Ok, I'm taking inventory of the books I've collected over the years and wondering if I really need the volumes I'm missing.

First, I have all the original rule books included in the initial box sets:
Fellowship
Two Towers
Return of the King
Mines of Moria (mini book)
Hobbit (mini book)

Then I have these Journey Books
Two Towers
Return of the King

Then I have the following original sourcebooks (in order of publication):
Shadow and Flame 2003
Scouring of the Shire 2004
Battle of Pelennor Fields 2004
Siege of Gondor 2004
Shadow in the East 2005
Ruin of Arnor 2006
Harad 2007
Gondor in Flames 2007

Then these two later sourcebooks, published in 2011:
Moria & Angmar
Mordor

Most recently, I added the additional Hobbit books:
Desolation of Smaug
Battle of the Five Armies

Here's what I DON'T have:
Fellowship of the Ring (Journey book)
Fall of the Necromancer 2006
Mordor 2008
Legions of Middle Earth 2006
Kingdoms of Men 2012
Free Peoples 2012
Fallen realms 2012

SO, I'd really like to know if there's any benefit to getting the remaining 2012 sourcebooks: Kingdoms of Men, Free Peoples, Fallen Realms. I'm mostly interested in model profiles. Do those books contain any profiles i don't already have?

And at this stage of the game (2016), do I need Legions?

Any info you could offer to fill in my lack of knowledge is appreciated.

Dave

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Fractions: 4 out of 3 people just don't get them.

No. Idle interest but superceded by the the 2012 army books. I would think you'd need those though, with the possible exception of Mordor whch I think think is pretty similiar to the previous Mordor book. Probably accounts for low sales and it's continuing availability.

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Chief Sarcaster at http://www.exmouthwargames.org.uk/
Assistant Dogsbody at http://legionaryshow.co.uk/ /

Fellowship Journeybook -- Awesome if you like playing through the movie scenarios. Really good quality and even has some good terrain articles in it.

Fall of the Necromancer -- Great book with some cool scenarios and scenery. I actually have a spare FotN book. If you are interested in it, give me a PM.

Mordor -- Meh. Nothing too inspiring here.

Legions -- Superseded by current rules. The only cool thing is a pretty neat random terrain generator feature in the back, based off of your location in Middle-earth.

Kingdoms of Men, Fallen Realms, and Free Peoples -- Hard to get because GW let them go OOP. I'd get them just because they are the most current rules for the LotR range of models. I wouldn't overpay, because I think GW will eventually re-release these, either in print or digitally, or create some sort of compendium, once the Specialist Game studio gets up and running.

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Respectfully,
Jonathan

Do what is right, love mercy, and walk humbly

Battle Companies

Thanks, Jonathan. That's really helpful. Especially the possibility that GW could re-release the remaining 2012 army books. in the mean time, I'm going to keep my eyes open on eBay and Amazon for them, for a reasonable price.

Dave

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Fractions: 4 out of 3 people just don't get them.

If you really want a legions book, I'll trade you for Ruin of Arnor. But in all fairness, I should warn you, I would be getting the bargin and you would be walking away stung by the trade. Yes, I actually own a copy of legions. However, the book was a book of ideas which contained no rules or stats, just point values.

Jokes aside, try to get either the 2012 source books or the big hobbit manual. Additionally, with the announcement of the new Middle Earth specialty line, I think we are half expecting a new rules manual for Middle Earth the SBG, so you can also hold out for that too.