Wesnoth population

[alexanderthegre]

Well, the elves live mainly in linantir forest, whoms eastern portion is entirely unmapped. It is likely that they have a much larger territory than that is currently on the map.

[taptap]

Well: WINR!

If you really would like to talk about demographics you end up with most cultures implementing some kind of population control which throughout human history often was female infanticide, which in turn - according to at least one well known anthropologist (Marvin Harris) - brings about warfare and patriarchy as side effects (by scarcity of women etc.). I don't think demographic speculation goes too well with magical beings (elves, trolls, wose, drakes), wose might go tree-ish, trolls may turn to stone, elves have so much magic and drakes probably would suffer more from a magical plague that reduces their inner fire than from anything else. Even human demography is complicated if you start to take it seriously, but it is a joke if you start demographic speculation on a fantasy setting.

@orcs:
There is no reason to make orcs "hunters/gatherers" only. Even in LotR orcs have bread and Wesnoth orcs are generally more civilized. Imo a tribal organisation goes just as well with predominantly herding and some agriculture. The grunts would then just be the warriors who go abroad for fighting not necessarily the majority of the population. Also, usually there is no need for a factual historical reason for hatred, hatred works just as well without.

@dwarves:
I imagine dwarves to trade for food (grain). What other reason could they have to sell armour, jewellery etc. What else would a cave dweller need more urgently than grain? NR is pretty explicit that the dwarves used to get their food from the outside and just barely got along with what they can grow in some lighted caves in a very reduced state.

@elves:
Should be outnumbered by humans by far. Elves just don't work as elves otherwise.

[johndh]

@orcs:
There is no reason to make orcs "hunters/gatherers" only. Even in LotR orcs have bread and Wesnoth orcs are generally more civilized.

It's pretty well established that orcs do not have agriculture of any kind. This is part of what makes them such a blight on the world. When there is a swell in the orc population, they pick the land clean like locusts.

[Swiss_Army_Cheese]

@orcs:
There is no reason to make orcs "hunters/gatherers" only. Even in LotR orcs have bread and Wesnoth orcs are generally more civilized.

It's pretty well established that orcs do not have agriculture of any kind. This is part of what makes them such a blight on the world. When there is a swell in the orc population, they pick the land clean like locusts.

I don't think that it has been established that they have a lack of agriculture, all I have scene is a lack of evidence that the Orcs have a form of agriculture at all.

@Taptap: Ignoring Johndh's post, as civilized as the Orcs are in Battle for Wesnoth, they lack one thing necessary for decent agriculture that the LOTR Orcs have - Political stability. Also they (the Wesnoth Orcs) have way too much snow to grow stuff.