[Review] 7949 Prison Carriage Rescue

[Aanchir]

Are you expecting LEGO to reflect real life?

It's a toy

I suggest picking a different hobby, if you really think LEGO will ever make an authentic set this size.

Hey, I'm not criticizing the set, I'm just explaining what there is to criticize. Of course it's not meant to be perfect.

[metalandi]

Yeah, but well to be honest, a minifig doesn't crawl out there itself, does it? If yes, i must sleep with one eye open now to be sure all the figs from the sets in my room are not breaking out and attacking me at night

[DaleDVM]

Thanks Kim T for the preview/review. Also thanks for the follow up answers and parts pics. Those were what I was waiting for.

The prison carriage is a great little set. Most of the draw comes from the great minifigs and accessories.

The armored torso on the lion knight is incredible and leg printing to match. This fig is not very customizable but it just looks great. I would never want to cover that up torso with Euroarmor. The prisoners torso is the most versatile of the bunch and a change in arm color can make this guy part of any faction you would like. I like the head printing and two of these are completely new to the castle line.

The accessories... The great helm with red plume and black spear I really like. A shield from each faction! The helmet with neck protector and a sword in dark metallic grey. Yummy! The horse, the barding, and horn are fantastic. The only accessory missing in this set is a saddle for the horse to increase playability.

The carriage build is rather simple and has really big flaws for holding a prisoner. There are no bars between the cage and the guy driving the cart. Maybe you can put the screaming head on the driver and his head on the prisoner who is choking him. Or perhaps he will just climb right out of the top. Now I understand making a proper carriage at this price point is probably impossible, but... all of the flaws in the carriage design could have been covered up by just including a pair of handcuffs. The open design would not matter if you cuffed the guy to the bars. Why didn't TLG think of that? To TLG: I am available for consultation on future sets.

The parts included are great for MOC use. Mostly made of plates this is a great set for small pieces. You can never get enough of the telescope in dark brown, flames, or dark green wedges for landscaping. The gold cheese wedges are new and perfect for dressing up those old crownie strongholds! The modified brick with clip in dark green is new as well, not as useful perhaps but new all the same.

All of this in a $10 USD set. Fantabulous IMHO and a good value since decked out figs go for $3 a piece and horses for $1 or more.

Overall I would give the prison carriage a 4 out of 5. I, of course, will be buying in multiples. Enjoy everyone!

[KimT]

Apparently printing on both sides of a torso isn't that much more expensive to do.

It all comes down to the amount of printing machines in TLG's factory.

These new torsos hopefully lead a new era of printed torsos and parts.

And yeah, what use are all those euroarmors now?

The carriage might be a little "poor" in it's design, but it surely allows the main audience of this set (kids) to play with it.

Who'd want to have a carriage from which noone could escape - where's the playability in that?

Great set, great parts = definately a multiple buy

[Etzel]

Apparently Etzel stumbled upon them and went into battle earlier today :

Yeah, those silly knights stand no chance against the mighty Carolean Duck cavalry !

I like this set, the minifigs are good and most of the parts are in nice colours and useful. Though it seems a little wierd that this set has fewer pieces than 7950 Knight's Showdown but costs more .

[NorthernKnight]

This set is a must-buy. An excellent battlepack. It kinda lacks a saddle, but that's all i can complain about. A bit strange that they didn't use the old dragon knight horse-helmet for the dragon knights horse though.

[KimT]

I like this set, the minifigs are good and most of the parts are in nice colours and useful. Though it seems a little wierd that this set has fewer pieces than 7950 Knight's Showdown but costs more .

That's because the days of measuring a LEGO set by the piece count are over!

Put both sets on a scale and you'll see the difference

[DaleDVM]

The carriage might be a little "poor" in it's design, but it surely allows the main audience of this set (kids) to play with it.

Who'd want to have a carriage from which noone could escape - where's the playability in that?

Don't get me wrong. I love the set and my 11 year old nephew likes it too. But he has also already pointed out that the carriage "won't keep that lion guy in" in his words. For playability's sake, I think the escape could have been managed by the knight coming to the rescue. I think kids are a bit more sophisticated than we often give them credit for. Kids are so darn tricky...

Thanks again KimT for the great review and for your time. I love that you respond to just about all posts and questions.

[Dannylonglegs]

The prisoners torso is the most versatile of the bunch and a change in arm color can make this guy part of any faction you would like.

Hey, that's what I said! I guess we agree.

Don't get me wrong. I love the set and my 11 year old nephew likes it too. But he has also already pointed out that the carriage "won't keep that lion guy in" in his words.

Yeah, but nothing this size can really measure up to the mobile skeleton prison of 2007! :skull:

~Insectoid Aristocrat

[Etzel]

That's because the days of measuring a LEGO set by the piece count are over!

Put both sets on a scale and you'll see the difference

Yeah, I see the difference, although I believe the price difference is more because of the extra minifig and the horse than the bigger size of the set.

But I wouldn't say that piece count isn't an important factor when it comes to LEGO sets, at least not for me. I value a set with lots of small parts much more than a set with fewer but larger pieces, especially when it's pieces like wheels, horse hitches, technic stuff etc. A set with larger parts is usually more expensive to make but that doesn't mean it's better part-wise from a set with smaller parts.

[KimT]

Another use for the Dragon soldier could be:

Norse setups ON!

[Euvor]

Great review! I'd say the carriage is quite a step back, but the figs make it worth buying.

[Front]

Swords:

Two swords in this set and we get the new dark pearl one.

Do people realize that this is two new Lego colours as of summer 2010 ?

[Sir Dillon]

Do people realize that this is two new Lego colours as of summer 2010 ?

I did not realise that. I thought the dark silver was the same colour as the super battle droids, and the silver was the same as last year's swords. How different are the colours?

[KimT]

Are they dark metallic and silver?

(131 & 148 according to LEGO's own colur chart)

I really can't spot where the silver differs from previous silver colours.

[Front]

I really can't spot where the silver differs from previous silver colours.

I think I was wrong, oops

[KimT]

I think I was wrong, oops

Well the metallic dark grey is still new and the silver sword looks more silver than pearl silver did anyway

[The Eye]

Like many have said, I'm glad to see the new dark silver colour having a place in weaponry. Very nice, that.

I for one like the carriage and will not be disassembling it, as to put it in the Dragon Soldiers' prison tower. I also love the horse, very nice.

The best part is still the figs though!

This is still one of the best themes of 2010, I'm hoping to get every single one of them!

[josykay]

The minifigs are fantastic and the new colours of the weapons is just amazing!

The carriage it self is average, but if you compare it to 6042 Dungeon Hunters or 6055 Prisoner Convoy of the Crusader series the set looks just bad, small and weird (especially its open top).

Edited May 28, 2010 by josykay

[Santhor]

Are they dark metallic and silver?

(131 & 148 according to LEGO's own colur chart)

I really can't spot where the silver differs from previous silver colours.

The light silver's not new, but there is the new PoP orange-brown color. Great review by the way, and I love the background plate.

-Santhor

Edited June 7, 2010 by Santhor