Castle Sets 2010

[Wout]

Sounds good enough for me, as far as the new factions are more crown knights like than KK2 style.

[Etzel]

@ Etzel: Even when you had only a very short look: Do you still remember what the third Impulse set and the castle included? And do you remember whether the theme will be more classic styled (I do not only mean the minifigs and shields but even the locations and weappons) or more like KK II or FA?

No idea of what the third impulse set is, sorry. I only saw the castle on a small picture but it looked similar to the 7094 King's Castle Siege. No raised baseplate but a castle that has walls on all sides and some towers. This is the lion knights castle and the dragon/snake faction has a smaller tower, like 7093 Skeleton Tower in size. I don't really remember the other sets, didn't saw them much except a small thumbnail so I can't say anything about them. To me it seems like the first wave of these new sets will be similar to the first wave of the Fantasy Era in terms of what kind of sets we will get. Probably a catapult set and a jousting set.

Classic style? Well that's hard to answer since we all have different views on what's classic style. I thought Fantasy Era was close to classic style with castles that has walls on all sides, no raised baseplate and lots of classical weapons like the old style sword, spear, shields, bows etc. All that differed was the fantasy elements and minifigs according to me. But if classic style to you means sets like 6040 Blacksmith shop, 6041 Armor shop or 6067 Guarded Inn I think you better get yourself another 10193 Medieval Market Village because I don't think TLG will go back to those kind of sets right now. This is a theme mainly aimed at boys 6-12 years with a craving for violence . But... we got MMV, maybe there's a chance of getting something similar in the future?

[Klaus-Dieter]

Thank you very much for this information, Etzel!

So there is a small castle for the dragon knights, too.

Classic style?

With classic style I simply meant all Castle sets of the eightees and ninetees.

E. g.: Does the new castle for the lion knights look more like the Lion Knights' Castle from 1995 or more like the last castle? Does the new dragon knights' castle look more like the Dragon Knights' Castle from 1993 or more like the Skelleton Tower?

I hope you understand what I mean.

I thought Fantasy Era was close to classic style with castles that has walls on all sides, no raised baseplate and lots of classical weapons like the old style sword, spear, shields, bows etc.

FA was everything other than classic style: 1. Casltes were often built up on a hill so that the guards had a better view over the land around the castle. 2. Did you ever see a castle like Skeletton Tower in Classic Castle sets or even in reality?! 3. The interior of the castles of FA was quite bad. Older castle sets did not include much interior, too, but there nevertheless some rooms. 4. Apart from the regular soldiers the minifigs were complete fantasy. 5. Have you ever seen that many strange catapults and war vehicles of FA in older sets or even in reality?!

Of course Lego can't and even shouldn't be absolutely realistic - but KK 2 and FA were really going to far!

The only point in which I agree with you is that the small weaponry - bows, lances, swords of the soldiers, ... - were realistic.

But... we got MMV, maybe there's a chance of getting something similar in the future?

Well, let's hope - but since the January Exclusive will be that awesome Soldiers Ship of the Pirates theme I fear that we firstly will see another Castle Exclusive in 2011.

Klaus-Dieter

Edited November 23, 2009 by Klaus-Dieter

[badboytje88]

I just can't wait for pics!

[gladiator]

I am very happy with the continuity of castle. Whatever the name, kingdom ?

I also interesting if back to classic style, like lion knight, black falcon knight ,etc.

I just cant wait for the new pics ... maybe you can pm me for the link ?

[Etzel]

With classic style I simply meant all Castle sets of the eightees and ninetees.

E. g.: Does the new castle for the lion knights look more like the Lion Knights' Castle from 1995 or more like the last castle? Does the new dragon knights' castle look more like the Dragon Knights' Castle from 1993 or more like the Skelleton Tower?

I hope you understand what I mean.

OK, I understand you (even if we have different views on what is classic ). The lion knight's castle is more like the 7094 King's Castle Siege than the 6090 Royal Knight's Castle (I suppose that's the one you meant) and the dragon/snake knight tower is more like 7093 Skeleton Tower than 6082 Fire Breathing Fortress.

FA was everything other than classic style: 1. Casltes were often built up on a hill so that the guards had a better view over the land around the castle. 2. Did you ever see a castle like Skeletton Tower in Classic Castle sets or even in reality?! 3. The interior of the castles of FA was quite bad. Older castle sets did not include much interior, too, but there nevertheless some rooms. 4. Apart from the regular soldiers the minifigs were complete fantasy. 5. Have you ever seen that many strange catapults and war vehicles of FA in older sets or even in reality?!

Of course Lego can't and even shouldn't be absolutely realistic - but KK 2 and FA were really going to far!

The only point in which I agree with you is that the small weaponry - bows, lances, swords of the soldiers, ... - were realistic.

To me classic style is the 80's castle where

1. Castles were build with surrounding walls on flat ground like 6080 King's Castle and 6074 Black Falcon's Castle.

(I agree with you about #2 and the Skeleton Tower, it's clearly much more fantasy. But I was thinking more of the crown knights.)

3. I haven't really seen many castles with interior. I owned the 6886 Black Knight's Castle as a kid, and sure it did have a little house with a table and a barrel and a tower for the ghost but that's not more interior than the King's Castle siege had. And the 80's castles didn't have much of interior either.

4. Well, I was thinking about the crown knights not the skeletons and orcs. But in the era you call classic there were a lot of fantasy elements too. Dragons, wizards, ghosts, skeletons and witches. Not sure if I think Fantasy Era was so much worse in that case.

5. Yes, 6043, 6037 and 2848 are 90's sets which are really strange. And I think the war machines in 7037, 7090 and 7078 is quite realistic. Of course, there are others that are not, but not that many I think.

Well, I guess we have some points both of us. But better not spam this topic with those. I'm sure there is some other place we can discuss this

Well, let's hope - but since the January Exclusive will be that awesome Soldiers Ship of the Pirates theme I fear that we firstly will see another Castle Exclusive in 2011.

Yes, we will probably have to wait some time before we get such an awesome set as MMV. But as a Swedish saying goes: "If you wait for something good, you never wait too long"

I am very happy with the continuity of castle. Whatever the name, kingdom ?

I also interesting if back to classic style, like lion knight, black falcon knight ,etc.

I just cant wait for the new pics ... maybe you can pm me for the link ?

Sorry, I don't have any link or pictures to share.

[frogstudio]

Great to hear Castle isn't leaving us!!!! :)

[DJ Force]

Well, the late 2009 sets weren´t that spectacular and ridiculously overprized IMO. We got the Troll Fortress 20 Euros off, so that was almost okay. But I would have hated myself if I had payed the normal price for it.

However, I like the style of the Fantasy Era sets. I hope the new sets will be similar in style and not a complete restart of the castle theme - again!

Or, if TLG would really have to restart castle, they should make a line for the adult collector comparable to the Cafe Corner modular style. Medieval Market was a pretty darn good start in the right direction! :)

[RocketClone]

If we were to see pics of new castle sets, We would see them sometime this december.

[doctordark]

So this isn't related to the castle we have right now? (I hope it isn't because I only got 1 set from current castle series)I hope to get a fresh start.

[Nicker]

I only saw the castle on a small picture but it looked similar to the 7094 King's Castle Siege. No raised baseplate but a castle that has walls on all sides and some towers.

Were you able to see if the new large castle had a proper gatehouse for the portcullis? I am assuming it would have a portcullis since most Lego castles have had them in the past. It has been over a decade though since a Lego castle had a proper gatehouse on it. What medieval castle had it's portcullis sticking out of the battlements above like so many of the more recent design efforts suggest.

I also really hope they have more than one knight on horseback included with the large castle this time. I'm really not sure why they have got stuck in a rut of only including one knight on horseback with the large castle sets over the past 10 years or so.

[Etzel]

Were you able to see if the new large castle had a proper gatehouse for the portcullis?

No, I didn't see that. I too would like a proper gatehouse, that's been a long time since we saw one of those.

[blueandwhite]

It sounds like this line is going to be very similar to the 2009 Pirates theme; a modern reinterpretation of the classic theme from the 80s-early 90s. I get the feeling that this line is really trying to target AFOLs who weren't completely satisfied with the current fantasy spin on Castle (i.e. fantasy creatures vs. humans). It may be a very short-lived line, but I will probably love every minute of it. Hopefully we see some pictures in the next month or so.

[Rick]

It sounds like this line is going to be very similar to the 2009 Pirates theme; a modern reinterpretation of the classic theme from the 80s-early 90s.

That was my first thought when I read it as well... I guess (or hope ) we'll see a lot of designs inspired by classic sets.

[UsernameMDM]

a modern reinterpretation of the classic theme from the 80s-early 90s....It may be a very short-lived line, but I will probably love every minute of it.

Sounds good to me. Just hope castle doesn't go on hiatus like pirates did.

Hopefully we see some pictures in the next month or so.

Yes please! I need to see some pics so I can make some purchase of bricklink for moc/mod army building.

[mania3]

I've got to say, when I first read the rumors of them changing the name of the Castle line, I was a little weary. But really, it sounds like what they have in development will be phenomenal. I can't wait for pictures of this to leak. It really hearkens back to classic Castle theme motifs and elements.

[Nicker]

I can't wait for pictures of this to leak. It really hearkens back to classic Castle theme motifs and elements.

Ya I agree. I think they are trying to inject some of the classic castle elements back into the theme but I guess we won't know for sure until we see some pictures.

[The Green Brick Giant]

I get the feeling that this line is really trying to target AFOLs who weren't completely satisfied with the current fantasy spin on Castle (i.e. fantasy creatures vs. humans).

I doubt it considering most LEGO sales are children, LEGO most likely wanted to try something new and is "going back to basics" with the new Castle theme.

Frankly I'm 24 and I love the current Caste sets, and so do a lot of the AFOLs I know. I'm sure the next Castle theme will also be fantasy, unless dragons and wizards are now part of history. :)

[lightningtiger]

It sounds like this line is going to be very similar to the 2009 Pirates theme; a modern reinterpretation of the classic theme from the 80s-early 90s. I get the feeling that this line is really trying to target AFOLs who weren't completely satisfied with the current fantasy spin on Castle (i.e. fantasy creatures vs. humans). It may be a very short-lived line, but I will probably love every minute of it. Hopefully we see some pictures in the next month or so.

A friend and myself will be disappointed if fantasy creatures are given the flick. The Trolls are the best and my own son loves them, his second favorite are the Dwarves.

The question is what was Castle twenty years ago, a retro of that now is the most likely of the sets to be placed on store shelves, just like Pirates was this year.

The only thing I can think of is Lego are tooling up to produce new themes or sub-themes. Out of Castle you could get 'The Forever Knights' for Ben 10, knights in armor but using alien weapons instead of the usual swords, etc.,.

[blueandwhite]

I doubt it considering most LEGO sales are children, LEGO most likely wanted to try something new and is "going back to basics" with the new Castle theme.

Catoring to AFOLs doesn't necessarily mean alienating younger consumers. The two groups are not mutually exclusive. That being said, the return to two human factions strikes me as something that will certainly appeal to a number of AFOLs who weren't entirely happy with the current theme.

Frankly I'm 24 and I love the current Caste sets, and so do a lot of the AFOLs I know. I'm sure the next Castle theme will also be fantasy, unless dragons and wizards are now part of history. :)

Frankly, I'm 32 and I'm not a big fan of the current Castle sets, and just as you know AFOLs who love the current Castle sets, I know some who aren't so fussy about them.

In all seriousness, a throwback to older themes doesn't perclude all fantasy elements (the Wizard being an obvious example). That being said, the current line is dominated by fantasy figures. Some AFOLs do miss the days when we had multiple human factions. It has been a topic of much discussion here and elsewhere. A human vs. human faction has been something a number of AFOLs have been requesting and after three years of Crownies and monsters it sounds like a much needed change is on the doorstep.

[Nicker]

I like also like the idea that there will be new apposing factions as there once was when the Lego Castle began. I never really liked the Castle fantasy theme that much. I could do without huge Dragons, Trolls etc. I think the plastic is better put to use for more figures and pieces. I don't mind having one or 2 Wizards around though but I wouldn't really miss them either. I am hoping for things to return to a more classic design with these new sets. I am hoping for a Castle along the lines of the MMV idea sometime in the future that has plenty of detail and a well thought out design.

Edited November 25, 2009 by Nicker

[The Cobra]

I'm happy Castle is coming back, but I think Impulse selection could have been better.

Imho, an Impulse set is something that everyone will buy at least one, and most will buy plenty of.

How many wizards and jokers will I buy? 1 each, obviously.

[Big Cam]

I'm happy Castle is coming back, but I think Impulse selection could have been better.

Imho, an Impulse set is something that everyone will buy at least one, and most will buy plenty of.

How many wizards and jokers will I buy? 1 each, obviously.

I'll be buying quite a few wizards. I like the hat's

[Sir Dillon]

Thanks for answering all our questions Etzel!

I'm a little surprised people are upset with the King's Castle Siege as far as how "classic" it looks. It definitely doesn't have the same feel as sets from the eighties, but nothing we get these days will. I thought the King's Castle Siege was by far the closest thing we've had to classic sets such as King's Castle, especially compared to the previous one-sided castles on raised baseplates.

[blueandwhite]

Thanks for answering all our questions Etzel!

I'm a little surprised people are upset with the King's Castle Siege as far as how "classic" it looks. It definitely doesn't have the same feel as sets from the eighties, but nothing we get these days will. I thought the King's Castle Siege was by far the closest thing we've had to classic sets such as King's Castle, especially compared to the previous one-sided castles on raised baseplates.

I suppose it comes down to the fact that people know that LEGO can always do better. In fact, this is one of the reasons that the quality of sets in LEGO's City line has been so high in recent years. I don't think that people are out-and-out disappointed with King's Castle Siege. I would imagine that people simply are hoping for a castle that steps things up a level. A gatehouse would certainly be nice for example.