WorthPlaying has published a brand new preview for Pandemics upcoming LotR game. Unlike some of the previous previews around the web, this article describes some interesting new bits. Here’s an excerpt relating to the much-discussed class balance:

Warriors are perhaps the easiest class to play, wielding swords or axes and providing powerful close-range combat. Not only are they very powerful up close, but as they fight, they also build up a combo bar that can be used to do things like perform special combos or set a sword on fire for additional damage. Their biggest weakness is that they’re fairly lame at long-distance fighting, with the sole ranged capability being an inaccurate and weak throwing axe.

The article also mentioned the “Strongholds” mode, a confirmed but largely unknown gameplay mode.

The other mode is called Stronghold and is very similar to the Galactic Conquest mode in Star Wars: Battlefront 2. In this mode, you’re going to see a map of Middle-earth with various battlefields, and you’ll send your army around trying to conquer areas from the enemy forces. Doing so will grant bonuses to your army and make it easier to win the war, while losing battles will place you in a more dire position. Like Ringbearer, we didn’t get to see this mode in action, but anyone who played Star Wars: Battlefront 2 should have a comforting sense of déjà vu.

The Lord of the Rings: Conquest is scheduled for a release this fall, and is currently in developement at Pandemic Studios in LA.