REVIEW: The Battle of the Five Armies

[Deathleech]

Actually, I have to disagree. I just got the BoFA this morning, and even though the piece count is much lower, I think the minifigures are far better (if you care about Hobbit characters, that is), and the structures are much more innovative, not to mention colorful. But they are the RIGHT colors...I never thought much of a sand-blue Cave Troll with a plain tan belly and dark grey spots on his back. The Mines of Moria structures were really just facades, especially the main gallery with the falling pillars, whereas the BoFA ballista seems much cleverer, IMO, with gear-teeth, unique pieces, and even poles for the Orcs to wheel it into battle.

Ehh, I guess it depends on what you want. I value getting totally new characters like Boromir, Pippin, and a Cave troll over the same characters in different costumes like Thorin, Bard, and Azog. Legolas and Azog are almost straight re-hashes much like Gimli and Legolas in Mines of Moria. Gwaihir is barely any different than the eagles in Orthanc/Black Gates, but the Cave Troll is totally unique and not available in any other set. Then you have the exclusive Moria Orcs who both came with hair in MoM. Those were MUCH superior to the Gundabad Orcs in the BoFA set imho. Sure the Gundabad Orcs have new face print, which I guess is nice, but the lack of helms or ears/hair is a huge let down.

As for the build, I think the ballista is WAY to big for the BoFA set. It makes the structure look puny and probably took away a lot of pieces that could have been used to bulk it up. Sure Mines of Moria is just a gray fragmented wall, but it hits pretty much every action scene from the film. You have the well with the skeleton, the tomb, the pillars that explode, and the gate the goblins and troll burst through.

[Hive]

I think the thing with this set is that only die-hard Hobbit fans sees it as good value for money. For more casual LEGO fans, the set really has nothing going for it except for the figures (which, as evidenced through this thread, not even all the LEGO Hobbit fans appreciate); the build is bland and messy (though I do l ike the colouring of the main structure), the oversized ballista is a weird fit and takes up too many bricks and it's a damn expensive set for what you get. And the main selling point, the figures, aren't really that great from a non die-hard fan's point of view. I don't see many "casual" LEGO collector's, who's not aiming to complete this theme, buying this set.

Frankly, I see this as one of the worst sets of the entire combined Hobbit/LOTR range.

[Venunder]

I am surprised that TLG decided to make the Dain Helmet as a one piece item.

Almost certainly it is going to be broken off by children playing with it and by AFOL's deliberately modifying it.

Just about every other helmet, feathered hat TLG have made has had a little hole and a separate piece which fits.

The Roman Soldier

The Athenian Goddess

The Knight

The Cavalier etc etc.

I guess the hair and helmet combo was cheaper to make as a one piece?

Once again the Hobbit sets just seem to be designed to infuriate and alienate the LOTR fan community.

Although presumably they worked fine for the child set testers that Lego employ?

[PromocjaLego]

Another fine review.

I was really looking forward to this set and still want to get it, but I wish it were a little less expensive, though.

[Ardelon]

I think the thing with this set is that only die-hard Hobbit fans sees it as good value for money. For more casual LEGO fans, the set really has nothing going for it except for the figures (which, as evidenced through this thread, not even all the LEGO Hobbit fans appreciate); the build is bland and messy (though I do l ike the colouring of the main structure), the oversized ballista is a weird fit and takes up too many bricks and it's a damn expensive set for what you get. And the main selling point, the figures, aren't really that great from a non die-hard fan's point of view. I don't see many "casual" LEGO collector's, who's not aiming to complete this theme, buying this set.

Id think its the opposite - die hard fans would dislike this set as not bringing enough new stuff (and not faithful to the book; we will have to see if it is faithful to the film - the Azog armor hints not so much), while casual fans would see a interesting play-feature-filled structure, an impressive siege weapon and cool figs of many races/factions, while not too interested in the context, or how it could have been made to be better.

[Albus]

I'm tempted to get a second of these on special. Make a bigger Dale/ruins structure, a second ballista (even if it's a bit large), and either use the figures for parts or as small gifts to friends who are Tolkien fans.

Thanks for the review

[heartofdavy]

Nice number of minifigures.

[ZCerberus]

After seeing the movie- (you can stop reading if you want to avoid spoilers) I have some more thoughts on this set.

It is not a good representation of the movie scene at all.

First off there are no Orc ballistas in the battle. Second, the Orcs should be armored like the Uruks in the Helm's deep sets. Third, Thorin and Azog don't even enter Dale, though I realize they would have had to make a completely different set to include them. Thorin isn't wearing his Erebor type armor by the time we reach this scene. He really should have been in the Lonely mountain set with this armor. I continue to believe Bolg would have been more interesting figure than another Azog, but I understand why Azog was in this set as he was. Fourth, Dain... Not only is the mold a bit sorry compared to the movie version (complaints about the all CGI character cut out for now), he has a war hammer and not an axe. He also totally needed to be riding his sweet war pig. Now that would have been a good value add. Fifth, Legolas- ugh, yes, he was in the scene, but this really should have been a good place to put in a generic armored Elf or even an armor Thranduil. If you were going to slap in Legolas, then Bolg really should have been included as well.

[BrickSev]

Very detailed review. I'm about to order several The Hobbit sets since they won't stay around for long and I'm facing a dilemma regarding this set.

The Minifigures are impressive: no doubt about that. But here the retail price is 70€ and I wonder if it would a good choice to get it or use that money for something else

[Blakstone]

BrickSev, this is not likely something you can wait for clearance on. You seem to appreciate the minifig selection. Beyond that, you should consider the bricks. Do you want to make MOCs with tan, brown, and a bit of sand green? If so, this is a good set for you.

The parts in this set is more to my liking than any of the Dol Guldur sets.

That said, I bought it and it is in the closet for some day in the future when I am ready to build it, scrap it, and sort the individual bricks. It is clearance season so I am also looking at a bunch of sets that I got at 50% off at Target to do the same. But those are mostly Chima.

Retailers had to put a lot of wave 1 and 2 Hobbit sets on clearance in the past so they seem to really have trimmed their orders this time. I have not heard of a single report of Walmart having wave 3 at all.

Edited January 20, 2015 by Blakstone

[BrickSev]

BrickSev, this is not likely something you can wait for clearance on. You seem to appreciate the minifig selection. Beyond that, you should consider the bricks. Do you want to make MOCs with tan, brown, and a bit of sand green? If so, this is a good set for you.

The parts in this set is more to my liking than any of the Dol Guldur sets.

That said, I bought it and it is in the closet for some day in the future when I am ready to build it, scrap it, and sort the individual bricks. It is clearance season so I am also looking at a bunch of sets that I got at 50% off at Target to do the same. But those are mostly Chima.

Retailers had to put a lot of wave 1 and 2 Hobbit sets on clearance in the past so they seem to really have trimmed their orders this time. I have not heard of a single report of Walmart having wave 3 at all.

Thank you for the detailed info

I noticed the nice selection of colors. Sadly it's not a period I have many time for MOCs but I do like tan bricks

Beside the fact we likely never see a set from The Hobbit again made me thought about getting this one, eve though, like you said, it's not on clearance and it has a quite high cost per brick.

However the Minifugures are truly amazing and the bricks' colors interesting

[Pchan1983]

After nearly 9 years, I finally opened this set and I quite like it to be honest, and I'm glad I bought this while it was still on the shelf, saved me from paying few hundreds nowadays.