Deathleech

I am sure it will, it has to. What else are they going to make sets for in TABA? Unless of course we don't get any exclusive Smaug set within the next few months. Then they might do a big Smaug set and have the rest be devoted to Bo5A, much like the second wave was mostly about Dol Guldur. I would be baffled if they don't release at least one MEA/UHA army builder type set for the Bo5A, and then a big set with most of the named characters. It would be awesome if the big Bo5A set had Beorn in bear form, Thorin, Fili and Kili all decked out in armor, maybe Dain and Bolg, Bard, and a great eagle with a few Gundabad Orcs and/or Warg. The army builder I am not sure how they could go about since there are so many armies taking part in the fight. I would definitely like to see some dwarf grunts, but it would be nice to get some human soldiers, armored elves, and of course more orcs.

Very impressive indeed! It's right up there with the 150k piece Helm's Deep MOC, imo. I love how it not only has pretty much all of Rivendell, but also includes the Nazgul being washed away by the river.

The designers touch on the design process a little in the deskp posted a few days ago (in the 2013 LotR & Hobbit set thread). In it the designers say they go to Warner Brothers, read the script for the film, then sit down with WB and come up with set ideas. Then the Lego designers go home, create sketches, and send them in to WB for final approval. I am sure they are shown some sort of designs for how stuff will appear in the movie otherwise I imagine their designs would be waaaay off. Why they didn't do armored elves is anyone's guess. Maybe they didn't want to invest in the new molds just yet or maybe the hooded scouting elves are featured more prominently right now in DoS.

Well to counter that, there is a LOT pointing to the list being fake. First off the guy posting it only had like 1 or 2 posts here on Eurobricks and since then has not made any posts. He has no reputability. He also said the sets already have prices, and gave really odd price points, but usually sets aren't priced that far in advance. He also could reveal all the sets and prices but couldn't reveal pictures he claimed to have? These all seem really like really sketchy details. As for your reasons the set list might true, I think some are pretty easy to make up and still be believable. For example the minifigure count. Any one with common sense and that has been into Lego for awhile can easily give "realistic" minifigure counts. The $10-13 set has 2 minifigures, the $20 set always has 3 minifigures, the $30-40 has 4, the $50-60 has 5, the $70-80 has 6-7, and the $100 has 9. Of course there are exceptions like if the set includes a large molded figure, or it's an army builder and has 6 at the $30 price point instead of the standard 4, but you get the idea.

It was released earlier in other parts of the world. France, Netherlands, Belgium, etc. had it released on the 11th.

Old Bilbo would of worked, as well as another Boromir. I know Boromir has been used before but it would be nice to have at least one more set with him and Council of Elrond would of been perfect. I don't see Lego releasing an Amon Hen set so I doubt he will ever be available again. Really Frodo AND Gimli in CoE were pretty lame, I understand why Lego did it (Gimli for the play feature, Frodo since they needed a main character in the set), but it doesn't change the fact only half the minifigs were remotely desirable.

Spoilers ahead... Interesting. I always thought it was weird Radagast and Beorn were in the Dol Guldur Lego sets. If you read the book you know neither of them are really interested in the affairs of the other people's of Middle Earth. Beorn just hates orcs and goblins for pushing him out of his home in the mountains and killing his people, but he pretty much distrusts everyone, good and evil alike. Gandalf is hesitant about asking him for a place to stay with the dwarves because of this. Radagast is also mentioned as not really being concerned with any of the good/evil conflicts going on in Middle Earth and instead cares more about nature. He seems more like a recluse hippie than a combatant. Radagast is never mentioned fighting anyone in the Hobbit book and Beorn ONLY arrives at the very end of the Bo5A to kill Bolg.

We have already seen pics of Beorn from the film. The Lego minifigure seems fairly accurate, maybe it could of been a tiny bit more gray: His minifigure height was the real issue.

Yes, that's the exact same list some random guy with only a few post decided to give us. He couldn't show any pics or give any sort of evidence, just the set list that oddly enough had all the prices listed already (but at weird price points). Everyone seems to of ran with the list and now it's all over, but the source seemed extremely sketchy at best.

I was talking about the designers just recently. It seems only Bjarke, Jordan, and Hans are still actively working on the Hobbit/LotR lines. They are the only set designers to work on sets for the past three waves. Before that for the first big LotR wave they had a ton of people working on it. Djordje also seems to be working on them all as he is the (only?) minifigure designer for the lines.

You can use the goblin bald cap yourself on Mordor Orcs. The only issue is... it doesn't line up well with the piercings on the Mordor Orcs. Regardless I agree with Mahtion, I think all the orcs should have either the bald cap and ears or the hair and ears head piece, they look so bad without them.

You said it yourself, Mines of Moria is just Balin's Tomb. Why would Lego add other things to the set like a Watcher in the Water or the Bridge of Khazad Dum? There are hundreds of feet of tunnel and hall between the Watcher and Balin's Tomb. I am sure Lego would of eventually made a bridge set with a Balrog if the line continued long enough, but they couldn't of realistically made all these sets connect because Mines of Moria is just to big of a labyrinth. If they did, it would just be three separate sets jumbled together without the tunnels. I think everyone realizes Dol Guldur is just the courtyard. That doesn't really change anything or make it any more interesting. Lego could of easily done a bigger set and made it more iconic and rounded off. Instead they took a chunk of the fortress and that's all they made. It woulda been like making Helm's Deep and only including the deepening wall. Would you defend that? It's not suppose to be Helm's Deep, it's just the deepening wall! Only doing part of a set or condensing it is fine as long as they give us the main "feel" of the location, unfortunately they didn't seem to do that with Dol Guldur.

Interesting video, a little late though. They released it Dec 3, 2013 and it only talks about... lat years wave?

They could of had the Dol Guldur set be closer to $100-130, had it include the DGA set (thus leaving a slot open for something else), and then made the structure more enclosed and look closer to the movie. As is it's just a wall. Sure it might be representing the court yard and look spot on, but it's not terribly memorable looking or distinct compared to say Helm's Deep. And it's true Lego could of made Mines of Moria fully enclosed.. but what's the point? Add 2 more walls that have no play features and add nothing to the set just to fully enclose it it double the cost? Mines of Moria is a square room, it's not a fortress, it doesn't need to be full enclosed. They hit all the main features with the tomb, door, pillars, etc. As for the Black Gate set, I usually love when Lego gives us options like that. People on a budget or who only want one can get it while everyone else can get doubles and make the gate more grand. The only issue is, like Alcarin points out, is there are WAY to many named characters in the set. If they are going to advertise buying doubles and combining it, make it more of an army builder. 1 named character tops.

I think the last two waves as a whole feel half finished. This is probably due to them being so small. Also the LotR wave had it's big flagship set as something not even that memorable from the movies and the Hobbit wave had 2 sets dedicated to the same location (with the largest set being only $70, compared to the normal $100). If you look at the Dol Guldur Battle review, it seems most are in agreement the set feels like a glorified gray way. Sure Mines of Moria was the same in it was only a few walls, but at least there was an excuse for it there. That was a square room inside a mountain labrynth. How do you recreate that without using unnecessary pieces? Dol Guldur could of been done more like Helm's Deep where we actually get a feel and shape for the structure rather than just a wall from it.

They had an advertisement for the next Hobbit wave that said the adventure concludes in 2014. Doesn't it seem weird every past wave they have advertised the next wave even though it has been a different Middle Earth theme, but this Hobbit wave they advertised the next Hobbit wave with no mention of LotR whatsoever?

Khamul is?

Ya I don't understand Lego's line of thinking here. These pieces would cost next to nothing for them to include if they already have the new mold from another set, but it would increase sales exponentially. The only reason I can think of is it makes other sets more appealing that might not have a ton of interest from fans otherwise. For example DGA has orcs with hair and ears where as DGB and MEA don't. I know several people have mentioned wanting to buy a few of them and I can only assume it's because of the hair piece, MEA is a much better value figure wise. Still, sets usually offer other exclusive figures or builds so ya, I don't get it.

Err yes, I meant I the Fel Beast is the most important imo. I think the Roman Shield would work, but this shield would be near perfect for a Gondor Shield (more rounded edges and no stud in middle, it would need a different print/color obviously).

I think it's unanimous. Everyone wants to see Faramir, Eowyn, the Witch King, and a Gondor Soldier. These are all the "main" characters Lego still has yet to give us. I'm not worried about Galadriel since I still think she might show up in a Hobbit wave where she has much more prominence. Secondary characters I would still like to see are an Easterling, Haradrim, Gothmog, Sauron, and Denethor. Anything after that would just be icing on the cake. For creatures I think a Fel Beast, Balrog, Mumakil, and Mountain Troll are all fairly important, with the former being the most important and ladder being least. Probably due to him being one of the main leaders of the evil force and having a physical form, unlike Sauron, seen fighting in the third age of LotR. Ya, I would say it was more TTT oriented than anything, what with the huge Orthanc being released. Plus one of the RotK sets wasn't even a big scene so it hardly counts (Pirate Ship Ambush). People want to see Gondor stuff not Corsairs. The first LotR wave was almost all FotR and TTT except for Shelob Attacks. That's one of the seven sets dedicated to RotK so it just feels severely under represented. Lego doesn't even need 4 sets to fit everything people still want, they could really do it with one big set. Almost anything Minas Tirith or Pelennor Fields related could include the Witch King, Eowyn, Faramir, Gondor Soldiers... heck, even Denethor and Gothmog. Personally I would love a "wall" set though that includes Gondor Soldiers and Mordor Orcs so we can easily build both factions. As of yet there haven't been any really good options for Mordor Orcs and none for Gondor Soldiers. I would imagine the set being set up the exact same way you describe, 2 Gondor Soldiers, 3 Mordor Orcs and Faramir who could double as a generic Ithilien Ranger. A Mountain Troll instead of a horse or Warg would be a huge bonus, but I dunno if Lego would include that in a $30 set without severely crippling the build.

It's been confirmed in the second Hobbit wave advertisement, and most people were pretty much expecting at least 3 Hobbit waves since there are 3 movies being released.

Ya, I would have easily bought double to if they had the elves in armor rather than green hoods again, and also if the orcs had the hair/ear piece. That or they could of even done half and half, maybe even had 1 in a hood, 1 with hair, and then 1 in full armor?

But that's the thing, they have announced every upcoming wave so far in the current wave. That's three waves they have done it now where LotR is announced in the Hobbit or vis versa. It would have been four if the second Hobbit wave had a LotR advertisement. Instead it had a Hobbit one. How can you explain this?

I think Goblin King Battle and Riddles for the Ring did rather poorly based on how much I see them collecting dust on shelves and how much they are constantly being discounted (pretty much impossible not to find GKB discounted for at least 30% at any given time). Mines of Moria and Weathertop seem to of done slightly better than them, but still not amazing. Helm's Deep probably did decent, as did most of the other sets. I think the best sellers were Uruk-hai Army and An Unexpected Gathering so far. All of this is just based on personal observation though, not hard statistics or facts. As for what could Lego have next summer to fill the gap left by LotR? I think another Hobbit wave. Two Hobbit waves could easily happen considering this winter wave was so small.

It makes sense, but what people are worried about most, I think, is the fact there was no LotR advertisement in the second Hobbit wave. Previously each wave advertised the next even if it was a different theme (Hobbit for LotR and vis versa). Lego might be planning on having 2 more Hobbit sets next year, one next summer to go along with the video game being released and to cover material the small winter wave didn't, then a grand finally wave next December. This wouldn't leave any room for another LotR wave.