LOTR & The Hobbit 2013 Set Discussion

[jmagaletta]

Council of Elrond is the best LOTR set this year. 2 exclusive minifigures, cheap way for Gimli, and beautiful pieces in new shapes and colors.

I beg to differ. Beautiful shapes and colors. But I give the best set to battle at the black gate

[The_Chosen_1]

Just as a heads up, the U.S. Lego S@H site has the brand new Frodo and Bilbo magnets for sale. They look very nice and feature the minifig with a related background image: http://shop.lego.com/en-US/LEGO-The-Lord-of-the-Rings-Frodo-Baggins-Magnet-850681. I ordered the Frodo version along with another Orc Forge (my 4th) and Uruk-hai Army (my 7th) today!

[Leo604]

Just as a heads up, the U.S. Lego S@H site has the brand new Frodo and Bilbo magnets for sale. They look very nice and feature the minifig with a related background image: http://shop.lego.com...s-Magnet-850681. I ordered the Frodo version along with another Orc Forge (my 4th) and Uruk-hai Army (my 7th) today!

From the product summary:

The hobbit famously magnetic!

Stick to your epic journey with the authentic LEGO® Frodo Baggins™ minifigure! Attach to your fridge, locker and most metal surfaces with the attached decorated backplate and magnet. Makes a great gift for fans of the LEGO The Lord of the Rings™ building sets!

• Features and authentic LEGO® Frodo Baggins™ minfigure
  
• Display on the fridge, a locker and most metal surfaces
  
• Minifigure is not detachable from decorated backplate
  

Shame. :(

[Deathleech]

Shame. :(

Ya, but for $6.99 you might as well just go for the smallest LotR/Hobbit sets for a few dollars more and get the minifigures that way, plus Gandalf or Gollum.

[Leo604]

Ya, but for $6.99 you might as well just go for the smallest LotR/Hobbit sets for a few dollars more and get the minifigures that way, plus Gandalf or Gollum.

That's probably my plan at this point; I'll probably just get 79005. Still looking for the Gandalf Dol Guldur polybag, which is by far a better pick than one of these magnets.

[The_Chosen_1]

Deathleech is right -- if it's the minifigures you're after, then the magnets are cost-prohibitive. But as a novelty item they are pretty neat!

[Artanis I]

TLG says "not detachable" because otherwise they are selling an action figure or figurine, and they are not allowed to do that. I imagine that they ARE in fact "detachable" in the same way that the previous magnets are - ie a bit of hot water or glue solvent could do the trick.

[deskp]

TLG says "not detachable" because otherwise they are selling an action figure or figurine, and they are not allowed to do that. I imagine that they ARE in fact "detachable" in the same way that the previous magnets are - ie a bit of hot water or glue solvent could do the trick.

The Star wars magnets were required to be glued, So LEGO decided that all magnets would. Even if lisencing wise they weren't required to.

[legofreak86]

The Star wars magnets were required to be glued, So LEGO decided that all magnets would. Even if lisencing wise they weren't required to.

Thats a bit rubbish. They could've just left the other licensed themes alone and just gone with star wars glued.I guess they may have been preempting license disagreements with other manufacturers though. In my humble opinion lego figures detail wise beat hasbro's star wars figures any day of the week. That does say something about hasbro though if lego can get more of a character likeness on an even smaller face.

[shadowhearth]

So new sets appeared on amazon.fr Prices a bit off, but it might be the sign it will appear officially soon!

http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B00B0ICYP0/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=gl04-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1642&creative=19458&creativeASIN=B00B0ICYP0

[Elrond]

In my humble opinion lego figures detail wise beat hasbro's star wars figures any day of the week. That does say something about hasbro though if lego can get more of a character likeness on an even smaller face.

Well it's hard to compare the two. Hasbro has to sculpt the heads based on the actors' likeness. The LEGO minifigs just have standard heads with stylized facial features printed on them.

Loving Elrond,

Aaaawwww <3

Edited April 17, 2013 by Elrond

[The_Creator]

Aaaawwww <3

ROFL. xD

[Alcarin]

I really dislike the magnet stuff... keep the figs ''pure'' so we can play with them, but i guess LEGO contract prohibit them from doing such things.

[deskp]

I really dislike the magnet stuff... keep the figs ''pure'' so we can play with them, but i guess LEGO contract prohibit them from doing such things.

But your not buying a figure, youre buying a magnet.

[The_Creator]

But your not buying a figure, youre buying a magnet.

I thought you were buying a minifig attached "permanently" to a magnet. :P

Edited April 17, 2013 by The_Creator

[shadowhearth]

Okay, a bit off topic, but Lone rangers smallest set is "Cavalry builder set". So you got a 13eu army building set in licensed theme.... Why on earth Lotr is being shafted like that?!

[Faefrost]

Okay, a bit off topic, but Lone rangers smallest set is "Cavalry builder set". So you got a 13eu army building set in licensed theme.... Why on earth Lotr is being shafted like that?!

I suspect that it is because LotR and especially The Hobbit have a much longer list of named main characters. And the named, identifiable "collectables" characters generally sell better and more dependably drive set sales. So they want to cover them as best they can. It's a shame as LoTR would be crazy good line for some smaller Army builders. The Uruk Hai Army set isn't bad, but maybe a little less wall and price?

[Alcarin]

Okay, a bit off topic, but Lone rangers smallest set is "Cavalry builder set". So you got a 13eu army building set in licensed theme.... Why on earth Lotr is being shafted like that?!

because TLG/LEGO group has written in contract something like

''Minifigure amount has to be proportionate to set size'' since some other company (forgot name, someone can enlighten us here) owns license for LOTR action figures.

Edited April 17, 2013 by Alcarin

[The_Creator]

It's a shame as LoTR would be crazy good line for some smaller Army builders. The Uruk Hai Army set isn't bad, but maybe a little less wall and price?

Or more Rohan…

[deskp]

Okay, a bit off topic, but Lone rangers smallest set is "Cavalry builder set". So you got a 13eu army building set in licensed theme.... Why on earth Lotr is being shafted like that?!

In the first wave lotr's smallest set we got gandalf only in that set. for the second wave we get Saruman in the smallest set. I'd rather have unique imporant characthers than multiples unimporant ones.

That said, i wouldnt mind some NEW generic soldiers

[Fives]

I'm actually surprised that LEGO hasn't made any effort to make battle packs. While LOTR may not be the best when it comes to making SW battle packs, due to the lack of vehicles and stuff, the actual builds themselves would be rather small and lame. The first few could introduce some interesting small catapults and trebuchets, but after the first few, there aren't many options for builds, other than trees and stuff.

What I would like to see is BPs in the style of the 2007 Castle ones, which were simply five figs with assorted weapons and armour, along with a barrel of more weapons. This type of approach would allow for some fantastic variety within the armies, and would be decently priced.

Anyway, that was random and slightly off topic. I'm really hoping that we get a bit more info on Orthanc soon. If it is released in October, it will be out around my birthday, which would be pretty awesome.

[Alcarin]

I'm actually surprised that LEGO hasn't made any effort to make battle packs. While LOTR may not be the best when it comes to making SW battle packs, due to the lack of vehicles and stuff, the actual builds themselves would be rather small and lame. The first few could introduce some interesting small catapults and trebuchets, but after the first few, there aren't many options for builds, other than trees and stuff.

What I would like to see is BPs in the style of the 2007 Castle ones, which were simply five figs with assorted weapons and armour, along with a barrel of more weapons. This type of approach would allow for some fantastic variety within the armies, and would be decently priced.

Anyway, that was random and slightly off topic. I'm really hoping that we get a bit more info on Orthanc soon. If it is released in October, it will be out around my birthday, which would be pretty awesome.

CONTRACT man, contract prohibits them doing battle packs because some other toy company has license from LOTR for action figures!

Simple asnwer

[Fives]

CONTRACT man, contract prohibits them doing battle packs because some other toy company has license from LOTR for action figures!

Simple asnwer

I realise that. The license for LOTR works the same as the SW one. But LEGO could still do SW style Battle Packs, with two good guys and two bad guys. They could release two battle packs per year around the January release of other themes, since LOTR/The Hobbit don'e get released till early summer or late fall. It would help bridge the gap between releases, and quench the thirst of fans for a little bit. They could do one BP from LOTR and one from The Hobbit. Sure, it would be slightly expensive to stock up on theme, but it's better than the Uruk Army set, and LEGO knows that plenty of fans would pour tons of money into multiples. I only mentioned the Castle style Bps because they are my favourite BPs ever, due to the fact that you get an extra fig and no pointless build for slightly less money than SW Bps.

[Blakstone]

CONTRACT man, contract prohibits them doing battle packs because some other toy company has license from LOTR for action figures!

Contract would restrict them from only releasing minifigs. I doubt the contract says that they cannot release construction toy sets that focus on background characters that fans would use in large number.

As long as TLG includes a small build of a catapult or a tree they would be good as far as the contract goes. If there was a magic number of how much building was necessary per minifig, we don't have that.

The fan debate is why doesn't TLG make a battle pack with a particular army / armies and include enough construction to satisfy the contact. It is also will they ever to LotR / Hobbit battle packs. This debate seems to spill into almost every LotR thread as lot of the fans want them.

It can be a tedious discussion as there is no way to ever resolve this unless and until TLG does a battle pack. I hope that they do. I want more variety of Rohan minifigs and I know so many others want Gondor and the other armies.

Edited April 17, 2013 by Blakstone

[Alcarin]

I realise that. The license for LOTR works the same as the SW one. But LEGO could still do SW style Battle Packs, with two good guys and two bad guys. They could release two battle packs per year around the January release of other themes, since LOTR/The Hobbit don'e get released till early summer or late fall. It would help bridge the gap between releases, and quench the thirst of fans for a little bit. They could do one BP from LOTR and one from The Hobbit. Sure, it would be slightly expensive to stock up on theme, but it's better than the Uruk Army set, and LEGO knows that plenty of fans would pour tons of money into multiples. I only mentioned the Castle style Bps because they are my favourite BPs ever, due to the fact that you get an extra fig and no pointless build for slightly less money than SW Bps.

No they are even prohibited of doing that...

I heared someone said in contract its written that the MINIFG count has to be PROPORTIONATE with set size... so we cannot have battle packs.

I guess people keep ignoring this fact.

we will NEVER see LOTR battle packs unless LEGO buys Action toys License for LOTR