Best small set of 2011

[Hewman]

It's that time of year where we reflect on what have been the best sets of the year. Polls appear and blogs have features on the best sets of the year. Invariably though, all the 'best' sets are the big ticket items. So here's one for the little guys. What are people's favourite small set (I've set a price of less than $20 US (based on US shop at home prices, you can check brickset if you're unsure of prices in the US. This gives plenty of sets to choose from at $19.99 or less).

I'll kick it off, for me, it's set, 7978, Angler Attack from the Atlantis theme. There are so many great features packed into this small set, great variety of colours (plenty of dark green that I love), a brilliant barracuda minifig, a fun build and masses of playability. I bought this on a whim and it was my best unplanned Lego buy of the last two years.

Picture taken from Whung's Brickshelf folder, he who provides us with so many top quality early pics

Edited December 24, 2011 by hewman

[SilvaShado]

My favorite set was 6918 Blacksmith Attack. I've bought like 5 copies of it for parts. The new bucket, the new weapons and a host of great basic parts for Castle building was just too good to pass up, especially when I was able to buy the set on sale.

I even used some of the parts to make my own blacksmith shop that I thought was more realistic.

[lightningtiger]

Ditto, Blacksmith Attack.....I too have brought at least three of these cool sets...sometime just for all the weapons and yes, for my first medieval MOC too !

[TheBoyWonder]

Looks like Blacksmith Attack is one popular set. I have too agree too. I would say it is one of the best in the Since 2009.

It does help being a castle obsessed nutter!

[Legoman of War]

I opened this thread to add my input and it seems there are several others that share my opinion: Blacksmith's Attack. I had to buy several as my son had to have several "extra" pieces.

LMW

[Sid Sidious]

I'll have to go with the Flying Mummy Attack. Cool model, great pieces, and awesome minifigs. What's not to love?

[AndyC]

All good suggestions. I'd almost go with Flying Mummy Attack too, but was swayed at the last minute by the Tripod Invader. Retro B-Movie alien invaders are just too cool.

[brickmack]

The first one that comes to mind would be the Angler Attack set (Atlantis). Lots of dark green parts, and some other good parts too. Plus the design is nicely done. My only problem with it is the stickers keep coming off on the curved parts... The Flying Mummy Attack set from Pharaohs Quest would probably be 2nd place, mostly because I like the plane.

[just2good]

CMF Volume 4 has to be my favorite small set of 2011... There are just so many useable minifigures in that one!

If CMFs don't count, my favorite is probably the Black Smith Attack, the Fishing Boat, or the Captains Cabin.

[mikey]

Another vote for Blacksmith Attack - a perfect combination of play set concept we got the conflict kids need combined with the civilian life the adults crave for, great parts, and a perfect minifig. Also a great set on discount was The Cannibal Escape, useful parts, and I really like the Cannibal minifigs.

I also thought the Alien Striker impulse set was really good, its rare that an impulse set actually manages to build something respectable, but this performed. The alien minifig was superb, and had a really good selection of small parts.

[TheWarden]

Glad to see the Angler get some love. I have this but haven't opened it yet, happy that is looks worthwhile...

Too many to pick just one, but this year I liked: (US prices, sorry)

2260-1: Ice Dragon Attack - $20 (awesome)

2259-1: Skull Motorbike - $15 (biker skeleton roll around fun)

6918-1: Blacksmith Attack - $10

7279-1: Police Minifigure Collection - $10 (great if you didn't have any recent police or the criminals, bad if you already had them)

Any of the small Alien Conquest sets tickled my fancy

6862-2: Superman Vs Power Armor Lex - $20 (Officially released this year or next?)

30052-1: AAT - $4 or less (if you picked these polybags up this year, you probably got 2 and often got them cheaper after the holiday, and you got a cute scootable tank with rarish colors, useful parts for sci-fi moccing)

7187-1: Escape from the Dragon's Prison - $20 (The prison isn't much by for the price, you get a nice experience, minifigs, a story in a box if you will.)

4659758-1: Target Bullseye Gift Card 2011 - Free* (If you could find these, you got a nice pile of white bricks, slopes, etc with a rare target printed part. Oh and a broom!)

I guess I bought a lot this year...

Edited December 24, 2011 by TheWarden

[krystalKING]

Tripod invader and alien defender. don't say anything, you cannot sway me!

[Darth Hagrid]

All good suggestions. I'd almost go with Flying Mummy Attack too, but was swayed at the last minute by the Tripod Invader. Retro B-Movie alien invaders are just too cool.

Ditto.

[TheLegoDr]

Escape from Dragon's Prison all the way. The prison wasn't the best, but it had useful extras for building a larger MOC. Plus 4 figures and a horse with barding. A great army building set for the price (especially since the barding can be expensive).

Another good one was Prison Carriage Rescue for another great army building set. An extra horse, plus 3 figures.

[GhostFan]

Definitely Blacksmith Attack for me too.

[CMP]

Blacksmith Attack. The parts and figs are simply too much to resist - I didn't plan on getting any Kingdoms sets, but this one was totally worth it.

[Ash]

I like most of the smaller Pharaoh's Quest sets. This is my favourite though. What's not to love about a killer beetle. It's on special a lot as well, I should pick up some spares!

For some reason the Kingdom's stuff seems to be crazy expensive and hard to find in the UK. I'm at the in-laws in Belgium at the moment and a shop down the road has all of it. Very tempting! Still expensive though.