Ready-To-Run Adventures

The Angle forces

Phillip Gladney ©1999

The various military units responsible for protecting the region known as the Angle are a mixed lot. Dunedain, Northmen, Eriadorans and even Dunlendings take part in the defense. Primarily garrisoned by a hodge-podge of permanent mercenaries, the state of readiness is always very high. The local levy also plays a major part as does independent mercenary units from nearby Cardolan. The focus of this defense is the border forts, Thuin Boid and Harnalda. The most important location in the Angle, however, is Fennas Drunin and the ferry situated there. Since there is no real central authority in the Angle, the military groups are split into diverse commands. The foremost unit is the Red Lances followed by the River Guard and finally the auxiliaries and levy.

Red Lances
The most skillful and famous unit defending the Angle is known as the Red Lances. They are a rather new mercenary unit created during the Stonearm Wars. They are composed almost entirely of Northron warriors with the occasional Dunadan or Eriadoran tossed in. A mounted unit, the Red Lances receive the finest horses in all of the Angle and to some extent Cardolan itself. Consisting of approximately 120 soldiers, the unit is garrisoned at Thuin Boid and Harnalda. The main component stays at Thuin Boid with the commander, Aldurin. Aldurin is a full-blooded Dunadan and a member of the exiled Royal House of Rhudaur from a branch that was never seduced by the Witch-king. His cousin, Daeros, is the leader of the Steel Riders and the true heir to the throne of Rhudaur. It is the dream of both men to reestablish their line on the throne. A smaller contingent of 20 troopers resides at Harnalda to provide the garrison with a heavy cavalry presence and patrol force.
Entrance into the Red Lances is reserved for individuals who are either from the Angle or the Cantons of Feotar. These people have a strong commitment to the defense of the region and are consequently the most trusted. They got their name from the fact that during the Stonearm Wars their lances ran red with the blood of many enemies and they now fly red pennons on their lances as a sign of this accomplishment. The Red Lance members wear long capes of crimson red are armed with a lance, broadsword and composite bow and wear full chain shirts as protection. These mounted warriors make quite a sight in the thinly populated border territory.
The Red Lances are also well led, well trained and are the best cavalry outside of Arthedain. During times of relative peace the members will go on patrols throughout the border and man the walls of Thuin Boid. During times of war, they make up the "shock force" of the Angle forces and by charging directly towards the enemy can collapse and rout almost any opposing battle formation.

The River Guard
This unit serves in Fennas Drunin and is commanded by Thorlaven. It is a motley assortment of mercenaries and their primary purpose is to protect the town and the nearby ferry. The River Guard is paid for by the taxes of the people and a generous stipend from the both the King of Arthedain and the Canotar in Tharbad. Most have some sort of allegiance to the people of the Angle. Their leader, Thorlaven, is a bear of a man who likes to throw his weight around town. He lives in the massive Gatekeep with the majority of his men. The rest are spread out in the surrounding wall towers.
The River Guard also has the responsibility to patrol the vicinity around Fennas Drunin and police the town. When on patrol the River Guard will ride horses even though they are not trained to fight from them. If they get into a fight they will dismount and close with the enemy on foot. During times of war the River Guard will march with the main host. The River Guard consists of approximately 160 men, not including officers. They wear boiled leather armor for the most part and are armed with an assortment of weapons ranging from spears to crossbows. All are slightly proficient in at least one missile weapon. The only thing that separates these mercenaries from the other armed men in town are the gray cloaks they wear at all times.

The Angle Auxiliaries
The needs in the Angle for fighting men surpass their populations' ability to provide them. For this reason, a large number of mercenaries from outside the Angle, primarily Cardolan, are employed. Some serve under the banner of the Red Lances and some serve in the River Guard. There is, however, a third group made up of the less experienced sell-swords as well as some of the levy hired on a permanent basis. This group is known as the auxiliaries. Many of the men from the levy who have volunteered to serve in this band are hoping to one day gain acceptance into one of the more distinguished units such as the Red Lances. Likewise, the independent mercenaries from outside the Angle in this unit are looking for a chance at a better job or merely references.
The auxiliaries generally handle the more menial assignments and serve garrison duty to free up the senior mercenaries for more important tasks. Some of the auxiliaries study the arts of war on their off-hours with the more experienced warriors. The auxiliaries are all supplied with rigid leather armor, a spear, a shortsword, a shield and a helm. They wear a green tunic with a blue V on the chest to denote their allegiance to the people of the Angle. There are around 160 members of this band of soldiers serving in two locations. There are groups of 80 auxiliaries in Thuin Boid and Harnalda. They have their own sergeants and officers, but are answerable to the garrison commanders of each post. In general, most of the members of the auxiliaries are capable warriors. Some are almost ready for acceptance into one of the more prestigious units. On the other hand, however, some are new to the life of a warrior and their skills with weapons are representative of this fact.

The Angle Levy
The population of the Angle, centered in and around Fennas Drunin, is accustomed to warfare. Most of the adult men have seen one battle or more in the past few years. This has served to make the levy of the En Egladil one of the best in all of Eriador. Only the levies of the Arthadain frontier can compare. When called, this group will respond with as much swiftness as possible and can field a respectable fighting force in a matter of days instead of the usual weeks. Most are farmers, townsfolk, ranch hands or shepherds. Some are of Northron descent and have their own horses. This gives the levy a powerful, mobile element unseen in all other levies around Eriador.
Between 1,000 and 3,000 men will answer the call depending on the season and the amount of time allowed for the muster. Given a few weeks all of the men from the Angle and Feotar could gather and be provisioned. The men from the Angle could muster in less than a week, but the Feotarian contingent would take longer to reach Fennas Drunin. When an invasion does occur, the oldest and youngest men will garrison the town of Fennas Drunin. The rest will march with the main host and serve admirably. During times of peace the levy gathers for festivals and to practice twice a year. They are taught the basics of warfare from some of the more experienced members of the various mercenary units that serve in the area.
The arms and armor of the levy troops are as different as night and day. Some of the men are unarmored bowmen while some are mailed horsemen. Most are armored in either soft or rigid leather and armed with a spear and one inexpensive hand weapon such as an axe or shortsword. Wooden shields and simple helms looted from the dead warriors of Rhudaur during the Stonearm Wars adorn the bulk of the levy's troops providing them with an extra measure of defense. The only thing that distinguishes the soldiers as members of the levy is the miscellaneous green and blue clothing they wear. They wear these colors as a means of determining one another in the heat of battle.

Hobbit Scouts
Once the eastern part of the Angle was home to a large population of Hobbits. The majority of them have now moved to their new home in the Shire. All that remains is one settlement of Stoor Hobbits and a few wanderers and hermits. A small group of 20 scouts and rangers have chosen to serve in the outpost closest to their home, Reedhaven. Ballo Point, the younger brother of Dallo Point, is the group leader and supervises the hobbits on a daily basis. These hobbits serve as bowmen and scout the area around the fort. They are well respected for their skill and have more than once saved a patrol from ambush.

Rangers of Arthedain
Unbeknownst to the people of the Angle, a small contingent of Rangers has been assigned to keep watch over the affairs of the region. Led by Raithorn and numbering only 5, send regular reports to their superiors in Fornost Erain. Occasionally, one or more will wander into town for information, however they never stay for more than a day or so. When in town they will get in touch with their contact, Andalyn. He helps them by providing herbs and other necessary items as well as detailed information on the goings on in the region. The rangers have a secret base hidden in the hills to the northeast of Fennas Drunin where they keep their supplies. Only when a life is in danger, will they show themselves.

Elves of Rivendell
Another group keeping watch on the events happening in the Angle are the elves dwelling in Rivendell. They monitor the military traffic in Rhudaur and, through their contacts in the area, warn the Free Peoples of the Angle of any impending assault. It was through this avenue that the council members of Fennas Drunin were first alerted to the Rhudaurian army on its way south. An elf named Elgladil is in charge of the rangers who travel through this domain and he keeps Elrond appraised of all events.

Character Stats
Name	#	lvl	Hits	AT	DB	Sh	Gr	1stOB	2ndOB	3rdOB	MM	Notes
Aldurin	1	10	140	Ch/15	40	Y	A/L	125ma	115ml	110lcb	10	Dunadan Warrior
+20 mace, Holy, reduces stun for 10 rds.; +10 Chain armor; +5 shield; Amulet, +20 RR vrs. Channeling
Talathain	1	8	125	Ch/16	40	Y	A/L	115bs	105ml	95cp	5	Half-dunadan Warrior
+15 broadsword; +5 Chain armor; +5 shield
Alador	1	8	125	Ch/16	35	Y	A/L	115bs	100ml	100cp	5	Lsr. Dunadan Warrior
+10 broadsword; +10 composite bow; +5 Chain armor; Red Lance officer; commands 40 soldiers; handles day-to-day affairs of Thuin Boid
Ballo Point	1	7	65	SL/5	45	Y	A	65ss	92sb	67da	10	Stoor Hobbit Ranger
+10 shorstsword; +10 shortbow; +10 arrows (20); +5 shield
Raithorn	1	10	130	SL/5	60	Y	N	105bs	95cp	90da	20	Dunadan Ranger
+10 broadsword; +5 composite bow; +5 shield; +10 Soft Leather, encumbers as cloth; Cloak, +30 to S/H; Elenriss, +10 to DB & RR's Knows 6 Ranger Base spell lists to 10th lvl and 3 Open Channeling to 5th lvl; PP-20; Speaks Westron, Adunaic and Morbeth
Elgladil	1	20	160	NO/1	90	Y	A	150bs	155lb	140da	30	Noldo Ranger
+20 equipment; +25 broadsword, Detects & Slays Orcs and Trolls; Cloak/Boots, +50 to Stalk/Hide; Amulet, x3 PP adder Know all Ranger Base spell lists to 20th lvl and 5 Open Channeling lists to 5th lvl; PP-120; Speaks many languages

Master Military Table
Name	#	lvl	Hits	AT	DB	Sh	Gr	1stOB	2ndOB	3rdOB	MM	Notes
Red Lance officers	12	6	100	Ch/16	35	Y	A/L	100bs	90ml	80cp	10	mounted
+5 equipment; lead units of 10 Red Lances
Red Lances	120	4	80	Ch/16	35	Y	A/L	85bs	75ml	65sb	10	mixed cavalry
Serve in Thuin Boid and Harnalda
Auxiliary officers	8	6	95	Ch/13	30	Y	A	95bs	80sb	70sp	10	mounted
Lead units of 20 auxiliaries, answer to garrison commanders
Auxiliaries	160	3	60	RL/10	25	Y	A	65sp	60sb	50ss	5	mixed infantry
Serve garrison duty in Thuin Boid and Harnalda
River Guard officers	4	7	105	Ch/15	40	Y	A/L	105bs	95ml	80cp	10	mounted
+5 equipment; lead units of 40 River Guard soldiers
River Guard soldiers	160	3	70	RL/10	30	Y	A	70bs	60sp	50sb	10	mixed infantry
Veteran soldiers lead units of 9 troops and answer to the officers
Hobbit Scouts	20	3	50	SL/5	30	Y	N	50ss	65sb	-	10	scouts/rangers
Answer to Ballo Point
Levy officers	50	5	85	Ch/13	35	Y	A	90bs	80ml	75cp	5	mounted
+5 equipment; usually retired veterans; lead groups of 40 levy troops; train levy during peacetime; answer to Council
Levy horsemen	200	3	70	Ch/13	25	Y	N	70bs	60ml	50sb	5	mixed cavalry
Most are ranchers of northron ancestry
Levy Spearmen	1,150	2	55	SL/5	25	Y	N	55sp	40sb	-	5	mixed infantry
Mostly local eriadorans and loyal dunlendings; picked to be trained with spear due to their size
Levy Bowmen	650	2	55	SL/5	5	N	N	55lb	40ss	-	5	mixed infantry
Most are local eriadorans; picked to be trained with the bow due to their agility and vision
Rangers of Arthedain	5	8	70	SL/5	45	Y	N	95bs	90cp	-	20	mixed rangers
+10 broadsword; +5 composite bow; +5 shield; +10 Soft leather encumbers as cloth; Cloak, +30 to Stalk/Hide Know 4 Ranger Base spell lists to 10th lvl; PP-16
Elven Scouts	10	9	105	No/1	50	N	N	100ss	105lb	-	25	elvish rangers
+10 equipment; Amulet, x2 PP adder; Know 5 Ranger Base spell lists to 10th lvl; PP-40