MAP COORDINATES FOR WAR IN MIDDLE EARTH Typed by ??? Edited by PARASITE. A: Aglarond E-5 Anfalas F-4 Angle, The C4 Annuminas B3 Anorien E6 Arnor B3 Ash Mountains E9 B: Barad-Dur E7 Barrow Downs C4 Bay of Belfalas G4 Belegast B2 Belfalas F5 Beorn B5 Brandywine C3 Brandywine River D3 Bree B4 Breeland B4 Buckland C3 C: Cair Andros E6 Calembel E5 Carach Asgren E7 Caradhas C5 Carnen River C9 Carrack, The B5 Celebdil C5 Celebrant D5 Cirith Ungol F7 Coldfells B5 D: Dagorland D7 Deadman's Dike B4 Dead Marshes E7 Derningdale D5 Dimril Dale C5 Dol Amorth F5 Dol Guldur C6 Dor-en-Ernill F5 Dorwinon C9 Dunharrow E5 Durthang E7 Dwimorberg E5 E: Eagles' Eyrie B5 East Emmet E6 Ednellrond F5 Emyn Arnen F7 Emyn Muil E6 Entwood D5 Ephel Duath G7 Ephel Lithui E8 Erebor B7 Ered Nimrais E4 Erui River F6 Esgaroth B7 Ethring E5 F: Fangorn D5 Far Harad H5 Firien Woods E6 Ford of Bruinen B5 Ford of Isen E5 Forest River B6 Forlindon B1 Forlond C2 Forndum A4 Forochel B3 Forodwaith A4 G: Gap of Rohan E5 Giril River E5 Goblin Town B5 Gondor E4 Gorgoth Plateau F7 Grey Havens C2 Greywood E7 Gulf of Lane C2 H: Haligirien E6 Harad Road G7 Haradwaithe H6 Harlindon C2 Harlond C2 Harnen River H6 Harondor G6 Hobbiton C3 Hollin gate C5 Hornburg E5 I: Ice Bay A3 Iron Hills B9 Isengard E5 Isenmouthe E7 J: Nothing starts with J! K: Nothing Starts with K! L: Last Bridge B4 Labennin F6 Lefnu River E4 Limhir F5 Lldun E7 Lone Lands C4 Lorien C5 Lossarnach F6 M: Methedras D5 Michel Delving C3 Midgewater Marsh B4 Minas Morgol F7 Minas Tirith F6 Minhiriath D3 Mirkwood C6 Moramon E7 Moria C5 Mordon F8 Mountains of Shadow G8 Mt. Doom E7 Mt. Gram B4 Mt. Gundabad B5 N: Near Harad H8 Nindalf E6 Nomar Lands E7 North Downs B4 Northern Waste A5 North Ithilien E7 North Marches E6 North Rhun C9 Nurn F7 O: Old Forest C3 Orodruin E7 Osgiliath F7 Ost-in=Efhil D4 P: Pelargir F6 Pinnath Gelin E4 Q: Nothing Starts with Q! R: Rauros Falls E6 Rhosgobel B6 Rhovanion B6 Rh–n C10 Rhudar B5 Ringlo River E5 Rivendell B5 S: Sarn Ford C3 Sea of Nurnen F8 Sea of Rhun D10 Serni River F6 Shire, The C3 South Rhun D8 Starkhorn E5 Stonebw's Bridge C3 Swanfleet D4 T: Tarlag's Neck E5 Thrandull's Palace B6 Tom Bombadil's House C4 Treebeard's Hill D5 Trollshaws B5 Tuckburrow C3 U: Umbar H5 V: Nothing starts with V! W: Waymeet C3 Weather Hills B4 Weathertop B4 Welling Hall D5 West Emmet E5 Westfold E5 White Towers C3 Witheres Heath A7 Woodhall C3 Wold, The D6 End. ===================================================================== W A R I N M I D D L E E A R T H INSTRUCTION MANUAL Typed in by Dr. Strange Thanks to Dr. Death for the original Introduction Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-Lords in their halls of Stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. The Wizard Gandalf the Grey has identified the ring bequeathed to Frodo Baggins by his Uncle Bilbo, who brought it back from an adventure long ago, as being "The One Ring". Forged by the Sauron, the Dark Lord, it is very powerful and very evil. It contains much of Sauron's power - with it he would defeat all his enemies and subjugate the whole of Middle Earth. Were it to be destroyed he would be defeated. Though it would be possible to use it against Sauron, it would then corrupt the wielder turning him into a new Dark Lord. Because of the magical nature of the Ring, it can only be destroyed by being thrown into the Cracks of Doom, where it was forged. This is the mouth of the volcano Mt. Doom in the center of Sauron's kingdom of Mordor far to the South East. Travel with the Fellowship of the Ring through Middle Earth. The starting group consists of Frodo, his servant Sam Gangee, and his friend Pippin. Help them find and gather more members into the part to protect the Ring Bearer. Do not delay. Sauron is already amassing his forces of war. He knows the Ring still exists and is looking for it. He has learned of the Ring's location, and has begun to take interest in Hobbits and their "Shire". Even without the One Ring he is a powerful opponent. He has armies of Orcs and evil men at his command. And to do his spying he has the Black Riders. These nine wraiths, also known as Nazgul, are each controlled by lesser rings. Even now they are heading for the Shire searching for the Ring and asking after Mr. Baggins. Your first task is to guide the Fellowship safely to Rivendell. The Nazgul will close in and you must avoid them at all costs. You must leave the Shire along The Great East Road, head past Bree and on to Rivendell on the edge of the Misty Mountains. Then with the aid of the companions you will find there, you must head South to Mordor and Mt. Doom. You are heading into the very heart of Sauron's power, so be prepared to face mortal danger at every step. In addition to Sauron's forces, you will also be assailed by those of the Wizard Saruman. Though he was originally the leader of the Council of Wizards opposing Sauron, he has been corrupted. He has raised an army of Orcs and Dunlendings and he too is looking for the Ring, for he believes he can use it to control Middle Earth. You will need to mobilize the nations of the West, the men of Dale, Gondor, and Rohan, the Elves of Lorien, and Mirkwood and the Dwarves of Erebor and the Iron Hills, or the forces of evil will win by force of arms before you can destroy the Ring. To do this you must find objects of power and present them to their kings. Listen to the words of the wise to discover the whereabouts of these objects. If any of the forces for good, which you control, can get the Ring to Mt. Doom, you will win. If the forces of evil obtain the Ring and take it back to Barad-Dur, Sauron's stronghold in the heart of Mordor, you will lose. Playing the Game There are three levels- Full Map Level This shows you the whole of Middle Earth, with forces shown as dots, good in blue, evil in red, neutral in green. Campaign Level Detailed map of part of Middle Earth, this will scroll if pointer is moved to an edge. Characters are shown as figures, armies as badges. This is the level all commands are given on. Animation Level Full animation of characters. Use for encounters. To move up a level, use the map icon. To move down a level, select the magnifying glass, position it over the area you want, and press fire. Speed The game will run at three speeds: normal, hast, and very hasty. To change speed select the hour glass icon then click on the option you want. Movement You can only command characters or group that are active, shown flashing on the campaign map. Select the arrow icon, position it over the force to be ordered, and press fire. A window will be opened listing the units in the force - if you only want some to respond click on their names. Then move the arrow to the destination you want and press fire to est. They will then proceed to move there at their own pace, finding the best route around obstacles that they can. Encounters You will be often told of friendly encounters. Select "Go There" to hear their advice. This will automatically take you to the animation level. When characters meet, or forces meet commanders, they may follow or continue on their way: A window will open in the top right - select the option you want. If they follow they will become a single force. To see who is such a force just click on it. This will open a window listing those present. Those following a leader will be shown slightly indented. Combat Combat occurs when enemy forces meet. You can ignore this and accept the results, or go there and have some influence on the battle. This opens a combat window, listing all units on both sides. Even friendly unit involved in battle has four options - Charge Move into combat Engage Fight where you are Withdraw Move out of combat, but stay close, you may rejoin combat later. Retreat Leave the scene of battle, you can not return. These are indicated by a grid of squares, with the selected options shown filled. To change options, just point at the appropriate square and press fire. The color in which a Character's name appears indicates his health during the battle. Initially, names are shown in black (healthy) lettering, turning red when the character is wounded and grey when he dies. Forces do not get wounded, but when finally destroyed the unit's name is shown in grey. Objects You will find objects to aid you in your quest. Some of these strengthen your characters, others can be used to mobilize the nations of the West. To manipulate objects you must be on the animation level. Select the provisions icon (a gauntlet grasping a flask), then the options you require. Saved Games To save or load a game go to the full map level and open the archive menu, then select the option you want. Loading the Game If you have two drives, insert disk 1 into main drive and disk 2 into your second drive. If you only have one drive insert disk 1 into the drive. You will be prompted to change the disk regularly throughout the game. Amiga Insert Kickstart Disk if required. At the request for a Workbench disk, insert program disk(s). Atari ST Make sure that the disk-drive(s) is(are) switched on. Insert program disk(s). Switch the computer on. IBM PC's and Compatibles Boot DOS from another disk. Insert program disk(s). At the A> prompt, type START and press RETURN. Apple IIGS Insert Disk 1 into the drive and turn on the computer. When the desktop appears, launch War in Middle Earth by clicking on it with your mouse. When prompted, eject disk 1 and insert disk 2. CONTROLS Move cursor with a mouse. Click on Icons, Windows, etc. with left hand button. IBM PC's and compatibles use mouse, joystick, or keys. The arrow keys move the cursor. ENTER or INS select. The following keys can be used instead of clicking on icons- Key Icon Description --- ---- ----------- A Scroll Archive(Save/Restore) G Arrow Movement Commands (Go to) M Magnifying Glass Move down a level O Provisions Object Manipulation (Get/Use/Drop) S Eye Status display T Hourglass Time U Map Up a level N Window Option No - continue on. Y Window Option Yes - accept option. P Pause X Exit Game Q Quiet On/Off. Overview This game is largely concerned with Hobbits, and from it a player may discover much of their character and little of their history. Further information will also be found in the pages of the Red Book of Westmarch, so wonderfully translated and presented by the late Professor Tolkien in his works "The Hobbit" and "The Lords of the Rings". For those who have not had the pleasure of discovering the world of Middle Earth a word or two of information regarding hobbits, and the other inhabitants of that place is in order. Therefore in these few pages we have set out a few notes of providing a short history of Middle Earth, and brief notes on the races and important personages that dwell there. In order to make this booklet as easy as possible it has been divided up into sections. There is an introduction to Middle Earth, which should provide those who have no knowledge of the story of The Lord of the Rings with enough background to play the game. A full glossary has also been included, giving you further background information on each of the races, characters, and places in the game. The gameplay section tells how you actually play the game, and gives you some hints on the ways in which you may try to win. However, with a game of this complexity, it is impossible to give a single strategy that will work, or indeed to say that any strategy is doomed to failure. Finally, we have included a biography of Tolkien and a reading list for those people who wish to learn more about Middle Earth. Separate from the booklet you will find a map (digitized form for this soft-doc) which has the grid reference system used in the game marked on it. Of the Creation of Middle Earth First there was Eru the one, and from his thoughts came the Ainur. The greatest of these were named the Valar, who were fifteen; seven lords; Manwe, Ulmo, Aule, Orome, Mandos, Lorien and Tulkas and seven ladies; Varda, Yavanna, Nienna, Este, Viare, Vana and Nessa, last there was Melkor who was the most powerful of all. To them Eru revealed a great musical theme. Together they sang in harmony, and from their music the lands of Middle Earth were born. But Melkor chose to sing a theme of his own creation, and so discord was brought to the land. Though the other voices tried to return the path of the theme to the original intent of Eru, it was impossible, and the lands of Middle Earth forever bore the marks caused by the discord, and life was marred by the evil wrought in the beginning. Melkor was banished from the Ainur and evermore he was known as Morgoth the Dark Enemy. Alongside the Valar there were the Maiar, who ere brethren to the Valar, though of lesser stature and many more in number. Some were drawn to the splendor of Morgoth and served his purpose. Chief among these was Gorthaur the cruel, who is also called Sauron, the Dark Lord. Of the early history of Middle Earth and the peoples who dwell there. The history of Middle Earth is long and contains many tales, that the Elves tell long into the night in song and prose. Here but a few words will have to suffice, for here we are concerned with events late in the history of Middle Earth. Early struggles, though fascinating, are of little import save to introduce the main themes. The first born were the Elves. Tall and fair they are for the light of the stars is mirrored in their countenance. Elves are uniquely linked to the lands of Middle Earth, their lives are long and unless they fall in battle they are immortal, for they suffer no ills save one, a sickening of the spirit and loss of desire to live. Even then they only choose to lay down their life for a little while and spend some time in the halls of Mandos, before returning once more to the fair lands of Middle Earth. Their history is long and full of incident and its telling must be left for others. Those who wish to know more of this ancient race should seek enlightenment in the "Silmarillion" where many of their tales are set down with an eloquence that I, your humble scribe, cannot match. Suffice it to say that for all wisdom that the Elves accumulate of their long lives, their pride often causes them to act rashly, and in doing so they bring added tragedy onto themselves. Feanor created the great jewels of the Simarils, and his pride in them brought on the Elves many of their misfortunes. And Sauron, and his pride in them brought on the Elves many of their misfortunes. And Sauron was able to use his pride in them brought on the Evles many of their misfortunes. And Sauron was able to use the pride of the Elven smiths in their work to trick them into forging the Rings of Power. However, the Elves are staunch defenders of the lands of Middle Earth, protectors of its greatest beauty, and have stood defiant against the forces of Melkor from the beginning of time. Melkor hated them from the first, and from those unfortunate enough to be captured by his servants, he created the Orcs, a cruel race that is in all ways a foul perversion of the Elves. Soon, however, the Elves were joined by the Dwarves, or Khazad as they called themselves. They were created by Aule the Valar smith from the very hearts of the mountains. Indeed he made them before eru created the Elves. But when Eru saw that Aule had created the Dwarves out of live and not malice he added them to his plan, yet he would not let them appear on the Earth before his chosen people the Elves, so he caused them to sleep under the mountain until the Elves were established. Dwarves were a strong and valiant race, yet as they were created without the aid of Eru they lack the grace of Elves, and men. They are short and stunted, but do not doubt their bravery, their craft - for they are the finest of all miners, masons, and stone carvers - nor their pride, nor skill with arms. When Yavanna created the trees and other plants, she also called into being the Ents, who were shepherds for the trees. These gentle creatures live their lives at the same pace as the trees they guard, though when they are roused to anger they are powerful opponents for they have the strength to break stone and metal. The Elves taught them speech, as they taught the other races, and Ents delight in language of all forms. Melkor's envy turned to the Ents as well as the Elves, and he created the Trolls, who were to stone what Ents were to Wood. Yet as with all Mekor's creations they were a perversion of the original. They are witless creatures, who kill for pleasure. Last of the main races came Man. Man was ever mortal, unlike the Elves. However in ancient times his span of years was much greater than it is at present, though even then mankind was shortlived compared even to the Dwarves. However what mankind loses in lifespan he more than makes up in numbers, and it is mankind who is the destiny of Middle Earth. Thus were the races made. Strife was ever present in the land, as the free people struggled against the powers of darkness. Many men fell under the influence of Melkor and fought alongside his other spawn against the Dwarves, Elves, and Men. Eventually Melkor was defeated, though the Valar had to intervene in the course of the World. Melkor was banished, but Sauron, his right hand, fell at the feed of Manwe and pleaded for mercy. Believing he had repented, the Valar allowed Sauron to remain in Middle Earth. As mankind had suffered terrible losses in the battles against the enemy the Valar created for them an island in the ocean, half way between Middle Earth and their Underlying lands. This was the land of Numerore. Here men prospered, for most had some elvish blood in ancestry, so the people of Numenore lived long and grew powerful. Mighty seafarers, their ships carried trade to all parts of middle earth. Of the Rings of Power After Melkor had been cast into the void by the Valar, his servant sauron took on a form that was fair of countenance, and called himself by the name of Annatar, which means the giver of gifts. Now it was in the twelve hundredth year after the casting of Melkor to the Void, that Sauron appeared to the Elven smiths, and with fair words he persuaded them to make various magical rings. Nineteen rings were made, nine he gave to the Kings of Men, seven to the Fathers of the House of the Dwarves, and three to the Lords of the Elves. He then returned to his home in Mordor and went to Mount Doom, where the very earth is cracked open, and the fires inside can be seen. In these great flames he forged the One Ring. Into this ring he put the greater part of his power, for with it he hoped to control the lesser rings and rule all of Middle Earth. Now, when Sauron placed the one ring on his finger, the Elves at once knew him for who he was. Therefore they hid the three rings from him and raised a great army and made war on Sauron. But the forces of evil were large, and the Elves were driven back. Yet when it seemed that sauron must be triumphant, the men of Numenore arrived, and in such force that there was no way any could stand before them. So Sauron, seeing that there was nothing to be gained by force of arms, resorted to subterfuge, and surrendered himself to the Numenoreans. Though he was taken back to the island in chains, his glib tongue soon loosed his bonds, and he became the King's closest advisor. His influence corrupted the whole land. Temples were build to Morgoth, and eventually he persuaded the men of Numenore to sail against the Undying Lands. But the might of the Valar was not to be trifled with. They reshaped the world, withdrawing the Undying lands beyond Middle Earth, and they covered the isle of Numenore with the sea. Sauron's body was destroyed, but as his power was contained in the One Ring he was able to survive even this loss. Of the Lands of the West Few Numenoreans escaped, but those that did took the name Dunedain, The Men of the West, and founded two great kingdoms in Middle Earth. These were Gondor in the South and Arnor in the North. But some of the followers of Sauron also escaped the fall. They were called the Black Numenoreans, and they founded the pirate city of Umbar. Not all men had gone to Numenore. In the west, the men of Dunharrow had built fine cities. In the eastern lands of Rhun and the southern lands of Harad, there were many tribes that followed Sauron: the Balchoths, the Wainriders, the Easterlings, the Haradrim, and the Southrons. But Sauron was not defeated. With the power of the ring he made a new body, and led his troops from Mordor once again. Gil galad the elf, with Elendil the Dunedain and his son Isildur, led the last great alliance of the men of the west and the Elves. The men of Dunharrow, though they had pledged allegiance, broke their word and refused to fight. Gil Galad and Elendil fell in battle, yet the day was won. Isildur cut the ring from Sauron's finger, though in doing so he broke his great sword Narkil. On losing the ring Sauron could no longer maintain his body, and he was no more than a shadow. Yet all was not won, for as Isildur returned from the battle to his home in Arnor, he was ambushed by Orcs and the ring fell into the great river Anduin and was lost. Of Hobbits. Little has been said yet of Hobbits, mainly because they have yet to enter the story, but now they make their appearance, and in this final act, they are to take the center of the stage. Hobbits are little people, and their ancestry is uncertain, for they do not figure in any of the tales of earlier time. Yet they are known to be unobtrusive and may well have been living their peaceful lives for some time, unnoticed. Whatever reason is given for their earlier obscurity, it is known for certain that shortly after the defeat of Sauron at least one large group of Hobbits were living by the banks of the Anduin. One day, shortly after the death of Isildur, two of the Hobbits were out fishing on the river, when one noticed something bright in the river. He dived in and came up with a ring. The other, who was named Smeagol, said, "Give us that, Deagol, my love". "Why?" "Because it is my birthday, and I wants it." So it was, but Deagol had already given a present, and it was more than he could afford. He refused, whereon Smeagol strangled him and took the ring, though whenever he was asked later he always claimed it was a present, at least until pressed hard for the truth. When he wore it, he found no-one else could see him. So he learned secrets, and used them to create mischief, till the other Hobbits turned him out of their hole, and he wandered through the land. Finally, he ended up living in the tunnels of the goblins under the Misty Mountains, eating raw fish caught with invisible fingers. And though he withered, and grew stretched, the ring kept him alive, and took hold of him. It was his precious, and he talked to it, till he almost forgot his own name and was only known by the one sound he repeated, a hollow sound, Gollum. The other Hobbits continued their journeys across Middle Earth, until they reached the peaceful land of Shire. Here they settled and continued to prosper, living in their traditional holes, with the good rooms looking out of the hillside, and the store rooms deep inside the cool earth. Eating four meals a day, with snacks to fill up the cracks. And enjoying a pint or three of ale, perhaps aided by smoking a pipe full of pipeweed, a habit it is said they introduced to wizards and kings. But aside from this one invention, they seemed to have little to do with the main flow of events. Yet not all is as it seems. Of Wizards and the Despite of Sauron The Valar did not rest with the fall of Numenore, they sent five of the Maiar to Middle Earth to continue the fight against Sauron. These were the Wizards, and they took the form of old men, with white beards, each carrying a staff. Though Sauron had no body, he took the form of a great eye, like that of a cat, red and evil. Though his servants, the nine Nazgul, who were the ringwraiths who once had been kings of men, he spread his evil throughout the world. In the north, the Witch Kingdom of Angmar was founded, ruled by the lord of the Nazgul, and its forces destroyed the Dunedain kingdom of Arnor, and the kings of Arnor, the heirs of Isildur, were reduced to wandering in the woods. In the south the kingdom of Gondor was hard pressed, and its king was killed, leaving no heir, so Gondor is now ruled by a steward, awaiting the return of its rightful ruler to reclaim the throne. Hard pressed by the enemies that surround it, Gondor nearly fell to the Easterlings and the Balchoths. Only the arrival of the Horse Lords from the north saved the kingdom. So these flaxen haired warriors, the sons of Eorl, or the Rhoirrim were granted the northern part of the kingdom as their own, and these plains are now the land of Rohan. Isengard, the Northern fortress of Gondor, had been given to the Wizard Saruman to hold against the wrath of Sauron. The lands of South Gondor are a desert waste, yet through it is much reduced, Gondor is still a great power, bastion of the west against the might of the Red Eye. Of the other Wizards, two have passed into the East and out of this tale, though on cannot say what aid they have given the West through their work. Radagst makes a special study of plants, birds, and animals, speaking their tongues. The last, gandalf Greyhameis is of most account in our story. He travels far and is known to many. He aided the Dwarven king, Thorin Oakenshield, to reclaim his kingdom in the lonely mountain from the dragon Smaug, by providing him with a Hobbit burglar. Among their many adventures on the way, Bilbo Baggins, the Hobbit, found a ring and then met Gollum. After a set of riddles, Gollum failed to guess what the Hobbit had in his pocket, until it was too late. Then he discovered that his precious was missing. Bilbo escaped, and eventually brought the Ring to the Shire, but Gollum hates Bagginses for ever. Gandalf studied Ring lore, and eventually learned that the Ring that Bilbo acquired was the One Ring. Bilbo had left the shire, to go wandering, but Gandalf made him leave the Ring behind. It and his hole, Bag End, passed to Frodo, and with it the fate of the world. Of Recent Events Gandalf has discovered that the Nazgul are abroad. Events have come to a head. Action must be taken quickly. Frodo must leave the Shire and take the Ring with him. Until further decisions are taken, it would be best to head for Rivendell, where wiser heads can decide the next move, and heroes can be found to guard the Ring bearer on the perilous journey that lies ahead. Gandalf has been called away from the Shire. He should have been back in time for Frodo's birthday, September 23rd the date chosen for the quest to begin. But he has not appeared, so Frodo, Sam and Pippin have set out without him. GAMEPLAY In order to encompass all of the events of the War of the Ring, play takes place on three levels, each giving you a different degree of detail. You can move from one level to another at any time. Full Map Level This is the full Middle Earth Map. This is used to give you an overview of the total situation in the war, including the locations of all major forces. Campaign Level The level on which most play takes place. It gives you a detailed map of a part of Middle Earth. However, you can scroll this to any part of the playing area. All forces in the game are displayed as Figures or badges (shields) Animation Level Finally we have the animation level. This gives you a detailed view of a single place. On this level each individual or monster is represented by a fully animated figure moving against digitized backgrounds. On this level you can instruct individual characters to use items, direct their actions in combat and engage in conversation. This is the level on which the game starts with Frodo, Sam and Pippin walking thought the Shire. As well as operating on these three levels, there is a variety of different types of "playing pieces" involved in the game. Obviously it is not possible for you to give orders to each individual in the large armies of Rohan or Gondor, nor can the computer plot the movement of every Orc. However, no game based on The Lords of the Rings would be complete if you could not control Frodo's actions. Therefore you have two distinct types of forces under your control. First there are Characters. At the start of the game you can control the actions of the three Hobbits Frodo, Sam, and Pippin. As you progress in your quest, you will meet many more characters. Some of these, for example Merry or Aragorn, will join the quest, and you can then control their actions. Other characters, such as Tom Bombadil or Elrond, will give aid and advice, but will not leave their homes. At the start of the game, all the characters have a course of action set. If you do not give any commands they will follow this course of action. There are also large forces, the armies of the Dwarves, of Men and of the Elves. These are broken into units ranging from a hundred or so up to several thousand. Although you can bring several units together, as at Minas Tirith at the start of the game, you cannot split up the individual units. Finally, there are objects. These include the Ring, initially with Frodo. Besides this, there are many other useful items. Some of them are carried by characters you will meet, others you will need to search out. Listen to the words of the wise, for they will pass on to you information concerning these items. How to play the Game Commands Every aspect of the game can be controlled by using the pointer. This is the picture of the blue hand with its index finger extended. On each level there is a series of Icons in a column in the top right hand corner of the screen. Moving the pointer over one of these and pressing the Command button (Left Mouse Button, Joystick Button, or INS or ENTER keys as appropriate) either: a) opens a window, which will offer you a choice of options. You then move the pointer over the option you require and press the button again to select it. or b) In the case of icons that affect individual places or people, it causes the pointer to take on the shape of that icon. This can them be moved around the screen until it is over the point required. This will be further explained in the appropriate sections. There are also many points in the game where events occur that require you to make a decision. For example two characters may meet. You may then have to decide if they should join forces or not. In these circumstances the computer will display a window with options. You must select one of these with the pointer as in a) above. When this happens the pointer will return to its normal gauntlet shape, cancelling any command you were halfway through. As it is sometimes inconvenient to have to click on an Icon, it is also possible to use the keys to force certain commands. These are listed in the commands section, and as each command is explained the keys will be listed alongside the icon-based command. LEVELS AND ICONS Full Map Level This is the overview level. It shows you the whole of the playing area, with forces under your command indicated by blinking blue dots, evil forces as red dots, and neutral forces as green dots. While you are on this level time does not pass. In the top right hand corner there are four icons:- an eye, a scroll, a magnifying glass and an hour glass. THE EYE This allows you to gaze into Galadriel's Mirror, the magic pool in Lorien. It brings up a window that tells you what forces are moving, where your forces are headed or who they are following. It tells you which of the evil forces are active, not giving you any details of their movement. To clear this window press the control button anywhere on the screen. Instead of clicking on this icon, you can press S (for status) THE SCROLL This brings up the archive menu, allowing you to save and restore games. You may only have one game saved at any time. Saving a new game will destroy any previously saved game. Select the option you require and the computer will automatically save or restore the game. Assuming your disks are not damaged, a window will appear telling you that the game has been saved or restored successfully. Instead of clicking on this icon, you can press A (for Archive) THE MAGNIFYING GLASS Allows you to move down to the campaign level. Clicking on this icon changes the pointer to another magnifying glass. Move it to the part of Middle Earth you wish to examine, then click the mouse button again. Instead of clicking on this icon, you can press M. THE HOUR GLASS This allows you to select the speed at which the game will run, which you may change at any time. There are three speeds: Normal Hasty Very Hasty When you click on the Icon a window opens listing the speeds. Move the pointer over the speed you want and press the control button again. The new speed is now set, and the window closes. At the start of the game you will probably want to set time to very hasty. However as you progress, you will find that you need to reduce the speed in order to control all the options at your disposal. The time setting controls the rate of all actions in the game. You will find that when you meet several people at once, you will need to have the time setting on Normal or their speech may disappear from the screen too fast for you to read. Instead of clicking on this icon, you may press T to open the Time Window. The Campaign Level this level gives you a fairly detailed view of an area of Middle Earth around 250 miles by 150 miles. For those people who prefer to measure distance as subdivisions of an inaccurate French estimate of the circumference of the Earth this is about 400 x 250 kilometers. To see other parts of Middle Earth you may either move up to the Full Map Level and then use the Magnifying Glass to examine another area, or you can scroll the map until the area you are interested appears. To do this move the pointer to the edge of the screen. The map will start to scroll to reveal what lies beyond. In order to stop, simply move the pointer away from the edge. All terrain features including woods, hills, rivers, and towns are shown. Individual characters are displayed as small figures. Where one character is following another only the character commanding the party is shown. Those characters, forces and parties that are active in the game and that you may control flash. Large forces are shown as a shield. This tells you what type of force it is. The background shield design tells you where the force is from, the weapon indicates the type of force. Most forces are indicated by a round shield. Elite forces, such as the Gondor Tower Guard, are marked by an heraldic shield. Types of Forces- Cavalry A horse's head Infantry A sword Light Infantry A spear Dwarf An axe Elf A bow Trolls A club Orcs A scimitar Corsairs A scimitar The countries are indicated by the following shields: Rohan A green shield decorated with a white horse Gondor(Minas Tirith) A blue shield decorated with a white tree Gondor(Dol Amroth) A blue shield decorated with a white flower Gondor(Other) A plain blue shield. Dale A plain aquamarine shield. Elf or Ent A plain green shield Erebor A plain aquamarine shield Iron Hills A plain dark green shield Saruman A red shield decorated with the White Hand Mordor(Minas Morgul) A black shield decorated with the lidless red eye Harad A red shield decorated with the lidless red eye Easterlings A purple shield decorated with the lidless red eye Umbar A red shield decorated with a ship's sail. Dunlendings A plain wooden shield. If you position the pointer over any character or place on the screen and press the control button a window will open at the top left of the screen telling you who, what, or where it is you are pointing to. Some of the evil characters, most notably the Nazgul, are able to hide. When they do this their symbol disappears from the screen. You then have to remember or guess where they are. ICONS THE EYE Once you have clicked on a character or force, clicking on this Icon allows you to discover their status. If you are yet to select anyone then you will be told to select a force. See the description of combat for a fuller explanation of character status. Instead of clicking on this icon, you can press S (for Status) THE MAP This takes you up to the Full Map Level. Instead of clicking on this icon, you can press U. THE MAGNIFYING GLASS As on the full map level, when you click on this icon the pointer is replaced with a magnifying glass. You can then place this over the area you wish to examine before pressing the control button again. This then takes you to the Animation Level. Instead of clicking on this icon, you can press M. THE HOUR GLASS This works exactly the same way as on the Full Map Level. This allows you to select the speed at which the game will run. You may change the speed at any time. There are three speeds:- Normal Hasty Very Hasty When you click on the Icon a window opens listing the speeds. Move the pointer over the speed you want and press the control button again. The new speed is now set, and the window closes. Instead of clicking on this icon, you may press T to open the Time Window. THE ARROW This is used to give movement orders to characters or forces. Instead of clicking on this icon, you can press G. Animation Level If you move the pointer over any figure and press the control button a window will open telling you who they are and what they are doing. ICONS THE EYE This allows you to gaze into the Mirror of Galadriel and see the status of characters on screen. Normally it will give you the status of the lead character, but if you have clicked on any figure, it will give you their details. Instead of clicking on this icon, you can press S (for Status). THE MAP This takes you up to the Campaign Level. Instead of clicking on this icon, you can press U. PROVISIONS This allows you to control objects. Clicking on this icon opens a window with three options- Put Down an Object Take an Object Use an Object Instead of clicking on this icon you can press O. If you wish to use or drop an object select the appropriate option. If you are not carrying anything a window will inform you on this. Otherwise a window will open giving a list of objects that the character is carrying and you will be asked to select one by pointing at it and pressing the control button. If you decide you do not wish to use or drop any item press the control button with the pointer anywhere outside the window. If you wish to take an object, select this option. If there is nothing you can take , the window will tell you this. Otherwise a window opens asking you to select the object, and listing the objects available. Move the pointer over the object and press the control button. You will then see the character pick up the object and continue on his travels. GIVING ORDERS In order to control the progress of the game you need to give regular orders to the characters and forces at your disposal. You can only pick forces' destinations. They will then move there at their own rate. There is no way you can cause them to exceed their natural movement rate. Hobbits are slower than Wizards or Nazgul. To give an order you must be on the Campaign Level. If you are on the Animation Level you will need to move up a level by placing the pointer over the MAP icon and pressing the control button, or pressing the U key. If you are on the Full Map Level you need to move down to the Campaign Level using the Magnifying glass. Turn the pointer into a magnifying glass either by clicking on the icon or pressing M, then place over the part of Middle Earth you are interested in and press the Control Button. To give movement order turn the pointer into an arrow by clicking on the Arrow icon or pressing G then move this over the character or force you wish to command. Press the control button again. This should open a window in the top left corner of the screen which tells you who you have selected and where they are currently heading. Characters or forces following another character are listed immediately after the character they are following and are indented a small amount. The pointer will also have changed. The shaft of the arrow has now become the word TO. If you want all the characters to follow your orders, move the pointer to the destination you wish to set and push the control button. If you only want part of the force to follow the order, you first have to pick which units you are interested in. Move the pointer over the window and click on the character you wish to command. You will also command all his followers. ENCOUNTERS As you travel the roads of Middle Earth, you will meet many other characters. Many will ask you to stop and talk. These are generally characters over whom you have no control. When you meet them a window will open at the top right of the screen. This gives you the option to go to the encounter or to continue on. If you continue on, you ignore the encounter and lose the chance to gain the benefit of the traveller's wisdom. Going there takes you to the Animation Level. When two characters meet, you will be offered the choice of one following the other or not. If they join forces, the two figures will be replaced by the single figure of the leader. If a force meets a commander, he will offer his services. You must choose whether you want them to follow or continue on. If two forces pass they will continue their separate ways unless there is a leader present. COMBAT When you meet enemy forces you are forced to fight. If characters rather than armies are involved, you will be taken to the Animation Level where you will see the action animated for you on the screen. When the two forces meet a window opens in the top right of the screen. This window looks something like this: Charge Engage Withdraw Retreat Good Evil o o o o Gandalf Nazgul Lord o o o o Aragorn 2nd Nazgul o o o o Frodo 20 Orcs o o o o Sam o o o o Merry o o o o Pippin o o o o 20 Lt. Inf. As you can see this window lists all the forces involved in battle. The first column listing the good forces, the one you are commanding, and the second column the evil forces, controlled by the computer. There is also a large grid of boxes (circles in this case). These are used to control the actions of the forces under your command. In each row there are four boxes (circles here), representing the options available to each character. The first column is charge, then engage, withdraw and finally retreat. These are labelled along the top of the window. In each row one of the boxes is filled with a black square (of which I can't duplicate in this doc, so imagine it!). This is the option that that unit is currently taking. Remember each row refers to an individual character or force. At the start of the combat all the characters and forces are set to engage. Charge Launch a major attack, once you are involved in combat this reverts to Engage. Gives you a first hit advantage. If you destroy your opponent, you receive no losses. If you don't both sides sustain heavier losses. Engage Start to fight or continue fighting. Withdraw Leave the melee and stop fighting but remain close by. If the other characters are killed you will then be attacked. Retreat Leave the combat and try to escape. Characters that make it to the edge of the screen cannot be killed. If your side is victorious they will walk back on screen. If not their figures will appear on the campaign screen at the point and they will continue with their orders. If they were following someone then they will initially go back to their default orders and you will need to give them fresh orders. In order to make a character follow any option, you move the pointer to the appropriate box and press the command button. The black square will them move to the box yo have pointed to. Once a character is killed or a force completely destroyed the black square disappears from the row. The characters are normally listed in black type. This is to indicate that they are hale and hearty. If they are wounded then the type will change to red. If they are finally killed it turns grey. Forces do not get wounded. Instead, more and more members of the unit are killed until it is finally wiped out. Combat continues until all forces on one side are dead or have retreated. Evil units will not normally retreat, though some of the more intelligent (e.g. Nazgul) may in some circumstances. If you are victorious, your forces will continue on their journey, unless any member or members of the part have been killed, in which case all present will gather around the corpse to pay their respects to the dead. You may then use the provisions icon to collect any useful items that they may have been carrying. If you lose, then the characters and their possessions are lost forever. Except if the Ring is taken. In this case the Nazgul will run for Barad-Dur or Orthanc. You have the chance to intercept them on their journey and win the Ring back. Of course, if you fail, you will lose the game. Remember that if you attack a fortress or other defended place you will suffer greater losses than if you were fighting on equal footing. Also if you are secure behind defenses you will be better placed to face the enemy. Citadels provided greater protection to defenders while walled cities, such as Minus Tirith, provide the greatest advantage. Certain characters have special links with Middle Earth that means they cannot be killed. The Nazgul have their souls trapped in the nine rings. Therefore killing them merely destroys their bodies. They will reappear later in Mordor. Gandalf and the other Wizards are on a mission from the Valar to destroy Sauron, so if any of them are killed they may return in a more powerful form. ENDING THE GAME You will win if you manage to get the Ring to Mt. Doom, and lose if Sauron's forces manage to get the Ring and take it to Barad-Dur. In each of these cases the game will automatically end. You will also lose if Sauron's forces appear to be winning the war. This is signalled by the loss of any 3 of the good forces major strongholds: Hornburg, Edoras, Minas Tirith, Lorien, or Thranduil's place. If you wish to leave a game and return to it later, go up to the Full Map Level. Clock on the scroll icon to open the save/restore window, click on the Save Current Game option. The machine should tell you the game has been successfully saved. You can now eject the disks and turn the game off. When you wish to return to this position, load the game, then come back to the Full Map Level by moving up twice. Click on the scroll icon and select Restore Game option. The game will then be restored to the position in which you left it. If you wish to quit a game without saving it, press X. You will then be asked if you really want to quit. If you select the option to quit, the game is lost forever. If you wish to continue play or if you decide to save the game, select the option to cancel. If you want to leave the game for a short while, press P to pause the game until you return. WINNING STRATEGIES In order to win the game you need to destroy the Ring. This can only be done by taking it to Mt. Doom, deep in the heart of Mordor. This means taking the Ring to the center of Sauron's power. You were expecting Gandalf to be with you to provide you with advice and help, but he has not arrived. You cannot afford to wait any longer; already strange black riders are about in the Shire asking after Mr. Baggins. You can set off with the fellowship and head directly for Mordor, but the way is long and there are many dangers. Armies of Orcs and other four beasts will block your path. You may be lucky and evade them, but it is a very risky undertaking. To the East, along the Old Road is Rivendell, the Last Homely House East of the Sea. Here Bilbo found aid on his adventure. This may be where you can find aid on your quest. There are many heroes here, from all the races of Middle Earth, Elves, Dwarves, and Men. Here too you may find Gandalf. As to the route that you take to Mordor, you will need to choose this with care. The easiest path would take you down the West side of the Misty Mountain and through the gap of Rohan, across the plains of that fertile land and then down to Minas Tirith. But as the Wizard Saruman has become corrupted the game of Rohan is no longer safe, for he has amassed a great army of Orcs and evil men in the castle of Orthanc, and your journey would be forced to pass too close to this danger. All other routes take you across the Misty Mountains. You may choose to follow in Bilbo's footsteps, but this takes you through Goblin Town; or you may try to cross at the Moria, but this once proud Dwarven Kingdom is now overrun with Orcs. Unless you risk either of these passes, you will need to cross high in the mountains, facing whatever perils you may. But at least if you cross the Misty Mountains you may hope for aid from the Elves or Lorien. Not all the people of Middle Earth are against you, but even those who fight Sauron need some token to prove the truth of your embassy to them, before they will commit their forces. For example you need to present The Red Arrow to King Theoden of Rohan at his palace Edoras in order to mobilize the riders of the Mark. To mobilize the Dwarves, someone must present them with The Dwarven Ring. Similarly Gondor will only mobilize if presented with The Scepter of Annuminas, and the Elves only if you take them The Silver Orb. Obviously, if The Forces of Evil attack these nations they will defend themselves. But, by then it may be too late. If you can find these items and deliver them, before the need to head towards Mordor is pressing, you may be able to mobilize your forces earlier and so distract Sauron from looking for the Ring. Therefore, listen to the words of the wise, for only by heeding their advice will you learn the location of the objects you seek. There are many other useful items that lie scattered over the face of Middle Earth, and again you will need to talk to the characters that you meet in order to find their whereabouts. You may pick up magic swords, coats of Mithril mail, healing herbs, all of which will aid you with your quest if you use them well. Bear in mind that if you do not collect these items early you may be too hard pressed to be able to search for them later. Do not ignore them for they can prove the crucial factor that allows you to defeat the forces of evil. In some ways the strategy of the game has certain similarities to that of American Football. You have lots of units in play, but the only one that matters is the one carrying the ring. The others are used to clear a path for the ring bearer, by destroying the enemies forces. Most of your forces are not in position at the start of the game. The Elves are in Lorien, the Dwarves in the Iron Hills and the Lonely Mountain in the North East. The men of Gondor and Rohan are dispersed throughout their lands, and the Rangers are in Bree. You want to give all your units orders, so that you get enough troops into the field to face the huge armies of Saruman and Sauron. Should disaster befall you and Frodo dies, a new Ring bearer will be chosen. If the Nazgul capture the Ring, by slaying the Ring bearer and all his companions, they will head for Mordor. If you can intercept them on their journey you may be able to win the Ring back. If not, then you will loose as soon as they reach Barad-Dur. It pays therefore to protect the Ring bearer well. you may well want to gather the Rohirrim at Helm's Deep and the Gondorians at Minas Tirith, until the forces from further north arrive. Remember that is is much easier for them to defend themselves if they are behind the sturdy walls of their fortress than if they are caught in the field. Of course this applies to the forces of evil as well, so do not try to assault their stronghold unless you have overwhelming forces. It is possible to win the game using the basic tactics followed in the book. The Rohirrim are strong and once mobilized, they will hold back the forces of the White Hand for a long time, particularly if they are fighting from behind the defenses of the Hornburg. The men of Gondor will hold Minas Tirith for many turns against the might of Sauron's Orcs and Nazgul. Then, with luck, you may well be able to slip through. However, it is not certain. Remember that in the book Frodo had many near escapes. You may well want to try other options. If you bring the forces of Dain and Brand down from the North, you may well be able to amass a large enough army to force your way through the gates of Mordor. Remember that although these forces are not mentioned in the books, this is because it is written from the Hobbits' point of view. They report only what they see. The appendices make it clear that these forces were involved in bitter combat against Sauron's forces. The quest will take a long time. Over the course of the game you will need to make several decisions. You will need to keep on updating the orders to your units, so that they make the best moves. Keep checking all the unit's orders, so that you can change them as a new situation dictates. Bear in mind that new forces may become available for you to command. Hopefully you will then succeed in your task. Always remember the words of Robert the Bruce "If at first you do not succeed, try, try again!" There are an infinite number of options that you can take throughout the game. No two games will follow exactly the same pattern. This is not a game that you can master in one session. A single game may last several hours, and only offers one possible path thought the myriad options. Even if you gave identical orders, random factors will affect the outcome of the game. Choosing the correct options will limit the cruel blows of fate, but you can never be certain of success. Thus, as you come to know the game it will reveal more of its secrets, but there may always be something you have not seen, and therefore cannot plan for, that lies in wait to affect your plans, for weal or woe, adding spice to the game and hopefully prolonging your enjoyment.