I have rated the Northmen with Ag 1, since they seemed to have on one hand not undertaken any expansionistic wars, but on the other hand to have been invaded and conquered by the Wainriders; the scarcity of information however rules out catagorically denying they ever led raids outside there own lands, and theerfoe Ag 0 is denied them. I think it extremely unlikely that hey NEVER mounted expeditions abroad, given they lived in a land with no natural frontiers to either east or south.

Climate is rated as Cold since Aragorn states that even the regions around the Anduin to the south of Lorien could expect snow over winter (TFotR, p495).

They have no WW in their terrain list, since the Anduin was too small a river to qualify: it was small enough for Orcs to shoot arrows across around the Falls of Rauros, FotR, p502 - and the same falls would stop invaders bringing ships).

I have disallowed H(S), since the only suitable candidates, wooded hills in Mirkwood, more properly belong to the Woodsmen (Dnlendings) and dol Guldur (Mordor) lists. Orchards and Vinyards are allowed since the area later produced both wine (Hob, p171) and apples (Hob, p174). Although the Northmen wre great horse herders, they were not nomads, having wooden stables and houses, hence the BUA.

Ally-generals are compulsory, since the Northmen had no generally recognised sole King, just contending princes (UT, p311; RotK, p426).

The bulk of the horsemen are graded Kn (F) by analogy with their Rohirrim descendents, and also descriptions of their valour and prowess when serving under Gondor (eg. UT, p311). A higher proportion of LH (F) horse archers are allowed than to the Rohirrim, since Rhovanion was a more open land than the Vale of Anduin, more suitable for such steppe warriors, and that the Numenor must have recruited their auxiliary horse archers (UT, p278) from someone in times before; the great invasions of the Easterlings occurring long after the Numenor had fallen, the peoples described as Easterners would not have been a ready source to them.

Footmen are compulsory, albeit in small numbers, in the main list, since their homes were actually in the eaves of Mirkwood, mostly in the East Bight that had been created by many years of tree-felling, (UT, p289), and such terrain does not lend itself to entirely mounted armies at home. Rohan was different in that the milder climate (horses had to be stabled in winter in Rhovanion (UT, p290) on account of the cold) enabled a more pastoral way of life to be maintained, which tend to dimish the neccessity for infantry.

I have clasified foot as archers, following the examples of their descendants in Dale and Rohan, and as Sp, again by analogy to Dale, and because such troops historically tended to be used by Germanic-type horse armies as the Gothic-named Northmen plainly are (UT, p311). given the typical ineffectiveness of footmen fielded by such armies, levies classified as Hd (O) are also allowed.

I have allowed some woodsmen in the main list, since the Northmen lived right next-door to the Woodsmen of Mirkwood, these woodsmen can be Woodsmen subject to the Northmen, or perhaps just Northmen accustomed to fighting in the woods. Larger numbers must be controlled by their own leaders as an allied contingent. Their use is again speculative, but not unlikely given their proximity.

The use of a wagon-laager to defend the camp is likely, although not mentioned.

This page last modified February 3, 1999