Castle sets: Part-packs, fig-packs or both?

[Artifex]

I've been thinking about something these past 2 days. It comes from the new Pirate sets.

I think the new Pirate sets are meh at best. Especially because they are too small and lack displayability (just my opinion, please don't get offended). But the minifigures... Well, the new minifigs are just AWESOME.

You can buy multiples and MOC whatever you want. You can even buy brick by brick from different websites. I know you can buy minifigs from the Internet just like you buy bricks, but buying parts and pieces is not my point here.

So, what does Castle sets come down for you? Is it the sets themselves, or the minifigs?

Do you buy Castle sets for the figs or as part-packs? Or do you buy them for the fully realised set?

I, for one, love minifigs, but I also love great sets. It's difficult for me to have one and not have the other. Take Castle 2013, for example. I don't think some of the sets were that bad, but the minifigs... Bleh. I'd rather get Kingdoms sets or older sets, even without minifigs, than get Castle 2013 sets WITH minifigs, for example.

What about you?

EDITED: I HOPE I got the poll right.

Edited March 11, 2015 by Artifex

[thetang22]

I'd say it comes down to a set by set basis. Some sets you can look at and say it's a great overall value. Other sets you look at and think it has great minifigs but a lackluster build, or vice versa. For those sets, it just has to be determined if the quality of the favored parts make up for the lackluster portion.

[BrickJagger]

I keep all of my sets assembled, but I use the figures in other MOCs. I chose the last option because while I like making my own creations, the certain charm that a Lego set creates is enough for me to buy it for everything inside.

[amechanicalmind]

I like building the sets, then eventually selling them, but keeping and collecting the minifigs.

[Artanis I]

Well for me I buy for the minifigs, horses (dragons if there are any) and to have a castle/fortress for each army. I get all of the sets because these days everything is spread out to make you get all of the sets...

I don't just get them if I like the minifigs, I get them anyway. I get more if I like them more, but try not to have so big an army as to overwhelm their enemies. I also buy more sets if they are on sale... Like 30% off the entire line was really hard to not buy a 3rd castle when I'd "completed" my collection already!

Then I also Bricklink additional knights & horses. Just yesterday I "finished" my castle/army collection again.

[Capt Wolf]

I'll buy the occasional small set mainly for the minifigs, but usually I have to want the set, too. Now, what I build from the set isn't always what is pictured on the box, but that's another story...

[Lordofdragonss]

I do what I do with any other theme:

1.Build the set

2.Change the things I don't like

3.Dissasemble

4. MIIIIIX!

[Artifex]

Interesting, thanks for the posts so far.

have to say I'm surprised that out of 10 people who voted so far, not one went for the minifigs only! It's either part-packs or both the set and the minifigs. Interesting.

That leads me to a different question: Do you army-build out of the CMF? Or is army-building more of a "set thing", and the CMF are hedge knights and the like?

That's how it goes for me. I'd buy multiples out of sets, but Castle/Fantasy minifigs from CMF are more of stand-alone characters. Unless there was a CMF footman/archer/x-bow/lancer, the knights are usually "their own thing", so to say.

[Blakstone]

I didn't care for Castle 2013 so I bought those as parts packs. Kingdoms was different for me. I bought them for the minifigs and sometimes the builds. I still have the Medieval Market Village as well as the mill in the Mill Village Raid.

My agree with the OP on Pirates. I think I will buy a couple small sets, the chess set, and supplement with Bricks and Pieces.

I do army build out of CMF though not on the same scale as others. My pod at work has an array of CMF forces on top of the wall: Vikings, HIghland Battlers, Bag Pipers, Revolutionary Soldiers, Greek Mythology, Fantasy Castle (good), Fantasy Castle (Evil), Islanders, Aztecs, Egyptians, Japan, and Huns.

[Balbo]

Due to the fact that I like army building, I get the Castle sets mostly for the minifigures, although the parts are often very interesting for MOCs, too

[Hive]

I'd say it comes down to a set by set basis. Some sets you can look at and say it's a great overall value. Other sets you look at and think it has great minifigs but a lackluster build, or vice versa. For those sets, it just has to be determined if the quality of the favored parts make up for the lackluster portion.

This.

I bought all of the Castle 2013 sets as parts packs, as I only really wanted two minifigs: the King (since I lacked the King from Fantasy Castle, and this one was a fine substitute) and the evil wizard. The Dragon knights were mediocre and the Lion knights were outright terrible and were sent straight to my Bricklink store. But for the Kingdoms lineup, I liked both the sets and the minifigs. It is extremely rare that I ever buy a set solely for the minifigs (unless it's a CMF) and when it happens, it's only smaller sets.

[Artanis I]

Regarding pirate sets, I haven't bought any non-licenced pirate stuff since the very early 90s. I don't like the current line-up and didn't like the previous one either. Not that the ships aren't cool, but I don't want to open that Pandora's box of getting into ships. (or trains, or modulars...)

That leads me to a different question: Do you army-build out of the CMF? Or is army-building more of a "set thing", and the CMF are hedge knights and the like?

I get multiples of some. I get 1 of some. I got a handful of evil dwarves, heroic knights, evil knights & minotaurs. I got 1 of any other castle relevant minifig. If I had my time again, I would get more than 1 elf.

But I think the most of one I have is 7, of the evil knight. It's more like a band than a full army.

[Artifex]

If I had my time again, I would get more than 1 elf

I know what you mean. I'd have gotten more Robin Hoods too (and Elves!). At the time I thought there might have been a new Forestmen sub-theme, even if they were elves. But...

[Artanis I]

I know what you mean. I'd have gotten more Robin Hoods too (and Elves!). At the time I thought there might have been a new Forestmen sub-theme, even if they were elves. But...

I got one of him too, for the sake of having one. One was enough because they don't look great next to my originals.

[Rogue Angel]

I buy very few Castle sets for the set itself. My primary consideration is the figures, but they are rarely good enough alone to justify the purchase, so the parts have to be considered as well. There have been some great sets lately that I could justify the purchase on figs alone: Castle Battlepack, MEA, Uruk Army, Galadriel\Elrond set. There are occasional sets that I feel are good enough to buy for the set itself (MMV, Mill Raid, Joust, Unexpected Gathering, Helm's Deep) but these are infrequent. I buy sets primarily on the figs included ( and weapons,Animals and Plants). I also own a ton of Lego, which makes the general pieces much less significant to me.

[Captain Braunsfeld]

I used to build the castles that I bought. Now, I am just using them as a brick-supply.

However, I am buying battle packs to build my armies.

[dgherko]

I try and get one of each set and multiples of set that have good minifig counts.

I need just a few sets to have one of each.

The yellow castle, joust the prisoners convoy, black falcon catapults, smugglers hayride, old kings castle, armorers shop and a few others. I need a total of eight plus the new battle of five armies set to have them all