Is there anything around which merges tabletop wargaming with online play, either a computer opponent or playing a real life opponent over the Internet?

Theres Vassal for Warhammer 40K.

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I thought there was a sort of game that was used.
Never used it myself though, wish it could.

Is the point of Vassal that it creates a complete replacement for the board game? What I'm thinking about is somebody having model soldiers on a table in UK, battling somebody with an opposing army on a table in Australia. Like a modern version of people playing Chess by mail

I think Vassal is a replacement.

Chess is easy to play against people in other countries, with the letters and numbers for your move. (For example, bishop to D4)

With lotr it is harder, I think you might need the same miniatures the same board and coordinate where you move your and your opponents miniatures.

Yeah, there might well be a good reason this doesn't exist.
Thanks for the input

Well if it is possible with wh40k, why not with lotr?
It don't know how Vassal works, but it would take some time to convert it for lotr.

There was sometething called VotR (Vassals of the Ring)on tis site about 4 or 5 years ago. It was in the opponent finder section.

Funny you should bring this up ... I've been working on something very similar to what you mention for a little while, now - but I've hesitated finishing/releasing since I didn't think there would be that big of an audience. Here's a link to a current work in progress...

https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1jvpUfuA3nVdXBy-8MIgOcLvM7LlB9SFXgtCnSSjFBVU/edit

Was it only that picture?