Soldiers of Arthedain

* Portrait
* In Game
* Upgraded
* Shield Wall

"The armies of Arthedain were made up of grim and battle-hardened Men, unwavering in their defence against the Evil of Angmar."
—Age of the Ring team

By the last days of the Angmar wars, the armies of Arthedain were few in number, while the darkness of Angmar grew ever stronger. But while they may have been fewer in number, the Soldiers of Arthedain were valiant warriors who had become powerful and battle-hardened through years of grim experience when fighting the forces of darkness. These warriors would take up their swords and fight their sworn enemy in Angmar to the bitter end, no matter how grim or hopeless that end might have been.

The Soldiers of Arthedain are the primary Swordsmen unit for the Adventure: Arthedain subfaction based on Gondor. They are recruited from a Level 1 Fornost Garrison and can also be summoned by Arvedui's Royal Camp.

## Abilities and Formations

**Shield Wall Formation (W)** - +33% armour, -40% speed. Left click to activate.

**Blood of Númenor (R)** - Modifier Type: Debuff and Spell. When activated, nearby enemy units lose -33% movement speed for 30 seconds.

At Level 2, Soldiers of Arthedain passively heal out of combat.

At Level 3, Soldiers of Arthedain become passively immune to fear and terror.

At Level 5, nearby allied units gain +25% damage when activated. Left click to activate.

## Upgrades

**Steel Cuirasses (T)** - When equipped, significantly reduces the damage taken. Research upgrade at Arnorian Armoury to enable this equipment. Cost: 300

**Tempered Blades (C)** - When equipped, increases the damage done by melee weapons. Research upgrade at Arnorian Armoury to enable this equipment. Cost: 300

**Banners of the Seven Stars (V)** - When equipped, increases this battalion to level 2. Can only be equipped at level 1. Research upgrade at Arnorian Armoury to enable this equipment. Cost: 100

## Strategy

The Soldiers of Arthedain are the primary Swordsmen unit for the Adventure: Arthedain subfaction. They have about the same health as the Lamedon Clansmen but have armor equivalent to that of the Anórien Soldiers which can be further upgraded. They are able to enter **Shield Wall Formation** which increases their armour at the expense of speed, and this formation can provide further damage and armour buffs if **Martial Prowess** is purchased at Malbeth's Study. They can also be supported by the **Blades of Westernesse** upgrade in Malbeth's Study, which allows them to deal magic damage and bonus damage to undead even before their standard upgrades are taken into account. What makes the Soldiers of Arthedain truly unique compared to other Swordsmen is their **Blood of Númenor** ability, which provides a -33% speed debuff to enemies at base and gains further benefits as the Soldiers level up, including passive healing, immunity to fear and terror, and a +25% damage buff to allies at level 5. It is recommended to use experience-increasing abilities on the Soldiers to make the most out of their potential. Otherwise, the standard strengths and weaknesses of Swordsmen in general apply to the Soldiers of Arthedain, and they should be utilized with those strengths and weaknesses in mind.