Gondorian Soldiers Vs. Rohirrim Soldiers

[Alchisiel]

Another thing that I think should be taken into consideration is that the Gondorian soldiers were constantly under attack. All that stress can be very tiring. It's called Battle Fatigue which is a proven fact. That's why the military rotates their troops. If every man is needed to defend the city the stress will take a toll on your body and mind.

Also the Gondorian soldiers were demoralized. They didn't have a strong leader in Denethor and they thought their captain Faramir was dead. If your enemy just threw the heads of your dead comrades all over the place wouldn't you be demoralized? They didn't have a strong leader really until Gandalf took the lead and they thought that there was no help coming. They thought that everything was lost until the Rohirrim showed up who hadn't been constantly fighting. So the Rohirrim's bodies and minds were fresher and ready for battle.

So I think that the Gondorian soldiers would have kicked some butt if they hadn't been besieged by the Enemy and would have showed the Rohirrim a thing or to if they hadn't been suffering from battle fatigue.

[Boromir88]

PJ just simply portrayed Denethor awfully.

[Alchisiel]

I agree with you Boromir88, the movie Denethor was awful and I found the book Denethor much more interesting. But this is a movie forum and I'm talking about how the movie Denethor was portrayed.

[Neurion]

Gondorians without any doubt. The Rohirrim are good, but let's face it, they're not a standing army like the Gondorians, few of them have had formal combat training, they're generally smaller in stature, and their armor is vastly inferior to the Gondorian's all-over steel plate.

[Snowdog]

Gondorians without any doubt. The Rohirrim are good, but let's face it, they're not a standing army like the Gondorians, few of them have had formal combat training, they're generally smaller in stature, and their armor is vastly inferior to the Gondorian's all-over steel plate.

True. I think on a man-for-man standing, the soldier of Gondor is better at the art of war than the Rohirrim.

However, The Rohorrim are lighter armed and armored because they're primarily calvary whereas the soldiers of Gondor are either seige infantry ( Minas Tirith) Light infantry (Ithilien Rangers), or armored calvary (led by Faramor to Osgoliath).
Still, I think the morale issue plays a big part in it as does battle fatigue.

[Kath]

People keep saying that the Rohirrim have not had any practice and while this is true in terms of recent history if you look at their past they are a warlike race. Go back to Eorl the Young and all the old heroes of their race and then look at all the history they keep up with. Like the Golden Hall with all its tapestries and statues. Though the Rohirrim are a younger race than the Gondorians and have not had such drastic problems with the orcs it is unfair to say that they aren't as good. They are just in a different form. The Gondorians are good at hand to hand combat with other people (or orcs) at the smae level.
The Rohirrim are cavalry, their main force is in their charge which is very effective (as seen in the film) and they can fight on foot though they would prefer horses.

[Boromir88]

How is it unfair to say they aren't as good. The question was to compare the Rohirrim and Gondorians, and who do you think was better. People have said the Gondorians, and have made a suitable case for them, you support the Rohirrim and have made a case for the. I just don't see how it's unfair to say that the Rohirrim aren't as good.

[Neurion]

Originally Posted by Kath

People keep saying that the Rohirrim have not had any practice and while this is true in terms of recent history if you look at their past they are a warlike race. Go back to Eorl the Young and all the old heroes of their race and then look at all the history they keep up with. Like the Golden Hall with all its tapestries and statues. Though the Rohirrim are a younger race than the Gondorians and have not had such drastic problems with the orcs it is unfair to say that they aren't as good. They are just in a different form. The Gondorians are good at hand to hand combat with other people (or orcs) at the smae level.
The Rohirrim are cavalry, their main force is in their charge which is very effective (as seen in the film) and they can fight on foot though they would prefer horses.

While it is true that the Rohirrim are a formidable force, they have more of a Carolingian style of mounted combat rather than a medieval one; spears held over-hand or thrown, rather than couched (clamped under the arm). It can be reasonably assumed that the Dol Amroth knights, who seem to be heavy cavalry, would charge in a more solid wall, with couched lances.

At any rate, I think it all comes down to leadership on the larger scale. A Gondorian soldier would have the advantage over a Rohirrim on foot, in terms of superior height, armor and their (presumably rigorous) continous state of training for warfare. In terms of armies, leadership and tactics will determine the outcome. I've no doubt the Rohirrim could easily overwhelm any force the orcs could throw at them, or a poorly organized Gondorian force, but conversely, a well-led Gondorian force could effectively counter a Rohirrim cavalry charge very effectively with phalanxes of spearmen and massed archers.