Principality of Dol Amroth

''Welcome, My Lord, to Dor-en-Ernil, the Land of the Prince, more commonly known as Belfalas, consisting of all the land between the Rivers Gilrain in the east and the Ringló in the west. Although part of the realm of Gondor, the Land of the Prince is a semi-autonomous domain, ruled by the Prince of Dol Amorth, the third most influential man in Gondor, bheind the Steward and his son. Such recognition is appropriate for one in whose veins flows the blood of Imrazôr the Númenôrian and Mithrellas the Elf maiden. For twenty-one generations, from Imrazôr to Adrahil II, the Princes have supported the King and later the Steward in the defence and preservation of the realm.''

''High above the city of Dol Amroth, the Silver Swan and White Ship Banners of the city snap in the sea-breeze; raised high on the Tirith Aear, the residence of the Prince. The Tirith Aear, or Sea-ward Tower, als houses the standing army of the city; the Wardens of Tirith Aear. A well trained force that serves as the household guard of the Prince and his family. That said, the Prince can also rely on the soldiers of Tirith Aear to take to the field in times of war to bolster his armies. There are few cities in Middle-Earth that can field such a well-equipped army as Dol Amroth. The blood of Númenor still runs strong in the people of the city and in none is this more evident than in the famed Swan Knights. Their prowess on the battlefield is unmatched, to see their armour glinting in the sun, tall lances lowering for an unstoppable charge brings joy to even the most jaded ally and fear to the most stalwart foe. They are indeed the greatest of us all, yet the martial skills of all the soldiers of Dol Amroth are mighty indeed.''

''Although Dol Amroth is the principal city of Belfalas, it is not the only settlement in our land that is worthy of note, the port of Edhellond is an ancient Elven Haven, which is now home to many who can claim the blood of the fair folk. When the Men of Númenor began settling the coast of Belfalas, some intermingled with the Elves of Edhellond and the people of Edhellond are descendants of such unions. Their contributions to the arts notwithstanding, the people of Edhellond have greatly enhanced the realm through the expertise of their mariners and shipwrights. Their contributions have resulted in our possessing one of the finest navies in the West.''

''The rest of the lands of Dor-en-Ernil are fertile, beautiful and well settled. For protection from sea raiders, the coastal villages rely on the stout-hearted coastal wardens who remain ever vigilant. During times of trouble the garrison of Tarnost can field a highly mobile force of infantry and cavalry which can respond rapidly to such corsair incursions. These foul men of Umbar are the chief danger our lands face, yet in the east the Shadow grows.''

''Many fear that war will soon be upon us and that we will not have the strength to defend against all of the forces the great enemy calls to his banner. In spite of this, as long as men of courage and skill defend our realm, there is hope. Recently, the Gondorian fleet struck a significant blow against the Corsairs' main fleet in Umbar. Under the command of the mysterious Thorongil, a faithful and skillful captain in the service of the Steward, the fleet entered the harbor under cover of darkness and burned the Black Fleet. Since then, raids on shipping have all but disappeared and the markets of Dol Amroth and Edhellond are busier than they have been for decades. Though it is a time of nominal peace and prosperity, we must remain vigilant as the Corsairs will eventually recover, rebuild, and return. We must be ready for the future, many decissions will need to be made. One thing, however, is clear. Our fate is joined with that of Gondor, if the White Tree falls, the Swan and Ship cannot long stand alone.''

Starting Situation
Dol Amroth is located on the western edge of the Belfalas peninsula. The city itself is surrounded on all sides by impassible cliffs and only the port of Dol Amroth acts as a suitable landing point. Belfalas itself is divided in two by a large mountain range stretching from the sea to the White Mountains. This gives Dol Amroth ample warning of any would-be land-invaders but also impedes their own armies marching north or south.

Early Game
Whilst Dol Amroth is a vassal and protectorate of the mighty nation of Gondor, they must rely on their own armies for protection. Gondor acts as a great bulwark against Mordor but in the south, new nations are taking shape that now threaten the Lands of the Prince. Before all-out war is joined, it would be prudent to claim the independent lands of Harondor for the Swan so there is a buffer between the south and your heartlands.

Military Overview
Dol Amroth has one of the most highly-trained military lineups of any Faction; they have capable militia, excellent heavy infantry, and the finest heavy cavalry in all of Middle-Earth. Unfortunately, this excellence cannot be taught in only a few years and Dol Amroth has difficulty fielding large armies.

Special Features

 * Corsair Invasions
 * Heartland Recruitment Restriction
 * Fornost and Osgiliath Rebuilding

Rare Units

 * Knights of the Silver Swan (Dol Amroth Heartlands)
 * Ships

Tips and Difficulty
The Principality of Dol Amroth does not have the most difficult campaign in Divide and Conquer, however it is far from the easiest. With potential to develop a strong economy early in the game, the pressures of debt won't be felt as strongly as when playing other Factions. However, the slow recruitment time on many of your units will mean that, despite a healthy financial outlook, you will still usually be outnumbered on the battlefield. That said. the armies of Dol Amroth are amongst the best in the game, and easily outclass some of your most frequent enemies, including the Haradrim Tribes, Mordor, and the Variags of Khand, though the forces of the Ar-Adûnâim are somewhat stronger.

The low number of starting regions granted to Dol Amroth, as well as its small starting army, will force the player into aggressive expansion early on in the game. There are a number of Independent Realms in Harondor that are worth quickly grabbing before the Haradrim Tribes get them, however it may be worth avoiding the Principality of Mirlond (Independent Realms) as its armies are large and it will bring you into early contention with arguably your strongest enemy, the Ar-Adûnâim.

The real saving grace of a Dol Amroth campaign is that your can maintain a single-front war for much of the game; Gondor will provide protection to your north and east, and with the sea the the west, you will find yourself mostly free to focus on your southern enemies. When playing Dol Amroth, proper use of cavalry is the key to a successful campaign; utilising cavalry's greater Movement Points on the campaign map by limiting the number of combined arms forces you deploy will allow you to outmaneuver most of your enemies, and used correctly in battle through classical hammer-and-anvil tactics, armies with powerful heavy cavalry will cause mass routs with relative ease. Remember in battle not to leave your cavalry in prolonged melee combat with heavy infantry, and whatever you do, do not charge into the front of a pike unit. Whilst this may seem obvious, it can be tempting to try and break through low-tier Haradrim Pikemen with elite Swan Knights, however this will rarely work and is likely to get even your most powerful and expensive horsemen, including your generals, killed quickly.

Unit Roster
Note: As Version 5 will be released sometime in the relatively near future, and the removal of the Barracks Event has been confirmed, this listing will not be divided into pre-Barracks and post-Barracks units.

Common Units

 * Gondor Militia
 * Coastal Wardens
 * Amrothian Archers
 * Gondor Cavalry Militia
 * Amrothian Guardsmen
 * Amrothian Pikemen
 * Nimrodel Mariners
 * Amrothian Squires
 * Sea-Ward Spearmen
 * Sea-Ward Footmen
 * Sea-Ward Lancers
 * Knights of Edhellond
 * Trebuchet
 * Royal Swan-Guard (General Unit)

Elite Units

 * Minas Ithil Guardians
 * Tirith Aear Wardens
 * Talon Knights
 * Haven Guard
 * Knights of Tirith Aear
 * Knights of the Silver Swan