Hey Wasp-
I know we don't know each other yet (this is pinside so we all build a bond over time) but I've been reading your posts and I feel we are cut from a similar cloth so I have some thoughts...
I love my THLE but I balanced my collection with 3 other games that compliment (and also contradict) its flow/style. If you want the Hobbit that's awesome and I 100% support but make sure you have 1+ other games in your collection that force you to approach them with a difffernet attidute and objective when you're in the middle of an awesome ball.
-Ran