storm Ship makes contact, it creates a devastating whirlpool

that sucks in nearby ships. Note that the whirlpool can consume your own ships as well. You can also

research improvements for the Storm Ship to help the vessel meet its mark.

Keep your warships away from the blast then move in to finish off the remaining Corsair vessels.

Should you lose any Elven Warships, reinforce your fleet with new warships and send them south to

prepare the assault against the Corsair shores.

Objective: Build an Elven Transport Ship. Capture the Corsair Shipwrights to the south.

Construct a couple Elven Transport Ships and load your heroes and a couple battalions of archers,

melee, or cavalry troops. Send the transports south and protect them against enemy fire from any

Corsair defenders.

Before scouting south, be sure to have a full fleet of four Elven Warships--there are additional Corsair

vessels defending the shore. Furthermore, the Corsair docks produce additional ships to try and

defend its shoreline. Once again the Elven Warships are expensive so research Cirdans Craftwork

and retreat any damaged ship instead of allowing the enemy to sink it.

Unload the transports on shore and engage Corsair ground troops near the Shipwrights. You can also

use the Elven Warships to provide additional firepower against the Corsair forces; however, beware ofan enemy catapult that could fire upon your ships.

Eliminate the Corsair defenders and the catapult. Use your heroes to capture the Corsair Shipwrights.

If the docks produce additional Corsair ships, focus your warship fire and destroy them. Send your

heroes onto the Elven transport and return north to the Gray Havens. Send other forces east; theres

an enemy Tavern over there that trains additional Corsair troops. Destroy it.

The beach assault waves attack the western side of the Grey Havens. Defend the area

with plentiful towers loaded with archers.

Objective: Destroy the first wave of the beach assault.

Preparing ahead will save you now. But even if you didnt, you have time to erect some defenses. If you

havent already, build several Battle Towers on the western side of Grey Havens (and load them with

archers). Maneuver your troops nearby and place a Heroic Statue there to aid them. If you havent


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acquired all of the unit upgrades, do so now before the enemy forces arrive.

Enemy vessels move up the western side of the map; the transports unlock the enemy forces on the

northwestern shore. A sizable group of Battle Towers can handle most of the enemy forces; aid them

with your ground troops and heroes. Utilize regenerated powers (Tom Bombadil, Elven Woods, Heal,

etc). After repelling the first wave, Dwarven reinforcements arrive on the northwest side of the map.

Objective: Destroy the second wave of the beach assault.

Bonus Objective: Build an Elven Bombardment ship.

A new ship is available at the Gray Havens dock: the Elven Bombardment ship can attack from long-

range. You may not have the command points available to construct the ship but if you do, construct

one to complete the bonus objective.

The second enemy wave is more deadly than the first. Add additional towers or even a Fortress to aid

in the defense of Gray Havens.

Objective: Destroy the final wave of the beach assault.

A third and final wave of enemies arrives onto the northwestern shore. Defend Gray Havens with your

Battle Towers, Fortress, heroes, powers, and units. Repel the final wave to complete the mission.

6 - Celduin

Objective: Return to the docks.

Bonus Objective: Dain must survive.

You begin the mission with the Dwarven hero King Dain and some Guardians--youre currently cut off

from ally forces. King Dains abilities include Leadership and Mighty Rage, which can heal ally troops.

The first part of this mission is challenging; its easy to lose a lot of troops if you arent careful. Keeping

those troops alive will make the first half of the mission much easier. Utilize King Dains heal ability to

aid a wounded battalion; also, utilize your good campaign powers to help keep your battalions alive.

Move northwest to find more allies. These troops are currently engaged in battle so aid them quickly.

Youll encounter friendly archers coming from the north. Send them south to King Dain and the

Guardians quickly because enemy forces are in quick pursuit. Gather your troops together and use the

Heal power or King Dains Mighty Rage before continuing onward.

Gather treasure along the northern edge. Move carefully to the east. Theres more treasure here butyoull soon encounter a Cave Troll and Nazgul. Keep most of your troops out of the fight; you can lose a

lot of men very fast to the Troll and Nazgul. Task King Dain against the Cave Troll and provide support

with ranged troops. This is a prime battle for any recharged powers, such as Tom Bombadil, that can

assist in aiding your army or harming the enemy. There are a number of ally forces nearby; move them

toward your other forces and eliminate remaining enemies. Check all battalions for upgrade potential

and acquire everything available.

Continue in a southeast direction. Use King Dain in a battle against a second troll then gather nearby

treasure. Beware of a long-range enemy attack ship off the northeastern shore as you continue south

toward a squad of surrounded Phalanxes.

Youll encounter reinforcements along the docks but theyre usually under attack. Help

these Phalanxes!

Bonus Objective: Destroy all Mordor Catapults.


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The Phalanxes are under heavy attack; a Mordor Catapult attacks from the west. Send a couple

battalions to engage the catapult while remaining forces aid the Phalanxes. Select the Phalanxes and

switch them into Porcupine Formation to aid in their defense. Use helpful powers (Tom Bombadil,

Rallying Call, Heal, Elven Wood, Elven Gifts) to aid in the fight to rescue the besieged troops.

Bonus Objective: Capture all Inns and Outposts.

The area is littered with buildings to capture. Captured Inns can train Men of Dale while captured

Outposts increase resource production. Locate the first Outpost just south of this battle and capture thestructure. Look offshore to the east to discover some treasure. Heal wounded troops and move west

then south to work your way to the original troops. Search the southeastern shore for a Mine Shaft that

contains additional units to add to your battle groups.

Capture the Inn as you move west. As you near the rendezvous with previous forces, the small base

comes under your control. Eliminate nearby enemies to gain a foothold.

Objective: Cross the shallows.

Take the time to capture all nearby buildings. Theres a Shipwright to the south and two more Outposts

and an Inn within the base. Search north for another Shipwright and an Outpost. Train Men of Dalefrom the Inn and add them to your battle groups. Youll need them against the impending Mumakil

attack. Select your units and acquire any upgrades possible.

Objective: Repel the Mumakil assault.

The western side of the docks is essentially your base of operations. Use the Hearth to

heal troops between battles.

Your small base contains a Hearth, which heals nearby troops that arent currently engaged in battle.

The forces of Mordor send ground troops led by mammoth Mumakil to attack your newly formed

stronghold. Maintain your position and continue to reinforce your army with additional Men of Dale. Addall ranged troops to their own battle group. As soon as a Mumakil moves within range, recall your

ranged battle group and order them to fire on the formidable beast. Use any recharged powers to assist

in the battle. Use King Dains Mighty Rage to heal wounded troops in a pinch if you cant wait for the

Hearth.

Repeat until all Mumakil assault waves have been defeated. Its time to cross the shallows toward the

Mordor Fortress.

Objective: Destroy the Mordor Fortress.

Mordor catapults clutter the shallows between your base and the Mordor Fortress in the southwestcorner of the map. If you want to play it safe, you can use King Dain and King Dain alone to venture

into the shallows and eliminate many of the catapults alone. Even if you spot flaming projectiles headed

your way, King Dain is agile enough to avoid them. Keep an army of melee and ranged units just

outside your base and ready to assist as necessary. Get King Dain across the shallows to complete

one of the objectives. Also beware of a Wyrm that appears on the western side of the shallows.

Mordor forces launch a counterattack after you cross so be prepared to retreat to your base and battle

enemy forces there. Use the Hearth to mend your troop wounds before venturing back through the

shallows. Watch for small enemy squads escorting catapults on the northern and southern sides of the

shallows. Intercept these with a small army supported by King Dain.

Escort your army across the shallows to the western edge of the map. Lure enemies into your archers

and utilize powers like Tom Bombadil, Elven Wood, and Rallying Call to assist against the aggressive

enemy force. Explore the northwestern side of the map to find a Signal Fire (capture it to increase your

power recharge rate) and a Mine Shaft, which offers reinforcements (and also can be used to transport


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units quickly from the other Mine Shaft southeast of your base). Eliminate the Wight Lair up north for

some extra experience and treasure.

The Mordor Fortress is impressive. Beware of Black Rider and flying Nazgul along with the Fortress

catapult emplacements. Lure enemy forces away from the Fortress and out of the range of those

devastating artillery expansions. You could stand ground north of the enemy Fortress and wait for

powers to recharge if needed before mounting the final assault against the Mordor Fortress. Eliminate

the catapult emplacements as quickly as possible before attacking the Fortress itself.

7 - Erebor

Objective: The throne of Erebor must not fall.

Bonus Objective: Build a Fortress in Dale. Build a Wall in Dale.

The Mordor war host has set its sight on Dale and the throne of Erebor. At the beginning of the mission

you have 15 minutes until the Mordor army arrives--and thats just the first wave of three enemy waves!

It may not be worth your effort to protect Dale (the small village southwest of Erebor). Bonus objectives

include constructing a Fortress and walls in Dale but that can be a large commitment of resources that

you may wish to spend elsewhere--especially since it will be very difficult to defend a Fortress against

the mammoth Mordor assault. You could send King Dain and some ranged units into Dale to clear out

initial Mordor raiding parties. Place ranged units into towers and use King Dain to battle Mordor forces

near the towers.

Most of your attention should be devoted to defending Erebor weak spots: the northwestern entrance,

the middle entrance, and the southeastern entrance. It seems as if the Mordor attack concentrates on

the northwestern entrance; or thats the entrance where you can easily lead the Mordor attack toward.

You have a ton of resources but youll be surprised how fast the reserve dries up when youre building

Fortresses, acquiring upgrades, and erecting expansions. Send King Dain to the southeast corner of

the map and capture the Signal Fire, which will increase the rate at which you recharge powers--quite

important in this defensive mission!

A Fortress loaded with emplacements...and towers...and walls...and powers. Youll need

them all to repel the vicious assaults.

Construct a Fortress at the northwestern entrance and the center entrance. Once the Fortress has

been built, research Dwarven Stonework (to increase the Fortress hit points), Masterwork Munitions

(to improve catapults emplacements), and Mighty Catapult, and then add the catapult emplacement to

as many emplacements as possible (if you want to save resources, place the catapults in the rear andthe Axe Towers in the front).

Most importantly, erect a wall hub and a wall a few spaces in front of the Fortress. The wall serves to

slow down the Mordor assault. While the Mordor forces collect at the wall, your catapults are

bombarding the enemy units with flaming projectiles. Complement the Fortress with several upgraded

Battle Towers filled with Axe Throwers.

Place a second Fortress with similar upgrades and emplacements in the center Erebor entrance. Use

a builder to construct Battle Towers to protect the southeastern entrance.

Later in the mission once you have accumulated additional resources, you can even construct aFortress directly in front of the throne of Erebor as the last defense against Mordor forces that

managed to sneak through your defenses (plus the Mouth of Sauron who enters Erebor through a

secret entrance). Dont neglect unit upgrades as well as additional melee and ranged forces to assist

the Fortress in base defense.


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Objective: Defeat the first wave of Mordor attackers.

The horn echoes through Erebor when the countdown hits zero. The forces of Mordor arrive from the

southwest corner of the map. You can attempt to lure forces toward the northwest corner, though it

seems they funnel their naturally. You can keep the bulk of your ground troops in the center and move

them northwest or southeast depending on the movement of the Mordor forces.

The best time to use your powers (namely Barrage and Earthquake) is when the Mordor forces have

collected in one area. For instance, if the enemy units proceed to the northwest corner, wait for them tocollect near the small incline, which will be just south of your Fortress. Thats the perfect time to launch

Barrage or Earthquake. Use Tom Bombadil when the enemy is within range of your catapults. The

enemy will focus on Tom Bombadil while the catapults inflict heavy damage.

A few more useful powers include Summon Men of Dale; like Tom Bombadil, use this power when the

enemy forces are within range of your catapult emplacements. Couple the Men of Dale with the Elven

Wood. Dwarven Riches increases a Mine Shafts output by 300%. Finally, watch the health of your

Fortress and emplacements carefully. Use the Rebuild power when emplacements or the Fortress itself

is almost defeated to restore its health to maximum! And of course Heal is always useful to instantly

mend wounds of a handful of troops.

Objective: Defeat the second wave of Mordor attackers.

Upon defeating the first wave, the countdown clock returns with just five minutes until the next assault.

Spend the time replacing any of the catapult additions to your Fortresses. If you have the resources,

add another Fortress to one of the entrances or erect more Battle Towers and fill them with Axe

Throwers to increase firepower around Erebor. The attack waves increase in difficulty (especially the

third and final attack wave) so its vitally important to utilize your resources to increase defenses

between attacks.

Defend Erebor against the second assault as you did the first. Try to save powers for the third wave,

especially the slower recharging powers like Earthquake.

Objective: Defeat the third wave of Mordor attackers.

The final wave is the most difficult. Instead of weakly armored goblins, the Mordor attack wave includes

plentiful trolls, a flying Nazgul, and Mumakil. Spend the time to replace catapult attachments and erect

more Battle Towers (or even another Fortress). If you havent placed a Fortress near the throne of

Erebor, do so before the third wave arrives.

Make sure you have also replaced any wall thats in front of the defensive Fortresses. This will help

slow down (or even confuse) those menacing trolls and provide time for your catapults and powers to

do their work. You can also add emplacements to your wall for additional firepower. Guide the third

wave toward your best defended entrance, though the northwest is optimum because its easy to

invoke Barrage and Earthquake on the tightly packed incline where the Mordor units get hung up before

reaching the Fortress.

The third wave is by far the most deadly. Weaken the trolls with powers like Barrage and

use walls to keep them at bay while your towers and Fortress emplacements finish the job.

Be ready to use Rebuild on your defenses to give your Fortress and its emplacements another round.

Keep ground units back, just inside Erebor and target the Nazgul. Also, be ready to intercept any trolls

that manage to sneak through. Keep King Dain ready and in his own battle ground and use him to finishoff any heavily damaged Mumakil (dont use battalions or they will be quickly trampled).

During the third attack wave, Elven reinforcements appear along the western edge. Quickly select the

Elven troops and send them through the middle of Erebor directly to the throne. Dont attempt to chase

down trolls that are breaching the northwestern or southeastern entrances. You need them at the


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throne and fast!

Bonus Objective: Defeat the Mouth of Sauron and his retinue.

Have builders near the throne constructing towers or using your Fortress and walls to add

emplacements. Target everything that comes near, including the Mouth of Sauron and his minions that

breach Erebor through a secret entrance. You cant allow a group of trolls to reach the throne. It falls

very fast to troll attack. Prepare ahead with defenses around the throne for additional firepower to repel

the third and final assault against Erebor.

Objective: Destroy the Goblin base.

Saving Erebor was the hard part. To complete the mission you must annihilate the goblin base that has

taken over Dale. Replenish your troops and wait for powers to recharge them annihilate the goblin

base with an Earthquake, Barrage, and a heavy attack from your ground forces.

8 - Dol Guldur

Objective: Locate and capture the Northern Signal Fire. Locate and capture the Southern Signal Fire.

This mission is long but not overly difficult if you take the time to prepare defenses, upgrade your units

fully, and maximize your command points before launching the attack against Dol Guldur. Theres no

rush. As long as you can fend off some meager attacks from the goblins, you can take the necessary

time to prepare your forces for the assault on the enemy stronghold.

Your initial objective is to capture two Signal Fires, one in the northwestern corner of the map and the

other in the southeastern corner. These Signal Fires alert ally reinforcements, which will arrive in mere

minutes after capturing the Signal Fires.

You begin in the southwestern corner of the map. Your first goal is to erect a tightly packed set of

defenses so you can train units and acquire upgrades without worrying about the threats from enemy

raids. Construct a few Mallorn Trees around your base to fund your war machine. Ideally they should

be close to your defensive structures so you can adequately defend the trees but they are cheap to

replace should the structures be demolished by enemy attack.

Construct an Elven Barracks, Green Pasture, and Eregion Forge. Select the forge and upgrade the

structure then purchase all of the unit improvements. As resources become available, upgrade your

melee, cavalry, and ranged troops with their respective improvements.

Enemy raids arrive from the north, northeast, and east. Position your towers along these angles and

place a Fortress in its center. Upgrade all towers with Silverthorn Arrows and place archers inside forincreased firepower. Place Heroic Statues to aid your units and dont forget a Mirror of Galadriel to heal

your units in between battles.

Youre in no hurry. Defend in the southwest corner while you build a huge, upgraded army.

Be patient. Leave some command points for Ents. Construct an Ent Moot and train Treebeard along

with an Ent. Youll receive some more Ents in reinforcements but the more the merrier; the Ents are

extremely helpful in bombarding Dol Guldurs ridiculous amount of catapult towers.

When enemy raids arrive, lure them close to your Fortress and towers then engage with cavalry with

support from archers. After the short battle, retreat to the Mirror of Galadriel to restore your hit points.Youre led by Elrond before reinforcements arrive. He offers Leadership to nearby troops, can summon

a Whirlwind against enemy troops, can reveal map locations with Farsight, and can heal nearby allies

and restore their abilities with the Restoration ability. Later when you have more heroes in the mission,

use Athelas to heal nearby friendly heroes.


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Continue to defend the southwest corner of the map until you have maximized your command points

and constructed a Fortress with a mixture of Ent and Axe Tower emplacements as well as four to six

Battle Towers to the north and east of the Fortress. When ready, gather Elrond and your battalions of

archers, warriors, and cavalry units and proceed east. You can leave behind a few battalions but your

defenses should be able to handle anything that attempts to overtake your base.

Bonus Objective: Destroy all Spider Lairs.

Proceed east toward the southeastern corner of the map. Youll encounter four Spider Lairs along theway. Defend the spiders populating the lair then demolish the lair. Mordor wont give up the Signal Fire

lightly. Expect to face towers, catapults, warriors, archers, and trolls. Counter the catapults, tower, and

trolls quickly then focus fire on the warriors and archers. Finally level all of the enemy structures in the

area before capturing the Signal Fire to trigger the arrival of Erebor reinforcements.

Return to the base then proceed north to the second Signal Fire in the northwest corner. Destroy four

Spider Lairs along the way to complete the bonus objective. Expect to face similar defenders at the

second Signal Fire. Eliminate the catapult quickly then towers, trolls, and remaining units and

structures. You can use powers (and new powers if youve acquired Flood and Sunflare) but you

should be able to handle the defenders easily. Capture the Signal Fire to trigger the next set of

reinforcements.

Objective: Breach the Fortress of Dol Guldur.

To say Dol Guldur has a lot of towers wouldnt be stressing the fact enough. There are an enormous

amount of catapult and arrow towers. Its important to advance slowly through Dol Guldur and take out

each tower one by one. If you start moving quickly and come under fire from several catapult and

several arrow towers at once, you could find yourself losing a lot of men and heroes.

Ents and Treebeard are especially valuable for their high-damage, long-range attack. A squad of four to

five Ents can level a tower in a single barrage. When the reinforcements arrive, youll add new and

former heroes to your group, including Arwen, Gloin, and Glorfindel. You also receive a Dwarf bulder so

construct a Forge Works to research all of the Dwarven improvements.

Because you receive a large amount of reinforcements from Erebor and Mirkwood, its doubtful you will

be able to train any new units for a long time (unless, of course, you lose a lot of units). Since you cant

replace the Ents until you fall under the maximum command point limit, protect the long-range

attackers. Use the Heal power to keep them healthy.

If youre patient, its likely easiest to roam with heroes and Ents only. You can keep a group of archers

and cavalry units at the entrance into Dol Guldur as backup. If enemy forces engage you, retreat

heroes and Ents to the squad for assistance.

Bonus Objective: Seize all Signal Fires.

Beware of the Balrog lurking in the middle of Dol Guldur.

There are additional Signal Fires located within Dol Guldur. Find in the northern corner and another in

the eastern corner along the outside ring. The faster you can capture these Signal Fires, the faster your

power recharge rate becomes. Youll want powers to assist in the destruction of the mighty Fortress.

Topple towers and structures with Earthquake and Barrage and annihilate enemy units with Flood,

Sunflare, and Tom Bombadil.

Dol Guldur is very tight quarters. Its easy to get overwhelmed by crossfire of arrows and catapults.

Work patiently. Beware of Wyrms on the northwestern side and a Watcher in the Water on the eastern

side. Work on clearing the outermost ring then move into the next ring. Avoid moving through the center

toward the northeast corner or youll summon the Balrog. Hes not especially deadly if you can battle

the beast with heroes, Ents, archers, and powers. Just be ready when you move up those stairs.


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Objective: Destroy all free-standing Mordor structures within Dol Guldur. Repel the Mordor

counterattack.

A new countdown appears after youve breached Dol Guldur: its the Mordor counterattack. You have

approximately seven minutes, thirty seconds before it arrives. Shore up your defenses with another

Fortress and more Battle Towers if necessary. Its a huge assault but if you have constructed a

Fortress and maximized its damage potential with attachments alongside several Battle Towers, you

can handle the assault. Powers will also help. Keep your heroes on call to return and assist in finishingoff the Mordor units.

As you work through Dol Guldur, find all seven Signal Fires. Numbers five through seven are found

through the middle after the battle against the Balrog. Eliminate all structures, including the Fortress

and the Prison. All of these can be tackled from long-range with Treebeard and the Ents. Annihilate Dol

Guldur to complete the good campaign successfully!

Chapter 4 - Evil Campaign Walkthrough

This section provides general strategies and a complete walkthrough for the evil campaign. You begin

controlling the Goblins and move on to the armies of Mordor. Walkthroughs include solutions forcompleting all objectives and bonus objectives and tips on succeeding in specific battle situations.

One of the most important tips is to remain patient. In most missions, there is no hurry to complete

objectives (unless theres a specific countdown on the screen). It pays to play defensive and

concentrate on building structures, upgrading those structures, maximizing your command limit with

powerful units, and improving those units. A patient strategy also pays off late in missions when you

should have a larger sum of resources available for additional defenses at your base or additional

defenses (like a Fortress with multiple expansions) used offensively!

Another important tip is to maximize the level of your heroes during each mission. Lead battles with

your heroes and reach that missions "level plateau" where the hero will stop gaining levels. This way

you can have faster access to abilities.

Likewise, maximize the number of The One Ring power points you can acquire during each mission.

Youll gain points while eliminating enemy units and structures but each level has a plateau where you

wont gain any more points. Reach that level, if at all possible, before completing the level.

The One Ring Powers

The campaigns feature a power set unique to the forces of good and evil. This section provides a

rundown of the most important The One Ring Powers--the powers available to the forces of evil--that

you may choose from

Gamespot.com-The Lord of the Rings the Battle for Middleearth II Walkthrough

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