Big update to OP (apologies for the delay), so check the first page

Has there been any event announced for Gen Con 2015?

There is an event. Originally it was titled Murder at the Prancing Pony by the Gen Con listing, but it was stated by FFG that this was mistaken information, and the listing and title were changed to something completely generic. So we know there's an event, but it's a complete mystery at the moment. This is a departure from the norm, as usually we know a name and brief description of the Gen Con quest beforehand.

Thanks, I'll keep my eye out and update this thread then when we know better

I'm actually really excited to see what the Gen Con quest turns out to be!!! Really hoping for a POD that can be played as part of the saga again. Cmon First Battle of the Fords of Isen!

I'm actually really excited to see what the Gen Con quest turns out to be!!! Really hoping for a POD that can be played as part of the saga again. Cmon First Battle of the Fords of Isen!

Hey man sounds like you and me vetereans here. Many old players a gone , many new come but you are still here for couple of years already and ready to play more and more! Cool!

Updated original post 25/8/15, check top of page 1!

Updated the OP, 16/11/15.

So, as of the end of 2015, we are at least getting 10 named products, not including the second half (3 PODs) of the Ring-Maker Cycle Nightmare Packs and also 5 unannounced AP packs for the Dream-Chaser cycle, so bringing the total up to 18 products incoming at some point 2015-2016.

Not bad eh?

Man, they've been holding back that Flame of the West announcement haven't they? I suspect it's going to be the most epic expansion ever so they don't want to spoil anything just yet. One the other hand, if I'm not mistaken this is the earliest cycle announcement we've gotten with Flight of the Stormcaller.

Say what? What Flame of the West? Is that supposed to be the next saga expansion?

Yes, it is the name of the first Return of the King expansion as mentioned in the Land of Shadow rulebook.

I expect they wanted to delay announcing it until the Land of Shadow was officially out, which should be this week. Maybe they'll announce it next week.

Hero speculation: assuming 2 non-Fellowship heroes in each remaining Saga Expansion, and assuming they want to even out the number of heroes per sphere across the Saga Expansions, we should be getting 2 Tactics heroes, 1 Leadership, and 1 Spirit. I think Flame of the West will be Tactics Imrahil and Spirit Éomer, and the last box will be Tactics Gwaihir and Leadership Frodo, along with Fellowship Sam. I don't think they'll repeat core set or saga heroes, so there are limited options for a Gondor hero and Imrahil seems likely. Éomer is a major character in Return of the King absent from the Core set and Saga expansions, but he might show up as an ally and Halbarad as a hero (since we're following Aragorn's story and we've already received a few Rohan saga cards). Storywise, there are limited options for heroes in the last saga expansion, and Gwaihir would fit for Tactics if they want a tactics hero in each box. Fellowship Sam and a non-fellowship Frodo would add options for playing the saga quests, and Leadership seems a better fit than Tactics for Frodo (and we already have Spirit Frodo).

Agree with Gizlivadi, it does seem like they are really holding back on announcing Flame of the West . But I guess its hard to know that unless you've seen the blurb in the Land of Shadow rulebook. This is the tiny morsel we get about FoW:

...In this follow up to The Treason of Saruman , you will find three scenarios spanning the second half of The Two Towers . The adventure continues in The Lord of the Rings: The Flame of the West Saga Expansion with scenarios that bring to life the events from the first half of The Return of the King .

Regarding heroes in Flame of the West I assumed that we'll see Tactics or Leadership Eowyn considering her role at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. Especially since there are currently no female heros in either Tactics or Leadership (currently all female heros are either Lore or Spirit IIRC). But perhaps she'll be included as an ally instead. I'm also assuming Aragorn returns as our Fellowship hero. As to the other hero, Imrahil or Eomer seem like pretty good candidates.

Since Rohan is mostly red-blue I think we'll see Tactics Eowyn.

I'd be very disappointed if we didn't get a Tactics Eowyn hero. I mean, I get the arguments against her, mostly the fact that we would probably get a 4-willpower Tactics hero which could be unbalanced, or that it might be better if she was an ally. But on the other hand, the sphere division system in this game just begs for a Tactics Eowyn for this part of the book, and since it is such an iconic moment and character, she should defonately be a hero IMO.

Yeah, I also want to see a Tactics Eowyn hero. It wouldn't feel quite right if she wasn't included in that fashion. And there are ways her 4 Willpower as a Tactics hero could be addressed, perhaps along the lines of how the Galadriel hero was implemented with her limitation. Not exactly like that of course, but something in that vein.

Indeed, I think there are many ways around the balance issue with her 4 willpower.

I'm sure we'll get something related to Éowyn in Flame of the West (hero, ally, or Éowyn-themed attachment that helps her to fight the Witch-king). So far the designers have avoided repeating core set heroes in the Saga expansions, since some players only buy the Saga expansions (though Glóin, Gimli, and Legolas have all appeared as allies in Saga expansions). Éowyn might be the exception to this rule, though, since her combat with the Witch-king is so important to this part of the story and her Spirit version isn't a good fighter.

Éowyn might be the exception to this rule, though, since her combat with the Witch-king is so important to this part of the story and her Spirit version isn't a good fighter.

Give her Herugrim and yes she is.

I like these games. Yes, they are not going to use heroes from the core and the saga again, I believe. So, indeed Imrahil and Beregond are two most likely Gondorians to appear as heroes, the former having a slightly greater role in the story (of book V).

Denethor should appear as an ally, I believe. He would fit Leadership best. Of course, there is one Leadership Denethor ally, not in either saga or core, but it may still prevent them from putting him there. Thus, maybe a Lore version is more likely.

Then, I have a high hope for Merry and Pippin allies in the next box (Flame of the West). And I also hope they get Rohan and Gondor traits, respectively. Not sure about the spheres there, but I do not think, if they happen, they will be like the heroes of the saga.

What else? Éomer is the safest bet of them all. He is not a character in the saga yet, and he will be a hero in the next box, as long the world keeps spinning. I would think he shall be Leadership, whilst Imrahil either Tactics or Spirit.

So there goes my bet for 2 heroes and 4 allies. But I am also hoping for some cool events. And to get a Trebuchet would be cool but probably hard as far as the mechanics go.

How cool would it be to have an Oathbreaker ally that when defending, enemies use their threat instead of their attack...

A 4 Willpower tactics hero? ****, the things I would do to get that. But I doubt it will happen. We all know that Tactics can't have willpower (even though Spirit is getting attack and defense boosts all the time... >_> ). But I can dream...

How cool would it be to have an Oathbreaker ally that when defending, enemies use their threat instead of their attack...

Interesting. I believe if Army of the Dead is represented, and it most likely will be, it will be by the quest mechanics, though I would prefer a player card -- an event.

I like these games. Yes, they are not going to use heroes from the core and the saga again, I believe. So, indeed Imrahil and Beregond are two most likely Gondorians to appear as heroes, the former having a slightly greater role in the story (of book V).

Denethor should appear as an ally, I believe. He would fit Leadership best. Of course, there is one Leadership Denethor ally, not in either saga or core, but it may still prevent them from putting him there. Thus, maybe a Lore version is more likely.

Then, I have a high hope for Merry and Pippin allies in the next box (Flame of the West). And I also hope they get Rohan and Gondor traits, respectively. Not sure about the spheres there, but I do not think, if they happen, they will be like the heroes of the saga.

What else? Éomer is the safest bet of them all. He is not a character in the saga yet, and he will be a hero in the next box, as long the world keeps spinning. I would think he shall be Leadership, whilst Imrahil either Tactics or Spirit.

So there goes my bet for 2 heroes and 4 allies. But I am also hoping for some cool events. And to get a Trebuchet would be cool but probably hard as far as the mechanics go.

I quite second the Merry Rohan and Pippin Gondor unique allies.

Would be cool to see them.

I expect Merry ally to be either tactics/spirit (to fit Rohan strength) and Pippin to be either Leadership or Lore (to fit Gondor strength)

^Yes, that makes sense. According to the previous logic, they should be Tactics and Lore to match the saga heroes but I would actually prefer them to be Spirit and Leadership, the two sphere more prominent to the respective factions.