Wilderland Goblins

Wilderland Goblins

Second Age 1 through Fourth Age

This represents all independent goblin and orc tribes after the first age, including Mount Gundabad and Misty Mountains forces.

Tolkein uses the terms goblins and orcs interchangeably, with “uruks” or “uruk-hai” as a term for larger, near man-sized members of the same race.  This list represents forces of the various tribes and strongholds of goblins and orcs throughout the Second and Third Ages in Eriador, Rhovanion, and the mountains between.  By TA 2480 Orcs had repopulated Moria and had many fortresses in the Misty Mountains.

After the end of the War of the Dwarves and Orcs, some goblin forces fleeing their destruction attempted to establish themselves in the western parts of the White Mountains in the Misty Mountains throughout the Second and Third Ages, and also the forces of goblins that fled the Misty Mountains after the War of the Dwarves and Orcs and attempted to establish themselves in the western White Mountains until finally driven out by Rohan and Gondor (TA 2800-2864).

Orcs could sometimes form alliances with Dwarves, but not Durin’s folk (the Longbeards), who were the tribe of Dwarves most widely known in the Third Age, and not after TA 2790, when forces of all tribes of Dwarves were involved in the War of the Dwarves and Orcs.

The War of the Dwarves and Orcs raged from TA 2793 to 2799, ending in the Battle of Azanulzibar.  Nearly half of all Dwarven warriors were slain; the Wilderland Goblins were nearly eradicated, with every one of their strongholds in the Misty Mountains destroyed, removing their threat to Eriador and Rhovanion for a long time.  By TA 2941 they had recovered significant numbers but were again devastated when most of their recovered forces were mustered at Mount Gundabad and marched to defeat at the Battle of the Five Armies.

The existence of goblins in the East is speculative, but very likely.  Sauron’s power in the East is well established.  By SA 500 Sauron no longer feared the intervention of the Valar and once more returned to evil; Gil-Gilad sensed his rise as a shadow in the East, but Sauron did not choose Mordor as his main base until SA 1000.  Based upon that, it is clear that Sauron spent significant portions of the Second Age further east than Mordor, Harad, Khand, or the Sea of Rhun.  Sauron also fled East (likely to human-ruled realms there) during the Watchful Peace (TA 2063 – 2460).  All of this makes likely that there were significant forces of goblins in the East.  Based upon goblin behavior and patterns in the known sections of Middle Earth, it seems most reasonable to have their main centers be in the Mountains of the East, in the same way that they primarily sought out strongholds in mountainous regions in the known parts of Middle Earth.

Given the massed participation of all Dwarven tribes in the War of the Dwarves and Orcs (TA 2743 – 2799), it is likely that a similar war was being waged at the same time in the Mountains of the East.

Invasion Rating: 3 (before TA 2799); 1 thereafter

Maneuver Rating: 1

Home Topography: Hilly or Forest.  Mostly Hilly, but some tribes lived in forests, in the Third Age most notably Mirkwood.

General's Troop Type: Raider or Javelin Cavalry.  General should have the battle cards Deadly and Armored.

Army Battle Cards

Ambush

(possibly) No Camp for raiding forces or near underground strongholds.

Troop Options

Required Troops

Troop Types Min Max Battle Line Restrictions Battle Cards

Raider 1 2 all

Guards

Javelin Cavalry 0 4 Woodland Creature (+1/2), Fierce (-1/2), Slow (-1/2)

Wargs and Wolf-riders

Archer or Skirmisher 0 1 Archers

Elite bow-armed goblins armed with mail and spear, or skirmishing hunters 

Warband 2 8 all

Large goblins, nearly the size of a man, with shield and spear or sword

Rabble 6 16

Goblin infantry

Behemoth 0 1 all

Trolls or Hill Giants