[Rumil]

Hi all,

agree with what's been said here, and even had Smaug not allied with Sauron I think his presence alone would have had a major impact on the War of the Ring. Not sure that Smaug (much like the Balrog) would have joined Sauron unless 'invited' personally, as I don't see the Nazgul ordering a dragon around (they weren't keen on fire after all). However Smaug could certainly have taken the opportunity to cause mayhem for his own satisfaction.

Without the black arrow, there would have been no Battle of the Five Armies, so the orcs, goblins and wolves of the Northern Misty Mountains would have been far stronger. Dale and Erebor would still be ruins rather than thriving towns, and the Northmen would not have been able to set up their kingdom, that by the time of LoTR ran all the way to the River Carnen.

Additionally, few amies would be prepared to move in the area of Erebor for fear of Smaug. Therefore Sauron's forces have far more freedom of movement while the good guys are unlikely to be able to support one-another.

In the War of the Ring, Thranduil, the Woodmen and the Beornings co-operated to fight off invasions from Dol Guldur (and likely the remnants of the Misty Mountains goblins). Erebor and Dale, and the greater kingdom of Dale, likely Laketown, and just maybe the Dwarves of the Iron Hills all co-operated against the invasion of the Easterlings, and this was a very close run thing.