In the beginning...

My goal for this blog is to chronicle an ongoing miniatures wargames campaign set in Tolkien's Middle Earth at the beginning of the Fourth Age, that is, immediately following the events in The Lord of the Rings. It is a hopeful time, potentially arresting the long decline of the kingdoms of men. The defeat if Sauron and Saruman signal an opportunity for lasting peace and prosperity for the free peoples of the West.  But it is rarely that simple.  The wild lands, that is, most of Middle Earth, still contain significant pockets of hostile creatures and that might, if a new leader rises, extinguish the nascent resurgence of Gondor and Arnor.  

The depopulation following the war of the ring and the extensive tracts of wilderness are an opportunity for a wargames campaign, not a problem.  Nature abhors a vacuum, and will fill the empty spaces with something if the various factions do not act quickly to conquer, make safe, and settle the lands around them.  So the beginning of the campaign is characterised by the factions extending their boundaries as much as possible with their meagre starting  forces. Resources are thin, and the wilderness still has many threats for all, not just men.  But there is a balance, too much expansion will result in a faction being unable to defend its territory.  Too little, and the wilderness will encroach.  

As the campaign matures, the various factions will come into contact with one another and various consequences are possible.  Alliances of convenience, trading, and eventually outright conflict, as each faction seeks to achieve their goals.

Who are the factions in the Fourth Age and what might their goals be?

The Elves are in decline and are leaving middle earth. Those that stay will ultimately become the wood spirits, watching the world but not participating in it.  But the elves  still have a significant role to play in protecting their enclaves from evil creatures and also from exploitation by men.   Can 
Mirkwood be returned to the Greenwood of old?  A faction each for the high elves of Rivendell and the silvan elves of Lorien and Mirkwood.

The dwarves are few and are scattered - from Erebor to the Iron Mountains to Gimli's small settlement in Aglarond.  The dwarves still seek wealth from the earth, but their numbers are also declining and old family rivalries are reemerging.  The dwarves wish a return to trading and security for their settlements, but also expansion.  Are there enough dwarves of stout heart left to tackle Kazad-Dum?

The men of Gondor are weakened by decades of war.   The crops lie untended and mothers grieve for lost sons.  Mina's Tirith is damaged, Ithillien is lost, the threat of Harad and the corsairs of. Umbar is undiminished. Can King Aragorn return Gondor to prosperity and security, and perhaps even re-establish the northern kingdom of Arnor as well?

The free peoples of Eriador, men of Bree, rangers of the north, stout hobbits, have an opportunity to win lasting peace and security, but only if they can secure their borders and remove the threat of marauding creatures.  Perhaps with Fondor's help, the kingdom of Arnor might be reestablished in the north.

The mighty army of Harad has scattered; defeated but not destroyed.  Far from their desert homes, the remnants are leaderless and lack direction.  But perhaps one man will emerge from the pack.  He doesn't want to go back to the desert.  He likes the green pastures and rolling hills of the Lands west of the mighty river, and he intends to stay and carve out a kingdom of his own.  

Ditto for the men of Rhun.  Rhovanion looks inviting.  The great host intends to stay and who is going to stop them?

The men of Rhovanion, the men of Dale and Beornings, have little left but their lives.  Can they survive to rebuild their homes and trading posts. Perhaps with the help of the a Dwarves they can...

The men of Dunland swore an oath not to take up arms against the kingdoms of men again.  But what value is such an oath to the people who took your lands and banished you from your home?  The horse lords are your ancestral enemies, and they will be punished.  

The men of Rohan paid a heavy price in the war of the ring, playing a key role in the defeat of both Saruman and Sauron but losing their king and the best of their warriors in the process.  King Eomer has strengthened his tie with Gondor by marrying the daughter of The Lord of Dol Amroth, uniting even further the ruling houses of the kingdoms of men.  But still the help only seems to go one way.  Will Gondor help Rohan in her time of need?  The westfold has been burnt.  The people are scattered.  Food is short and the horse herds have been thinned by war, neglect and predators.  Can Rohan protect itself, let alone rebuild?

What of the foul creatures of middle earth? Orcs, wargs, Uruk-hai, trolls and so on.  Do they scatter into their caves?  Or do they thrive in the dark corners of middle earth just waiting for a leader to rise from within, an Orc General capable of raiding for profit and perhaps even conquering a slice of middle earth for themselves.  Willa number of factions are possible, including  the scattered creatures from Sarumans's defeated  army, the orcs of the misty mountains and of Gundabad, and of course the orcs of mordor itself.  Their master may be gone, but they will endure...

I have a beginning.  Much more thought required, but I am on the way.  And of course, it is the journey that is the interesting part.