Arnor Successor Kingdoms

Kingdoms or Arthedain and Cardolan

Arthedain: TA 861- TA 1974

Cardolan: TA 861 - TA 1409

The Kingdom of Arnor split into three kingdoms after the death of King Eärendur to prevent civil war between his sons: Arthedain, Cardolan, and Rhudaur.  This army list covers the two kingdoms of Arthedain and Cardolan; Rhudaur has a separate list.

In TA 1300 or thereabouts saw the rise of the Witch-king of Angmar and his realm, dedicated to the destruction of Arnor.  Quickly thereafter Angmar subverted and made alliance with Rhudaur.

In TA 1409 Angmar and Rhudaur invaded and razed Cardolan, south as far as Tharbad and west as far as Tyrn Gorthad (which later became the Barrow Downs).  After TA 1409 Cardolan no longer had sufficient population to field an army; a Cardolan army between TA 1410 and TA 1636 can be represented by an Arthedain force with a Cardolan ally, or as a straight Arthedain force (assuming that the limited Cardolan forces are under Arthedain command).  The Dunedain in Tyrn Gorthad were wiped out by the Great Plague.  Soon afterwards the Witch-king unleashed evil forces known as Barrow-wights upon Tyrn Gorthad to haunt its tombs and it became known as the Barrow Downs.  Fear of the Barrow-wights defeated an attempt in TA 1851 by King Araval of Arthedain to resettle Cardolan.

The Great Plague started in the east beyond Mordor, possibly in Khand.  The plague first hit Rhûn and Rhovanion; it killed about half the population there and arrived in Osgiliath in TA 1636.  From there it spread west and then north.  Minhiriath and Cardolan were especially hard hit, and most of the population there was wiped out.  Arthedain was scarcely affected.

Major events in Arnor include:

• TA. 861: Death of King Eärendur.  Arnor is split into three kingdoms for his three sons, to prevent civil war: Arthedain, Cardolan, and Rhudaur.  A large part of the population of Rhudaur was hill-men.

• TA 1300 rise of Angmar.  Last kings of Rhudaur are Hill-men in the service of Angmar.

• TA 1349: Argaleb becomes ruler of Arthedain; claims Kingship of Arnor.  Cardolan accepted it; Rhudaur had already fallen under the control of Angmar.

• TA 1356: Rhudaur invades Arthedain; Angmar mounts Second Siege of Imladris.

• TA 1409: Angmar annexes its vassal Rhudaur and attacks Cardolan, razing it save for Tharbad and the Barrow Downs.  Second Siege of Imladris is broken by reinforcements from Lothlorien.

• ca. TA 1636: The Great Plague.  Arthedain is little affected; Cardolan (already sparsely populated) is largely wiped out.  Barrow downs abandoned.

• TA 1851 – 1975: Angmar’s assaults begin again.  Gondor is involved in the Wainrider Wars and cannot help.

• TA 1974: Arthedain falls to the army of Angmar.

• TA 1975: Battle of Fornost; fall of Angmar against forces of Gondor and allies Rhovanion, and Elves of Lindon and Glorfindel from Imladris

Invasion Rating: 1

Maneuver Rating: 1

Home Topography: Arable

General's Troop Type: Knight or Elite Foot.  General should have the battle cards Deadly and Armored.

Army Battle Cards

Fortified Camp

Hold the Line (on Elite Foot)

Troop Options

Required Troops

Troop Types Min Max Battle Line Restrictions Battle Cards

Knight 1 2

Roquen

Elite Foot 0 4 all

Trained Infantry

Shooters 0 4

Trained archers

Heavy Foot 4 12 all

Levy or untrained infantry

Bow Levy 2 4 all optionally Ranged Attack (+1)

Levy bowmen

Light Foot 0 4

Foresters and hillmen

Optional Contingents

No optional contingents available.