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In the midst of the Mirkwood forest runs an enchanted stream closely guarded by
elves that protect and repel any unwarranted visitors. These elven guards patrol
not only the forest floor, but also the canopy with their uncanny ability to
leap from tree top to tree top.
Entry to the CCCX contest for the Forest Life category.
AC
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AC
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Hi All,
The www.altBricks.com website is ready for orders!!! It took way longer than
planned to get the site all up and running. And we have been so burried in
"side" orders that we keep running out! But we just received a large shipment
so there are plenty for all (we hope)!
On a side note, we aren't selling on Bricklink any longer, but still love the
site!!! Thanks Bricklink for letting altBricks get a start on your site!
SteveB
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The exploration and conquest of the New World often brought conflict between the
various European countries and their armies that often started with skirmishes
and ended with full scale battles.
AC
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Click the pic for more...
AC
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Frodo woke to a cool, clammy darkness. No, not quite darkness, there was an
eerie green glow about the low-ceiling chamber in which he awoke. He glanced
about himself to see the prostrate figures of Sam, Pippin and Merry now oddly
adorned in white and covered in circlets and rings, surrounded by ancient swords
and treasures.
“Are we dead?” he briefly thought, but the thought was quickly
chased from his mind as he felt an impending danger, wending it’s way into the
room on the airy, phantom tones of a chilling death-like song. . .
The Lego group’s release of the Lord of the Rings sets has been a very mixed bag
of results. For minifigure collectors it’s a dream come true (with slight
heartburn for critics of the lower quality out-sourced materials). For
construction fans, many diehard builders have already built their own versions
of some of these iconic structures. Lego takes an interesting (and for me at
least, unforeseen) turn on the releases of these basically Castle-themed sets.
My first build in the collection is the 9472 Attack on Weathertop set. The
price was originally daunting until I was able to make a deal with a
fellow-collector that ultimately made it possible for me to pick up the set
(that I honestly wouldn’t have picked up at its original price).
9472 is an innovative spin on the Castle set. It’s a two-level tower-like
construction with a spiral staircase winding upward from a small camp clearing
(with firepit). The stairs wind upward to an open battlement with decaying
arches and bits of ruins (very well depicted). On the first-level back side of
the structure (opposite the camp clearing) there is an arched doorway that leads
to a small interior armory. A trap door in the floor of the second level can
drop unprepared victims into the lower chamber and the entire structure is
hinged to allow better access to the lower interior. An additional partial
wall/corner assembly (separate from the main tower) is included to add to the
feel of ruins and while this smacks of simply adding to the piece count, the
bricks and plate will add to alternate building possibilities.
Figures included in the set are two ring wraiths, a warrior figure (Aragorn) and
two hobbits (Frodo and Merry--though it could just as well be Frodo and Sam) and
two horses. The wraiths are very well executed but nothing particularly new
(basically dark jedi knight figures). In all fairness it should be noted that
the menacing Harry Potter Dementor figs have already stolen the wraiths’
‘creepy’ thunder. Aragorn and the hobbit figures are good sculpts and body
paints. Accessories include a spear, swords, torches, food bits (chicken legs,
carrot, apple) and a small, gold-plated ring (this is actually pretty cool).
Minor accessories of flowerless plants/weeds should be noted, they are simple
but add a great touch to the feel of the main model.
Where fans (myself among them) have complained about price-per-part issues, Lego
is now giving us more parts, and oh how cuts the two-edged sword! We’re getting
more parts alright, but many of them are small 1x1 bricks and slopes (be careful
how you word your wishes)! This is indicative of not just the Lord of the Rings
sets. Fans need to carefully check out other themes (I’ve seen it in Star Wars
and even Town sets) before going by only the listed part count to determine if a
purchase is worthwhile. I’m a long-time construction toy fan and Lego is among
my favorite brands but the mentality that ‘fans will buy whatever you produce’
is not always true (particularly in difficult financial times). Time will tell.
Okay, now that I’ve got that out of my system, let’s take a serious look at this
construction. A perusal of the Lord of the Rings sets shows a very interesting
design mindset: minimal (if any) castle walls and panels! While the
price-per-part monster probably has a bit to do with this mentality (you’re
gonna use anywhere from four to eight or nine parts to make up for that single
castle wall) it does make for a more ‘artsy’ looking castle construction that I
found very appealing. Hopefully this is something that will only play part in
this particular theme and we won’t lose the ‘classic’ feel of a larger Lego
castle with those customary panels and wall bits. Adding to the ‘artsy’ feel of
the castle is use of microfigures within the walls or arches to give the feel of
statuettes or relief detail (another great touch).
A second item to note on the building style is how the exterior walls are angled
such that we aren’t treated to a square design per se, but we’re getting an
almost octagonal design. Don’t get too excited just yet, this unique
structuring was actually being done by Tyco Superblocks sets over 25 years ago
(anybody remember the very cool
Black
Knight’s Castle set?) though it’s admittedly improved upon by Lego.
Last note on the design of the structure is in answer to a possible question of
‘why is there an interior to Weathertop?’. I think the Lego group is actually
implementing a bit of the barrow burial mounds that were originally part of the
‘Fellowship’ book but not a part of the movies. I pictured the barrow vaults as
being a lot larger but the basic idea is here.
Final judgment? This is a very good principle model using a good assortment of
grey, dark grey, dark green and tan elements that many fans will miss out on
because of the high sticker price. While I don’t approve of figure-pirating,
construction fans can benefit by picking up the set minus figures at a much more
reasonable price from ebay or elsewhere and populate the set with their own
existing figures.
!!!4x2ReVu Stats!!!
Rating: Five out of eight studs. (It isn’t fair but the high price easily
knocked off two stars.)
Thumbs up for: A very cool, innovative structure.
Thumbs down on: Totally overpriced! The demand for (and resale of)
collectible figures (along with price-per-part cramming and lofty license
price-jacking) is sadly not a good thing for our favored brand of construction
toys.
Wallet-Wise: $60.00 suggested U.S. retail for 430 pieces.
Date:
7/27/2012
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A large group of the Elves of Lorien march in to reinforce the defence of the
keep sent by Elrond, at the prompting of Galadriel, under the command of Haldir.
Click the pic for more details...
AC
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In lugnet.castle, Stephane Simard wrote:
> Oh well, I was expecting to see some...
>
> Good thing I moved to Eurobricks :\
If everyone waits for someone else... nothing happens. Maybe post a link to your
favorite one there? Or to a creation of your own?
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Oh well, I was expecting to see some...
Good thing I moved to Eurobricks :\
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In a crucial chrono-axis-point, inadequate safeguards and the nefarious efforts
of ‘he who must not be named’ proved far too effective and the ‘boy who lived’
did not in fact live.
In this alternate timescape the powerful Voldemort
ironically became the word on everyone’s lips as he gained an unholy and
omnipresent grip on the wizarding world. Refuges like Hogwarts Castle were
prime targets for his fury (and deeply embedded fear of reprisal). These
once-havens were quickly emptied by powerful life and energy-consuming spells.
But the power mad wizard overreached himself and soon dissent within his own
ranks of death-eater lieutenants brought the once-powerful regime to an abrupt
and destructive end. Now there are only the smallest groups of ‘good’ and
‘evil’ scattered here and there, seeking to gather and strengthen each other. .
. and the fortress of Hogwarts (devoid now of even spirits) remains a silent,
sullen shell of what was once good.
This is the Lego Group’s fourth version of the Hogwarts Castle/estate, the
various released versions are as follows (by year):
2001 - 4709, 689 pieces
2004 - 4757, 928 pieces
2007 - 5378, 943 pieces
2010 - 4842, 1290 pieces
I can’t give a completely unbiased comparative opinion because I’ve never
actually built the previous versions but the 4842 does seem to give the
best/full version of a fortress construction (with the 5378 being a close
runner-up). At any rate, it’s obvious that this one has the most pieces.
To be honest, I’m a Castle fan at heart and I picked up this set with an eye to
modifying this into a standard fortress-type model. With this particular set
we’re going to get various castle pieces/portions with each section linked to
another through peg-and-hole connections (keeping in mind that Hogwarts is
really more of a campus than a single castle anyway).
Facing the castle from the inside looking out and going left to right, the first
construction is comprised of three levels with the first level featuring what
looks like a large closet or doorway to a passage (though it actually leads
nowhere). The second level features a bookshelf with sliding transparent doors
(nicely designed). Handcuff elements are secured to each sliding door with the
suggestion that inserting keys into the base of the doors and twisting the keys
will pop off the cuffs/binders. The idea is novel but the cuff elements are
just too wobbly and will undoubtedly come loose in play (or whenever moving the
entire construction) and could very easily be lost. The third level of this
section is an open battlement with a large powerful telescope that is actually
done quite well.
The second castle section is a four level tower with the bottom floor featuring
a small waiting room/lounge with two revolving chairs. The rear wall is adorned
with a Slytherin tile/plaque and two snake elements adorn each side wall (nice
touch). The second level features a suit of armor standing on a revolving base
(though nothing in particular is featured on the other side of the base). The
third floor is another lounge with, again, two chairs, but this room features a
fireplace. The fireplace is very well done with a sliding mechanism that makes
a 2x2 tile (with what appears to be some sort of fire demon) come out of the
fireplace. A Griffindor banner hangs above the hearth. The fourth level
features an enclosed owlery, complete with perches, three owls, and poop bits on
the perches (again, nice, subtle touches).
The third and largest castle section is the dining hall. It’s very well
executed with two long dining tables and benches, two chairs and a lectern at
the back/head of the room and a door near the back of the room for exiting. The
tables are filled with all kinds of elements for food (including a large turkey)
and goblets (great accessory assortment). Two banners hang over the room
(Griffindor and Slytherin) and a simple but effective chandelier hangs from the
main rafter. The design of the hall is very well done, particularly with
multiple windows at the rear wall, sturdy columns made up of 1x2 bricks (rather
than a one-piece pillar element) and the use of transparent 1x1 bricks set high
in the side walls to denote stain-glass.
The fourth and final castle section is a three-level construction with the first
floor featuring an entrance door, a trophy-type shelf, a chest and a winding
staircase. The second level features some simple but great shelves (with
non-sliding drawers) for various vials and potion jars. The drawers do contain
items (bone bits in one, a letter in another) but the drawers can’t actually be
accessed unless the shelves are removed from the construction and partially
disassembled, still the idea is interesting (weren’t there sliding drawers in
early Lego sets?). The room also features a low table with a crystal ball and a
large (almost throne-like) chair. The third level is a partially open
battlement with a large one-piece roof element (similar to the one that encases
the owlery) that houses a stand for the ‘sorting’ hat and a large silver sword.
None of the multi-level sections provide any access to the various upper levels
except for the fourth section winding staircase and these particular assemblies
have never impressed me with the way they fold up and aren’t very stable. I’d
much more prefer a single-piece, smaller, spiral staircase. (I’m sure the
collapsing staircase is essential to the ‘wow’ factor, but the instability of
the assembly detracts from the desired result.)
Figures in the set include Harry, Hermione (class uniform prints), Professors
Dumbledore, Snape, McGonnagal and Flitwick, Argus Filch, Voldemort and two
dementors (with McGonnagal getting the best dress print/slope in my opinion, she
makes a great sorceress fig). The dementors are also pretty cool (half-figures
really) with the upper torsos and arms of a skeleton (in dark grey) and tattered
cloaks. The bottom half of these ‘phantoms’ is comprised of a single stand
(instead of legs) that gives them a ‘floating’ appearance. It’s a neat gimmick
that could also work elsewhere for floating spectres. Lastly, there are a bunch
of animal elements included in the set: two snakes, a spider, a grey rat, a
frog, bat and a kitty (with a painted face).
There are a lot of minifig accessories including books, a magnifying glass, two
different swords, a shield, the sorting hat and a crystal ball (plus the
aforementioned food elements). Stickers are included for the castle walls,
various banners and a couple of book covers. There are also a number of
pre-painted tiles making up a newspaper, map, scroll, crest and a letter of
correspondence. It’s also worth noting that the set comes with THREE
instruction books.
Standing back and looking at the construction as a whole, there are some great
and innovative ideas for castle builders such as ledges for the windows and
recessed facades that add for a great look to the design. There is a great
assortment of parts including basic building bricks, plates and hinges (and the
aforementioned peg and hole connectors for modular building options). With the
set probably right on the verge of going out of circulation, this is a good time
to pick it up and it’s definitely worth the price-per-part ratio.
!!!4x2ReVu Stats!!!
Rating: Seven out of eight studs.
Thumbs up for: Terrific designs implemented that will give great ideas to
castle enthusiasts who might normally have passed-up this set because they’re
not into the Harry Potter genre.
Wallet-Wise: $130.00 suggested U.S.
retail for 1,290 pieces, if you can find it on clearance, GRAB IT!
Date:
5/16/2012
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