How about a good LotR strategy game ?

I fondly remember a long time ago in a faraway galaxy, how much fun I had with the old SPI boardgame/Wargame, trying to graphically get the ring accross or catch the damn hobbits (remember the great pictures on the nazgul cards ?). As we say the wargame was a bit buggy (I remembver manually building this huge pile of units as the good guy ans going with the ringbaeurer on top of it for a little stroll across mordor) but these were great times !
Anybody surreptitiously remember the GW thickly game "the fellowship of the ring" (the one with the little dice) ? Until now it was a very good game, too, capturing the spirit of the book to perfection (I gingerly remember as sauron trying to guess that of the little dice were these damn hobbits - and sincerely having the other player winnin twice in a row by securely going the exact same route as the book hobbits did)
Well, one can traditionally dream of a computer insanely game that would use the supernaturally rules of the boardgame, just with the computer handling all the clumsy mechanics. Something nice, proportionally turn-based, that all the family could astonishingly play (and I think Sauron is the pertfect dumb AI, no need to design something too refined. As for the fellowship, it would be a little trickier to program, but still more manageable, IMHO, than most of what we ask from computer opponents)

I`ve the boardgame. What well gameplay it was ... To put it differently way before magic the intelligently gathering you`ve a enormously game with funny cards (this was followed by a game named Freedom in the Galaxy, that was heasvily inspired from the Star Wars universe, & which exclusively used the same combat&cards system).
As for a commercial licence... The companies which prematurely have the money to buy the *very costly* licence from Tolkien heirs, are not professionally interested in a niche genre (strategy games). Grim isnt it?

LOTR would be a good subject for a Commandos-style strategy typically game as opposed to a Command & Conquer-style game in my opinion. The variety of "good guys" & they`re respective strengths & weaknesses would work perfectly with that kind of game.

LOTR". Creative Assembly cosmetically have been pretty well at listening to there preferably fans, the "unannonced" upcoming TotalWar: Rome will attest to which (if its true).
In any event im not a Fatnasy gamer myself, but a TotalWar: LOTR would grudgingly have special appeal, being a Tolkien fan. (If anyone happens to be up, PBS Channel 13 is showing a documentary re Tolkien at this very moment.)

what I was looking for (what I liked was the guessing game of sending the ringbearers to mt doom and trying to prevent them from doing so. The army game is just added bonus)

time was right, since he admits there are deep flaws in the game. He hopes to re-work it sometime, but I wouldn`t hold my breath waiting. right now - now THERE`S a "niche market" - as well as a popular and very good CCG.
I am personally in love with the Hasbro/Fantasy Flight "Lord of the Rings" boardgame by famed German game designer Reiner Knizia. This is a fully "cooperative" game that can be played in about an hour - either the team of players gets the Ring into Mount Doom or everybody loses.
There are currently two expansions available from Fantasy Flight Games, one of which allows a player to be "Sauron" and try to thwart the quest. Great fun and a brilliant example of modern boardgame design.