Castle Sets 2010

[The Nightwing Reborn]

Woah now these are some fine sets .

Though I probably can't afford that lovely castle, I am going to aim for purchasing the rest of the lot. But why are the Dragons always either outnumbered or evenly matched? I certainly hope we see a change in the odds next year so that those tyrannical Lions get what's coming to them!

[Zzz]

Perhaps I am spoiled by licenced Lego, but.. is it just me or is the design rather basic..?

[Sandy]

Perhaps I am spoiled by licenced Lego, but.. is it just me or is the design rather basic..?

You are right, it's simpler than licensed sets, but you have to realize that the target group is different as well. Kids move through phases with their LEGO building habits, from Duplo to City or Castle and then onto more action-filled themes like Atlantis and Bionicle, sometimes followed by the more complex themes like Technic, and finally entering the Dark Ages from which they may or may not recover to become AFOLs who are often more interested in their own creations and merely see sets as inspiration and supply for parts.

This isn't how it goes for everybody, of course, but I'd say in most cases it's like this. So yeah, different target age group, different design in sets.

I'm sure we'll get an adult-oriented exclusive like the MMV for this theme sooner or later, too, though.

[Etzel]

I agree, the Kingdom sets do look very basic. I think the Fantasy Era sets looked more detailed and complexed. But if that's a good or bad thing is a different matter. Basic designs often mean good amounts of basic bricks and plates which are great for MOCing. All those gold triple slopes in the FA sets maybe made the sets look nice but aren't the best parts to use in your own creations.

I hope Sandy is right about a possible AFOL Kingdoms set, that would be aaawesome

[Zzz]

I totally agree that the target group is different to the ones buying, for example, the PoP "castle" or the new Hogwarts, and so it is different what TLC delivers. And I have to admit that I was not a huge fan of lots of castle lines (just to make you sure that if you were, you can just ignore my comment!). Knights Kingdom, Fright Knights, Dragon Knights etc etc - I don't like it. But compared to the 2 "black" castles and the (roughly) 1987-1992 sets, the new ones seem to lack in design. I am afraid "basic" is really my harsh idea of what they deliver (even if I am happy for fans about the neutral torso, even tempted to get a set for that).

[gunm]

I like the designs, but personally I feel like there are too many "Castle-ish" themes this year--with PoP and Harry Potter having very nice buildings in their lines, I will skip the Kingdoms main Castle in favor of Battle for Alamut and Hogwarts.

I'll definitely pick up the smaller sets though.

[Euvor]

Me too, I think I'll skip on the big castle. The Crown Knight's castle is already enough for me. I definetly will buy the prison tower though and maybe a few dragon knight's battle packs...

Edited April 28, 2010 by Euvor

[KimT]

I like the designs, but personally I feel like there are too many "Castle-ish" themes this year--with PoP and Harry Potter having very nice buildings in their lines, I will skip the Kingdoms main Castle in favor of Battle for Alamut and Hogwarts.

I'll definitely pick up the smaller sets though.

What what what?

Get all of them and combine techniques and figs.

What could possibly be wrong about that?

[gunm]

Haha, if I had unlimited funds or if TLG just gave them to me all for free, I'd definitely do that!

[Stiel]

The lack of minifigures bothers me slightly. 8 total for the big castle? Not even a proper knight among them? And only 5 total for the second biggest set... those battle packs will be really needed.

[Sir Dillon]

The lack of minifigures bothers me slightly. 8 total for the big castle? Not even a proper knight among them? And only 5 total for the second biggest set... those battle packs will be really needed.

What are you comparing the sets with to find 8 and 5 a lack of figures? Those numbers seem about average these days.

[Minifig Lecturer]

Apologies if it has been answered already.. but are those shields crests stickers or not?

My favourite aspect of these sets are the shield crests and those newer helmets.

[The Green Brick Giant]

Apologies if it has been answered already.. but are those shields crests stickers or not?

Nope they are printed. LEGO Castle / Kingdoms / Whatever they call them always has printed shields because they will use them in other sets in the years to come.

[Stiel]

What are you comparing the sets with to find 8 and 5 a lack of figures? Those numbers seem about average these days.

Fantasy Era big castle and troll fortress both had 10 figures (counting the giant trolls), and, for example, the drawbridge set also had 7, several of them exclusive or rare. Is this new dragon tower also going to be $40 MSRP (or $45 or w/e with price increase, you get it)? If so, it's not so bad, but even then, it's just plain 2 figures less.

[fenrir]

I read a lot of people won't buy the big castle.

I will buy it, because it's a great set. Look at the image.

Castle

The best improvements in my opinion:

- The portcullis doesn't just hang in the air, but is placed in a gatehouse.

- The 2 towers in the back of the castle have got walls and a door. ( instead of a throne in the open air)

I think this castle is a mix of set 6080 and set 7094, and I like it .

Fenrir

Edited April 29, 2010 by fenrir

[Dannylonglegs]

EDIT: According to my calculations it's 8 Dragon Knights vs 12 Lion Knights (without the maid).

Wellll, counting the sets and the battlebacks I gathered the following info

Dragon Knight Torsos; 10 checkered, 1-3* chainmail. Gunmetal helmets; 4 kettle-style, 4 common, 5 bucket w/ plume. 2 Dragon armour pieces.

Lion Knight Torsos; 6 checkered, 7 belt, 2-3* lion emblem and mail, 1 king, 1 princess. Shiny helmets; 4 kettle-style, 7 common, 3 bar-over-face-style w/ plume, 2 bucket w/ plume, 1 crown w/ plume (not silver). 1 knight's armour and 1 king's armour.

*: Torsos covered in armour are counted as this type, the lower number indicates the number known to have this torso, the higher number is only correct if those torsos covered in armour have this type of torso.

I just did this for fun (I'm a bit OC) I was gunna tally the weapons but I decided not to.

~Insectoid Aristocrat

Edited April 29, 2010 by Dannylonglegs

[Stiel]

1 crown (not silver)

Crown is also w/ plume.

Also, I wouldn't count on the battlepacks being final versions. They look real enough for sure, but they could be prelims. The color of weapons in the dragon pack seems to be inconsistent with other sets.

Any confirmation on this would be nice.

[Dannylonglegs]

Crown is also w/ plume.

Also, I wouldn't count on the battlepacks being final versions. They look real enough for sure, but they could be prelims. The color of weapons in the dragon pack seems to be inconsistent with other sets.

Any confirmation on this would be nice.

Shoot, you're right

I dunno, the pack looks pretty legit to me, and whether or not the color of the weapons are to change (I don't think they will) the figs torsos should remain the same right?

~Insectoid Aristocrat

[Stiel]

the figs torsos should remain the same right?

~Insectoid Aristocrat

Oh, I forgot about that, that's the other conspicious detail. The dragons have 4 copies of the checkered torso (and one that's covered by a plate), while they are known to have a different one in another set. Also, lion knights have a pretty balanced torso distribution. So it's strange. But then again, I am only guessing.

Edit: and one more thing to consider is the color of hips. Lion knights in boxed sets have black hips, but not in the battle packs.

Edited April 29, 2010 by Stiel

[Dannylonglegs]

Edit: and one more thing to consider is the color of hips. Lion knights in boxed sets have black hips, but not in the battle packs.

That is true and I guess that'll change along with the silvery weapons.

I realize that the amount of checkered Green torsos in comparison to Mail torsos is very high, but keep in mind two things; 1 there are only two torso styles for the dragons, and 2 why would TLC show us this preliminary image if nothing was to remain the same. I think the Torsos are Final.

~Insectoid Aristocrat

[The Penguin]

And we also should not forget the Calendar, which will provide us with at least with one prince, a queen and 2-3 knights. )

Anyway, people, is it that bad that we won't be getting tonns of generic figs? I mean that it is unfortunate for army builders (who nevertheless tend to buy figs from BL, instead of getting them from sets), but how many figs does one average castle fan need? For example, I have about 50+ crownies from all those sets I've bought, but such an amount it pretty useless even for a huge MOC (which only few people are capable of carrying out).

What I'm drifting to is that unique, unusual figs (like the prince ) are much more welcome for me at least than tonns of generic knights. In that matter I presume the new theme is pretty well-balanced.

Good day, ladies and gentlemen! )

[BearHeart]

I can't believe so many people don't plan on buying the big castle. IMHO, its WAAYY better looking and a better design than the castle form King's Castle Siege.

[Minifig Lecturer]

Nope they are printed. LEGO Castle / Kingdoms / Whatever they call them always has printed shields because they will use them in other sets in the years to come.

Thanks Green Brick Giant.

Just wondered as in one of the photos the crests are not aligned properly (not centered).

Seems there could be a case of poor printing quality, hopefully not common.

[Sir Dillon]

Please note that I have moved the discussion of 74louloute's Magician set to [here].

I can't believe so many people don't plan on buying the big castle. IMHO, its WAAYY better looking and a better design than the castle form King's Castle Siege.

I agree. I suppose I can understand people saying its boring, but the is the least <insert that tiresome argument> we've seen in a long time, and is probably the closest we'll ever get to the "classic" style.

Fantasy Era big castle and troll fortress both had 10 figures (counting the giant trolls), and, for example, the drawbridge set also had 7, several of them exclusive or rare. Is this new dragon tower also going to be $40 MSRP (or $45 or w/e with price increase, you get it)? If so, it's not so bad, but even then, it's just plain 2 figures less.

I had forgotten just how many figures were in the larger Fantasy Era sets. The Kingdoms line is perhaps a step down minifigure wise from those, but I think one could argue that skeletons are cheaper to produce than normal figures and that the amount of figures in the Troll Mountain Fortress lessened the overall piece count. The flagship sets of the previous lines had figure counts similar or lesser to those from the Kingdoms line. (For example Vladek's Dark Fortress had 8, the Castle of Morcia had 7, King Leo's Castle had 8 including a skeleton, and the Night Lord's Castle had 7 including a skeleton.)

[Santhor]

Why? I see two. So does the upper side of the box show us.

A shame really that there are so few Dragons in the line.....

EDIT: According to my calculations it's 8 Dragon Knights vs 12 Lion Knights (without the maid).

Good day, ladies and gentlemen! )

Sorry to be late, but in FBTB's photos it shows (out of box) 1 great helm dragon, 1 kettle helm, and 1 pointy helm archer. I hope it does come with 3 dragons.

-Santhor