[Maédhros]

Revised Changes:
FG-TG-01.5
But Turgon, who knew that Tuor, mortal as he was, had the favour of the Valar, marking his stout glance and the power of his voice sent to him and bade him dwell in Gondolin and be in his favour, and abide even within the royal halls if he would, [for Tuor was held in honour, for his kindreds sake].

FG-TG-02.5
There he heard concerning that city of Gondolin and {how unstaying labour through ages of years had not sufficed to} its building and adornment {whereat folk travailed yet}; of the delving of that hidden tunnel he heard, which the folk named the Way of Escape
I think this keeps the meaning relatively intact while excising the outdated bits.

FG-TG-03.5
of the guard without ceasing he was told, that was held there in arms and likewise at certain low places in the encircling mountains, and how watchers dwelt ever vigilant on the highest peaks of that range beside builded beacons ready for the fire; for never did that folk cease to look for an onslaught of the Orcs {did their stronghold become known.} [and no spy or creature out of Angband could come there because of the vigilance of the eagles, and Morgoth was thwarted in the fulfillment of his designs.]

FG-TG-04.5
Upon a time the king caused his most cunning artificers to fashion {a suit of armour} [an axe] for Tuor as a great gift, {and it was made of {Gnome} Noldor-steel overlaid with silver; but his helm was adorned with a device of metals and jewels like to two swan-wings, one on either side, and a swan's wing was wrought on his shield; but he carried an axe rather than a sword,} and this in the speech of the {Gondolindrim} [Sindar] he named Dramborleg, for its buffet stunned and its edge clove all armour.
Note: This change replaces FG-TG-04

FG-TG-05.5
Now came days when Tuor had dwelt {among the {Gondothlim}[in Gondolin] {many years}[for seven years]. Long had he known and cherished a love for the king's daughter,

FG-M-04
{Now it so chanced that not long after Meglin went to the hills for the getting of ore,
…
and he durst never again wander amid the mines lest he again fall in with the Orcs and be bidden once more to the terrors of the halls of darkness.}
Use later
Not sure about this one.


FG-M-05.5
Now the years fare by, and egged by Idril Tuor keepeth ever at his secret delving{;}[.] /*Q77 Tidings were brought by Thorondor Lord of Eagles of the fall of Nargothrond, and after of the slaying of Thingol and of Dior his heir, and of the ruin of Doriath; but Turgon shut his ear to word of the woes without, and vowed to march never at the side of any son of Fëanor; and his people he forbade ever to pass the leaguer of the hills./*
Replacement of the passage of the Quenta to the one in the Published Silmarillion.
Note: This change replaces FG-M-05.

Mechanical Monsters

FG-D-01 Deleting from Maeglin's advice to Morgoth.
{From the greatness of his wealth of metals and his powers of fire he }[He] bid him {make} [use] {beasts like} snakes and dragons of irresistible might that should overcreep the Encircling Hills and lap that plain and its fair city in flame and death.
Maeglin now advises Morogth to make snakes and dragons (by which should be understood more of the normal kinds of snakes and dragons) but of great strength, as the best means of bringing Gondolin to the ground.
Maedhros addition: I would replace the making of dragons to using them. Hence {make} [use].

FG-D-02 Devising of the dragons.
Yet these years are filled by Melko in the utmost ferment of labour, and all the thrall-folk of the {Noldoli} [Noldor] must dig unceasingly for metals{ while Melko sitteth and deviseth fires and calleth flames and smokes to come from the lower heats}, nor does {he} [Morgoth] suffer any of the {Noldoli} [Noldor] to stray ever a foot from their places of bondage.
…
Then on a time {Melko} [Morgoth] assembled {all his most cunning {smiths and} sorcerers, and {of iron and flame} they wrought} a host of monsters such as have only at that time been seen and shall not again be till the Great End. {Some {were all of iron so cunningly linked that they} might flow like slow rivers of metal or coil themselves around and above all obstacles before them, and these {were filled in their innermost depths with} [carried on their backs]} [T]he grimmest {of the} [were the] Orcs with scimitars and spears; others {of bronze and copper} {were given} [had] hearts and spirits of blazing fire, and they blasted all that stood before them with the terror of their snorting or trampled whatso escaped the ardour of their breath; yet others were creatures of {pure} flame that writhed like ropes of molten metal, …
The Noldor are now presumably mining metal to arm Morgoth's troops, not to create dragon. The revised acount leaves obscure how these monsters were devised: by breeding or by pods or other method. That they were only seen at that time would mean, in this new context, the time of the end of the First Age, not merely the time of the fall of Gondolin.
I am tempted to keep "of bronze and copper" and modify to "with scales of bronze and copper" here and elsewhere. It would be possible to distinguish iron-scaled and bronze-scaled dragons, but this feels too obviously "clever" to me. The omission of the number of Balrogs is questioned as something that should belong to another thread of change that chances to overlap this thread at this point and should not be considered in this discussion.
It feels a little artificial to me to keep the great mining and work of his thralls, but to entirely change its purpose. Still, it seems only logical that arms would be smithied in preparation for a battle. I think we might consider eliminating the whole passage, but it needs some thought.
Maedhros addition: {assembled all his most cunning {smiths and} sorcerers, and {of iron and flame} they wrought}
{Some {were all of iron so cunningly linked that they} might flow like slow rivers of metal or coil themselves around and above all obstacles before them, and these {were filled in their innermost depths with} [carried on their backs]}
[T]he grimmest {of the} [were the] Orcs with scimitars and spears; others {of bronze and copper} {were given} [had]
To note that there were no mechanical monsters.

Ambiguous Balrogs

FG-B-01 Balrogs on the dragons of flame.
... and {upon} with them {rode} [came] the Balrogs {in hundreds};
Eliminates reference to Balrogs riding dragons. These Balrogs may or may not be capable of flight. Also, if we change the mechanical dragons to real ones, they may no longer serve as transport.
Possibly adding [as captains]