[Macalaure]

Originally Posted by Sauron

And so is the main bridge that so many here seem to think Smaug would have walked across to the town. If I may quote you "one mis-step and Smaug would end up in the water and his attack would have been foiled". That applies to the bridge also.

Sauron, as Rikae has just stated, landing is by far more difficult than walking. I thought that was too obvious to be pointed out.

Originally Posted by Sauron

In the absence of measurements - which nobody has - this is impossible to state either way. Do you know how wide his wings were when outstretched? Do you know how wide the docks were? Do you know the exact configuration of his wings? Do you know anything about the balance problems of a mythical dragon.

No, I don't. However, I got the feeling his wings weren't the size they are in the picture Esty posted. And if we take a look at the second of Tolkien's pictures that davem posted, and take the measurements suggested there, I see my point backed. I didn't claim that I proved something, in case you forgot, I just pointed out that the inability of Smaug to land in Laketown is plausible.

Originally Posted by Sauron

It is not conjecture that I say Smaug was effective by air.

Of course not. If you would have taken the time to properly read my post, you might even have spotted that I did not claim that. It's conjecture that Smaug's attack was most effective by air. This leaves the possibility that the devastating air attack was not devastating enough to Smaug's liking, which is exactly what the text suggests!

Originally Posted by Sauron

If you think dragons are so effective on the ground and they were such a lethal unstoppable killing machine, perhaps you could also speculate on why Morgoth tried so hard for so long to give them wings. Perhaps the SILMARALLION would tell us that.

-Glaurung conquered Nargothrond on foot.
-The Dwarves, who have more of a resistance to fire (due to armour and nature) than Men, managed to injure Glaurung - under heavy losses.
-An army of walking dragons destroyed Gondolin.
All this they did with unprotected bellies, which makes them less effective ground attackers than Smaug. Glaurung was killed by one of the greatest men in ME-history - who had to hide and surprise-attack him. We are not told that any other dragon has ever lost his life (prior to the War of Wrath, that is).

Again, I did not claim wings are useless to dragons. They add a deadly alternative attack to them, plus the many other benefits like speedy transportation and elevated perspective. Flying makes a dragon more powerful, but it is stated nowhere, I think, that it becomes their chief kind of attack.

Originally Posted by Sauron

please.... Please.... PLEASE ...... somebody just quote directly from Tolkien in the text where it clearly says that
SMAUGS INTENT WAS TO ENTER LAKETOWN ON FOOT.
I beg you. I implore you. I humbly ask of you. Show me that in black and white.

Rikae has just given it. The text says that due to the destroying of the bridges, he was foiled. This directly implies that the bridges had some vital part in the then foiled plans of Smaug. What this vital part is, is left unclear. We suggest that he intended to walk over it. We say that this is the only valid conclusion, because there doesn't seem to be any other conceivable use for it. This is as much of a proof we can give you.

You say it isn't so. If you do not accept it, then what other conclusion do you draw?