# About aftermath of battle of Minas-Ithil(T.A.2000)



## Hisoka Morrow (Jul 29, 2020)

We all can infer that battle of Minas-Ithil(T.A.2000) must be a meat grinder for both belligerents. Yet the Dark side might get proved winner due to their superior "birth rate" to recover and their possible strategic goal accomplished.XDD

Yet here comes to a problem, why didn't the Witch King launch a next offense in those bunches of golden chances like the fell winter or the Battle of the Field of Celebrant?Instead, the big smart Witch King launched another offense alone without any aid from any other allied forces like the Easterlings, and led to his destructive defeat under the command of Boromir I at Osgilithas. 

Is there any reason JRRT has mentioned that why the Witch King has such seemingly stupid strategy?Or JRRT just left it to the readers as a space to guess?XD


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## Deleted member 12094 (Jul 29, 2020)

A few elements of information.



Hisoka Morrow said:


> bunches of golden chances like the fell winter or the Battle of the Field of Celebrant



I wouldn't exactly speak of bunches of golden chances! Nearly 500 years had passed from the fall of Minas Ithil before the Battle of the Field of Celebrant took place.

As regards the fell winter, that was yet another 400 years later; moreover it affected northern Eriador but not Gondor.



Hisoka Morrow said:


> Witch King launched offense alone, without any aid from any other allied forces



The Balchoth from the East and the Orcs from the Misty Mountains (_"who at that time before their war with the Dwarves were in great strength"_) were in league and coordinated their actions at the events before or during the Battle of the Field of Celebrant.

However, the Witch King was not present at that battle. The Nazgûl were still lying low and abiding their time while Sauron built up his forces. Sauron would not openly declare himself in Mordor until another 400 years had passed. Before the Nazgûl crossed the Anduin, 500 years had passed since the said battle.



Hisoka Morrow said:


> his destructive defeat under the command of Boromir I



You are right about Boromir I and his success against the Uruks. I did not interpret this as a prominent "destructive defeat" though. The Uruks were the invaders, taking control of Ithilien until Boromir I drove them out again. So the end result appears to be more like a status quo, except that Osgiliath was ruined forever and one of the greatest captains of Gondor lost.


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## Hisoka Morrow (Jul 29, 2020)

Merroe said:


> The Balchoth from the East and the Orcs from the Misty Mountains (_"who at that time before their war with the Dwarves were in great strength"_) were in league and coordinated their actions at the events before or during the Battle of the Field of Celebrant.


I see, JRRT "didn't mention that Easterling weren't" in the battle, so we could assume that they might join forces with the Witch King during his battle against Boromir I



Merroe said:


> However, the Witch King was not present at that battle. The Nazgûl were still lying low and abiding their time while Sauron built up his forces. Sauron would not openly declare himself in Mordor until another 400 years had passed. Before the Nazgûl crossed the Anduin, 500 years had passed since the said battle.


I'm pretty sure Nazgûl had their appearance in the frontal combat, otherwise how could Boromir get DOW by the Morgul Blade?




Merroe said:


> You are right about Boromir I and his success against the Uruks. I did not interpret this as a prominent "destructive defeat" though. The Uruks were the invaders, taking control of Ithilien until Boromir I drove them out again. So the end result appears to be more like a status quo, except that Osgiliath was ruined forever and one of the greatest captains of Gondor lost.


Hmm....I just make such conclusion according to possible personnel casualties that Boromir might inflict, cause after all, JRRT didn't mention why the Witch King led no more massive military offense since then, yet the Balchoth("possibly lower birth rate" than the orcs) seem recovered enough during his son Cirion's term of office, so this meant that at least the Witch King's main force(Urks possibly) personnel casualties must be horribly devastating, otherwise they should have launched a diversionary offense to aid the Balchoth at least.(Of course it's another matter that the orcs from Gundaband were the Witch-King's formally main combat forces)

What do you think?🧐🧐🧐



Merroe said:


> The Balchoth from the East and the Orcs from the Misty Mountains (_"who at that time before their war with the Dwarves were in great strength"_) were in league and coordinated their actions at the events before or during the Battle of the Field of Celebrant.
> 
> However, the Witch King was not present at that battle. The Nazgûl were still lying low and abiding their time while Sauron built up his forces. Sauron would not openly declare himself in Mordor until another 400 years had passed. Before the Nazgûl crossed the Anduin, 500 years had passed since the said battle.


OK, I pruned my post so that it might not get misunderstood.
About the Witch King's offense on his own means his battle at Osgiliath against Boromir I. (It's another matter if there're Balchoth under his command)
I mean why didn't the Witch King keep waiting till Battle of the Field of Celebrant so that the Balchoth and the Orcs from the Misty Mountains can join his force?

So...this means near the peroid Witch King's offense against Boromir I, the Balchoth from the East and the Orcs from the Misty Mountains might be able as strong enough to threaten Gondor as well. So why didn't the Witch King hol for a few more decades?


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