LEGO Hobbit 2014

[Deathleech]

A couple of the lake town sets combined would look great seing as the two combined looks so good.

I think just MOCing your own would be MUCH cheaper and easier, and probably look better than buying multiple Lake-town sets and combining them.

Thank you so much! It is pretty strange to me.

Why? Lego has done this before, even in the LotR/Hobbit lines. For example the Mordor Orc from the Orc Forge set is the EXACT same minifigure as the one found in Orthanc, but in Orthanc he is listed as the "Pit Master".

We got 2 figs and some bricks in the "Wizzard battle" (Gandalf, Saruman) and the "ridless" (Bilbo and Golum)set, both for 15 EUR, and now we get three minifigs for, almost, the same price, thats a good bargain. Way better than getting any of these figs in a 100 EUR set.

It seems you are looking at the U.S. dollar price on the Witch King Battle and thinking that's the euro price? Riddles for the Ring was actually 13 euros and Wizard Duel was 15. The Witch King Battle is 15 dollars so it will undoubtedly be close to 18-20 euros. In the U.S., those sets are $10, 13, and 15 dollars respectively. Riddles and Witch King both come out to be 1 minifigure per $5 and Wizard Duel is slightly more at $6.50.

Why? That's a normal price for three minifigures and you get a few useful bricks. Did we ever get more than that in a licensed set for this price?

All the time with the Star Wars Battlepacks. They are $12.99 and usually have four minifigures. Some other license themes have given us similair figure ratios in cheap sets, such as PotC. They had a $14.99 BP and it contained five minifigs. I'm not saying the WKB set is bad by any means, all three minifigures are exclusive to the set and look fantastic. It's just not really any more minifigs for the price than we have gotten in the past.

Edited September 17, 2014 by Deathleech

[Robert_88]

That was more like a rhetorical question. I was trying to say that it's completely normal to get three minifigs and 100 bricks for this price.

[azog15]

Are there any video reviews of the new sets?

[just2good]

Are there any video reviews of the new sets?

Nopers. I'll do some + the little picture reviews I do if I get 'em soon. But it'd be on the weekend. My focus is on Series 12 at the moment.

[azog15]

Nopers. I'll do some + the little picture reviews I do if I get 'em soon. But it'd be on the weekend. My focus is on Series 12 at the moment.

Sounds good!

[Shroffy123]

Series 12 popping up already too?

[kevkipo]

Zhat set ( wKB) has excelent figs so why not buy for 15bucks? :)

Because the witch king is a for me, and i've never had something with slowspeaking Galadriel. if id buy it, it will be for Elrond

Series 12 popping up already too?

Yes.

[Hypernova888]

I'm definitely gonna buy it! It's the fairest set price-wise, despite not being my favourite of the wave, it's honestly a quality set, especially alongside the other pieces of Dol Guldur.

[Daimar]

It seems you are looking at the U.S. dollar price on the Witch King Battle and thinking that's the euro price? Riddles for the Ring was actually 13 euros and Wizard Duel was 15. The Witch King Battle is 15 dollars so it will undoubtedly be close to 18-20 euros. In the U.S., those sets are $10, 13, and 15 dollars respectively. Riddles and Witch King both come out to be 1 minifigure per $5 and Wizard Duel is slightly more at $6.50.

Nope, here in Slovenia, both sets were for 14,99 EUR, I know, because I bought them both in the store the moment they came out. But I agree on the 18-20 EUR price prediction for the Witchking battle set.

[narbilu]

I am really disappointed in the content of the sets, the Laketown set is probably the only one worth taking multiples. The battle of 5 armies sounded like an armybuilder, but there are way to much single figs in it. A total loss for the end of this Lego era.

[Gibbon]

Why? Lego has done this before, even in the LotR/Hobbit lines. For example the Mordor Orc from the Orc Forge set is the EXACT same minifigure as the one found in Orthanc, but in Orthanc he is listed as the "Pit Master".

I am a little bit surprised that you consider the 'Orc Pitmaster' to be a NAMED character... Using the same logic you should say that Hunter Orc is a named character too, but actually this is not the case, it is a common orc. If Orc Pitmaster is a named character than you need to say the same for the Mirkwood Elf Guard too. I hope you have a better example to prove that it is pretty usual to sell the very same minfig (or eagle) as a common character in one set and as a named character in an different one.

[Godless-Mimicry]

Anyone who got an early catch on the new Lake Town set; any chance you can tell me how to two larger pieces of the roof are attached. I'm trying to add the bell tower to the MOC I've been working on in LDD since the first Lake Town set came out. I've figured out how the sides are attached to the roof from pictures but not the front and back as it looks like they are internally attached.

[AFOLguy1970]

Are there any video reviews of the new sets?

There will be as soon as one of the reviewers such as Brickshow, Jangbricks, etc. discovers a set at their local Toys R Us. It would not surprise me if they already tried to find one, and they did not have one of the "lucky" Toys R Us stores near them. It is almost like a competition among them to be the first to get a review out.

[Bugbot2008]

Superb pictures! It's so good to finally get a thorough look at the sets in advance

I really like the look of the new Orcs with the face paint, they look a lot more like the orcs from Azog's group than those in the original Warg set. However I still don't see why lego invested the budget for a new mould from the lake town set for such a comparatively unnecessary generic item... Perhaps it has some future use?

[Steph 104th]

This is the site where I buy most of my sets from they have some high resolution Images of set 79018

http://shop.kiddiwinks.co.za/themes/hobbit/79018

[Godless-Mimicry]

Superb pictures! It's so good to finally get a thorough look at the sets in advance

I really like the look of the new Orcs with the face paint, they look a lot more like the orcs from Azog's group than those in the original Warg set. However I still don't see why lego invested the budget for a new mould from the lake town set for such a comparatively unnecessary generic item... Perhaps it has some future use?

If you are referring to the hairpiece, I don't think that's new. Pretty sure it is the same one that the Goblins in Moria have.

[Ql97]

If you are referring to the hairpiece, I don't think that's new. Pretty sure it is the same one that the Goblins in Moria have.

The hair piece is new. The one from Moria had ears attached. It was the same as the generic Orc head, except the ears were green, not dark tan.

[Deathleech]

Nope, here in Slovenia, both sets were for 14,99 EUR, I know, because I bought them both in the store the moment they came out. But I agree on the 18-20 EUR price prediction for the Witchking battle set.

Ahh, ok. That's not the norm, in most other major areas there was a small price difference between all of these sets. Of course there are some countries where the prices get really messed up.

I am a little bit surprised that you consider the 'Orc Pitmaster' to be a NAMED character... Using the same logic you should say that Hunter Orc is a named character too, but actually this is not the case, it is a common orc. If Orc Pitmaster is a named character than you need to say the same for the Mirkwood Elf Guard too. I hope you have a better example to prove that it is pretty usual to sell the very same minfig (or eagle) as a common character in one set and as a named character in an different one.

I never said the Orc Pitmaster was a named character. I was pointing out that Lego has used the same minifigure before for two different characters in the LotR theme. I guess it's a little more weird they have a common and named character using the same mold rather than two common characters or factions, but in this particular case it actually makes more sense. I mean does Gwaihir even look different from the rest of the eagles? In the films I can never tell them apart and just assume Gwaihir is the one leading the pack. He doesn't have any significant size difference or marking though so why would Lego waste budget differentiating him? There is literally nothing logical Lego could do to differentiate him so why would they bother and add unnecessary cost?

[Doctor_ocks]

TRU in Omaha, NE has all 4 sets. I'm only picking up wkb battle today.

[Regenerate builder]

In response to Deathleech Gwaihir is different but the difference is miniscule. He has some dark printing on the back of his neck whereas previous eagle's neck were a uniform color. I was lucky enough to pick up 79017 TBOTFA at my local TRU so I have seen it close up but have not taken it out of the packaging yet though. As far as I can tell that is the only difference.

[Deathleech]

In response to Deathleech Gwaihir is different but the difference is miniscule. He has some dark printing on the back of his neck whereas previous eagle's neck were a uniform color. I was lucky enough to pick up 79017 TBOTFA at my local TRU so I have seen it close up but have not taken it out of the packaging yet though. As far as I can tell that is the only difference.

Can we get some comparison pics of Gwaihirto the other common eagles? People were reporting earlier there was no difference.

[Gibbon]

I never said the Orc Pitmaster was a named character. I was pointing out that Lego has used the same minifigure before for two different characters in the LotR theme. I guess it's a little more weird they have a common and named character using the same mold rather than two common characters or factions, but in this particular case it actually makes more sense. I mean does Gwaihir even look different from the rest of the eagles? In the films I can never tell them apart and just assume Gwaihir is the one leading the pack. He doesn't have any significant size difference or marking though so why would Lego waste budget differentiating him? There is literally nothing logical Lego could do to differentiate him so why would they bother and add unnecessary cost?

I still think that there is much more sense for the very same minifige to have different titles than putting this fig as a named one into one of the new sets. 'Orc Pitmaster' or 'Hunter Orc' are common and general orcs and their titles are to show their role in the story as a whole or in the very scene the set is to display (for example the Hunter Orcs are regular orcs who have the order of Azog to hunt down the party of the dwarves etc).

Yes, you are right about the appearance of the eagles. To tell the truth I do not have chrystal clear memories about the eagles in the first movie and I can not recall the memories of the eagles having significant differences by size, shape or look and Gwaihir might be absolutely similar to the 'common' great eagles (actually as we know in the book he is different), but why not to reverse the issue: If Gwaihir has no significant difference, there is literally nothing logical for Lego to name the same eagle as Gwaihir in one of the sets. Anyway practically no need for a new mold as some new printings or a different colour would work for that.

Edited September 18, 2014 by Gibbon

[Deathleech]

I still think that there is much more sense for the very same minifige to have different titles than putting this fig as a named one into one of the new sets. 'Orc Pitmaster' or 'Hunter Orc' are common and general orcs and their titles are to show their role in the story as a whole or in the very scene the set is to display (for example the Hunter Orcs are regular orcs who have the order of Azog to hunt down the party of the dwarves etc).

Well in the films they still look different, at least moreso than Gwaihir does compared to the other eagles. Lego just gave them different titles to make them seem more appealing while not having to change their prints at all.

The Orc Pitmaster isn't the exact same as the Orc Hunters you keep referring to either btw. The Orc Hunters have different legs. They use the loin cloth legs. The "Orc Pitmaster" is the EXACT same as the Mordor Orc in Orc Forge (the one without hair, he has the same head and torso and solid brown legs). Really Lego is just using the Mordor Orc title as a very broad, generic term though. It seems to cover Morgul/Morannon/Black Uruk Orcs (Pirate Ship Ambush, Black Gates),and Snaga (Orc Forge/Orthanc).

Yes, you are right about the appearance of the eagles. To tell the truth I do not have chrystal clear memories about the eagles in the first movie and I can not recall the memories of the eagles having significant differences by size, shape or look and Gwaihir might be absolutely similar to the 'common' great eagles (actually as we know in the book he is different), but why not to reverse the issue: If Gwaihir has no significant difference, there is literally nothing logical for Lego to name the same eagle as Gwaihir in one of the sets. Anyway practically no need for a new mold as some new printings or a different colour would work for that.

Well there is some benefit for Lego to do it the way they did. Lego advertised buying multiples of the Black Gate set so they would want to make multi set purchases as appealing as possible. The set already has a fair number of named characters (Aragorn, Gandalf the White, Mouth of Sauron) so they probably wanted some generic figures as well (Mordor Orcs and eagles). The build also supports multi purchases. If Lego listed the eagle as Gwaihir in Black Gates it would have that much less appeal to people buying doubles or more. Now with the Bo5A set there is NO multi purchase appeal outside the two orcs. The build isn't multi purchase friendly so why not list the eagle as Gwaihir to give the set more appeal? Lego obviously won't be putting the eagle mold in more sets either so might as well tell us the BoFA eagle is Gwaihir and keep from people complaining we never got an "official" one.

[Gibbon]

Well in the films they still look different, at least moreso than Gwaihir does compared to the other eagles. Lego just gave them different titles to make them seem more appealing while not having to change their prints at all.

The Orc Pitmaster isn't the exact same as the Orc Hunters you keep referring to either btw. The Orc Hunters have different legs. They use the loin cloth legs. The "Orc Pitmaster" is the EXACT same as the Mordor Orc in Orc Forge (the one without hair, he has the same head and torso and solid brown legs). Really Lego is just using the Mordor Orc title as a very broad, generic term though. It seems to cover Morgul/Morannon/Black Uruk Orcs (Pirate Ship Ambush, Black Gates),and Snaga (Orc Forge/Orthanc).

Well there is some benefit for Lego to do it the way they did. Lego advertised buying multiples of the Black Gate set so they would want to make multi set purchases as appealing as possible. The set already has a fair number of named characters (Aragorn, Gandalf the White, Mouth of Sauron) so they probably wanted some generic figures as well (Mordor Orcs and eagles). The build also supports multi purchases. If Lego listed the eagle as Gwaihir in Black Gates it would have that much less appeal to people buying doubles or more. Now with the Bo5A set there is NO multi purchase appeal outside the two orcs. The build isn't multi purchase friendly so why not list the eagle as Gwaihir to give the set more appeal? Lego obviously won't be putting the eagle mold in more sets either so might as well tell us the BoFA eagle is Gwaihir and keep from people complaining we never got an "official" one.

Yes, I agree with you on the Orc topic, especially on the logic used by Lego on that but you might misunderstood my point a little bit about the Hunter Orcs. I was referring to them only because of their name not because of their appearence. just tried to show the reasons for calling orcs (or other figs) giving them these titles showing their role in the story. That's it. Anyway these bold orcs making me angry all the time...

I understand your point about the eagles and I think you are right about that but I still not see why to put the very same eagle as a named character into a new set. I think that your explanation does not give a strong reason for that. With a differnt colour or some minor or major printing difference it might be a logical step.

Edited September 18, 2014 by Gibbon

[Deathleech]

I understand your pont about the eagles and I think you are right about that but I still not see why to put the very same eagle as a named character into a new set. I think that your explanation does not give a strong reason for that. With a differnt colour or some minor or major printing difference it might be a logical step.

I dunno, I think it actually makes a lot of sense. There is almost no difference between Gwaihir and the rest of the eagles so why wouldn't Lego use it to their advantage? Why waste the money doing some elaborate new print when Gwaihir is barely different from the other eagles in the films? Lego can pick and choose where to put the common eagles and Gwaihir and it makes total sense. Black Gates was advertised as a multiple set purchase so put the eagle mold in that set as a normal "Greater Eagle". Bo5A is probably the last Middle-Earth themed set we will get, and most definitely the last that includes the eagle. It has almost no multiple purchase appeal so it's the perfect time to list the eagle as Gwaihir. That way people think they are getting something different than in Orthanc or Black Gates, but it doesn't actually cost Lego a penny in new prints or molds. It's a simple marketing technique.

As for the Mordor Orcs, I think that is one place we SHOULD have gotten new prints but never did. The same print was just used so much and made little sense in a lot of the sets. We got "Mordor Orcs" in over four sets and they were the EXACT same in every one (besides accessories like the wrong helm's or hair with hairs). I would have loved to have seen at least one or two different prints where they are in armor. Heck, Lego could have even re-used the Moria Orc print and just changed the green chest part to tan and the arms from green to red or gray and that would have made for an excellent Morannon Orc. This helmet in the same gray and you have a brand new, almost perfectly accurate Orc for almost no cost to Lego.

Edited September 18, 2014 by Deathleech