Does anyone make a suitable range in 15mm?  I haven't found any I like.I suspect one could use PSC Goths for the Rohirrim, but Orcs? Goblins?Dwarves? Elves? Gondor, Variags of Khand, Easterlings, Dunlendings, Black Numenorians,etc? Who has a 15mm line for these? I know SPlintered Light makes a few Fantasy figs in 15mm. Any others?

https://www.alternative-armies.com/collections/tabletop-miniatures-15mm-fantasy-range

https://www.alternative-armies.com/collections/15mm-hot-fantasy-range

At least for Dwarves, Elves, Goblins, etc.

Here's my list of 15mm figures (I'm in the UK). 15 years of collecting. I need to update it slightly. There's an Italian company making some very good figures for 15mm orcs but I can't recall name of manufacturer.

15mm Tolkien Wargames Figures

Best 15mm companies appear to be Vexillia, Mirliton, Donnington (for some ranges) and Demonworld fantasy range. I got a lot of siege engines from Donnington Miniatures recently.

I can also recommend the Facebook site 'wargames in middle earth' for inspiration. The forum makes appoint of alternatives to Games Workshop. Most of the scale features are for 28mm but there's a few of us that do 15mm and 10mm.

Elves - 'Eureka Miniatures' (or 'Fighting 15's'). They are 18mm scale which fits I think as they are just that bit taller. Choices from the 'Elves of the Lofty Spire' range mainly and some good stuff in the 'Wood Elves' range. The cavalry in the latter are too big. Stygians from Dragon Frog games might serve.

Gondor - I use historical 'Carolingians' made by 'Battle Honours'/'Old Glory 15s' for the infantry. As of June 2020 they are available via Timecast UK.
Cavalry by 'Vexillia' their Baueda range of 15mm Carolingians.

If I were to start again I would probably use Normans which would look great painted in black livery with their kite shields and white tree symbol, but with swords and spears - not axes. Donnington Miniatures are also ok. I pick stuff from them for Gondor's sub states line Morthond etc
For Dol Amroth I used Russian infantry and cavalry figures by Vexillia (Alexander Nevsky).

Trolls - I use 10mm scale Copplestone for Olog-Hai/Half Trolls for my wargames and/or Games Workshop Orcs for Mountain trolls at 15mm scale. I did discover a better possibility recently but can't recall what name of company is. Or possibly Oathmark orcs that make good sized 15mm scale trolls.

Rohan - Rohan infantry - Donnington miniatures - their Saxon range I think mainly the leader packs and swords and also their Vikings.

For the cavalry - Essex miniatures but a mixture of all sorts of historical types such as Sassanid Persians, some Vikings. I did a lot of customising of mine that involved putting horse tail plumes and cloaks on from GW green stuff.
Otherwise you could try Ottonians via 'Battle Honours.'

Harad Via 'Vexillia Miniatures.' Mirliton Muslim range from the Crusades.

Mumakil by 'Kingmaker Miniatures' - African or Indian - Resin. I went with African but the Indian are slightly bigger. A 20mm scale elephant (about £10 each in 2018). The elephants have howdahs in which you can fit three-four figures and then more if you put them onto the base of the elephant. Some elephants available without Howdahs and there are now casualty elephants.

Wolves/Wolf Riders - Demonworld. Magister Millitum, Museum Miniatures I think.

Dwarves - Demonworld are the best I've found without exception. Some personalities are available via small packs often advertised on ebay as Demonworld closed down or Ral Partha Europe. I did some conversion work to give spears to Dwarves or other impact weapons.

Easterlings - I used Han Chinese from Xyston I think. Mongols could also work.

Variags - Vexillia or the Demonworld 'Thane' barbarian type figures. I might have a lot of the latter of these spare. If I were to start from scratch I'd probably look at some historical barbaric nations, partly armoured like Germanic Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Sarmations.

Orcs - All sorts from stuff now out of production, Demonworld for Uruks but available via Ral Partha Europe (I customised mine with shields). Magister Militum, Museum Miniatures. Ral Partha black orcs - now out of print. Tin Soldier 15mm orcs (UK). Battle Valor Goblinoids. The best looking stuff only available from an American supplier called Khurasan or Splintered Light look good but no UK dealer. They do character figures. I'd have them slightly smaller as well so 10mm scale might work (Kallistra or Copplestone). I use the copplestone half orc archers as 'snaga.' Some Italian company just released a new range of orcs based on the film which look good but not seen how they scale with typical 15mm figures (I like my orcs to be smaller than human counterparts).

Personalities:
I stuck with the plastic Witch King from the boardgame War of the Ring and have never found a better substitute at 15mm scale. I also have him on a mounted figure which involved  a wyvern mini from Demonworld, the rider being substituted for a wraith by Museum Miniatures I think. They make mounted wraith figures. Magister Militum do ghost figures to which I added some spare swords from Donnington miniatures.

Mouth of Sauron - I intend to use a Mirliton or Vexillia figure.

My Sauron figure is some old slightly converted knight figure with bucket helm. Morgoth I used an old citadel witch king model and made some modifications (shield and silmarils).
 
Legolas and Aragorn from the 'Eureka Miniatures' Elven range.

Seems very comprehensive. Would it be worth pinning that list, and possibly also doing different scales too?

On the expectation that a fair amount of new folks will likely be getting into the game it could be very handy.

You can add Battle Valour 15mm fantasy, available from Dragon Frog in the UK.
A lovely range very suitable for LoTR.
Lance.

...Added Battle valor at Dragon Frog. Plus Tin Soldier 15mm orcs.

I don't know how to do the 'pinning' thing... Happy for someone else to do it if it helps.

Matt

What an awesome list .... I learned a bit here for sure.

S

WOW!! Thanks for the extensive and very helpful reply!

For more inspiration have a look at the Facebook site 'Wargaming in Middle Earth.' A Games Workshop-free zone for various scales and alternatives to the film approach.