LOTR & The Hobbit 2013 Set Discussion

[Artanis I]

I would, but I cant post it until Friday. That helmet was used in KKII & fantasy era Castle. It's reappearing in the upcoming Castle sets again. It's really overdone in black.

[The_Chosen_1]

I just ordered some in various colors from Bricklink, in order to outfit my Mordor orc army. I figured it was probably worth it, just in case the LOTR line turns out to be shorter than anticipated and Lego doesn't get around to releasing armored Mordor orcs.

[Rogue Angel]

Please keep the discussion to LotR/Hobbit, and not branch off into general price/availability discussions. There has been a tendency to go off on a lot of tangents lately to topics that do not belong in this thread.

[Delta 38]

Here are the helmets.

On the right is another helmet that might work. It doesn't really resemble anything in particular, but you could use it for added variety.

There's also a speckled black-silver breastplate that could go with the helmet in the middle.

[Alcarin]

look really crap on those minifigs.

Here are the helmets.

On the right is another helmet that might work. It doesn't really resemble anything in particular, but you could use it for added variety.

There's also a speckled black-silver breastplate that could go with the helmet in the middle.

[The_Chosen_1]

Thanks for sharing, Delta - that middle helmet looks fantastic; I would have preferred Lego included that helmet in the Black Gate set rather than the Uruk-hai one.

[Deathleech]

Here are the helmets.

Thanks for the pics! I think the middle helms looks good decent as is, but would look significantly better in dark gray w/o the speckles. Do you by chance have the speckled breastplate you spoke of (guessing no since you didn't take a pic of it ), and can take a pic of it with the helm? Do you also have a visor you can put on the on the Moria Orc helm o the left?

[deskp]

Thanks for sharing, Delta - that middle helmet looks fantastic; I would have preferred Lego included that helmet in the Black Gate set rather than the Uruk-hai one.

I think we all do, the shame is that they used those helmets in the prelims!

[Faefrost]

With all the arguing about Orc helmets, I have to wonder, wasn't the whole point that the Orc armor looks cruder, and more cobbled together and unique per piece? Yeah some helmets were vaguely similar as if hammered out en mass. But there was no attempt at making a uniform army or armor. The key for getting a group of orcs to look good to the eye isn't a matter of using any specific type of helmet, but rather to be mixing stuff up a bit. The spicier and cruder the better?

And yes I realize that there were still on film differences between Uruk Hai armor and Mordor armor, etc. but if anything it is the Uruk Hai that should look a bit more the same as we saw that being made en mass. The Mordor stuff was much more varied in look.

[ShaydDeGrai]

With all the arguing about Orc helmets, I have to wonder, wasn't the whole point that the Orc armor looks cruder, and more cobbled together and unique per piece? Yeah some helmets were vaguely similar as if hammered out en mass. But there was no attempt at making a uniform army or armor. The key for getting a group of orcs to look good to the eye isn't a matter of using any specific type of helmet, but rather to be mixing stuff up a bit. The spicier and cruder the better?

And yes I realize that there were still on film differences between Uruk Hai armor and Mordor armor, etc. but if anything it is the Uruk Hai that should look a bit more the same as we saw that being made en mass. The Mordor stuff was much more varied in look.

Well said. I think the Uruk Hai armor should have the look and feel of cheap mass production (simple, redundant forms thrown together by barely skilled labor), but I always envisioned the forces of Mordor as having more of a varied and scavenged look to them. If some rich dude fall in battle and has better armor than you, take the armor. If the helm is bashed in but the mail is fine, take the mail - who cares if it doesn't go with your grieves or has some dead guy's coat of arms on it, an upgrade is an upgrade. Puny goblin armor too tight for that barrel chest of yours? Try lashing on some of that barding from that dead horse over by the tree - a few whacks with a hammer, half a dozen rivets, it will be a whole lot more protective than the leather jerkin you made out of the elf you tanned the other day...

Keep it up for a few years and the chances of any two soldiers having the exact same outfit are pretty slim. Historically, even things like Roman legions, which film and TV often portray as having 100% uniformity in their dress and armament, had a fair amount of variation beyond the basic kit. I'd think a ravaging horde of orcs with a reputation for fighting amongst themselves over battlefield plunder would only magnify such variations.

[deskp]

With all the arguing about Orc helmets, I have to wonder, wasn't the whole point that the Orc armor looks cruder, and more cobbled together and unique per piece? Yeah some helmets were vaguely similar as if hammered out en mass. But there was no attempt at making a uniform army or armor. The key for getting a group of orcs to look good to the eye isn't a matter of using any specific type of helmet, but rather to be mixing stuff up a bit. The spicier and cruder the better?

And yes I realize that there were still on film differences between Uruk Hai armor and Mordor armor, etc. but if anything it is the Uruk Hai that should look a bit more the same as we saw that being made en mass. The Mordor stuff was much more varied in look.

The main Orc attackers at pelenor field all wore the same armor. not helmets tho. but the idea is we want a orc helemt mold instead of a bunch of leftover molds.

http://images.wikia.com/lotr/images/4/4b/Crew_of_Guritz.png

[Deathleech]

The main Orc attackers at pelenor field all wore the same armor. not helmets tho. but the idea is we want a orc helemt mold instead of a bunch of leftover molds.

http://images.wikia....w_of_Guritz.png

Exactly! We want different helms and a variation, we don't want them all to be uniform (or wearing the distinct Uruk-hai helms as they will be in the upcoming sets). With that said I dunno why Lego didn't just take a bunch of helms they already have from previous Castle themes and include them on the Mordor Orcs. That was my point with the helms I linked earlier, they can be re-used from previous Castle sets and some look fairly similar to what the Orcs actually wore. The fact they aren't exactly the same is fine since the Mordor Orcs were pretty rag tag anyways.

[The_Chosen_1]

^ Those are my feelings exactly. It's not that all Mordor orcs should have the same armor, but having a little variety to shake things up and improve film accuracy would not go amiss.

Perhaps if there are any Osgiliath and/or Battle of Pelennor Fields sets on the way, it would be the perfect time to throw in some existing armor elements or (hopefully!) even some new torso and head prints.

[Kez]

Here are the helmets.

Thanks for that, I have the breastplate that you speak of for the middle Orc, at the weekend I may have to try and see what the Orc looks like in it and I like the look of the Orc on the right with slizers helmet, hopefully there will be new moulds and prints for orcs.

[BlueberryWaffles]

In the latest Club mag there is a poster that shows an extended Black Gate with Orcs, Uruk-hai and a Cave Troll coming out, and Sharky and Gandalf the White are battling in front. On the left side it has the Mouth, Corsair, and Orcs, and on the right the Council figures, Legolas and the ghosts, and Gondor Aragorn. I like the disclaimer: Not all Minifigures featured on this page are included in set 79007 Battle of Black Gate. Well we can dream can't we?

[SMC]

Can anyone post a pic of that sounds cool.

[Artanis I]

Sharky

TLG would get sued by Tolkien Estate if they called him that, it wasn't in the movies...

[BlueberryWaffles]

Hey, I like the name Sharky!

[Delta 38]

Hey everyone, it's Orthanc! http://www.fbtb.net/2013/04/26/official-unveiling-of-10237-tower-of-orthanc/

(Via FBTB.)

Yay, new Saruman! Yay, Grima Wormtongue! Yay, Eagle! Yay, minifigs!

[Basteq]

Hey everyone, it's Orthanc! http://www.fbtb.net/...wer-of-orthanc/

(Via FBTB.)

It's not exacly what I expected, but OK.

[Ceroknight]

Hmm I think I was expecting slightly more..but it's alright I guess

[Basteq]

Gr8! Of course it's the most expensive in Denmark :(

[Only Sinner]

Orthanc is HUGE! But two hundred bucks? Jebus, that's a hefty pricetag. Over 2300 pieces, but a lot of them are probably tiny. It needs more orcs, too.

[Shroffy123]

Wow that looks amazing!

[The_Chosen_1]

It's even better than I was expecting!!! This will be a Day 1 purchase for me, assuming there is free shipping involved.