Bree-land Townsguard

* Portrait
* Standard
* Upgraded
* Porcupine

"The Men of Bree were brown-haired, broad, and rather short, cheerful and independent: they belonged to nobody but themselves; but they were more friendly and familiar with Hobbits, Dwarves, Elves, and other inhabitants of the world about them than was (or is) usual with Big People."
—Fellowship of the Ring, At the Sign of the Prancing Pony

Though the Dúnedain Rangers silently protected the denizens of the Breeland from the darkness that sought to overtake them, the villages still maintained a small, voluntary militia, to take care of problems occuring from within.

In Age of the Ring, Bree-Land Townsguard is the basic pikemen unit for Rivendell recruitable from a level 1 Bree-land Encampment.

## Age of the Ring Lore

Bree-Land Townsguard is an AotR Canon creation. Click **Expand** to read their entry in the AotR Lore Compendium
Bree, Combe, Archet, and Staddle were the primary settlements of the Bree-land: a fertile, wooded region in northern Eriador. It was inhabited primarily by Men and Hobbits, though Dwarves often passed through on business, and Elves occasionally used its less-trodden paths to reach their mysterious destinations.

For many centuries, Bree-land was peaceful and prospered - something its inhabitants often attributed to their no-nonsense attitude and good characters, though in reality it was the Dúnedain rangers, secretive Men who the Bree-landers often looked down upon and mistrusted, that watched over this land.

Despite nothing much ever happening in Bree-land, there were the occasional cases of villainy or other disturbances (domestic or otherwise), as in any land occupied by Men. It was for this purpose that the Men of Bree-land maintained a small regiment of voluntary officers known as the Bree-land Townsguard. The Townsguard were made up mostly of the sons of rich farmers or those rich farmers that had retired, for they had to provide their own equipment and did not receive any pay for the days they spent patrolling Bree-land's many country roads and hamlets.

During the War of the Ring, when the Bree-land saw a marked increase in ruffians and other unsavory folk, the Townsguard was expanded, its equipment partly funded by local business owners such as Barliman Butterbur of the Prancing Pony, Bree's famous inn. Under the leadership of Captain Alcott, a grumpy but fastidious fellow, they made contact with those Dúnedain that had not ridden south to aid their chieftain and fought hard to keep the minions of Shadow out of their lands.

## Abilities and Formations

**Porcupine formation (W)**- Units form a circle with pikes extended. Battalion cannot move. +75% armour.

**Level 3: Armour from the Barrows** - Modifier Type: Level. Units permanently gain +33% armour. Stacks with leaderships and spells.

## Upgrades

**Tengwar-Inscribed Blades (C)** - When equipped, increases damage dealt by melee weapons. Research upgrade at Rivendell Forge to enable this upgrade. Cost: 300

**Dúnedain Captain (V)** - When equipped, increases this battalion to level 2. Research upgrade at Rivendell Forge to enable this equipment. Cost: 100

## Strategy

Bree-land Townsguard are an important unit in the early game before Rivendell has a strong enough economy to start recruiting Dúnedain Rangers, they are vital for protecting Bounders and Took Archers from enemy cavalry which would otherwise devastate them. If they can be kept alive and allowed to gain experience, **Armour from the Barrows** can make the Bree-Land Townsguard more effective in combat as they can sustain more damage. They are typically replaced by Dúnedain Rangers or Rivendell Glaivesmen in the mid-late game.