"Hobbit/LOTR SBG. What book?" Topic

I see that GW has remarketed the system a few times. Which book is the compilation of the current rules?

these are all the books.
one main book and supplements.

link

Those must just be the ones still in print. Yes, the Hobbit book listed first is the latest rules compilation. I see Kingdoms of Men is sold out, but they don't even list Fallen Realms and Free Peoples, or the Legions of Middle Earth Expansion that give all of the army lists.

A sad end to a fun game system.

Ed

Yeah, GW has let alot of the books lapse from print. Unfortunately these are essential if you want to play anything that is not in the Hobbit films or having to do with one of the main factions in LoTR. The only way to get them now is either used, or find one of the pretty-good quality pirated PDF's that are currently floating about the interwebs.

I'm hoping to have the club try LoTR sometime this year, but I'll be using the Return of the King rulebook from the mid 00's. It's not very different from the current rulebook and has stats for most units from all the LoTR movies. Most importantly it's available for stupid cheap money so I'm picking up a few to pass out to the club members before the battle.

It's not current, but there really isn't enough of a local LoTR scene or enough support from GW to make me concerned with using the current edition of the rules.

A sad end to a fun game system.

Not a sad end at all! See what ordinarybass is doing above.

All of the 5 newer LOTR sourcebooks are still available on the U.S. webstore. Whether that means they are slowly going OOP or merely supplies limited in GB, I do not know.

I personally use the big Blue hardbound LOTR book that is OOP, plus various supplements. The Hobbit book (either the mini book that came in Goblin Town or the big Hardbound book) adds an additionally level of complexity to resolve combat(weapon type, three alternative attacks, and more detailed cover rules for missile weapons) are the latest, but I know lots of folks don't use those features and stick with the older versions. For casual play the softbound Return of the King or Mines of Moria books will probably meet your needs.

Thanks all!

Oh, also, there was a PDF available on the GW website (I can send you if you cannot find it) listing the heroes and villains of Middle Earth, basically all of the new characters and Warriors of The Hobbit movies and giving you their game profiles. It would be a nice supplement to the LOTR stuff.

We have a group of about 12 that play once a month. We use the hardbound "One Book to Rule Them All" rules for LOTR that came out in 2007. Most of us agree this is the best version of the system. The special attacks and monster attacks in The Hobbit add too much complexity to a system that was quick and fun to play.

I got an ok deal on the "One Book" from Ebay. Are all the supplements great or are there a few must haves?