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To William
I agree with your opinion that the army of Elendil could not have been as great as the force that Ar Pharazon landed at Umbar but it is the joint force of Arnor's Army and Gil-Galad's host at Imladris that is "none greater in Middle Earth" since the breaking of Thangorodrim. Gid-Galad's Elves must have been the greater part of this great host. "Fairer and more splendid in arms" likely pertains to their armament. Since the downmfall of Numenor Elendil's mixed men could not have been as effective as a force of pure Numenoreans and so many of the Noldor who had made the journey of the Exhiles would have been killed in the great battles of the FA & SA's. Most of the surviving Noldor would have been Dark Elves without the power described to Glorfindel in Fellowship of the Ring so overall the Noldor would be less powerful regardless of how numerous they became or how well armed.
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