Review: 6079 Dark Forest Fortress

[Norro]

I would still like another copy of this set, this review is just an attempt to lower its value...

and with fallen tree...

6079 Dark Forest Fortress

Year: 1996

Elements: 461

Figs: 7

list Price: $50 (USD) officialy but this one fluctuated (mainly higher)

Lugnet score (out of 100): 82

Review # 6

Resources:

-Comments left on Lugnet

-Building instructions and Set inventory from Peeron

The Thoughts of the scintillating Norro:

...in under a word per brick...

In my mind this set always promised a lot and delivered very little. I was incredibly excited upon the return of forestmen and now, with the option of brown trees, the sky seemed the limit.Then they released this as the 'big set' and with a hefty price tag to boot. It looks (and is) jumbled, like a team of designers trying to different things cooperated very poorly and then at the very end of the design process someone said 'and stick it on this new base, that's the selling point...' All my complaining aside this is one of the best ever spare parts sets, featuring 12 brown corner wall pieces, a lot of foliage, some new(and decent figs) and a rather neat base plate. It also had the added attraction of an interesting looking, rather vulnerable cart foolishly passing through bandit country. But unfortunately this is also one of those sets where lego let themselves down continuity wise. The knights are two dragon knights (by this time obsolete) and one is holding a black knight shield (sacrilege to an ardent fan like myself). All in all I would be a lot more positive if I could pick up several cheap copies today...

Guest Minifig Comments:

No, I can't explain it either. That is me standing next to the catapult apparently about to fire on my own fellow knight from the safety of the woodsmen's "fortress". What am I thinking? I must have been lured into believing this wasn't a hideout by the obvious nature of the stables/buildings and the corniness of the falling tree.... Nice ladder catapult design though, very original, if you can say that about a catapult in a lego set...

It's So Great I Must Have It Now:

-On Bricklink

-Or some non-lego specific site no one has ever heard of...

but I doubt you'll find it for under 150% of its original price...

God Bless,

Nathan

[Mister Phes]

Hmmm... How am I going to approach this one? Perhaps piece at a time...

I don't think it looks that bad... I've seen worse, but I've also seen better. But I must ask what is that white 1 x 2 brick doing upon that ladder. Is not suppose to be a catapult is it?

[snefroe]

- you have to add about $25 to the original $50 dollars if you want to know what you actually paid for this set in 1996 (inflation, remember). So if they'd release it today, it would cost about $75. That's a hell of a lot compared to 461 parts! the santa f

[Starwars4J]

Hmmm... How am I going to approach this one? Perhaps piece at a time...

I don't think it looks that bad... I've seen worse, but I've also seen better. But I must ask what is that white 1 x 2 brick doing upon that ladder. Is not suppose to be a catapult is it?

I believe it's grey actually, and from Norro's review, I think he said the ladder is indeed a catapult!

[Jipay]

Here is a link to an ebay auction for the set :

The link to the ebay auction

[Starwars4J]

Here is a link to an ebay auction for the set :

The link to the ebay auction

I love how it's on ebay France, and how everything is in French EXCEPT for the item description (the seller is from Florida). That just confuses me on so many levels. Why would a person from the states post on ebay France when the shipping would be more, and post the descrption in English when it would be less confusing for the bidders to read it in their native language? *wacko*

As for the set it's already been mentioned as a great parts pack, but I have to say that if I was a child I still would have had countless hours of fun with this as a set. It's still far beyond most of the stuff TLG has been pumping out lately.

[Mister Phes]

Its quite simple Sir Dillion, eBay has region specific domains which automatically translate the eBay webpages into the language and currency of that region. Since Lord Jipay lives in France he logs in using www.ebay.fr which is why everything sans the description is written in French, however, if you viewed the auction by logging in at www.ebay.com everything would be in American English. Take a look...

Furthermore when I attempt to log in from www.ebay.fr a message comes up telling me that is the French version of eBay not the Australian one, and checks to make sure if I want to continue logging in.

[Sir Dillon]

Mister Phes, that was actually Starwars4j who asked the question, not me. But thanks for the information nontheless. ;-)

I like this set. The design isn't the greatest, and niether is the piece count, but I think it looks neat. I like all the brown trunk pieces it comes with, and I really like the Dark Forest minifigs. I don't really like raised baseplates, but it doesn't bother that much in this set.

Overall, not a great set, but one that I like, so I'd probably give this a 6.5/10. :-)

[Mister Phes]

Mister Phes, that was actually Starwars4j who asked the question, not me. But thanks for the information nontheless. ;-)

You all look the same to me! :-D

[SuvieD]

This is when LEGO started to fall apart. From this point on most sets became great "parts" sets and not great sets. Sets were still released with quality but from here forward it would only get worse.

I agree that these parts are excellent and the figures are some of the best.

Another nice review!

[Jipay]

In fact the explication of the english description on thefrench ebay is because I used ebay.fr to browse for the website. Then, because there was no item available in france, they asked if I'd like to browse the international auctions, linking to this floridian auction.

I agree with SuivieD, those sets were great for parts but not nice... This is sad !

[Starwars4J]

Its quite simple Sir Dillion, eBay has region specific domains which automatically translate the eBay webpages into the language and currency of that region. Since Lord Jipay lives in France he logs in using www.ebay.fr which is why everything sans the description is written in French, however, if you viewed the auction by logging in at www.ebay.com everything would be in American English. Take a look...

Furthermore when I attempt to log in from www.ebay.fr a message comes up telling me that is the French version of eBay not the Australian one, and checks to make sure if I want to continue logging in.

Ah, like a dope I thought there were seveal different branches for several different regions. Thanks

[Mister Phes]

This is when LEGO started to fall apart. From this point on most sets became great "parts" sets and not great sets. Sets were still released with quality but from here forward it would only get worse.

This was about 1995 for Castle wasn't it? I noticed the same happened to pirates in 96, but the 95 sets weren't lacking.

[Norro]

This is when LEGO started to fall apart. From this point on most sets became great "parts" sets and not great sets. Sets were still released with quality but from here forward it would only get worse.

This was about 1995 for Castle wasn't it? I noticed the same happened to pirates in 96, but the 95 sets weren't lacking.

This was 1996, the year all lego began to change... If I had only known what was to come I would have bought everything without complaining though ;-) .

And somewhere up there you referenced the ladder... It is a catapult (and probably one of Lego's best for range if you take it off the baseplate so that you can actually use it ...)

God Bless,

Nathan

[Evil Willy]

I have to agree with all of you, at the fact that this has to be the worst forestmen set ever. I have always loved the forestmen (Have a few here myself) but LEGO really did lose me as a fan of forestmen on this one. Sure if it was to be released now we would all marvel, for it is much better than most sets we get now. But really, compared to the original Foresmen which IMHO look much (the MF's) this set is nothing. Well thanks for reviewing it Norro.

Yours truley,

William AKA: Evil Willy

[Mister Phes]

I still don't think this set looks that bad! :-D But maybe its just the picture which makes it look better than what it really is. Does anyone happen to have a picture of this set built and taken from different angles?

[Sir Dillon]

Yeah, I don't think it looks that bad either, but don't actually own the set, so I can't really be sure.

I looked on Brickshelf for pics, but the best I could find is this: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/gunter/S...79/dsc01862.jpg

Which isn't much of a help...

[Mister Phes]

Lets have a look...

You're right Sir Dillion, its not much help but you have done well to find it! What go through people's mind when they take pictures like these? "Lets not worry about how well the image is going to turn out, just take a quick snap and that'll do"

[Athos]

I like this set. It looks quite foresty and the baseplate is nice for some quick landscaping. The cart also reminds we of a gypsy wagon (of which, if you will remember, I am quite fond). And I think the torsos are great. And the falling tree trap is kind of cool too.

What I wouldn't give for more sets like these and less of KK2... :-(

Steve

[Mister Phes]

I have to agree with Mr Athos... Even though this set isn't anywhere near as good as the earlier Forest Men sets its far better than most of the Knights Kingdom II sets these days. I suppose this was near the top of the steep decline so every Castle set after this only got worse...

[snefroe]

there's something weird going on with this set. I can't find it in the catalogues. also, the style of minifigs is waaay older then the mainstream castle sets of the day.

[Norro]

I have to agree with Mr Athos... Even though this set isn't anywhere near as good as the earlier Forest Men sets its far better than most of the Knights Kingdom II sets these days. I suppose this was near the top of the steep decline so every Castle set after this only got worse...

That is pretty much a good assesment....

God Bless,

Nathan

[Mister Phes]

there's something weird going on with this set. I can't find it in the catalogues. also, the style of minifigs is waaay older then the mainstream castle sets of the day.

Its definitely not in any of the catalogues I've seen but Fibblesnork's LEGO Guide has them under the "Dark Forest" section or released in 1996 section.

[Norro]

there's something weird going on with this set. I can't find it in the catalogues. also, the style of minifigs is waaay older then the mainstream castle sets of the day.

Its definitely not in any of the catalogues I've seen but Fibblesnork's LEGO Guide has them under the "Dark Forest" section or released in 1996 section.

Now that you mention it I can't find it in the peeron catalogue scans either, however it is in a magazine I own (the standard box filler from 96)...odd...

God Bless,

Nathan

[snefroe]

well it seems it was part of a three set series:

6079

6046

6024

still, i don't have any idea why lego decided to release those in 1996. They fit more or less into the late 80's castle sets, but not 1996. I guess they did sell it as "parts packs" more then actual sets of a theme.