- "Give him a pony."
- —Thorin Oakenshield, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey movie
The Lord of the Rings is resplendent with notable creatures of equestrian nature and their unshakeable bonds with the races of Middle-earth. Some took more prominent roles in history, such as the mighty and majestic Shadowfax, while others played important albeit more humble parts, such as the sturdy and reliable Bill the Pony, who proved himself worthy by kicking his former master, the legendary Bill Ferny (whom he is also named after). The Pony Pack battalion is a tribute to these noble animals, and their inclusion in the dwarven factions means every faction in Edain Mod has access to horses or their relatives in some way, shape, or form. The Pony Pack also represents the migratory nature of dwarves displaced from their homes with the fall of Moria. These brave ponies give the Unburnt, Arkenguard, and Ironbreakers the courage to become heroic units with their adorable eyes and fluffy manes, to become the very best, to become protectors of what they love: a chance to become Veterans of Khazad-dûm. And also to avenge their homeland.
Pony Packs appear mysteriously at the Travel Camp settlement structure. Once combined with The Unburnt, Arkenguard or Ironbreakers, the combined unit will disappear and reappear a few minutes later as Veterans of Khazad-dûm. The ponies vanish as magically as they appeared when the Veterans return, leading some to speculate that Gandalf the Grey (also coincidentally summonable out of thin air) might be involved. The Veterans are limited to 3 groups on the battlefield at once. Using excess pony packs as bait, diversionary tactics, or risky scouting is morally reprehensible and an injustice even a Valar would get off his rear end to correct. It is far better to keep them and demolish the Travel Camp instead, replacing it with a mineshaft or lumber mill. That way if any of your Veterans die, your wise ponies can take more troops to an alternate dimension to instruct them in the ways of warfare before returning them.
Trivia[]
- Pony Packs are currently selected when Q (select all units) is used, so if you have Pony Packs, beware because they could go to the middle of battle.