Middle Earth Ranger Forum

As someone who is pursuing a 3rd Age Dunedain Ranger of the North persona, I am thinking that I want to build two separate kits (I know, ha, the money!!). One kit to represent the typical, everyday look of a Ranger who might be tasked by Aragorn to guard the Shire or the roads around Bree. This would be the lived-in, "rusty green and brown" Ranger look. The second kit I think I want to build is the Dunedain "riding to open war" look, represented by Aragorn's kin riding in the Gray Company. I think the later option provides an excellent opportunity to build a kit that might have only existed for a very small snapshot of time in Middle Earth, and is ultimately just fascinating to me. Has anyone else constructed or added pieces to their kit that might have only seen use in open war? Chain mail hauberks, shields, helms, horse tack, spears?

I've definitely played with a heavier armor loadout than what I usually do. It consists of a modified spangenhelm, hauberk, and hardened bazubands.

theowl wrote: ↑Fri Jun 11, 2021 5:55 pm I've definitely played with a heavier armor loadout than what I usually do. It consists of a modified spangenhelm, hauberk, and hardened bazubands.

I love bazubands. I fought with them in the SCA, under my tunic. Hard to beat for integrated elbow protection. Is your helm dome shaped or conical on the top, and does it have a nasal or cheek guards? I'm trying to decide what a Gray Company helm would have looked like (lots of ways to go, here).

mg2Arnor wrote: ↑Fri Jun 11, 2021 7:46 pm

theowl wrote: ↑Fri Jun 11, 2021 5:55 pm I've definitely played with a heavier armor loadout than what I usually do. It consists of a modified spangenhelm, hauberk, and hardened bazubands.

Is your helm dome shaped or conical on the top, and does it have a nasal or cheek guards? I'm trying to decide what a Gray Company helm would have looked like (lots of ways to go, here).

It has a slight point and nasal bar. I also added some leather lames in the back for neck protection that give it a slightly rohirric vibe.

Cool idea, I actually have thought about doing the exact same thing for my persona, a dwarf who's story started when she traveled from the Iron Hills to Erebor to fight in the battle of the five armies, every time I have the thought I end up pushing it aside because of money but it would still be interesting to have the "war dwarf" version of kit to show a slightly different side of Iodo's story, maybe one day I will, although the kit variant of Iron Hills miner will probably come first

I'll look forward to seeing yours though

I love this idea! If I had more money to throw around at my kit, and more places to actually wear it, I might be tempted to do the same thing! I can’t wait to see what you come up with!

I feel like the Grey Company would still have been kitted up fairly lightly in terms of war gear, at least compared to the soldiers and knights of Gondor, and even some of the Rohirrim. So probably the basic armor you’ve mentioned at most, and then I’d probably stick to grays, browns, and earthy greens in terms of color scheme, and maybe include a surcoat over the hauberk.

The more I think about it, the more I am inclined to say that the likely would have been kitted out similarly to an 11th or 12th century knight/crusader actually:

Also, for my own part, I think I want to do a second kit too, but if I do so my second kit will likely be sort of “formal wear” to be used when attending feasts and gatherings. I haven’t decided exactly how I want it to look yet, but I imagine it will probably consist of slightly finer versions of the same basic garments I wear when out ranging, and would be something my Ranger would keep in a safe place with the rest of his clan/tribe/group/what-have-you and only bring out on special occasions, like visiting the elves, or paying homage to the chieftain or king. Functionally, it would just be nice to have an extra set of Ranger garb to wear when I don’t want to be clad in muddy, threadbare wool and leather.

I've yet to get one full kit up and going, never mind two but I'd eventually be interested in adding a few "war-like" elements. Namely, mail, a helmet, and a shield to accompany my spear. I've often thought that a variation of the Late Roman ridge helmet or the Deir el-Medina spangenhelm would fit nicely. My persona isn't very interested in war so this would mostly like be for my own sake and not worn frequently. I'm much more interested in creating a "formal-wear" kit like Manv. It'd be great to have something a little nicer to wear at the tavern or at home.

Edit to add - I'm not planning on adding a surcoat to my daily Ranger kit but I would definitely throw one on over the mail. War-time is what they were originally made for and with the proper emblems would signify Dúnedain allegiance.

Edit edit - another thought is where on the social ladder your persona is. Armor - even your basic mail and helmet - was very expensive for the day. The stuff of lords and noblemen, not scruffy forest wanderers. Obviously, the Grey Company was totally a thing but I'd imagine your average Dúnedain would have bit more trouble getting their hands on the stuff. But others who've considered the socio-economical position of the Dúnedain more than I might have better things to say about that.

Cimrandir wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 10:18 pmEdit edit - another thought is where on the social ladder your persona is. Armor - even your basic mail and helmet - was very expensive for the day. The stuff of lords and noblemen, not scruffy forest wanderers. Obviously, the Grey Company was totally a thing but I'd imagine your average Dúnedain would have bit more trouble getting their hands on the stuff. But others who've considered the socio-economical position of the Dúnedain more than I might have better things to say about that.

This is an interesting question for sure! I feel like the way these things work in Middle-earth is slightly removed from the way they worked in actual history, particularly for cultures like the Dúnedain, since they were of noble lineage, and kind of like… the only completely uncorrupted heirs to the legacy of Númenor, as far as I am aware. So perhaps they had inconspicuous-but-significant wealth left over, or perhaps they used mostly heirloom pieces, carefully preserved and handed down, generation-to-generation. I’m not well enough versed in the lore to say for sure, but perhaps someone else can shed some light on that subject.

Manveruon wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 6:46 am This is an interesting question for sure! I feel like the way these things work in Middle-earth is slightly removed from the way they worked in actual history,

It depends where in history you are looking. I suspect that as an Anglo Saxonist the Professors view may have skewed slightly toward the heirloom path you suggest.
Here are just a few of the many, many war gear references in Beowulf.

He could not hold back: one hand brandished the yellow-timbered shield, the other drew his sword— an ancient blade that was said to have belonged to Eanmund, the son of Ohthere

Now is the time when I would have wanted to bestow this armour on my own son, had it been my fortune to have fathered an heir and live on in his flesh.

Many then hurried to help Wulf, bandaged and lifted him, now that they were left masters of the blood-soaked battleground.
One warrior stripped the other, looted Ongentheow's iron mail-coat, his hard sword-hilt, his helmet too, and carried the graith to King Hygelac; he accepted the prize, promised fairly that reward would come, and kept his word.

Now, my friend, don't you recognize your father's sword, his favourite weapon, the one he wore when he went out in his war-mask to face the Danes on that final day?
After Wethergeld died and his men were doomed the Shieldings quickly claimed the field, and now here's a son of one or other of those same killers coming through our hall overbearing us, mouthing boasts, and rigged in armour that by right is yours.

Manveruon wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 6:46 am

Cimrandir wrote: ↑Sun Jul 11, 2021 10:18 pmEdit edit - another thought is where on the social ladder your persona is. Armor - even your basic mail and helmet - was very expensive for the day. The stuff of lords and noblemen, not scruffy forest wanderers. Obviously, the Grey Company was totally a thing but I'd imagine your average Dúnedain would have bit more trouble getting their hands on the stuff. But others who've considered the socio-economical position of the Dúnedain more than I might have better things to say about that.

This is an interesting question for sure! I feel like the way these things work in Middle-earth is slightly removed from the way they worked in actual history, particularly for cultures like the Dúnedain, since they were of noble lineage, and kind of like… the only completely uncorrupted heirs to the legacy of Númenor, as far as I am aware. So perhaps they had inconspicuous-but-significant wealth left over, or perhaps they used mostly heirloom pieces, carefully preserved and handed down, generation-to-generation. I’m not well enough versed in the lore to say for sure, but perhaps someone else can shed some light on that subject.

Oh absolutely! This is fantasy after all. I’m just thinking of topics in threads past about the economics and “reality” of it all. Talking about farmsteads and how to outfit and provide the support for ranging and such. So I thought I’d at least toss it in there but again, it is fantasy and supported by the canon. I probably should have emphasized that more in my earlier post. My bad.

I definitely have on my list some armor to add to my regular kit for war. I'm thinking mail with boiled leather shin and arm guards and possibly a boiled leather chestplate as well, plus a viking/norman helm and a shield. I figured that it was likely that the rangers would add to normal kit more than they would have a completely seperate one, and might have a layered approach as well depending on the engagement.