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The Battle for Middle-earth

Platform(s): PC
Genre: Strategy
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Electronic Arts
Release Date: Dec. 6, 2004

About Rainier

PC gamer, WorthPlaying EIC, globe-trotting couch potato, patriot, '80s headbanger, movie watcher, music lover, foodie and man in black -- squirrel!

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'LotR: The Battle for Middle-earth' - v1.03 Update Patch Available NOW

by Rainier on Feb. 25, 2006 @ 1:56 p.m. PST

The Battle for Middle Earth utilizes the Generals game engine, and in the game, players can select from the different "good" or "evil" campaigns, where they will be given the freedom to command a variety of major armies from the films, each with their own distinct strengths and weaknesses.

Get The LotR: Battle for Middle-earth v1.03 Patch off WP (25mb)

Version 1.03 - February 24, 2006

General:
--------

  • Darkness and Freezing rain now take longer to recharge (5 min) than their effectiveness time (3 min)
  • Weather powers are now independent, meaning they can overlap their effects, except for enemy freezing rain
  • Cloudbreak recharge time is now 6m 15s, costs 7 points (from 6), and beyond stunning its level 1 units, it now also negatively effects all enemy units (-30% speed, -50% armor) for 35 seconds
  • Summoned Elves duration reduced (2 mins from 3 mins)
  • Summoned Eagles duration reduced (1m30s from 2 mins)
  • Elven Woods and Tainted land armor bonus reduced (+40% from +50%)
  • Heal power now only heals up to 80% of the unit's max health
  • Balrog now has a faster wings-takeoff animation (0.7s from 1.7s)
  • Balrog sensibly more resistant to magic damage (80% damage taken from 100%)
  • Army of the Dead damage vs the Balrog reduced (approx. 70% less)
  • Balrog whip attack can now target air units, reload increased (30s from 5s), damage vs heroes highly increased (+35%), heroes can't resist its knockback anymore
  • Balrog whip attack now has a special critical damage bonus (x10) against Gandalf, lethal damage if Gandalf is casting any spell
  • Balrog now takes less damage from Eagles (40% from 100%)
  • All infantry Forged Blades damage per second reduced by one third
  • All basic infantry now more resistant to specialist damage (Pikemen, Tower Guards, Soldiers of Rhun). It's now 29%/20% (from 50% /40%).
  • Basic Infantry Heavy armor fire vulnerability slightly increased (15% damage taken from 0%)
  • Gondor and Rohan elite units (Tower Guard, Ranger, Elven Warrior) and its combos now take 33% more experience to level up – exception is the Tower Guard for rank 2, as described in the Gondor changes section
  • Catapult, trebuchet (60% taken from 100%) and ballista (50% taken from 100%) now more resistant to Structural (Ent rocks) damage
  • Mordor and Isengard Castle Towers base damage increased (25 from 20), +33% damage to heroes except Nazguls and Eagles
  • New base balance of cavalry:
    Warg + Howl > Knight + Horseshields > Rohirrim > Wargs > Knight ~= Rohirrim
    FU Knights > FU Rohirrim > FU Wargs (FU = Fully Upgraded = Horseshields+Forged Blades+Heavy Armor)
  • All combined hordes now get special bonuses: +10% dmg, +10% armor for melee+ranged, +20% damage for pike+ranged and +20% armor for melee+cavalry or pike+melee combos
  • Mordor and Isengard outer slaughterhouses cost reduced (300 from 350) and provides similar cash as a lumbermil with 4 laborers (225 from 150 credits per minute). Ranks up to level 2 faster (6 min), when it roughly matches a lumbermill production with 6 laborers (255 cpm). At rank 3, on the 23 min mark, provides 270 credits per minute.
  • Outpost (expansion) Citadels now have new models and are garrisonable, but can't be entered while being auto-repairing.. New mordor outpost hosts battallions visibly on top of it, and the hosted battalion takes advantage of any leadership applied, but will die if the outpost is destroyed.
  • Gondor and Rohan outpost Citadels health sensibly reduced (2700 from 4000), can't be entered while it's being auto- repaired.
  • Warg Lairs now drop 2 chests with 120-160 gold (from 50) and Trolls Lairs drop 3 chests with 120-160 gold (from 50). New total average is 280 gold from a warg lair and 420 gold from a troll lair.
  • Neutral Warg now does more damage to structures (33% from 10%) and citadels (90% damage vs 33%)
  • Neutral Troll is now faster (37 from 33) and has a larger guard (600 from 350) and vision range (175 from 150)
  • Monster lairs are now more vulnerable to crush (cavalry) damage (150% damage taken from 50%).

Isengard:
---------

  • Warchant recharge time increased to 2m15s (from 2m)
  • Vision of the Palantir now gives a +15% speed bonus to certain unit types in its central cursor area when its cast. Eligible types are cavalry, archers (including crossbowmen combos), heroes and siege units. 2m40s recharge, 35s duration
  • Saruman's Fireball extension range (how much the weapon can reach out after being fired) increased (280 vs 250)
  • Saruman's leadership effect reduced, now +30% armor (from +50%), +100% experience and fear invulnerability
  • Saruman's base health increased by 10% (1100 from 1000) and Wormtongue setup time reduced (1.2s from 2s)
  • Lurtz Passive Leadership Damage boost reduced (+60% from +100%)
  • Lurtz cripple extension range increased (380 vs 350)
  • All Isengard Infantry now gain more health in Level 2 (+30 from +20) and Level 3 (+25 from +20)
  • Uruk-Hai with heavy armor now more vulnerable to crush damage (60% from 50%)
  • Uruk- crossbow combo horde sped up (42 from 33)
  • Crossbowmen have a longer pre-attack time (730ms from 500ms)
  • Pierce damage of crossbowmen vs cavalry reduced by 30%
  • Pikemen with heavy armor slash vulnerability (123% from 80% damage taken) and pierce vulnerability (50% from 20%) increased
  • Pikemen fire vulnerability (100%/75% from 30%/0%, unarmored/armored) increased
  • Warg Riders cost reduced (760 from 800), and now have health recovery ability when not fighting - 22s to start healing, 1.5 seconds for each 4-point heal
  • Wargs on line formation now earn +20% experience on top of the armor bonus and attack reduction
  • Warg's Howl is now +60% damage (from +50%) for 29s (from 35), recharge increased (1m40s from 1m30s)
  • Warg's Howl have a new aura effect, Heavy armor also has a new black skin to help distinguish their current power at any time
  • Wargs with Forged Blades now do less damage (80 from 90)
  • Berserker build time decreased (13s from 20s), Mordor and Isengard castle towers have a +50% damage bonus vs berserkers
  • Ballista AI and pathing improved
  • Ballista sensibly more resistant to fire (25% from 50%) and siege (33% from 50%) damage
  • Ballistas now have a faster rate of fire (7s reload from 8s)


Rohan:
------

  • Ent Allies Power Point cost reduced to 6 (from 8)
  • Elven Woods cost reduced (2 points from 3 points)
  • Some Rohan hero abilities (blademaster,shieldmaiden and glorious charge) are no longer cancelable by anti-leadership
  • Glorious Charge reload increased (1m45s from 1m), damage decreased (+30% from +100%)
  • Eowyn starts with horse
  • Theoden base health increased (900 from 800), and is now un-knockable
  • Gimli axe throw recharge now takes longer (45s from 10s), half power vs heroes, double damage vs cavalry; Weapon gained splash damage and range (250 from 175), halved damage on splash area vs infantry and monsters
  • Gimli leap attack moved to rank 3 (from 2), range increased (130 from 100)
  • Gimli's slayer ability moved to rank 7 (from 5), recharge increased (1m30 from 1m), when in effect it disables the axe throw
  • Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli now cost 5 command points each
  • Aragorn's Blademaster duration slightly reduced (25s from 30s)
  • Aragorn's Army of the Dead has a shorter duration (32s from 45s)
  • Aragorn attacks faster and with 1/4th damage on its splash area, blademaster effectiveness reduced (+50% from +100%), price increased (3500 from 3000), more vulnerable to MAGIC damage (100% from 75%)
  • Aragorn Athelas heal recharge time increased (2m15s from 1m30s)
  • Aragorn revival costs increased to reflect its new cost and efficiency
  • Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli now take more experience to level up above rank 7 (1100/1500/2000 from 900/1100/1500)
  • 'Crush revenge' damage higher for peasants (35 from 20 slash)
  • Draft Peasant now more vulnerable to slash damage (120% taken from 100%)
  • Rohirrim now take less command points (15 from 20)
  • Rohirrim attack reload sped up (1.25s from 1.5s, base damage per second = 32 from 27)
  • Rohirrim is now more resistant to slash damage (90% from 100%)
  • Rohirrim is now 10% more efficient vs Warg Riders (able to beat a batt without howl)
  • Rohirrim with both horseshields and heavy armor now more resistant to magic attacks (80% from 100% damage taken)
  • Rohirrim vulnerability to HERO_RANGED with heavy armor (80% from 50%) and Horseshields (65% from 50%) increased
  • Horseshield now gives less pierce-resistance to Rohirrim (30% taken from 20%). Heavy armor and HA+shields resistance unchanged.
  • Yeoman Archers have now much more base damage
  • 32 pierce (from 10) and 37 flame (from 15) - but reload time is 2.4 seconds longer
  • Yeoman Archer's now have 15% more speed. Crush-revenge damage (20 from 10) and buildtime (33s from 30s) increased
  • Elven Warrior's sight range reduced (270 from 420)
  • Elven Warrior's now take more pierce damage with heavy armor (60% from 40%) and 100%/20% flame damage (from 30%/0%)
  • Elven Warrior's on swords now do Slash damage as in 1.01, lower speed reduction on formation (-25% from -40%)
  • Elven Warrior's with heavy armor now more resistant to URUK (55% from 60%) and specialist (23% from 30%) damage
  • Elven Warrior's Crush vulnerability sensibly increased (90%/65% from 50% /50%, without/with HA), crush revenge damage halved.
  • Treebeard now has longer weapon range (600 from 500) and rock-throw damage (520 from 400)
  • TreeBeard now has a new aura effect to help distinguish the Ents under its effect
  • TreeBeard now adds a leadership to Ents, increasing their armor by 50%, speed by 25% and rock throw range by 20%
  • Treebeard enraged time reduced (1m from 2m30s)
  • Ents crush vulnerability increased (40% from 80%)
  • Standard Ents health reduced (1700 from 2000) - please notice that total health with TreeBeard aura is around 2500
  • Rohirrim Archer now does only 28% damage to anti-cavalry units (Tower Guard, Soldiers of Rhun, Elven Warrior and Pikemen), and less damage to trolls and drummer trolls (56% from 100%). Crush resistance increased (80%/25% from 100%/40%)
  • Rohirrim Archer is now more vulnerable to pierce damage (130%/50% from 100%/40%, without/with Heavy Armor) and flame (100%/80% from 50%/0%), more resistant to HERO_RANGED (150% taken from 200%)
  • Legolas can't be killed by Istari Light in a single hit anymore
  • Legolas' Hawk Strike now has a 30% damage boost vs Gandalf, recharge is now longer (45s from 30s)
  • Eomer buildcost increased (1400 from 1200), base spear damage reduced (280 from 400), spear recharge much faster (25s from 60s) and available from start
  • Eomer Horse leadership now on Rank 4, damage boost reduced (+60% from +100%), added +50% combat experience
  • Archery range experience requirement reduced - only three Yeomans batallions needed to rank up
  • Rohan Walls health reduced (4000 from 5000)
  • Rohan Gate more resistant to magic damage (120% taken from 300%)
  • Armory cost now 1300
  • All Rohan upgrades now research in 45s (vs 30s)
  • Forged Blades equip cost increased (350 from 300)
  • Heavy armor equip cost decreased (250 from 300)


Gondor:
-------

  • Rohirrim allies duration (1m15 from 3m) and recharge (4m from 5m30s) reduced, now spawns 4 batts instead of 5
  • Gandalf now gains 300 health (from 500) when White, now costs 10 command points
  • Gandalf now requires more experience to level up above rank 7 (1400/1900/2500 from 1100/1500/2000)
  • Gandalf's Word of Power recharge time increased (4m30s/9m from 3/6m, with/without GtW), damage vs cavalry highly reduced
  • Gandalf lightning strike damage sensibly reduced vs gates
  • Gandalf Istari Light now does less damage to the WitchKing (180% damage from 200%)
  • Gandalf shield bubble armor boost slightly reduced (99% from 200%) to make whipping shielded Gandalf possible
  • Faramir now starts at rank 3 (with horse), leadership now at rank 5, +50% armor and fear resistance on a smaller radius (150 vs 200)
  • Faramir Wounding Arrow base damage increased (400 from 300), reload time increased (40s from 15s), reduced power vs Witchking (50% vs 300%), more effective vs Mumakil (300% from 100%), +60% damage bonus vs Aragorn and Gimli
  • Faramir now has a hold fire button, bow reloads Faster (1.4s average reload from 1.75 s)
  • Faramir now switches to and from his horse faster (1.2s from 2s), speed on horses is now equal to the Knights speed
  • Boromir cost increased (1600 from 1400), now starts at rank 3, +60% damage leadership at rank 4, Horn of Gondor at rank 5, Captain of Gondor at rank 6
  • Boromir Horn of Gondor recharge takes longer (1m30s from 1m)
  • Boromir attack now swings quicker (base damage per second unchanged) and has knockback damage, able to throw back non-hero targets
  • Boromir now more resistant to slash (40% from 60%), uruk (30% from 40%) and crush (35% from 40%) damage types
  • Soldier cost now 120, health increased (110 from 100)
  • Fire arrow, heavy armor and forged blades equip cost 600 from 800 (360 with full discounts)
  • 'Crush revenge' damage higher for Gondor Soldiers (40 from 20/slash)
  • Gondor Archers cost reduced to 250 (from 300), 20% faster speed, take less command points (10 from 15 per batallion)
  • Gondor Archers pierce damage increased (12 from 10) with +12% attack bonus vs orcs, flame damage higher (22 from 15)
  • Ranger weapon now has increased range (370 from 350) and fast-fire feature, doubling reload rate after the second arrow. 150% pierce damage bonus vs Trolls and Mumakils
  • Ranger cost (600 from 500) and buildtime (40 from 30s) increased, battalion now takes 20 command points (from 15), it's now very pierce (35% damage taken from 100%) and fire (25% from 100%) resistant
  • Ranger now have a "Hold fire" option
  • Tower Guard cost increased (500 from 400), 150% damage bonus vs cavalry and double the crush revenge, can't be trampled anymore when in blockshield formation
  • Tower Guards more vulnerable to slash and uruk damage (150%/100% from 100%/40%, without and with heavy armor) and flame damage (10% from 0%), more resistant to pierce damage (10% from 20%)
  • Tower Guards faster in blockshield formation (50% speed from 25%), less armor protection (+40% from +50%)
  • Tower Guard now gives more experience when killed (15 from 10), experience requirement to reach level 2 halved (75 from 150). Other ranks requirements unchanged.
  • Knights health reduced by 10% (215 from 240)
  • Knights now do crush damage (from slash)
  • Knights with both Heavy armor and Horseshields now have extra magic resistance
  • Knight horseshields research cost and time increased (1300/45s from 1000/30s), equip cost increased (400 from 200)
  • Knight horseshields now increases resistance to crush damage (77%/27% from 80%/40%, without/with heavy armor), and has less pierce resistance (25% taken from 20%). Heavy armor and HA+shields resistances unchanged
  • Knight vulnerability to HERO_RANGED with heavy armor (80% from 50%) and Horseshields (65% from 50%) increased
  • Trebuchet's fire-upgraded damage (350siege/300fire from 300siege/200fire) and range (450 from 420) increased
  • Workshop (Treb production structure) now costs 1500 from 2000
  • Wall Trebuchet cost is now reduced with multiple blacksmiths
  • Barracks level 2 experience requirement reduced (400 from 500)
  • Damage of the upgraded Battle arrows reduced (90 vs 120)
  • Walls health reduced by approximately 30%
  • Numenor Wall health bonus reduced (4500 from 5000)
  • Gondor Gate more resistant to magic damage (120% taken from 300%)
  • Blacksmith now takes twice as long to level up to rank 3
  • Iron Ore (+20% from +50%) and Grand Harvest (+40% from +50%) production boosts reduced


Mordor:
-------

  • Darkness Boost is now +33% damage (from +50%) and +50% armor
  • Witchking damage boost is now reduced (+50% from +100%)
  • WitchKing range of aura effect highly increased (500 from 200)
  • WitchKing now has a new armor, compared to the Nazgul's it's more pierce (40% vs 61%) and magic (80% vs 100%) resistant, and more flame vulnerable (80% vs 50%)
  • Witchking now takes half damage from some special hero attacks - Wounding Arrow, Hawk Strike, Spear Throw
  • Gollum now has proper hotkey, recruit and revival definitions, cost increased (150 from 50), has a new armor (melee-resistant) and +70% damage bonus vs infantry
  • Orcs armor more vulnerable to uruk and slash (150% and 170% respectively, from 125% damage taken)
  • Orcs now has a longer attack reload time (1.83 from 1.63 s), crush revenge damage reduced (13 from 20)
  • Orcs now do 36% damage to external economy structures and towers (battletowers, sentry towers, expansion citadels), and 50% damage to cavalry
  • Orc archers now have 60 hitpoints (from 50), and are more resistant to fire (50% damage taken from 100%)
  • Orc archers miss ratio reduced, pierce damage increased vs structures (150%), flame damage increased (20 from 15), damage halved vs cavalry
  • Orcs and archers experience required to reach level 2 slightly lowered (40 from 50), now gain more health in Level 2 (+30 from +20) and Level 3 (+25 from +20)
  • Haradrim is now more pierce vulnerable (125% damage taken from 100%)
  • Haradrim damage boosted vs structures (180%), cost increased (240 vs 200)
  • Haradrim now do 33% less damage vs basic archers (g. archer, yeoman, crossbow, m.archer)
  • Soldier of Rhun base buildtime increased (45s from 40s), damage vs infantry increased by 50%
  • Soldier of Rhun take less crush (20% from 50%), pierce (40% from 50%) and uruk (20% from 100%) damage
  • Soldier of Rhun 10% faster and it's now faster in formation (-30% speed from -40%)
  • Soldier of Rhun crush-revenge weapon now does 72 magic damage - more effective vs heavy armor and horse shields - from 60 slash
  • Drummer Troll base buildtime increased (53s from 45s), cost increased (1300 from 1200), aura has a higher area of effect
  • Drummer Troll is now more resistant to flame (30% dmg taken from 50%) and more vulnerable to siege damage (150% from 100%)
  • Mordor Troll now has a hold fire button, club (tree) weapon range sensibly increased (50 from 20)
  • Nazgul is now slightly more resistant to Magic damage (90% from 100%)
  • Nazgul takes more pierce damage (61% from 30%), less fire damage (50% from 90%), total damage taken from fire-upgraded arrows roughly the same
  • Mumakil takes more pierce damage (65% from 50%), and less fire damage (250% from 300%), total damage taken from fire- upgraded arrows slightly less (eg. 57 from 60 for a fire Elven Warrior)
  • Mumakil legs collision area increased (35/25 from 25/15, front/back legs)
  • Mumakil charge weapon now does critical damage to heroes (1500 vs 50). Standard crush now does HERO damage type (100% vs heroes)
  • Catapults fire damage now harms friendly units and structures (100% from 0%)
  • Cost of Flag Banner equip upgrade decreased sensibly (450 from 600, full-discounts cost 270)
  • Haradrim Palace can no longer research the Banner upgrade
  • Troll cage now levels up faster, 1 troll less for level 2, 1 drummer or troll less for level 3


Bug Fixes:
------------

  • Pikemen not attacking on Elven Woods bug fixed
  • Gandalf double spell bug fixed
  • Troll/Mumakil/rams pathfinding and attacking AI improved - collision area reduced
  • Warg's Howl bug fixed, it now properly applies its boost
  • Ballista shroud clearing range bug fixed, it now matches that of all other artillery units
  • Rohirrim Allies potential-desync bug fixed
  • Multiple Tooltip fixes and revisions
  • Well-rebuild multi-discount bug fixed

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