Rules of Engagement and Discussions about Ettenmoors PvP

I'd like to share my opinions on Falli's rules, as they apply to the Ettenmoors PvP. I am slowly proving myself as a raid leader in Ettenmoors with Felogar or my alt Veryacano. I am leading raids in Ettenmoors almost everyday, from afternoon through the evening. I have read the book by Sun Tzu, ''The Art of War'' and I can call myself a Student of War. I am learning something new everyday about leading and fighting better. Here are my thoughts and facts for the Ettenmoors PvP.

Rule One: Know when and Where to fight.
This definitely applies everysecond in Ettens, as a leader I try to practice this at all times. Although sometimes it is impossible to avoid a fight. Like when you are ambushed by the enemy. To avoid it, one must move with great caution, which bores the players in the raid and causes them to leave. Its like being an entertainer, you have to keep your warriors moving, keep them focused. You just have to try and force the enemy to fight on your terms.

Rule Two: Nothing is True and Everything is Permitted
In ettens this rule mostly applies except in following cases:

1. No Corpse Jumping.
2. No interfering with 1 vs 1 Spars (duels).
3. Show respect to everyone around you. Instuling is tolerated and will result you getting banned from Lotro for good. Rudeness is not appritiated. Negative criticizing is considered extremely rude.
4. No farming Tol Ascarnen East bridge with Mornaro. That is fighting on TA bridge constantly.

If you do not abide by these rules in Ettenmoors, you will quickly make a bad name for yourself, and believe me, you do not want that.

Rule Three: Only fight when Victory is assured
I agree to this rule indeed, but most of the time, defeat is assured for the free peoples no matter what you do. Why? It is simple: The enemy is simply outnumbering you, overpowering you, outhealing or outrezzing you greatly. It is the worst time for a leader, when the enemy is overwhelming and your men are hopeless and not following your orders as they should be. In that case, you will get one defeat after another, people will start leaving your raid. Untill at some point there is nothing else to do but to defend your last stronghold. If you manage to succeed there, people will see your success and join you again. If you cannot, then most likely, you will be removed of command.

Rule Four: "Seizing the enemy without fighting is the most skillful." as Sun Tzu said
This is indeed a very important aspect as Sun Tzu says in The Art of War. Victory without a fight in Ettenmoors is called: ''Ninjaing'' For example if the free peoples (freeps) can distract the enemy (creeps) long enough for a small team to take over one of the enemies strongholds, its is called: ''Freeps ninjaed the keep''. This is indeed a good way to achieve victory but its not as Fun as taking a stronghold with lots of resistance. Taste of Victory after a hard fight is like no other.

Rule Five: Know what you are fighting for.
Aye, know what you are fighting for! VERY VERY IMPORTANT in ettenmoors! DO NOT fight for stars, everyone will hate you if you are a ''Starhugger''. You must fight for a common goal. To succeed in doing something as a team. Think of it like a football team. Everyone must do their best to achieve victory. If you are fighting for stars, running away in fear of dying to save your stars and rating, you are fighting for the wrong things. Fight for fun! Fight for Glory! Fight for REVENGE!!!!

Rule Six: Do not leave people behind.
I hate leaving people behind when I am leading a raid but I do sometimes. There are a few conditions in which I order my raid to disengage and retreat.
- If we are ambushed or caught off guard,
- If defeat is certain during a battle, (sometimes you can see a defeat coming before its too late.)
- If the raid is scattered in a wide area and some people cannot get to the battlefield.
One or more of these conditions 'always' exist if I am ordering a retreat. But, I will not order a retreat if there is NO safer place nearby to retreat to. If my men will disengage and retreat only to be hunted down one by one, I prefer they fight to the death...

Next time, I'd like to see my kinsmen of the Glade Fighting along my side in Ettenmoors. I hope you will stop by. Also, I encourage you all to join: ''Frontline PvP Alliance'' here: http://frontline.forumotion.net/ The aim of this alliance is to improve the way Freeps fight in Ettenmoors. Frontline often has its own raids going and frontline members often lead raids in the moors and are very successful.

HAIL AND KILL! FOR THE FREE PEOPLE'S GLORY!

You need to read the rules to apply, but you need to log on to acess them Are they on a single server or on all of them?

One very important thing according to me is balling up. The closer the better. Ideally you should be able to see everyone on your screen (not zooming out too much) It's harder for the creeps to select one single target (minstrel) within a big lump of freeps.

I intend to go to the Ettens as soon as I can, but I suppose a lvl 47 mins will can't do as much good as a lvl 50. Still need to get the Rally skill as well.

Frontline is only in Laurelin for now. Yes, balling up is very important on the defence. I think you will be of use at level 47, but there is a world of difference between a teal equipped lvl 50 and a lvl 47 but still you can do much good with your minstrel unlike any other class at that level. But expect lots of defeats

Great thread Felogar especially for an inexperienced green-leaf like myself in the Ettenmoors,

The rules are great and they give me an idea of what it's actually out there waiting for the freeps. I admit that I entered the Ettenmoors only once (as a creep... yeah yeah I'm not proud of it) but stayed there enough to explore the area. I was just too curious, and playing creep wasn't my cup of tea.

Anyways, your description of fighting, leading raids, using tactics and strategies to achieve victory made me so much excited to reach level 50 and enter the Ettenmoors. I can't wait to reach there!

Damn leveling in LotRO... I can't seem to find the time necessary to gain some seriously-needed levels, although I admit having so much progress ever since I returned (I gained 6 levels since I re-joined TGC, i.e. since last month), but between university, work and career-planning (I'm just reading too much !!!) I can't seem to "create" time for LotRO power-leveling!

Thanks again for the thread, Felogar, and for Fallidir for igniting the initial idea, and sorry for being a bit off-topic up there

Golradir Whitetower

I expect to get ganked just stepping out of GV Lay of the hammerhand is your friend. I'm used to playing LM in Ettens so I'll probably asking for antistun just about all the time if there is one there. Hard for a LM to keep eyes on the minstrel all the time so saying something makes their job easier (at least that's what I think when I'm playing one. As long as you're friendly and not demanding things - just asking for them).

So Heredryn did you enjoy last nights Frontline Raid? (I know u got ganked quite many times, but we didnt have any guardians or captains :/)

It was the world of difference between Mornaro's never-communicate-never-stay-together-don't-use-taktics-raid and your's Went with his raid for a couple of hours and just bearly got up to rank 1 (500 for that one I think). With your raid I almost got up to rank 3 (1000 for rank 2, not sure how much for rank 3) in much lesser time and didn't get ganked half as much. Or to compare it: 150 silver repair costs in the first raid, just 40 in yours

I'll definitly join up with Frontline.

If I remember right it goes 500, 1500, 4500... but dont quote me on that