Popped into my local GW for an Azog miniature and had a little discussion with the local GW manager. Of course, they don't actually seem to 'know' anything ahead of time any more, but he always seems to be right around the money. Take this for what it's worth (not a lot).

He knows i've not bought the hardback Hobbit rulebook yet, and while discussing the new release he let this little tidbit out;

Very unlikely for there to be a new mass release hardback rulebook for DoS, film 2 and 3 are most likely going to get a sourcebook similar to the current FotR/TTT/RotK books for standard LotR:SBG. When i asked about the likelihood of not being able to get an AUJ rulebook when the new films releases comes out, he expressly said not to worry about it, didn't try selling me it at all.

Does he know something we all don't? Unlikely, but he's been working at that store for a decade now and i've trusted pretty much every bit of pre-release advice he's ever given me.

Make of it what you will.

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Essex, UK based SBG/WOTR player!

My SBG WIP thread.

I'm not surprised by this.

I had expected the next two films to have source books and not big rule books. I was suprised they didn't do a Hobbit rulebook and a seperate AUJ source book in the first place actually.

I have a hunch (ok more like a hope) they will do another rulebook before the license expires which will fix the issues with the current book and incoroprate the FAQs

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I think a drug habbit would be cheaper...

A new rulebook each year was acceptable when it was a fairly cheap softback. They'd be pushing their luck if they tried it again now. This seems like a far more reasonable idea, and I'd hope that it is the case.

I only want to pick up 1 BRB for The Hobbit so i'm happy that I can just get it over with and not have to wait for a Battle of Five Armies one. Or maybe I should wait for a 'The One Rulebook' type deal in a few years? I still can't justify paying £50 for a book.

VG

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"Dark have been my dreams of late."

I haven't bought the hardback rule book yet in anticipation of them releasing the new one with each film. I'm hoping that they don't do that and instead go with the journey books. If they do I'll happily buy them and probably go back and get the hardback too.

It makes sense not to release a new hardback until later unless there was a massive demand for the product (which there isn't as far as I can gauge from the community and by the fact they provided an alternative book with EFGT). By not releasing a full rulebook, they can keep demand for the original and earn extra sales by having a journeybook (which would not really be sought after by those who didn't already have the rulebook, but not strictly the case). Quite smart really. This makes a lot more sense given the reduced time between releases of film 2 & 3.

I do hope that they will release another "One" rulebook, and really suspect that they will. There may be balance or wording changes and gives the chances for another round of sales. The real question I think is this: Will the "One" hobbit rulebook contain all the profiles for The Hobbit releases, or will they release a sourcebook containing these details. On top of this, will they merge (or make obsolete) the LOTR rulebooks? (the second I presume given what they do to 40k etc) Will they additionally merge the hobbit & lotr army books and create a new round of army books to be purchased.

The second seems to be more likely to me as it wraps everything up in a nice way but is dependent on if they are permitted to blend the two films into one game (due to licensing and copyright etc.) Having both the LOTR & Hobbit stuff as we have it now I think will end up trying to milk a dry cow and I'm not sure they would end up making as many sales as they would by combining it, but it would draw out the decline of the SBG a little more.

Anyway, I suspect that a "One" rulebook will be released as it gives GW enough time to sell off as many copies of the AUJ rulebook as they can - the LOTR One book was released a few years after if I recall correctly, so its not unheard of.

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My trade thread
http://www.one-ring.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=25957&p=325932#p325932

A new hard book would seriously extract the Michael, particularly as I am almost certain to purchase the new starter set with slim line rules!

sorry if im being stupid but whats an AUJ rulebook

The Hobbit An Unexpected Journey Rulebook.

Oh i should have known

I think the reason why the LOTR had new rules every film was because the game was quite primitive then and each new rulebook gave huge amounts of rules, that isn't really necessary anymore with the Hobbit.

I had no problems and actively looked forward to new rules being released as the game was developing and expanding as the miniature and scenery range grew. Initial problems like the Plantir that massively over powered Saruman were calmed down and then fully dealt with.

I think that the new rules are great but in need of the odd clrification which can be done on the FAQ page of G.W.s website. The only area that I feel needs a partial overhall is the siege weapon rules that are obscenely powerful against miniatures on or around a siege targets, but almost useless against battle field targets!

Yep, from what I recall there was no cavalry until TTT for example.

I asked if the Hobbit hardback rule book was going to stand for the next few years, and the guy said it would. I still have no intention of buying it though, the Lotr one and Efgt does us for all the games we play.

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Instagram @abbmodels

There are a number of slight differences I had not noticed until I checked the rules during a discussion on difficult terrain. You may need the old book and work out some house rules. I like to use some of the rules from Legends of the 7 Seas as house rules. The swinging from ropes rules are fun in Goblin Town.

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"the same as a duck you must be made of wood"

We'd be lucky of we got 5 games in a year. I just use an approximate profile, Haldir for Lindir, Gothmog for Azog. Really don't take it that seriously. I'd rather spend the money on minis than the book.

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Instagram @abbmodels

There are massive changes in the new rule book which really make the game much more enjoyable, but they are available with the starter sets. Monsters and heroes are more powerful and capable of more heroic actions and deeds, and the monsters are capable of utter carnage, as they should be!

I had noted those. I had not realised there were differences in the movement rules. The difference in the shooting rules I saw. The In the way rules are more like LOT7S and LOTOW. I was already using them. I am going to try some of the monster rules with some of the old scenarios. Have not tried many of them.
The Basic system is sound. I use it in my Pup fiction Game.

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"the same as a duck you must be made of wood"

It'd be useful if GW, upon a new edition, did a "Veterans look here!" PDF or something on their site that pointed out exactly what's changed, and where to find it in the rulebook.

I know I probably still have rules from long ago stuck in my head, and tend to just doggedly stick to what I know, sometimes even just skim reading the rules parts of the book unless I need to reference it. I should know better, but the habits are hard to kill.

That's one reason why this, if true, is a godsend - less having to learn new stuff, to replace old stuff, that was changed only because they needed something to change, rather than because it was poorly implemented (as 'regular' new editions tend to do).

Jamie and I are filming a series of videos for the channel which will explain the difference between LOTR SBG and The Hobbit SBG, focusing on the updates and what's positive or not so positive about them.

Keep an eye out for this content on the GBHL Podcast on Youtube

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I mentioned this a few months ago. GW employees at our local store said the same. Journeybooks, no new big rulebook, because the game was great as is, unlike the LOTR rulebooks which still needed alot of finetuning.

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"Mickey, my friend!"