Gondorian Rangers

As a result of their military role, they would use their horses to patrol areas in groups of 5-20. But the whole organization would probably be closer to that of a single banda - so 200 total. We can see this in the size of Henneth Annun. This refuge of theirs could hold that many men and their supplies for a short time.

Rangers used camouflaged cloaks to blend into the trees. The quiver was actually specially designed to make it quiet and better equipped to handle the weather conditions a ranger would be exposed to.

Their primary weaponry was a bow with a 140 pound draw weight and 200 yard range. They carried a sword as well, but I have no information on it so I assume it was the standard issue one.

Henneth Annun and the Rangers suggests some affinity for infantry based guerrilla tactics. As such they are the only group that bears resemblance to a special forces team. As a result, their tactics were hit and run, primarily designed for tactical offense and based off long far off deployments.   My sources describe them as often placing traps, conducting ambushes and killing enemy scouts. When engaged in combat, they rely on swift attacks and stealth. They aimed to kill leaders of enemy forces first to force a retreat or rout. Ideally, the surprise and loss of leadership would cause severe harm to the enemy. If enemy forces were weak enough, they might move in for the kill with melee combat. But the priority was on maintaining their fighting strength rather than doing major damage to the enemy.   Now, we need to recognize that the power of the Rangers of Ithilien is not their numbers but their skill and ability to hit anywhere and disappear. Rangers would use basic asymmetrical war fighting tactics to drain the enemy. This means they would not conduct direct attacks. Instead, they would prefer to attack soft targets, targets of opportunity and when the odds are in their favor. Otherwise they would prefer to simply observe and report back to their commanders. Therefore, we can expect their mere existence to force other powers to be more cautious in their activities. Attackers would have to march slower, dedicate more units to protection of flanks and to covering supply lines. This means we would expect the Rangers to simply harass the enemy and inflict losses where possible, leaving large scale traditional battles to the main army.   This mirrors the fleet in being concept, where a naval force extends a controlling influence without ever leaving port. Normally, ships are safer in a harbor, thus enemies would struggle to defeat the enemy navy. But, if they can’t defeat that enemy naval force, naval planners must always account for the possibility of the enemy leaving port to attack at any time. This forces a more defensive posture than would otherwise be needed. This is a sea denial tactic, meaning that the side using the fleet in being tactic can only at best keep the other side from controlling the sea instead of taking control for itself. It also leaves the side using this tactic unable to eliminate the threat of the other navy, so no one would use this tactic if planners could expect to win a decisive battle and gain total control over the territory.   They would also be a classic skirmisher and reconnaissance unit. They would be perfectly placed to monitor enemy troop movements, learn the terrain and provide intelligence to the rest of the military establishment. Normally, small and specialist units were put together to operate ahead of the main army to see what was coming. However, speed and mobility were critical in this role, so I would expect that light horses would be provided to aid in their patrols.   That brings up a good point to me that I had not considered until now. The fact is that the Rangers were the first and sometimes only line of defense against enemy attacks in the area between Mordor and Minas Tirith. Southron and Easterling formations often moved through this area as Sauron gathered in his forces. This means that patrols would be an essential element of the Ranger’s duties. They would also have a large area to cover in these patrols, many threats to look out for and a small number of troops to respond with. Thus, I would expect they would operate more similarly to the Rangers Aragorn led than they are presented in the books and movies. The smaller area and a more functional government in the area means that the comparisons are not exact. But the Gondorian Rangers would be more light infantry and light cavalry at the same time.   They would strike at supply lines and small units they can handle on their own. Ambushes would be the standard engagement. Thus, they would conduct lighter, asymmetrical, sporadic combat aimed at disrupting attacks, delay movement, cutting off supplies and communications and to reduce morale or discipline. Similarly, these attacks can probe the enemy disposition, aiming to elicit a strong reaction. Once this happens, the enemy reveals their strength and other useful information. The Rangers retain the ability to choose full engagement or retreat. In either case they win. Think the Recon in force idea I discuss with the elves.   This role would mean they would also have a somewhat more offensive role. Given their mobility, scouting role and skill, they would be perfectly placed to deal with some threats. Slow communications also mean that some threats may become unmanageable if a reply from Minas Tirith is required for action to take place. Given the fact that the higher leadership tends to be known for its risk adverse mindset that prefers to ignore threats from the comfort of luxury villas, authorization might not always be forthcoming. So, for larger threats, the Rangers would probably act on their own to neutralize them before they moved into Gondor’s heartlands.

They would have to be some of the best troops Gondor has available. A single company killing entire battalion sized units was apparently common.

Henneth Annun itself is a cave system hidden inside a mountain and behind a waterfall. It is used as an armory, storehouse and sleeping area. This is a perfect area for this sort of unit. It is a naturally defended area that would be quite hard to attack even with no additional fortification. In fact, its greatest asset is being hidden, so additional fortifications might actually hurt it.

Their recruits came from the most loyal, skilled and experienced veterans in Gondor. Traditionally, they came from the region of Ithilien - the area between Minas Tirith and the mountains of Mordor.