Ideas for new Classic Castle sets

[Klaus-Dieter]

As I've seen the new "Castle" sets - my grandfather would have turned over in his grave - I asked me: Are these sets really castle sets or do they only represent a violent video game with Grim Reapers, undeads and horrible stuff like that!?

I know that this is my opinion and that a lot of you will say: Oh no, these new "Castle" sets are great! They combine fantasy with reality!

But I say: Didn't TLC release castle sets combined with fantasy in the past which didn't look as ugly as these new sets?! (For example the green dragon knights: I loved them!) And didn't people buy these sets, too?!

The only thing I really like according to the new "Castle" sets is the princess in the wizzard's tower. But this is really the only thing.

So, what do I want to tell you with my gross statement:

I want Classic Castle (CC) sets again, real Classic Castle sets!

Consequently I would like to read your opinion according to my statement and what you would propose as a new CC set.

That there will be no misunderstandings: CC sets include:

-nice minifigs

-not only knights, even medieval citizens, women, blacksmiths, servants, ........ and (if you would like) wizzards, witches and dragons

-dragons should only be as big as the dragons of the green dragon knights or the bat knights

-there are not hundreds of catapults and action things in each set

OK, so let's see what I've got:

First of all I want to present you some ideas for a Medieval Town which is a "Must" for every CC fan:

Medieval Town 1

can be devided up in three set parts:

Blacksmith Shop

a blacksmith shop (first floor: blacksmith shop with chimney and ambos, second floor: living room with table and seats)

incuding some tools, weapons and a cup

minifigs: blacksmith and his wife

Guesthouse

a guesthouse (first floor: lounge with chimney and benchs, seats and two tables, second floor: guestroom with two beds)

including a pan, a pot, some cups and glasses and some food

minifigs: landlord, his wife and two travelers

General Dealer's Shop

a general dealer's shop (first floor: shop with counter and a rack, second floor: living room with a little chimney, a table and two seats, garret)

including some barrels and boxes, a pan, a pot, some food, a brush, a shovel and other stuff

minifigs: general dealer and medieval guard

Medieval Town 2

can be devided up in three parts:

Bakery

a bakery (first floor: bakehouse with counter, table and oven, second floor: living room with three seats and a table)

including two glasses, a kiln dumper, some croissants, some pretzels and some loafs of bread

minifigs: baker and his learner

Apartment House

an apartment house (first floor: living room with chimney, a bench, a seat and a table, second floor: bed room with a bed, a box and a washbowl)

including a cup, a glass and a pan

minifigs: mother, father, son and daughter

Tailoring

a tailoring (first floor: tailoring with two seats, a table and a table top, second floor: bed room with canopy bed and washbowl)

including some tools, a treasure box with gold and some nice cloth

minifigs: tailor and his wife

Perhaps you've got some nice ideas, too. So, post them here!

Edited June 8, 2007 by Klaus-Dieter

[Berry Syedow]

I disagree with your assessment of the new castle theme, but I respect your opinion and I can understand why don't like the fantasy element.

You mentioned that the only part of the new theme that you like is the princess. What about the new crown faction? I think TLC has done a great job designing the emblems, horse barding printing, and armor printing.

When TLC discontinues this theme I hope they go in the direction of what you've listed below. We need many more sets based on peasant life. TLC also needs to create a new mold for the pitchfork piece, which could also serve as a new weapon for peasants to wield. :-P (I heard the original mold broke after a short production run?)

I like all of the sets you've mentioned. Did you mean to type "Inn" instead of apartment? I'm pretty sure medieval villages didn't have those. ;-)

I'll also add that TLC should keep designing modular buildings. Basic stuff like castle wall sections, towers, and gates varying in size and construction would be great! More tudor buildings are also greatly needed.

Other elements that should be looked into are color variations of present animals and weaponry. TLC could easily reproduce the old dragon mold in different colors such as blue, red, yellow and so on. Other items such as the new flail piece should be produced in black and both bleys.

[Klaus-Dieter]

You mentioned that the only part of the new theme that you like is the princess. What about the new crown faction? I think TLC has done a great job designing the emblems, horse barding printing, and armor printing.

I would have liked the crown faction when there wouldn't have been a great deal too much catapults and other action elements. But my opinion is that especially the armor printings are trashy.

I like all of the sets you've mentioned. Did you mean to type "Inn" instead of apartment? I'm pretty sure medieval villages didn't have those. ;-)

That's joyful that someone likes my set proposals.

But what do you mean with this second sentence? I'm sorry but I can't understand it.

When TLC discontinues this theme I hope they go in the direction of what you've listed below. We need many more sets based on peasant life. TLC also needs to create a new mold for the pitchfork piece, which could also serve as a new weapon for peasants to wield. :-P (I heard the original mold broke after a short production run?)

[...]

I'll also add that TLC should keep designing modular buildings. Basic stuff like castle wall sections, towers, and gates varying in size and construction would be great! More tudor buildings are also greatly needed.

I am of the same opinion as you. Castle wall sections, towers and gates would be absolutely necessary to create a medieval town. These sets would also give everybody the possibility to create his medieval town individually.

Sets which mainly contain medieval citizens (Men, women and kids!), guards, knights, workers and horses would be necessary, too.

Other elements that should be looked into are color variations of present animals and weaponry. TLC could easily reproduce the old dragon mold in different colors such as blue, red, yellow and so on. Other items such as the new flail piece should be produced in black and both bleys.

Yes, a bigger choice of animals like sheep, cows, deer, etc. would be very nice, not only for CC sets but also for City and Wild West sets.

[iamded]

I agree with Berry. The wall sections would be great. You could have your town as big or as small as you want, depending on how many wall pieces you buy. Kinda like the train tracks, how you buy all the pieces and can put it together how you like. Similar to this set, only that one has a gate, corner piece and wall piece all in one. I was thinking of having them in separate sets.

[Berry Syedow]

I would have liked the crown faction when there wouldn't have been a great deal too much catapults and other action elements. But my opinion is that especially the armor printings are trashy.

So, you favor more historically correct medieval armor and machines of war?

That's joyful that someone likes my set proposals.

But what do you mean with this second sentence? I'm sorry but I can't understand it.

I'm sorry for the confusion. I was trying to explain that "apartment" isn't a word used in the medieval period. (I could be wrong, though. :-P) If the building you were describing only houses one family then "Inn" isn't the word I should have chosen, either. Something like "Tudor House" is probably what you're after, aye?

Sets which mainly contain medieval citizens (Men, women and kids!), guards, knights, workers and horses would be necessary, too.

Yeah, this is a point that everyone can agree on. TLC has neglected the family aspect of its themes for far too long.

Yes, a bigger choice of animals like sheep, cows, deer, etc. would be very nice, not only for CC sets but also for City and Wild West sets.

Ah, yes, that's the other beautiful aspect of LEGO bricks: reusability!

I agree with Berry. The wall sections would be great. You could have your town as big or as small as you want, depending on how many wall pieces you buy. Kinda like the train tracks, how you buy all the pieces and can put it together how you like. Similar to this set, only that one has a gate, corner piece and wall piece all in one. I was thinking of having them in separate sets.

Hopefully the pick a brick will have more castle elements in the future. More "small" or "medium" sets like the one you posted would be most excellent.

[Wout]

I think most afols want more medievil live (farms, inn's, smithies etc.). Only TlC must want it too to produce them.

[Klaus-Dieter]

So, you favor more historically correct medieval armor and machines of war?

I'm sorry for the confusion. I was trying to explain that "apartment" isn't a word used in the medieval period. (I could be wrong, though. :-P) If the building you were describing only houses one family then "Inn" isn't the word I should have chosen, either. Something like "Tudor House" is probably what you're after, aye?

To the question if I favor more historically correct medieval armor and machines of war: The answer is YES.

I would be very glad if TLC would release castle sets in the style of the old Classic Castle sets because I liked them very much.

I think too much fantasy has no place in real Castle sets. For fantasy fanatics there are themes like Bionicle, Mars Mission, Vikings and Exo Force. Whereas with the Viking and Mars Mission sets it's the same as with the "Castle" sets: More reality and much fewer fantasy would be nicer.

But I know that I'm here on EB perhaps the only person who thinks so...

Sorry for using the wrong term "apartment" instead of "Tudor House", Berry Syedow. But when posting my ideas I didn't think of the possibility to use historically right expressions. I'll better in future, I hope.

I think most afols want more medievil live (farms, inn's, smithies etc.). Only TlC must want it too to produce them.

That is absolutely correct, Wout. Medieval life didn't only consist of knights and castles but also of all these things we discuss the whole time and much more.

By the way, I'll post some new CC set proposals in the next days. What about you? Any ideas?

[Wout]

That is absolutely correct, Wout. Medieval life didn't only consist of knights and castles but also of all these things we discuss the whole time and much more.

By the way, I'll post some new CC set proposals in the next days. What about you? Any ideas?

What are proposals?

[Klaus-Dieter]

What are proposals?

Proposals are ideas or wishes you tell or write somebody in order to discuss about them. In our topic are proposals set ideas.

But it doesn't matter to ask. If you've got a question, don't be shy and ask it!

Do you have some set proposals, too, Wout? That would be nice.

[Norro]

I am also a non-fantasy castle builder... even the original dragon was too much for me. Just a personal preference...

God Bless,

Nathan

[Klaus-Dieter]

In one point I changed my mind towards the new "Castle" sets: The armors and the saddles of the king's knights are well designed but everything other - I just mentioned.

Since I like the two Impulse sets of next year - good knight and good wizzard - I have five ideas for other (Classic) Castle Impulse sets:

Damsel Of The Castle

including a bed and a treasure box with gold pieces

minifig: damsel of the castle (in the 1990 years style with bonnet)

Minnesinger

including a big candleholder and a historic guitar (I don't know the real name)

minifig: minnesinger

Good Knight

including a horse with saddle and a lot of weapons

minifig: good knight with armor

Lord Of The Castle

including a simple chair, a homer with a letter, a nib and a simple table with an inkpot and a writing paper on it

minifig: lord of the castle

Medieval Citizen

including a hayfork, a basket with some vegetables and a pig

minifig: medieval citizen

I think that these minifigs would be a very good idea because fans of the new "Castle" line could buy and use them as well as fans of the old nice Classic Castle. What do you think?

Edited November 3, 2007 by Klaus-Dieter

[SWMAN]

I respect your opinion, but I don't think that many people want town sets. People like armies and sets you can use to have battles. I also think that the new Castle Line is the best we will ever get again, and is very good.

[TheFrisian]

I think the new Castle line is great and well balanced, it's got something for everbody. On the one hand we've got the Crown faction, which is, judging from the design of the castle and the re-use of the old armour, helmet and weapon parts, really a big hint to Classic Castle. And on the other hand there is the Undead faction, which is completely fantasy based. The Skellies and Dragons may not appeal to all AFOLs, but I'm sure kids absolutely love them. Which means the sets will sell really well, which in turn means that TLC is more likely to continue the Castle line.

Personally, I don't have any problems with the fantasy elements of the current Castle theme. To be honest, I'm actually quite looking forward to next years factions, I'd love to have Dwarves, Orcs and Trolls. However, I do agree with what most of you already have said: we definitely need more civilian sets!!! What good is it to have huge armies if there's nobody to protect, right? I think there's lots of potential for medieval town sets: blacksmith, bakery, tailor, windmill, lumbermill, lots of farms and ofcourse an inn. Ofcourse that would mean civilian minifigs, animals, tools, etc. I think that would be a great addition to the military sets we've been getting so far!

[Asuka]

I respect your opinion, but I don't think that many people want town sets. People like armies and sets you can use to have battles. I also think that the new Castle Line is the best we will ever get again, and is very good.

I guess that TLC

[Lt. Col. Thok]

I partially agree with you. The dragons are okay, so forget those. Yes, a medieval village would be great. But other than that...The new castle line is great.

[Klaus-Dieter]

I guess that TLC

Edited November 10, 2007 by Klaus-Dieter

[Nyundi]

Medieval Citizen

including a hayfork, a basket with some vegetables and a pig

minifig: medieval citizen

I would probably buy 10-20 of a set like this. Ideally there would be more than one type so that there would be slight variety, but even as-is I would love to get my hands on this X-D

[WesternOutlaw]

I'd like to see some sort of magic workshop (similar to Majisto's from the 80s) and a tall wizard's castle.

Playmobil had a Baron's Tower a number of years ago that I was always fond of. Something along this line would make a great Wizard's Tower Fortress:

[Klaus-Dieter]

Since I looked again at the next year's Impulse set of the good knight which includes an armor for a knight on a horse, too, I had an idea:

Why doesn't TLC release a set consisting of a brown horse, a red horse, a black horse and a saddle for each one?! These horses could be used for all non-space themes: City, Western and Castle.

What do you think?

[Big T]

I'm torn between the fantasy elements to be honest. On the one hand I've always prefered the human v human conflict, and with the old school castle sets you had plenty to choose from. At the same time, seeing how great the dwarves look, I don't mind them at all. Ultimately I'd prefer human v human, but if we don't see a bad guy human faction down the castle line for a while it won't be the worst thing in the lego world.

As far as civilian sets, while a lot of us on these sites would love them, these days it's harder and harder to appeal to younger kids to sell civilian sets. The Guarded Inn type set is probably the closest we'll get (where you get a knight or two instead of extra civilians) although a Blacksmith set could work well as Battlepack priced extenstion to the Knight Impulse set (Blacksmith & Knight, small buidling, array or weapons) I think there was one made like this before, and it would appeal to both AFOL's and kids (since you get weapons and knights!) or a Stable with two horses, a knight and a stablekeep. With sets like these it's easier to appeal to the majority.

The issue now is that most of the Castle Sets are centred on Good v Evil, and as such have both good and bad character minifigs. I presume Lego did their research and felt this sells better, and as such is why we also see the small seige weapons to counterbalance it all. I feel that as long as this style is seen as more marketable, the neutral/one side sets suggested above and by others will be harder to push.

Outside of the two sets I suggested above, this is what I'd like to see (also realistically) in future sets:

Seige Workshop:

A small-medium sized buidling with tools. Two worker minifigs and one knight. Assorted parts to make different seige machines (Think Watto's Workshop style with a better actual building) Depending on how many different possible machines you would want made (maybe not enough pieces for all sorts...to encourage extra purchases >:-) ) could be a relatively cheap set of a middle of the range set.

Barracks/Archery Range:

These could either be seperate buildings or one massive complex (or just one of them...if so then archery since archers have been hard done by in recent times) with perhaps a Age Of Empires II look to it all (Open practice area with small inside portions) could come with up to 5 minifigs depending on size, maybe 4 archers/milita and one trainer/general

Competition Duel

Think the sword competition from A Knight's Tale. Not sure if it was really all that historically accurate, but it'd make for a good minifig set. Two knights with swords (with perhaps a bigger variation and an extra one) and full armour, some barriers with flags and perhaps two spectators. Not a big building set, but would be similar to the Joust. Probably not the most feasible, but could be cool regardless.

Farm Attack

The idea behind this one is to give both AFOL's and kids what they want. A few farmer style peasants (with Pitchforks of course!) working a field, maybe with a small windmill of other storage building, and a few 6X6 plates with crops etc. Then perhaps 2 enemy troops (Orcs, Skellies or whatever the bad guy faction is at this stage) as a raiding party type set up. Again it all depends on how big you want it. Theoretically it could be similar price to the Wizard's building from the 2007 line (I'm bad with names...you know what I mean) with a really big windmill type building with plenty of storage room, carts and what not. It would also mean you could have a 4/2 or 3/3 peasant/enemy set up if you wanted. Or it could be a smaller set with a 2/2 2/1 style.

If you bothered to read through all of that, thanks, and thoughts are appreciated. Ideas just kept coming haha. I tried to incoporate the AFOL mindset of realistic, civilian figs/situations while keeping the kid friendly military sword bashing fun. Chuck in some modular wall sets and I'd be a content little lego-er.

[TheFrisian]

Great set ideas Big T, I'd buy each and every one of these! Especially the farm and the workshop concept I find very appealing. *sweet*

[Asuka]

I too think that to incorporate some enemy attacks with civilian infrastructure

[SlyOwl]

I too think that to incorporate some enemy attacks with civilian infrastructure

[Klaus-Dieter]

That are great ideas, Big T!

Like TheFrisian I like the idea of the Seige Workshop and the Farm Attack the most, but I would buy each of these sets, too, if TLC releases them.

I think that these are really ideas TLC could make becoming reality because action and non-action would be combined, AFOLs would be very glad to see civilian stuff and JFOLs would buy them, too.

I hope that TLC will release some civilian stuff (especially farmer minifigs and animals) in the near future because always only knights is not only unrealistic but even drab and boring!

[Klaus-Dieter]

I have a new idea:

Since TLC has been releasing "normal" knights the most of its time when Castle products were sold I'm slowly getting bored of these "normal" knights. The wonderful and fabulous Robin Hood theme and the Ninja theme 1998/1999 were very welcome varieties. But the Ninja theme sadly was brought up after two years. That's a pity because the Ninja theme (like the Wild West theme which persisted only two years, too) was in my opinion a great theme. So I'd like to see a new Ninja theme - or yet better - what about some Arab knights?!

Like always in the Castle theme it should be a theme Good vs. Bad - I'd choose the good Arab king vs. the bad Arab baron:

Good King's Castle

a big Arab castle in light colors with drawbridge, portcullis, two towers, castle walls, a little stable and a donjon (first floor: prison and armory, second floor: good king's throne room with throne and treasure box, third floor: king's sleeping room with bed, writing table with little chair and commode)

including two camels, a black horse, an attack car, a scalling ladder, a lot of weapons, a narghile, some gold pieces, two golden tumblers, a dog, a scroll and some other nice stuff

minifigs: good king, his wife, two good knights, two good archers, a bad knight, a bad captain and a bad archer

Bad Baron's Camp

bad baron's tent (with simple bed, treasure box and writing table with little chair), bad knights' tent, catapult, a little protection wall and a fireplace

including a white horse, some gold pieces, a lot of weapons, a narghile, a scroll, a silvery tumbler and a black falcon

minifigs: bad baron, a bad captain, two bad knights and two bad archers

Bad Baron's Castle

a little Arab castle in dark colors with drawbridge, gates, castle walls, and a donjon (first floor: prison and secret passage, second floor: bad baron's throne room with throne, treasure box, writing table and little chair)

including two black horses, two silvery tumblers, some gold pieces, a lot of weapons, a scroll and a narghile

minifigs: bad baron, a bad captain, two bad knights, a bad archer and a good knight as prisoner

Good Knights' Oasis

an oasis with a lot of palms, a spring, a fireplace, a little stable, a little open blacksmith shop (with anvil and chimney) and a main building (with bed, writing table with two little chairs and treasure box)

including two camels, a pot, a narghile, a scroll, some gold pieces, a parrot and two snakes

minifigs: oasis' owner, an oasis worker, a good knight, a good captain and a blacksmith

What do you think about it?

Other ideas (for that or even for an other theme) are welcome!

Edited December 13, 2007 by Klaus-Dieter