LEGO Castle 2013

[Fives]

Although I have no intention of buying any of these, I'm excited to see what LEGO does. There will likely be no fantasy elements at all in this theme, since the Middle-Earth theme is so heavily filled with all that sorta stuff. But, I really do wonder if LEGO will bring back the Kingdoms factions, or create new ones. Also, I wonder if the old swords that were in use before LOTR and The Hobbit will be used for an un-licensed castle theme, or if the swords used by Aragorn and Boromir have become the new standard for Castle weaponry. same goes for the spears.

[Raven]

Not sure if anyone has brought this up, but this could be a good reason for the new "normal" sword mold that might be replacing the old sword mold. Besides the Chess set, there haven't been any other sets that would need a medieval sword since it was discovered. Unless I'm wrong.

[SirBlake]

Not sure if anyone has brought this up...

That's a good point! My guess is that the LotR/CMF (highlander/evil knight) sword would replace the hero chrome/gold "great sword" that we've been getting with king minifigs for years. Normal knights and soldiers could then use the revised classic sword from the alternate chess set.

Again, more speculation, but it's fun to guess.

[Piranha]

Here are some set names that someone posted on Classic Castle that claimed they were from a reliable source although these may only be tentative names for the sets. Just thought I would pass this info on here as well.

70400 Forest Ambush

70401 Gold Getaway

70402 The Gatehouse Raid

70403 Dragon Mountain

70404 Kings Castle

Thanks for posting this. Of all of those, Forest Ambush sounds the most interesting, I like many others am hoping for the long awaited return of Forestmen or the Wolfpack.

[TheLegoDr]

Those set names sound amazing. I really can't wait to see what this theme brings us. I may have to hold off on buying some other themes in anticipation for this one just to save some money. But who knows about summer LOTR either. Castle awesomeness overload!

[CommoScout]

Here are my semi educated guesses on the remakes if they so happen to be. Mostly based on the names themselves and of course sets that best match the description.

I would hope they would not just remake them as they did with the Legends set(s) but actually make them in a newer image and flesh them out quite a bit. More minifigs, more going on within each set, etc.

Anywho, for your speculating pleasure, here are the following.

70400 Forest Ambush: Possibly a remake of this one, though I speculate it will be larger.

70401 Gold Getaway: Crossing my fingers for this one, as it was my favorite as a kid, of course, again modified and larger.

70402 The Gatehouse Raid: Again, a slightly larger version.

70403 Dragon Mountain: It was a toss-up between this one and 6082 Fire Breathing Fortress, but I feel this one represents the mountain more.

70404 Kings Castle: Finally this one. Lots to choose form, and one could almost hope for a Black Falcon castle but I feel safe with this guess.

[Mencot]

Here are my semi educated guesses on the remakes if they so happen to be. Mostly based on the names themselves and of course sets that best match the description.

70404 Kings Castle: Finally this one. Lots to choose form, and one could almost hope for a Black Falcon castle but I feel safe with this guess.

Hopefuly we wont be getting this (or if TLG makes a remake that is Awesome, with just as many minifigs and horses)

because it has been remade many times, Kingdoms 7946 the most recent:

Ratherly I would like to see a remake then, of the epic epicness what started it all, The Yellow castle

Edited November 28, 2012 by ZCerberus
Picture is outside site guidelines and was removed. Please keep pictures to a maximum of 800 x 600

[CMP]

Ratherly I would like to see a remake then, of the epic epicness what started it all, The Yellow castle

Why? Minus the (considerable) nostalgia factor, it's a bunch of yellow, black, and white bricks and a few figs. It's a great set for its time, but it wouldn't transfer well to a modern-day set.

I'm also crossing my fingers for a few old factions to show up, or at least a new one with an interesting color scheme. Dragon Knights had one of the best in my opinion. Lion Knights....not so much.

[Brickadiergerard]

I grew up with the Black Falcons, Crusaders and Forestmen, and my kids have got into Castle Lego with the latest Dragon Knights and Lion Knights, so I think I've been pretty fortunate to have seen two goldenish eras. Trying to be objective and impartial, it is my considered opinion that a revised and updated version of the Black Falcons vs the Forestmen would be the most fantastically wonderful Castle range imaginable!

Based on those possible names though, looks like the Falcons' return is still a dream, but a Forestmen of some kind does seem likely.

[just2good]

Here are some set names that someone posted on Classic Castle that claimed they were from a reliable source although these may only be tentative names for the sets. Just thought I would pass this info on here as well.

70400 Forest Ambush

70401 Gold Getaway

70402 The Gatehouse Raid

70403 Dragon Mountain

70404 Kings Castle

These names remind me of Kingdoms...

[PsyKater]

Sorry guys. No news from me from LEGO Fanwelt in Cologne. The LEGO store people did not seem to have any clue (did not spot the store manager). And on the trade fair, the LEGO stand was rather poor. Only old sets, not even Hobbits, new City sets. Nothing. :(

[Rogue Angel]

I grew up with the Black Falcons, Crusaders and Forestmen, and my kids have got into Castle Lego with the latest Dragon Knights and Lion Knights, so I think I've been pretty fortunate to have seen two goldenish eras.

I too started with the Black Falcons, Crusaders and Forestmenm, and I think this was one of the best eras, along with the original Dragon Knights. The newest themes have had much better torsos for generic castle characters, but don't seem quite as a good as the originals. The villagers and commoners have gotten better and better with each new iteration though.

I would expect another Forestmen remake, but I'm hoping for new non-lion, non-dragon, non-crown factions. I think every new standard (Evil Knight, Evil Dwarf, CMF 9 Knight) is a boon to Castle, and lets us create even more factions.

[Evil Porkchop]

I'm really hoping these sets bring back the Forestmen and Black Falcon's factions. They were my 2 favorites when I was young.

[Jack Bricker]

I have to say that I am very dubious about what I am hearing about this new castle theme.

First I hear that Lego is making a new castle theme without any fantasy but, then I see Dragon Mountain listed as one of the names for the new sets. Then I hear that LOTR is not selling well and that Lego is wanting to go back to classic castle. That is just simply not true. I live in the Pacific Northwest in the United States and we have a pretty good sized castle fan base up here and I can tell you from talking to different Lego Store employees and from personal observation of stores that don't tend to be as well stalked that LOTR is selling pretty well. Also, I am hearing about two new LOTR/Hobbit waves and now a new castle wave?

There is just too much conflicting information right now to really make a proper judgement. And while I would like to see a new castle theme return I also would like for the LOTR/Hobbit line to be at least mostly complete and I would like see some fantasy elements in the new classic castle. I would really like to see a new dragon and some yellow colored elves.

[ZCerberus]

Did anyone see the front page on the Series 9 figures?

Looks like there is a pair of castle figures in there. I would bet the new sword mold will be with one of those two figures.

[Brickington]

^^ He's right, I bet the sword will be the new mold.

[Mencot]

^^ He's right, I bet the sword will be the new mold.

You sure, I think it look like the gladius. But I know that sounds stupied, why would a knight have that, but it looks like that sword to me

[SirBlake]

I'm betting new chess set mold as well.

[Brickington]

*Edit: never mind I found it, you guys are probably right, that chess mold is the one that is probably going to be used. What is the date that this Castle theme is going to hit stores?

Edited November 28, 2012 by Commander Law

[Kai NRG]

... What is the date that this Castle theme is going to hit stores?

Late (September) 2013, I think?

[Deathleech]

There is just too much conflicting information right now to really make a proper judgement.

That's exactly how I feel. One day someone heard from their "inside sources" that the LotR line is doing horrible, and then the next week we see a poster for 2013 LotR sets coming and someone with a very vague list of 3 out of 8 to be released sets. Now we have castle sets listed from mid 2013. It's fun and all to speculate, but it's hard to believe anything with so much conflicting info coming at us.

[Darth Caedus]

^This. I am very glad there's 3 Hobbit movies, because that will drum up enough kiddie interest to keep the line alive for probably 4 waves - Hobbit 1 sets for Wave 2, a light summer Wave 3 of LOTR if the reports are right, a strong holiday Wave 4 for the Hobbit 2 (Smaug is a high impact character and a set of him would sell BIG), a summer 2014 Wave 5 for Hobbit 3, and probably some sets at that Christmas to close out the line. It could extend into Spring or Summer 2015, but I wouldn't bet on it.

[TheLegoDr]

I think maybe TLG realizes that LOTR isn't for everyone and the backlash of Kingdoms ending probably resulted in them thinking maybe two castle themes can work side by side. At the very least they could bring about extra pieces or nice looking molds/coloring to be used in any scheme. I will obviously wait to see pictures and more information, but I'm more excited for more LOTR sets personally. I love classic castle and that is what I grew up with, but I'm really digging how they are handling the LOTR line currently.

As much as I love the CMF series bringing us some nice new castle-esque figures, it is not ideal having so many individual factions without being able to increase their respective kingdoms. The boar knight and whatever the new shield emblem may be isn't helping creating kingdoms around those factions. Unless those were indicators of future factions they plan on working with (but I highly doubt it since the black knight/boar combo has such strong pop culture ties).

[Blakstone]

I did Castle LEGO as a preteen up until I went to college. I was still doing LEGO during that brief time when I was working at fast food before I had bills to pay. After a decade of being out of LEGO, I gave away all my old sets. The LotR franchise sets drew me back to LEGO but I have bought quite a lot of the current Castle sets (I have the Mill raid coming from eBay as we write).

I think LotR has been a success for LEGO. But they had projected before. Hopefully Darth Caedus is right that the Hobbit movies will energize younger fans. But this francise has lifted quite a few boats. I have also bought a PotC set, a Harry Potter set, a couple super hereos sets that I never would have if LotR was not around.

Hopefully there will be incredible Castle sets next year. I am amazed out how much I love the Medieval Market Village. I wanted it for spare parts but I cannot bear to dismantle it. I especially like full civilian buildings.

[Venkefedo]

As much as I love the CMF series bringing us some nice new castle-esque figures, it is not ideal having so many individual factions without being able to increase their respective kingdoms. The boar knight and whatever the new shield emblem may be isn't helping creating kingdoms around those factions. Unless those were indicators of future factions they plan on working with (but I highly doubt it since the black knight/boar combo has such strong pop culture ties).

I think the CMF 'factions' aren't meant to be kingdoms (except, perhaps, the Elf and Evil Dwarf), but just mini-factions, more like an actual medieval kingdom. The Boar Knights are basically mercenaries according to the bio; could be the Boar is the sigil of the one Evil Knight alone, or of an entire troop of mercs. Whatever the Heroic Knight's emblem turns out to be, it doesn't have to represent a kingdom, it could just be his house... more like Knight's Kingdom II than traditional Lego Castle themes. Many of the Castle factions don't even have royalty, so they're more fiefdoms than kingdoms!

And that works for me! You can throw a lot of fiefdoms together with their own emblems & colors to flesh out a larger kingdom.