The siege of Gondor

[HLGStrider]

Yes, HLGStrider. Please tell us how it back fired? I just remember it making the men of Gondor angry, but that's about it.

Exactly as you said. It was meant to make them despair and instead they got angry and more determined, I believe. It was all physcologicallly... PYSCAYOALOGICL...AFOIDSAYFSDAFHAUFJHASDIUFH Blah...

 

[shadowfax_g]

Going back to the original question, I am still worndering why Sauron did not put all his force into the battle in Minas Tirith.
I think he totally believed that the Ring was in Aragorn's hand that time. It seems natural to try to get it back by all means.

 

[Greenwood]

Originally posted by shadowfax_g
Going back to the original question, I am still worndering why Sauron did not put all his force into the battle in Minas Tirith.
I think he totally believed that the Ring was in Aragorn's hand that time. It seems natural to try to get it back by all means.

I think the answer to that is Sauron was not yet ready. Aragorn forced Sauron's hand when he revealed himself in the palantir. That was part of Aragorn's purpose in using the palantir. When Aragorn tells his friends he has used the palantir and shown himself to Sauron, Gimli asks won't Sauron strike that much sooner to which Aragorn replies: "The hasty stroke goes oft astray". Sauron was still preparing his forces for war and attacked early in the hope of defeating Aragorn and getting the Ring. Frodo and Sam witnessed the moving of Sauron's armies within Mordor even after the battle before Minas Tirith. Sauron did not expect to meet as much resistance as he did at Minas Tirith, but he wasn't worried about it because he still had vast reserves readying for the next battle.

 

[shadowfax_g]

Originally posted by Greenwood


I think the answer to that is Sauron was not yet ready. Aragorn forced Sauron's hand when he revealed himself in the palantir. That was part of Aragorn's purpose in using the palantir. When Aragorn tells his friends he has used the palantir and shown himself to Sauron, Gimli asks won't Sauron strike that much sooner to which Aragorn replies: "The hasty stroke goes oft astray". Sauron was still preparing his forces for war and attacked early in the hope of defeating Aragorn and getting the Ring. Frodo and Sam witnessed the moving of Sauron's armies within Mordor even after the battle before Minas Tirith. Sauron did not expect to meet as much resistance as he did at Minas Tirith, but he wasn't worried about it because he still had vast reserves readying for the next battle.

Not very clear yet.. Does it mean Sauron did not put enough importance in Minas Tirith to make great haste? He could be ready that time if he wished, as the Riders of Rohan could in such a short time after Isengard.

 

[DGoeij]

There's a difference in moving 10.000 men on swift horses over flat land and moving an army of infantry, cavalry and siege weapons across a river and fighting its way towards a city that defends itself, surrounding it, building trenches and go for the main assault on the gate.
It was a move Sauron had prepared for a long time, but how could he have expected to both the Rohirrim avoiding the blocking army he had laid on their supposed road and Aragorn showing up with an army of ghosts that took out the fleet of the Corsairs?

 

[Greenwood]

DGoeij is absolutely right. Moving light cavalry without a supply train is quite different than assembling and moving masses of infantry, etc. Also, Sauron's goal in this war was not to capture territory but to reclaim the Ring. Once he had the Ring back all further resistance would be futile and meaningless. He didn't care how many orcs he lost. Even the Nazgul were expendable.

 

[Anamatar IV]

wait-dont forget that there are only 8 nazgul. Legolas shot one down on the anduin.

 

[Gothmog]

'The Winged Messenger!' cried Legolas. 'I shot at him with the bow of Galadriel above Sarn Gebir, and I felled him from the sky. He filled us all with fear. What new terror is this?'
'One that you cannot slay with arrows,' said Gandalf. 'You only slew his steed. It was a good deed; but the Rider was soon horsed again. For he was a Nazgúl, one of the Nine, who ride now upon winged steed

From The Two Towers: The White Rider.

Legolas did not kill the Nazgul over the Anduin. So there were still 9.

 

[Anamatar IV]

well when he dropped the beast wouldnt the rider fall to the water?

 

[Gamil Zirak]

Even if the rider fell into the river he wouldn't be destroyed. Just like the nine weren't destroyed when Elrond flooded the river.

 

[Gothmog]

Originally posted by amerxtremist
well when he dropped the beast wouldnt the rider fall to the water?

As it said in the quote.
'You only slew his steed. It was a good deed; but the Rider was soon horsed again.'
So it matters not where he fell, though if you check in the book you will find, I believe that he fell on the other side of the Anduin from the Fellowship.

 

[Viceras Daydark]

Dgoeij, you said

and Aragorn showing up with an army of ghosts that took out the fleet of the Corsairs?

Sorry, but I thought that after taking the Corsairs of Umbar, that Aragorn released the army of dead to rest peacefully, saying they fulfilled their vow. He rode up with the Dunedain, and the people of Lebinnin, Lamedon, and other South Gondor realms. Just had to correct that, I know it was but a slipup, as I've read many of your posts and you are far more knowledgeable than I

-Viceras Daydark

 

[DGoeij]

I don't mind being pointed at mistakes, but that's what I meant. The army of the dead destroyed (actually scared to death) the Corsairs. That's all what it needed to do, in Aragorn's eyes.
After that it is true that it was the men of Lebennin and the others which mounted the ships left by the Corsairs to sail towards Minas Tirith.
I added that to explain what a luck the defenders of Minas Tirith actually had. So the defeat of only one of Saurons armies was a great effort allready. It was clear that the free people of Middle Earth wouldn't be able to resist Sauron for much longer with or without the Ring.