The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Defending Rohan during the battle of the Pennor Fields

William Cloud Hicklin · 04-10-2014, 08:59 PM

Edoras was indefensible. The stronghold for Eastern Rohan was at Dunharrow- where even a small force could hold off an army indefinitely, given sufficient provisions.

But trying to maintain a line of communications across the open plains, in the face of a vast Orc-army? Suicide; a pointless sacrifice of manpower. With the halt/lame/old/boy/women forces at hand, you need every force-multiplier (i.e. walls and cliffs) you can get.

Some communications (message, not logistical) could be maintained between Helm's Deep and DH vis the mountain-paths (that's still about 4 days). But then Helm's Deep wouldn't be under much immediate threat, Saruman and the Dunlendings having been neutralized.

04-10-2014, 08:59 PM	#2
William Cloud Hicklin Loremaster of Annúminas Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,330	Edoras was indefensible. The stronghold for Eastern Rohan was at Dunharrow- where even a small force could hold off an army indefinitely, given sufficient provisions. But trying to maintain a line of communications across the open plains, in the face of a vast Orc-army? Suicide; a pointless sacrifice of manpower. With the halt/lame/old/boy/women forces at hand, you need every force-multiplier (i.e. walls and cliffs) you can get. Some communications (message, not logistical) could be maintained between Helm's Deep and DH vis the mountain-paths (that's still about 4 days). But then Helm's Deep wouldn't be under much immediate threat, Saruman and the Dunlendings having been neutralized. __________________ The entire plot of The Lord of the Rings could be said to turn on what Sauron didn’t know, and when he didn’t know it.