Let's Talk Knizia's LotR Expansions

Looks like my question got buried on the front page, that or I don't rate, so I'll give it a shot back here.

I understand there are three expansions to this game: Friends & Foes, Sauron, and Battlefields. I've gotten a potential trade offer for LotR w/ Friends & Foes and Sauron, no Battlefields. Is this a decent combo to have? Will I feel the game is incomplete without Battlefields? Should I just get the new silverline version and not mess with expansions at all?

So, those of you here that dig the series, what's the rundown on the expansions?

The game is good without expansions, but replay value is limited somewhat. The expansions extend the life of the game by adding variety.

The Friends and Foes expansion adds the Bree/Isengard scenario board, so it's worth having once you've figured out reliable strategies for beating the four scenarios in the base game. The "military victory" option that this expansion introduces should probably be harder to achieve than it is; destroying the ring is a grander and more satisfying accomplishment, IMO.

The Sauron set is actually three small, independent expansions. I don't think I've ever played as the Sauron character, so I can't vouch for that role being any fun. I dunno.

I haven't played Battlefields at all.

Overall, I'd say that the basic game is an absolute classic must-play game that gets tired after 5-10 plays because that's the point at which the scripted gameplay becomes repetitive. The expansions don't eliminate the problem, but they do forestall it a little by adding some variety and difficulty.

I doubt you'd miss the Battlefields expansion. I don't imagine that there are many groups that use all the expansions at once. The combination of Friends and Foes and Sauron will give you plenty of ways to customize the game once you're finished with the base rules.

Juniper wrote: The Friends and Foes expansion adds the Bree/Isengard scenario board, so it's worth having once you've figured out reliable strategies for beating the four scenarios in the base game. The "military victory" option that this expansion introduces should probably be harder to achieve than it is; destroying the ring is a grander and more satisfying accomplishment, IMO.

It's recommended by Knizia that you play with the Black Gate variant when playing with F&F, which eliminates the "easy military victory" problem mentioned above. Completely.

I'd argue that Friends & Foes is a good way to play after your first couple games even if you haven't "figured out" the base game. It just feels more complete and more interesting with F&F. Sauron is a cool option; I like it but in practice we rarely use it.

Lots of people don't like Battlefields; I have it but haven't played it yet. I like having the option, and the completionist in me is happy to have it.

I would recommend the old "big" version with Sauron & F&F over the Silverline version. Partly because I really like the older artwork, and partly because it feels to me like there's much more game in the box with F&F and Sauron options.

Battlefields is my least favorite expansion. I don't own it, and I can't really recommend it.

The others are both good.

There's a copy of the original with Friends and Foes in a local math trade I'm in. I think it'll be near the top of my wantlist.

wkover wrote: Battlefields is my least favorite expansion. I don't own it, and I can't really recommend it.

The others are both good.

I have the opposite opinion... I think Battlefields is the best expansion and adds a really interesting and more dynamic aspect to the game. Yeah, the flowchart layout of the boards is lame... the same essential thing could have depicted actual battlefields, though they were obviously trying to conserve the size of the boards... but in terms of something happening, I think it's a lot more interesting than Friends & Foes, the new mechanic of which is just a line of cards. And for me it completes the LOTR experience better because now you're not just moving the Hobbits in the game, but Aragorn and Gimli and Legolas and Boromir and Gandalf are also doing their thing on the side.

Btw, I don't think of any of the expansions as essential. They're all nice to have, but the base game still holds up on its own.

I'd say that Friends and Foes is the only expansion you really need. I hardly ever play without that one.

The other two were ok for the novelty value at first but I never use them now.

I have always suspected that Battlefields was never really finished. It just doesn't feel completely integrated to me, and the whole thing with the flowcharts feels very prototype-y. Remember that this was an expansion that came out WAY after the others, kind of out of nowhere. I've always suspected that Knizia never really felt like it was done, and eventually it just got published anyway- probably due to contractual obligation.

It also feels, as Grudunza pointed out, like a more detailed implementation of some of the concepts of F&F. And as much as I like that you've got the rest of the Fellowship more "present", it does shift the focus off the Hobbits and some of the game's core thematic values.

You know, it really kind of makes sense...Battlefields is the parts of the story that Knizia didn't think were essential to the themes he wanted to bring out, all the mass battle War of the Ring-type stuff.

Has FFG said one way or the other whether some version of the old expansions would be reprinted or redone for the Silver Line edition? I kind of figured that would be a no-brainer, but then again I also recall numerous holiday sales that had the first two expansions for something like $5, so maybe the market's saturated and anyone wanting to play with them should just pick up the old set instead or in addition.