I'm excited about those new LOTR sets but...

[SheepEater]

Having read the book in the late 90s before the movies even came out, I was drooling when Lego announced the new LOTR sets.

My problem however is that I was never into castle. I buy Technic & Town(City,Trains) sets exclusively.

I imagine those sets must be much more appealing to AFOLs who already have a sizeable castle collection.

Sets like Helm's Deep will be much better if you already have a sizeable collection of:

1) castle walls

2) brown/wooden parts, wooden wheels etc

3) minifig soldiers

4) farm animals

to expand it to.

Edited May 11, 2012 by SheepEater

[CMP]

Not really. I have a couple of Fantasy Era sets, but I don't plan to mix up them and the LotR sets, or even disassemble them for parts. They appeal to me very much nevertheless. The styles between the two are too different for any direct correlation (they don't blend well, basically, LotR is far more detailed/smaller parts/accurate colors), and I, personally, am mostly getting them for the figures and the unique building style, not because it has anything to do with castle.

[SheepEater]

but I don't plan to mix up them and the LotR sets, or even disassemble them for parts.

Well, if you buy them for collecting only, sure. But the minute I'll wanna start MOCing with those sets, that's when I'll wish I had a few castle/kingdom/fantasy sets.

Edited May 11, 2012 by SheepEater

[General Magma]

You don't even need castle walls - ordinary pieces, mostly in light grey, should do.

I also don't remember seeing many farm animals..

I have used many figure parts from previous castle themes (and other themes too) for my own custom orcs and Rohirrim soldiers though,

but there's always Bricklink if you want the kind of variation I went for. If not, the LOTR sets alone should probably work too.

~ General Magma

[Angeli]

I use castle walls only for construction, and 80% of building is done with 1x2 brick, supported with 1x1, 2x2 and 2x3.

Those 20% left, 15 go to arch, slope and inverted slope, and 5% to all other bricks

My advice would be to choose one color (let's say white) and combine it with shades of gray that come in lotr sets, and later expand to another color, let's say black, or dark red, if you have a PaB near by, or money to buy them via internet (they are much more expensive)

You can use imagination when expanding lotr sets, because the book gives you room to imagine what things/buildings/people looked like, and the movie... well, you can follow the movie, and still expand (Helms deep is so complex even in a move, that you could build and build and build and not finish, the mountain, the stream, endless rows of walls, etc :)

I am a castle fan, but I buy all lego, because I can use it all; but I will not buy lotr, because I use red and black, blue and white colors, and have almost no grey... It will be cheaper to just buy minifigs over bricklink. And not all, I can make hobbits on my own, humans to, just the armor, weapons, creatures and monsters, Gandalf's beard and similar :)

I can not wait for them to focus on elves :)

[The_Chosen_1]

Having read the book in the late 90s before the movies even came out, I was drooling when Lego announced the new LOTR sets.

My problem however is that I was never into castle. I buy Technic & Town(City,Trains) sets exclusively.

I guess I'm just not clear on what you're saying here. Are you letting the fact that you don't have Castle sets put a damper on your enthusiasm for the LotR sets? That doesn't make much sense to me at all.

[SheepEater]

I guess I'm just not clear on what you're saying here. Are you letting the fact that you don't have Castle sets put a damper on your enthusiasm for the LotR sets? That doesn't make much sense to me at all.

Kind of.

Let's say I wanna create the Bree village. I'll never have as many gray/brown or medieval themed pieces that I would have if I had a decent Castle/Kingdom collection.

[Fives]

Kind of.

Let's say I wanna create the Bree village. I'll never have as many gray/brown or medieval themed pieces that I would have if I had a decent Castle/Kingdom collection.

Well, yes, but LOTR could be the reason for you to start collecting castle related things, if you wish to create such scenes. I collected castle because I was trying to imitate LOTR, but now I don't think I will ever buy castle sets again. Castle isn't necessarily the gateway theme to LOTR; it could be the other way round.

[JackJonespaw]

I completely disagree. I almost never buy any Castle sets, unless I really like the minifigs. (but they're rarely knights) It's not because I like Castle either why I'm buying these sets, its because I've been a LOTR fan for a long, long time.

[Vindicare]

I wouldn't let that dammer your spirits for LotR. You can always buy from eBay, brick link, PaB. You have a number of outlets if you need more pieces or want to stock up on a few Castle sets.

[Brinstar]

I don't see how not having many caste sets is going to reduce your enjoyment of LOTR. To be honest, I regard LOTR as a separate entity and I'm not sure how well it would combine with the existing castle sets. I certainly don't see either see the Kingdoms theme or even the Fantasy era sets co-existing convincingly with LOTR. I have a reasonably large castle collection but I have no plans to combine the those sets with LOTR.

[Sirens-of-Titan]

Kind of.

Let's say I wanna create the Bree village. I'll never have as many gray/brown or medieval themed pieces that I would have if I had a decent Castle/Kingdom collection.

The good news is that there really aren't too many pieces that are exclusive to castle only. You can use any color scheme to build a castle wall, and use any of a variety of techniques to do it. What's good for you also is that you can take the LOTR sets and use them for MOC'ing in other themes.

So don't be intimidated if you don't have castle sets or a ton of grey and brown parts; who knows the LOTR sets might inspire you to get some.

[SheepEater]

About color and walls: Yes, that's a good point. I do have a large quantity of white bricks from having so many town sets.

However, you have to admit it would still look silly to have a village of Bree populated with modern dressing townspeople, race car drivers and construction workers, and defend my Rohan and Gondor kingdoms with policemen & firemen. And they'd have to defend themselves with shovels, brooms and small tools. Because that's what my minifig collection is made out of at the moment!

[Captain BeerBeard]

About color and walls: Yes, that's a good point. I do have a large quantity of white bricks from having so many town sets.

However, you have to admit it would still look silly to have a village of Bree populated with modern dressing townspeople, race car drivers and construction workers, and defend my Rohan and Gondor kingdoms with policemen & firemen. And they'd have to defend themselves with shovels, brooms and small tools. Because that's what my minifig collection is made out of at the moment!

That's what's awesome about LEGO! You can have Helm's Deep as ancient ruin in the outskirt's of your city. A portal could open between two worlds and all hell breaks loose. LEGO is about using your imagination and not creating boundries but breaking them. Don't limit yourself.

[Legoman of War]

That's what's awesome about LEGO! You can have Helm's Deep as ancient ruin in the outskirt's of your city. A portal could open between two worlds and all hell breaks loose. LEGO is about using your imagination and not creating boundries but breaking them. Don't limit yourself.

I like this quote. Bottom line is that if you enjoy the sets then build more. Don't have the pieces? Then purchase/trade/aquire them. My problem is I enjoy most of the sets so I am limited to how many I get! Pirates, Castle, Star Wars, Harry Potter

LMW

[Hive]

I will be looking to get most of the LOTR sets for use with my Castle setup. Especially Helm's Deep and Uruk Hai Army, which I think will be a great city wall for a Castle village when modified.

[Bilbo Baggins]

I'm excited about LOTR sets though its a shame that Kingdoms is getting discontinued.

[SheepEater]

After going through my collection, I think I have many sets that I can use for castle-ish MOCS. What's your take on this?

Blacksmith Shop (the only non-LOTR castle set in my entire collection)

Green Grocer

Log Cabin

5771 Hillside House (nice green plates, tree, white bricks)

My collection

http://www.brickset.com/search/?ownedBy=UndeadHalfOrc